Spurred by the success of Cougar Annie's Garden, a coffee table book about an unconventional West Coast garden, Qualicum Beach's Margaret Cadwaladr has published a history of the privately-held Milner Gardens, off highway 19A, beachside, on Vancouver Island. Designed by Vic Marks, who has also designed Cougar Annie's Garden, Cadwaladr's In Veronica's Garden (Madrona $34.95) traces the life of Veronica Milner, the garden's owner, who 'gifted' it to Malaspina University-College in 1996. The original 40-acre property was once visited by lovebirds Charles and Diana in 1986, accompanied by architect Arthur Erickson, "much to Veronica's annoyance." Elizabeth R. stayed for two-and-a-half days in 1987 and planted a tree. She must have been a slow planter. 0-97300096-0-8

[BCBW AUTUMN 2002]