The International Peace Garden is launching a new landscaping project to honor a great Manitoban, Frank Skinner, who led the way in developing trees, shrubs and flowers that can withstand Canada’s most bitter winters.
The Peace Garden’s Errick Willis Pavilion has seen significant renovations this past year and now the landscaping that surrounds the building and dock area is being developed.
Peace Garden Board Vice President, Doyle Piwniuk, says Frank Skinner contributed to advancing horticulture in western Canada, which inspired further development of weather-hardy plants that continues to inspire horticulturalists around the world today.
“There were trees and lilacs, tulips to lilies that were actually able to grow in northern climates,” explain Piwniuk. “And that practice allowed more trees to be developed to grow in our northern climates. Now around the world, a lot of universities actually took his horticultural concepts and are now pushing the envelope when it comes to growing different trees like the red maple in Canadian prairies with the cold climates.”
“And so, a lot of the trees that are growing at the International Peace Garden were started because of his contribution,” he adds. “And now many other like places, like Jefferies Nurseries now provide a lot of new trees. Every year you get a catalog of the new trees that are able to be grown here in Manitoba.”
Frank Leith Skinner was born in Scotland in 1882 and emigrated with his family to Dropmore, a small town located between Roblin and Russell, Manitoba. Skinner was a self-taught pioneering horticulturist who developed and marketed over 300 varieties of plants able to withstand the severe climate of the Canadian Prairies.
Skinners horticultural interests began first as a hobby and then became his passion, eventually developing into a nursery in the late 1920’s in Dropmore.
Skinner received wide recognition for his pioneering work which involved extensive travel around the world to collect, study and then develop more weather-resistant varieties. His findings resulted in many scientific publications, and he received multiple honours, including the Manitoba Horticultural Society’s Stevenson Memorial Medal.
Frank Skinner passed away in 1967 and was designated as a national historic person in 1998. A commemorative plaque dedicated to the achievements of Frank Skinner can be found 1 km west of Hwy 83, Dropmore, MB.
The Errick Willis Pavilion at the International Peace Garden
Doyle Piwniuk has been in contact with Frank Skinners adult children who recently visited the Peace Garden to discuss the prospect of developing the land around the Willis Pavillion in honour of their father.
“His two sons, John and Hugh and his daughter, Isabel, came down on Friday to talk about the conceptual design that we want to do to and then pathways to tie in the Willis Pavilion with the rest of the facilities at the International Peace Gardens, including the Sunken Garden and the cactus collection at the Conservatory.”
Cultivating a vision rooted in history
John and son, Michael, own and operate Skinner Native Seeds in Roblin, that specializes in growing and supply high quality native seeds for Manitoba.
“They’re actually going to donate a supply of seeds for redeveloping the south side of where the towers were,” explains Piwniuk.”Where there is a pond we’ll be adding wild grasses. We’re also going to be doing some trails. Jefferies Nurseries has donated a number of trees to put in the trail system and the landscape around the Willis Pavilion.”
Owner of Jefferies Nurseries, Wilbert Reynolds, saw Frank Skinner as a role model in the horticulture industry in developing and offering plants of the many varieties suitable for the Prairies.
“Wilbur actually came to the International Peace Garden Gala. I met him and his wife, and he told me that he met Frank Skinner just before he passed away in 1967 and he’s very close to Frank’s son, Hugh. He learned so much from Dr. Skinner’s way of how to create new species of trees that are more resistant to the weather, be more resistance from bugs and insects, pests. And more durable when it comes to drought resistant too.”
Colorful canopies inspired by Dr. Skinner’s vision
Piwniuk shared that Reynolds will be donating trees to support the ongoing efforts at the International Peace Gardens. He expressed his admiration for Dr. Skinner’s innovative approach to horticulture, particularly in experimenting with different tree species. Piwniuk noted that Dr. Skinner was always eager to push boundaries, testing new varieties to determine which could thrive and eventually be introduced into the landscaping industry.
“In the past, we mostly had basic trees that turned yellow in the fall,” said Piwniuk. “But now, thanks to this kind of research and experimentation, we’re seeing more vibrant species like red maples and sugar maples that bring incredible color to the landscape.”
He explained that the current project at the Peace Gardens focuses on planting trees that will showcase brilliant red hues in the fall, similar to the stunning displays seen in Eastern Canada. “The goal is to make the colors really pop,” Piwniuk added, emphasizing the visual impact these trees will have on the visitors to the Peace Garden.
“But this is going to take some time. It’s going to take some money,” he adds.
The Willis Pavilion is the only building that is on the Manitoba side of the Peace Garden and is a venue well used for a variety of events, including weddings family gatherings, conferences and meetings.
“One of the things that his daughter, Isabel, said was their dad would love to talk to people about plants and horticulture and all that he developed,” explains Piwniuk. “But her mom would always bring out food for the people who came out to visit. So, always their kitchen was always open to the public to come and visit and she would definitely feed them. And so, what better place than the Willis Pavilion for people to come at one of the most exposed areas for weddings and special events?”
The outside deck of the Willis Pavillion
The actual landscaping plan is still in its development stage, and fundraising efforts will soon begin once that schematic has been established. And the Peace Garden Board is also looking to the south for support for the project as well.
“There are other operations in North Dakota and Minnesota that also could help us with donating trees and shrubs to make this project even bigger and better than we can ever, ever imagine,” adds Piwniuk.
Plans and dreams for the future of the Peace Garden are extensive but is always at the mercy of available funding and grant opportunities.
Reimagining the Peace Towers for a centennial celebration
One project that is not off the table is the replacement of the iconic peace towers.
In July 2032 the Peace Garden will be celebrating 100 years of representing peace between our two countries. Piwniuk says it would be ideal if a new tower was built for that centennial celebration.
“And you know, even if we can’t get a tower by that time, at least we could start working on the campaign for that to happen right after, you know, because it’ll take a number of years just to raise some money.”
“People have told us you knew you were coming to the Peace Garden when you saw the towers from the US side. They always said that was one of the first things you see when you came from Lake Metigoshe along that highway that straddles the US border,” he adds.
Peace Garden board members were in contact with then governor of North Dakota, Doug Burgum, to discuss future endeavors at the Peace Garden. At the Garden’s 90th celebration in 2022, Governor Bergum shared how the iconic towers have been missed.
“He did tell me that we need to get a tower back there and if it’s possible a tower that you can actually go up and see both sides of the country,” explains Piwniuk. “And the fact is he said we need to get the feds involved. So, what better time to try to get the feds involved is when he is now Secretary of the Interior for the U.S. Federal Government.”
The peace towers at the International Peace Garden 2013. Note the fencing around the area to keep visitors a safe distance away from the crumbling concrete from above.
Piwniuk adds they would all like to see the towers come back to the Peace Garden. The schematics had been drawn up a number of years ago. in 2018 the Garden planned to erect a 17-storey peace tower by 2020. It would have stood one-third taller than previous towers which were demolished the winter of 2016-2017.
“If we could build at least a tower, one tower, and what better time in the future of keeping peace between the two countries?”
The schematics of the tower from 2018 for the International Peace Garden that was to be complete by 2020. The project was put on hold with the Covid pandemic. But the vision for the new Peace Tower was never forgotten.
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