Photo: Ronning Gardens Garden Trail

Ronning Gardens is part of the Garden Trail of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.

At the remote north-western tip of the Island, near Cape Scott, is an example of a raincoast forest garden that is quite different from those on the more populated, sheltered east coast and Lower Mainland. Bernt Ronning was born in Norway in the late 1800's and re-located to British Columbia in the early 1900's.

Ronning, a trapper, logger and fisher established his homestead on the Old San Josef Wagon Road near Holberg. He indulged his love for trees and shrubs and imported seeds and plants from Europe, Asia, and South America. His most famous trees are a pair of Araucaria araucana - also known as monkey-puzzle trees. Ronning planted these giant Chilean natives on either side of his cabin door before 1920. They are now huge, spectacular specimens. Current owners of Ronning's Garden have cleared the brush around the original home site and have lovingly-restored the garden, opening its expanses to visitors.