Organic Gardening News

Traditional Japanese homes often follow the philosophy of wabi-sabi, an appreciation for imperfection and asymmetry. If elements are flawed, worn out or unbalanced, rather than scrambling to fix them, the theory goes, it’s better to not only accept but celebrate a place’s peccadillos. The pursuit of perfection, after all, is an exercise in futility and an express train to stress.

The couple who commissioned the Sakura Estate in Coquitlam back in 1963 were not known to be Japanese themselves, but they obviously embraced the wabi-sabi sentiment when envisioning their new mid-century modern home.

“Its luxury comes from the materiality: it’s simple, reduced, peaceful,” says listing agent Trent Rodney, co-founder of West Coast Modern real estate agency. “Everything is locally sourced with a Japanese sensibility.”

That sensibility starts with the property’s namesake, the Sakura, a 60-year-old cherry blossom tree that presides over the front yard. Adjacent to the entrance courtyard, the covered two-vehicle carport’s eaves curve up like a pagoda. After passing through two motor court gates and continuing along a curved driveway, then over circular paving stones that look like lily pads, and across slate tiles, you pass underneath translucent tōrō lanterns, historically used to line and illuminate paths around Buddhist temples and shrines.

Hand set, locally sourced Squamish granite columns frame the entrance courtyard, and a skylight illuminates the pebbled pathway leading to the home’s double mahogany doors.

“Each element slows movement and creates a staged arrival in the entrance foyer that feels like you’ve entered the insides of a supersized Japanese lantern,” says Rodney.

The California-style pool in the backyard was inspired by American landscape architect Thomas Church, characterized by the kidney-shaped design that blends with the surrounding landscape. “Granite monoliths, tall vertical stones near the pool and outdoor fireplace, function as sculptural landscape elements and reference traditional Japanese stone garden placement,” says Rodney.

Japanese maples, cedar and wisteria ensure privacy, while a small balsam fir edging the pool evokes the bonsai and standing stones in many temple gardens.

“The architect for the Sakura, G. Douglas Wylie, collaborated with landscape architects Muirhead and Justice, both heavily influenced by Japanese planning,” says Rodney. “They approached the landscape and building as one, (which) are all linked to the Japanese origin hundreds of years ago.” In fact, this residence is one of only two of Wylie’s known designed homes, the other being the Taylor residence in New Westminster.

An outdoor living space with a built-in fireplace makes for a peaceful place to take in the property’s expanse of green lawn year-round.

What’s inside

The Japanese influence carries into the bungalow’s interior with sliding shoji screens that open onto a sunken living room encased in glass and cedar planes reminiscent of a Kyoto tea house. The exterior Squamish granite walls extend to the fireplace wall inside.

“The primary fireplace itself is described as “Wrightian” because its design recalls the fireplace compositions of Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1940s and 1950s, where the hearth functioned as the structural and visual anchor of the home,” says Rodney. “While Wright never built in British Columbia, his influence shaped many West Coast modern architects.”

During a later renovation, slate flooring was added to the kitchen and bathrooms to match the original material palette, while refined marble covers the entrance and formal areas, and new carpets were laid in the bedrooms.

Other improvements over the years include kitchen upgrades such as granite countertops, teak cabinetry with iron hardware balances, Thermador appliances, and a built-in coffee station. A suspended glass cabinet and shelving that divide the kitchen from the dining space reflects the mid-century design.

Rodney says this type of home is an endangered species, particularly in Coquitlam. “The highrises in the distance aren’t so distant anymore, they’re coming in closer. It is in a fast developing area, and when we have fast developing that’s when we lose these things. There’s no protection; the track record for these types of homes is demolition, a reality of the last 10 years. We’re trying to celebrate living with more intention and maximizing your sense of space, integrating indoor and outdoor with the Japanese principles, living in the entire site (and) maximizing available square footage.”

He says the home would appeal to creatives — filmmakers, musicians, art dealers, tech entrepreneurs — anyone looking for a sanctuary from the outside world. “These places can be inspiring, not just because they’re cool looking from an esthetic perspective but because they encourage us to slow down and embrace nature.”

In the neighbourhood

There are many public and private elementary, middle and high schools nearby, some within walking distance. The Vancouver Golf Club is a few minutes away, as are shops, restaurants and other services along Austin Avenue and North Road. A bit farther away are Lougheed Mall and Costco.

The Lougheed SkyTrain Station is also close by, as is access to the Trans-Canada Highway that takes you west through Burnaby and into Vancouver, or east into Surrey and the Fraser Valley.

Location:701 Dansey Avenue, Coquitlam

Listed for: $3,850,000

Year built: 1963

Type: Five bedrooms, four bathrooms

Size: 5,372 square feet

Realtor: Listed by Trent Rodney, West Coast Modern Real Estate

Related

• Property Watch: Ocean-view Bowen Island home’s expansive decks are perfect for year-round outdoor entertaining
• Property Watch: Oak Bay heritage home sprung from farmland to coveted neighbourhood

These are my ride or die gardening gadgets that help to make my backyard low maintenance.

