Trellis

The newsletter of the Civic Garden Centre in Metropolitan Toronto March, 1993

Volume 20, Number 3

EASTER PLANT SALE

10% discount on orders before March 22 Members pre-order pick-up day: Friday, March 26 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Public sale: March 27 and 28 noon to 4:00 p.m.

SPRING PANSY SALE

10% discount on orders before March 29, Members pre-order pick-up day: Friday, April 2 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Public sale, April 3 and 4

noon to 5:00 p.m.

Civic Garden Centre General Information

The Civic Garden Centre is a volunteer-based non-profit organization with open membership, working to foster interest, involvement and education in gardening, horticulture and related artistic, environmental and community issues. Located in Edwards Gardens, at Leslie Street and Lawrence Avenue East in North York, the Centre serves members throughout Metropolitan Toronto and across Ontario. The Civic Garden Centre is pleased to rent facilities for meetings, receptions, exhibits and shows. Please contact our rental agent. Registered charity number 0228114-56.

Hours:

Winter (November 1 to March 31): weekdays 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; weekends and holidays noon to 4:00 p.m. Summer (April 1 to October 31): weekdays 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p-m.; weekends and holidays noon to 5:00 p.m.

Telephone: All numbers are area code 416.

Main number: 397-1340

Rentals: 397-1349

Special events: 397-1350

Trellis Shop: 397-1357

Courseinformation: 397-1340

Fax: 397-1354

Gardening hotline: 397-1345 (hours: noon to 3:00 p.m.)

Executive committee:

Honorary counsel: President: =~ Robin Wilson Aird and Berlis Vice-president and treasurer:

PeterJ. Lewis

Civic Garden Centre staff members: Members: Cicely Bell, Mary Ann Executive director: Sally Sullivan Brinckman, Bayla Gross, Kenneth Accounts: Janie Brentnall Laundy Courses: Ann Warren Education Officer: Ruth MacKneson

Board of directors: Horticulturists: For 1992: Mary Ann Brinckman, Bayla Anne Marie Van Nest Gross, Luba Hussel, Kenneth Laundy, : Helen Craig : Librarian: Pamela MacKenzie Maureen Naylor. Maint TR For 1992-1993: Cicely Bell, Heather secsdameind sodiare - Walter Morassutti Brodeur, Wendy Lawson, Peter].Lewis, Bentalheeit Botey Chubb

Susan Macaulay, Mary Mills, Laura B y : o : Secretary: Shirley Lyons RapP. ot 1993_1995_' Mar]or.leHars, Trellis Shop manager: Jackie Brisby Louise Kappus, Aird Lewis, Roger Trellis Shop assistant manager: Silverthorne, Robin Wilson. ; : Barbara Stevenson Representative ofMetropolitanToronto v/ojunteer and publicity co-ordinator: Parks and Property: Victor Portelli. Carolyn Dalgarno

Easter plant sale

Spring pansy sale

Perennial pleasures

An Edwards Garden Evening

In memoriam: Lois Girvan Wilson

Part two: allergy-free gardening 2 Questions and answers

Volunteer corner 14 Weall grow alpines, don t we? 15 The Trellis Shop

16 In the library

17 A spring walkin Edwards Garden

18 Thejoys ofurban farming

Inside back cover: Coming events

TRELLIS

Volume 20, Number 3

Editor: Iris Hossé Phillips

Editorial co-ordinator: Leslie Lynch

Advertising information: (416) 397-1340

Printed by Raised Image, Etobicoke, on recycled paper.

Trellis is published ten times a year as a members newsletter by the Civic Garden Centre, 777 Lawrence Avenue East, North York, Ontario M3C 1P2. Telephone number: (416) 397-1340.

Manuscripts submitted ona voluntary basisare gratefully received. No remuneration is possible.

Articles, manuscripts and advertising material must be received by the 15th of the month to insure publication six weeks later. For example, material received by April 15 will beincluded in the June issue of Trellis.

Opinions expressed within Trellis do not necessarily reflect those of the Centre.

The Centre is pleased to grant permission to copy material published in Trellis; however, credit to the author and Trellis must be given.

Editorial

ByIris Phillips

After | remove a large dead shrub in the backyard thisspring,Iplantore-enterthe world ofroses and plantone or two hardy ones. After battling black spot and powderymildewin the hybrid tea roses in our former garden, I am persuaded to try the Explorer series developed by the Department of Agriculture.

