The newsletter of the Civic Garden Centre in Metropolitan Toronto July/August, 1997 Volume 24,
Centre volunteers assist Princess Margaret Hospital
See page 6.
Civic Garden Centre General Information
TheCivicGardenCentreisavolunteer-based,not-for-profitorganizationwhosemission is to actas a central resource for gardening, horticulture and allied environmental issues by encouraging interest; promoting involvement; and gathering, disseminating and interpreting information in order to enhance the quality of life for members of the community.
Located in Edwards Gardens, at Leslie Street and Lawrence Avenue East in North York, theCentre serves members throughoutMetropolitanToronto and across Ontario. The Civic GardenCentre is pleased to rent facilities for meetings, receptions, exhibits and shows.
Hours:
Administrative offices: Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Summer (April 1 to October 31) - Library and Trellis Shop: weekdays 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; weekends and holidays noon to 5:00 p.m.
Winter(November1 toMarch31)- LibraryandTrellisShop:weekdays9:30a.m. to4:00 p-m.; weekends and holidays noon to 4:00 p.m.
Telephone: Area code 416.
Main number: 397-1340
Rentals: 397-1349
Library: 397-1340
Fax: 397-1354
Trellis Shop: 397-1357
Volunteer program: 397-1362
Course registration: 397-1362
MasterGardeners Infoline: 397-1345 (hours: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)
Photography permit for Metro Parks: 392-8188
Board of directors:
Chair: Helen Shaw
Members: ~Charlotte Ambridge
Staffmembers:
Executive director: Dave Nodwell
Co-ordinator, children s prcl)&rams:
Wendy Barrett argot Mather
PeterBoeckle
Dugald Cameron
Lindsay Dale-Harris
John Dean
Susan Dyer
Horticulturist: StephenWestcott-Gratton
Assistant horticulturist: ~ Sheila Smith
Librarian: RoslynTheodore
Trellis editor: Iris Hossé Phillips
Susan Gibson ; :
Mark Hartley
Manager, marketing and special events: John Howard Carolyn Dalgarno
Carolyn Kearns
Manager, administration and facility rentals:
Gwen Kearney BetsyChubb
Nancy Laurie
Barbara Mayer ¢
Manager, Trellis Shop: Jessica Harris
Assistant manager, Trellis Shop:
David Money Silke Gathmann
Liz Primeau
Allan Pat Ryley
Craig Stubbs
Dolce Tatlow
Administrative assistant: Shirley Lyons
Volunteer co-ordinator: Ada Brzeski
Maintenance supervisor: Walter Morassutti Trellis, July/August 1997
TRELLIS
Volume 24, Number 4
Editor: Iris Hossé Phillips
Editorialco-ordinator: LeslieLynch
Proofreader: Mara Arndt
Advertisinginformation: (416) 397-1340
Printed by Raised Image, Etobicoke, on recycled paper
Trellis is published six times a year as a members newsletter by the Civic Garden Centre, 777 Lawrence Avenue East, North York, Ontario M3C 1P2. Telephone number: (416) 3971340.
Manuscripts submitted on a voluntary basis are gratefully received. No remuneration is possible.
Articles, manuscripts and advertising material must be received by the first of the month to insure publication eight weeks later. For example, material received by September 1 will be included in the November-December issue of Trellis.
Opinions expressed within Trellis do not necessarily reflect those of the Centre. Submissions may be edited for style and clarity.
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without written permission.
Editor s note
ByIris Phillips
Some members may recall my yearly report on the climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris) that is located on a north facingwall.Fromthepurchaseoftheplant sixyearsago,tosoiltestsattheCGC,tosoil amendments to acidify the soil and to the appearanceoftwo largewhiteblooms last year, I am now thrilled to report that the vinehas 18wonderfulblooms.Myexperience has taught me that patience is an essential quality for the gardener. I promisetogivenomoreupdatesontheclimbing hydrangea that would be bragging.
The department of horticulture continues to test soil samples for pH levels and soluble salts. The cost for members is $6 and I think that is a bargain when the results help to determine the cause forunhappy plants.
Orange is not my favorite color in the garden although I have allowed some orange dayliliestoremainbythe garage and an old fence. However, this year I have includedthebutterflymilkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) which has bright orange flowers and blooms fromJuly to September. Monarchbutterflieslaytheireggsontheleaves andotherbutterflyspeciesenjoytheplants nectar. With the destruction ofthe natural habitat ofthe milkweed, gardeners should help maintain the monarch population by plantingsomemilkweed.RecentlyIlearned that some upscale American nurseries are sellingseedsofotherasclepiasspecies that range in color fromyellow to pink to scarlet. I'll order some for next year...planning for next year inJune must be a gardener s disease.
On the cover:
Marilyn Shepherd (top photo) and Carolyn Weiss wereamongevolunteersassistingwithfirstplanting at Princess Margaret Hospital. Story, page 6.
The Great Canadian Gardening Conference i )
presented by The Civic Garden Centre at Edwards Gardens
Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19, 1997
Connectedness, from the ground up
The volunteers and staff at the CGC have put together an exciting and eclectic roster of guestspeakers,eachrenownedintheirownfield. Andwe veaskedthemtohelpanswer aquestionthatperplexesmanythoughtfulgardeners,asthe20thcenturydrawstoaclose:
How do ourgardens connect with nature, and how do we connect with nature through our gardens?
e focus your gardening philosophy e understand the source of new design trends * learn how to recreate these in your garden
from the scientists
Dr. Alex Shigo
David Bodanis
from the artist Freeman Patterson
from the designers
from the gardeners
Topher Delaney
Neil Turnbull
Sara Stein
Bruce Blevins
This unique Canadian gathering of internationally-renowned gardening experts in Toronto is an independent conference run by volunteers for serious amateur gardeners and professionals in the gardening industry.