Rats are more active than ever this time of year – but that doesn’t mean your backyard birds have to miss out. Here’s how to keep rodents away from your feeder.

It’s often spoken about as some insider secret for weed control, but if you use vinegar as a weed killer it could be a serious problem for soil health. Make sure you know the risks – your backyard may very well depend on it

A furniture collection that doesn’t try to blend in, Vancouver-based design studio Marrimor unveiled five distinct pieces at Milan Design Week that are incredibly colourful, expressive and tactile. Presented at Alcova, they included the P2 coffee table, Drape swivel chair, Notch sectional, Concerto console and Bloop rug.

“A maximalist could place all five products in the same room and they would sing together and make a statement, but alternatively, just one piece in a room would provide a centrepiece for the space”, says Lauren Bugliarisi, cofounder of Marrimor, with designer Tanja Breadner.

A collection born from momentum

This new collection began not with a single object, but with a surge of creative energy following Milan Design Week 2025.

“We have a lot of creative energy right after Milan Design Week, when we’ve had a chance to talk about the pieces. Those conversations inform and inspire what we do the following year, says Breadner.

“Some of the pieces we’ve been conceptualizing for a while. We sketched the Drape chair before the Drape Sofa, which we launched in 2025. The lion’s share of this year’s collection was born right after we got home from Milan,” says Bugliarisi.

Designing without restraint

If there is a unifying idea behind the collection, it is freedom. Freedom of colour, material and form.

“We deeply desired to design products that weren’t restrained in colour, shape or material application because that’s what we find ourselves looking for in the market,” says Bugliarisi.

The result is a collection that can be layered or distilled.

Craft, collaboration and a few pivots

All Marrimor furniture is produced in Italy, along with most of their soft and hard goods. Their rugs are produced in Thailand and Nepal, depending on the technique required.

“We are committed to going wherever the workmanship is the best within any given category,” says Bugliarisi.

It’s an approach that does come with some challenges.

“Material play can come at the cost of production hiccups during the prototyping process. There were several times we had to pivot from one material to another, or tweak colours based on what was possible,” says Bugliarisi.

Their P2 coffee table, originally planned in a different finish, was reimagined in chrome due to material availability at the time.

“ In the end, the cool mirror-like finish is the perfect contrast for the luxe leather and wood accents,” says Bugliarisi.

Playful, but precise

“We’ve had the most successful show this year since launching our company. The five products resonated very well with our clients and attracted new retailers, agents, architects and designers alike,” says Breadner.

Visitors responded not just to the colour, but to the combination of playfulness and high-end execution, she says.

“As creatives, it’s a relief to put something out into the world and have people understand it. People have been pleasantly surprised by how colourful the collection is and the material selection, which is all we can hope for!” says Bugliarisi.

Amplified creativity

Alcova, at Milan Design Week is such a special show, providing a platform for so many incredible makers, brands and artists, says Bugliarisi.

“The large area allows for thousands of visitors to explore design and art in a relaxed and inspiring way,” says Breadner.

What comes next

Marrimore will show this collection at other design events, such as 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen and Art Basel in Miami.

As is their tradition, they’ve started the process of designing next year’s collection in the wave of creative energy that comes from Milan Design Week, says Bugliarisi.

“We will continue this momentum. Creatively, we are planning the next collection for 2027 and working on extending the existing product line,” says Breadner.

Related

• Facade of new east Vancouver building inspired by Coast Salish woven basketry
• Wood kitchens are making a comeback, but not as you remember them

These are my absolute must-plant perennials for May, if you want a colorful show that starts in spring and lasts all summer long.

Don't let a small yard stop you. These six mini rose varieties are perfect for pots and patios.

Prevent weeds from taking over your patio or pathways with a simple project that even beginners can do.

Smart landscaping design can stop unwanted intruders from breaking in. Follow these tips that protect your home and add beauty to your yard.

Did you know there were good and bad times to do your weeding? These secret weeding windows could make or break the health of your yard this summer

If your garden isn’t going to plan, May is your chance to reset...

May is make-it-or-break-it time for tomatoes. Treat your plants right now and you'll be overrun with fresh tomatoes this summer.

A rare combination of bold blooms, rich fragrance, and repeat flowering, all in one easy-care shrub? Sign us up...

With aquaponics, a fish tank can double as a low-maintenance indoor garden. Discover how to get started with minimal investment.

Storing garden tools and patio clutter just got a whole lot simpler and more stylish – it's time to ditch that rotten shed…

Mother's Day is just around the corner, so my mom and I teamed up to create the ultimate Mother's Day gift guide for you and the mother-figures in your life!

The world's first bioluminescent plant is finally affordable! Snatch yours up before they sell out.

Flowers, stunning outdoor containers and hanging baskets, richly perfumed flowering shrubs and fragrant herb gardens all make wonderful gifts for Mother’s Day, not only because of their beauty, but also by their connection to nature.

One of the most satisfying pastimes in our gardens and patios is watching pollinators like bees and butterflies coming to our plants for nectar and pollen, so selecting baskets and containers that attract pollinators creates added value and enjoyment.

