Revelstoke's new community garden was celebrated at the end of the third annual Garden & Art Tour on Saturday.
The tour saw 13 artists display their works at 10 gardens throughout Revelstoke. 75 people bought tickets to take part in the tour, which culminated in the celebration at the new garden outside the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre.
The gallery recently completed it's exterior landscaping works, which saw the construction of a new community garden, as well as walkways and a xeriscape garden that connects the gallery to Victoria Road.
On Saturday, local artists had their works on display in the flourishing vegetable garden.
"One of the aims was to make the gallery more visible, and with that, we made this beautiful community garden," said Jackie Pendergast, the director of the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre.
The garden was built as a collaboration between the arts centre and the North Columbia Environmental Society's Local Food Initiative, which was recently spun off as it's own non-profit.
The new society will be dedicated to food security issues, allowing the NCES to focus on other environmental initiatives.
"Food security and food is a really important thing in our community," said Melissa Hemphill. "The LFI is striving to improve our access to local food in our community."
The garden tour began at the United Church, where maps were being sold. The first stop was the home of Greg & Kristina Metzlaff, who have transformed their Railway Avenue lot into a 'vegetable wonderland.' Painter Tina Lindegaard was the featured artists.
On Moss Street, Karilyn Kempton and Simon Wex opened their 2,000-square-foot garden to the public. Formerly the site of the Grauer farm, Kempton and Wex have picked up where the old owners left off in the 1950s. Madison Hutchison showcase his modernist paintings, while the Little Sprouts served lemonde.
At the home of Geordie Knoess and Barbara Maye, the couple showcased their varied garden, which included fruit trees and, most-notably, a large squash patch they dubbed the 'squash-tapus.' Knoess and Maye also displayed their art work — stain glass and stone carvings respectively.
On Track Street, Bruce Thomas displayed his art and played music at the vibrant semi-urban farm of Stuart Smith and Sarah Harper. Downtown, Sharon & Jim Kelley once again opened up their flower garden.
In Farwell, Hailey Ross and Aaron Chance let visitors into their garden overlooking the Columbia River. Out in the Tum Tum, Jo C Willems displayed her work in the garden of of LIsa & Terry Feuz.
In Columbia Park, Jackie & Michael Morris opened up their backyard oasis, where they have spotted more than 30 species of bird over the years. Across the street was one of the gems of the tour — Diane Martin's terraced garden that she has built into the banks of the Columbia River over the past 27 years.
The tour culminated with the celebration at the art gallery.