Joan Patricia Rich

Born in England in 1931, and inspired from childhood by the beautiful wildflowers surrounding Bedford and in the Cotswolds, Joan expressed her love of life most fully when studying the flora of British Columbia. She studied as a Master Gardener with Keith Wade at Capilano College in the 1980s, and served the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens for some 20 years. During this time, her love of Rhododendrons flourished, and when moving to Vancouver Island in the late 90s, she devised a way to bring many lovely and rare specimens from her West Vancouver garden with her, to establish a whole new landscape!

Later, her passion for learning took her on exhilarating horticultural travels to New Zealand, the US, the UK and South Africa. Joan and her husband Mike were enthusiastic participants in the developments associated with Milner Gardens, and thoroughly enjoyed their role in supporting the annual Gardens Tours of the Parksville area. As well as horticulture, Joan encouraged all her children in sport and outdoor recreation, as she herself had played lacrosse and netball as a youth, and enjoyed competitive tennis into her mid-60s. She was so keen on fitness and sport, in fact, that she volunteered as an assistant to the British Olympic Teams and traveled to Calgary and Seoul in 88 and Barcelona in 92.

 Joan leaves her dear husband of 65 years, Mike Rich; 4 children, Caroline Mackay, Phil Rich, Sue Creswell and Justin Rich (Nancy); 6 grandchildren, Desiree (Reo), Jacqui (Mike), Anastasia, Mike, Jasmine (Nathan), and Siobhan; and 4 great-grandchildren, Ari, Elizabeth, Logan and Vienna.