A golden flower, and the blossomed legacy

The idea to plant daffodils was simple, but the commitment to cultivate a farm was demanding.

While living in Vancouver, Englishman and horticulturalist Fenwick Fatkin travelled to the valley in the 1920s on the interurban train, specifically stopping in Bradner in search of property. He was inspired when he noticed some daffodils growing in the wild. He returned to his wife Charlotte in Vancouver to share the news: they would purchase property in the west Abbotsford community and plant daffodil bulbs imported from England.

“It was just a little idea that grew,” Pauline Isherwood said about the beginnings of her grandfather Fatkin’s flower business in Bradner.

That idea grew into a farm, and gave birth both to the Bradner bulb industry and one of the longest-running events in the Fraser Valley. It also served as an early precursor to today’s mega-flower celebrations like the Chilliwack Tulip Festival.

Subscribe to Premium to read the rest.