How I Choose Plants (as a Professional Landscape Designer)

It's always important to learn what you can about the history of the land that you're working on. Industrial or agricultural use for instance, could mean chemical contamination that needs to be addressed. Also, cultural connections like a historical event or continued use for the land should be noted. If say, red ochre is harvested for dye stuffs in the surrounding area, it's great to echo or play off of that colour in the project. Even a small gesture but it is a way of acknowledging those involved. Besides, history is fascinating, the deeper you dig into it, the better you'll understand everything.

The greater area where the Sand Garden is located has been stewarded by the Leq’á:mel First Nation for some 10,000 years prior to European contact. "Leq’á:mél, meaning the level place where people meet, was once one of the most popular trading stops in Stó:lō territory...Leq’á:mél was home to many of the longhouses, some recorded almost a kilometer long. Historically our affiliates were the Sumas, Scowlitz, Matsqui and Nooksack tribes". Here, traditional land management utilizes a wide range of sustainable agro-forestry practices with minimal-moderate alterations made to the landscape over the centuries.

The oldest written histories tell of a river margin that was home to a network of wetlands, streams and swamps. Where willow, sedge and cattail, alder, crab apple and cranberry co-existed in mixed scrubland. Lower elevations supported forests of mixed conifer and western red cedar. While higher grounds were covered in alder and cottonwood. All areas experienced frequent disturbance due to seasonal flooding, debris build up and prescribed burning. In 1875, a steamboat passenger noted, "These trees in many places have preserved a great uniformity in growth, fringing the river like a gigantic hedge."

Although the Spanish had some early contact with the indigenous population, it was in the mid 1800's that European explorers began establishing trade routes, forts and settlements up and down the river.

One man, James Codville, took possession of 480 acres of land on the island in 1865. Quickly converting native grasslands into hay production and adding livestock, ferry services and a hotel. The proximity to the Fraser River and those travelling north along it (during the Gold Rush) meant that The Landing fast became a steam wheeler stopping point, mail and supply drop. The landmass was then split between two European men. McDonald, who took over the Codville property in the west and Deroche, who laid claim to the eastern section. Deroche in particular then spent 20 years clearing the land for cropping. But by the 1890's only 6% of the island had been cleared (72% being woodland, and 22% swamp/pasture).

Mapping and surveying meant that smaller parcels could then be bought and sold. While the Indian Act confined the Leq’á:mél population to Reserve lands that started out as large tracts but later became much reduced.

Construction of the railway nearby, drove industrialization. With logging, milling and quarries employing many. And dairy production and farming (hay, corn and blueberries) providing food stuffs. Modern dikes and a highway were constructed in the 1930's, reducing the waterway on northern side of the island to a slow moving slough.