Trellis - Winter 2021 by Toronto Botanical Garden

WINTER 2021 â&#x20AC;¢ VOL 50

WINTER BEAUTY | NEW TRIAL GARDEN | GARDEN FROM SEED

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inside COVER PHOTO: FALSE CYPRESS (CHAMAECYPARIS ‘VINTAGE GOLD’) BY PAUL GELLATLY. STORY ON PAGE 18. RED-TAILED HAWK PHOTO BY SASAN BENI. STORY ON PAGE 32

W I N T E R 2 02 1 • VO L 5 0

UP FRONT

[4] FROM THE CEO

Challenges of 2020 help set goals for 2021. [5] THE EXPANSION Refining the plan [6] PLANT AUCTION Going, Going…Gone [7] PROFILE Meet new Education Director Rochelle Strauss. [8] RAVINE INVENTORY Ecologist Katherine Baird details native plants,

invasives and human disturbances in Wilket Creek Ravine. [12] TRIAL GARDENS New beds sure to delight visitors [15] THE GREAT OUTDOORS 20 ways to stay connected to Nature

FEATURES

[16] LOOKING BACK

Centenarian Eldred Milne has deep roots at the TBG

[18] GARDEN HIGH-

LIGHTS TBG Conifer Collection offers a winter feast for the senses [22] PALACES, POTS AND PARADISE Spain’s culture and history explored through her gardens [25] SPANISH GARDEN DESIGN ELEMENTS [27] GROW YOUR OWN You can get a lot of plants from a packet

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of seeds for not much money [32] BENI & THE HAWKS Seasonal gardener shares a passion for red-tailed hawk family [34] SEASONAL TIPS Dos & Don’ts for winter pruning [36] PEOPLE, PLACES & PLANTS [38] HOUSEPLANT PROFILE Sansevieria/Snake Plant

FRO M

LOOKING FORWARD Challenges of 2020 help set goals for a stronger 2021 AS WE TAKE our leave of 2020 and look forward to 2021, we will take some time, I’m sure, to pause and reflect on the many different ways we dealt with the unexpected societal and personal challenges in the past year. This is certainly true for me, and all of us at the TBG, as we navigated the many challenges that 2020 brought to our organization and persevered to set our course for a stronger 2021. We started 2020 well-positioned for success after ending 2019 debt-free. We had created a detailed budget and were looking forward to a full calendar of education, rental and special events, including our annual participation in Canada Blooms. Unfortunately, the day before the doors for Canada Blooms were to open, the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Faced with great uncertainty and minimal online capability for many of our operations, we had to quickly reinvent ourselves throughout the year while continuing to move key projects, such as the Expansion, forward. We worked hard to expand our online and virtual offerings and pivoted into new spaces such as offering online garden advice clinics and an online Retail Shop. These online offerings have helped us to serve you, our members and volunteers, in new ways during extended shutdowns. However being closed for most of the year has adversely affected us financially. Much was learned as we navigated these challenges, and I am extremely proud of the resilience and collabora-

tion shown by our team throughout. A particular highlight for me was the teamwork that occurred with our AGM, in September. With a great deal of time and effort from both our Board and staff, we presented our first-ever virtual AGM, attended by over 100 TBG members. Feedback on this event was overwhelmingly positive and engagement from members was greatly appreciated. This certainly set the bar for future AGMs! 2020 also saw us continuing to drive forward several projects which are key to the future success and growth of our organization. The Expansion project progressed nicely through a tendering process for a detail design firm and with ongoing meetings with the City. We embarked on a strategic planning process to set our priorities for the next three to five years and beyond, leading into our expanded garden. This process will guide future activities and initiatives, helping us focus on those that will ensure we can best deliver upon our mission, vision and values. Finally, through a generous grant and matching donations, we kicked off our IT strategy project that will yield significant benefits. We expect that the majority of the IT project will be completed in early 2021, significantly enhancing the TBG’s core systems, creating greater productivity and efficiencies, extending our online capabilities and enhancing our ability to support and connect with our members and visitors. We added some new faces to our team in 2020—Glenn Davidson, Retail Shop Manager; Paul Gellatly, Director of Horticulture; Mark Hirowatari, CFO; and Rochelle Strauss, Director of Education, and I look forward to continuing to grow together as a team in 2021. To enhance communication with our members we have added bios of our leadership team and Board members to our website; we welcome you to read more about our team there. Despite significant challenges of the year, so many positive things happened at the TBG in 2020, and I look forward to getting through this together in 2021. The following quote from Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, related to the pandemic, summarizes our journey well: “I was outside in the dark, planting wildflower seeds. This struck me as a metaphor. We’re going into a cold, dark winter, but it will come to an end. We need to hold onto the seeds of hope and know that if we do our part to protect each other in this difficult time, spring will come again, and we will get through this together.” We sincerely appreciate the ongoing support of our members and donors and wish you all the best for 2021. You are always welcome in your garden at the TBG.

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David McIsaac, CEO ceo@torontobotanicalgarden.ca

WINTER 2021

PHOTO: GLENN DAVIDSON

t h e TB G

THE EXPANSION REFINING THE PLAN

PHOTO: PAUL C.

Wisdom, knowledge and compromise will develop design for world class botanical garden, says Garden Director Harry Jongerden “GET WITH the program!” Do people still use this phrase from the 1980s? It seems a little passé these days, but we’ll be bringing it back in vogue here at the TBG over the next months, both in its 1980s pop cultural sense, and in a very technical architectural sense. As an architecture or design concept, determining “the program” is the first conversation that we will have with the multi-disciplinary team of design consultants working on the expanded botanical garden. The program is simply a technical term given to a client’s wish list. In the TBG’s case, we need to determine the program for the expanded 35-acre site that we will be developing. We can tell the consultants that we want them to design a worldclass botanical garden, but their first question will be, so what are you looking for? Botanical gardens are highly complex cultural institutions. TBG has a mission that requires us to connect people to plants and nature, and a vision where we aspire to be renowned for our display of nature’s beauty, as well as becoming a dynamic hub for plant-centred learning, conservation and research. We can’t just tell our design consultants to make it so. Realistically speaking, there’s also the tricky business of generating enough revenue from the site to make the TBG financially viable. The program for the

expansion project will need to balance our mission and vision responsibilities with our need to generate revenue. The design consultants will need to hear from us just how much space is devoted to mission and vision activities, and how much is devoted to the ancillary revenue-generating activities that will support our mission and vision. To sum up some of the program development challenges, we don’t exist as a botanical garden to provide rental opportunities, but we won’t exist without them. Here’s an incomplete wish list for the detailed design consultants. We’re looking for: • A variety of beautiful garden spaces of botanical interest, with

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educational potential and plant conservation rigour • Education space for both indoor and outdoor activities; children’s education space • Event space for both TBG-branded and private events, with catering infrastructure and more • Rental space (see above); retail space; food services space; meeting space; office space; maintenance space and volunteer space • Library services space • ‘Wayfinding’ signage; focused visitor entry; navigable and accessible pathways; secure fencing and good washrooms!

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Our wish list is long, but not quite endless. The design consultants will need to hear from us just how much space is devoted to each of the needs/ demands of a world-class botanical garden. Developing the wish list or program, of course, requires the TBG to be knowledgeable in the workings of successful large botanical gardens. We have years of experience, with years of study under our collective belt, to determine that. With wisdom and compromise applied to this knowledge, we will come up with our program. And at that point, in a spirit of compromise, we’ll all need to “get with the program”! Stay tuned. The successful detailed design consultant team will be announced very soon!

PLANT AUCTION Going, Going…Gone Online

By Jenny Rhodenizer Director of Marketing & Communications

Monstera adansonii Valleyview Gardens

Phalaenopsis bellina x sib. Crystal Star Nursery

Philodendron Birkin EXQ Greenhouse

Hoya compacta Plant Haven

Ficus altissima ‘Yellow Gem’ Valleyview Gardens

Crassula ovata Jade Gardens and Greehouses

Ficus triangularis variegata Crystal Star Nursery

Bio-active Terrarium The Hidden Path

ON SEPTEMBER 19 & 20 the TBG hosted its first Online Plant Auction… AND MORE which included over 150 unique plants and shrubs, exotic houseplants, garden consultations, photography sessions, gardening books, orchids and much more! The event raised almost $18,000 and laid the groundwork for the TBG online retail shop and future partnerships within the garden and plant industry. Donations were received from both local businesses and across Canada, carefully selected to ensure there was something for everyone and to reach a new online audience. In addition, our own Director of Horticulture and Daylily hybridizer, Paul Gellatly donated the rights to name one of his 2020 Daylily Registrations which resulted in the largest single item bid of over $1,000. The Daylily now registered as Ray and Cobi Hicton Memorial will be planted in our gardens. In addition the winner received one for her garden and Paul retained one for his collection and future hybridizing.

