At the St. Albert Botanic Park a vibrant array of colours have erupted along flowerbeds in overlapping succession every summer for a little more than 25 years now.
At the St. Albert Botanic Park a vibrant array of colours have erupted along flowerbeds in overlapping succession every summer for a little more than 25 years now. The park features flowers from lilacs, ushering in the first fresh smells of spring, to dahlias, whose petals are often flush until the first frost. The park sits on five acres of land running alongside the Sturgeon River, just beyond the Woodlands Water Play Park. It's an oasis of sweet scents and bright blooming roses, lilies, peonies and so much more.
Established in 1990 by former mayor Richard Plain and retired city landscape planner John Beedle, the park now has 19 gardens and focal points for visitors to enjoy. Their vision was to create a garden in an area with a zone 3 plant hardiness rating where the results of growing various trees, shrubs, perennials and vegetables could be grown and released to the general public. The Society of Friends of St. Albert Public Gardens was incorporated as a non-profit organization to oversee its development and operation.
With more than 180 members, volunteers contributed a staggering 12,733 hours to maintain the site in 2015. Surprisingly, only two staff are hired in the summer to help with administrative duties. Other than that, it's all volunteer run – from plants, to plans, to publicity, to policy.
“It is the thing that visitors are most in awe about when they come here – that this is being operated and maintained by volunteers,” explains volunteer and Asiatic lily expert, Joanne Johnson.
Beyond the blooms, there is an assortment of family oriented events hosted at the park over the course of the growing season. The Canada Day Strawberry Tea, Garden Day and Rose Show, and the Enchanted Garden Picnic in the Park are all great opportunities to take in the gardens, while also learning about what's planted in the park and why.
The Canada Day festivities include strawberries (of course), cake, ice cream, and the chance for children to pot their very own red petunia – the petunia being St. Albert's official flower. Garden Day gives residents the chance to get advice and ask questions of the park's team leaders, while the garden picnic will see the site flooded with music, with bands playing in the gazebo.
“There's always some new things that come to the park,” assures Margaret Plain, wife of co-founder Richard Plain and avid community volunteer. Plain explains that among the developments visitors can look forward to in 2016 is harvesting the bulbs of the St. Albert Martagon Lily.
“Dr. Ieuan Evans has been a great friend to the park,” says Plain. “He's a plant pathologist. He's one of the presenters for our classes, but he's also a hybridizer. The Evans' Cherry – he's the hybridizer of that tree and it's a hearty cherry tree that works in this area.
“He also hybridizes Martagon lilies and he did one specifically for the 150th Anniversary Celebration of St. Albert,” she continues. “So it's a St. Albert Martagon lily. We do have several of the bulbs he gave us and they're getting to the point now, according to Ieuan, that we should soon be able to harvest some of the bulbs and sell them.”
Additionally, visitors in wheelchairs or those who have strollers, walkers or canes can enjoy the newly installed accessible pathway, which currently runs from the parking lot to the Cottage Garden. The group hopes to one day have the path curve down the entire length of the park.
“We do it in stages, because it's all done by our volunteers,” explains Johnson. “They prepare the path, then put the stones down and fill them with sand. I've never seen a smoother surface in anyone's yard. They did a very good job.”
Johnson is keen to highlight the hard work, dedication and leadership provided by the volunteers. It quickly becomes clear that volunteers are a huge part of the success of this uniquely managed botanic park.
“I'd say my favourite part of working here at the park is I get to work with people that are passionate about gardening, being outdoors and plants,” says Johnson. “It's just wonderful to work with people, and to see how people work in many areas, that make the park continue to grow and be a beautiful place for visitors to come. That's the original mission and object of this society. We still have our open gates for people to come, sunrise to sunset – to enjoy being here and learn about what grows here. So, to me, working with the volunteers and being part of the group is wonderful.”
“We've got a lot of life-long learners that are here,” adds Plain. “That also makes it interesting, because people like to learn, as a rule. They can see the result of their learning, if they want to have a row. There's a tangible benefit that can happen. And we've certainly helped shape the City's focus on its brand. Branding the City in terms of the botanic arts – we helped shape that. To me, that's a very satisfying thing for a not-for-profit society to manage to do.”
For more details about the park or see a schedule of upcoming events check www.stalbertbotanicpark.com
