Smiling, Francisca Darts stands with her dog at the black iron gates that have led dozens of visitors into the tranquil garden she built from the ground up.
“Hello, my name is Francisca Darts and this is Gus, which is short for Angus McDonald. We both welcome you to Darts Hill Garden Park,” she says over the chirping of birds.
The scene, from the 2002 film detailing the history of the renowned South Surrey garden, is a familiar one to the late Francisca’s many friends. Well into her 80s, Francisca could still be found in her garden, walking or sitting at her favourite spot overlooking the vast 7.5-acre green space tucked away on 16 Avenue.
For Nancy Oike, a longtime guide of the garden and the recently elected chair of the board of directors, she always remembers Francisca doing what she loved.
“In all the years I worked at Darts Hill, my fondest memories included seeing Francisca working in the garden with various plants in her hand,” Oike said.
Oike said she expected many more memories will be shared this weekend for a public celebration of life for Francisca May 4 at the city-operated garden.
“With Francisca gone, it’s amazing how many old friends are coming around the garden to tell their stories,” Oike said.
In the years leading up to Francisca’s death at age 96 on Dec. 26, the longtime resident had become increasingly ill, forcing her to move out of her home of more than 60 years on the Darts Hill property and into a care facility.
Despite not physically being at the garden, Francisca’s presence was still felt, Oike said, noting that nearly everything that grew in the garden had a story behind it.
“Everyone would give her plants. Each plant says something. Here is a bonsai plant given to Francisca,” she said, pointing to a tall tree, leaning over to one side.
While it may be hard to imagine the community without her, before Francisca and her husband, Edwin, moved to the south-facing sloped acreage, the couple lived in Vancouver, travelling on weekends to visit Edwin’s parents in White Rock.
In the 1940s, the Darts decided to leave city life and find a spot to plant an orchard.
Shortly after buying the land for Darts Hill, which, at the time, had sparse second-growth covering and huge stumps from a late-1800s logging operation, the two got to work, with Edwin removing the stumps with dynamite in order to level the land.
Once the stumps had been removed, Edwin and Francisca planted everything from prune trees to cherry trees, eventually going on to sell the fruits of their labour in the community.
The orchard became such a success that Edwin won the only gold medal ever awarded by the Pacific National Exhibition in that exhibit category, Francisca noted in the 2002 interview.
And while she was involved with the orchard, many friends acknowledge that the fruit trees were Edwin’s passion.
For Francisca, it would be the small garden she started after joining a local gardening club that would lead to her passion for planting, Oike said.
“She went to the Alpine Garden Club and saw all those lovely plants, and it’s a part of the story that was what really piqued her interest,” Oike said.
“That’s where I learned what horticulture was all about. That is what started me on knowing about all these plants that you can grow. It opens your eyes,” Francisca said in an interview.
Through the society, Francisca would go on to join the Royal Horticultural Society, where she would receive free seeds annually. She began planting the seeds in the far corner of her garden and from there, her love of planting flourished.
By 1994, the garden was visited by friends and fellow plantsmen who would come to see Francisca’s rhododendrons, magnolias and other unusual and unique species.
Unfortunately, while the garden thrived, Edwin’s health began to fail. Knowing Francisca wouldn’t be able to maintain the garden alone, he suggested bequeathing the land to the city.
“Ed was not well anymore. He said, ‘What are we going to do with this place?’ because he knew he was dying,” Francisca explained. “I thought it was a great idea.”
Following Edwin’s death that year, the city and Francisca finalized the 999-year deal, making the garden public, opening it to visitors, students and residents.
“When she was still around and in the garden, if I was ever giving a tour, she would come out and talk to people and give them her philosophy. She would say, ‘If you’ve ever wanted to do something, just do it.’” Oike said.
The celebration of life for Francisca will take place at the garden, located at 16 Avenue and 170 Street.
The garden will be open to the public from noon till 4 p.m., with a planned program beginning at 2 p.m.
Shaw Television (Channel 4) will be airing the Darts Hill Park Garden program on May 4 at 8:30 a.m. and again at 6 p.m.
For more information on the garden, visit www.dartshill.ca