TBG’s Facebook and Instagram pages were flooded with auction-related engagement, sharing and comments, amplified by the Tattooed Gardener’s vast social media following reaching a younger millennial audience. TBG’s Facebook reach increased by 47 per cent around the time of the auction. Instagram-based Plant Collectives such as Planthaven Toronto, House of Monstera and Pixie Meadows Flora, among others, supported the gardens for the first time, and were pleased to be part of the botanical garden community. With the loss of TBG’s Spring Plant Sale and the cancellation of Canada Blooms 2020 and 2021 the garden is focused on building its online sales and retail channels as this may be the best option for the near future. Many thanks to our generous supporters. For a complete list with direct links to their websites click here https://shop.torontobotanicalgarden.ca/ blogs/news/save-the-date-online-plantauction

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Profile

N E W EDUC ATIO N DIREC TOR RO C HELLE ST RAU S S “Nothing is off the table” when it comes to future programming

PHOTO: BETTY MCCULLOUGH, MONARCH WATCH

n environmentalist, educator and children’s author, TBG’s new Director of Education, Rochelle Strauss, is very excited to be working at the Toronto Botanical Garden. “I get to play in the best place,” she says. Rochelle loves making small whimsical container gardens, baseball—both playing and watching, and raising monarch butterflies. She spends many hours at Scarborough’s Rosetta McClain Gardens supporting the work of Monarch Watch as a citizen scientist and volunteer tagger of butterflies heading to Mexico in late summer. Rochelle’s whimsical gardens are more than a hobby. They are also “very therapeutic,” she says. “I’m always looking for appropriate tiny vessels such as toy cars and trucks, old kitchenware and vintage urns” to accessorize them and use as planters. She uses only succulents and works on them through the winter. “They make great housewarming and hostess gifts. And, one always sits on my desk.” Her dedication to baseball began as a child growing up in Montreal when her dream was to become a pitcher for the Expos. All of these interests involve gardening, nature and the great outdoors. No wonder she finds the idea of developing educational programs at a botanical garden so

One of Rochelle’s whimsical container gardens.

appealing. “The TBG has a wonderful opportunity to fill a special niche in programming. Horticulture, conservation: it all begins in the garden.” As to program specifics, “nothing is off the table,” says Rochelle who recently completed a member survey to see what they are interested in as well as contacting schools and school boards with a goal of presenting online adult programs, virtual field trips and family programs this winter. The survey received some 1,274 responses with an 81 per cent completion rate. It indicated that lectures and workshops are the preferred course formats. The three subjects of most interest were gardening and design (81 per cent), nature and ecology (60 per cent) and eco-gardening (57 per cent). The TBG Education Department presented four well received virtual lectures before the end of the year on Invasive Plant Species in Toronto Woodlands, A Piet Oudolf Story, Native Plants and Forested Ecosystems in Toronto and Tropical Treasures. Watch the TBG website for more programs as they are rolled out this winter and spring. www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca With her special interest in nature and the environment, Rochelle says it’s not surprising how much people have embraced the outdoors during Covid-19.

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Through my work, I combine my love of nature and passion for stories to teach kids about the wonders of the natural world.

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“If you watched the city over the past several months, the parks are full. There has been a reawakening. People are filling up outdoor spaces more than ever, putting a value on outdoor solace. I know all of my social life has been in parks or backyards.” During her career, Rochelle has been involved with programs and projects at local, national and international levels, including work with IOC-UNESCO, Girl Guides of Canada, the Ontario Science Centre and the Royal Ontario Museum, where she got her start as an instructor. She has worked on projects ranging from science and innovation to the arts, mental health and identity. Rochelle has presented school workshops on nature and the environment across Canada and the United States. Her books, aimed at children from Grades 3 through 8, Tree of Life: the incredible Biodiversity of Life of Earth (Kids Can Press 2004) and One Well: the Story of Water on Earth (Kids Can Press 2007), about the ocean, have received several awards. A third, now in the works, is due to be published in 2022. She has also written copy for museum exhibits, magazines and websites. “Through my work, I combine my love of nature and passion for stories to teach kids about the wonders of the natural world,” she says.

Tagging monarch butterflies.

RAVINE I N V E N T O R Y Ecologist Katherine Baird details native plants, invasive species and human disturbances in Wilket Creek Ravine

Bumblebee on a buttonbush.

Japanese butterbur

New England aster TORONTOBOTANICALGARDEN.CA

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transponder field bag

clinometer

compass

field datasheets hypsometer tape measure

tree diameter tape

plot centre monopod

hand lens

caliper cruiser vest

rugged tablet binoculars plot boundary ropes GPS receiver folding subplot metre sticks tape measure (50m)

PHOTOS: KATHERINE BAIRD

QUIPPED WITH a cruiser vest, forestry tools and high-accuracy GPS and tablet, I set out to sample Wilket Creek Ravine’s natural areas. The field surveys conducted in late summer 2020 are the first highly detailed natural cover inventories in the TBG expansion area. Initiated to assess the condition of the ravine and threats facing it, these findings will inform future stewardship plans to conserve and enhance the ecological integrity of Wilket Creek Ravine. I applied Vegetation Sampling Protocol (VSP*) to sample 38 predefined 400 m² sampling plots within the TBG expansion area. All plant species were identified and recorded for strata: groundcover, shrub, sub-canopy and canopy. Tree diameters and heights were also recorded, along with measurements of deadwood, tree regeneration, canopy closure, community type, and plot surface and disturbance information. This field data is essential to provide a baseline assessment of natural cover quality, and can be used to derive indices of forest composition, structure, and function such as carbon storage or species diversity. Plots were marked for long-term monitoring, to measure change over time and assess the success of future restoration efforts. This expands on the work the City of Toronto initiated with VSP surveys throughout its natural areas in the summers of 2019 and 2020, meaning TBG surveys relate to the broader context of the City’s ravine system. The portion of the Wilket Creek Ravine designated an Environmentally Significant Area (ESA) contains impressive mature forest. Large native trees including sugar maple, red oak, and American beech, and conifers Eastern hemlock and white pine, tower over the ground flora – the

largest recorded, a 94.4 cm diameter red oak. Native plants uncommon to Toronto included great blue lobelia and buttonbush in riparian (riverside) areas. A rare vegetation community within Toronto – Yellow Birch Mineral Deciduous Swamp – was also inventoried, containing wetland species swamp aster, sensitive fern, dwarf raspberry and others. In total, 146 native plant species were recorded across all plots, which included upland forest, riparian forest and wetlands. While in the field, I observed monarchs, ruby-throated hummingbirds, bumble bees, wasps and metallic green sweat bees nectaring on native wildflowers. I also spotted a hairy woodpecker foraging for insects on standing deadwood and a juvenile red-tailed hawk hunting rodents. Although surveys focused on measuring forest structure and composition, these attributes directly relate to ecological services like wildlife habitat. Even the highest quality sites, however, are not free from human disturbance, including invasive plants, soil erosion, compaction and organic dumping. These impacts had measureable effects such as reduced ground flora, in some cases less than one per cent native groundcover, and poor regeneration of native trees like red oak. Native plants often require leaf litter or deadwood to establish, which were sparse in many areas of the ravine. Surveys also noted a significant change in a portion of the ravine severely impacted by invasive Emerald Ash Borer. Once dominated by white ash, the forest east of the TBG Teaching Garden is now an open canopy with only a few trees remaining. This major loss of forest canopy also increases the risk for invasive plant species.

