The 13th Annual Victoria Hospice Teeny Tiny Garden Tour takes place today. Visitors will enjoy an eclectic tour of eleven delightful and inspiring backyard gardens in three unique neighbourhoods: Esquimalt, Lansdowne and Rockland. This popular community event sells out every year and all proceeds support Victoria Hospice.
This year, one of Victoria Hospice Society’s Board Directors, Brenda Canitz, along with husband, David Hay, are inviting ticket-holders into their modern garden. “We are thrilled to be part of this tour,” says Brenda. Their garden features a drought tolerant area with decorative grasses, a terraced backyard with a willow tree and modern water feature, a cut flower patch, and an edible garden with delectable Damson Plums, Seville oranges, gooseberries, and figs.
Canitz volunteered for several years on the Victoria Hospice Inpatient Unit before joining the Board last year. “At Victoria Hospice, the focus is always on the needs and desires of patients and their families,” says Brenda, a healthcare executive with over 30 years’ in acute and community based health care. “I’ve seen firsthand the tremendous impact our interdisciplinary team has on patients facing terminal illness, and on their loved ones before, during, and after a death.”
Donations are critical for the ongoing operation of programs for patients and families. Says Brenda: “All the extras that make Hospice so special – programs like grief counselling, patient companionship, spiritual healthcare, educational initiatives, or any service provided by our extensive 300+ volunteer program – would not be possible without the generous support from the community.”
Teeny Tiny Garden Tour highlights: A French inspired garden complete with a salt water pool; an award-winning urban farm; an English Country garden; and a rocky outcrop with loads of whimsical flourishes. Not to be missed: a stop at Victoria Hospice’s Rooftop Garden, which is lovingly cared for by a dedicated team of volunteers. For more than twenty years it has been an oasis for patients, families and their friends. Ticket holders will be served free ice-cream on the Hospice Rooftop Garden between 12 – 3pm!
The self-guided tour runs from 9:30 am – 5:00 pm. Ticket holders receive a map, brochure and enter to win wonderful draw prizes. Tickets are only $25 and can be purchased at Capital Iron, Heart Pharmacy IDA, Dig This, Garden Works and other locations throughout the city.