In 1926, Mr. Eddie who supplied roses to BC Nurseries started to prepare his acres of roses for his own nursery business. In 1927, Eddie & Sons Ltd., was opened in partnership with his three sons. The firm operated at 789 Trans-Canada Highway, later 40939 West Yale.
From its outset, the original Eddie firm specialized in the development of roses and included a complete line of nursery stock. Even prior to venturing out on his own, Mr. Eddie was known as the "Rose King of Canada". His new business established his rose products, in particular, across Canada. In his first year, the business sold twice as many roses as he had previously done with BC Nurseries and still half a selling season remained.
Expansion occurred shortly after incorporation and the Eddie firm, bought acreage from P.C. Evans of Sumas Prairie and leased land from Arthur Zink. Eventually the Eddie firm, purchased 26 and a half acres from Mr. Zink. All of the land would be used as growing space and it was estimated that during the current growing season they would handle 500,000 plants. By August 1927, the Eddie rose gardens in Sardis were the largest of their kind in Canada with 18 acres in cultivation and other nursery items occupying 22 acres. Expansion was further undertaken in the United States through Washington and Oregon.
Eddies' did not specialize in one type of rose and initially grew over 300 varieties including old favorites and modern colorings. It was this blend of old and new that may have been the firm's hallmarks, and Mr. Eddie added further to the rose legacy by creating new and better plants. Not only did he conduct these activities with roses, but with fruit and other ornamental plants.
Eddie's roses were in high demand and in 1938 a New York firm ordered 15,000 rose bushes. A short time later the T. Eaton Company of Winnipeg acquired 14,000 rose bushes for their markets, preferring to pay a higher price than for cheaper imported varieties.
The Chilliwack Board of Trade desired to turn Chilliwack into the "Rose District of British Columbia". It was thought that the best roses in Canada and the United States were being grown in Chilliwack and the Eddie company offered 1,000 free rose bushes to develop the slogan and objective. Plans were established to create a rose highway running the length of the district from the Vedder Canal to east of Rosedale. In April 1929, 450 climbing rose bushes were delivered to residents who lived along the Yale Highway. The Board of Trade canvassed property owners and then distributed the plants to the many residents who had agreed to plant and care for the roses.
During the 1930s, Eddies' created the "most perfect rose" known as the "Mrs. H.M. Eddie", the first Canadian rose to be patented in the United States. The rose was white with a cream centre, large, beautiful, and could endure for six to seven days after cutting. The rose became a feature in the National Rose Garden of Britain sometime after 1936 and was grown in Paris.
In February 1946, the Eddie firm acquired 80 acres on Lulu Island, near Steveston, as they were not able to expand growing operations in Chilliwack. Sixty acres of land were held be Eddies' in the Chilliwack District and at the time, it was thought that it would take two years for the firm to relocate its office and plantations. It would appear, however, that the Chilliwack branch of Eddies' was eventually taken over by Murray & Wood who continued in business locally until circa 1977, when the firm became E.J. Murray & Son Nursery. By 1985, the firm was no longer listed in local directories.
Local businessman Henry M. Eddie, stands in his field of roses, Sardis, B.C. Chilliwack Progress photo.