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Invasive Tree Species

While most of the invasive species recorded are well-known, others like Japanese butterbur are unusual. Japanese butterbur was found at three locations, covering a sizable area and encroaching onto riparian and wetland habitat. Presumably escaped from the Edwards Garden’s pond, this plant has large ‘elephant-ear’ leaves and spreads through rhizomes. It has pushed out beneficial native species like spotted jewelweed, with very few native species growing beneath its dense shade. Located at the edge of eroding stream banks, it poses high risk for downstream spread. Still a fairly isolated invasion, this presents the opportunity to remove these plants before they becomes a wider spread issue. This garden escape also reveals how decisions made within the surrounding TBG gardens (and even our own gardens) impact sensitive ecological features. Different parts of the ravine are not equally impacted by disturbance, and differ in terms of forest condition. Areas with few invasive species and high ecological value are a priority to protect, demonstrating one way this field data helps prioritize management actions. This project was supported by the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Research was conducted in partnership with the Forests in Settled & Urban Landscapes research lab at the Institute of Forestry and Conservation at Daniels, University of Toronto. To learn more about the project or get involved, contact me at ecologist@torontobotanicalgarden.ca.

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PHOTO: XXXXX XXXXXXX

Invasive plants are a major threat to Wilket Creek Ravine, as they are across most settled areas. They out-compete and displace native species, reduce biodiversity, alter ecosystems contributing to issues like erosion, and negatively impact wildlife that rely on native plants for food or shelter. Flora inventories identified 131 nonnative plant species, comprising 31 per cent of the total cover. The most abundant invasive species included Norway maple, English ivy, common buckthorn, winter creeper, Japanese butterbur, five-leaved aralia, horse chestnut, European euonymus and coltsfoot. Invasive plants occurring at more than half the plots sampled, included common buckthorn, bittersweet nightshade, Norway maple, garlic mustard, dog strangling vine, wood avens, multiflora rose and European euonymus. Invasive trees were also mapped in forested areas, totalling 466 trees, with common buckthorn and Norway maple comprising almost 80 per cent of these alone. The size distribution of Norway maples revealed that in addition to mature trees as large as 57 cm diameter, there are numerous seedlings and saplings, indicating regeneration. The concern over Norway maple is relevant to much of Toronto, as a four-fold increase in canopy cover was noted in nearby Park Drive Ravine from 1977 to 2015 (Dong 2015**). This motivated a research collaboration with U of T Forestry focused on Norway maple at TBG. A subset of Norway maples was cored along with other measurements taken, to assess their age or duration of invasion and impacts.

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Hairy woodpecker

Native Spotted jewelweed

Coring invasive Norway maple

Ecologist Katherine Baird sampling in the ravine. FOOTNOTES *Puric-Mladenovic, D., & Kenny, W. A. (2015). The VSP Field Inventory and Monitoring Pocket Guide. Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto. **Dong, A. (2015). Ecological Integrity in the Park Drive Ravine; 1977 to 2015. Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto.

Petunia ‘Bee’s Knees’

The former TBG Kitchen Garden will become a feature trial garden this year.

Featured plants sure to draw crowds and delight the senses By Paul Gellatly, Director of Horticulture TORONTOBOTANICALGARDEN.CA

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PHOTOS: PAUL GELLATLY, BALL FLORAL

T R I A L GA R DENS

Dahlia Dalaya Purple/White

F YOU HAVE visited the TBG gardens recently, you likely noticed the current Showcase and Kitchen Garden areas have been completely cleaned out. The plant material formerly planted there has been dispersed throughout the property. The Showcase and Kitchen gardens are ready for the exciting changes, bold combinations and cutting-edge plant material sure to be a delight for the senses and a large draw this coming season. This spring a new partnership between the Toronto Botanical Garden and Ball Horticultural Company/Ball FloraPlant will light up the Showcase Garden. Hundreds of annuals and perennials will be planted and on display. Normally plant trials and cultivar showcases are not planted in a garden setting but rather, set up in rows or pots. This trial will be a unique opportunity to view the plant material in a carefully thought out garden space. The plants have been chosen by Tanya Carvalho, Territory Manager of Canada at Ball FloraPlant/Selecta; Max Epp, Sales Rep and Horticultural Specialist with Ball

Seed and me, as TBG Director of Horticulture. They will be grown at George Sant and Sons Greenhouses in Kleinberg, Ontario. The company occupies eight acres of covered, heated greenhouses on 85 acres of farmland. Founded in 1947 by George Sant, this fourth-generation family farm is now one of the largest suppliers of annual plugs and cuttings in Canada. The former President’s Choice Showcase Garden will be filled with carefully selected plants from the Ball Flora catalogue to create gardens worthy of the photos sure to be taken. Our TBG horticultural team attended a couple of plant trials last year in anticipation of this exciting new feature garden. There was no shortage of incredible plants, many of which will be planted in our gardens this year. Varieties will include Petunia ‘Bee’s Knees’, an award-winning yellow petunia that stands out above all other yellows brought onto the market to date; Coleus ‘Dragon Heart’, with its chartreuse green/hot pink leaves and spectacular form; and Dahlia Dalaya Purple/White with blooms that can only be described as perfection!

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Petunia Main Stage Glacier Sky

Paul Gellatly and Tanya Carvalho at George Sant & Sons Greenhouses in Kleinberg, Ont.

The new feature garden will also encompass the current Kitchen Garden. The vegetable gardening will be done in the Teaching Garden in planters and in the Demonstration Courtyard. ‘All the Best and Nothing Else’ is Ball’s company motto. Ball Horticultural Company has been an institution in the industry since its beginning in 1905. Ball has breeders, researchers and development teams in six continents, spanning 20 countries. Aligning with such an award-winning company is an exciting venture for the TBG as we move towards becoming a world class horticultural destination. From Angelonia to cannas, dahlias to salvias, there will be towers of green, drifts of red and pops of orange. There will be texture and form in foliage and fragrance in flowers. There will be contrasting and complementary colours. It is sure to be a part of the garden you will want to visit many times this coming year. TORONTOBOTANICALGARDEN.CA

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THE GREAT

OUTDOORS 20 Ways to Stay Connected to Nature By Georgie Kennedy SINCE Covid-19 began here last spring, Torontonians have been flocking to public gardens, parks and walking trails for fresh air, exercise and human contact; we’re all keenly aware of the mental and physical health benefits of being outside. In November, we surveyed our Trellis committee for tips on safely staying connected to and supportive of nature and each other through the winter. Here’s a checklist to keep and to share with neighbours and friends.

1| Take long, lazy walks with childlike

curiosity, no worrying, no planning. Stop and chat with neighbours. Vary your route. 2| Create a weekly (masked) walking group and explore the paths at Edwards Gardens. TBG membership includes free parking. 3| Pack up for a family parking lot picnic somewhere you’ve never visited. 4| Turn your garage into a relaxing space. Add furniture, a radio, a table, a heater. 5| Pay attention to wildlife in your yard. Squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, chipmunks, possums can be entertaining. 6| Set up birdfeeders visible from the house to attract blue jays, woodpeckers, cardinals, nuthatches, doves, hawks, juncos, chickadees, scarlet tanager and more. Decorate your windows with anticollision stickers. 7| Create a watchlist and track visiting schedules. See Urban Nature for products and consult Feed the Birds by Chris Earley (Canadian Wildlife Federation) available online at the TBG Garden Shop. 8| Collect fallen leaves to press and create greeting cards and bookmarks. 9| Enjoy the outdoor activities that meet your area’s COVID restrictions, such as ice skating, tobogganing, snowshoeing, skiing. City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation website lists outdoor rinks, parks, sports fields and ski centres. https://www.toronto.ca/servicespayments/venues-facilities-bookings/ booking-park-recreation-facilities/ parks-and-recreation-facilities/

10| Bring green into every room, even if just a bough from an evergreen near the front door. 11| Photograph your winter garden, spectacular sunrises/sunsets, snow/ice scenes, critters…and make albums. 12| Sign up for virtual courses on drawing and painting, bird ID, environmental action, seed starting. Watch virtual tours of famous botanical gardens and the world’s nature reserves. Check torontobotanical garden.ca for online lectures and classes. 13| Read your garden books. Cut up old garden magazines and plan changes for the spring: less lawn, more native trees and shrubs. 14| Dress in colourful outfits and use your favourite natural landscape background photo for online meetings. Be the fun one. 15| Start veggie and flower seeds indoors. Divide your overgrown houseplants to smell the earth and feel spring on its way. 16| Keep a written or video journal* of your connection to nature. 17| Relax with a colouring book or puzzle for grown-ups, both trending right now. 18| On the frostiest indoor days, be sure to take yourself out to the balcony or front steps and breathe in that fresh air. 19| Open the window just before bedtime and shut the closest heat vent. Cold, fresh air promotes healthful sleep. 20| You can purchase many of these items including garden and birding books, field guides, and adult puzzles at the TBG Garden Shop. https://shop. torontobotanical garden.ca

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RESOURCES

• eBird: (https:// ebird.org/home) an app that helps track your sightings and sends them to Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, the world’s largest birding community. • Ontario Federation of Ornithologists (http://www.ofo.ca/ site/page/view/ checklist.checklist) which gives a great list of Ontario birds that could be used to create a personal checklist. • Bird Watching Log Book and Bird Journal Notebook (available at bookstores) • Birds of Ontario, Andy Bezener (Lone Pine, 2017) • The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America, David Allen Sibley (Alfred A Knopf, 2003)

V Eldred Milne can remember animals on the farm including Clydesdale horses.

