HALIFAX PUBLIC GARDENS National Historic Site COMMEMORATIVE INTEGRITY STATEMENT

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1 HALIFAX PUBLIC GARDENS National Historic Site COMMEMORATIVE INTEGRITY STATEMENT April, 1999

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3 HALIFAX PUBLIC GARDENS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE COMMEMORATIVE INTEGRITY STATEMENT Introduction: National Historic Sites Objectives: Under the national historic sites program Parks Canada has the responsibility: To foster knowledge and appreciation of Canada s past through a national program of historic commemoration. To ensure the commemorative integrity of national historic sites administered by Parks Canada by protecting and presenting them for the benefit, education and enjoyment of this and future generations, in a manner that respects the significant and irreplaceable legacy represented by these places and their associated resources. To encourage and support the protection and presentation by others of places of national historic significance that are not administered by Parks Canada. Definition and Purpose of Commemorative Integrity: A Commemorative Integrity Statement is a means to describe the health or wholeness of a national historic site. A national historic site possesses commemorative integrity when: the resources that symbolize or represent its importance are not impaired or under threat, the reasons for the site s national historic significance are effectively communicated to the public, and the site s heritage values are respected by all persons whose decisions or actions affect the site. The purpose of a commemorative integrity statement is to specify the following: What is nationally significant about the site; What resources of the site contribute to the national historic significance: what constitutes their value and what their appropriate physical condition should be; 1

4 What messages about the site s national historic significance should be communicated to the public, how to evaluate the effectiveness of this communication; and, What resources of the site embody other heritage values, what constitutes their value, and under what conditions can they be said to be respected. Within the Commemorative Integrity Statement, cultural resources are designated the status of level one or level two. Level one cultural resources are those which are deemed to be directly connected to the national significance of the site. Level two cultural resources are resources which are not directly linked to national significance but which relate to the site s provincial, regional or local significance. 2

5 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Origins of the Halifax Public Gardens The Halifax Public Gardens was established in 1874 by the amalgamation of two older gardens, the Nova Scotia Horticultural Society Garden, which had been laid out in 1837, and a small adjacent public park, which had opened in Both gardens were established on the South Common, part of the Halifax Common. The Halifax Common is an historic parcel of land that was granted to the city in 1763 and forms part of the original town plan. The publicly owned ground runs as a continuous open space from South Street to Cunard Street and strongly contributes to the city s green character. The Halifax Public Gardens was the product of a society which demonstrated an unbounded interest in science, particularly the study of botany and the art of horticulture, coupled by an equally strong belief in the positive effects of nature on man s physical and mental wellbeing. Faith in nature was tied to an awareness that industrialization was drawing people out of the countryside and into the crowded, unhealthy setting of the city. Concern for this situation led to the creation of the urban city park. The Horticultural Garden was situated along present-day Spring Garden Road between Summer and South Park streets, in the south and west portions of what is now the Halifax Public Gardens. The rectangular garden had a symmetrical and orderly plan overlaid with a network of winding paths, which took strollers through shady groves and past attractive flower displays. Additional attractions included a croquet lawn and children s swings. The garden had been established in response to reforms in agricultural practise. Its purpose was to demonstrate improved cultivation practices and exhibit an ever expanding variety of trees, vegetables, rare and exotic plants and flowers. It was this profusion of new plant material that marked the difference between the 19th century garden and its predecessors. It was brought about by the advent of rapid and safe transportation of plant material, coupled to technological advances in the manufacturing of glass and iron, which introduced the wide-spread use of the greenhouse. Once established, the Horticultural Garden also functioned as a public garden and, as such was an important embellishment to the town of Halifax. When the first city-owned public park was opened in 1866, this small square park fronted on the northeast comer of the Horticultural Gardens at the intersection of Sackville and South Park streets, on the east side of Griffin s Pond. This garden was laid out as a typical Victorian pleasure garden displaying as many exotic plant species as possible. In 1872, Richard Power was hired as the park s superintendent; the design of the northeast enclave of the present gardens, with its display of weeping tree species, may date to this period, or possibly a few years later. Power had received his training under Joseph Paxton on the Duke of Devonshire s Irish estate and may, therefore, have been familiar with Paxton s 1843 plan for Birkenhead Park, the first expressly-designed, municipal, park in Britain. In any event, Power was a well-qualified landscape gardener with exceptional practical ability and vision. 3

