GARDENING:

History of the Forestry Farm — Part 2.

The original Sutherland Nursery Station covered 320 acres. When it was closed in 1965, the southwest portion was transferred to the City of Saskatoon, with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada retaining the remainder. The basic plan of the area near the Superintendent’s Residence, considered the hub of the park, was laid out by Norman Ross (then head of the Indian Head Nursery Station) and remains relatively unchanged.

During the first 20 years of the Station’s operation, only 8 to 10 tree species were shipped out including maple, caragana, willow and green ash. By 1953, the list had expanded to 40 species to include pincherry, chokecherry, Nanking cherry, bur oak and silver maple. Over the Station’s 50-some years, 147 million trees were distributed, enough to plant 2,500 km (1500 miles) of field shelterbelts – roughly the distance by road from Saskatoon to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory.

What made the Station an ideal site for a park were the many trees, planted during the years of operation, that continue to provide shelter, shade and beauty to visitors today. There are at least 15 species of trees and shrubs within a stone’s throw of the Superintendent’s Residence (the red brick house) including ‘Sutherland’ larch, bur oak, white spruce, elm, Scots pine, limber pine and Ohio buckeye.

Starting out at the Residence, head west down the roadway until you encounter a cluster of what appear to be evergreens on the right hand side. Among these is a fast growing, drought tolerant deciduous member of the pine family, the Siberian larch (Larix siberica). Larches are a lovely light green in spring, darker green through the summer, and turn a golden yellow in the autumn before the needles drop. The small upright cones resemble small wooden rosettes.

Next to the larch is a Black Hills spruce (Picea glauca var. densata), a selection of white spruce introduced by the Black Hills Nursery in South Dakota. It is better suited to the prairies than the species (P. glauca), and was shipped from Sutherland beginning in 1937.

Walking along the road back to the house, notice the deciduous trees to your left. One of those, the Ohio buckeye (Aesculus glabra) is a slow growing but long-lived tree that is relatively rare in the prairie landscape. It was first distributed from the Station in 1957 as a test species. It is planted abundantly throughout the park and is especially noticeable in the fall as it turns a lovely red-orange. Another feature of the Ohio buckeye is its lovely yellow spring flowers that stand like candles on the branch tips. The fruit has a spiny husk that breaks open in the fall to reveal a shiny dark brown “buckeye” nut with a lighter round patch. It was not an ideal shelterbelt tree because it does best with even moisture, especially during establishment. However, once established, it is extremely hardy and does very well in the prairie climate.

Next to the Ohio buckeye, you’ll encounter the distinctive bur oak. Bur oaks are a medium to large tree with rugged, grey bark. The irregularly lobed leaves are a dark glossy green on top and pale, hairy below. Another distinguishing feature are its acorns with their shaggy fringed cups (hence its other common name, mossycup oak) on a short stout stalks.

As you walk east past the playground toward the picnic area and Heritage Rose Garden, you’ll find a very mature Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) specimen. Scots pine trunks are usually slightly curved and the newer bark is a distinctive rustyorange. The bark turns grey brown with age and develops scaly ridges. The needles, in bundles of two, are about two inches long and twisted. Cones grow on small twigs and point back along the twig toward the trunk.

Monthly during the summer, the Friends of the Forestry Farm House host free guided leisurely walking tours through the park, identifying tree species, discussing shelterbelt use and function, and talking about the history of the remaining buildings. Mark your calendars for our next (and last for the season) tour on Aug. 27, starting at 2 p.m.

Bernadette is an avid gardener and a board member of both the Saskatchewan Perennial Society and Friends of the Forestry Farm House (www.fffh.ca).

This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society (SPS; www.saskperennial.ca; hortscene@yahoo.com; www.facebook.com/saskperennial). Check out our Bulletin Board or Calendar for upcoming garden information sessions, workshops, tours and other events.