Meet Jen, East Van's Garden Gal
Jen, better known as East Van Garden Gal, is a nurse by profession working at VGH’s ICU and Emergency Department. But, her passion is designing with flowers and foliage, creating arrangements, backdrops, wreaths, and flower crowns. She sources local florals and often forages her supplies from around her neighbourhood.
I started following Jen as soon as I moved back to Vancouver. Her feed is absolutely stunning and her creativity is magical. What I admire about Jen is that she loves seeing things come together organically. There’s a lot of love, kindness and patience in everything she touches. Her process is beautiful but the end result is much more than just a tangible piece. She’s not only able to share her joy for gardening but has a way of bringing us all together through her warmth and devotion to building positive, feel good vibes.
Where did you get the idea for East Van Garden Gal?
My girlfriend started the instagram account for me to spark joy when I was emotionally drowning working during the second wave of the pandemic. I loved foraging compost and making wreaths for friends and started making them for the neighbourhood. It has been a wonderful experience allowing me to do creative projects every week.
You’re a nurse by profession. How did you come to love flowers?
My mom, poh poh and aunts always had beautiful gardens. They would collect discarded plants from parks when the city gardeners turned over their plants.
I’ve always loved flowers and would hang out at flower shops between shifts. It always brought a bit of peace and beauty amidst the chaos of life and working at the hospital.
What inspires you?
Flowers, shapes, textures. I think it is cool we can all have the same ingredients and make something totally different. I love seeing what people came up with when I create DIY kits. I love slow creative projects and never really knowing how it will turn out - drying florals, natural dyes, twisting grapevine into wreath forms. It all takes patience and a need to slow down.
Where did you hone your creative skills?
I’ve been incredibly lucky to find a community that trusts me to create. Practice definitely helps. I’ve made arrangements and wreaths for years for friends and from hanging out at my friend’s flower shop. But even my flower crowns- I think they just keep getting better.
How do you do it all - your career, your family, your side passion?
Currently, not well! My shop is closed but I’m fortunate enough to do a creative project here and there. Nursing in the pandemic was incredibly traumatic and an incident in emergency was the straw that broke the camel’s back. So, I’m off and recovering now and working with therapists, which is something hopefully we can normalize because mental health is essential.
When I was making wreaths and putting out arrangements every week, I have to admit my husband was a super dad. He cooks, cleans, and is generally a wonderful supportive human. I couldn’t do it without him. Also it helps I love doing it - with wreaths, so much was foraged from gardens and I could bring the kiddos. Rain or shine, we were outside with our dog!
What does community mean to you and how are you embracing it?
Community for me is this neighbourhood, my teammates and my instagram family.
I love community projects and things that bring people together. The b side patio at Say Mercy! last winter was a dream to partner with. I helped to provide mini wreath kits to families. I think we can use social media for good. I’m intentional with what I share. I very strongly believe we should be using our platforms to amplify the voices important to us.
The best messages come from strangers who say they are inspired by foraging, kid activities, gardening, growing their own bouquets, or trying to use chicken wire instead of floral foam. I think I could be talked into taking on any project if it aligned with my values.
What place makes you most happy?
My garden. I'm a homebody. I can spend all day doing absolutely nothing at home.
What does home mean to you?
Home is East Van. I was born and raised here and it really is a wonderfully diverse place to live. Home is family. Our house is chaotic and messy but it is ours. And I love it.
Recently, Jen partnered with Kate and I at The McSpadden County Fair to create a live installation for our health care workers. Passerbys contributed messages of love they tied to floral frames that were then donated to the staff of the Vancouver General Hospital.
