Garden Health’s Deanna Henry..
(*click photo to enlarge)*

GARDEN HEALTH
Putting Your Health First

Longtime West Enders will remember a chocolate shop just west of Bute at 1204 Davie. Without digging through the old Vancouver phone directories it’s hard to say when that shop was established (or exactly what its name was), but it was pretty much a local institution by 1977 when Susan St. James took over the premises and opened Garden Health.

Fast forward some 45 years and Garden Health has become a neighbourhood institution in its own right, as well as a local retail anchor. In the 70s things like aromatherapy and holistic health had a touch of the alternate/hippie culture to them, and Garden Health was something of a pioneer in the field. Today, products and practices such as vitamins, supplements, aromatherapy, and holistic health have earned mainstream acceptance. Just about everyone has their essential cold season supplement or natural anti-arthritis lotion — and Garden Health is many folks’ go-to outlet for products and advice.

When Deanna Henry and Nicole Ogen took over Garden Health in the summer of 2017, the “advice” part of the equation was an important factor. A herbalist and nutritionist by training and practice, Henry understood that with so many products on the market — and so many sometimes conflicting theories about holistic health — having someone knowledgeable to consult with is invaluable.

“Putting Your Health First” is our motto, Deanna says, “and our mandate is to provide honest, helpful, and practical assistance targeting the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of our customers. We strive to be your trusted neighbourhood nutrition source, offering you guidance on all your natural health product needs.” Under Deanna and Nicole’s guidance, Garden Health has earned that trust from a wide circle of loyal customers. And helping the community stay healthy is more needed now than ever.

Deanna’s sense of community goes beyond working with her customers and includes volunteering with Gordon Neighbourhood House’s food and garden projects and the West End BIA’s Jim Deva Plaza working group.

Check out their website for Weekly events happening at Garden Health.