fe ature ◗ Dean Piller
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All of these varieties will produce a plentiful harvest over extended periods of time and provide the restaurant and staff with a large variety of vegetables. In particular, several varieties of squash that we grow thrive on top of our compost piles and provide storable produce that supplies a base for soup stock well into winter. The third category of vegetables is what I refer to as showy or decorative plants. These are crops planted mostly for show and autumn displays. This group includes the ornamental gourd family, sweet and ornamental corn, pumpkins and sunflowers. Members of this group can be used for produce, but we tend to use them mostly for decorative value in the garden and, more importantly, as the product we use for decorative harvest displays in the fall for the restaurant, pro shop or around our clubhouse and office buildings. The fourth group of plants that we cultivate for purposes other than on-course garden beautification are called cut or edible flowers. This group of plants includes edible flowers such as nasturtiums, borage and calendula. They are used for garnishing dishes or as a classy addition to fancy salads in the restaurant. The cut flower program our horticulturalists have developed provides fresh cut flowers or flowering stems used in bud vases and clubhouse bouquets from April to October. Proven performers for vases and bouquets include: daffodils in spring, sunflowers, rudbeckia, echinacea, sweet peas and zinnias in the summer and dahlias, a fall favorite, which come in a large variety of colors and sizes and dominate the
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gardens and bouquets from August through October. The final class of plants grown with a secondary purpose in our gardening programs are herbs. We grow herbs in one of our clubhouse patio gardens by the kiosk in a traditional bed. A few years ago, because of increased demand from the kitchen, we added decorative boxes mounted to the exterior of the clubhouse with pots to grow the herbs and the results have been favourable. This method is not only very attractive, but it is also very convenient for our chefs when they require fresh cut herbs for their daily features. The list of herbs that we supply from these pots and herb garden for our chefs include, in order of importance: rosemary, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, mint, lovage, dill and fennel. After many years of adding vegetable gardens and multi-purpose plants to our horticulture programs, we are very pleased with the overall benefits this has provided to our facility. First and foremost, growing organic vegetables in the middle of a golf course sends the right message to our active members and guests that play our facility. Secondly, there is an added appeal to a restaurant menu featuring on-course grown herbs and vegetables. The quality of the produce is fresh picked in the morning and comes at no cost to our restaurant. Last, but not least, whether it’s pumpkins at the front door of the restaurant or fresh bouquets for prizes on Ladies Day, these gardens and their unique appeal create discussion that is positive, admiring and a great addition to our facility. GM Dean Piller is the superintendent at Victoria’s Cordova Bay Golf Course.
...because of increased demand from the kitchen, we added decorative boxes mounted to the exterior of the clubhouse with pots to grow the herbs and the results have been favourable.
Above (left to right): A garden in bloom. Herbs grow at Cordova Bay to be used in the restaurant on site.