LOOKING BACK Centenarian Eldred Milne has deep roots at the TBG By Lorraine Hunter

ISITORS TO THE TBG today likely couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t imagine roosters crowing or sheep grazing in Edwards Gardens. But that was the reality for Eldred Milne as a child almost a century ago. The last living member of the original Milne family to be born on the farm, Eldred turned 100 this past summer. She was born on August 27, 1920 in the old Milne farmhouse in what is now Edwards Gardens. The house burned down in 1962, long after the Milne family had moved on, and was replaced by the wooden gazebo or teahouse, as it was once known, on the crest of the hill close to Lawrence Ave. The old well, now a wishing well with cover, is still there. Eldred has fond memories of the animals raised on the farm including Clydesdale horses, cows, pigs and sheep. In fact, there was an old ram she remembers who preferred staying with his friend Mickey, a beige and white collie, to joining the rest of the flock when it moved from one pasture to another. She also recalls her brother Bill having pet goats and skunks. Entertainment in the Milne House when Eldred was a girl included listening to the radio, a gramophone and

Paul Latimer, Eldredâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nephew, her sister Alberta and Eldred on a recent visit to Edwards Gardens.

Eldred Milne celebrated her 100th birthday last August when friends and neighbours drove by her current house in West Hill to wish her well.

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The Milne family in front of the old farmhouse that burned down but was once located in what is now Edwards Gardens.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF PAUL LATIMER AND ELDRED MILNE

We are very lucky that Mr. Edwards donated the property to the city or we would not have the access to it that we have today. newspapers. They had electricity and running water but used an outhouse. Eldred’s father, Albert James (Ira to family and friends) and his two brothers, Alexander and Herbert, were the last members of the Milne family to farm on part of the 500 acres of Crown land purchased by their great grandfather Alexander Milne, a Scottish miller and weaver, in 1827. He built a saw mill. The farmhouse was built by his son Peter. Two of the original farm buildings remain today – the barn where the TBG Bloom Café is located and the implement shed where the City now keeps tractors and other heavy garden equipment. The brothers sold the property in 1929 when Eldred was nine. The family moved to Hagerman’s Corners south of Unionville at what is now 14th Avenue and Kennedy Rd. Eldred went to live for a time with her uncle and aunt who lived near Don Mills Rd. and Lawrence Ave. She attended

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Don School, in a brick building that replaced the original one-room log school house built in 1853. She would ride to school in a horse-drawn buggy in inclement weather. “Otherwise, I would walk.” The property passed through several hands until Rupert Edwards purchased it in 1944 and began to turn it into a park. The City bought it from him in 1955 and Edwards Gardens opened to the public the following year. Asked what she thinks about the property becoming a botanical garden, Eldred replied “I hope it is kept as natural or close to how Mr. Edwards would have liked it as possible.” She would prefer that no additional buildings be constructed on the property and that it remains as close to her childhood memories of natural beauty as possible while being maintained so that the public can enjoy it. The family met Rupert Edwards a few times while visiting along with Eldred’s mother Elsie Milne. They

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were given a tour of the garden and the house. “Mr. Edwards enjoyed showing us the property,” Eldred recalls. “He was very happy living there. A kind gentleman, he enjoyed our company.” On one visit, Elsie pointed out an apple tree located near the southwest corner of the implement shed. “Many a pie came from that tree,” she commented. The apple tree coincidentally died the same year as Elsie — 1985, according to Paul Latimer, her grandson and Eldred’s nephew. Eldred was the eldest of five siblings. She had three brothers: William (born in 1922), Melvin (1924) and Robert (1926) who all lived on the farm until the family moved, and one sister, Paul’s mother Alberta, 16 years her junior. Although she studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music and considered becoming a music teacher, Eldred trained as a practical nurse and did private duty nursing until she went to work for Dr. Overton Stephens, author of Today Is All You Have, in his private practice. She stayed on after he died in 1972 and retired when she was 79. “I loved nursing,” she says. Eldred moved to the West Hill neighbourhood in Scarborough in 2005 where she now lives with her sister Alberta and nephews Paul and Dennis. “We usually visit Edwards Gardens about once a year,” said Paul. The family recently laid marker stones for the three brothers in Milne Cemetery adjacent to the southwest corner of the parking lot on a hill overlooking Wilket Creek, once known as Milne Creek. Three generations of the Milne family are buried there. Many of the original tombstones have fallen over where the soil has washed away. The area is fenced off but at least one old tombstone, as well as the three marker stones, can be seen from outside the enclosure. “We are very lucky that Mr. Edwards donated the property to the city or we would not have the access to it that we have today,” said Eldred.

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Nootka cypress (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Sparkling Arrow’

garden never reaches its full potential until there is interest in all four seasons—including winter. The stars of the winter garden are found in the bold bark, the brave berries and the clever conifers. After the beautiful autumn symphony of the deciduous trees, many gardeners hang up their trowels and secateurs for the year, cozy up with a hot chocolate or cup of tea and read their gardening magazines while

dreaming about spring. Admittedly, I used to be one of those gardeners. My affair with the winter garden started with my love for Japanese maples and their graceful silhouettes standing in the snow like soldiers, some small, some tall, some weeping, some wide. There was a starkness to the garden. Something was missing. As I looked around the neighbourhood, I started to pay closer attention to the conifers. They were not

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just boring and uninteresting. They had form, style, substance and, most importantly, they had colour in the middle of winter. The next spring, I decided to give the maples some winter interest companions. I added several conifers and not only did they provide texture and form from spring to fall, but they added interest, wildlife refuge and companion planting for the deciduous trees I held in such high regard.

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PHOTOS: PAUL GELLATLY

GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS

Japanese crested cedar (Cryptomeria japonica ‘Cristata’)

Japanese umbrella pine (Sciadopitys verticillata)

TBG’s Conifer Collection Offers Winter Feast for the Senses By Paul Gellatly, Director of Horticulture Arriving at the TBG in early March last year, I was immediately drawn to the conifer collection found adjacent to the Knot Garden. Continuous contrasting conifers in every shape, size and colour create a beautiful late winter feast for the senses. Combined with berries, bark and birds, this was definitely the spot to spend a bit of time appreciating the late winter/early spring garden.

I’ve always thought of evergreens/ conifers as companions to other plants. In the winter garden it is quite the opposite. They are the focal points and everything else becomes a companion. They simply wait for the right season to shine. Good winter companions include Acer griseum with its extreme exfoliating paper bark and A. x conspicuum ‘Phoenix’ with its bright red bark, accented with white stripes.

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The ilex, barberry and snowberries often hold their berries well into the winter adding pops of red/orange/ white/pink, making them great companions to the conifer collection. In this region there are often days and weeks throughout the winter with little or no snow. Many of the Carex grasses are considered evergreen and provide a lush base for these trees and shrubs. There are even witch hazel cultivars that begin flowering

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Hens & chicks (Sempervivum arachnoideum)

Golden Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Aurea’)

in February, which always seem to grab the attention of the neighbours when they start to bloom. Although there are thousands of varieties of conifers to choose from, there are a couple that will always have a spot in my garden. Sciadopitys verticellata (Japanese Umbrella Pine), a slow growing conifer has stunning form, shiny needles and beautiful, luxuriant green colouring. While it can be finnicky,

planted in the right protected spot, it will quickly become a favourite. Although hardy from Zones 5 to 9, it is more reliable when a bit protected, getting morning rays and shaded from the hot afternoon sun. Cryptomeria japonica ‘Cristata’ (Japanese Crested Cedar) wins the award for being the quirkiest. Every tree is unique as the growth is completely random. Much of the new growth is fasciated with areas

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of congested cristate growth found throughout the branches. There is something about a one-of-a-kind tree/shrub that makes it that much more special. Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana Lutea’ (Dwarf Golden Hinoke False cypress) has a form and colour that can’t be beat. It maintains a dwarf compact habit and a distinctive pyramidal shape requiring very little maintenance.

