Working alone and in geographic isolation, Bert Porter had neither formal horticulture training nor public or institutional support. Yet he made major contributions to prairie fruit and lily breeding.
If you’ve grown Honeywood saskatoons, Spring Snow flowering (but non-fruiting) crabapple or Earlibird, Flaming Giant, Jolly Miller, Golden Age or Happy Thoughts lilies, you’ve been the beneficiary of Porter’s plant introductions. Many of his plants are still available and many are being used by plant breeders to develop the next generation of unique prairie-hardy plants.
Born in 1901 in Guilford, England, Bert Porter immigrated with his family to a homestead near Parkside in 1907. His family grew a large vegetable garden and picked wild fruit through the summer. His early familiarity with the local native fruit undoubtedly piqued Bert’s interest in using it to impart hardiness in his own fruit breeding work years later.
Porter attended the local primary school and then high school in Moose Jaw. After a six month “winter course” at the Normal School in Saskatoon, he taught for 12 years in rural schools. Unable to find employment during the Depression, he first sold nursery stock and later began his own nursery. He continued working until 1991. Porter was the recipient of numerous awards during his lifetime, including an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Saskatchewan in 1983. At the age of 89, he retired to seniors’ housing in Parkside. He died in August 2000.
In 1999, a group of neighbours purchased Homewood Lilies and Nursery to preserve this unique horticultural legacy. Since then, the original buildings have been restored, the grounds cleaned up and replanted, and many of the “lost” plants identified and labeled. Honeywood (Dr. A. J. Porter) Heritage Nursery was designated a Municipal Heritage Property in 2001, a provincial Heritage Property in 2007 and became a registered non-profit corporation in 2009. It has received numerous tourism, heritage and horticulture awards.
“A Touch of Autumn,” to be held on Sunday, Sept. 16 from 1 to 4 p.m. (admission $5), is one of several events held annually at Honeywood to celebrate Porter’s achievements, welcome visitors to this 80 acre parkland oasis in the midst of farmland, and raise funds for its continued development.
The day will include great food (“the best apple and rhubarb pie in the country”), music and entertainment, local artists and crafts people (clothing, jewelry, wood workers, glass works, honey) as well as wagon tours of the nursery. Visitors can follow the paths and enjoy the fall colours of the many beautiful and unique trees (such as Douglas fir, Dropmore lindens, and Siberian larch) found throughout the nursery.
Among the horticulture displays are the Porter lily and fruit introductions in the Memorial Garden; the Allan Daku Garden which recognizes Daku’s many years at the nursery; Winnie’s Annual Flower Bed planted as a tribute to Mrs. Porter; the Melba Jenkins Species Lily Bed; and the Canadian Breeders Lily Garden.
A selection of potted lilies (more than 300 varieties are grown at Honeywood) and perennials will be available for sale as well as a large variety of jellies, jams and salsa made with fruit grown at the nursery.
For more information about the Nursery and “A Touch of Autumn: www.honeywood-lilies.ca; www.facebook.com/honeywoodheritage; honeywoodn8@gmail.com; 306-747-3307.
Sara is a great fan of Bert Porter and the author of numerous gardening books: the revised Creating the Prairie Xeriscape; with Hugh Skinner: Gardening Naturally; Trees and Shrubs for the Prairies, and Groundcovers & Vines for the Prairies. Most recently, with Bob Bors, Growing Fruit in Northern Gardens.
— This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society (SPS; saskperennial@hotmail.com ). Check our website (www.saskperennial.ca) or Facebook page (www.facebook.com/saskperennial) for a list of upcoming gardening events: Sept. 9, 1:30 p.m., SPS Fall Plant Exchange at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo Hall, members only but memberships are available at the door.
