Faerie Village of Redwood Park

Redwood Park is a forested oasis in Surrey, British Columbia, full of trails that meander aimlessly through the groves of redwood trees. And if you follow the trails leading to the west side of the park, you’re in for a wondrous surprise.

Heading down the trail you will soon see a sea of light blue and pink. Here, nestled in the back of the park, is a colorful village of tiny faerie houses. Dozens of houses are clustered together perched on fallen logs, each with a unique color scheme and design. These whimsically decorated houses were made by local preschool classes that spend time in the park. (Because children have worked hard on this fantastical art installation, please look but don’t touch the pint-size abodes, but do feel free to right the houses that may have fallen over in the wind.) 

The history of this forest park goes back to 1893. It was originally owned by the Browns, one of the founding families in the Surrey area. Two brothers, Peter and David Brown, were given the property in 1893. Their family’s intent was that the brothers make their livelihood logging or farming. However, the two men had other plans. Instead of putting the land to practical use, they filled the park with a variety of species of trees that were not native to the area or even British Columbia for that matter. To this day examples of these trees are clearly marked on the paths through the forest, with tags indicating the species. One example of this is a “Monkey Puzzle” tree, which is native to Chile and Argentina.