Fun-Filled Backyard Garden and Art Bar in Calgary

One of the benefits of being a blogger is that you get invited to fun events and places that you never knew existed. A couple of weeks ago I got two such emails - one was to check-out a backyard bar and the other a backyard garden.

Canopy Studio Art & Wellness

Turns out on 9th Street SW, just south of the trendy 17th Avenue, in a century old, red brick house is Canopy Studios Art & Wellness.  OK, turning an old house into commercial spaces isn’t that unique, you say. 

Well this house is a funky art and wellness hub that includes an exhibition gallery with rotating art shows, a small artist’s studio in the house and three more in the large garage in the alley.

In addition, it is home to Blackbird Healing Arts collective – eight mental health practitioners who employ psychology, creative arts therapy to improve individuals’ resilience, recovery, growth and development. But wait there is more – The Burrow is a collective of independent wholistic practitioners who offer massage therapy, dance/movement therapy, expressive arts therapies and yoga to enhance your well-being.

Yep, all this happens in a century old house.

Backyard Bar / Speakeasy

However, the west facing backyard deck was not being utilized, which seemed such a shame as it is dappled in sunlight during our long summer evenings.  Hmmm….what about converting it into a bar, speakeasy on Thursday nights in the summer.  And let’s offer people art kits to help people explore their creativity. 

Yes, every Thursday the public is invited to book at space on the deck where you can enjoy a glass of wine or beer and checkout the art kit menu. Yes, there is an art menu that includes things like – Watercolour Paintable Cards ($25), Clay Kit ($28), Embroidery Kit ($34) and Thoughts & Blots Mindful Doodling Notebook ($15).  We chose to do a Hummingbird – Peonies card together. It was amazing how seven small dots of pigment was more than enough paint to do one card; it could probably do a dozen.

We also decided to buy one of the Notebooks to take home, thinking I might try my hand at making some more art with the leftover paint.

Note: The staff were very friendly, giving us a tour of the house and helping us get started with our art project.  So, if you are in Calgary and looking to exercise your creativity head on over to Canopy Studios at 1725 9th St SW, Thursdays from 3 to 7 pm. 

Oh! Did I mention that the entire main floor hallway is a playful mural. Too much fun!

Too book at space on the deck email: canopyartandwellness.com

Canopy Studios isolated in this rather modest century home.

Access to the backpack is via the side of the house.

Our table with art supplies.

exhibition gallery space.

main floor mural

Frank Lloyd Wright inspired door

Jan Gone Wild

The same week I got the Canopy Studio invite I also got an email invited to visit an Jan’s amazing backyard flower garden. As regular EverydayTourist readers know I love gardens, so this was a no brainer, I had to see Jan’s Garden.  Coincidentally, turns out Jan is the wife of a colleague of mine at Lawson Projects.

Jan’s home is located along a lane in the Patterson community, with a slopping backyard that offers spectacular views of the Bow River Valley with downtown in the background. And great morning light for growing flowers. They bought the house not only for the billion dollar view, but the potential for creating a spectacular garden. Jan is a certified master gardener, and this would be her fourth (and last) major home garden project. The backyard already had good bones with a waterfall draining into a koi pond with pathways cascading down the yard, but it was mostly evergreen shrubs. Jan and her husband quickly got to work tearing out the shrubs and creating a flower garden oasis.

I will let these pictures tell the rest of the story.  Unfortunately, the garden is not open to the public, unless of course you are getting married. Jan allows a few small wedding parties (max 40 people) to utilize the garden for the ceremony and pictures each summer.

For more information email Jan at journeysinc@shaw.ca

Entrance to the garden. This is where the bride would enter the garden

Waterfall empties into pond and then small creek cascades down the fish pond

These perennials flower all summer.

The roses are spectacular.

You can see downtown in the distance.

rock wall with hanging plants and peonies

This represents about a third of the garden

Flat lawn space is where the wedding ceremonies take place.

view up to the house…the view from the upper balcony is 180 degrees.

Last Word

If you are interested in visiting Calgary’s free public gardens, here are blogs about Silver Springs Garden, Reader Rock Garden and Senator Burns Memorial Garden. You can easily find the exact location on Google Maps.