Dr.FelicitasSvejdadevelopedanumberof veryhardyrosesattheCentralExperimentalFarminOttawa. Theseroseswithstand our winter temperatures and are resistant toblackspotandpowderymildew. Imust decide on a colour to enhance the area in my yard before I selecttheroses. Should I select MartinFrobisher developedin1968, Jens Munk in 1974, Henry Hudson in 1976, DavidThompson in1979,or Charles Albanel in 1982?

o Garon i of T

38th Flower Show

March 3rd to March 7th, 1993

Wednesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

ADMISSION: Adult $6.50

Senior & Student $5.50

Children 5-12 $1.00

Under 5 Free

CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE

Information 447-5218

See February Trellis for details Trellis, March, 1993

Easter plant sale

Members pre-order pick-up day

Friday, March 26, 1993 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

BrightenyourhomewithHydrangeas,AzaleasorEasterLiliesfortheholidays. Eachone will be attractively wrapped and have easy care instructions for gift giving. The Hydrangeas havefive or moreblooms and are pink,blue or white. Elegant EasterLilies willadd thatspecialtouchto your home. ExquisiteAzaleasareabeautifulgiftto give or receive.

A pre-order day has been scheduled for members of the Civic Garden Centre. By preorderingyourEasterplantsbeforeMarch22, memberswillreceivea 10% discounton all their plants and have the best selection of plants from which to choose. Civic Garden Centre volunteers will be present to give assistance.

Return or fax this form to the Civic Garden Centre or phone 397-1355 to place your order.

Easter plants: Number of plants

e All varieties are subject to availability. ® A 10% member s discount will apply to preorders returned priorto March 22, 1993. ¢ Please pay foryour plants on members preorder day, Friday, March 26, 1993. * GST is not included in the price. ® Public sale days are March 27 and 28 from noon until 4:00 pm. ® Questions? Call 397-1355.

Name:

Address: City: Postal code: Phone: Membership number: Expiry date:

Q / 9

Members pre-order pick-up day N'9 Friday,April2,1993

PANSY

10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Brighten up your spring garden with cheerful pansies. Ready to plant immediately, pansiesareavailableinallthemostpopularcolours. Newfor1993aretwoPrincessViolas andtheImperialFrostyRose,BeaconsfieldandAntiqueShadespansies. Thebloomswill brightenyourgardenfromspringthroughthesummer. CivicGardenCentrevolunteers will be present to give assistance .

Pansies are $1.49 perbox.

Return or fax this form or phone 397-1355 Each box has four plants. to place your pre-order.

Pleaseindicatethenumberofboxesyouwouldliketoorder: (Allvarietiesare subjectto availability.)

Universal Yellow Universal Pale Blue D

Universal Apricot Universal White D

Majestic Giant Mixed

Maxim Yellow (with a face) New!

Imperial Pink Shades (Pink and white with a deeper pink face)

Imperial Beaconsfield (Deep purple with lighter purple top) New!

Imperial Antique Shades (Each is a blend of apricot, orange or white) New!

Imperial FrostyRose (Light rose to deep rose on the lower petals) New!

JohnnyJump Ups

Viola Princess Cream (Creamy white) New!

Viola Princess Bicolour (Purple with mini white faces) New!

* A 10% member sdiscountwillapplytopre-orders returned priortoMarch29, 1993. ¢ Pleasepayforyourplantsonmembers pre-orderday,Friday,April2,1993. ¢ GSTisnot included in the price. ® Public sale days are April 3 and 4 from noon until 5:00 p.m. ¢ Questions? Call 397-1355.

Name:

Addresssh DR SR i e SuEee - TSCity:.om0

Postal code: Phone: Membership number: Expiry date:

Perennial pleasures

Wednesday, April 14, 1993

7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. members - $27; non-members - $37

Who loves agarden still his Eden keeps, perennial pleasures plants and wholesome harvests reaps.

Amos Bronson Alcott, Tablets, 1868

Vita Sackville-West wrote, Gardening is largely a question of mixing one sort of plant withanothersortofplant,andofseeinghowtheymarryhappily together,and ifyousee thattheydon tmarryhappily,thenyoumusthoickoneofthemoutandbequiteruthless about it. That is the only way to garden. The true gardener must be brutal, and imaginative for the future. (The V. Sackville-West Garden Book: A Collection by Philippa Nicolson, 1968)

This evening will be filled with the exciting and colourful world of hardy perennials.

7:00 -8:00 The new and the unusual

John Valleau is general manager of Valleybrook Garden, Ontario, Canada s largest wholesale grower ofperennials,ferns, and ornamental grasses.

JohnwillfocushispresentationonaselectionofnewandunusualperennialsforOntario gardeners. Hewillinclude introductions fromEngland,Holland and theUnited States. Annuals, bulbs, herbs and shrubs can be combined effectively with perennials in the mixed border or containers.

8:00-8:15 Coffee break

8:15-9:15 Working with perennials

MarjorieMasonHogueisanownerofMasonHogueGardensin Uxbridge,anurseryspecializing in unusual plants. She is alsogreenhouse managerat Pine Ridge Garden Gallery in Pickering.

Marjoriewillcontinuethe eveningbyrelatingherexperiencesinworkingwithperennials. She will show how to use plant combinations to suit your site, taking into account plant size, texture, colour, blooming time and cultural requirements.

9:15-10:00 Questions and answers Our two speakers willbe available to answer your questions.

