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