Programme and Special Events Co-ordinator: Mrs. Dorothy Whiteman
Rental Agent: Mrs. Pamela Westwood
Secretary: Mrs. Shirley Lyons
Trellis Shop Manager: Mrs. Jackie Brisby
Trellis Shop Book Manager: Mrs. Barbara Stephenson
Volunteer Co-ordinator and Publicity: Mrs. Carolyn Dalgarno
Civic Garden Centre
GENERAL INFORMATION
Vol. 17, No. 1
EDITOR: Iris Hossé Phillips
ADVERTISING INFO: (416) 445-1552
Registered charity number 0228114-56
TRELLIS is published ten times a year as a members newsletter by the CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE, 777 Lawrence Avenue East, North York, Ont. M3C 1P2. Tel. No.: (416) 445-1552. Manuscripts submitted on a voluntary basis are gratefully received. No remuneration is possible. Lead time for inclusion of articles and advertising material is six weeks: manuscripts and material must be received by the 15th of the month to insure publication. For example, material received by October 15 will be included in the December issue of Trellis.Opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the Centre.
PI/C.OYVY'S
Specializing In The Unusual...
e
The Centre is located in Edwards Gardens, at Leslie Street and Lawrence Avenue East. It is a non-profit, volunteer-based gardening, floral arts, and horticultural information organization with open membership.
Printed by York Printing House Ltd.
CHRISTMAS CLOSING
Centre
From December 22, 5:00 pm to January 2, 9:00 am Shops
From December 22, 5:00 pm to January 8th for inventory.
WINTER
OPERATING HOURS
The Civic Garden Centre is open from November 1st to March 31st.
Weekdays: 9:30a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Weekends & Holidays: Noon - 4:00 p.m.
Editorial
Last month my family drove to Ottawa and visited the National Gallery of Canada and the Central Experimental Farms. The National Gallery is built of granite and glass and is described in publicity material as a giant candelabrum in the heart of the community. Of special interest to me is the landscape design around the building. Cornelia Hahn Oberlander, the landscape architect, has created a most interesting design. The area south of the building recreates the rugged Taiga landscape painted by the Group of Seven. (Taiga is another name for the Boreal Forest Region that extends from the Great Lakes to Alaska.) During the excavation of the building site, Ms. Hahn Oberlander requested that large limestone boulders remain on site to use in the creation of the Taiga landscape. Unfortunately, the gallery was unable to supply me with a complete list of planting material; however, a partial list includes native dogwood, stunted and dwarf mugho pines, bog rosemary, arctic blue grass, and cotton grass. The entrance to the gallery is shaded by silver maples and a promenade of pin oakes leads to Nepean Point. The sunken garden will be splendid in spring with its numerous crabapple trees.
The Central Experimental Farm is located on 500 ha of land within the city of Ottawa. The farm site includes an arboretum, experimental fields, greenhouses, ornamental gardens, stables, barns, and 140 research buildings. The collection of hedges, some of which were planted in the 1890s, and the ornamental
MEMBERS NIGHT
Wednesday, January 24th, 1990 at 7:30 p.m.
NEIL TURNBULL ON SHRUBS
Mr. Turnbull is well-known in Ontario design circles. Although he admires the current enthusiasm for perennial plants, he believes that the importance of shrubs in the creation of both large and small gardens is often overlooked.
Neil Turnbull has generously donated a Kalmia latifolia (valued at $100) to the Centre. The plant will be raffled after the members programme.
gardens which feature new plant releases, Contents are worth the visit. Volunteers play a vital role in the maintenance of the ornamental et gardens. Because the ornamental gardens Editorial .. . ..T A e S 1 have no scientific justification, they have Lettertothe Editor. ... .......... 2 been a constant target for cutbacks by the AHolidayMessage ............... 3 federal government. The 50-member AEtinthe Link . o 8 Vitoaen 2R 3 Green Thumb Team (part of the larger What's Newfor 19907 . ... .... .. 4 2000-member Friends of the Farm) hoe, Gardenseh? =it o iaiasnaiinne: 6 weed, mulch, and collect seeds. Three Master Gardener Update ... .. 9 cheers for volunteers especially those SPHNGCOUISES: ityimtiniiich .8 kb 10 who work so hard at the Centre. Questionsand Answers . ... .. .. 17 ComingEvents iniiine ey 3 s 8 Happy Holiday Season Iris Phillips Comments on The Third Great Gardening Conference .. ... .. 20
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor:
I'd like to comment on Brian Bixley s President s Report, published in the July/Aug. '89 issue. At the end of his article, he gratuitously dismisses an environmentalist role for the Civic Garden Centre. He argues that while it would be absurd to be against the environment. " it s not our job at the Centre to be concerned with it.
Wake up, it's 1990! Far too late to be talking about whose responsibility it is to stop the destruction of the earth. Surely as gardeners we have our work cut out for us.
That work is many fold and involves understanding our own gardens as well as looking beyond them. It means promoting conservation of both wild and working landscapes. It also means teaching ourselves and others about the various ecosystems we live in, and how to restore them.
The Centre ought to be an active part of the broad movement to replant and repair this earth. Amateur and professional gardeners alike are starved for good, solid horticultural programming that integrates the scientific, social and environmental aspects of gardens and landscape. Work like this is going on in communities all over the world. What are we waiting for?
Alex Wilson
Brian Bixley replies:
Anything that Alex Wilson writes should be read with attention. He writes with good sense, and with passion; | wish he would read as carefully as he writes. There was no gratuitous dismissal of an environmentalist role for the Civic Garden Centre. Since most members are unlikely to have the original passage to hand, it is probably easiest if | repeat the offending passage: It was suggested to me recently that the Centre needed a new focus, and that that focus should be the environment
... | do not believe it possible or desirable for an organisation like this to have a single focus, unless that focus is so broadly construed as hardly to be a useful focus at all. If we consider the particular proposal, it would be absurd to be against the environment, and everything that we do here at the Centre should be imbued with and encourage environmental awareness. But there are already many highly professional, specialised, even wellfinanced organisations devoted to environmental concerns. To make the environment our focus would be, | believe, to turn the Centre in an unwise direction.