Name:

REGISTRATION FORM: Perennial pleasures

April 14,1993 - 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

$27 per member, $37 per non-member.

Phone: ( ) Area code

Address City: Postal code:

CGCmembershipnumber: Expirydate:

Total amount:

Chequeenclosed |:] Pleasemakecheques payable to The Civic Garden Center

I prefer to use my VISA E:l

MasterCard |:]

Cardnumber: Expirydate:

Signature:

Annual Sprtng Flower Show

JARDIM "A BEIRA MAR... PORTUGAL, LIKE A GARDEN BY THE SEA PLANTED

Toronto CityHall, Rotunda, 100 Queen Street West March21 - 28, 1993

OpeningCeremonySunday, March21, 1993, 2:00p.m. EntertainmentFollowing

SHOW HOURS: Sunday, March 21, 1993, 12:00 Noon to 6:00p.m. Monday, March 22, toSaturday, March27, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30p.m. Sunday, March 28, 1993, 8:30a.m. to4:00p.m. Admission isfree Parks and Recreation

AN EDWARDS GARDEN

EVENING

Wednesday, March 17

7:30 p.m.

The flowers of the Andes with Marion Jarvie

Toronto s own gardener extraordinaire, Marion Jarvie, will present a slide-illustrated evening on Theflowers of the Andes. Marion is a Toronto landscaper and horticulturistaswellasthecreatorofanexhibition-class garden in Thornhill. She is on theteachingstaffofGeorgeBrownCollege, a course instructor at the Civic Garden CentreandalsolecturesthroughoutNorth America. Marion travels extensively, alwayslookingforunusualplantswhichcan be grown in this country.

OnetripwasanexpeditionwiththeBritish Alpine Plant Society to look at the flora of the southern Andes, Argentina and Chile. Marion found many hardy plants which could be grown here in Canada including types of alstromeria, hardy amaryllis and otherunusual plants.

In addition to wonderful plant information, Marion s lecture will serve as a travelogue, highlighting the many points of interest and travelling comfort this area offers.

The Edwards Garden Evenings arefunded by theEdwardsCharitableFoundationwhichhelps the Civic Garden Centre provide its members and thepublicwithexcitingandvariedpresentationson topics related togardening. Thereis noadmissionchargeformembersoftheCentre; non-members, $4.

GARDEN CENTRE

Unique Specimen Plant

Material to Accent your Garden

Exclusive line of Reproduction Antique

Spanish Planters, Fountains and Garden Ornaments

Tropical & Flowering Indoor Plants & Cut Flowers

Terra Cotta and Ceramic Planters

Complete Landscape Design & Installation Service for Gardens New or Old, Large or Small *®

Annuals, Perennials, Trees, Shrubs & Garden Supplies *®

Open 7 days a week all year az two localions o serue you

B [N MEMORIAM EE

Lois Girvan Wilson

A garden can be many lovely things. It can enhance the house it surrounds. It can enhance the lives ofthe people who live in the house. It can visually stimulate the community. It can add a new dimension ofbeauty to the total landscape.

ThiswaspartofLoisWilson scredo. Itopensherbook,Chatelaine s GardeningBook,and reflects her thoughts.

Lois joined the Garden Club of Toronto in 1947, a year after it was founded. She wholeheartedly embraced and contributed to all the club s activities. She loved her gardenwithitsshimmeringgreens,subtlecolour,shiningwaterandsomethinghappening every minute.

Lois beautiful flower arrangements showed the same imagination and love of plants and, over the years, they won many Garden Club awards including the Gold Cup.

For many years, Lois wrote a gardening column in Canadian Homes. When flower arrangingasanartwasrelativelynewinthiscountry, shehadtwobookspublished, one onminaturearrangements and one onchurch flowers. Theworkthatbrought her the greatestrecognitionwasChatelaine sGardeningBook,publishedin1970. Itisstillaclassic.

As a member of the Garden Club of Toronto, Lois spearheaded the club s first major communityproject,The FragrantGardenforthe Blind. From 1965 to 1967, as president, she was an energetic supporter of the Civic Garden Centre. As projects chair of the Dunnington-Grubb Foundation, she was instrumental in funding the building of the Centre sFloralHall. Loiswasalwaysconcerned abouttheCivicGardenCentre srolein thecommunityandunstintinglyofferedherongoingsupportthroughouttheyears. We will miss her.

It is the last part of Lois Wilson s credo that perhaps most truly reflected her spirit:

I believe that it (agarden) can also bea placewhere the magic and mystery ofgrowth refreshes and replenishes the spirit, and that refreshing and replenishing can make ofthe gardenera person who sees the world and comes to know it well as an excitingplace where, by his own hand, miracles can anddo happen.

