My project was to build a community-based demonstration drought garden for the strata where I live on the Sunshine Coast. Our strata property is set in nature, with the ocean on one side and the forest surrounding the balance of the property. In recent summers the Sunshine Coast has experienced drought or the threat of drought. This, coupled with the many wildfires in our province each summer has residents very concerned and feeling vulnerable, should a wildfire strike our community.
Recommendations of the FireSmart Program to remove numerous trees around the property left some residents distressed, while others embraced this preventive action. It was an emotional issue within our community and I thought that providing residents with drought tolerant options for their personal gardening space could go a long way to fire-smarting the Immediate and Intermediate Home Ignition Zones (as defined by FireSmart) without it feeling like our chosen living environment was being destroyed. So, this project was a way to educate residents on options for beautiful, colorful, indigenous and drought tolerant plants for their personal gardens.
The demonstration drought garden was highly visible as it was set within the community garden and along a walking path used by many residents on a daily basis. Volunteers helped me to plant in the spring and to weed and water throughout the summer season. Unfortunately, my photos do not show all the volunteers that supported this project.
Each plant in the demonstration drought garden was labelled with information about the preferred setting (sun, shade, etc) and the mature size of the plant. The signs also included a photo of a mature plant, as the ones in the garden were not yet full-sized. Unfortunately, the laminating of the original signs leaked and the ink washed out during an early rainstorm, so I had to redo the signage. The new signage was easier to see and read and I received many positive comments about it.
Photos and information about each plants was also posted on our residents’ Facebook page and through this media I received many positive comments about the demonstration drought garden. Residents were noticing the plants and some were using the same variety in their own gardens.
Now that the growing season is over and the two gardens allotted to my project need to be vacated for other residents to use next year, the plants will be moved into common gardens throughout the strata property. I will again post photos on our community FB page, with notes about where they are located, so residents can continue to monitor these drought tolerant plants as they mature and decide whether they are suitable for their personal needs.
An additional benefit to this project has been my ability to influence decisions made by the strata council – to replace dead or dying plants with drought tolerant options around the property. While we’re not FireSmart yet, we are moving in a positive direction!