That seems to me neither dismissive nor gratuitous, but | leave it to our readers to judge. | should like to add two comments. | was, of course, speaking for myself, and not for the Board. Future Boards, and future Presidents, may seek to concentrate the Centre s energy on more narrowly defined environmental considerations . would think that a mistake. The second comment is that on no issue, on which | have spoken publicly, have | received so much enthusiastic approval.
ART IN THE LINK
November 21 - December 4
Joyce Sinclair Hanging Garden and Claire Sinclair Treasures of the Field
December 5 - December 18
Joanna Marcinenas Perceptions of Nature
A Holiday Message
from Brian Bixley, President
1989 has been the year of the computer at the Centre. Thanks to financial help from the Kinnear and McLean Foundations, and to Wintario, and to the unstinted energies of our former Treasurer, Robert Saunders, and to Ken Laundy, our current Treasurer, six workstations were installed during June. They were welcomed by the Staff, though their introduction has naturally not been without its frustrations. As it happened, | was myself belatedly entering the computer age at just the same time, so | have been able to share with our staff the tragicomedies that first acquaintance brings, the wrath when the darn thing won t do now what it appeared to do only a few moments ago, the cold shivers when you suspect that you have lost a morning s work, the jubilation when you begin to realise in two senses of that word the capabilities of the technology. | am quite confident that, as we begin to explore those capabilities, we shall find it both easy to perform many activities that have in the past proven difficult, and to undertake new ones for which, until now, we have lacked the resources. | would like to congratulate the Staff for their support of this project, for their enthusiasm, and for their (mostly!) good humour.
As | write this message, in early October, it looks as though the Centre is on its way to another in its series of highly successful years, successful both in the activities we have undertaken, and financially. The two are, of course, closely linked, since a good programme induces people to use the Centre, helps to sustain membership, brings people to the Shop. While many of the major events, and continuing activities, require substantial volunteer participation, they impose demands on and challenges to our Staff, challenges which are typically extremely well met. Anne-Marie Van Nest and Helen Craig in horticulture; Jackie Brisby and Barbara Stevenson in the Store; Shirley Lyons as our secretary; Janie
Brentnall, who watches over our finances; Pamela Westwood (with some noble pinchhitting by Judy Lundy) in rentals; Pamela Mackenzie welcome back, Pamelas both in the Library, aided by Edythe Clapp; Carolyn Delgarno, wearing her two hats as Volunteer Coordinator and Publicity person; Dorothy Whiteman, our Special Events Coordinator; Iris Hosse-Phillips, Editor of Trellis; all are doing fine work, ably supported by Mavis Griffin. Nor must we forget Walter Morassuti and Alvin Allen, our conscientious and reliable maintenance men. To them, and to our ExecutiveDirector, Sally Sullivan, whose benign firmness oversees all, | extend our thanks and congratulations for a job well done.
Our financial stability has emboldened us to embark on a major initiative, the search for funding for an extension to our building. We badly need more space, for classrooms, for offices, for displays and exhibitions, for storage. Appeals and submissions have gone to foundations, to government, and to others. We may not be successful on this first round, but the lessons we are learning will be invaluable as the search for funding continues. By the time | report to you at the Annual General Meeting next April, we shall know how these initial efforts have turned out.
To all my colleagues on the Board, to our staff, to our outstanding group of volunteers, to all of our supportive members, | wish a happy Holiday Season curled up with a favourite gardening book.
What s new for 1990?
by Anne Marie Van Nest
Performance is the key word for the nineties. It is no longer a term exclusively used for flashy foreign automobiles or an evenings entertainment at the theatre. As the new decade unfolds, gardening will continue to rise in popularity. However, the new gardeners will not be able to dedicate as much time to the garden as others have done in the past. The key will be high performance plants for the garden. The All America Selections Winners (AAS) for 1990 have been chosen for this characteristic. These plants are less demanding and require low maintenance while at the same time producing a lengthy season of bloom. It is amazing what the hybridizers can make plants do these days.
The AAS winners for 1990 are divided into three groups, flowers, vegetables, and bedding plants. Each is a new cultivar that has been tested in trial gardens across North America and shows improved qualities over the closest variety found on the market.
Four winners were selected in the flower category; Achillea Summer Pastels , Pansy Jolly Joker , Celosia Pink Castle , and Zinnia F1 Scarlet Splendor . Two winners in the bedding plant category, both petunias; Petunia F1 Polo Salmon and Petunia F1 Polo Burgundy Star . More vegetables were selected this year than in previous years. Four have exhibited award-winning characteristics. They are Squash F1 Cream of the Crop , Squash F1 Sun Drops , Pepper F1 Super Cayenne and Bean Derby .
The celosia Pink Castle is a new award winner that follows the trend to pastel colours. Since most celosia have strong colours, the new pastel pink color is attractive. Pink Castle is a short celosia reaching only fourteen inches (35 cm) with seven inch (17 cm) plumes. One of the keys to lower maintenance gardening (at least for the last two years) is searching for
All-American Selections
plants that are drought tolerant. These plants not only perform better in our erratic weather, but also they require less care. This celosia is heat and drought tolerant and requires little garden care. Of course it still requires periodic watering and some fertilizing.
The two multiflora petunia winners are also bred for tougher resistance to nature. They tolerate heat, drought and severe summer storms. The multiflora petunias have gained a dedicated following of gardeners because of their masses of smaller blooms. Polo Salmon is a remarkable plant that does not require cutting back or deadheading to keep it blooming. The cool salmon colour blends well with many shades of white and blue.
The second petunia is Polo Burgundy Star . It is a striking plant with a white starry face on the burgundy petals. The star pattern is uniform in the flowers. This is an excellent plant to use as an accent in the garden. Polo Burgundy Star is drought, heat and rain resistant and does not need pinching to bloom all summer.
summer in the AAS display garden and performed very well. Unlike most other pansies, it tolerated the heat and drought of 1989 and bloomed all summer. Pansies are a very low maintenance plant, requiring watering, some fertilizing and occasionally picking off the seed pods. | think Jolly Joker will be the first of many pansies to make the change from a short-term spring plant to a long season bedding plant.