(excerpts from the March Garden Club ofToronto newsletter)

March, 1993

Part two Plants that defend themselves

ByAnne Marie Van Nest, Civic Garden Centre horticulturist

It is surprising to learn that a few seemingly ordinary house and garden plants maycauseanallergicreaction. Thedegree ofdiscomfort may vary from a minor itch to a painful rash withblisters that last for weeks. The severity depends on which plant is touched, how much of the toxic plant part (usually sap) is contacted and the degree of susceptibility. Would you believehyacinths,tulips,lady sslipperorchids,hydrangea,tomatoes,balsamfirand someprimulaareallplantsthatcouldcause contact dermatitis to sensitive people?

One particularly troublesome plant is the trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans), a woody vine with clusters of orange tubular flowers in the summer. It is a native plant to the eastern United States and is grown as an ornamental vine in Southern Ontario. Brushing against the leaves or

flowers may causea rash on the skin (with blisters) that will last for a few days.

Plants of the Araceae family such as the dumbcane(Dieffenbachia),Virginiacreeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) and the fish tailpalm(Caryotamitis)containbundlesof needle-likewater-insoluablecrystalsofcalcium oxalate. When the juice touches the skin, an intense, painful itching results. Eating members ofthis plant family could be fatal.

Many plants contain substances that producedirectirritationtotheskin. Aperson s allergictendenciestootherpathogenshave no influence on their response to these plants. The reaction usually starts shortly after exposure topotentparts ofthe plant. The extent depends on the potency of the irritant, its concentration and the duration ofthe contact. Ordinarycommonjunipers (Juniperus virginiana) cause a reaction in some people.

Although a number of plants such as but3 tercups (Ranunculus), marsh marigold (Calthapalustris),virgin sbower(Clematis species), frangipani (Plumeria species), daphne (Daphne mezereum) and hot peppers (Capsicum annuum) contain potent irritants, most problems arise from exposure to the Euphorbia family. The sap or latex is milky white and causes a caustic action on the skin. Poinsettias and spurge are prominent members of this family.

The family Urticaceae, which includes the stinging nettles, has an unusual means of

StingingNettle

defense which affects almost everyone. Theyeithercausethereleaseofhistamines or release it themselves from specialized planthairs. Theycauseimmediateintense burning withcontactand itching for a few hours thereafter. A similar response is sometimes felt by some with contact to garlic, apples, birch trees, onions or potato peels.

Someplants can sensitize the skin toultravioletlight. Moisturehelpstheplantstransfertheirirritantsintotheskin. Subsequent sunlightresultsinvarying degreesofsunburn. Problem plants can be found in a number of families. Yarrow (Achillea millifolium), creeping fig (Ficus pumila), gas plant (Dictamnus albus) and many membersoftheUmbelliferaefamilywhich includes carrots, parsnips and Queen Anne s lace.

Allergicreactionsfromcontacttomembers of the poison ivy family (Anacardiaceae) arethemostcommonformofdermatitis. A lucky few, 15 to 30%, are not affected becauseofagenetictolerancetopoisonivy. If contact is made, washing with running water only is recommended because soap will remove protective skin oils and may

increase the severity of the rash. Unfortunately,poisonivyisanativeweedtosouthern Canada. It grows as a vine along the groundorwillevenclimbupatreeorpole. It has three leaflets with small teeth or lobes. The leaf shapes vary greatly between plants making identification tricky. In any event, remember the following jingle: Leaves of three, quickly flee; Berries white,poisonoussight! TheVirginiacreeper vineis often mistaken for poison ivy,but it has leaves in fives so let it thrive.

References:

Human PoisoningsfromNativeandCultivated Plants, second edition, James W. Hardin and Jay M. Arena, M.D.

AMA Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants, Dr. Kenneth F. Lampe, Mary Ann McCann.

Specializing In The Unusual. . . AQUATIC

GARDENING RARE PERENNIALS

DWARF CONIFERS Canada' sLargestBonsaiNursery OPEN 7 DAYS

Monday - Friday 10 to 6 Saturday - Sunday 10 to § (416) 686-2151 380 KINGSTON RD. E., RRR. 1, AJAX, ONT. Come to PICOV'S and depart Jfrom the

Homnest. All ofourorganicpesticides,fungicides andberbicia arefully organic and environmentallyfriendly. Drop

s really work. Even many ofthefertilizers in stock Trellls ShO to the Trellis Shop today. There are no flies on us. Civic Garden Centre

Trellis, March, 1993

Questions and answers with the Master Gardeners C}

Q. How do Igrow Calceolaria?

A. The slipper-form Calceolaria likes a cool temperature 10°C to 15°C (50° to60°F) isideal. Placetheplantinbrightlight / butnotindirectsunlight. Keepitmoistatalltimes. Mistaround \' the plantbut keep moisture offthe leaves and flowers, orplace ~ (©./. k> e it on pebbles in a tray with water to ensure high humidity.«_ S5\ 4/ . -~ Discardtheplantafterflowering.Watchoutforaphids;theycank0 & / ruinaCalceolariainnotime. Propagationisdifficult; seedsare ; - i sown in summer in a cool greenhouse, the seedlings kept cold o B and then marketed in spring as flower buds form. G

