With the August 23 departure of Colonel Jeff Davis, commander of 14 Wing Greenwood from June 2022 comes two traditional legacies: his gift to the wing, and his selection of a commemorative rose to be planted in a garden that dates back to the very first base commanders of the 1940s. This year, the gift and the rose relate.
Base head gardener Zacharias Gibbons assisted Davis in the selection of a deep-red, exceptionally hardy and continuously blooming variety, the Emily Carr, from the Canadian Artists series; named in honour of the Canadian artist and writer. Carr (1871 to 1945) was heavily inspired by the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest coast and was one of the first painters in Canada to adopt a modernist and post-impressionist painting style.
The rose garden, tucked just to the left inside the main base gates, includes a collection of specialty roses planted through the decades since the 1940s, often thoughtfully chosen by outgoing commanders to leave a message.
Davis added to his rose planting with the presentation of a hand-made bench, to be placed at the garden and provide a resting spot for anyone who’d like to take a moment in a tranquil space from work and life on the busy wing.
The bench, featuring cedar wood panels and re-purposed metal fittings, was made by 415 (Long Range Patrol Force Development) Squadron Master Warrant Officer Ed Delorme, often called upon for his wood-working and craftsmanship skills. The bench features the wing logo on the back rest, cut in with a CNC machine. The metal ends were donated by Delorme’s spouse, Aran, and refurbished by personnel with 14 Air Maintenance Squadron.
Davis presented the bench at the August 23 change of command event following his departure remarks.