Two unusually coloured squashes are among the vegetable winners. Both have many culinary and decorative uses. The first, Cream of the Crop is a white skinned acorn squash. Maturing in about 85 days this squash is very easy to find among the compact green foliage. The interior flesh is a typical gold colour with a nutty flavour. The second squash, Sundrops is a brand new shape to North America. It is an oval summer squash that matures in about fifty days when it is three to four inches (10 centimeters) in diameter. The immature fruit can be harvested before this stage and used in gourmet dishes containing whole baby squash. The whole plant is compact and can be grown in small, intensively planted gardens.
All America Selection (AAS) winners for 1990 are available as seed from some of the larger Canadian seed companies and in May as bedding plants from your local nursery.
Anne Marie Van Nest is the Centre s horticulturist.
Thompson & Morgan Seed Order
Civic Garden Centre members who would like to order Thompson & Morgan seeds directly from the New Jersey office can again pool orders this spring.
Catalogues are available for consultation in the Library and Trellis Shop. Two collective orders will be sent on the dates below. A handling charge of $1.50 (Canadian) will be added to each member s order.
Thompson & Morgan offers a wide range of seeds for Trees, Shrubs, Perennials, and Annuals. Many are rare and exotic.
The two order deadlines are February 1st and Feb. 23rd, 1990. Please leave your order with Anne Marie or Helen, Horticulturists of the Centre.
Gardening is the most profound and complex of the arts, operating not just inessentially or marginally through time, but deliberately and consciously. What makes a garden great is the tension between the dimensions, between what is structurally permanent and what is temporarily, immediately, imposed upon that structure. The dialogue between the gardener who is concerned with the overall picture, and who may see brightly coloured plants as alien elements think of the formal Italian garden or the English landscape garden and the plantsman whose happiness depends on his ability to grow successfully rare and beautiful plants, is a reflection of that tension. The best twentieth-century English gardens have wedded a passion for plants, natural enough in a climate where so much is growable, with a strong, sometimes concealed, framework; both Hidcote and Sissinghurst are good examples.
And since the garden s backbone is the Hedge
Shaping to seemly order, set it square,
Not in weak curves that half deny the pledge
Given to pattern in intent austere. Gardens should be romantic, but severe.
We must not exaggerate the degree of permanence in the structure. It is more a question of relative rates of change. Stone mosses and erodes; hedges thicken; trees grow larger than planned, or lose important branches; even the lawn, which serves as the toile de fond for painterly plantings (or replaces, as Edward Hyams argues, the lake you do not have) changes texture and colour throughout the seasons. What distinguishes gardening from the other arts is the degree of intent. Sculpture chips, canvases crack, wood rots, buildings deteriorate through usage, music may be badly played. But only rarely perhaps in the case of performance art is the change planned for and hoped for.
Though the passion for gardening seems to be growing in Canada, our aspirations have, on the whole, and especially away from the coasts, been modest. For most of us, gardening consists of buying some flats of annuals around the 24th of May, arranging them with varying degrees of tastefulness around our yards or on our window ledges, and pulling them all out and throwing them away at Labour Day. It may not even mean that. For many people, to have a garden means to have a vegetable garden. But some people must have had more ambitious gardens; the existence of numerous nurseries, carefully documented by Pleasance Crawford, suggests that someone was buying more than marigolds, begonias and impatiens. There is an oral tradition, too, that talks of wonderful gardens on Lake Simcoe, and speaks of Miss Castle s garden and nursery at Meadowvale with reverence. Perhaps there were wonderful gardens, but with occasional exceptions, such as Cleveland Morgan s garden at Montreal, we have virtually no records. While we have Canadian-authored books about the techniques of gardening, we have, to the best of my knowledge, until now, not a single book about outstanding gardens.
Perhaps it was the climate, especially in the colder parts of the country, which accounted for the characteristic pessimism of Canadian gardeners, and those who wrote and broadcast about gardening. Good gardens could be made on the West Coast, but not much was possible here in Ontario. That notion was heavily reinforced, consciously or not, by the gardening establishment which, knowing very little about what could be accomplished, could only retain its revered position as long as everyone else knew less. This was particularly true in relation to plants, to what could be grown, where it has taken the encouragement of Allen Paterson and the efforts of Anna Harvey, Alan McMurtry, David Tomlinson, Henry Landis, quite a number of rhodo freaks and more recently,
the alpine/rock-gardening community, to push back the boundaries in a way that makes it possible for Ontario gardeners to have outstanding gardens. Now we can have style and substance.
The notion of community is particularly important, for though much of gardening is solitary activity, the visiting of other gardens, the exchange of plants and ideas, the contributing to and the reading of the gardening literature, all help to make a garden vital. It is certainly possible to be an expert plantsperson without being gregarious, but intellectual insularity, in gardening as elsewhere, carries its risks. An interesting example is found in the volume discussed below, of a garden which is incontrovertibly pretty and deservedly popular, but whose creators are separated by some distance from many other notable gardens. If their garden lacks the depth of planting likely to fascinate the knowledgeable gardener, it could be that they are simply unaware of how much more adventurous many of their contemporaries are.
If the Canadian novel is the novel written in Canada , how much more strongly must the Canadian garden be gardens made in Canada. Both arts must inevitably be shaped by the experiences and resources of their creators, and by the social and cultural contexts within which they are practised. But there are differences. A word-processor functions just as well in Saskatoon as it does in Victoria; but the autumn snowflake (Leucojum autumnale) will flourish in Victoria, sometimes survives in Toronto, and is doubtless hopeless in Saskatoon. The possible will be shaped not only by the genius of the gardener, but also by external climatic conditions over which she has no control; the genius of the place includes frost and ice as well as hilly terrain and acid soil. It is not possible for the gardener in Hamilton to create a garden with the same textures, the same colours, or even the same form as his colleague in Vancouver, even if they both trained at Kew. The U.K., to which we have traditionally looked for garden inspiration, has considerable climatic variation, but nothing which compares to the differences between Salt Spring Island and Flin Flon. Even if the gardeners there are inspired by
the same heritage, the resources with which they work are so profoundly different that their gardens must also be so.