6 Under the direction of the Halifax Commons Committee, the Halifax city park expanded into the Halifax Public Gardens in 1874, when the Horticultural Society sold its garden to the city and the city purchased the parcel of land at the intersection of Sackville and Summer streets, west of Griffin s Pond. City officials then removed the barriers between the two gardens to create the present 16-acre rectangular site. The new larger garden combined the role of the Horticultural Society with the function of the pleasure garden. The following year, Power began to implement a unifying landscape design for the whole site, incorporating most of the design features already in existence. One of his first actions was to plant the great avenues of linden and elms along Summer and Sackville streets with young trees taken from the stock of the Horticultural Garden. The initial stages of the design were completed by 1879, the year that a covered skating rink, situated within the grounds at South Park Street, was removed. Power remained superintendent of the gardens until 1915 and during that period he oversaw the introduction of the bandstand, the fountains, statues and wrought iron gates- all fundamental features of the High Victorian Pleasure Garden and, typically, all honouring either a milestone in Queen Victoria s reign, a contemporary military event, or an important local personage. Power also established the equally Victorian practise of bedding out annuals and introduced the highly designed carpet beds, gave Griffin s Pond a more natural-looking outline, constructed an island in the pond, and introduced the water fowl. The Gardenesque Principle of Organization Power designed the Halifax Gardens according to design principles for small gardens laid down by the highly influential Scottish landscape architect, John Claudius Loudon, and adopted with only minor modifications by most landscape architects and head gardeners in the second half of the 19th century. Expanding upon views first voiced in the early 19th century, Loudon maintained that a garden was a work of art rather than a work of nature, thereby implying that a garden is a self-contained unit independent of its surroundings. Such a notion perfectly suited a small urban garden, like the Halifax Public Gardens, which had very few distinctive natural features. Loudon also coined the term Gardenesque, although the meaning of this term, like the meaning of Picturesque, evolved over time. By the time Power laid out the Halifax Public Gardens, Gardenesque had acquired a more specific meaning as a principle of organization and arrangement. Under the Gardenesque principle of organization, therefore, trees, shrubs and flowers are planted so as to be observed as individual specimens. This involved not only separating the plants but also allowing the plants to arrive at a state of perfection. Developing from the idea of a garden as a work of art, the Gardenesque sought to avoid any impression that the plant material was simply an accident of nature. To this end, the specimen plants were set amidst immaculately groomed lawns, beds and pathways. Also related to the idea that the garden is a work of art, is the endeavour to display as many specimens as possible, most particularly exotic and semi-tropical species, which by their very nature are not indigenous to their surroundings. In addition to its emphasis on exotic plants, the 4