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Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis ‘Pendula’)

Paperbark maple (Acer griseum)

WIN A MEMBERSHIP TO WHISTLING GARDENS

ANYONE WHO makes a purchase through the Toronto Botanical Garden online Shop in the month of February will be entered into a draw to win a one-year membership to Whistling Gardens. In addition to the largest conifer collection on public display in North America, Whistling Gardens is also home to the largest peony collection with more than 1,200 varieties. Thank you, Darren and Wanda Heimbecker, for donating the membership. TBG conifer collection

Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Sparkling Arrow’ is hardy to Zone 3 with an 8-foot mature height. This graceful pendulous grey-green weeping evergreen with white variegation is extremely ornamental and highly recommended. Many conifers have dwarf selections, variegated selections and/or columnar selections, making them an easy addition to any space in your garden. Some grow in sun,

some in shade, checking off a variety of different colours. As you start to plan improvements to your winter garden, consider a trip to Whistling Gardens. located within driving distance of the TBG, in Wilsonville, Ontario. This private botanical garden has a conifer collection that exceeds 2,000 different species, making it the largest collection of conifers on public display in North America. Included in that

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collection is one of the rarest plants in the world, Abies beshanzuensis (Baishan Fir) which has only three wild specimens remaining. Definitely worth the trip and a great way to view specimens you might be considering as additions to your garden, Whistling Gardens also has a small garden centre where many of the conifers are available for sale. https://www. whistlinggardens.ca

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Blue flower pots against a white wall in Cordoba.

PALACES, POTS AND

PARADISE Gail M. Murray experiences culture and history through Spain’s gardens

PHOTOS: GAIL M. MURRAY

Gardens of Alcazar in Cordoba

Editor’s note: We may not be able to travel to Spain or other far away places right now but we can dream about it and plan for future trips.

PAIN MAY CONJURE images of white washed villages, bullfights and fiery flamenco, but have you discovered her gardens? On a recent sojourn in Andalusia, I was enchanted by the diversity and aesthetic beauty of Spanish gardens. My tour with Donna Dawson (www.gardeningtours. com) proved rich in history and culture as the garden in Spain is an essential element of streetscapes, palaces, mosques and stately patrician homes.

Granada

EVER SINCE Senorita Gilbert’s high school Spanish class, I’ve dreamed of the Alhambra. Granada’s Alhambra Palace, last stronghold of Moorish rule, remains an outstanding example of medieval architecture; a testament to the role of nature in everyday life of Islam. The Iberian Peninsula flourished under Muslim rule for 800 years and its influence still runs deep. According to Islamic tradition, the courtyard depicts the Quran’s symbol of Paradise. The Alhambra’s fountains and

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reflecting pools provide solace. The Courtyard of the Lions, with its 12 marble lions, representing royalty and power, stands as a focal point in the sultan’s private dwellings. Climbing terraced slopes on walkways paved with a mosaic of river pebbles, passing cypress hedges, velvet roses and lemon, orange and pomegranate trees, I was entranced as we reached the Generalife, the sultan’s summer palace and retreat. The Courtyard of the Cypress is the best preserved medieval Persian garden in Europe. Inside, the Water Garden Courtyard, a long pool framed by flowerbeds and colonnades, delights with its tinkling fountains.

A courtyard, fundamental to any mosque, is a place for ritual purification. At the Mezquita, the Courtyard of the Orange trees with its palms, orange trees and bubbling fountain, not only serves this purpose but also an aesthetic one. The Moors ruled the Iberian Peninsula from 711 AD to 1492 until the Reconquista. It was their custom to carry a small bit of nature. From this sprang the potted plant. In Cordoba, bright blue pots with colourful plants climb white washed city walls, creating vertical ‘gardens in the sky’. Every year, for 12 days in May, Cordoba celebrates the Festival of the Patios, a visual feast and competition in which 50 flower-filled patios and terraces, from small private houses to grand mansions and religious Statues institutions, open up to visitors. of Queen Isabella, King Countless pots create a dazzling Ferdinand and tapestry of blooms. Many feature Christopher climbing and hanging plants, with Columbus fragrant blossoms. in Garden The Palacio de Viana, home of Monarchs, to many noble families between Cordoba. the 15th and 20th centuries, remains a private residence with a dozen unique patio gardens open to the public. Some stunning plant materials include scented jasmine, pink oleander, blue plumbago, lemon and pomegranate trees. Seville

Cordoba

In Cordoba, wandering the Alcazar’s stately formal gardens, I imagine the respite Queen Isobella found as she read among the palms, fountains and neatly trimmed boxwood. At the Mesquita/Great Mosque, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, I learn that the concept of a mosque originated as Mohammed and his followers met for prayer under date palms providing protection from the scorching sun. The forest of columns is the most striking feature of this sacred place. For three centuries the Great Mosque of Cordoba held a place of importance within the Islamic community of al-Andalus, from which Spain’s southern region takes the name Andalusia.

Bougainvillea-covered Palacio de las Dueñas, palatial home of the Duchess of Alba, opened to the public in 2016 after her passing. Today, it is a museum with exquisite Mudejar patios. Lavishly furnished rooms decorated with fine art, antiques, marble sculptures and Flemish tapestries surround a huge central courtyard. Six smaller courtyards run off the grand central one with its palms, roses, boxwood allees and giant kapok tree. Celebrated Spanish poet Antonio Machado was born at las Duenas in 1875. Along with lemon trees, Mudejar tile and an erotic statue of Venus in the Courtyard of Lemons, stands a plaque honoring Machado with lines familiar to every Sevillano: “My childhood memories are of a patio in Seville And a bright orchard where a lemon tree ripens.” Maria Luisa Park in Seville, which I yearn to see from a horse drawn carriage, supplies a welcome greenspace acting as lungs for this thriving city of 705,000. It reminds me of Central Park in New York. It’s designed

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Cordoba streetscape

KEY ELEMENTS OF SPANISH GARDEN DESIGN CAN INSPIRE CANADIAN GARDENERS By Leanne Burkholder

Summer Palace, Alhambra, Granada

Central Courtyard, Palacio de las Duenas, Seville

Fountain at Palacio de Viana, Cordoba

PHOTOS: GAIL M. MURRAY

Roses at Alhambra Palace Gardens, Granada

WHILE HISTORICALLY Spanish garden design was influenced by the Romans, Moors and other Europeans, Spain’s hot and dry climate is perhaps the primary inspiration for its common garden elements. Often revealed by arches, courtyards or terraces, Spanish gardens function as an extension of the house; they are symmetrical, and may offer different gardens for different purposes. These are private, enclosed spaces that offer a respite not just from the heat, but from the stresses of life. These gardens are designed for reflection and contemplation, quiet conversations, or socializing over meals with family and friends. Cooling elements are essential, so water features such as channels, fountains or reflecting pools are often seen in Spanish gardens. Water is calming, providing garden visitors

tranquility. Water is also used to reflect light, provide shadow play and mirror the architecture of the house. Functionally, water features may be connected to irrigation systems in the house and gardens. Walls, loggias (open air galleries) or pergolas are also used to provide shelter from the sun as well as support for roses or other climbers. They can function as focal points or for defining different ‘rooms’ to experience the outside in comfort. Colourful ceramic tiles are a unique feature of Spanish gardens – adding pattern, contrast and interest, and can be used to create a unique space, path, or highlight a fountain, statute or a focal point in a wall.

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And what of the plants? Plants function to add beauty, privacy and scent, all elements that enhance the garden experience. Evergreens such as cypress, balsam and myrtle add cooling elements and green backdrops. Roses, jasmine, lavender and laurel provide flowers, scent and contrast. Lemon, apricot, fig, hazelnut and of course orange trees often are found for nourishment, but also add contrast and again, scent. In addition, courtyards and walls may be decorated with colourful pots of geraniums and climbing vines for added beauty. While we in Canada can’t replicate everything from a Spanish garden, we can draw inspiration on how we use garden spaces, plants that add beauty and purpose, and even maybe a ceramic tile feature to create our own unique respite from the Canadian summer heat.

