Garden background

THE STEDMAN FAMILY of Brantford, Ontario, has been associated with, and supported, Royal Botanical Gardens for almost 60 years. The Stedman sisters, Mary and the late Margaret and Ruth, are the daughters of the late Samuel W. Stedman, co-founder of a chain of 350 retail stores that stretched from coast to coast.

Helen M. Kippax, the Stedman sisters’ aunt, introduced Margaret to the Gardens in 1949. In 2005, a decision was made by the sisters to support the development of the Helen Kippax Garden, located near Hendrie Park Gardens’ Woodland Garden and bounded on three sides by the natural lands of Grindstone Creek and Hendrie Valley.

This new garden commemorates the life and legacy of Helen M. Kippax, one of nine founding members of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (1934).

The garden features native plants and native plant cultivars (shrubs, perennials and grasses) with very limited use of ornamentals, in a design that showcases sustainable gardening to Royal Botanical Gardens’ visitors. The design will inspire and educate the public about the beauty of native plants for use in public and private gardens.

The planting design of Helen Kippax Garden moves the idea of the botanical garden into the 21st century by designing with plant communities (plants that coexist in natural settings) rather than plant collections.

The physical setting of Grindstone Creek/Hendrie Valley and tableland is celebrated and incorporated into the layout of the garden. Selective clearing of existing vegetation along with framing devices and seating create a series of new viewpoints into the forested valley slopes, creating a visual and physical dialogue between the garden and the valley. Suitable woodlot edge plants are introduced as an interface between the woodlot /valleyland and the tableland /Helen Kippax Garden.

Rather than seeing the forested valley slopes as a backdrop for the garden, the design embraces the forest as an integral part of the Helen Kippax Garden.

Design concept statement

Feature areas in the garden include:
• a pond with water jet;
• bermed grassy seating area overlooking the pond;
• a shade structure and gathering area for groups on west side;
• open areas with ‘ecolawn’ (lawn alternative);
• a demarcated entry point west of Turner Pavilion to welcome visitors to Helen Kippax Garden, providing a strong linkage to existing elements (Turner Pavilion, walkway/entry to lower valley) and to new Rose Garden;
• a ‘soft edge’ between Rose Garden and Helen Kippax Garden;
• a demonstration rainwater collection area.

An inviting path system guides the visitor through the various components of the garden. Rather than a series of small “gardens within the overall garden,” Helen Kippax Garden consists of one feature garden, with variations to reflect different site conditions (woodland edge garden/shade garden/ sunny meadow garden/water’s edge garden, etc.).

The walkways are constructed of finely crushed limestone screenings and are barrier free in design. Upgraded paving materials occur at specific nodes throughout the garden.

Although Hendrie Park Gardens is not currently open in the winter, a strong guiding design principle of Helen Kippax Garden is that it be attractive in all four seasons to allow for future all-season operation of Hendrie Park Gardens.

The garden can accommodate groups of between 20 and 30 at a time for special functions such as group outings, educational tours, school outings, etc. Assembly areas are provided throughout the garden.

The garden is designed to be suitable for, and of interest to, all age groups.

The garden’s story powerfully addresses the increased interest in native plants and sustainable gardening. The garden addresses issues of environmental stewardship and sustainability, and is fully accessible.


Back To Top