Jill Parkhurst talking about her garden.
Lush and gorgeous sum up this backyard.
The family of metal pigs. W
hen is a sunroom not a sunroom? When it is the deck on the back of Jill and Dave Parkhurst’s Calgary garden. Dave has cleverly shaded it from
the hottest of the Calgary sun by adding a Plexiglas roof. It adds a dimension of privacy without compromising the understanding of being outside and since it is hung with all sort of flowers, the experience is comforting and comfortable. You can sit here under a burning midday sun or when it is pouring rain in equal ease. This is a garden that grew out of a family’s love for each
other and their fascination with plants and being out of doors for the short season afforded them in Alberta. It’s a garden where there is no surprise that the dog ate the carrots – while they were still in the ground, growing. It’s a garden where five- to 600 annuals are started from seed each year in a temporary greenhouse set up on the side of the house – an extended deck really, covered, as is the seat- ing area, with Plexiglas. Once well started, the plants are lovingly teased into their glorious best when the weather warms up. There are four kids in this family – two have moved out,
albeit one is up north for much of the year with dad Dave doing electrical work in the oil fields. For Dave, this is a big change of pace for a guy who worked in television for the BBC for 15 years! Being up north is not all hardship though. Dave says Skype is a saviour and the camp is “like a little resort”, where he has his own bathroom, a well- equipped gym and the time to watch garden shows! Two more of the kids are still at home where they get
localgardener.net Beautiful Gardens 2015 • 27
The plexiglass roof on this sunroom/deck adds an interesting dimension. Plants are lovingly teased to their glorious best.
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