Nestled off Prospect Road in Donna Silver’s backyard is a little piece of paradise.
Fresh floral smells linger in the air and a chorus of bird’s drifts.
Luscious greens and vibrant colours surround the eight acre yard.
For more than 40 years, Silver and her husband, John, have been growing the space.
“It’s been a process. It’s not something that happens overnight, but it’s a labour of love,” said Donna Silver.
In the past 26 years, the Silvers have given tours to people in the community, while also encouraging them to bring non-perishable food items and monetary donations with them.
“Everybody should be doing that, especially now that food is so expensive and they certainly need our help,” she said.
Last year, 200 people attended the Silvers' tour. The couple raised $1,000 in monetary donations and 500 pounds of food.
This year, their goal is to raise double the amount.
In addition to providing tours, the couple is hosting eight different artisans from the community, including their daughter, Stacie.
Stacie explained that this is a unique opportunity for local artists to show their work.
“We’re really underrepresented out here so there’s not a lot of art stuff going on so it’s nice that out of this, that group has been formed,” said Stacie Silver.
The artists will set up shop in the main area, while the tours take people through four levels.
Every flower and structure has been carefully curated and signifies the lives of the Silvers.
“Each path was named after our grandchildren. We have four and as they were born the garden grew. The ponds were put in when our own children were young so that they could skate on them,” said Donna Silver.
The space and everything in it is built from scratch.
A walk over the bridge and a view overlooking a bed of flowers and the ocean is a fairytale experience the Silvers' love to share year after year.
