Botanical Gardens
Our gardens are open for you to explore from June – September. We have medicinal plants and trees, a variety of flowers, native plants, and veggie gardens. Benches and lawn chairs are located throughout our 7 acres so you can enjoy sitting in the sun or shade, chatting with friends or quietly listening to the birds.
Some noteworthy features include the pond with a bridge near the native plant garden, a lavender hedge, a “pinetum” area with a collection of various coniferous trees, a small nature trail at the back of our property, and the apothecary garden that we use for teaching about medicinal plants. There are some lovely lilies, roses, and sunflowers amidst the gardens near our patio for the Green Dream Café as well.
Please note that entry to the botanic garden area is by donation (see bottom of page for hours of operation), and dogs are not permitted in the gardens.
Apothecary Garden
This garden is living medicine, with dozens of herbs carefully chosen to represent the different body systems they work in—lungs, kidneys, digestion, nerves etc.—so that the whole garden becomes a classroom and learning opportunity. Some of these are common plants like lavender, plantain, and stinging nettle. Others like celandine, poke root, and green tea are less well-known, at least in the Pacific Northwest.
With meandering paths and prolific, verdant growth, shady benches and a high hedge all around, this is a garden to linger in, to wonder, to study, and to appreciate.
Don’t nibble in this garden – some plants are poisonous!
Native Plant Garden
This garden was funded in the summer of 2020 by the Global Garden Fund, an international initiative to support small botanical gardens. This garden contains a myriad of medicinal plant species native to British Columbia. These plants have long been used by the K’òmoks First Nation and others for both food and medicine.
Our goal is to showcase to our visitors how valuable these plants are, especially in today’s world as we all strive to reduce our carbon footprint and do our best to preserve intact ecosystems and to respect Indigenous knowledge.
Many of the plants used for food or medicine are easy to grow, and there is something for every condition you may have in your yard. Consider the growing conditions as you explore the plants in this garden.
Chinese Medicine Garden
In 2024 we are building a larger Chinese medicine garden within a section of the Apothecary garden.
Currently there is a small Chinese Medicine Garden near the front gate, across from the Farm Shop.
What is a Botanic Garden?
It has been said that a botanic garden is a whole world of plants and it’s true.
There are over 3,700 botanic gardens all around the world that are registered and certified by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). Canada is home to 16 of these and Innisfree is one of 5 located in B.C.
To be certified as a botanic garden, owners must follow the guidelines set by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC).
They must also open their gardens to the public and provide education on plant species and conservation protocols. The various botanic gardens around the world also work together, and with institutions, to expand knowledge of plants, including seed collection, history, research and discoveries.