In a Canadian Garden (Viking Studio Books, 1989), edited by Nicole Eaton and Hilary Weston, with photographs by Freeman Patterson, is a happy celebration of the aesthetic sense and technological virtuosity to be seen in 35 private gardens. The design of the book is first-rate; high-quality paper, attractive print, and good colour in the photographs. The editors objectives were to prove to ourselves and to other interested gardeners that a Canadian garden was not a contradiction in terms , an objective that perhaps testifies to the editors horticultural innocence. They looked, they tell us, above all, for gardens with a distinctive, coherent aesthetic. those that were the result of one or two people s particular vision. They have sensibly allowed the gardeners to speak for themselves, and some of the less illuminating photographs could have been excluded to give the gardeners a greater chance to tell us about their gardens. Most of the gardens appear to be large, and, on the evidence from this book, it would be easy to conclude that it is difficult to create the Sublime in a suburban backyard. Some of the gardens are clearly unworthy of inclusion when so many good gardens have been excluded, but the choice of gardens is generally judicious, and serves to illustrate the proposition that the number of coherent aesthetics or particular visions' can be considerable. In a majority of cases, severity yields to romance, an outcome which perhaps has something to do with the surrounding landscape, and surely has something to do with the weather.
There are, for me at least, some happy discoveries. When | am next on the West Coast | shall beg permission to see the Victoria gardens of Jack Todd and Shirley Beach. | like the rich plantings of Mary Talbot in Alberta and of Evelyn Lambart in Quebec; but | like also the grand formality of Beryl Ivey s garden in London, and the witty formality of Harvey Sobel s garden in Hamilton. There are some designer gardens that look typically trivial, and | am untouched by the natural garden as garden. Nature is frequently beautiful (though contrary to the popular cliche, it can often be improved upon), but natural
gardening strikes me as oxymoronic, a contradiction in terms, though increasingly beloved by garden designers because insecure clients can be persuaded that they have a stylish garden, whatever comes up. (Rather puzzlingly, Freeman Patterson, in his introduction, writes that A garden, by definition, is not wild. The editors . . selected several gardens for this book that are wild or partly wild ). Frank Cabot s garden at La Malbaie, Quebec, is both very grand, and exquisitely planted, a rare combination requiring considerable resources, not just of knowledge. It embodies perfectly the tension between the dimensions.
The book is not without flaws. One irritating omission, that it shares with most books of the genre, is that of any plans of the gardens, with some indication of where the house is to be found. We are sometimes told that the garden is small , or it gives the impression of being large , but we don t know what the dimensions are, how the parts of the garden are related, or in which direction we are looking. Sometimes the photographs are of the same scene from different angles, which might easily suggest, to the cynically-minded, that there isn t very much to see. It is obvious that the house is very important; in most cases it dominates the garden, and is the predominant view from the garden. But the house is also frequently the point from which the garden is most often viewed; Heather Angel, in a recent book, has reminded us of just how important A View from the Window (Unwin Hyman, 1988) can be. Only occasionally in this book do we get any sense that the editors or their photographer have thought about these guestions.
The most important criticism concerns the photographs. What one requires from the photographs is that they should illustrate, should illuminate, the text. This, too frequently, they fail to do. A photograph, however beautiful and many of the photographs are extremely beautiful which could have been taken in a thousand gardens, is unhelpful. The photographs should show us the important features of
the gardens, and their unique features. Rita Lehmann tells us that the location of the garden is magnificent , but no photograph shows us this location. Elaine Corbett s garden is perched on top of a rock with a view and sounds of the sea but there is no hint of this in the accompanying photographs. The truly outstanding, and modestly described, Stewart garden derives its strength from the central axis that draws the eye to the distant ponds. How odd not to show this! The examples could be multiplied. Furthermore, photographs of tulip petals strewn across rocks, of pots of primulas, of the asters and goldenrod to be seen along every rural Ontario roadside, diminish the gardens they are meant to praise, since they imply that there was nothing more interesting to photograph. A simple comparison could be made with a recent book such as England s Historic Gardens (Templar Publications, 1989), in which the photographs, by John Bethell, are seldom more than workmanlike, but in which the ambitions of the photographer are subordinated to the desire to help the understanding of the reader through documentation of the text. It is probably a mistake in a volume of this kind, made up of individual contributions, to use a single, professional photographer (except to sell books). No one knows a garden like the person who works in it day after day, and who, being there, is able to photograph the garden at its special moments and in its special moods. None of the above need be construed as criticism of Freeman Patterson, since the book does not indicate whether he or the editors selected the photographs.
There is another problem. It is a poor garden which does not have its moment of glory; a good garden sustains its appeal over most of the year. That is clearly less true for those gardens where it is uncomfortable to be outside in the winter, or which are buried in snow, but those gardens with the bones that the editors purport to admire (see Adele Freedman' s review, The Globe and Mail, September 23, 1989), will have their winter beauty, too. With the exception of two photographs that could have been taken in any woodlot, there is nothing here to suggest the shivery
perfection that winter can bring to our gardens. What we now need, and perhaps this volume will help to create the market, are some books devoted to the gardens of a particular region, and which take us through the gardening year.
There are a few small errors that could perhaps be corrected later. Tohbrunner (p.43) is presumably the legendary Lohbrunner; there is no Picea blanca (p.138); and | doubt very much that the clematis shown on p.103 is montana.
The editors write This, then, is just a beginning, a small recognition of the genius and individuality of Canadian gardeners. They are surely to be congratulated for having undertaken this beginning. And their decision that the royalties from the book will go to the Canadian Environmental Educational Foundation will be hailed for its generosity.
October 7, 1989
Master Gardener Update
A special welcome to the ten new Master Gardeners (in training) who are beginning the program at the Civic Garden Centre. This is the start of the third year that the program has successfully run at the Centre. It has expanded each year! The Master Gardeners (in training) who have been participating in the program for the last two years are anxiously waiting for their graduation. With the two University of Guelph correspondence courses and over sixty hours of volunteer service completed they are now ready to graduate. This is not the end though, to continue to be a Master Gardener requires further volunteer work.
One type of volunteer service is answering gardening questions on the hotline. This operates seven days a week from 12:00 noon until 3:00 pm. The Master Gardeners welcome all gardening questions.