Please send your registration form in today and support this wonderful learning experience with others who share your gardening passion.
Who is speaking?
Sara Stein,
akindredspiritinhands-ongardening,spentyearscreatinganEnglishcottagegardenin her backyard only to tear it apart and rebuild it on the premise of inclusion rather exclusion. Mrs. Stein has put years of thought into connecting not only her garden but those of whole urban communities back into balance with nature.
Bruce Blevins, famousforlushfieldsoforganically-grownfruitsandvegetables,willsharehismethods that insure abundant yearly crops without chemical fertilizers and pesticides. In a chemically-polluted world, growing plants organically in your own backyard is a personal way to clean up a part of the environment.
Dr.Alex Shigo
isTHE authorityontrees and treecare. Heknows aboutplantingwhere,when, how, and what. Heknowsaboutpruning. Heknowsaboutsicknessandinjury. Lethimsharewith you his deep concerns around preserving the trees we have now on this earth.
Topher Delaney
will wow you with her avant-garde approach to gardening. Pushing the envelope of location,MsDelaneyistheexpertinroof-topgardendesign. Herlatestdesignexpression deals with the psychological healing aspects ofplants. Her vision: the garden, taken out of the fields to green the tops of our buildings. Her dream: the garden brought to the bedside of the sick and dying.
Neil Turnbull],
a Canadian designer, is creatingwonderful gardens thatconnectbeautifulvisualdesign aspectswithbiodiversity.LearnhowMr.Turnbullcombinessuccessfuldesignprinciples in large and small, urban and country gardens with a strident sensitivity to nature.
David Bodanis, botanist, willbring us a new appreciation oflifebeneath the soil. The good, thebad and theugly. Whatdo wedototheinhabitantsofthesoilthemomentwesplitaparttheearth with a spade? or scatter a handful of fertilizer? What lives there anyway? How do we protect the beneficial and discourage the destructive?
Freeman Patterson, brilliant award-winning landscape photographer, will thrill you with his artistry. Mr. Patterson is also a great gardener and will share with us his vision ofgardening and the natural world, connecting this imagery through the eyes of the artist.
To register fill out the form on page 4 and send it ASAP to reserve your place in this never-before-never-again Civic Garden Centre event.
The Seventh Great Canadian Gardening Conference Registration Form
We know that you want to attend both days of this conference, but for those who just cannot spend two days with us, we offer the option of selecting one day only.
Are you a member of the Civic Garden Centre? Yesd Nold Members save on all Civic Garden Centre programs including the conference.
MEMBERSHIP NUMBER EXPIRY DATE:
Check one:
Both Sat. and Sun. conference days [d $220 for members /$285 for non members or Saturday only conference [d $125 for members / $160 for non-members
Speakers: Freeman Patterson, David Bodanis, Bruce Blevins, Topher Delaney or Sunday only conference [d $125 formembers / $160 for non-members
Speakers: Alex Shigo, Sara Stein, Neil Turnbull, Roundtable discussion, The Canadian Scene
The price includes lunch and snacks each day and a social hour with the speakers.
NAME HOME TELEPHONE
ADDRESS WORK TELEPHONE FAX
Method ofpayment: ~ [d cheque [d VISA/MasterCard
CARD NUMBER EXPIRY DATE:
Mail or fax to:
The Civic Garden Centre, 777 Lawrence Ave E., North York, Ont. M3C 1P2 phone (416) 397 1340 fax (416) 397 1354
Master WOI kShOpS Monday, October 20
Check below ifyou are interested in receiving information on the following master classes to be planned for Monday, October 20 following the conference: A registration form will be mailed to you. landscape photography workshop [ thebiodiverse garden design Q vegetable gardening Q gardening with espalierfruit trees [ designing withtrees and shrubs [ pond gardens a
Executive director s report
By DaveNoduwell
I'recentlyhad the rather humbling experienceofreadingElizabethBryce sHistoryof the Civic Garden Centre. Published in May this year, this book details the effort, the struggle and the tears that went into the creation of the CGC; an organization that beganasadreamforanestablishmentdedicated to provide leadership in horticulture, conservation, civic landscaping and gardening practice .
TheCentre sroleinthecommunityisto be leaders in horticulture and our history highlights how critical this was to our founders. Whyisourroleimportant? Because a love of horticulture enhances our community in a myriad of ways (I'll reserve this one for a later report!). To encourage and nurture that love is, perhaps, one of the most important objectives the Civic Garden Centre could have.
Ionceoverheard atouristvisitingPoint PleasantParkinHalifaxsay ...there snothingherebutabunchoftrees ! Iwish Thad had the presence of mind to say you re right, there is nothing here but majestic white pines, graceful hemlocks, spectacular sugar bushes, stands of stately beech. There is nothing here but an incredible place to relate to the earth, to experience nature and to reconnectwitha partofourselves .
