You are probably familiar with the amazing Canadian painter Allen Sapp, a Cree artist who is famous the world over for his powerful and wonderful images of childhood memories growing up near North Battleford. The Allen Sapp Gallery is in North Battleford, "Canada's only public gallery named in honor of a living artist." This gallery is a jewel, part of the rich artistic and cultural heritage of our province, but it also has a wonderful treasure that gardeners will love.
I was lucky enough to chat with Kjelte Anderson, who is the project coordinator for the Allen Sapp Gallery Healing Garden. "The garden was inspired by the 2010 Allen Sapp Gallery exhibit aptly titled - "Inspired by the Land". It featured perspectives on the role of the land in the 21st century from a First Nations, scientific, and artistic perspective. The idea emerged for a living extension of the Allen Sapp Gallery to showcase medicinal plants native to Saskatchewan and teach and honour their traditional uses by First Nations people." says Kjelte.
I asked Kjelte why a garden like this was important, from a gardening point of view, and from a spiritual point of view. Here is what she told me. "The Healing Garden is a place where artistic creation, ecological principles, and diverse cultural understandings come together to deepen our connection to the land. This is our mandate, and our vision, and why we believe this garden is important."
"From a gardener's perspective, The Allen Sapp Gallery Healing Garden is important as it offers a place where all visitors can get in touch with the native species of Saskatchewan; these are the plants that painted the canvas of this province before settlement and their role in the prairie, transition, and boreal ecosystems of this province can be appreciated, along with the amazing uses we can put them to for maintaining balanced health within ourselves. The garden is designed using permaculture principles to capture and store water, promote biodiversity, provide much needed food and habitat for insects and birds, and build healthy soil. It offers a living example of how we can bring the wild back into our cities for the good of all citizens."
"From a spiritual perspective, I think this garden is important for what it represents... It represents a true attempt at reconciling old and new ways of knowing It represents an opportunity to learn and share, in a humble way, about the gifts of Mother Earth. We are blessed with these gifts and we have the opportunity to honour the spirit of the land, and to share with people who may never otherwise experience the power of plant medicine."
And where do we find this gardening masterpiece? "The garden is located directly behind the Allen Sapp Gallery. Visitors are always welcome, especially on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer when Kjelti is guaranteed to be in the garden working - for a personal guided tour! "
Doesn't this sound like an amazing place? I wish we could hop in the car and see it right now! I have so much more to tell you, so next time we share a cup of tea, I will tell you how Kjelte describes the garden, who takes care of it, and the plants it contains. For now, I just want to remind you that the Yorkton and District Horticultural Society will be holding their next meeting on Thursday, May 16 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sunshine Room at SIGN on North Street. Special guest will be Russ Brunt, from Leprechaun Taps, telling us about "Producing Maple Syrup in Saskatchewan". And remember, Friday, May 24 is the day of our Spring Plant and Bulb Sale!
Have a great week, gardeners!
