Thanks to the support from the Neighbourhood Small Grant program, we’ve been developing a new garden space at the Dunsmuir Urban Collective site, focused on plants native to the Fraser Valley. What began as a simple ecological initiative has grown into something deeper, both in practice and in meaning.
Our original goal was to identify and plant native species that support pollinators, biodiversity, and healthy soil. But as we got into the work, we began learning about the cultural and historical significance of these plants and the Indigenous knowledge systems that have long cared for them.
This garden was not initially framed as an Indigenous-led or Indigenous-informed space. However, through collaboration with Sara L., an Indigenous woman and knowledge keeper, the project has naturally taken on an Indigenous component. While our focus remains on native plants, we now also honour the stories, uses, and teachings they carry.
The grant helped us with compost, soil-building, plant purchases, transportation, and an honorarium for Sara’s contributions. We also reused organic materials like sunflower stalks to build up the garden bed in a regenerative and respectful way.
At the moment, the garden includes several volunteer mullein plants (Verbascum thapsus). Though not native to the Fraser Valley, they emerged naturally in the disturbed soil and have traditional medicinal uses in many cultures. We’ve chosen to leave a few in place temporarily, acknowledging their presence while we work toward establishing more appropriate native species.
By the end of November, we plan to plant a key native species.
Red-Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum) is one of the first shrubs to bloom in early spring. Its brilliant pink flowers offer nectar to hummingbirds and native bees when little else is in bloom. The berries, edible fresh or dried, were traditionally used as food and medicine in many Indigenous communities. This plant signals resilience and renewal.
This project has been a true learning experience, not only about soil and species but also about building relationships. Working with Sara has been a gift.
Fall has become a powerful season for this work. In many Indigenous cultures, fall is a time for gathering, seed saving, preparation, and reciprocity. It is not just about endings, but about care and continuity. That is what this garden is becoming: a space for reflection, for giving back, and for planting things we may not harvest ourselves but that we hope will matter to someone, someday.
The Girl Guides visited this fall, as did members of the wider community. We’re proud of this garden. It may be small, but it is already growing big ideas about land, learning, and what it means to live in good relationship.
