YWCA Rooftop Garden Tour

The YWCA rooftop garden is an 18,000 square foot oasis in the busy downtown core. When we entered the garden area on a sunny afternoon in early June, we were greeted with a bank of reflective windows that showed the garden’s beauty.

Location: 535 Hornby Street, Vancouver

Kim, the head gardener for the past 6 years and our tour guide, took us through a beautiful layout of large concrete planters with wooden trellises, wooden garden beds with hand-painted signs, and grassy walkways.

We were happy to see ladybugs and bees, since the garden’s flowers, vegetables and fruit are all attractive to pollinators and insects. The beds contain edible flowers, kale, Swiss chard, garlic, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, strawberries, and so much more. There are Asian pear trees, apple trees, and raspberry and blackberry bushes.

There is an indigenous garden that has sweetgrass, medicinal herbs, and native plants such as Oxalis and bleeding hearts. I was fortunate to receive some nodding onion so I could add it to my own garden. There is also a small greenhouse for starting plants early in the season.

The volunteer master gardeners and corporate groups put a lot of time, effort and love into the garden beds. The harvests are shared with community members and are delivered to Crabtree Corner, a community resource centre on the Downtown Eastside, where meals are prepared in culturally diverse ways.

Although surrounded by buildings, the gardens are peaceful and quiet. You would never know that you are on a rooftop. But being on a rooftop creates challenges. Disposing of the green waste kept in compost bins can be difficult. And, like any garden, there is no escaping the weeds.

It was a pleasure to visit the YWCA rooftop garden. I look forward to going again!