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in Moorish paradisical style with ponds, fountains, lush plantings, Mediterranean pines, stylized flower beds and vine-covered bowers. The botanical garden is home to doves, ducks, swans and parakeets. The statue of poet Adolfo Becquer and the octagonal fountains of lions and comical frogs spouting water provide interest and entertainment. The Plaza de España, built for the 1929 Spanish American Exhibition, is a brilliant landmark in the northwest area of Maria Luisa Park. Venetian foot bridges with bright blue azulejo tiled handrails cross canals and colourful balustrades depict historical scenes from each province.

Siren statue in Santa Clotilde Renaissance Garden, Costa Brava

Gail Murray on stairway in Marimurtra Botanical Gardens, Costa Brava

SIRENS OF CLOTILDE

Wrenched and bent by gusty gales Sea Pine lean seaward hold my gaze Birds twitter over sea rumbles Estany’s fountain dances crushed stone framed by myrtle hedges crunches underfoot. Marble lions roar a warning Sirens beguile erotic creatures draw me like a magnet I resist.

Barcelona is renowned for Gaudi’s modernisme architecture but an hour outside the city, you can explore two unique botanical gardens: Santa Clotilde and Marimurtra. The gardens of Santa Clotilde, designed by Catalan architect and landscaper Nicolau Maria Rubió i Tudurí, recreate the spirit of the Italian Renaissance. Commissioned by the Marquis de Roviralta, and named for his wife, the palette is mostly green except in spring when mauve wisteria covers the arches and blue viola interface with ivy. Perched high on a cliff overlooking the rocky Costa Brava, Santa Clotilde is classical in design and symmetry. This garden reflects order and beauty and stands in juxtaposition to the rugged cliffs and raging sea below. Mediterranean species predominate – pines, cypress, cedar and myrtle hedges. Steps lined with ivy give the impression of a grand waterfall and lead to a spectacular viewpoint. I’m mesmerized by Maria Llimona’s Stairway of Sirens, sculptures of beguiling bronze mermaids with their seashell scales and aesthetic beauty bewitching mariners and gardeners alike. I’m so entranced that I pen a poem on the spot.

Marimurtra Botanical Gardens, created in 1924 by German businessman Carl Faust, houses over 4,000 species of exotic plants from five continents, representing tropical, temperate and Mediterranean climates. Desert cacti and succulents enjoy the shade of the large pergola. Wander musical forests of bamboo. Linger by Monet water lily ponds and luxuriant layers of plants. Finely trimmed myrtle hedges line the steep cliffs running along the Mediterranean giving the garden its name: Mari (sea) Murtra (myrtle). On this adventure, I experienced Spain’s culture and history through her gardens. Spanish gardens in their infinite variety inspire, offering respite, reflection and a sense of wonder.

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PHOTOS: GAIL M. MURRAY

Bereft, they gaze sadly to sea Where to Ulysses? Frozen in cold stone, they wait to bewitch mariners and gardeners Unaware.

Barcelona

grow your own You can get a lot of plants from a packet of seeds for not much money, says garden writer Veronica Sliva WHEN I STARTED gardening the only annuals you could get in stores were marigolds, impatiens and petunias. Perennials were in short supply too. The best way to obtain an interesting variety of plants was to order seed from mail-order catalogues. It still is. I learned early on that you can get a lot of plants from a packet of seeds for not much money. When we moved to this home, the backyard was a sea of lawn. That turf had to goâ&#x20AC;Śall of it. We replaced it with gravel paths, added borders and installed a bird feeding station right away. Other than some trees and shrubs, almost all my plants are started from seed. This article is about my method of growing ornamentals from seed. Hosta Seedlings

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Veronica’s summer garden with various annuals grown from seed.

SOURCING SEED

MAIL ORDER retailers still offer far more choice. One of my favourite seed suppliers is Chiltern Seeds (England). They have a great selection of seed, but it is their irresistible bargains that keep me coming back. Chiltern’s policy is not to stock seed for more than one season. They offer the surplus “for those with a sense of adventure” at an extremely low bargain price. You can select from different packets that contain only annuals, perennials, greenhouse plants, even mixtures of trees and shrubs. The contents are of course a mystery, but that is the fun of it. Check it out for yourself https://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/ search?q=1327 In spring the Toronto Botanical Garden’s shop stocks an interesting assortment of seed, too. You can shop online at https://shop.torontobotanical garden.ca/ Other seed companies on my go-to list are: Richters Herbs: www.richters.com Stokes Seeds: www.stokeseeds.com Vesey’s Seeds: www.veseys.com Swallowtail Garden Seeds: https://www.swallow tailgardenseeds.com Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co.: www.rareseeds.com Renee’s Garden: www.reneesgarden.com

SEED EXCHANGES

Hardy Plant Society (England)

THE HARDY Plant Society based in England is another great resource and they ship to Canada (https://www.hardy-plant.org.uk/). You can request up to 25 packets of seed. The seed is free but there is an administration charge of £5.50 for International members.

PHOTOS XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

SEED EXCHANGES are great sources for obtaining seed, including varieties that are often not available commercially. If you are a member of the Ontario Rock Garden and Hardy Plant Society, you can participate in their seed exchange program. (http:www.onrockgarden.com/page/seedex). In early December, a list of the available seeds is sent out to all members. Each member can order up to 60 packages of seed for $15. Mailings take place in January, leaving lots of time to get the seed started.

Cosmos grown from seed.

Collecting Seed From Your Garden

Petunia Showstopper grown from collected seeds.

I COLLECT seed every fall. It can be great fun to see what you end up with. However, it is helpful to understand that some seeds can produce plants that look quite different from the parent. For example, I collected seed from a fancy petunia whose blooms were a painterly wash of yellow, pink, and purple. The resulting seed from a single plant produced a dozen plants with entirely different colours. The combination produced a showstopper of a container. However, be prepared that results can be disappointing and you may end up with a plant that is a mere shadow of its parent. Be sure your seeds air-dry before storing them. I leave them to air-dry for a few days and then package them into paper envelopes. I keep them in a cool, dark spot in my basement. TORONTOBOTANICALGARDEN.CA

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GERMINATING SEEDS

THIS IS where the fun begins. I use the ‘baggie method’. It saves a lot of space and you can easily see when seeds have germinated. You don’t have to constantly check the soil for moisture. The downside is that you still must transplant them into a soilless mix once they have sprouted. Red coleus and begonia grown from seed complement the red Japanese maple.

Begonia seed capsules

• • • • • •

Snack-size plastic baggies Sturdy paper towels (Bounty is good) A spray bottle filled with water Containers Soilless Mix Seed

Method

Begonia seeds

Mixed seeds

Supplies

• Cut the paper towel to fit and insert 1 sheet into each baggie. A single layer means you can easily see when the seed sprouts. • Spritz the paper towel until it is moistened, not soaked. • Spread the seeds out on the paper towel. • Close up the baggie, label and date it. • Place baggies in a warm place. I use clothes pegs to string them on TORONTOBOTANICALGARDEN.CA

a wire under a shelf in my laundry room. Alternatively, you can ‘file’ them in a box. • If the seed requires light, I place the baggies near a bright window. Some seeds benefit from a little heat. I place those ones on a heat mat covered with a towel (so the seeds don’t cook). • I check every couple of days for germination. How long this takes depends on the type of seed. • For more detailed information on the baggie method, Robert Pavlis, a Southern Ontario Master Gardener and author, explains the process fully in his comprehensive video https:// www.youtube.com/watch ?v=dirz 0WIMQi0. Some seeds may require special treatment. For example, some perennial seeds need a cold period followed by a warm period before they will germinate. It is important to check the seed packet for instructions. The Ontario Rock Garden and Hardy Plant Society has an excellent guide that lists hundreds of plants and their germination requirements. Check it out at https://onrock garden.com/index.php/germinationguide/germination-guide

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PHOTOS: VERONICA SLIVA, LORRAINE HUNTER

Single begonia capsule with seeds.