7 High Victorian Garden can be identified by its emphasis on colour and texture achieved by flowers and plants with variegated leaves. The interest in flowering plants produced the energetic practise of bedding out, which permitted gardens, like the Halifax Public Gardens, to display an unprecedented variety of trees, flowering shrubs, exotic plants and flowers from early spring to late fall. Loudon s influence on High Victorian gardens extended to his views on how plants should be grouped together. These groups were further organized to support his strongly held view that the grounds should be laid out according to the concept of planned axial symmetry. He insisted, however, that axial symmetry governing the garden layout must be handled with a subtle touch, so that only a discerning eye could detect it. Finally, and in support of the underlying order of the garden, the formal flower beds adopted geometric shapes. According to Loudon s ideas, the Halifax Public Gardens are designed around a central east/west axis established by the two avenues. The centre is marked by the octagonal bandstand erected in 1887 in honour of Queen Victoria s Golden Jubilee. Occupying the sunniest spot in the garden, the bandstand is set off by 32 formal floating beds of brilliant colour, first established in Stone vases and a classical statue complete this centrepiece. To either side of this axial path are laid out perennial beds, the rose beds, the dahlia beds and, along the water course, an impressive bed of exotic succulents. Each of these was a favourite Victorian plant. The north side of the east/west axis is designed as three discrete spaces: (1) Griffin s pond; (2) the area around the Nymph Fountain (also the Victoria Jubilee Memorial Fountain), where the High Victorian taste for Rococo curves is evident in the serpentine and scroll beds, and (3) the site of the Boer War Fountain (also the South African Memorial Fountain), which appropriately forms the centre piece of the Gardens weeping trees. On the south side of the axis, the garden is divided in two by the location of the Horticultural Hall-Canteen/Tea Room, the oldest structure in the Gardens, built in Overlaying the plan with its discrete areas and decorative features, are a mesh of gently curving gravel pathways which meander through the Gardens providing clear views of the carefully cultivated and carefully placed specimen trees and shrubs, of which there are more than 100 different varieties. This artistically laid out setting is protected from the outside world by the avenues of mature trees around the park s perimeter. On the outside of the perimeter fence, the wide sidewalks with their tree-lined avenues act as an enticing intermediate stage between the Gardens and the urban surroundings. 5

8 STATEMENT OF COMMEMORATIVE INTENT The Statement of Commemorative Intent articulates precisely the intent of the designation of national significance. In November 1983, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC) recommended that the Public Gardens in Halifax are of national historic significance and should be commemorated by means of a plaque. A plaque was erected at the gardens in 1987 (see Appendix A). The Gardens were considered by the HSMBC again in February At that time, the HSMBC stated that it:...viewed the Halifax Public Gardens as a great national asset and strongly expressed its concern that the planned developments immediately to the west of the Gardens were of such a scale that they would, in all likelihood result in shadows and create wind tunnels that would threaten the atmosphere, popularity and the continued survival of the Gardens more exotic plantings. Further, the HSMBC was unanimously of the opinion that the Halifax Public Gardens, in the sense of place which they created, were of special value to Canadians. The following statement has been drafted to reflect the commemorative intent for the Halifax Public Gardens National Historic Site. The Halifax Public Gardens are commemorated as a rare surviving example of a Victorian public garden. 6

9 RESOURCES DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HALIFAX PUBLIC GARDENS. Definition of Designated Place: The Halifax Public Gardens is a 16-acre, rectangular parcel of land situated in the urban setting of Halifax. It is bounded on its north side by Sackville Street, on its south side by Spring Garden Road, on its east side by South Park Street and on its west side by Summer Street. The boundaries on the east and south sides of the park extend to the outer edges of the sidewalks on Spring Garden Road and South Park Street, where these especially wide sidewalks support avenues of mature trees which run parallel to the iron fence and in tandem with the avenues of similar trees inside the perimeter fence and, at the intersection of the two streets, where the bust of Sir Walter Scott stands in front of the main gates. On the west, the boundary extends beyond the tree-lined sidewalk to the median running along the centre of Summer Street and to the outer edge of the narrow sidewalk along Sackville Street. Within this tightly-framed area, the character is entirely defined by the Halifax Public Gardens. It is a relatively small level site with no distinctive topographical features, with the exception of a man-made pond, Griffin s Pond, and three smaller pools located in the southeast comer of the park which, with the exception of one small pool, were in situ when the garden was laid out in The sense of place that is the Halifax Public Gardens National Historic Site is defined by its designed landscape which encompasses the entire site as far as the outer edge of the street sidewalks around the perimeter of the Gardens and as far as the median on Summer Street. The primary characteristics of this landscape are its Gardenesque design aesthetic, its plant material, its man-made ornaments and its built structures. Out of their combined design arise the Garden s intangible life-giving qualities of light and climate, which enhance its aesthetic character and create its atmospheric moods. The Historic Value of the Designated Place lies in: the accomplishment of the Victorian landscape design represented by the Halifax Public Gardens the integrity of the setting of the Halifax Public Gardens between Spring Garden Road, South Park Street, Summer Street and Sackville Street. its association with the 19th century municipal park movement and ideals that gave rise to the movement. its association with Richard Power the designer and first superintendent of the park. its reflection of the 19th century s interest in science, particularly the study of botany and the art of horticultural design. 7

