Wallace and Area Museum

Welcome to the Wallace and Area Museum's Heritage Gardens. John Kennedy, the Wallace and Area Museum's benefactor, was a man fond of his gardens and grounds. Many of his original plants continue to brighten up the museum's gardens as they flower throughout the year. There are five main sections of the garden. Relax in the shade of the crab apple trees, admire the large piece of sandstone donated by the local quarry, and soak up the ambience of our gardens as they were in another era.

The shade garden is under the large ash tree next to the house. We are in the process of establishing many shade tolerant ornamentals in this area. Look for several types of hostas, as well as some unusual native plants including bloodroot and may apple. Solomon's seal is the tall, drooping plant with white blossoms or berries on the underside of the stem. Golden seal is also a native plant which has recently been developed as an immune system booster by the natural medicine industry.

Beyond the shade garden you will see a large area of flowering plants interlaced with sandstone pathways. Beginning with the daffodils in early spring and ending with the asters which bloom until late in the fall, the perennial garden is designed to provide a constantly changing palette of colours throughout the growing season. Stroll along the pathways and see if you can spot some of the more unusual plants in this garden including the baptisia, compass plant, and old-fashioned peonies.

In the centre of the lawn beyond the crab apple trees is the rose ring. This consists of a selection of double flowered, traditional roses which are very fragrant. Note the bark mulch used on the ground in all of our ornamental beds. This is an environmentally friendly way to control weeds and keep the soil surface moist.

Located towards the back of the gardens, the orchard contains several of the original apple trees including Yellow Transparents, MacIntoshes, and Spartans. We are continuing to maintain the orchard by replacing dying trees with young, heritage varieties of apples.

The herb garden is alongside the garden shed. Most Victorian country homes had a herb garden containing plants used for both culinary and medicinal purposes. Our herb garden has seventeen types of herbs including four different kinds of mint for tea and jellies, Feverfew which is used for the abatement of fevers, chamomile for a soothing tea, and many others. The chives make an attractive ornamental border as well as serving a useful purpose in the kitchen.