TRANSPLANTING SEEDLINGS

Canna seeds

Canna grown from seed

ONCE YOU see the seeds have sprouted it’s time to transplant them into a container filled with a moistened soilless mix. At this stage, the container does not have to be very deep. I recycle small yogurt containers. Be sure to punch holes in the container for drainage. I use an inexpensive soldering tool. It is quick and efficient, but you must be careful not to burn yourself. With tweezers, I pluck the seedling from the paper towel and insert it carefully into the container filled with soilless mix. Once the seedlings are transplanted, I give them a spritz with water to settle them in and place a plastic dome or plastic wrap on top. Then they go under fluorescent lights to grow.

WICK WATERING

I LIKE a wicking method to water my seedlings. I place the containers on a capillary mat (felt or some other absorbent material) that takes moisture up into the soil from a container filled with water. The plants are never over or under-watered. I have been able to leave my seedlings unattended with few casualties for a two-week vacation. I highly recommend watering mats from Lee Valley Tools https://www. leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/ garden/indoor- gardening/ watering/44627-wateringmat?item=PM121.

TOP THREE ORNAMENTALS FROM COLLECTED SEED I START DOZENS of different plants from seed every year. But, I always include these three:

Begonia boliviensis – The blooms of this begonia come so close to looking like their parent, I can’t tell the difference. It can be intimidating working with begonia seed because the seed is like dust. Fear not! Here is a great article by the American Begonia Society that will show you the way: https://www.begonias.org/ greenhouse/Care/brads_ articles/seedgrowing.htm

Canna indica – Canna seeds are large and easy to collect. They have hard shells and must be soaked to germinate. To speed up the process, I use an electric “dremel tool” to drill a tiny hole in the shell until a pale colour is visible, then I soak the seed in water overnight. Once in a baggy, the seeds germinate in only a few days.

Cardinal Climber Vine (Ipomoea x multifida) – this climber is very easy to start from seed and is a hummingbird magnet. It comes true to the parent. Check out https://www.renees garden.com/products/ cardinal-climber-vine

BENI AND THE HAWKS

Seasonal gardener shares a passion for red-tailed hawk family By Sasan Beni

ORKING AT Toronto Botanical Garden has been the best job I have ever had. Not only has it widened my horticultural horizons and strengthened my passion for plants, but it also offered me an intimate window into the lives of a family of red-tailed hawks. I have been bird-watching for several years now and, Paul Gellatly, the TBG’s Director of Horticulture, was well aware of my interest in wildlife. He knew that I spend most of my free time hiking the ravines of Toronto with my binoculars and notepad, documenting my observations. In fact, a week before I commenced my role as seasonal gardener at TBG, he welcomed me to the team and said: “There’s a red-tailed hawk that nests here every year — biggest one I’ve ever seen — you’re gonna love him!”

Not that I needed a birding incentive to make my dream job more appealing, but it didn’t hurt. In the coming weeks, the hawks made their presence known; I rarely had to look for them. It was obvious from the start that the garden had been their stomping grounds for a long time. They were comfortable. They had their favourite perches and vantage points, whether on the light posts along the Piet Oudolf entry garden, or the tallest spruce tree overlooking the perennial border. Every day, upon arriving at work, I would check these spots, and a few others, and it became a rare occurrence not to see them. What I did not realize at first, but which quickly became clear, was how much they relied on us and our work as gardeners. We are, in fact, creators of habitat and opportunity for all the species in the ravine. The hawks would follow us

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PHOTOS: SASAN BENI

“

How they became my hawks, I’m not quite sure, bit I loved them, and I guess that was clear to everyone.

”

around, knowing that our work would eventually disturb a vole nest, or send a squirrel running into the open… They gave us all quite the show, and every other day, I would hear the gasps of visitors as the hawk would swoop down among them to catch something. The frequency of their hunts assured me that their nest was bustling with hungry young beaks. Red-tailed hawks generally mate for life and are known to be quite affectionate, both in their mating rituals and the way they share the duties of caring for their offspring. I could never have prepared myself for the encounters that awaited me later in the summer. At one point, the pair of hawks made themselves scarce and I found myself venturing further into the ravine every day, looking for them and their nest. When searching for wildlife, particularly predators, it is often the prey that signals their presence and alerts the forest to the lurking danger. For me, one morning, it was a pair of great crested flycatchers that screamed back and forth and caught my attention. The early morning light had a way to go still and the forest floor was dark, and damp and the flycatchers continued their obnoxious racket. Before I knew it, I came face to face with the object of their fear, a juvenile red-tailed hawk. I could tell right away that it had recently left the nest. It sat on the forest floor and observed its surroundings with eyes that were too big for its head. I spent about 20 minutes watching the young predator and it did not move. I went back to work, elated and in awe, and a few days later I met the second fledgling. Once the young had left the nest, the parents distanced themselves and were no longer easily found in the garden. Instead, the two juveniles could be heard crying every morning, and after a short walk through Edwards Gardens, down to the creek, I’d find them together, either hopping along the forest floor or learning the ropes of their curious and clumsy wings. I spent every morning with them, watching them, being inspired TORONTOBOTANICALGARDEN.CA

by them… I’d like to think that they recognized me after a while. I managed to get quite close on a few occasions. I watched them pursue their predatory instincts, and naturally, I felt disappointed witnessing their unsuccessful attempts at hunting. I spent so much time watching and photographing the hawks, that visitors in the garden often approached me and asked about them. Some visitors had no idea what these birds were, and I was happy to oblige and introduce them. Other birdwatchers would ask me where to find the hawks, what they were up to, as if I was their ambassador or publicist! Some of our garden volunteers would ask, “Hey Beni, how are your hawks doing?” How they became my hawks, I’m not quite sure, but I loved them, and I guess, that was clear to everyone.

Here now, writing this, the summer has come to an end, and the red-tailed hawks are flying south for the winter. The ravine is quiet and empty nests dot the canopy of half-naked trees. “This was the greatest summer of my life,” I think, and feel as though all my passions came together under one roof, with one purpose — to connect with the natural world. The garden bridged me to the animals that I have loved for so many years. I will always be grateful for that and look forward to returning in the spring.

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Dos and Don’ts for Winter Pruning By Paul Gellatly

ANUARY and February when trees and shrubs are fully dormant is the best time for winter pruning. With no leaves you can see form and shape much easier than with them. Here is a list of Dos and Don’ts to make winter pruning as simple as possible. DOS

• •

Always have a reason to prune; not just because you want to spend some time in the garden. Always use clean, sharp secateurs to prevent disease and ensure clean cuts.

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Dip your pruners/ secateurs in rubbing alcohol, or one part bleach to nine parts water, between trees, or if you are removing any noticeably diseased areas after every cut. This will help stop the spread of the disease to other parts of the tree, or other trees. Always be safe, wear eye protection and know your limits. If it’s a big job, consider bringing in a professional arborist. Remove any diseased/ damaged branches. Remove waterspouts (upright growing

branches that form on the trunk or side branches). Remove suckers (shoots that develop at or near the base). When branches cross/ chafe, remove the less important branch. Always prune back to an outward facing bud. Prune neither too far away from nor too close to the bud. Keeping a 2.5 cm distance from the bud is safe. Cut so the slope is away from the bud. This will ensure any water runs off, preventing rot. Prune Group 3 Clematis (late summer flowering) in February by cutting them to 7.5 to 10 cm from the ground. Because these bloom on current year’s growth, if you do not remove last year’s it ends up looking very heavy and messy. Remove old raspberry canes, prune grape vines

TORONTOBOTANICALGARDEN.CA

WINTER 2021

and remove the oldest stems from fruit bushes. Healthy younger branches produce more fruit. • Prune Hydrangea paniculata back hard in the winter, as they bloom on new wood, to promote strong growth and additional flowers. • Summer blooming shrubs, such as potentilla and buddleia should be pruned in the winter. Because they bloom on new growth, you can even cut them right down to the ground and they should still flower this summer. • Major pruning on foliage shrubs, such as burning bush and barberry, should be done when they are dormant in the winter. But these can really be pruned any time except late fall. Pruning helps to flush out new foliage and allows in more light.