THE CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE IN
EDWARDS GARDENS
777 Lawrence Ave. E. North York M3C 1P2
Tel: (416) 445-1552
SPRING 1990 WORKSHOPS/COURSES
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Please use the form provided and mail proper remittance. Classes are limited, bookings are made as received with fee. Fees are not refundable after registration deadline.
FACTS ABOUT COURSE REGISTRATION
PROCEDURE: To assess beforehand whether a given lecture or course will be economically feasible, we must have advance registration for most events involving an admission charge. Participants will be registered ona first come, first served basis, only on receipt of the requisite fee. Registration can be accomplished only by delivery of fees and registration forms by mail or in person prior to the registration deadline. Visa or MasterCard will be accepted.
CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS; Anyone may withdraw registration and receive a full refund up to and including the registration deadline. Thereafter, a requested refund will be made only if there is a waiting list and the registration can be transferred to another person. There can be no refund after a course has begun. Should a course be cancelled, registrants will be notified by telephone and refunds issued. It is therefore vital that you supply a phone number where you can be reached, directly or by message between 9 am and 5pm during the week. Following registration deadline, we cannot accept responsibility for inconvenience caused for those who cannot be contacted.
THESE ARE GENERAL INTEREST, NON-COMMERCIAL COURSES
Please register me for the following courses: Course Time Fee
Course Time Fee
Course Time Fee
Name Phone
Address Code
Q | enclose my cheque, payable to the Civic Garden Centre
Please charge my Q Visa QO Mastercard Card number Date of issue
Signature Expiry date
PERENNIALS FOR ONTARIO GARDENS 4049
Registration deadline: January 3, 1990
Fee: $63.00 members, $73.00 non-members
Time: 8:00pm-10:00pm
8 week course on Thursdays, January 4, 11, 18, 25, February 1, 8, 15, 22
Instructor: Keith Squires
Each student will need a copy of "Canadian Garden Perennials" or "The Harrowsmith Perennial Garden". These can be purchased at the Trellis Shop, 9:30am-4:00pm weekdays, 12 noon to 4:00pm weekends.
THE ART OF SILK FLOWERS 40107
Registration deadline: January 5, 1990
Fee: $50:00 members, $60:00 non-members
Time: 10 am-1pm
6 week course on Mondays, January 8,15,22, 29, February 5,12
Instructor: Jean Hewitt
Japanese silk flower making. Some of the flowers that you will make are Roses, Iris, Daisies, Poppies, Trilliums, Hibiscus, Poinsettias, Holly, Eucalyptus, as well as filler flowers. Please bring to your first class, scissors, cutters, ruler, face cloth, notebook and pencil. Kits will be available between $3.00 and $6.00
CHINESE BRUSH PAINTING 4057
Registration deadline: January 5, 1990
Fee: $80.00 members, $90.00 non-members
8 week course on Mondays, January 8,15,22,29,February 5,12,19,March 12
Time: Beginners: 9:30 am - Noon
Intermediate: 1:00pm -3:30 pm
Instructor: Moira Mudie
Basic materials are available atthe first class fora nominalfee. Please bring a container to wash brushes and a large newsprint pad. Forfurther information, please call Moira Mudie at 222-1527.
INTRODUCTORY WATERCOLOURS 4052
Registration deadline: January 5, 1990
Fee: $68.00 members, $78.00 non-members
Time: 7:00pm-10:00pm,
8 week course on Mondays, Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29, Feb. 5, 12, 19 & March 5
Instructor: Lynda Bryden
Learn the skills of wash, dry brush, wet on wet glazing and textures as well as the fundamental elements of composition, design and colour theory. Students can work at their own level using still life and flowers as subject matter. Supply list will be provided at the first class. Please bring a sketch book and pencil.
INTRODUCTORY WATERCOLOURS 4052
Registration deadline: January 5, 1990
Fee: $68.00 members, $78.00 non-members
Time: 10:00am-2:00pm
8 week course on Tuesdays, January 9, 16, 23, 30, Feb. 6, 13, 20 & March 6
Instructor: Lynda Bryden
See above.
BEGINNERS IKENOBO 4043
Registration deadline: January 8, 1990
Fee: $ 35.00 members, $ 45.00 non-members
Time: 10:00am-2:00pm
Instructors: Shizuko Kadoguchi and Ella Irving
3 week course on Wednesdays, January 10,17,24
lkenobo is well known for its traditional designs. Please bring a cylindrical and a flat container (not glass), a heavy pinholder and clippers. All available at the Trellis Shop. Flowers and branches will be provided at approx. $3.50 perday.
CONTINUING WATERCOLOURS 40104B
Registration deadline: January 9, 1990
Fee: $68.00 Members, $78.00 non-members
Time: 10:00am-2:00pm
8 week course on Thursdays, Jan. 11, 18, 25, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22, March 8
Instructor: Barbara Pinkham
An ongoing class for those with previous watercolour experience. Course will follow a realistic approach based on still life and plant material. Continuing emphasis on colour, theory, composition and design. Individual development will be encouraged. Please bring watercolour supplies and enjoy.
ART STUDIO 40106
Registration deadline: January 9,1990
Fee: $38.00 members,$48.00 non-members
Time: 10:00am-4:00pm
6week course on Fridays, January 12, 19, 26, Feb. 2,9, 16
Join other artists to practise or confer, without the assistance of an instructor. Bring your art supplies and enjoy.
RUG HOOKING 4055
Registration deadline: January 8, 1990
Fee: $50.00 members, $60.00 non-members
Time: 10:00am-2:00pm
6 week course on Fridays, January 12,19,26, February 2,9,16
Instructors: Clarke Sherbo & AwdreyClark
Beginners: Please bring scissors and your lunch. Supplies are available at the class, cost extra. Advanced:Please call Clarke Sherbo (782 3178) regarding patterns.
BASIC SOGETSU 40100
Registration deadline: January 10,1990
Fee: $45.00 members, $55.00 non-members
Time: 10:00am-noon
Instructor: Greg Williams
6 week course on Mondays, January 15, 22, 29, February 5, 12, 19
A modern Japanese school of lkebana flower arranging which is well known for its dramatic, free style design.