10 its influence on and contribution to urban planning, design and development in the surrounding area. its location on lands that were part of the Halifax Common as set aside in 1763 Objectives Relating to the Maintenance of this Resource Free of Threat: IN SITU RESOURCES respect for and protection of the integrity of the Designated Place and the primary characteristics of the landscape, including the built resources, through careful maintenance, and through control of development which could alter the delicate natural balance sustained within the Gardens. encourage planning and design principles in immediately adjacent areas to reduce threats to the managed ecosystem of the Gardens. respect for the impact the Gardens has had on the nature and character of the adjacent urban landscape. heighten community awareness and understanding of the Halifax Public Gardens National Historic Site. communicate the historic values and messages of the Designated Place to visitors and the general public. heighten community awareness and understanding of the relationship of the Halifax Public Gardens to the Halifax Common which was granted to the city in 1763 and which forms part of the original town plan. respect for the planning guidelines for the future planning and management of the Halifax Common as identified in the Halifax Common Plan, October, The level one in situ resources (i.e. those which relate directly to the national significance of Halifax Public Gardens National Historic Site) are those components that comprise the Victoria1 landscape. The component parts of this specific design are: the Gardenesque design elements, the High Victorian planting practises, the plant material, the man-made ornaments, and the built structures, as identified below. Objectives related to the protection of the in-situ resources are found at the end of the section rather than after all the individual components. The Gardenesque Design Elements: The Gardenesque is identified in the landscape plan and in its species planting. The plan incorporates the two pre-1875 gardens, Griffin s Pond and water courses -earlier features which, in part, govern its composition. The character of the plan is defined by an ordered axial symmetry, containing discrete areas; geometric, serpentine and scroll flower beds, a linking network of curving gravel paths, and a firm perimeter line, which separates the whole from the surrounding neighbourhood. Species planting is characterized by a wide variety of trees, shrubs and flowers, which are planted in a manner to display their individual forms and beauty to perfection. There is an emphasis on hardy exotics and tropical, green house plants. All plants 8

11 are set against well-groomed lawns. The grouping of the plant material and the placement of different species are dictated by the ordered symmetry of the plan. High Victorian landscape: The High Victorian landscape overlaps and is an extension of the Gardenesque design. Within the guidelines of the Gardenesque, it places an emphasis on bedding plants, and shows a particular appreciation for brilliant primary colours. It was an interest in flowering plants that resulted in the practise of bedding out of annual and tender perennials. A preference for curving lines is illustrated by the introduction of serpentine beds and pathways, scroll beds and floating beds. As well, carpet beds are an important design feature, and the Victorian rock garden planted with alpine plants is also represented. The plant material is complimented by a number of man-made decorative features and amenities. These include fountains, statues, vases, a grotto and decorative ironwork, much of which reflects the influence of formal Italian garden design. Other man-made features, such as the bandstand and horticultural hall/tea room may be understood as typical amenities of the High Victorian public park. The pond, water features and associated water fowl belong in both categories. The Historic Value of the Gardenesque and High Victorian Landscape Features lies in: The Plant Material: the high artistic value of the landscape design the integration of landscape design with man-made decorative features and amenities the evidence of careful and sympathetic development of the design over the period of Richard Power s 4.5-year tenure and continued careful management and stewardship by subsequent Superintendents who protected the fundamental design and man-made decorative features and amenities to preserve the High Victorian character of the Gardens association with the 19th-century municipal park movement and ideals that gave rise to the movement their reflection of the 19th century s ever-growing interest in science, particularly the study of botany and the art of horticultural design the preserved evidence of the original Horticultural Society Gardens and the Public Park. This is characterized by its great variety and emphasis on exotic, semi-tropical and flowering trees, shrubs and flowers. Evergreens and weeping cultivars (elm, beech, ash and birch) are well represented, as are plants with variegated leaves and horticultural curiosities, including species with cork-screw branches. The sub-tropical plants include hibiscus, palms and cacti. Among 9

