Hi GPODers!
Today’s photos come from Dianna Colnett, all the way from the small coastal town of Comox on the east coast of Vancouver, British Columbia. This garden is located in Canadian hardiness Zone 8a. Dianna writes:
We are very fortunate to have a stunning set of crevice gardens located along the public marina walkway. In every season, these south-facing gardens have some plant blooming or displaying interesting textures. For the last few years, the area around the Comox Valley has been receiving less precipitation, resulting in abnormally dry conditions throughout spring and summer. The crevice gardens seem to thrive in these conditions.
An amazing combination here showcases a variety of tulips (Fire spp. and cvs., Zones 3–8) and Hoop-Petticoat daffodils (Narcissus bulbocodium, Zones 3–8) with various creeping ground covers. Dianna says, The rocks are placed to provide good drainage and allow for deep roots. The plants here are a mixture of bulbs, perennials, and ground covers.
The sheer variety of plantings in these garden beds is astounding.
Sedums and cacti bloom alongside Lewisia cotyledon (Siskiyou Lewis, Zones 3–8), which is native to Southern Oregon and Northern California.
The silver-green sedum to the right of the rosemary is broadleaf stonecrop (Sedum spathulifoliumZones 5–9), another native plant in western North America.
A different color variation of Lewisia cotyledon with a blue-flowered gentian (Gentian sp. and cvs., Zones 4–7 ) behind, and more broadleaf stonecrop to the left
This tulip is possibly eyed tulip or sun-eyed tulip (Tulipa agenensis Zones 3–8) with a sedum below and partridge feather (Tanacetum dense Zones 4–9) to the left.
The above photo was taken last year, showing a different level of growth and blooms compared to 2026 (below).
A shot in the other direction shows how close this garden is to the water, and hints at the various elements these plants must withstand—truly a hardy garden!
A close-up of what is most likely Tower of Jewels (Echium of wild valueZones 9–11)
Thank you for sharing this awesome garden with us, Dianna. How lovely to find a green bit of paradise out among the docks, and truly inspiring to see just how many different types of plants will work in a crevice garden.
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