Since 1953, Surrey and Vancouver gardeners have looked to local experts at Hunters Garden Centre for advice and inspiration for gardens both big and small. Now celebrating their 70th year serving a growing Lower Mainland community, the Hunters team is once again welcoming a new gardening season.
“We’re pleased to be celebrating our 70th year in business. My grandfather David started our company with the simple goal of providing gardeners with a place where they could get everything they need for their garden. Over the years the needs of gardeners have changed and our stores have changed with them.” says General Manager and owner, Miles Hunter. “Over the past few years our customers have shown an increased interest in growing their own fruits, vegetables, and other edible plants. So we’ve continued to increase our stock in those areas as a response. We’re excited about the coming years to see what changes will be next and hope to continue serving gardeners in Greater Vancouver for many years to come.”
With the rising cost of food, starting your own garden – even a small one – can make a big difference if planned properly – especially with our multi-season growing possibilities.
Seed starting 101
If you haven’t already, now is a great time to start your seeds indoors or in a heated green house. You can find an online seed starting guide from Hunters here.
Some seed ideas to start in March:
- Asparagus
- Brassicas (Broccoli, cabbage, etc)
- Celery
- Leeks
- Lettuces
- Onions
- Herbs
- Peppers
- and lots more!
Small garden solutions
You don’t need a large space to start growing your own food, and the better you plan, the more you can grow, even in a small space. Here are some tips and tricks for growing in a small gardening environment.
- Square foot gardening – Square foot gardening has been around for decades and remained popular for a reason: it’s a very effective way to grow more food in a small space. By breaking your garden into square foot sections and following one of the various planting/spacing guides online, you can easily double your harvest.
- Companion planting – Companion planting goes hand-in-hand with square foot gardening but takes a bit more research to ensure you’re pairing the right plants for the best results. Essentially you’re planting certain crops together based on how each benefits the other. Certain herbs and edible flowers can help prevent pests problems, for example, and certain veggies benefit others because of the different nutrients they need and put back into the soil.
- Vertical gardening – Vertical gardening is another great space-saving solution. Plants like zucchini, squashes and melons take up a lot of garden real estate. By training them to grow up over arches you can reclaim more garden space and prevent rot issues thanks to increased airflow.
Big garden ideas
If you have space to grow fruits and vegetables, Hunters Garden Centre has a wide variety of popular and unique fruit trees and edible plants to pick from. Unique types of stone fruits and berries are currently available for a diversified harvest.
Hand-crafted bouquets and floral arrangements
Hunters Garden Centre in Surrey also offers a full-service florist at their Hunters Flower Shop, pairing your favourite fresh-cut flowers with the professional touch to ensure your bouquets and special occasion arrangements look perfect every time.
“We want to say thank you to all of our loyal customers that have given us the opportunity to help them with their gardens over the years and our many fantastic employees, current and past, that have helped make Hunters what it is today. We would like to invite everyone to share their favourite stories with us. If you’re a customer or have been an employee please send us an email at Info@HuntersGardenCentre.com. You can also share your stories on social media and tag us @HuntersGdnCtr or #HuntersGdnCtr.” says Hunter.
Spring is finally here and your garden is calling – pop by your local Hunters Garden Centre to wish them a happy 70th anniversary and get expert advice for your garden this season.
Learn more information at huntersgardencentre.com and check out their Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date with all their 70th anniversary sales and events.