12 the favourite Victorian flowers and flowering shrubs are: roses, geraniums, fuchsias, dahlias, rhododendrons, gladioli, begonias and cannas. The plant material has attracted over time an abundance and variety of bird life that form an important part of the Garden s managed ecosystem. The Historic Value of the Plant Material lies in: the integrity and aesthetic quality of original planting material, eg., weeping elms the visual expression of the modem plant materials that reflect society s current values and appreciation of Victorian planting traditions its expression of High Victorian taste in cultivated plant material its expression of the High Victorian interests and accomplishments in botany and horticulture its association with High Victorian advances in technology related to the garden its expression of High Victorian concerns for public education and public wellbeing. The Water Features and their Associated Elements: Water makes up more than 25% of the Gardens surface and forms a significant part of its character. The water features comprise Griffin s Pond; a water-course with its gates and walls, the waterfowl house -all of which support the water fowl- and the lighthouse. The pond and part of the water-course were in place when the garden was established; they are man-made. Power enhanced their naturalistic appearance and introduced the water fowl and the fish. These living adornments form part of a well developed urban ecosystem. The waterfowl house stands on the north shore of Griffin s Pond. It was built in 1908, a whimsical interpretation of regional domestic architecture. The model lighthouse stands on the island in the middle of the pond. In addition, model replicas of ships ( Queen Mary, Titanic, Bluenose) have floated on the pond over the years. Together they contribute to the distinctive character of the water features. As a whole, the water features preserve a particularly Victorian sentimentality for creating enchanting places. The Historic Value of the Water Features and their Associated Elements lies in their: aesthetic design, specifically their scale, materials and vernacular classical style, and their contribution to the character of the Gardens their support of the abundance and variety of bird life that form an important part of the garden s highly managed ecosystem 10

13 The Built Structures: Horticultural Hall-Canteen/Tea Room: In 1847, the Horticultural Society erected a small building in the centre of the Horticultural Society Garden. Measuring approximately 22 feet ( 7 m.) by 36 feet (11 m.), it was constructed as an open room with a frost-free cellar built of ironstone. The building is heavy timber framed and wood clad. It was designed in a simple classical style with a symmetrical three-bay facade facing the garden entrance on Spring Garden Road, and had a gable roof. The roof was ornamented with an octagonal cupola, a distinctive classical design feature. The building s style and building materials reflected the long tradition of Halifax s preference for classical architecture. The Horticultural Society held its meetings in the building, which was known as the Horticultural Hall and used the cellar for the storage of winter vegetables. The hall has been extended, altered and repaired, but the original structure remains in situ. In the 1850s, while the Horticultural Garden was still in existence, an entry porch was added to the Hall s main entrance facing Spring Garden Road. Following the establishment of the Halifax Public Gardens, in 1877, the hall was let for serving refreshments. By 1880, a pair of doors and a porch were installed on the north side of the hall facing the recently constructed bandstand. The impact was to reorientate the building within the newly created park. In 1935 an addition to the canteen was constructed on the north side of the building and the original open hall was subdivided into two rooms, one for the enlarged canteen and one for the gardeners. Since then, the cellar has been largely reconstructed; the cupola was removed circa ; the roof was reshingled in 1972 and, during the same general period, some of the exterior cladding was replaced as were the windows in The Historic Value of the Horticultural Hall-Canteen/Tea Room lies in: Man-Made Ornaments: Bandstand: its association with the Horticultural Society Garden which formed part of the Halifax Public Gardens its role as a major landmark in the Gardens its dual function as a horticultural hall and a canteen, two functions associated with the underlying purpose of the Gardens as pleasure gardens and display gardens its association with the 19th century agricultural reform movement. its original scale, classical vernacular style -distinguished by its symmetrical design, gable roof and former cupola- and heavy timber and exterior wood cladding, all of which speak to the pre-high Victorian origins of the Halifax Public Gardens. Beginning in the 1860s concerts were held, first in the Horticultural Society Gardens and later 11

