Jacquie Gordon's B&B

Duncan B&B, Vancouver Island

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The Somenos Marsh in Duncan is attracting Important Wildlife

October 24, 2016 By Jacquie Gordon

Geese at Marsh

Somenos Marsh Wildlife Refuge just five minutes from Jacquie Gordon’s  Bed and Breakfast off Highway #1 north of Duncan and  is an  Open Air Classroom in Cowichan Valley where a group of us met Phil Jennings for an interesting tour. Phil is an enthusiastic supporter of the Somenos Marsh Society working tireless to preserve this  habitat for people, plants and wildlife. He led us along a gravel walkway past  a picnic bench  to a raised viewing spot designed for wheelchair accessibility and overlooking part of the meadow and Mount Tzhouhalem in back ground.. An attractive sign points out the importance agriculture to wildlife with colourful pictures of songbirds, geese, herons, swans, ducks and other birds which can be seen here. The wooden walkway built by enthusiastic volunteers now makes a complete circle that takes us further into the marsh.

Watt’s Walk

As we started on the walkway we noticed many of the planks had writing, the first of which gives the name ” Watts Walk”, named after one of the first contributors to the establishment of this delightful area. Other contributors used this idea as memorials to loved one and we found many familiar names as we walked along. Being a marsh area the walk way is raised well above the water, keeping feet dry even in our wet winters.

 

Learn the Birds’ Native Names

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Posted at intervals are photos and facts of the local birds including their native names. One of my favourites  the Spotted Towhee (Sxeesh) often shows up in my garden with its rosy breast and distinctive call.  This valley has been home to the Cowichan peoples for thousands of years and archaeological evidence has been found on both side of  the Marsh.As this is  early fall the native plants such as snowberry, and wild roses provide berries for the birds to feast on. Frogs and small birds become meals for the larger birds like Coopers Hawk , Northern Harrier(Xuxumel’s), Osprey, (Ts”ihw-ts”uhw)Bald Eagles (Yuxwule‘). In summer the tree swallows ((Qw’uqw’sutsun) feed on mosquitoes and other flying insects. These are such a delight to watch as they swoop over the meadows and water. Each of the  many bird houses built by volunteers  for the swallows  has been occupied.

Winter Holiday

Soon we will see the return of the once-endangered trumpeter swans  for their winter holiday in Cowichan. These majestic birds with their brilliant white plumes and distinctive honk can be seen flying overhead, swimming on the lakes and bays and feeding in fields and marshes throughout the valley. I am always amazed when they fly over my yard on their way to nearby Quamichan Lake. You can learn more at www.somenosmarsh.com

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Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence

July 8, 2016 By Jacquie Gordon

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Jacquie Gordon’s Bed and Breakfast AWARDED 2016 TRIPADVISOR CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE

Recognised as a Top Performing Bed and Breakfast in Duncan BC Reviewed by Travellers on the World’s Largest Travel Site tripadvisor.com

Jacquie Gordon’s Bed and Breakfast today announced that it has received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award. Now in its sixth year, the award celebrates excellence in hospitality and is given only to establishments that consistently achieve great reviews on TripAdvisor. Certificate of Excellence winners include accommodations, eateries and attractions located all over the world that have continually delivered a superior customer experience.

When selecting Certificate of Excellence winners, TripAdvisor uses a proprietary algorithm to determine the honorees that takes into account the quality, quantity and recency of reviews and opinions submitted by travellers on TripAdvisor over a 12-month period as well as business’s tenure and ranking on the Popularity Index on the site. To qualify, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months.

“Winning the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence is a real source of pride and praise to God for the strength and encouragement to provide the best in service and hospitality for our guests at Jacquie Gordon’s Bed and Breakfast. Thanks also to all our past guests who took the time to complete a review on TripAdvisor,” said Jacquie Gordon, Owner and operator of Jacquie Gordon’s Bed and Breakfast. “There is no greater seal of approval than being recognised by one’s customers. With the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence based on customer reviews, the accolade is a remarkable vote of confidence to our business and our continued commitment to excellence.”

TripAdvisor is pleased to honour exceptional hospitality businesses that have received consistent praise and recognition by travellers on the site,” said Marc Charron President, TripAdvisor for Business. “By putting a spotlight on businesses that are focused on delivering great service to customers, TripAdvisor not only helps drive increasing hospitality standards around the world, it also gives businesses both large and small the ability to shine and stand out from the competition.”

Jacquie Gordon’s Bed and Breakfast

Jacquie’s guests become friends at this quiet get-away conveniently located just 2 Km east of Duncan BC in the beautiful Cowichan Valley. One of the featured gardens of the 2015 Cowichan Valley Family Life Garden Tour, our beautiful 1920’s Heritage home and garden offers a taste of elegant living, reminiscent of the old British enclave of which this home was a prominent part. A couple or family can luxuriate in the spaciousness of our Vista Room in Queen or Twin beds with view of the valley and gardens. You’ll sleep soundly in an antique double bed in our Heritage room. Cosy dressing gowns and WiFi provided. Enjoy quiet morning coffee on the veranda then Jacquie’s awesome gourmet breakfast served in the Fireside Room. Stroll the gardens and sip afternoon tea on the patio or sitting room, and Jacquie will help you learn more about the great local restaurants, wine tours, whale watching, hiking, theatre or shopping. We are close to downtown Duncan, VIU and Cowichan Bay. You’ll be glad you came.

Contact us at 250-746-7736

A Year in the Garden

June 24, 2016 By Jacquie Gordon

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History of Our Garden

The house at 2231 Quamichan Park Place was the original 1928 home on 5 acres previously owned by Colonel Lendrun, past principal of Cowichan Secondary School.

We purchased our home in 1991 just after the property had been subdivided into 14 lots, seven of which are adjacent to ours. The resulting hexagon with a pump house in the middle was our  landscaping challenge.

The original driveway off Jaynes Rd was eliminated leaving a bare area scraped to shale.

The east side was a gravel road way, the north had been dug up to put in the water main, and the rest was sparse grass.   Some older trees and shrubs were left close to the house including two cherry trees, two fir trees, two emerald cedars, contoneaster and assorted cedar shrubs.

Our first year we brought in twenty dump trucks of soil, then planted grass up to the edge of the property.  The pump house became our garden shed. With so many small areas to water, we installed in-ground sprinklers. We added a brick patio and sidewalk to lead to our hidden front door.

Eventually we added beds and shrubs to the border, patio and sidewalk areas.

We love our home and garden and when my husband passed away in 2008, I was inspired to start Jacquie Gordon’s Bed and Breakfast.

Sharing this lovely spot with guests from all over the world is truly a gift from God.

Spanish Broom in full bloom
January springs forth with winter aconites.
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Cowichan Valley winter
Winter in Duncan, BC
Guests at Garden Tour-Patio
Guests at Garden Tour -lower garden

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Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs Registration Number: H430318488

Short-term rental address:
2231 Quamichan Park Place
North Cowichan, BC V9L 5E9

Special Offer!

If you have questions or want to make a reservation inquiry, please call 250-746-7736, email directly, or use the online booking tool.

For our American guests, call to book 3 nights or more and receive a further one night free! You must call to receive this deal!

2016 Certificate of Excellence

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Latest News

  • The Somenos Marsh in Duncan is attracting Important Wildlife
  • Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence
  • A Year in the Garden

About Us

We invite you to stay in our award-winning heritage Bed & Breakfast, nestled in the heart of Duncan in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, BC. Operating since 2009.

I respectfully acknowledge that I live and work on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Quw’utsun First Nations people (the Cowichan Valley).

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