Calceolaria

Q. When shouldIspray my fruit trees? Ihave apple, pear, peach and cherry trees.

A. A full spraying program would be as follows: ( - - thefirstspray, with dormantoiland lime sulphur, {1 isinearlyspring,whentemperaturesarearound5°C(40°F) -thesecondsprayisdonewhenthebudsbreakopen § el \/_\ Z/ ./ in the flower clusters

o é x - the third spray can be done until the first bloom Q/ / v. opens (Do notspraywhen thebloomsareopen. Ifyoudo, S thebees won tlive and the flowers remain unfertilized, so

Dormant Bud Fetal YoU!Willgetnofruit)

-oncetheflower petalshavefallen,thefourthsprayBreak Fall ing can be completed - =) - the fifth spray is 12 days after the petals fall - then spray every three weeks until mid-August. Be careful to follow the manufacturer s instructions exactly, and take all safety precautions as recommended.

Q. When should Iplant pepperseeds?

A. Four to eight weeks before planting them outside. They like the soiltobewarm, so ifyou wanttoplantthem on May 24, start the seed in the last week ofMarch. Ifyou warmupthesoilbyusingclearplasticoveritthroughApril andMayandifyouuseHotCapprotectors,youcouldstart earlier.

Thanks to Vivien Jenkinsonfor illustrations. Master Gardeners answer questions on the Gardening Hotline daily, noon to 3:00p.m.

VOLUNTEER CORNER

Carolyn Dalgarno, volunteer co-ordinator

Here we grow again! It's hard to believe that plant sale time is here. Volunteers are urgently needed for the following shifts:

Easter plant sale:

Thursday, March 25 9:15 a.m. - noon sale set-up

Friday, March 26

10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. members sale 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 27 noon - 4:00 p.m. public sale

Sunday, March 28 noon - 4:00 p.m. public sale

Pansy sale:

April 1 9:15 a.m. - noon sale set-up

April 2 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. members sale

2:00 - 6:00 p.m.

April 3 noon - 5:00 p.m. public sale

April 4 noon - 5:00 p.m. public sale

Jobs include helping the members and the(fublic with their selections, cashier, carry-out as well as placing the plants, signage and display during set-up days. Please call me at 397-1351 to volunteer for at least one ofthese shifts. We need your help.

Plant of the month:

We all grow alpines, don t we?

ByAnna Leggatt

If you have small plants in your garden, youareprobablygrowingthosewhichrock gardenerswouldconsidertobesuitablefor theirgardens. Ifa particularplant is small and dies within a year of planting, they would probably call it an alpine.

What is an alpine? Strictly speaking, it is a plantthatisabletogrowinconditions too harshfortrees.Thismeansthattruealpines are found inmountainsabovethe treeline, andinournortherntundra. Inreality,rock gardeners claim anyslow-growing, dwarf form of practically any plant. If it is difficult,andyouhavetoreplaceiteachspring duetothecold /warm/wetweather,itmust be an alpine.

When Lincoln Foster, the author of Rock Gardening: a Guide to Growing Alpines and Other Wildflowers in the American Garden, wasaskedhowyoucouldtellwhichplants werealpines,hethoughtandreplied, Itis an alpine because I say it is.

What is a rock garden? It is a garden that usesrockstodisplaytheplantsandtriesto duplicate the natural conditions for plant growth. Some gardens will have natural rock, such as a quarry; others may have built rock walls or pavements or placed rocks to give an impression of an outcrop just comingup fromunderthesoil. Water and stone go together, so many rock gardeners are also water gardeners.

Rockgardeningcoversplantsineveryspecialistgroup, especiallythelessdeveloped orsinglefloweringtypes;mountaindwellers,ofcourse butalsodesertplants there are several hardy cactus that will grow in this area; woodland plants from trilliums tothetrendyorientalJack-in-the-pulpitrelation, Arisaema sikokianum; any prim-

rose relation; all the small bulbs from the first snowdrop and early crocus to the mediumoreventhelargefloweringonions; lilies; allthedwarfconifers,eveniftheywill eventually grow to four or five metres; the small-leavedrhododendrons,theheathsand heathers and most oftheir hardy relations; all the species iris, and including medium anddwarfbeardediris;miniatureandafew species roses; smaller deciduous shrubs such as the white forsythia; perennials ... the list goes on.

Perennialsarethemainstayoftherockgarden. A very large rock garden such as the RockAlpineGardenatDenverBotanicGarden and a perennial garden only differ in that the rock garden may, but not always, haverockssetinthebeds,toshowoffandto help the plants keep their roots cool. The rock garden soil will be porous (usually quite sandy) and probably less rich. There aresmallrelationsofmostcommonperennial plants delphinium, only 20 cm tall, creepingphlox,balloonflowerslessthan10 cm high, dwarfbellflowers, veronicas, and onand on ...