CALLIGRAPHY 40103
Registration deadline: January 12, 1990
Fee: $40.00 members, $50.00 non-members
Time: 1:15-3:15pm
6 week course on Tuesdays, January 16, 23, 30, February 6, 13, 20
Instructor: Margaret Challenger
Calligraphy for beginners - learn the italic script. A course for beginners or those who know other scripts. This is a useful contemporary script. You will need: Osmiroid (or other) broad edged pen set including B4 and other nibs; Skrip Black Ink, pad of paper 5 squares to the inch. Forfurther information call Margaret Challenger at 431 2326
NEW GARDENS FOR OLD 4050
Registration deadline: January 19,1990
Fee: $35.00 members, $45.00 non-members
Time: 7:30-9:30pm
Instructor: MarionJarvie
4 week course on Mondays, January 22, 29, February 5, 12
Enhance existing planting with the use of distinctive plant material. Learn how to create artistic forms through pruning and shaping. Emphasis will be given to "newer" garden perennials and to colour through the seasons. With your new found knowledge of special gardening techniques you will be able to bring orderfrom chaos.
GARDENING WITH WILDFLOWERS 4044
Registration deadline: January 18,1990
Fee: $45.00 members, $55.00 non-members
Time: 7:30-9:30pm Instructor: FrankKershaw
6 week course on Wednesdays,Januaury 24,31,February 7,14,21,March 7
Sources of plants, planting, plant selection and mulching, design and layout for woodland, meadow, bog and farm gardens. Also how to attract birds and butterflies to your garden are topics included in this increasingly popularcourse.
GROWING ORCHIDS AT HOME 40108
Registration deadline: January 23
Fee: $15.00 members, $25.00 non-members
Time: 1:30-3:30pm
1 day course on Sunday, January 28
Instructor: Gerda Ferrington
This introduction to growing orchids at home will include a slide presentation on the mediums in which orchids can be successfully grown and which orchids are best suited for house culture. Growing orchids will be easierthan youthink.
BASIC FLOWER ARRANGING 4045A
Registration deadline: January 26, 1990
Fee: $45.00 members, $55.00 non-members
6 week course on Wednesdays, January 31, February 7,14,21, March 7, 14
Instructor: BettyEwens 9:45 am Pam Wright 7:30 pm
Fulfill your artistic needs by taking this comprehensive course. The emphasis is on plants, useful for flower arranging as well as for drying or preserving for future use. The first session is a lecture and demonstration showing the principles of flower arranging - please bring a notebook and pencil. Subsequent sessions are practical work. Suggestions of the type of plant material that you should bring will be made at the first session. Containers and mechanics are available atthe Trellis Shop.
AN INTRODUCTION TO GARDEN DESIGN 4033
Registration deadline: February 2
Fee: $35.00 members, $45.00 non-members
Time: 7:30-9:30 pm
Instructor: Peter Thomas
4 week course on Wednesdays, February 7,14,21 March 7
This course gives a brief overview of garden history and building, identified elements of design which can be adapted for your own use. Lectures include design, plant material and construction and will be followed by a workshop to use these principles in a garden design. This course will enable you to choose a direction of further study at the Centre. Drafting materials will be provided.
CONTINUING TO GROW ORCHIDS AT HOME 40116
Registration deadline: February 6
Fee: $15 members, $25.00 non-members
Time: 1:30-3:30pm
1 day course on Sunday, February 11
Instructor: Gerda Ferrington
Now that you have started growing orchids, tryfor a few challenges. Leam how to control pests and how to increase the number of plants you have by division.
INTERMEDIATE SOGETSU 40102
Registration deadline: March 7, 1990
Fee: $20.00 members, $30.00 non-members
Time: 1:00pm-3:00pm Instructor: Greg Williams
6 week course on Mondays, March 12, 19, 26, April 2,9, 16
A continuation of the basic course.
NOTE: If you are interested In a Gentlemen's Sogetsu class, please call 445-1552 and leave your name and number and choice of weekend or weekday.
GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 40105
Registration deadline:March 7
Fee: $40.00 members, $50.00 non-members
Time: 7:30-9:30pm Instructor: HennyMarkus
6 week course on Mondays, March 12, 19, 26, April 2, 9, 16
This course will teach you all you need to know in order to have a beautiful indoorgarden. One session will include howto make a dish garden or aterrarium.
GARDEN CONSTRUCTION 40114
Registration deadline: March 21
Fee: $20.00 members, $30.00 non-members
Time: 1:30-3:30pm
Instructor: Peter Thomas
2 week course on Sundays, March 25 & April 1
The emphasis of this course is on garden building techniques which are practical for you, the home gardener, to do. Paving, wood constructions and grading solutions are primary areas of discussion. Samples of materials will be available. Cost, installation methodology and source of materials will also be part of this popular course.
CONTINUING WATERCOLOURS 40104B
Registration deadline: March 26, 1990
Fee: $68.00 Members, $78.00 non-members
Time: 10:00am-2:00pm
8 week course on Tuesdays, March 29, April 5, 12, 19, 26, May 3, 17 & 24
Instructor: Barbara Pinkham
An ongoing class forthose with some previous watercolour experience. Course will follow a realistic approach based on still life and plant material. Continuing emphasis on colour, theory, composition and design. Individual development will be encouraged. Please bring watercolour supplies & enjoy.
INTERMEDIATE |IKENOBO 4043
Registration deadline: April 2, 1990
Fee: $35.00 members, $45.00 non-members
Time: 10:00am-2:00pm
Instructors: Shizuko Kadoguchi EllaIving
3 week course on Wednesdays, April 4, 11, 18
A continuation of the basic course.
ART STUDIO 40106
Registration deadline: April 2, 1990
Fee: $38.00 members,$48.00 non-members
Time: 10:00am-4:00pm
6 week course on Fridays, April 6, 20, 27, May 4,11, 18
Referto the January Art Studio.
LAYOUT & DESIGN FOR CALLIGRAPHERS
Registration deadline: April 5, 1990
Fee: $40.00 members, $50.00 non-members
Time 1:15-3:15pm
Instructor: Margaret Challenger
6 week course on Tuesdays, April 10,17,24, May 1,15,22
How to arrange words on paper effectively! We will cover: posters, flyers, invitations and a small accordian fold booklet. You will need: calligraphy broad edged pens and markers, note pad, large layout pad - 14X17 or larger, pencil, ruler, eraser.