Here in the GTA we have a unique organizationdedicated tobeinga central resource for gardening, horticulture and allied environmental issues by encouraging interest;promotinginvolvement;andgathering, disseminating and interpreting information in order to enhance the quality oflifeformembersofthecommunity. Perhaps through the efforts of members, volunteers and staff, we will all not only be-
come moreknowledgeablegardeners,but that tourist in Halifax and those like her may come to gain an appreciation forhorticulture enjoyed and shared by all of us associated with the Civic Garden Centre.
Thank you to plant sale volunteers
The Centre has sold Easter plants, pansies, perennials, herbsandannuals to raise funds for programming and as a service to members and the public. Each sale required hundreds of hours of planning, ordering,setting-up, running and taking-down. We could not have successfully accomplished these tasks without all the volunteers who assisted.
Centre says welcome to Silke and Heather!
The Centre announces the appointment of Silke Gathmann as assistant manager in the Trellis Shop. Silke brings to her new positiontenyearsofexperienceinhorticulture and landscape design, as well as in managing a garden centre in Germany. Sheisavailableforconsultationandfriendly advice from Sunday to Tuesday. Please come to the Trellis Shop to meet her. Heather Coulter has been a volunteer at the Centre for too many years to count. Recently she has taken on volunteer responsibilitiesforourbookshop.Shehas a mind like a steeltrap and pays fineattentionto detail. Sheisthe oneeveryoneasks toresearchthatimpossible-to-findgardeningbook. Heather s gracious and friendly manner has endeared her to volunteers and staff at the Centre. Heather can be reachedattheCentreonTuesday,Wednesday and Thursday afternoons at (416) 397-1359.
Civic Garden Centre helps solve PrincessMargaretHospital dilemma
By DaveNodwell
Toronto s Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) faced a dilemma: a beautiful new buildingthatis...well,horticulturallychallenged! The design ofthebuilding makes the growth of plant materials extremely difficult and, on top of this, budget cutbacksmadeplantingsandmaintenanceextremely difficult. The PMH turned to the Civic Garden Centre for help.
A meeting between representatives of theCGCandthePMHtookplaceonMarch 20. A tour of the facilities was conducted and a thorough discussion of the needs of the hospital was held. Centre representatives then met on two occasions to discuss the Centre s ability to assist and further details and information were collected.
Ofprimaryimportancewasadefinition of the Centre s role in this project. After much discussion it was resolved that the role of the Centre in the plantings at the PMH was:
* one of facilitator, organizer and providerofrequiredhorticulturalinformation and training to enable PMH to properly implement and maintain their indoor and outdoor plantings;
® to provide people power for planting design and implementation.
Agroupofvolunteerskickedoffthis project with a major pansy planting in the porte cochére area of the hospital. Many thanks to Carolyn Weiss, Sue Macaulay, Marilyn Sheperd, Susan Dyer, Dave NodwellandStephenWestcott-Grattonfor spendingthebetterpartofacolddaystartingaterrificbeautificationprojectatCanada sforemostcancerhospitalandresearch centre.
Amateur, Professional or Armchair
CentrehorticulturistStephen Westcott-Gratton planting at hospital.
Plan now for the first annual CGC seed exchange
ByAnna Leggatt
WANTED: SEEDS TO EXCHANGE AMONG MEMBERS
This summer, please collect some seeds to donate to the CGC for our first seed swap. The next issue of Trellis (September) will tell you how and where to send them. The January issue will publish a list of seeds. Members will be ableto writeforthe seeds, paying asmall handling fee. Seeddonors will get first choice!
| think seed collecting and seed growing is great fun. | hope many of you will participate.
How to collect and clean seed:
e Do not dead head your flowers.
* Goouton a dry day.
» Cut off the opening pods and place them in a paper bag. Label the bag.
» Ifthe seed headis small, putitin a yogurt or margarine container, but do not put the lid on unless the seeds are likely to jump as the pods open as in the geranium family.
* When the seed is dry, separate the seeds from the rubbish. You can often pour itfrom one plate to anotherand the chaff and emptyseeds will stay behind. Sieving works well for many seeds. If the seeds are large, you can blow the chaff away.
* |f the seeds are in fleshy fruit, some can be picked out. Otherwise, squash the fruits and mix the seeds in some water. A lot of the skins and fruit will float on top and can be thrown away. Wash the restin a sieve. You may need to mix with water two or three times. Dry on a paper towel.
e Putinalabelled, paper envelope and keep in acool dry place. (Plastic will make the seeds rot). Label the envelope with the name and the scientific name if possible. Please also note the time of flowering, whether it is an annual, perennial, vine, tree, etc. Also, record the height and color of the flowers.
e Watch for further instructions in the next issue.
Questions and answers with the Master Gardeners
Q. My three-year-old tree peony seems to be suckering. Should I remove the suckers?
A. If you would like a multi-stemmed effect, you can leave them to grow. Ifyou prefer the shape fo your plant as it is, pull or cut them out.
Choosebetweenmultistemandsinglestem foryourtree peony.
Q. How can I keep mosquitoes out ofmy rain barrel?
A. Try a layer of vegetable oil on top of the water. Cover the top with a mesh screen. Use an inoculant intothebreedingsitewithhydranematodes,planarians mermithia.
Some rain barrels are fitted with mosquito screening.
Q. Ihave a small lot and I want a small deciduous treefor it, something that willgrow to 12 feet high with a 10foot spread.