Rock gardening is becoming increasingly popular, but many gardeners are frightenedbythename alpine . Itmakesaplant sound unobtainable and difficult. The botanical name is often used, which adds to theproblems,but gentian and Gentiana are almost the same, aren t they?

Anna Leggatt is a Toronto Master Gardener, andeditorof TheJournal, the newsletterofthe OntarioRockGarden Society. TheSocietyusuallymeetsthesecondSundayofthemonthatthe Centreat 1:30 p.m. See Coming events.

The Trellis Shop=

Just arrived McCordicKsgardening gloves

Yellow vinyl-impregnatedglove with green thumb. § 1.95

Ladies/youth garden glove (water resistant). Three colours. § 1.95

Top quality suede glove with 2 1/2 \ safety cuff. §$4.95

Many other styles and prices to choose from. $ 1.95to § 25

Extended hours: open March 17 from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

In the library

By Pamela MacKenzie, Centre librarian

Recent additions to the library:

Some recent additions to the library include:

Be a library friend

Members can help the Centre s library to acquire newbooksby taking part in our Buy aBookprogram. Thefollowingbookswillbe on display in the library in March.

ROn display for prospective donors:

* Pitkin,Olive. MygardenandI: themaking ofa mid-lifegardener. $20.

* Beales, Peter. Roses: an illustratedencyclopaediaandgrower shandbookofspecies roses,old rosesandmodern roses,shrubsandclimbers. $70.

* Greenlee, John. The encyclopedia ofornamentalgrasses. $22.

* Morgan, Joan and Richards, Alison. A paradiseoutof a commonfield: thepleasures and plenty ofthe Victoriangarden. $15.

e Kelly,John. Plants with impact. $22.

* Wee,YeowChin.An illustrateddictionary ofChinese medicinal herbs. $38.

Ifyou sponsor abook, abookplatewithyour nameorthenameofafriendwillbeplaced at the front of the book. You can make a donation in person or by telephone. We accept MasterCard or VISA and will send you a tax receipt.

Sights for a spring walk in Edwards Gardens

By Lisa Wood

Edwards Gardens is a lovely place in any seasonbutitisoftenmostbeautifulatthose times of year when many visitors do not ventureout. Inthespring,anuntoldnumber of delightful still-lifes unfold every day.

Itiswonderful,justnow,towatchthechangingnuancesofcolourand shapeinbudsas they begin to break into leaf or flower. If you look closely, you can see that there really is a lot of colour in the early spring garden. Soon, when there is a soft and gentlerain,takeaspringwalkintheparkto look for the following delights.

Early spring:

One of the earliest shrubs to flower, the corneliancherry dogwood (Cornus mas), may already be in bloom. Look for its downy green bracts which open to reveal lemony-yellow flowers. It is growing near thecold framesattached to thewestgreenhouse. Near the C.G.C. entrance, the reddish-purple buds of the eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) and those of the Saskatoon serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) willsoonbeopening. Noticetoo, thebudsoftheNorwayspruce(Piceaabies) whichisalongtheconiferwalk. Lastyearat this timetheywere amostremarkablered. Laterintheseason, theconesoftheKorean fir (Abies koreana), just across the path, will be an equally striking blue.

Mid-spring;:

The surpriseattheartesianpoolnowisthe beautiful little pussy willow. It is most charming just after a rain when its silky flowerslooklikepearls. Thelargerwillows in the park are also in their spring colours giving a golden glow to almost the whole garden and enhancingthe softspring light that is now increasingly evident.

Late spring: Themagnoliasand rhododendronswillbe flowering now. One ofthe latest magnolias to flower is the elegant white-flowered oyama magnolia (Magnolia seiboldii) which is found in the rhodo beds. The flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) with its showy white bracts is nearby. Up in the arboretum, the harlequin maple (Acer platanoides Drummondii ), will look its best with its new white-rimmed leaves. Inshelteredplaces,theearlywoodlandperennials will be in flower. Look for Virginia bluebells, woodanemones, sweetvioletsandsweet cicely.

Lisa Wood is a landscape designer, painter and volunteer tour guide.

Plan to visit Edwards Gardens with one of our guides

Guided tours of Edwards Gardens begin in May, everyTuesdayandThursdayat 11:00 and 2:00. Callthe Centre at 397-1335for details or to book a group tour.

The joys of urban farming

By Leslie Lynch

Old Macdonald had a farm ee yi , ee yi, o! The singer, amemberofthepre-schoolset, was singing as he skipped along. He and the grandfatherly person I took to be Macdonaldwereheadinghomefromtheir farm . This Macdonald s farm did not have horses, pigs or cows, but rather corn, cucumberand tomatoes. Wewereallsuburban-varietyfarmers,rentinggardenplots in a hydro field.

