On Wednesday, Feb. 16, Coast gardeners will have a late but most agreeable Valentine pleasure as George Little and David Lewis, two artist-gardeners from Washington state, present an illustrated lecture at 1 p.m. at the Raven's Cry Theatre in Sechelt hosted by the Sunshine Coast Botanical Garden Society.
The talk is entitled Garden Alchemy and promises a revealing tour of the renowned Little and Lewis garden on Bainbridge Island with emphasis on how to use plants, art works and hardscaping to extraordinary effect.
This is the third annual Valentine lecture and marks the kick-off to the gardening season here on the Coast.
The two previous lectures, one by Stephen Lacy of England and the second by Vancouver's Thomas Hobbs, were inspirational, informative and highly entertaining. After hearing Little and Lewis speak in Seattle last year and visiting their garden and studio on Bainbridge, members of the Botanical Garden Society felt the duo was perfect for this key event. Their new book, A Garden Gallery, will be available for purchase and signing at the lecture. Advance copies are at Talewind Books now.
Little has sculpted and painted for 30 years, while Lewis trained as an archeological illustrator and is a true plantsman. Their collaborations on garden, sculpture and now as authors, bring together a love for classical forms, water in all its forms and sculpture. The resulting dramatic garden and their passion for it are infectious.
The event includes a display of what is blooming in Coast gardens in late winter, many of the plants fragrant and all suitable for our soil and climate. Bring a notepad to make a wish list for expanding your winter garden.
Advance tickets ($10 for members; $12 non-members) are available at Casey's and Talewind Books in Sechelt and B&K Soils and Quality Farms in Gibsons. The Botanical Garden Society has received generous support for this lecture from Above the Bay Salon, Casey's, Claytons, The Copy Shop, The Front Porch and Wilson Creek IGA. For information about the Sunshine Coast Botanical Garden Society visit www.coastbotanicalgarden.org or contact Glenn Lewis at 604-885-6142.