A. Try one of these: weeping mulberry Morus alba pendula 100:15! Russian olive Elaeagnus augustifolia 10 x 15¢ redbud Cercis canadensis 10" x 20 saucer magnolia Magnolia soulangiana 154 20 Japanese maple Acerjaponicum, many varieties R 1o v
A weeping mulberry is an attractive specimen treefora small lot.
Thanks to Vivien Jenkinson for illustrations.
Gardening questions? Call the Master Gardeners Infoline (416) 397-1345 daily, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Plant portrait: Lysimachia ciliata atropurpurea
By Anna Leggatt
Abouteightyearsago, Iboughtabeautiful plantwithdarkpurpleleaves.Itwascalled Steironema ciliata. In the spring, it grew to aroundonemetreinheight.Theleaveslost their dark, dark color but remained reddish. Yellow starlike flowers appeared on thread-likestalksduringthesummer.These had a darker centre. In the fall, the leaves, which were about 15cm long and about 3cm wide became almost scarlet.
I found new rosettes around the original. These lasted over winter and were almost black patches about 15cm across. I detached a fewplantseachspringand distributedtovarioussocietyplantsales.Soon, theplantwasspreadingaroundinToronto gardens.
I could not find any reference to the plantforalongtimebuteventuallylooked inabookonlocalflora. Thereitwasunder Lysimachia or yellow loosestrife. It is a common plant in clearings in our woodlands! The purple-leafed variety is far superior.
The lysimachias should be approached with caution as some of them have thugliketendencies,swampingtheirneighbors. Their beauty is often enough to win them reprieves from the compost heap. (Lysimachia chlethroides or goose-necked loosestrife is a good example). L. ciliata atropurpurea does spread but is not thuglike.
Theseloosestrifesarenotrelatedtopurple loosestrife, which is in a different genus, Lythrum. Lysimachia isintheprimrose family.ThenamemaycomefromtheGreek, lysimachos, meaning ending strife, hence loosestrife. Ciliata comes from the Latin
I find you can use it for great color combinations.Myfavoritesofariswiththe ordinary orange oriental poppies! It was stunning. It grows in poor soil as well as good garden soil. Although the color is darkerinfullsun,Lysimachiagrowswellin partialshade. Itiseasytogetnewplants justdiguparosetteinthespring. Ihavenot botheredseeingiftheseedsbreedtrue.Not many are formed.
Recently,anewcultivarhasarrivedfrom Europeunderthename Firecracker . Ithink itistheordinarypurplevarietywhichwas given a special name. I am growing one to see if there is any difference. The Royal HorticulturalSociety sPlantFinderlistsL. ciliata Purpurea and Firecracker as the same. | presume atropurpurea is the same too, and the accepted name is now Firecracker
Do not neglect our nativeplants. When they return from Europe with fancy new names, remember that we had them first.
(AnnaLeggattisa TorontoMasterGardener,a member of Garden Writers of America and a mad rockgardener.)
F ARTHWOODS P&
Ecological Horticulture and Design
¢ organic lawn care and quality maintenance
¢ natural stone walls and paths
¢ expertise in native plant gardens - fems, foliage, textures
¢ specialized trellises, fencing and arbors
Free Initial Consultation i : 481-8405 cilium or eyelash. The under side of the | sepuen Perrasex o SRl o leaves is halry.
BACHELOR OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE www.flux.com/Earthwoods
Books in review
Reviewed by Barbro Sollén andJanet M. Heise, Trellis book shop volunteers
Lois Hole s Favourite Trees and Shrubs
Lois Hole, Lone Pine Publishing, 1997 $19.95
From alderto yew, thereis a treeorshrub suitablefor everygarden. In thishandyguidebook,well-knowngardenexpertLoisHolehasselected 300 of her favorite species and shares the wisdom she has gained over many years owning and operating the family greenhouse and garden centre in Alberta.
Whenand howtoplantthem,howto careforthemwithaminimumof | effortand tipsforsolvingcommonproblemsareareascoveredinthiswellwrittenreferencethatmakesawealthofinformationeasytoextractandapleasuretoread. I especially appreciated the appendix, where Hole recommends species according to specific needs, such as the best trees and shrubs for attracting wildlife. Foreverygardenerconsideringachangeoradditiontothe backbones ofthegarden, this is the book for you! (B.S.)
Nature Photography
Tim Fitzharris, Firefly Books, 1996 $19.95
TheNationalAudobonSocietyisawildlifeconservationorganization in the U.S. that aims to conserve and restore natural ecosystems. Tim Fitzharris has written and beautifully illustratedthisoutstandingbookonnaturephotography. Heguides us through the principles of composition, camera techniques, equipmentandhowtogetclosetowildlifewithoutinterfering with their habitat.
It is a joy to read about light s natural drama, cold-blooded creatures, weather s changing moods and how Fitzharris managed to photograph a wolf spider up close. I particularlyrecommend thisbookforthebeginning nature photographer, as the author makes seemingly complex techniques easily accessible. (B.S.)
Jekka s Complete Herb Book
Jekka McVicar, Raincoast Books, 1997 $19.95
The cultivation, history and uses of herbs is an area of horticulture thatisrapidlygaininginterestamonggardeners. IntheTrellisbook shop,thisisreflectedbythewealthofherballiteraturenowavailable.
