Vancouverites has been alive and well for years and took this weekend to showcase their "wellness" at Canada Place for the 18th Annual Wellness Show.

Most of the health sector focuses on treatments and supplements so I was happy to offer a grow your own version of wellness with my booth showcasing edibles in containers. I had an evergreen herb planter with rosemary, purple sage, golden sage and golden oregano that recieved lots of attention at the show. People loved petting the rosemary and smelling the released fragrant oils left on their hands. As I was across from the cooking stage it seemed appropriate to focus on edible plants to keep people thinking of healthy fresh food that they could grow at home. Forget the 100 mile diet and try a zero mile diet with produce grown right in your backyard!

In the back of my display I created a living wall planting within a re-used tire that also caught a lot of visitors attention. I had seedling celery plants, oregano, chives and thyme planted within a chicken wire support to hold the soil and plants in place. The Bright Lights Swiss Chard also drew many admirers as it glowed with colours of yellow, green and pink. As a garden designer I always focus on the need for planting to be functional and beautiful and in this case the bonus was edible. who says you can't have it all!