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SPRING

Dear friend,

Spring bears many gifts. We are feeling the longer daylight hours and bursting energy in the plants around us. It brings us joy, and can also feel a little overwhelming as we emerge from the winter months. However you are feeling, be kind and patient with yourself. Your time to bloom will come.

❁

this is the recipe of life
said my mother
as she held me in her arms as i wept
think of those flowers you plant
in the garden each year
they will teach you
that people too
must wilt
fall
root
rise
in order to bloom
- rupi kaur

❁

Ribes sanguineum

Ribes sanguineum, commonly known as Red Flowering Currant, is a plant native to Coastal British Columbia. This currant is known for its beautiful fragrant clusters of 10-20+ drooping red flowers and aromatic foliage.

Blooming in March, the nectar of the red flowering currant is an important food source for hummingbirds. Anna's Hummingbirds, one of the most common hummingbirds along the Pacific Coast, can be found nesting in late Winter/early Spring and feasting on their blooms. Planting native species, such as the Ribes sanguineum, supports diverse and resilient ecosystems and species that depend on it.

The plant grows to about 3 metres tall and does well in dry woodlands or on rocky slopes. The berries appear in early summer and are enjoyed by birds and people. W̱IW̱Q,IȽĆ (wee-wu-q-ee-th-ch) is a culturally important plant for the W̱SÁNEĆ people, and indicates when winter is ending. Berries are eaten fresh or dried into cakes with other types of berries like Salal.

Online Nursery

We're very excited to be launching our new online nursery, Moonflower Gardens, to complement our Garden Design services. Browse our collections and product lines to find the perfect plants, amendments and tools, for your gardening needs.

We offer delivery within the Greater Victoria area. If you are a regular maintenance client, delivery will be free (use discount code: TRILLIUM) and we will bring your purchases to you on your next appointed day! First time clients in Greater Victoria can also enjoy free delivery on orders over $100 this month using discount code: PLANTLOVE.

Herbal Teas

It's allergy season! If you suffer from pollen allergies these days, we feel you... Stinging nettles, Urtica dioica, or ȾEX,TEX (ts-uh-kh-ts-uh-kh), are abundant at this time of year, and a great restorative and immune boosting herb, known to help with allergy symptom relief. So make the most of them!

To pick nettle, wear gloves to protect your skin from the sting, and use scissors to cut off the top two sets of leaves. Deposit directly into a container or bag. A cup of fresh leaves is plenty to brew a small pot of tea (2 cups). You can steep in boiling water, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until it's the strength you like. Add local honey for an extra immune boost.

(Nettle tea can interact with prescription drugs, so check with your doctor first.)

Photography credit to the lovely
@liacrowe and Erin Miller.

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We acknowledge with great respect and humility the Lekwungen peoples and the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ Nations whose relationships with these lands, now known as Victoria and Saanich, continue, unbroken, to this day.

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