JekkaMcVicar says thatthe increasinginterestin herbs is partof a movement toward a healthier lifestyle, symbolizing a more natural approach . Shemanagestoconveysomeofthepleasuresthatworking with herbs bring. \
Thebookiscomprisedoftwomainsections: theA-Zofherbs (with notes ofspecies, cultivation, containergrowinganduses) anda general section with details on propagation, herb garden designs, recipes for herbal oils. Beinganaspiringherbgrowermyself,Ifoundthisbookhelpfulandaterrific tool when planning a herb garden on the ground or in containers! (B.S.)
A pair of books, each demonstrating contrasting gardening styles:
The 20-Minute Gardener
ByTomChristopherandMartyAsher,RandomHouse,NewYork,1997 $27.95
A professional horticulturist (Tom) meets the ultimate non-gardener (Marty) and the result is this humorousyetpractical guide to gardening in just 20 minutes a day (the length of a Seinfeld episode before commercials). But many of their suggestions for low-maintenance, organic gardening are so practical that even the lucky ones with far more time available could learn many a lesson.
The book is filled with 20-minute projects, plus tips on who should do thework, where tobuyplants, whichtools are essential, weedingin onehourayear(!!),plusfavoriteplantsfrombothTomandMarty(youguessedit they don tagree!). Andforthosewhojustcan tcopeanymore,thereisGardenersAnonymous with a 20-minute Five-Step Program for Horticultural Self-Help. So throw away your preconceivednotionsandsimplifyyourgardenandyourlife in20minutesaday!(J.H.)
Yew and Non-Yew
ByJames Bartholomew, Century Books, London, England, 1996 $20
TheBritishgardeningpopulaceisdividedintotwotribes: Yew(true disciples of Gertrude Jekyll who covet aged walls, hellebores, knot gardens and yew hedges) and non-Yew (backyard barbecue chefs entertaining friends on concrete patios amid swaths of vivid, multicolored annuals, gnomes and loungingconcrete frogs). Guides to garden furniture, plants, paving, features plus gardening gurus to emulate. Great fun! (J.H.)
Window Boxes
By Tovah Martin, Taylor's Weekend Gardening Guides, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, softcover, 1997 $17.95
The color photographs aloneprovide inspiring ideas forbreathtakingdisplays. Windowboxesareaformofgardeningthatisopento everyone, whether city-bound or rural, homeowner or apartment 2228 dweller. Location, ideas, styles, what plants to feature ... and how B} to overcome the challenges of watering demands and narrow boxes. Springboxes,autumnboxes,foliageboxes,fragrantboxes, culinaryboxes yourliberatedwindowboxcouldbejusta few pages away. (J.H.)
What type of gardener are you?
By AnneMarie Van Nest
Self-discovery is once again taking hold of North America. What type of person are you; what is your child s learning style; does your personality mesh with your spouse s for a long-term relationship? All of these questions are of importance,butthequestionofevengreatermeaningthathasyetto be asked is ... what type of gardener are you?
This gardening personality testwilldefineyourgardening styleandleadyoutoamuchbetterunderstandingofyourself. Cancelthe weekend retreatand take a fewmoments to match your gardening personality with the list below.
Check the appropriate box(es) for yourself or a gardening friend.
(d The Felix
Everything in this garden must be perfectly neat with not a leaf or flower out of place. The eardrum-splitting vacuum/blower is this gardener s favorite piece of equipment. This gardener would be perfectly happy in a Victorian gardenwhere it was common practice to pin down the leaves and stems of roses, clematis and delphiniumssothatjusttheflowerswouldshow. Now,neatnikgardenerscongregate around a certain natural wonder located in southern Ontario.
O Wild and natural
In this very informal, chaos-like garden, an inspired sense of disorder is being created. Thewildlookismainlycausedbythegardener sreluctancetoenforceany measure ofcontrol on plants and aninability to prune anything. This gardener is better suited to the growing environment ofBritish Columbia than Ontario.
(d The natives or true patriot plants
These gardeners spend more time roaming the Niagara Escarpment looking for nativespecies (tocollectseed) thantheydointheirowngardens. Theywon tgrow anything in the garden that was nothere pre-Confederation and dislike intensely the number of naturalized plants in their wild spaces.
d Packrats
This gardener is always on a quest to collect anything. Most often it is plants, but itcouldbegardeningbooks,toolsorornaments.KenDrusehasyournameandwill be calling to write a prominent chapter in his The Collector s Garden book sequel.
(d The empathetic
Gardenerswithanoverwhelmingsenseofempathyforplants,these can tcompost anything unless it is 100% dead. They must keep every plant no matter how poorlyitisgrowingorhowmuchroomittakesuporhowlittleitcontributestothe garden.Thesegardenerswouldkeepdandelionsbecausetheyhaveaprettyyellow flower.
The bizarre
This garden holds anything unusual such as the carrion flower that smells of rotten meat and is pollinated by flies or a black-colored delphinium, pansy or tulip. Any insect-eating or parasitic plants are also favorites of this gardener.
Jekyllitis
AgardenerafflictedwithvisionsofcreatingacottagegardeninCanadathatiseven better than the true English gardens created by the masters.