14 in the Halifax Public Gardens. The practise of musical concerts in the park is associated with the Victorian Pleasure Garden. The bandstand was designed by the Halifax architect Henry Busch in 1887 in honour of Queen Victoria s Golden Jubilee. Its compact geometric shape, ornate gingerbread decoration and use of bright primary colours are quintessential qualities of High Victorian design. The bandstand remained unaltered until the 1960s when its original wooden roof was replaced in fibreglass. In the process, some of the finer decorative details of the original roof were lost. Historic value of the Bandstand lies in: the scale, geometric shape and surviving elements of the decoration and colours. its role as the focal point of the Gardens design its association with outdoor concerts in the park, an important feature of the Victorian Pleasure Garden its commemorative role marking Queen Victoria s Golden Jubilee Cast- and Wrought Metal Fountains, Gates, Fencing and Lighting: Decorative ironwork was phenomenally popular in the second half of the 19th century, due to its availability and to the ease with which the casting method could meet Victorian taste for elaborate design. This was especially true in Halifax, a port city with relative access to overseas manufacturers, where the potential of cast iron for enhancing the beauty of the city was quickly recognized. In the Halifax Public Gardens, decorative iron was the material of choice for the fountains, gates, fencing and lighting. The ironwork is frequently endowed with a commemorative association. Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Fountain: Erected by the Gardens commissioners to honour Queen Victoria s Diamond Jubilee, this bronze fountain was installed in 1897, replacing an earlier, more modest fountain. Its scale, elaborate classical style with classical references which include water babies and sea serpents, are characteristic of the High Victorian fountain. Fountains, especially classical fountains, reflect the influence of Italian garden design and they were appreciated for the sound of playing water and for their cooling effect. The Boer War Memorial Fountain: The fountain was erected in It was purchased from the famous MacFarlane Company in Glasgow, Scotland. The main body of its design dates to the 1880s, but the statue of the standing Canadian Mounted Rifleman replaced a stock classical female figure. The fountain commemorates the service of Canadian soldiers in the South African campaign, It is the 12

15 centrepiece of the original public garden where it stands surrounded by a centre ring of an exceptional collection of weeping species, which includes elm or Camperdown elm, birch, European ash and beech, perennial beds, and an outer border of flowering trees and bushes. The Historic Value of the Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee and the Boer War Memorial Fountains lies in: The Main Entrance Gates: their classically derived style and the high quality of their design and workmanship their role as an important feature of the Halifax Public Gardens design and, by extension, of High Victorian gardens their materials, cast-iron and bronze materials, favourites of the period their commemorative associations with Queen Victoria s Diamond Jubilee and with those who served in the South African campaign The gates were purchased in 1890 and originally stood on South Park Street, where they were installed in a large wooden gatehouse which contained a committee room, office and canteen. Manufactured by the MacFarlane Company of Glasgow, the gates elaborate design exhibit the full potential of their material. They were moved to their present site in 1907, where they were hung on a set of cast iron piers. On an arch spanning the gates were cast the words Public Gardens. The Historic Value of the Main Gates lies in: their ornate, classically inspired style and the high quality of their design and workmanship their role as an important entry feature in the design of the Halifax Public Garden their cast-iron material. The Lump Standards: The lighting of public parks is a Victorian idea and was essentially seen as a safety feature. Revealing the park at night in artificial light, however, also added a new aesthetic experience to visiting the park. There are 38 cast iron electric lamp standards in the gardens, of which 32 were introduced as gas lights in the last quarter of the 19th century. The remaining six lights are modem copies of the originals. The Historic Value of the Light Standards lies in: their design and materials their contribution to the integrity of the landscape design. 13