Forme,itallbeganaboutthistimelastyear. I was determinedthat'92wasthesummer to grow vegetables successfully in a garden with adequate sun, without competitionfromflowersandshrubs. Iapplied foraplotinScarborough scommunitygardens and optimistically ordered seeds.

As the weather was getting fine, I was assigned my farm . Each of the 200 gardens measured ten by 20 feet a size which seemed woefully small when my seedorderarrived,butdauntinglybig as1 turned over the soil.

For their modest rental fee, hydro field gardeners use theirplots fromMayto October. Other amenities: the city plowed spring and fall and marked each site; the entiregardenarea wasfenced with a locking gate to keep out four-legged marauders; therewerefaucetsprovidingwaterfor hoses, screenedcompostareasandanouthouse. So,thebasicswereprovided;itwas up to each of us to realize our personal vision of a garden.

As we pursued these visions, we demonstratedabundantcreativity,personalityand

community spirit.

Creativity? WewereatrueUnitedNations andourculinarypreferenceswereevident inourcrops. Iwasastoundedat therange grown fromthewell-knowntotheunusualandtheunidentified. Othergardeners introduced me to Swiss chard and kohlrabi; I soughtinvainthenameofabeautifulwhite-flowered vinewhichproduced a long, bright-green squash-like fruit.

Some gardens were totally one crop tomatoesandpepperswerethemostpopular single crops while others demonstrated the best in intensive gardening manycrops, withlateronesgoinginwhen the early ones came out. A few gardeners took heed to the world sbeauty as well as its stomach and included flowers.

The territorial aspect of our personalities cameoutintheapproachestofencing. My farm was totally unfenced; one neighbour strung yarn around the perimeter of his plot and hoisted plastic mesh for his cucucmberstoroam;anotherbroughteyecatching orange snowfencing to surround his triple plot. A gardener caught in onetoo-many summer downpours installed a plastic-covered wood frame greenhouse.

We organized our planting with a certain flair, too. There was the hill-and-valley technique butIneverfiguredwhetherit was better to plant on the hills or in the valleys! There were the straight-row and therandom-clumpapproaches. Iusedfour beds, leaving paths down the centre and across. (By summer s end the path was

pretty much covered up with rambling squash, toppling tomatoes and relentless weeds,butIstillthinktheideawassound.)

I was amused when a series of eight-foottall tipis went up in one garden until beautifulredflowerscoveredthemandled to a plentifulbeanharvest.

Myfellowgardenersspanned allages,but shared thebond ofgardening. We traded tips, inquired how each others gardens were doing, battled weeds and pests, and discussed whether towater or wait for the next rainfall. People would press overabundantcropsintoeachother sarms. Theysharedthepleasureoftheirsuccesses, like the first-time gardeners who told me theirtwoplotshad suppliedvegetables all summer to two families. One gardener offeredtowatermyplotwhileIwasaway. They cared.

And the whole family joined in. The children were a delight.

Fromthestartoftheseason,littleoneswere onhand. Theyoungest was a tinybaby in plasticcarrierwhosleptcomfortablyinan umbrella s shade while mom planted her garden. There was the young neighbour I silently named Master Mudd. While dad dug energetically, Master Mudd filled a holewithwaterandthenproceeded toget verydirty! Afteragardenerbroughtared boxonlegstostorehisimplements, Iheard one kid wondering to another why there was a mailbox in the field ...

Allin all, it was a grand endeavour. What couldbebetterthanhavingagardenwhere only your personal favorite vegetables grow?

Nonetheless, prospective urban farmers should heed a few words to the wise.

First, remember you're not gardening at home. Youneedtomakesureyouhavethe tools you'll be needing every time you visit. [ drove around all summer with assortedpossibly-usefulitemsinmytrunk tobepreparedifmyroutetookmenearmy garden.

Plan to water a lot and at unusual moments. Unrelieved sun and almost-constant wind dried things out rapidly. Prudent allotment gardeners need to be resourcefulinchoosingawateringtime,given that there are a limited number of faucets andaseeminglyunlimitednumberofpeople wanting to use them.

Commitenoughtime. You'llhavetheusual labourofavegetablegarden turningthe soilinthespring,planting,watering,weeding (a formidable task with last summer s generousrainfall),dealingwiththeharvest and finally, putting the plot to bed in the fall. And none of this happens outside your back door.

A finalhint. Ifyou thinkyou mightliketo tryhydrofield farming,find acommunity gardeninyourneighbourhoodandgohave a look over the fence sometime this summer. I guarantee you'll be impressed by the efforts of the gardeners. I wouldn t even be surprised if someone offered to take you on a tour all the while telling you what a great time they re having.

Leslie Lynch is a member of the Centre and a volunteer on Trellis.

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ComingeventsattheCivicGardenCentre

March 3-7

» Garden Club of Toronto flower show, A Walk in the Garden

» Toronto Bonsai Society, meeting, 7:00 p.m.

« Southern Ontario Orchid Society newcomers, meeting, 7:30 p.m.