The minimalists
Thisgardenoflowmaintenanceishometotwovastlydifferentgardeners. Thefirst isthepseudo-gardenerthatlikestopretendtobeagardener,butinfactonlymows the grass (if that). This garden is one that is so low in maintenance that nothing needs doing exceptan annualpruning. It is also a four-season garden ofthe most boring kind. The second type of minimalist gardener is the professional landscaper/gardendesigner/ horticulturist. Thisgardener shomegardenisdesigned to look good with minimum maintenance, because after 16 hours of working on other gardens there isn t time. Isn t this like the saying about no shoes for the cobbler schildren ? Thehomegardensoftheprofessionalsareacloselyguarded secret, not because they have all the choicest plants, but because of minimalist gardens (some even on apartment balconies).
Grassaholic #1
Thesegardenersaredevoutfollowers ofOehmeand vanSweden sstyleofgarden design which covers huge tracts of land with masses of ornamental grasses (and twotypesofperennials). Thesegardenersbelievethatthereisanornamentalgrass suited for mass planting in every garden situation.
Grassaholic #2
Every neighborhood has a gardenerofthis type. Theyjustwill notadmitit, even tothemselves.Theyareeasytospotbecausetheyhavethegolfcourseputtinggreen lawn that is fertilized, mown three times weekly, dethatched, vacuumed, rolled, sprayed and aerated to perfection ready for the next Masters tournament.
Pruneaholic
Doyouhaveapairofpruners,secateurs,shearsorachainsawinyourhandsevery timeyoustepintothegarden?Pruneaholicsareclosethairstylistswholovetocreate excessively manicured artificial shapes out of anything that does not move.
O Sackville Syndrome
Do visions of an all-white garden dance through your mind? What about a blue garden,oranaffinitytowardagardenjustofhosta,fernsoracollectionoforchids?
Gardeners that are hooked on just one type of plant have been afflicted with the SackvilleSyndrome. ThecureforthistypeofgardeneristorealizethatVita swhite garden is not just green foliage and white blooms. It contains plenty of silver and grey foliage to add interest and variety.
(W Keeping up with the Westons
Thesegardeners musthave thelatest, newest, hottest gardeningitem. Theymight evengotogreatlengthstoscoursouthernOntario(andpayanyprice)forthisyear s longed-for plant, that variegated Polemonium!! This gardener has already been there, done that with pond, pools and rock gardens.
(W] Coloraholic
Thesegardenersaremainlygrowersofannualsbecausetheymusthave massesof color in the garden at all times and only annuals will satisfy this requirement.
AnneMarie VanNestisbacktofulfillherpromisetoIrisPhillipsandtopokefunatgardeners. By day an instructor at the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, by night she describes herselfas a minimalist, empatheticgardener afflicted with Jekyllitis.
For the love of gardens.
When you're at work on the garden you love, remember Sheridan Nurseries. At Sheridan, we have expert staffto help you, and the finest selection of nursery stock in Canada, including ' over 750 types of plants and trees grown on our own farms. And all ofour nursery stock is guaranteed for two full years! Need any advice to help make your garden even lovelier? Gardens By Sheridan landscape designers offer everything from peerless consultation and planning to complete construction and maintenance services. All for the love of SHERIDAN gardens, at Sheridan Nurseries. NURSERIES
Course corner: a preview of autumn topics
By Ada Brzeski, course co-ordinator
The spring, 1997, semester was very successful. We offered 21 gardening courses and ten botanical arts and crafts courses. Judgingbytheattendancerateandknowledge gained, we should, by now, all have beautiful gardens and bountiful crops.
Here is a preview of the fall semester:
e For those of you who struggled with Martha Johnson s chicken wire creations, you llbepleasedtoknowshewillbeteaching Nature Inspired Interiors, a series of projectstobringthegardentheme into the home. Many of Martha s projects appear on CITY-TV s Cityline.
* Don Cochrane started creating willow furniture,arborsand trellisesonhisproperty near Peterborough after his partner Anne Roberts made one at a workshop. Thisstartedthemintoabusinessnowcalled FeirMillEnterprises. Theirworkhasbeen featured in Toronto Life Gardens maga-
zine, among others. Don has become so wellknownforhiswillowcraftthathenow teachesallacrossNorthAmerica and even in England. He will be teaching a workshopontheitemthatisoneverygardener s wish list these days: the garden obelisk.
* Marion Jarvie will teach a variety of techniquesandprojectsthatcanbedonein the fall such as propagation, planting and pruning to rejuvenate your garden.
¢ Ifyouareinterestedinlandscapingyour propertyandwanttolearnhowtoputyour ideas down on paper, Landscape Design for the Homeowner is an intensive sixweek course that will teach you the technique.
These courses and many more will be starting the third week of September. A coursecalendarwillbeavailableinthenext Trellis. Course registration will start September 8.
New books in the Trellis Shop
WeinviteyoutovisittheTrellisShopandenjoyoursittingareawhenreviewingourbooks.
Gardening Naturally;getting the mostfrom your organicgarden
By Ann Reilly
Foundations ofHealth; healing with herbs andfoods
By Christopher Hobbs
$24.95
$19.95
Fresh Cuts; arrangements withflower, leaves, buds and branches
By Edwina von Gal, foreward by Ken Druse
Keep your Bonsai perfectly shaped
By Ken Gustafson
$35
$14.95
Medicinal Mushrooms: an exploration oftradition, healingand culture
ByChristopher Hobbs
$23.95
Natural Landscaping (Rodale);gardening with nature
By Sally Roth
$39.99
The Trellis Shop has recently added six new sections: small garden design, container gardening, alternative health/aromatherapy, water gardening, shade gardening and gardenwriting/literature.
