Darts Hill Garden Park is a unique legacy that was donated to the citizens of the City of Surrey by Edwin and Francisca Darts. It consists of 7.5 acres of horticultural richness without equal in North America for its variety of rare and precious plants, shrubs and trees, having been developed over the past 55 years.

The Garden is the result of a pioneering spirit, interest and dedication, long forgotten in much of today's society. The Darts' acquired the property in 1943 before it had ever been tilled. It was covered with bush, which had regrown after the logging of the original forest cover in the 1800s. Evidences of that activity were the skid roads used to haul logs to the sawmill at the mouth of the Campbell River.

Huge stumps remained which had to be cleared by dynamiting . . . self-taught! Shovels, axes, picks, cross-cut saws and their bare hands were the tools required to claim the land, as nothing was mechanized in those days.

There was no water or electricity at the site, and their water supply was 'divined' by a water witcher, who required frequent lubricating! Their artesian well is 125 feet deep.

Initially the property was an orchard planted with fruit trees including apple, pear, apricot, peach and plum and also walnut and filbert trees. The orchard was so successful that Mr. Darts won the only gold medal ever awarded by the Pacific National Exhibition in that exhibit category. However, it was an exhibit by the Alpine Garden Club of BC at the PNE that stirred their interest and enthusiasm for horticulture which became Mrs. Darts passion.

This led to her joining many organizations devoted to the field, including the Royal Horticultural Society, from which she has received the seeds of many rare and unusual plants, shrubs and trees. It would almost require an encyclopedia to adequately catalogue her collection.

This has become a real plantsman's garden containing countless species and varieties of plants from all over the world. Mrs. Darts developed a particular affection for rhododendrons and magnolias and her collection of these species is outstanding.

The City of Surrey is delighted that Francisca and Edwin Darts chose to make their garden available to residents, students and visitors by entering into a 999 year agreement with the city. Importantly, they did this in Francisca's lifetime, allowing the transition from private garden to public garden to occur in a way which has reflected the desires of the garden's creators.

The City will build on the Darts lifetime of work on the garden by setting up the framework for a new Native Plant Garden. It is hoped that the City can work collaboratively with Mrs. Darts, local post-secondary horticultural institutions and local horticulture societies in the detailed design and development of these native gardens adjacent to the historical garden area over the next few years.