(Pre-requisite: some calligraphy training)
PRESSED FLOWER WORKSHOP 4036
Registration deadline: April 6
Fee: $22.00 members, $32.00 non-members
Time: 10am-Noon
Instructor: Betty Greenacre
2 week course on Thursdays, April 12 & 19
This workshop covers what to plant for pressing. A slide presentation will introduce you to the art of pressing flowers and the many and varied applications. Kits will be available at a small cost.Please bring white glue, scissors & tweezers.
BONSAI FOR BEGINNERS 4037
Registration deadline: April 12
Fee: $50.00 members, $60.00 non-members
Time: 7:00pm-10:00pm Instructor: David Rowe
4week course (plus field trip) on Wednesdays, April 18, 25, May 2 & 15
This course covers Bonsai history and styles, sources of trees and containers. Detailed instruction for creative displaying and maintaining of your Bonsai. Sessions will include a field trip to a nursery to purchase an appropriate plant. Please bring a notebook, pencil and $4.00 for supplies.
PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP 4039
Registration deadline: April 16, 1990
Fee: $15.00 members, $25.00 non-members.
Time: 7:30-9:30pm
Instructor: Betty Greenacre A one day course on Thursday, April 19
Improve your photographs of garden and wild flowers. Learn howto deal with light, focus and backgrounds. Demonstration of equipment. Instructional slide show takes you through the seasons of flowers, fungi and moving water in habitat and close-up.
RUG HOOKING 4055
Registration deadline: April 16,1990, Fee: $50.00 members, $60.00 non-members. Time: 10am-2pm 6week course on Fridays, April 20, 27, May 4, 11, 18, Instructors: Clarke Sherbo andAwdreyClark Beginners: Please bring scissors and lunch.Supplies, available at class, cost extra.Advanced: Please call Clarke Sherbo, 782-3178 regarding patterns.
For the love ofgardens.
When you re at work on the garden you love,
remember SheridarfNurseries. At Sheridan, we have the finest selection of nursery stock in
Canada, including over 750 types of plants and trees grown on our own farrps. Andfallll of our nursery stock is guaranteed for one full year. If ygu need any advice to help make your - -garden even lovelier, just ask.l Advice is freehand our staff is expert. They ll help in any way they can all for the love of gardens, at Sheridan.
LANDSCAPE DEPARTMENT: Metropolitan Toronto, Markham, Mississauga and Oakville 822-7575
TORONTO ETOBICOKE OSHAWA 2827 Yonge St., 700 Evans Ave., 847 King St. W., Toronto M4N 2J4 Etobicoke MIC 1A1 Oshawa L1J 2L4 Tel. 481-6429 Tel. 621-9100 Tel. 728-9429
Questions and Answers
by Master Gardeners
Where should | put my philodendron?
Philodendrons will grow almost anywhere in the house, but they prefer a shady location and do not flourish in direct sunlight. A north window, or a window shaded with drapes is good for a hanging pot of philodendron. These plants are often grown up a bark slab in a corner of the room with low light levels. Philodendrons like an average temperature (not too hot) and medium humidity during the winter. Water the plant to keep the soil moist but not saturated; avoid letting the soil dry out completely between waterings. Do not place your plant in a spot that has a cold or hot draft.
My hibiscus is dropping all its leaves. What can | do?
This is a common problem and could be caused by moving the plant to a different location, a change in light levels or a draft. All of these conditions put the plant under stress and cause the leaves to drop until it adjusts to its new condition. Another possibility could be faulty watering (too much or too little). Insect infestations are another reason for the leaves to fall. If
there are signs of insects (spider mites and white flies love this plant), spray with an insecticidal soap according to the label directions.
"My cactus is broken. | repotted it and now it has three heads. What should | do? One option is to let it grow with three branching stems, or you could cut off two of the stems and replant them. Cacti root easily from the cut surface. Place the cutting in a sandy soil, keep it warm and slightly dampen the soil. Eventually, it will form roots and can be repotted, resulting in two extra plants.
The @ountry Squireo @arden Ty
Knowledgeable staff
Steeles Ave. W. (2 miles west of Highway 10) R.R. 10 Brampton L6V 3N2 7 days a week (9-5pm) mid-April - mid-Oct.
Over 3000 different hardy plants, alpines, dwarf conifers and shrubs, Hardy ferns, vines, groundcovers and native wildflowers Gift Certificates $10. up (10-15-20 etc.{-by mail any time All Year Send $2.00 for NEW (No.10) PLANT L
ST by mail to above address
Coming Events at the Centre
Canadian Chrysanthemum & Dahlia Society meeting
Southern Ontario Orchid Society meeting
Men's Garden Club
MASTER GARDENERS MEETING & SOCIAL
CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE VOLUNTEERS' RECOGNITION PARTY
CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE PLANT SALE - Members pre-order pick-up only
CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE PLANT SALE - Public
CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE PLANT SALE - Public
Ontario Rock Garden Society meeting
Toronto Gesneriad Society meeting
Toronto Bonsai Society meeting
Southern Ontario Orchid Society Newcomers meeting
CALLIGRAPHY WORKSHOP
Registration deadline: Dec.7
Members $20.00 Non-Members..$30.00, Garden Therapy
Ikebana International meeting
CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE MEMBERS' SALE - TRELLIS SHOP 1 day Workshop
Men's Garden Club
PERENNIALS FORONTARIOGARDENS COURSE
Registration deadline: Jan.3
Members $63.00 Non-Members $73.00, York Rose & Garden Society meeting
Southern Ontario Orchid Society meeting
THEARTOFSILK FLOWERS COURSE
Registration deadline: Jan.5
Members $50.00 Non-Members $60.00, CHINESE BRUSH PAINTING COURSE
Registration deadline: Jan.5
Members $80.00 Non-Members $90.00, 8 week course
INTRODUCTORYWATERCOLOURS COURSE
Registration deadline: Jan.5
Members $68.00 Non-Members $78.00, INTRODUCTORYWATERCOLOURSCOURSE
Registration deadline: Jan. 5
Members $68.00 Non-Members $78.00, MASTERGARDENERS MEETING BEGINNERS IKENOBO COURSE
Registration deadline: Jan. 8
Members $35.00 Non-Members $45.00, CONTINUINGWATERCOLOURSCOURSE
Registration deadline: Jan. 9
Members $68.00 Non-Members $78.00, RUGHOOKINGCOURSE
PERENNIALS FOR AMERICAN GARDENS, by Ruth Rogers Clausen and Nicolas H. Ekstrom. New York, Random House, 1989.
