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A 'hidden gem' found in South Surrey

Darts Hill Garden Park, located in the south Grandview area, is a treasure trove of exotic and unique plants.
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Randal Atkinson

At Darts Hill Garden Park, there is an array of rare and unusual plants waiting for a keen eye to discover them.

The South Surrey garden – tucked away in the Grandview area, at 16 Avenue and 170 Street – was bequeathed to the city in 1993 and is home to unique and rare plants that can be discovered upon closer inspection.

For those who require a little more help on their quest for discovery, there is always the chance they'll run into Randal Atkinson, a serious greenthumb and chair of the board at Darts Hill.

The horticulturist has been involved with the board at Darts Hill for five years, but spent many years prior to that visiting the lush garden looking at the rare plants inhabiting more than seven acres.

During those visits, he learned about the history of the garden and the people behind it.

Explaining its history, Atkinson noted on a recent tour, is impossible to do without starting with Francisca and Edwin Darts – the original owners of the garden.

All the plants seen around the garden stem from more than 60 years of work and dedication, based on Francisca's clear vision, Atkinson said.

An avid gardener, Francisca transformed what was originally a logged area of land into an award-winning orchard, filled with apple, pear, apricot and walnut trees. After seeing an exhibit by the Alpine Garden Club of BC at the Pacific National Exhibition, she joined organizations devoted to horticulture, including the Royal Horticulture Society, where she received the seeds of many rare and unusual plants, shrubs and trees, transforming the landscape into what is now Darts Hill.

"It was a big task. There were no Art Knapps or any garden centres like that back in the day," Atkinson laughed.

After bequeathing Darts Hill to the city – and losing her husband the following year – Francisca continued to live on the acreage and oversee the garden until just last month, when she moved to a retirement facility.

Although Francisca is no longer able to visit her garden on a daily basis, Atkinson said her passion for it has been instilled into him and the other board members.

"She is so vibrant and such a planta-holic, which I consider myself to be," he said. "There is no 12-step program for us."

Despite his enthusiasm, Atkinson admitted, there are still people unaware of the "hidden gem."

Many are moving into condos and other smaller homes with less space for gardens, resulting in a decline in interest for horticulture. But such a decline is not irreversible, he said.

"People will always enjoy plants and their beauty, and I think more and more people are becoming aware of how important plants are to our daily lives, whether it's in makeup or medicine."

As Akinson's tour continued, he pointed out some of the most interesting plants in the garden and a few of his personal favourites, including the rhododendrons along the tractor road that forges through Darts Hill.

With more than 800 different species of rhododendrons in the garden, he said, many people find it hard to believe they are all related to the small, flower-filled bushes seen growing in their gardens at home.

"People can't believe that these huge plants are rhododendrons, but they are. The difference is, a good portion of these plants are about 60 years old," he said.

In particular, two of the rhododendrons caught Atkinson's eye. Donated by Alleyne Cook – the gardener who planted the rhododendrons in Vancouver's Stanley Park in the 1960s – they were named after Edwin and Francisca and planted side-by-side.

With so much history tied to the various plants and trees, preserving them is of utmost importance, Atkinson said. After discovering a branch from Edwin's tree had fallen, he took the branch, made cuttings and planted them in a nursery in the hopes that they would grow again.

"It may seem like a lot of work, but when you love your work with a passion, it feels like half the effort."

Atkinson pointed to a tree blooming with flowers despite the winter chill, offering its Latin name and the role it plays in the delicate and intricate ecosystem in the garden.

Many people don't think there is anything blooming in the winter, he said. "But it's there, you just have to look for it."

Atkinson noted it's the same case with the garden. You just have to look for it.

With an open house coming up in March, Atkinson says he remains hopeful people in the community will take advantage of the opportunity to see the unique and rare plants at Darts Hill and the atmosphere surrounding the lush, wooded area.

"There's a sense of calm; almost an energy you can feel," he said. "And it's all right here in the community."