St. Albert Botanical Park - a gem in the heart of the city

The St. Albert Botanic Park is not widely known, at least not within the circles I travel.  No one I spoke to had heard of it and this is a shame for it is a little gem of a park adjacent to the river that is lovingly cared for by a team of volunteers and two summer employees.   Covering five acres, the garden groundbreaking took place in 1993.

This park is the realization of a dream of two St. Albert residents, "former mayor Richard Plain and retired city landscape planner John Beedle "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 carried out and released to the general public."

A non-profit group, A Society of Friends of St Albert Public Gardens, was incorporated in 1990 and oversees the development and care of the park.   

Following are some photos taken early this fall of this little known horticultural gem.

I am loving the grasses!!

This dry-stacked wall is made of recycled concrete pieces.

This woodland area is fenced in on one side by a dry-stacked wall which reminds me of UK gardens.

Sedum was putting on a fine show.

Each bed is marked with a sign like the one above, with individual plants marked with small green plant tags inserted in the ground.

The river valley, aspens and evergreens are a nice backdrop to the botanical garden.  Walking paths are well maintained and delineate the back perimeter.

Replica birdhouse of the Atkinson family’s home which once stood where the birdhouse now is.

Man-made Nature

A man-made lake has become a go-to destination for me and today I shared it with my husband.  You see, I just recently discovered this lake in our relative area and have been yearning to go back ever since.  It's very cold here today with a forecasted high of +8 Celsius.  It's been raining off and on since yesterday morning.  So for those of you who visited my rippling clouds sky photo which I posted Thursday and wondered what weather we had in store, this is the answer.  Rain and cold.  At least it's not the snow of two weeks ago!!  

It's the perfect weather for a jog around this lake, not that we did that.  Our visit was just a brief introduction but we will return, or at least I will once the weather turns nice again.  

It's amazing to me how many leaves have fallen since my last visit.  The colours are more subdued since a good majority of the amur maple leaves have already fallen along with many of the ash leaves.  Still, it's very pretty here and it smells amazing!  No car exhaust fumes.  Black-capped chickadees flit from one tree to another, a seagull soars above, a duck or two glide upon the still as glass lake, while overhead a flock of Canada geese fly over.

Everyone needs a place like this to de-stress, collect their thoughts, and meditate perhaps.  Just to be still and relax in a world that is in a constant state of rush is such a treat.  It's a wonderful world.

Man-made nature provides the respite I yearn for.

Above, only the second time I've spotted a blue jay this year.

Where do you go to de-stress?

Weekend Reflections

There the Clouds Were, Ripples Strung Across the Sky

When I arrived home from work this afternoon, the skies had a  unique and unusual rippling of clouds that hung over the city.  It was so unusual I had to take a photo.

Sky Watch Friday

A bit like Avatar but far before its time

Post by CRYPTIK.

Who Wants to go Tobogganing? I know it's not winter but Red Green offers a solution!

Saskatchewan Sunset

Since the construction has neared completion behind our house, I rarely see a decent sunset unless I head out away from the city.  Hubby is working out of province for a bit and he sent me this magnificently stunning sunset photo.  Bless him for knowing what I miss.  Isn't it gorgeous?