PLANTING THE IDEA FOR A HORTICULTURAL CENTRE OF the UPPER ST. JOHN RIVER VALLEY In Perth-Andover

Posted On October 9, 2013

Tree Talk: Telling the Story of the Village

The idea of developing a Horticultural Centre was presented to the Perth-Andover Village Council on September 18. I presented this idea in the hopes that it could be considered as an alternative to a Golf Course which is being “proposed” for the Andover side of the river.
Since everyone may have a different idea or no idea what I mean by a horticultural centre, I can assure you, there is no fixed idea of what such a centre can be. Basically, it is a site that is dedicated to horticultural endeavors. And for those who are not familiar with the word “Horticulture”:

Horticulture is the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants
So there you have it. Something to do with plants – the possibilities are as a broad as the plant kingdom itself. For the time being, this proposal does not necessarily involve an actual building – at least not right in the area directly affected by the most recent flood. So for now, just think of it at the ground level.
 
Mayor Ritchie, Councilors, Dan Dionne and Robert Lafrance were all given copies of the document which I had prepared outlining the rationale behind this idea as well as the case against the golf course idea. If you are interested, I suggest you contact one of those people or go to the Village office to see the document. Dan Dionne told me it would be kept on file for people who would like to have a look at it.
 
The purpose of THIS article is to present the basics of what such a centre could entail. I think if the concept resonates with people, more ideas would emerge and be incorporated. Horticulture is very adaptable to creativity and it GROWS on you over time.
Based on observation of existing vegetation and (enviable) soil tilth, the Andover side of the river has fertile soil supporting a diversity of plants. Comparatively, the soil base on Perth side is more compacted with large areas that are relatively barren. Therefore, the Andover side in its existing state, is a more ideal place to start from to develop such a site. Trees, shrubs, native grasses and plants and perennial ornamentals are there already, just waiting to be appreciated!! Also the creek which runs over this area is an incredibly valuable feature.
 
Horticulture’s potential to provide CONNECTIVITY is right up there with the internet. The difference being that horticulture provides REAL space for people to connect face-to-face and face-to-plants. And of course, it forces you to slow down. Which, really, is not a bad thing. Interest in plants used to be reserved to gardening ‘geeks’ and the industries which supports the habits of those geeks. Times have changed. Interest in horticulture has spread epidemically. Everyone has some interest in the plant world.
Note: Don’t get me wrong. Animals are also great connectors. But let’s face it, plants don’t require so much daily attention – they are dormant for 6 months of the year.
 
The Horticultural Centre of the St.John River Valley (or some other similar name…) could be developed with multiple partnerships (for collaboration and funding). See the illustration of a model which I presented to the Council – that shows the range of possibilities that could be explored in terms of categories of activities which could exist on such a site.
All these different pieces could be supported by various funding sources and partnerships. For example, the site could incorporate the following aspects”

• Botanical information, research, collections (such as you would find in a botanical garden)
• Showcase theme displays of various plant groups (i.e. native plants, ground covers, Bird and butterfly attractors, heritage, fragrant, medicinal, etc….)
• Community Engagement: The site could be developed to provide a venue for participation of seniors, children, students, tourists, etc.. Funded programs could provide training and teaching opportunities. The centre could also foster meaningful volunteerism and employment as well as launch social business (enterprise) and other sorts of entrepreneurship. Think of all the types of businesses that are linked to Horticulture!!
• Tourism: Developing such a centre is an opportunity which I hope Perth-Andover will choose to seize. As far as notable Horticultural Gardens go, we have the Botanical Gardens in St.Jacques and Kingsbrae in St.Andrews. Fredericton has a Botanical Garden as well which is mostly a hiking trail from Odell Park to Prospect Street. Perth-Andover seems like a great location to fill in a gap – geographically.
• As government is trending towards initiatives that support Inclusion, Poverty-Reduction, Skills Development and Wellness, this centre would help to meet all those priorities.

 
INNOVATION AND UNIQUENESS: Horticulture is up for public consumption on so many levels: education and lifelong learning, leisure, skills development, research, aesthetics, consumer products and services, and the list goes on and on. Horticulture provides a great breeding ground for creativity AND the creative implementation of ideas. Not everything has to cost alot of bucks. The important thing is to use what already exists and go from there!!
 
Uniqueness usually plays a strong role in marketing – and here I am talking about the tourism attraction piece of this centre. As mentioned before, should the Village support developing such a concept, many great ideas will emerge which could be incorporated over time. And that is another critical feature of horticulture – it is in a constant state of growth, change and adaptation.
EXAMPLE OF UNIQUENESS: In the next Blackfly Gazette, I will explain an idea that could contribute to making the Horticultural Centre of the Upper St. John River Valley VERY UNIQUE.
 
I CALL IT THE TREE TALK TOUR
Tune in to next issue for more details.
 
Hint: People interested in local history and genealogy are going to love it!