A Sample Report

The following is the contents of a report we created for the Hugging Gardens Sanctuary. It is included here to give you an idea of our thoroughness, efficacy, and expansiveness. You need to know, though, that every presentation is unique—tailored specifically for YOU, the client. Let your imagination roam, and then feel free to question anything that is not clear. Happy reading!

TRANSFORMING ENVIRONMENTS 

Presentation for 

The Hugging Gardens Sanctuary 

on the

Farming, Gardening & Welcoming Environments

Although our focus for this report has been on what is not yet developed, the scope of this presentation covers the entire property from the main road on the north side to the south side fence just beyond the large rock outcropping that provides an expansive and restful view point looking down Fulford Harbour to Isabella Point, and on to Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island beyond.

This report includes the agriculture and gardening aspects as well as the welcoming aspects of home, business and the property boundaries. Included is a short discourse on income potential. Not included here is the marketing aspect of the development, nor do we estimate the employment income created for the community within which the property resides.

Although this transformation plan has been created as a whole, the report is divided into several sections for ease of reading - (for purposes of this website, each of the topics below is linked to its specific page)

• Story of the Land
• Inventory & Potential - Making the Most of What You Have
• Market Gardening
• Culinary & Medicinal Herb Production
• Arboretum, Botanical & Ornamental Gardens
• Welcome To the Hugging Gardens
• Water Conservation & Development Plan
• Making Market Garden Space
• Planting the Orchard Arboretum
• Next Level of Transformation
• Expenditure Estimates
• Sanctuary for All Species
• Implementation Diary

STORY OF THE LAND

The strip of land situated along Beaver Point Road is a very old unnourished grass field of approximately two acres, currently rapidly turning itself back into a forest and blackberry patch. This piece of the property was originally a hay field full of thistles and wild carrot, grazed intermittently, and planted with Christmas trees for 20 of its 90 plus years in existence as a field. Neighborhood sheep have been grazing at will, although there is a Pound Law that is being flagrantly ignored by the neighbor. The road-side fence has been allowed to grow over with trees, wild shrubs and blackberries. A large granite and quartz rock outcropping just reaches the surface in a portion of the meadow.

The two acre strip immediately south of the meadow strip is fenced to keep out animals and is gardened intensively and abundantly, although casually maintained for the birds. Of these two acres, the west acre is in relatively good shape, while the east acre has yet to be included definitively in the whole, with sporadic work done in the nourishment line, and blackberries fast taking over. There are two large granite outcroppings occupying the space adjacent to the east property boundary. The business of being a Hugging Garden is largely maintained in the west acre with winding paths directing visitors to the house through the eclectic ornamental gardens and beginnings of an arboretum, rather than down the straight driveway.

There are many excellent welcoming features--inside the garden gate, vehicles are hugged on the driveway by abundant growth, three ponds full of aquatic species are visible from the winding stone or wood chip paths, edible flowers abound along the paths hugging you as you nibble, and finally the straw bale house nestles into the gardens like it grew there. It is definitely a place to wander and wonder. You are always welcome at the house whether it be for a tour, High Tea, a meeting, a class, a retreat, a celebration or accommodations--bed & breakfast, cottage, and camping. Getting here is the trick.

The subject property would have been a forest of merchantable timber prior to the 1900's when it was progressively cleared for mixed farming by original settlers. The still-forested part of the land boasts a 700 year old grandmother tree plus at least a dozen trees over 300 years old, plus an acre of 100 year olds and younger. The grandmother tree is scarred with fire damage from a fire that predates island settlement, and is only spoken of in very old Native Indian stories.

Early land clearing methods before 1920 removed most of the large rocks from the top 18 inches of loam over clay soil, with the rocks being deposited along fence lines to hold up the posts, or otherwise left in large piles on top of the land where the pure granite outcroppings poke through to the surface and the land is unusable. Pioneers were used to farming marginal land--they made the best of what they had.

In the early 1970's, the cleared portion of the entire property was planted with Christmas trees because no other crop than "poor hay" was viable. This endeavor continued until the mid 1990's when the market for trees declined substantially. The base work of the present gardens was started ten years later. No nourishment was added to the land in this thirty year span. According to memory, the land has not been nourished for 60 or more years, except by grazing sheep and deer.

In the early 1970's the Government of British Columbia enacted the Agriculture Land Reserve Act and its regulations. Initials maps made from aerial observation and photographs showed this particular land being marginal, and unsuitable for farming. It was originally classed as R1 land suitable for housing. At that time, the owner was incorrectly advised that the land would be taxed out of existence if it was left as R1, and he was encouraged to put it into the Agriculture Land Reserve, which was done.

From 1970, other than the Christmas trees, it has never produced a merchantable product and is currently taxed as residential without it being allowed to be subdivided like the surroundings properties. It is hoped that this report will change that stance, by making the most of what is there. It is felt that "farming" the land would definitely be viable, given the time and the hands to do so. Because of the historical neglect of the soil, the unused portion of the property will require amendments, and careful choosing of the crops for the first few years. It is definitely possible to regenerate and restore here.

INVENTORY & POTENTIAL - MAKING THE MOST OF WHAT YOU HAVE

Obviously to be a farm, the land must be healthy and nourished and productive and sustainable, if not profitable. The crops grown must be able to thrive in the soil with available water, to survive in the variable and fast-changing climate, be do-able in terms of human effort and time, and be within the limits of a bank account.

It is proposed that the use of this property be expanded to include a mixed tree nut and fruit orchard, arboretum trees, chickens for egg production, market gardening and culinary and medicinal herb production, expanded environmentally sensitive camping, and sustainable forestry practices. The farming aspects will be intimately joined with the welcoming and business aspects to present a whole of great beauty, abundance, and nourishment on all levels.

Continued on the next page