Triumph or tragedy? Re-examining the garden
By Stephen Westcott-Gratton, Civic Garden Centre horticulturist
ThismonthIthoughtthatitwashightime totakeacensusofmygarden sinhabitants, to ensure that they re continuing to earn their horticultural keep. This somewhat mercilessstreakingardenersisadmittedly a latent characteristic, but it does rear its head everynowand then. I wassaddened to see that some plants had dwindled to mere specks, some had proliferated to the pointofinfestation,andstillotherswhichI expectedwouldexpirewiththefirstbreath ofwinter have miraculously reappeared.
Violets
Let s gettothe gardenthugs first. Take myberm for instance. Several years ago a gardening friend appeared with a minuscule but highly fragrant violet (Viola odorata), which I immediately plopped on to the berm. This past spring the entire structure was a magnificentmound offragrantpurple foraboutfourteendays,that is! For the rest of the year, those violets wage war on their neighbors: the alpine asters, the cowslips, the dead-nettles, the lungworts, the ferns, the columbines, the trilliums and cuckoo-pints. Guess who's winning? Worst of all, in addition to the difficultyinremovingtheviolets, oneruns theveryrealdangerofuprootinganddamaging the plants one wants to keep. The moral of this story is, ifyou care for someone, givethemabouquetofviolets,notan innocuous-looking seedling.
Lily-of-the-valley
Another bully that I have to deal with everyyear is lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis). Oneformerlysmallclumpthreatens to overtake my Primula bed on an annualbasis; Auriculas are heaved outofthe
ground by their cruel spikes, drumstick primroses (P. denticulata) and P. vulgaris areregularly pierced throughthe crown. Thetroubleagainis thatlily-of-the-valleyisdifficulttoeradicate; thepipsseemto sink deeper into the ground every season, and worst of all, I really like it! Nothing smells better than muguets-des-bois, and 1 love their deceptively shy demeanour. I justwishthattheyweren tquitesopugnacious. On the other hand, I know people who are unable to establish them at all, so thegrassreallyisalways greener. Thereis aneye-catchingcultivarwithyellowstriped leaves called Aureo-variegata, which is apparently less aggressive that I'd like to try. It mustbe pointed out thatbecauseof theirinvasivenature, theseplantsareused frequently and to good effect as groundcovers.
Daylilies
Two species were removed altogether this spring. Several large clumps of Hemerocallis which were taking up more than their fair share of space (while doing nothing very remarkable init), anda rampantclumpoffive-year-oldoregano. Iwas sorry to part with the oregano because what herb garden is complete without it? Onthe other hand, who cangetwithinten feetoftheherbgardenwhentheoreganois inbloom? It safeedingfrenzy for (beneficial, I admit), bees and wasps for at least fourweeks, duringwhichtimeevenweeding is risky unless carried out at midnight when thebees is snoozin .
Goutweed
Another groundcover that I frequently hear complaints about is goutweed
(Aegopodiumpodagraria Variegatum ). Mine is planted under a Crimson King maple, and has neverbecome invasive. The light foliage serves as a perfect foil against the dark leaves above, and never strays out of its2.5footwidecircumference.Thereason is clear: the maple is out-competing the goutweedforbothmoistureandnutrients, hence keepingit withinbounds. Nonetheless, I'd be extremely reluctant to release it into the borders!
Self-seeders
All of the plants I've mentioned so far are pesky due to their rampant vegetative (asexual) reproduction, but I've also had severalnastyencounterswith(sexual)selfseeders. Usually I'm delighted I love to see re-seeded pansies (Viola spp.), Johnnyjump-ups (Viola tricolor), love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena), and cowslips (Primula veris), all stationing themselves wherever they feel the cosiest. Generally there s plenty of room, but even if they do have too successful a season, they re easy to yank. Some plants, however, can be a down-right menace:
Atthetime,itlookedpotentiallylikemy best success, but it promptly turned into my worst nightmare. Longing for a countryside viewlongvanished fromits native domain (due to modern farming practices, ie. herbicides), I sent to the UK for some EnglishWildflowers. Whatamistake! I have been pulling weeds for the lastsevenyears! (Rememberaweedisjust a plant that s growing where you don't want it to).
The most successful tyrants of all have been red campion (Silene dioica), feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), and wild scabious (Knautia arvensis). Invariablythese are the plants visitors covetmost from the garden due to their robust character and ease of cultivation ... heh, heh. Heaven help them I try to limit these to one plant per speciesperseasonnow,sinceIcan tbearto
part with them altogether. I suspect I admire their lust for life, not to mention their tenacity and no-nonsense approach to reproduction.
Welcome additions
Atthe opposite endofthespectrumare thoseplantswhichyou don treallyexpect to see sprouting in the spring, and when you do, you can hardly pat yourback sufficientlyorenthusiasticallyenough. Congratulations, youmumbletoyourselfwith half a smirk...
RecentlyI'vehadgreatsuccessplanting perennials in the autumn I always think it s too late, but frequently these are the first, healthiest, mostprecocious leafletsof springtime. Especiallysuccessfulduring the past (albeit mild) winter were marginals such as lavender cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus), black mondo grass(Ophiopogonplaniscapus Nigrescens ), Japanese anemones (Anemone cvs. and hybrids), Kiringeshoma palmata, Salvia Compliment Blue, and best of all, the supposedly tender bulbs of Brodiaea x Queen Fabiola whichIforgottoliftlastautumn. I feel, more than ever, that sometimes we read the textbooks too assiduously, and underestimate our own unique micro-climates (weallhavethem). Tenderperennials can sometimes turn out to be quite tough after all.