16 Perimeter Wrought Iron Fence: Replacing an older wooden fence, the perimeter wrought iron fence was installed in Its role in demarcating the Gardens from the surrounding urban neighbourhood reinforces the underlying Gardenesque concept of the garden as a work of art. Its style and materials contribute an essential element to the High Victorian landscape. The Historic Value of the Wrought Iron Perimeter Fence lies in: its role in separating the Gardens from the neighbourhood and reinforcing the idea of the High Victorian Garden as a work of art. its design and materials which are typical of 19th- and early 20th-century park fencing. Artificial Stone and Concrete Features: As was the case with cast-iron, artificial stone and concrete were very popular 19th-century mass produced materials, in that they satisfied the taste for a large variety of mass-produced decorative work. Six Vases and Three Statues: These stone features were bequeathed to the Halifax Public Gardens by Chief Justice Sir William Young. They were manufactured in 1874 by Austin & Steeley s Stone Works of London and are made of an artificial stone whose essential ingredient is concrete. The three statues depict Ceres, Diana and Flora, the goddesses respectively of agricultures the hunt and flowers. Their classical style and subject matter reveal the influence of Italian garden design on the High Victorian garden. Their presence in the Gardens also illustrates the contemporary interest in educating and entertaining the public. The Grotto: The Historic Value of the Six Vases and Three Statues lies in: the Italianate and architectonic character they impart to the landscape design their artificial stone material. The Grotto is a man-made garden feature which dates to 1876 and was part of Power s original design. It is constructed over a natural spring which surfaces in the southwest corner of the Gardens. Its presence speaks to the 19th-century love of picturesque adornments to the 14

17 landscape, especially in the form of sham ruins. The Historic Value of the Grotto lies in: The Concrete Bridges: its role as a typical High Victorian Garden feature its artificial stone material. The two small concrete bridges which span the water course in the southeast comer of the grounds were constructed in 1911 to replace the original rustic bridges. Designed in a classical style with balustrades and classical planter urns, the bridges, through their style and materials, reinforce the classical character found in the garden. Their style also reflects the change of taste from the High Victorian eclecticism to a Beaux-Arts classicism that occurred at the turn of the century. Their material reflects the wide-spread interest in this strong building material at that time. The Historic Value of the Concrete Bridges lies in: Rustic Fencing: their functional association with an original design feature. their classical style which reinforces one aspect of the High Victorian character their concrete material Rustic furnishings were popular High Victorian garden features. The material, unbarked wood, was admired for its perceived picturesque quality. Originally the Gardens were ornamented with rustic fencing around the watercourses and two rustic bridges. The fencing is a modem replacement of the original. The Historic Value of the Rustic Fencing lies in: its association with an original feature of the Gardens design the picturesque quality of the material (wood) The Sidewalks along Spring Garden Road and South Park Street: The sidewalks along Spring Garden Road and South Park Street are wider than the normal width of Halifax sidewalks; they also support avenues of mature trees which run parallel to the perimeter fence. The origin of these wider sidewalks is unknown; however, through their additional width and their avenues of trees, they function as an important intermediary zone, softening the transition between the Gardens and its urban surroundings. This function was an important characteristic of pre-modern landscape designs. 15

18 The Historic Value of the Sidewalks along Spring Garden Road and South Park Street lies in: their role as a transitional zone between the Gardens and its urban surroundings the space they provide for the parallel line of trees next to the streets. Objectives Relating to the Maintenance of these Resources Free of Threat: Archaeological Resources respect, maintenance and protection of the character of the Halifax Public Gardens, whose historic value lies in the landscape features, the plant materials, the manmade elements, all of which support an abundance and variety of bird life that form an important part of the garden s highly managed ecosystem, and the interrelationships of these features, as the Gardens was carefully and sympathetically developed over the period of Richard Power s 45 year tenure creation of a plan for the long term stewardship and preservation of the Gardens mitigation of external threats to the Garden s integrity and completeness which includes its surrounding urban setting communication of the value of the Gardens and its resources to visitors and the public register an inventory of all moveable and in situ resources, including an annotated register of pertinent shrubs and trees. No formal archaeological research has been carried out in the Gardens to date. Potential Level 1 cultural resources could be found below-ground for example near the Horticultural Hall, the bandstand, the fountains or the gates, etc. Historic Value of the Archaeological Resources lies in: the tangible evidence and potential for enhanced understanding which they could provide on the evolution of the Gardens the research and information potential they hold Objectives Relating to the Maintenance of these Resources Free of Threat: any physical intervention, eg., digging, construction work, within the Gardens is preceded by archaeological consultations, and mitigating measures, if needed, are put in place, all in accordance with recognized professional standards the historic values of the archaeological resources are communicated to the public 16

