It is hard for us to imagine Oakville a century ago. Thankfully Francis Robin Ahern wrote a lovely narrative of our community entitled Oakville: A small town 1900-30. Her observations of the plants and gardens at that time are well worth sharing with you.

According to Francis, “Apple, plum, cherry, and pear trees were everywhere to be seen, both in orchards and in the comparatively large back yard gardens of residents” (p.33). Early Oakville gardeners planted fruit and vegetables of all kinds and the area was renowned for its strawberries. You can find remnants of those orchard trees, grapes and berries throughout the area.

Gardeners imported many other favorite perennials and trees. Lilacs, forget-me-nots, lily of the valley and English roses filled abundant flower beds. Copper beech were brought out from Scotland (she mentions the fine copper beech on Alexander Drive). Norway spruce were used to line roadways and aged giants now stand throughout Oakville. Francis also noted a century old magnolia that inspired area residents. This magnolia still blooms beside Lakeshore between Chisholm and Wilson (try and see this extremely old specimen before it is lost to impending development).

Francis also commented about the natural flora of the area. Her description is lovely:

In 1912, when we lived at the edge of Anderson’s Bush [317 Gloucester], the large and graceful sweet-chestnut tree was still scattered generously through these woods and throughout southern Ontario, and we had three very large, tall ones on our property. The white “tassels” covering the trees in spring turned, in the fall, into delicious sweet chestnut hidden inside prickly, green cases, and these were a delicacy that few children in the town were able to resist. Tragically, a severe blight in the 1920s and 1930s wiped out every sweet chestnut tree in the Country. Anderson’s Bush had been full of them and they were greatly missed when they gradually died and had to be cut down. Later, a further great loss to the Bush was the large number of giant oaks which, although not blighted were hacked down while healthy.

Fortunately, none of this had happened when we lived nearby and since only two or three houses were built in the area while I was growing up, I considered these beautiful woods my own private domain? I knew each year exactly where I could be sure to find the first wildflower of all – the hepatica – which flowered before the leaf appeared. White anemones, trillium, columbine, Solomon’s seal, and May-apples grew in many patches of deep shade, while the mauve wild geranium and clumps of fern and bracken seemed to be everywhere. I knew all the low swamps where marsh marigolds and the enormous rank skunk-cabbage grew, and could be counted on to get my feet wet, several times a day. Patches of wild violets – purple, yellow dogtooth, and the small, sweet-smelling, white ones – came up in the same places each year. A few even grew sparingly in the grass along some of the sidewalks. In very deep shade, after a bit of looking, one could find the elusive “Jack-in-the-Pulpit” and the rather weird, snow-white “Indian Pipe.”

Enhancing all this was the lovely sight and sound of the birds, which brought many up from downtown to watch and enjoy. My own favorite sound was that of the whippoorwill in the evening, and at night the gentle croaking of the frogs in a nearby swamp. I had good friends to share all this: I was a lucky girl,” (p. 167-8).
 

Indeed, she was a lucky girl and we are fortunate to have her records of these times.

May toads nestle in your flower beds and help you tend your beauties in this spring.

References

• Ahern, Frances Robin. 1981. Oakville A Small Town 1900-1930. The Oakville Historical Society.
• Halton Images http://images.halinet.on.ca/
• Images Canada http://www.imagescanada.ca/index-e.html
• Canada Archives www.archivescanada.ca/

These are photos of Mount Vernon's garden--running between Front and King Streets. Mount Vernon (burned down in 1827) was the name for the former home of John A. Chisholm on the site now known as Lakeside Park

This property (no. 457 Lakeshore) was built by Mr. William Wass in the 1870s and named "Balsam Lawn" for the lovely stand of pine, spruce and balsam that surrounded the house. A garden of decorative shrubs and trimmed evergreens were enclosed by the beautiful trees. (Ahern. p. 107-8).