Westwood, a tree-lined neighbourhood, is full of garden gems that reveal the history and heart of the community. Check out this photo-filled garden walk below!

As I walked down 103 Street to 12214 – 103 St, Linda Perdue, area resident since 1956, met me in her yard. She remembers wooden sidewalks, gravel roads and milk delivery by horse-drawn carriage. She has custom-made cedar gardening boxes and a pear tree.

Further down at 12250 – 103 St, a man converted his front yard into a living food factory. To make gardening easier on his knees, he built raised cedar gardening boxes. He made the boxes for Perdue as well.

Keep walking along 122 Avenue and 103 Street to see the tree stump covered with birdhouses. Many homes have repurposed items in their gardens.

I walk past pine trees at Beechmount Cemetery, head up 104 Street, and see a statue of St. Francis with cherubs and angels at 123 Avenue.

As I cross the street, accessibility ramps are part of the landscape, along with lovely gardens.

I meet Cindy Linklater at 12222 – 106 St. Five generations of her family have lived in Westwood, all within the same block. Her front yard is full of rhubarb and she loves to make rhubarb jam and strawberry rhubarb pie. 

A large tree house was nestled in the front yard of 122 Avenue and 106 Street. I was tempted to climb it, but no one was home.

Westwood gardens range from professional landscaping to functional gardening or do-it-yourself. They showcase the diversity of the neighborhood in transition with infill properties. Conversation comes easy to Westwood residents, especially if you ask someone about his or her garden.

All photos credited to Cynthia Mondesir.