PHOTOS: PAUL GELLATLY

SEASONAL TIPS

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Sales Representative, ABR, SRES HALL OF FAME AWARD LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Dormant pruning is especially important for apples, pears, crab apples and hawthorne trees as they are susceptible to fire blight, a bacterial disease. • When thinning the canopy, start at the centre and move out to the exterior. Thin out branches that make up the dense mass in order to increase air circulation and accentuate the structure and form of the plant. Never remove more than a quarter of the plant in one season as that will promote sucker growth. • Take lots of breaks, step back, look at the tree, watch for symmetry and form, know when to stop.

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You can always take more off but you cannot put it back on! While you are close to the trees and shrubs, inspect them for disease, and for insect issues such as gypsy moth egg masses. If you see them, remove them now to help control insect issues later in the year.

TORONTO MASTER GARDENER

DON’TS

• DO NOT prune spring flowering shrubs – i.e., forsythia, mock orange, quince, azalea, bridal wreath spirea. They are best pruned immediately after they bloom. • DO NOT prune Hydrangea macrophylla back, as they bloom on old wood. • DO NOT prune spring flowering trees – magnolia, lilac, redbuds, ornamental fruit trees. They are best pruned immediately after they bloom • DO NOT prune bleeding trees – maples, birches, dogwoods, walnuts and elms produce a lot of sap when pruned in winter.

They are best pruned in the summer. • DO NOT prune evergreens in winter. They never go fully dormant and may suffer tip burn if pruned in the cold. They are best pruned during the growing season.

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Direct 416.564.9450 @JoseeCoutureTorontoRealEstate

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people, places & plants Goings On at the TBG

Cullen’s Foods new sponsor for Through The Garden Gate

The thought of a garden tour is enough to make our hearts cry out with joy during this especially hard winter. That’s why we’re busily planning our next tour – on June 12th and 13th 2021 in Wychwood. At this point, nobody can accurately predict the Covid-19 climate at that time, but, being optimists, we’re looking forward to an awesome tour. For more information, have a look at our website at https://toronto botanicalgarden.ca/ttgg There have been a lot of changes since we last planned this tour. Perhaps the biggest change is that some of the homeowners have decided to give more space to vegetable gardens, even expanding into their front gardens. The results are not only practical, but quite varied and lovely. Who knew? And speaking of vegetables – you may have noticed that our sponsor’s name has changed. In recent years, we have been sponsored by Mark’s Choice, but this year Mark’s son Ben will be sponsoring the tour. His business, Cullen’s Foods, produces a variety of beans that are Canadian grown and organic. His website https:// cullensfoods.com offers online shopping as well as a list of retail outlets. Cullen’s Foods has partnered with S.H.A.R.E. Agriculture Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that promotes more sustainable food systems both at home and abroad. And so, as the world changes, gardeners adapt. As that great philosopher, Audrey Hepburn, once said, “to plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow”. —Carol Gardner

TBG Volunteers Rise to the Challenge

TBG VOLUNTEER SERVICES When the going gets tough…TBG volunteers get going. More than 90 volunteers rose to the challenge over the summer. Our gardens were looked after, the TBG Garden Shop reopened, weekend visitors were welcomed, over 130 visitors enjoyed guided tours and many behind-the-scenes committees and groups continued to meet and plan for 2021. Volunteer tour guide Leanne Burkholder leads a tour of the garden.

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Tours were trending to sell out status by the end of September and by the end of October tour earnings totalled more than $2,000. Bee keeping students were assisted by seven TBG volunteers for the August honey harvest. Some 3,000 volunteer hours were contributed from July to the end of the year. TBG simply could not have reopened without this gift of time and talent. Thank you, TBG volunteers! —Sue Hills

TBG Bloom Café gets a Facelift

LEFT: Happy gardeners at one of the Wychwood gardens on this year’s Through The Garden Gate tour in June. ABOVE: Artichokes thrive in a Wychwood front garden.

Watch for Winter Bloomers

PHOTO: SARA KATZ (WITCH HAZEL)

Witch hazel (Hamamelis) aka Winterbloomer, is a medium to large shrub that actually blooms in winter anytime from late fall to early spring depending on the species and the weather. Its spider-like flowers with red centres cluster on leafless branches and unfurl their petals on mild days. This species is H x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’.

Spring plants emerging in the TBG gardens are always sensational, and, this spring, there’ll be something else to look forward to – enjoying the newly renovated café. Over the winter, the TBG Bloom Café will be closed in order to get a facelift. In the words of new manager Maria Nikas, “I’m going to give it some love”. Maria knows something about love; she has been having a love affair with Edwards Gardens for over 40 years. She brought her children here regularly when they were young, and, once they were grown, she started regular weekly gatherings with friends in the TBG gardens. It has long been a dream of hers to ‘get her hands on’ the café. The new manager is an accomplished restaurateur with 25 years in the business, much of it as a working partner in the Wheat Sheaf Tavern, an iconic Toronto pub. Her plans for the café include changes to the menu as well as the décor. There will be a lot of food that can be eaten without knives and forks to cut down on unnecessary waste, a variety of ice Maria Nikas creams, ice cream and waffle sandwiches as well as “quite a few surprises”. Maria is looking forward to working in tandem with TBG special events, and to holding special days in the café to honour groups such as volunteers. The spring café reopening date hasn’t yet been established, but you can be sure that Maria will be opening it as soon as it’s feasible. In the meantime, here’s to lovely dreams of spring and hopes for a very short, very warm winter! — Carol Gardner

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CLASSIFIEDS

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Make use of vertical space in your garden with a 6-foot obelisk. Made in Toronto exclusively for the Toronto Botanical Garden, these obelisks are superb structures for showcasing and supporting vines and vegetables. Black, powder-coated steel ensures that these towers remain rust-resistant and durable for many years to come. Available throughout the year at the Garden Shop. $99

SANSEVIERIA Discover your perfect plant match By Georgie Kennedy

MAGINE A FUNKY online dating program that matches humans to their ideal houseplants. You simply go to the website and tick your descriptors: I prefer a lush green home environment. Check. I have neglected my previous plants. Check. Press enter and pray. A profile of your top match appears: tropical, low maintenance, and great in the bedroom. It’s too good to be true. Of course, you tell your friends that appearances don’t

matter, but you scroll down to the photo and Shazam! The Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) is gorgeous. No need for further searches…you’ve just found a tough yet sophisticated foliage plant that you can’t kill. Its strong leaves create a dramatic upright form. The shiny snakeskin design on its leathery, sword-shaped green leaves may have wide or narrow white stripes, depending on the species. S.t. ‘Laurentii’ (sometimes disrespectfully known as

TORONTOBOTANICALGARDEN.CA

Mother-in-law’s Tongue) is popular for its creamy gold margins. Snake plant can be showcased in any room of the house since it comes in various mature heights, perfect for tabletop (15 cm) or standing in a pot on the floor (1.5 m). It stays in one spot, growing vertically, not vining out of control like ivy or hoya. NASA has classified this plant as one of the best air purifiers, ideal for people spending extra time inside the house over the winter. It is notable for nighttime oxygen production and ability to remove known indoor gases. For more details on the Clean Air Study, go to https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/NASA_Clean_Air_Study Snake plant is in an elite group of indoor plants that live up to the claim of being low maintenance. It thrives naturally in hot, dry conditions. Water about once a week but never let the roots get soaked as they may rot. It tolerates most light levels and prefers the average humidity level of most homes. If you wish it to produce a flowering stalk, keep it in your brightest window. Feed only once or twice a year with any plant food. To retain its glamorous lustre, simply wipe the leaves whenever the spirit moves. Bugs rarely bother it. You can take your snake plant outside in the summer once nighttime temperatures are above 16°C but remember to use the reverse strategy in the fall. Since COVID-19, exotic houseplants have become hot market items. People are paying huge amounts of money for unrooted cuttings. The stately tropical snake plant is inexpensive. Can you believe your luck? Don’t pay a fortune for this plant. Start with a small division from your Mom’s friend or a local provider. You’ll soon have new shoots poking skyward. Upsize the pot with fresh soilless mix every year so the roots have room to grow.

WINTER 2021

PHOTO: GEORGIE KENNEDY

Houseplant Profile

Trellis - Winter 2021

Articles inside

HOUSEPLANT PROFILE

PEOPLE, PLACES & PLANTS

GROW YOUR OWN

SEASONAL TIPS

GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS

RAVINE INVENTORY

LOOKING BACK

TRIAL GARDENS

THE EXPANSION