A look at Revelstoke’s yards and gardens

Revelstoke is known for a lot of things – its proximity to nature, popularity among world renowned powderhounds and its unique climate as the world’s only temperate Interior rainforest, known for its towering Western hemlock and red cedar.

Still, the region is not immune to the impacts of human-caused climate change, and dry spells are becoming more frequent. For many, designing yards and gardens around this is a challenge, but for Mackenzie Watt, owner of Bloomworks Gardening it’s a career. 

After studying horticulture and landscape design, Watt moved to Revelstoke in 2017. Bloomworks Gardening does site design, landscaping plans, installation, irrigation and landscape maintenance.

In her years of working in yards around Revelstoke, Watt is seeing a few key shifts in what locals are looking for in their outside spaces. One of the most commonly asked for being an elegant, low-maintenance look.

“We are an active community, people are in and out of town, and we have a lot of rental properties,” she said. “Not everyone has the time to tend to all the weeding and pruning that gardens can require. A lot of people want to keep things simple, while still having that special place to come home to and relax.” 

Low-maintenance landscaping

Careful not to spill all her secrets, Watt shared a few simple techniques for keeping your space easy-to-please. This includes “applying four inches of bark mulch to help retain moisture and suppress weeds — weed fabric is overrated,” she said.

Options for low-maintenance lawns include alternatives to grass that don’t require mowing, such as micro clover lawns, and dripline irrigation, which can operate on a timer. 

“More people are seeking lawn alternatives such as bee turf and wildflower meadows,” she noted, which have the added benefits of being native species that don’t require additional watering.

Something else Watt is seeing grow in popularity is an interest in drought-tolerant plants and gardens that fit into the surrounding landscape seamlessly. 

“Being in a rainforest we can grow so many amazing plants, but we also face long periods of dry spells.”

Pollinator gardens and rewilding Revy yards

Sustainability efforts and invasive pest management are also playing a key role in how locals are designing their yards. 

The European chafer beetle in particular is a species Watt credits with damage to crops and lawns around town. The clover lawns she mentioned for a lower maintenance yard alternative also keep the beetles at bay, since they don’t feed on it. 

Those seeking to build more sustainable spaces are opting for landscapes that go beyond aesthetics. There is a budding excitement and interest in substituting the typical with the sustainable, according to Watt. 

“Pollinator gardens are a big topic these days as well as native plants that don’t require supplemental water, pesticides and fertilizers,” she said.

While many of her clients are already knowledgeable and come to her with sustainability requests, she shared a few tips on how to make your space more eco-friendly including adding compost to garden beds instead of chemical fertilizer, incorporating native plants and letting things be a little more wild. 

People are also responding to the increase in wildfires that threaten Interior B.C. by creating FireSmart landscapes, Watt explained. This includes having low-density planting, avoiding bark mulch near homes and planting fire resistant shrubs and trees.

Importantly, Watt feels everyone can have a connection to their outdoor area, regardless of their space.

“It doesn’t really matter how big of an area you’re working with, it’s good… to have some sort of symbiotic relationship with what’s going on in your garden.”