» Balcony, patio and rooftop gardening, course #4123-1

e Watercolour studio, course #4157

» Seeding annuals: flowers, vegetables, herbs, course #4172

e Men s Garden Club, meeting, 8:00 p.m.

e North Toronto Horticultural Society, meeting, 8:00 p.m. Speaker: Smilyana Mitrovic, Master Gardener. Topic: Water gardens.

» Floorclothsandplacemats: botanicaldesign course #4127

* Organic gardening the easy way, course #4175

o [kebana International, chapter #208, meeting, 7:30 p.m.

e Annuals: the finishing touch, course #4173

» Orchid judging centre (Southern Ontario Orchid Society), 1:00 p.m.

» OntarioRockGardenSociety,meeting, 1:30 p.m. Speaker: Josef Halda, renowned author, plantexplorerandseedsman. Topic: Theplants ofTurkey

» Toronto Gesneriad Society, meeting, 2:00 p.m.

» Basic good gardening, course #4122

e Toronto Cactus and Succulent Club, meeting, 7:30 p.m.

e An Edwards Garden Evening Speaker: Marion Jarvie Topic: Flowers ofthe Andes 7:30 p.m.

Members no charge, non-members $4

e York Rose and Garden Society, meeting, 2:00 p.m.

e Rhododendron Horticultural Society of Canada, meeting, 2:00 p.m.

« Vegetables,fruitsandflowers: growingand eating the unusual, course #4159 24

o Flower arranging: advanced interpretive workshop, course #4170-A Decorative arrangement: English lavender, course #4107-A

o Herbaldelight: planting,growingandusing herbs, course #4104 CanadianChrysanthemumandDahliaSociety, meeting, 7:00 p.m.

¢ C.G.C. Easter plant sale, members day 29

e C.G.C. Easterplantsale, public day 28

« C.G.C. Easterplant sale, public day

o Canadian Rose Society, annual meeting, 2:00 p.m.; Speaker: Frank Benardella, past president, American Rose Society and hybridizer. Public welcome.

Shadegardening: colourandtexture,course #4161

» Spring bulbs: a garden centrepiece, course #4107-2

May we invite you to join us?

The Civic Garden Centre warmly welcomes new members. Join us, and meet friends who share an interest in gardening, floral arts and horticulture.

Activities:

The CivicGarden Centre offers: garden tours

® workshops, classesand clinics horticultural library

* flowershows soil testing service

® lectures gardeninghotline

The Trellis Shop (garden supplies, plants, gifts and books)

. MasterGardeners' activities

® Trellis newsletter plant sales fund-raising activities

Member discounts apply on many of these activities.

Volunteers:

ThetalentsandenthusiasmofCivicGardenCentrevolunteerspermitofferingavarietyofprograms and special events. Ifyou are able to offertime on a regular or as-needed basis, please contact our volunteerco-ordinator.Volunteerjobsincludetourguides,shopsales,libraryassistants,secretarial, reception, horticulturalassistant, committeememberoravolunteerpositiontailored to meetyour particular skills or interest.

CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

Mail to: The Civic Garden Centre, 777 Lawrence Avenue East, North York, Ontario M3C 1P2

New member )

Renewing member [ ]

Single membership ~ $25

Familymembership ~ $35

Please print:

M./Mirs./Miss/Ms

Gift membership e Addeis

Donation, tax deductible

Total Apt.

Method ofpayment

[_] Cheque (payabletotheCivic ; City Garden Centre)

L IVISA [CJMasterCard

Card number

Expiry date

Postal code

Telephone (home)

Signature (business)

May we invite you to join us?

TheCivicGardenCentrewarmlywelcomes newmembers.Joinus,andmeetfriendswhosharean interest in gardening, floral arts and horticulture.

Activities:

The Civic Garden Centre offers:

* workshops, classes and clinics

. flower shows

. lectures

® TheTrellis Shop (garden supplies, plants, gifts and books)

. Trellis newsletter

Member discounts apply on many of these activities.

Volunteers:

garden tours

horticultural library soil testing service gardening hotline

MasterGardeners' activities plant sales fund-raising activities

ThetalentsandenthusiasmofCivicGardenCentrevolunteerspermitofferingavarietyofprograms and special events. Ifyou areable to offer time on a regular oras-neededbasis, please contact our volunteerco-ordinator.Volunteerjobsincludetourguides,shopsales,libraryassistants,secretarial, reception, horticulturalassistant, committee memberoravolunteerpositiontailored tomeetyour particular skills or interest.

CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

Mail to: The Civic Garden Centre, 777 Lawrence Avenue East, North York, Ontario M3C 1P2

New member £

Renewing member []

Single membership ~ $25

Family membership $35

Gift membership ug

Donation, tax deductible

Total Method of payment

[_] Cheque (payabletotheCivic Garden Centre)

[ 1VISA []MasterCard

Card number

Expiry date

Signature Please print: