The B.C. Landscape and Nursery Association has recognized the Earthwise Society for its demonstration garden in Boundary Bay.

The Boundary Bay Earthwise Garden was given an honourable mention for the association's 2009 Environmental Stewardship Award.

Earthwise turned the historic but dilapidated farm site into a welcoming and accessible public garden to demonstrate ecologically-friendly gardening, design, plant use and maintenance techniques.

In 2006, the one-acre garden in Boundary Bay was no more than a rocky, muddy brown site crisscrossed by a dirt farm road. The land for the garden was provided by the Century Group.

It's now a sustainable demonstration garden at the centre of an integrated education program that provides gardening and farming education for children, youth, the public and professionals.

The award "seeks to recognize excellence and effort by any BCLNA member for outstanding achievement in maintaining or promoting a sustainable, healthy environment," the BCLNA website states.

The garden, located at the corner of Boundary Bay Road and 3rd Avenue in Tsawwassen, is open free of charge to the public seven days a week, year-round. Pesticide-free gardening, backyard food growing, backyard chickens and composting are some of the workshops offered at the garden this year.

Programming and event information is available at www.earthwisesociety.bc.ca.