SAANICH, B.C. — When she first started doing these daily walks to the end of her complex’s driveway, Bonnie Duncan would look for animals. “Just having the wildlife nearby is so wonderful.” Bonnie flips through photos she took around the cluster of large trees growing between the driveway and the road. She would capture pictures of deer and videos of eagles, and on rainy days would find shelter under the trees. “And feel like I was getting a big hug from nature,” Bonnie smiles. So Bonnie decided to return the favour by tending to the plants growing under the trees, particularly the heather that was struggling. “I lost my youngest daughter at age 17. Her name was Heather,” Bonnie says. “So I was like, ‘How can I revive the heather?’” While she was pruning the plants, Bonnie uncovered a large rock. “I looked at it and I’m like, ‘That’s a house!’” Bonnie laughs. So she placed a smaller rock on top of it to make a simple chimney before a neighbour donated a more elaborate front door. “And I thought, ‘You know, we’ve got the start of a fairy garden,’” Bonnie smiles. So Bonnie began spending countless hours transforming the space, planting colourful flowers and constructing roads out of pebbles to lead to gnome homes. It inspired people passing by to smile so much they’ve donated dozens of decorations. Now this “Enchanted Forest,” along with its heather plants, is thriving. “As I nurture the plants, I feel like I’m nurturing myself,” Bonnie says. “And also, I feel the presence of Heather.” Because along with the deer and eagles — and beyond the butterfly decorations placed around the garden — Bonnie says she’s regularly visited by very real butterflies here. “They say that (seeing a) butterfly is somebody that you’ve lost coming to check in and say, ‘How you doin?’” Bonnie smiles. If you ask Bonnie how she responds to that question, she’ll tell you it depends on the day because grief has a habit of arriving unannounced. But now, her answer will always include gratitude for both the solace this magical oasis provides and the healing. “Do what gives you joy!” Bonnie smiles. “And wow! What a transformation.”
