A perfect summer evening, a beautiful and creative island garden, selected wines for tasting, and the exuberant works of local artists set the stage for the Bowen Island Garden Club’s July Art in the Garden soiree. The public was invited to don their party wear and join garden club members to sip and shop and enjoy the company of good friends.

Resilience and beauty are two of several goals described in the Mission of the Bowen Island Garden Club. And what better way to promote resilience and beauty than to team up with the Bowen Island Conservancy to preserve Bowen’s unique ecosystems? The Conservancy was selected to receive the $6000 raised from the event in recognition of their recent acquisition of the Wild Coast Nature Refuge and to support their efforts to protect the south shore bluffs treasured by locals.

As with most Bowen events, volunteers deserve the kudos for the evening’s success. Hosts Doug Elliott and Owen Plowman generously opened their spacious gardens, twenty-two plucky artists took our invitation to step out of the gallery context to display their work along garden fences. Wine expert Paul Rickett selected Similkameen wines to taste and pour, and a plethora of garden club volunteers oversaw everything from ticket sales, to food hospitality, assisting artists, managing car parking and cashiering art sales.

There was plenty of viewing and sipping and visiting as friends and acquaintances took advantage of a warm summer evening to catch up with locals they hadn’t seen for a very long time.