19 MESSAGES OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE The messages of national significance will be effectively communicated when as many Canadians as possible know that the Halifax Public Gardens is a rare surviving Victorian public park. Integral to the understanding of national significance are the following messages. Visitors to the Halifax Public Gardens will learn: Objectives: that the attributes of the Gardenesque design aesthetic and the High Victorian Garden design features, both natural and man-made, together make the Gardens an outstanding example of the Victorian public park that the Gardens preserve an outstanding collection of rare and exotic trees, shrubs and flowering plants that the establishment of the Halifax Public Gardens developed from the amalgamation of the former Horticultural Society Garden and the former Public Park that the Horticultural Society Garden was an expression of the 19th-century interest in science, particularly the science of botany and the art of horticultural design that the idea of a public park developed out of a civic concern for the social welfare of people living in an increasingly urban environments, and that this was coupled to an appreciation and understanding of the benefits of a public park to the city of Halifax. that the Halifax Public Gardens was designed by Richard Power who was also the Gardens first superintendent and who oversaw the full implementation of his design during the 45 years of his tenure, and that succeeding superintendents, including two of his sons, have carefully maintained its original, labour intensive, design. Commemorative integrity will be achieved when: as many Canadians as possible understand the commemorative intent, ie., the national significance, of the Halifax Public Gardens, and its nationally significant values and messages the effectiveness of the communication of the nationally significant messages is measured and monitored. 17

20 LEVEL TWO CULTURAL RESOURCES Level two cultural resources are not of national historic significance because they do not reflect commemorative intent. Nevertheless, they impart value to the site through their local or regional associations, historical importance, and through their aesthetic or environmental qualities. Bust of Sir Walter Scott: A bronze bust of Sir Walter Scott is located just outside the main entrance gates. The bust has a pedestal of black granite mounted on white granite. Presented to the city by the North British Society of Halifax in 1932, the monument is a commemoration of the centenary of the death of Sir Walter Scott. The Historic Value of the Sir Walter Scott Monument lies in: its contribution to the importance of the main entrance to the Gardens its civic role in commemorating and memoralizing people and events, an extension of the Victorian practice within the Gardens. Commemorative Plaques within the Gardens: There are a number of these plaques located around the Gardens commemorating various individuals and events. The Historic Value of the Commemorative Plaques lies in: their tradition of a civic practice of commemorating and memoralizing people and events of importance to the community. OTHER HERITAGE VALUES In addition to the values that relate directly to commemorative intent, there are other values that need to be communicated to the public to place the Gardens in a broader context. These include; the Halifax Public Gardens is a municipally Registered Heritage Property signifying the importance of the site to the community the Halifax Public Gardens contributes to Halifax s image known locally as the City of Trees the Halifax Public Gardens is part of a system of National Historic Sites that together help foster a knowledge and appreciation of Canada s past 18

21 APPENDIX A PLAQUE TEXT FOR THE HALIFAX PUBLIC GARDENS Halifax Public Gardens Opened to the public in 1875, these grounds united the 1837 Horticultural Society gardens with an adjacent civic garden created in The original design of landscape gardener Richard Power is largely intact, partly due to his family s long superintendence. Bedding patterns, exotic foliage, favourite Victorian flowers, subtropical species and tree specimens continue the planting tradition of the era. The serpentine paths, geometric beds, commemorative statuary and bandstand are also typical features of this, one of the rare surviving Victorian gardens in Canada. 19