Lavender has become so popular for those two reasons; both their beautiful perfume and the fact that they attract a wide range of pollinators. The hardy angustifolia lavenders are the best for our garden beds. But in containers on the deck or patio, the newer Spanish varieties, like Anouk, although not as winter hardy, will bloom all summer long and are a constant attractor. It’s nice to see them grown as a standard or small tree form that is very attractive, especially when underplanted with complementary annuals like lantanas, petunias, Angelonia, heliotrope and zinnias or perennials like nepeta, or beautiful, long-blooming Agastache or hyssop. All of these broaden the scope of pollinator attraction and add greater texture to your plantings.

They are not in bloom just yet, but the many new varieties of non-invasive and highly perfumed buddleias are very attractive patio plants and draw so many pollinators, including our local butterfly species. It’s a pleasure to enjoy their constant perfume and fascinating to see the beneficial insects buddleias sustain. Some of the best new varieties are Proven Winner’s Pugster, Miss, and Lo & Behold series, and the great new Darwin Chrysalis series which has a wide range of colours. All are very compact, ideal in containers and beautifully perfumed.

Attracting hummingbirds to our gardens and patios has become a huge event. There are many plants that help attract them: The narrow-tubed fuchsias, and perennial and annual blue salvias are good, but the best attractor is the hardy annual cuphea. This so-called cigar plant, with its long, narrow, orange tubes of nectar is the No. 1 hummingbird magnet, with Proven Winner’s variety called c. Vermillionaire being the most effective. I like to use them in hanging baskets, as well as in containers on the deck, for a constant attraction and food source.

Shallow bird baths are a great gift for year-round enjoyment. They provide an important water source for both birds and pollinators. It’s nice to watch these garden visitors, but it’s important to keep the water shallow, and a little muddy for the safety of small species.

If Mom has a primarily sunny deck or patio, one of the most welcome gifts is a reasonably good-sized container with a small tree that will live year-round. They not only help cool patios and decks in the summer heat but can also provide much needed screening and privacy.

Japanese maples, contorted willows, especially the red or yellow-barked varieties, styrax or Japanese snowballs, and sourwood or oxydendrums, make ideal patio trees. If you’re underplanting with pollinator plants, you’ll be surprised at what you attract to your garden. Hummingbirds love blue salvias and the Rockin’ series of blue, purple and fuchsia salvias from Proven Winners are some of the best for them. In the mixed planters in front of our office it’s great to see hummingbirds drinking nectar from the salvia, while others sit and wait in the curly willow trees.

Beautifully scented lilacs, which bloom around Mother’s Day, make a wonderful gift, but it’s both Proven Winner’s Bloomerang varieties and the new Flowerfesta series that bloom a second time in August for a much-anticipated return of perfume. They come in both tree and shrub forms so they can adapt to different locations.

With our ongoing food security issues, patio food gardens, which require minimal care, have become far more appreciated. Tumbler and Tumbling Tom basket tomatoes are still the very best for a constant supply of cherry tomatoes all summer long. Peppers are some of the easiest to grow in containers, and if you put some sweet Bell types in at least a twelve-inch container, you can enjoy red, yellow, orange, green and purple peppers throughout the summer.

Cucumbers have come a long way in their patio versatility. I love the new Mini-Me miniature Burpless varieties because they produce so many four-inch long miniature cukes in a matter of 45 days after setting out. Use a sturdy trellis for the vines to grow on, and the bigger the trellis, the more fruit you will harvest.

Hanging basket strawberries have also become increasingly popular because the newer everbearing varieties like Berries Hill Montana are huge, succulent, and will produce well into September.

Containerized herb gardens are a wonderful source of texture, fragrance and culinary variety to have handy on the patio. Be sure to use the most popular herbs like rosemary, chives, sage, thyme, dill and fun mints like Mojito. The strong citrus essence of lemon verbena is perfect when added to summer drinks and smaller bay trees provide a constant source of fresh leaves to enhance so many soup and stew recipes. Wait until we get quite warm weather before setting basil outside: it’s the heat lover of all herbs.

Although not super-hardy for winter, miniature roses, especially pretty when grouped with several colours planted together in larger pots, will bloom all summer and well into fall.

For sun-drenched summer patios, today’s hot new plants are the mandevillas. Coming in a range of colour from pinks, reds, whites and now yellows, they are one of the few plants that thrive in summer heat, and bloom until October. They are available now in shrub forms as well as trailing hanging basket types which can double as fast spreading vines. All of them flower heavily and add wonderful tropical accents to our patios and gardens.

The added value of attracting nature to our decks, gardens and patios is something Moms really appreciate and it’s the perfect connection to Mother Nature, too.

Related

• Brian Minter: Want an early veggie crop? Here's what you can plant now in Metro Vancouver
• Brian Minter: Add these B.C. gardening sales and events to your spring calendar

It marks the seasons better than anything else I’ve planted...

May is prime planting time for warm-season crops – these vegetables establish quickly in warm soil and reward you with steady harvests through summer.