With their extensive background in horticulture and garden design, the authors have produced a definitive work on ornamental perennials. It is intended as a working tool for professionals and the experienced home gardener. The book lists over 400 genera in alphabetical order, with thousands of species and cultivars. The coloured photographs are good, and there are useful indexes of synonyms and of common names.
THE ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF ENGLISH GARDENS: Designs for the garden from the collection of the Royal Institute of British Architects, 1609 to the present day, by Jane Brown. New York, Rizzoli, 1989 (Reference only).
Jane Brown describes the development of British gardens from the standpoint of designers plans and illustrations. After an extensive introduction six chapters follow: from The Seventeenth Century to Continuing Classicism: 1920 to the Present Day. Chapters on garden buildings and garden ornament follow. The concluding chapter is devoted to Jellicoe s designs for the Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas. This fine book is an invaluable resource for readers interested in garden history and design.
Keeps You GROWING
e |n Business Since 1948
¢ 20 Acres of Garden Centre
e Qver 50 Greenhouses
¢ 20,000 sq. ft. Garden Store
e Residential & Commercial Design & Installation
Growers of over 1,000 hardy perennials, available year round. Over 200 varieties of herbs. Over 125 kinds of novelty geraniums.
FREE Drop in or write for our new books: Perennials for Ontario Gardens
Only $3.95
HELPFUL GREEN THUMB GARDEN GUIDES
Berries for your garden
Only $1.75
Humber Nurseries, where flowers bloom 365 days a year, offers Toronto s largest selection of: Trees, Shrubs, Evergreens, Annuals, Perennials, Roses, Ceramics, Chemicals Soils, Wicker & Landscape Hardware
Our Professional, Courteous staff are here to help with any garden questions.
HUMBER NURSERIES LTD.
R.R. #8 Brampton, Ont. Hwy. #50, 1/4 mile North of Steeles Ave. South of #7 highway 794-0555 677-9711
*Member Landscape Ontario* **OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK**
WHAT THE DELEGATES WROTE ABOUT THE GREAT GARDENING CONFERENCE. . .
Magnifique. Excellent. Treasure my new membership. The organisation was awesome. Friendly. Good program with changes of pace. . The best so far. Enjoyed all three Conferences very much. . Excellent speakers. . Not enough Canadian speakers. Wonderful. . Marvellous. . Best organised best everything I've ever attended . Have had a wonderful time . I'll tell other gardening enthusiasts about this wonderful weekend. Best conference ever. Very impressed with speakers. See you next year Am from the U.S. Would love to be on mailing list Congratulations on a wonderful Conference Consider purchasing autofocus slide-projector. Good choice of topics Very well ordered. Will try to return in two years . Too many speakers focussed on individual plants. would prefer a conference less weighted towards perennials and colour Will look forward to the Fourth Great Gardening Conference
A truly fantastic and wonderful Conference. Is there any way the room can have a bit more air without the problem of being too cold and flapping blinds? Thank you for the experience. . Food was a great improvement. The gardens shown have given me boundless ideas . . Best yet Please let us have another Great Gardening Conference.
(from the questionnaires)
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENT
Orchid Stand 48" New 4 Bulbs included $100.00 291-4173
Civic Garden Centre Executive Committee
President: Dr. Brian Bixley
1st Vice-President: Mrs. Susan Macaulay
2nd Vice-President: Mr. Klaus Bindhardt
Treasurer: Mr. Kenneth H.C. Laundy
Member: Mrs. Anne Bawden
Member: Mrs. Heather MacKinnon
Board of Directors
For 1989: Mrs. Anne Bawden, Mr. Klaus Bindhardt, Dr. Brian Bixley, Mrs. Barbara Brown. Mrs. Eliane Hooft, Mrs. Doreen Martindale, Mrs. Heather MacKinnon.
For 1989 and 1990: Mrs. Cicely Bell, Mr. Stuart Gilchrist, Mr. Alan Grieve, Mr. Kenneth H C. Laundy, Mrs. Susan Macaulay, Mr. Victor Portelli of Metropolitan Toronto Parks, Ms. Laura Rapp.
For 1989, 1990 and 1991: Ms. Georgina Cannon, Mr. William Granger, Mrs. Bayla Gross, Mrs. Judy Lundy, Mr. Robert Saunders, Mrs. Robin Wilson.
Cwas Che Night
Kefore Christmas...
Weall & Cullen is your complete Trim-A-Tree Centre with endless ideas to make the night before Christmas the start of a happy holiday.
Home of the Cullen Country Supreme, Life-like Christmas Tree by Barcana.
Over 20 000 decorations at each location.
8 convenient locations to serve you. Visit our new Etobicoke location!
May we invite you to join us?
The Civic Garden Centre warmly welcomes new members. Join us, and you will make friends who share the same interest in gardening, the floral arts and horticulture that you do. In addition to the many exciting classes, garden shows, speakers, clubs-within-the-Centre, etc., that will be available to you, our membership fee entities you to the following:
e Annual subscription to members
e Free borrowing privileges from one of newsletter Canada s largest horticultural libraries
* Discounts on courses, lectures
« Discount on Soil Testing Service and workshops ==
* 10% discount on most purchases in * Free Admission to the the Trellis Shop Members Programmes
e Special local and international
e Access and discounts at special Garden Tours members day plant sales
APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
Mail to: The Civic Garden Centre 777 Lawrence Avenue East North York, Ontario, M3C 1P2
New Member [ Renewing Member O
Single Membership $25.00 s Family Membership 83500 = Gift Membership e Donation, Tax deductible = TOTAL: =
(PLEASE PRINT)
Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms
ADDRESS: APT.
POSTAL CODE
TELEPHONE (Home) (Business)
METHOD OF PAYMENT
[ CHEQUE (Payable to the CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE) [J VISA ] MASTERCARD
