Change, the one constant of life, is certainly true of the dynamic orchestra of plants that makeup our gardens. It can be very easy at the planning stage and beyond not to give sufficient consideration to this all important factor.
Change can come in many forms from macro, as in world climate change, to micro such as variations in seasonal weather from year to year but the most familiar to many gardeners is change due to plant growth. Those shrubs or small trees we planted in the garden a number of years ago have, with our assistance, morphed into large shrubs and bigger trees often creating shade in the area where previously our sun loving plants used to flourish.
More frustrating and increasingly common in the rapidly urbanizing landscape of Vancouver is change brought about by man-made forces i.e. neighbours or neighbourhood development over which we have no control. This is usually much more of a shock to a garden than the gradual transition due to growth. An adjacent huge cedar can be removed in a day. Suddenly the shade reverts into full sun or conversely with increasing urban density such as infill housing, a sunny lot can revert to a very shady one almost overnight.
To a certain extent we can mitigate against these sorts of shocks firstly by keeping in touch with what is going on in our neighbourhood; and also talking with our neighbours i.e. forewarned is forearmed, and adjusting our own planting accordingly. Secondly by using foundation plants such as laurel or boxwood that do well in a wide variety of conditions the basic structure of the garden can hopefully remain intact whatever happens next door or over the fence.
Lastly and most important of all, when the sun turns to shade or vice versa, we can view it as a gardening opportunity. Change challenges us to learn more, to perhaps use plants and techniques we had not previously considered and to adapt making better gardeners of us all.
Lorraine Lewis
Master Gardener, Vancouver Chapter
