In 1916, when
Agriculture Canada laid out the ornamental
gardens around its two-year-old experimental
laboratory just south of Summerland, the Kettle
Valley Railway link to the coast had just been
completed. Roads, at best, were rough tracks.
Immigrants were coming to the Okanagan by rail
and lake sternwheeler ship. Irrigation systems
were being built because any agriculture more
intensive than ranching had to have water.
The governments
of the day decided that some English/Eastern
Canadian culture was needed to smooth the rough
edges on the frontier – trees to line the
streets of the new towns, public parks with
beautiful flowers and shrubs, and gardening
information for the new homeowners. The research
station was the place to look into all this, and
so it did. The staff laid out a garden
demonstration area, planted trees and shrubs and
flowers. Some did well, some did not. Over time,
the area developed into an English style garden
covering about 15 acres (6 hectares), and became
very popular with locals and tourists.
More recently,
Agriculture Canada research directions have
changed. At Summerland, the station increased
its concentration on tree fruits and food
processing; the ornamental horticulture program
was reduced and finally in the ‘80s phased
out. The gardens languished under minimal
maintenance. In 1991, a local group of citizens
formed the Friends of the Research Station
Gardens Society (FOG). They formed a
partnership with Agriculture Canada to a
maintain the gardens and to raise moneys to
develop them into a showpiece of gardening
possibilities and options in the Okanagan Valley
for both local residents and visitors from
elsewhere. Once again, the original purpose of
the gardens when they were started in 1916 was
restored.
Thanks to
generous donors and hard work from society
members and our garden crew, much has been
accomplished and the gardens flourish once more.
Links for More
Information
»
Agriculture Canada
» Kettle
Valley Rail
» Summerland Information
|