Onelastthought: Ihatetostakeplants it never looks natural and at the very least, it s an exercise in frustration. That s one reason that I've moved to Japanese peonies: theydon trequire support, and I find them a much more serene sort of flower: my single pink cultivar TamateBoku is delicious in bloom, and all being well, this long-lived plant will remain robustlongafterI'mhistory. Theonlyplant I'll fuss over (to the extent of staking) is delphinium. I don t feel too badly about this since I understand that some gardeners actually go out in the rain to hold um-
brellas over flowering spikes. You know who you are: [ strongly recommend a summer subscription to the Toronto Symphony as an alternate activity on overcast evenings.
A simple technique that I employ to avoidsummerstakingoffloppyplantsisto hackthemdowntohalftheirheightduring June/July, before the formation of buds. Thispromotesbushyplantswithincreased vigor and turgidity, which are unlikely to require stakes for support. It also tends to make plants flower several weeks later, which is often a desirable attribute during
the August doldrums. I've had great successemployingthistechniquewithJerusalem cross (Lychnis chalcedonica), obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana cvs.), tansy (Tanacetumvulgare),yarrow(Achillea spp.), and Michaelmas daisies (Aster spp.).
One person s catastrophe is another s victory: it all depends on your ultimate intent. Nevertheless, this summer I trust your triumphs will outweigh your tragedies. No matter what happens, cherish the discovery, and learn as much as you can from it. The garden isn t only a great leveller, it s a great educator as well!
Trellis book shop offers personal service
The Centre s Trellis book shop has over 2,000 titles in stock; special orders are filled on any book in print. Call (416)397-1359 or 397-1357 to place your order. You may also fax your order to (416)397-1354. We will give your request VIP attention and your orderwill be filled as promptly as possible. Members receive a 10% discount on most book purchases.
CLASSIFIED
Gardenconsulting,designandmaintenance. Specializing inperennialbeds, shadegardens and flowering shrubs. Ornamental tree and shrub pruning. Experienced, personal and affordablecareforyourgarden. CaroleCharsley, (416) 444-8254.
L]
Named hosta daylily display sale: 28 Grovenest Drive, Scarborough. July 27, August 3 and 10.
L]
Daylily display sale: 31 Lake Avenue, Richmond Hill, July 19 and 26, August 2 and 9.
New graduates achieve designation
Twoyears of hardworktocomplete the University of Guelph course and many volunteer hours are behind these new Master Gardener graduates:
Wendy Barrett Gail Chang
Chris Duffy Mary Goeldner
Roxanne Hill Felicity Luckace
Sonia Leslie = Sue Payne
Stephanie Hutcheson Congratulations!
Master Gardeners complete five years service
Congratulations and thanks to Master Gardeners who have completed five years service:
Joan Beattie Sonia Day
Leslie Ferguson Marie Foley
Margaret Nevett Pat Gray
Marilyn Shepherd
OPENFOR OUR 10 SEASON!
1094 Derry Road West, 4 kms W. ofGuelph Line.
Open everyFriday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday 11-5 (905) 336-1398
DERRY ROAD ENDS AT PICKLETREEFARM
Deadline for the September/ October issue of Trellis is July 1.
Chandler & Company LLandscape Designers and Contractors A
Annual meeting report
1996 chairman s annual report
Remarks made by 1996 chair Lynne Robbins at the Centre s annual meeting, April, 1997
Challenges
1996 was a difficultyear. Inresponseto a multi-year decline inmembership, decreasing course, workshop and special event attendance, shrinking Trellis Shop and plant sale profits, and theunder-utilization and dissatisfactionofvolunteers, theBoard approved a numberofinitiativesto stimulateinterestintheCentre sfacilities, servicesand courses, expand membership and increase volunteer opportunities. Staff were hired in key positions:programming,membershipandvolunteers,plantbuying,andtheTrellisShop. Our expectation was that these positions would put in place programs and services to rekindlegrowth. Moreimportantly, theCentrewouldhavesufficientstafftosupportan increasing volunteer group, who would be the core of the Centre s staff and the key to expansion.
Anumberoffactorshinderedtheachievementofourobjectivesandcontributedtothe budgetdeficit. Despiteavarietyofoutreachprojectsandmarketinginitiatives,membership and attendancecontinuedtodecline. Withthegrowthofgardening asa hobby, the Centre nowcompetes withmanyotherorganizations andbusinesses providing gardening servicesand programs. FewerpeopleattheCentremeantthatfewerpeoplebought at the shop and the plant sales. This, combined with a poor retail climate in general, caused a dramatic drop in revenue. An ambitious sponsorship and donation program failedtoachieveitsobjectivesbecauseofthepooreconomyandtheincreaseinorganizationscompetingforfunds. Andsadly,ratherthanincreasingourvolunteers,wealienated many whom we lost to other organizations. Finally, the serious failure of an obsolete accounting system drained staff resources and masked the extent of the financial problems.
In May, the Board began to implement significant corrections. The Civic Garden CentreFoundationpledged $14,900topurchaseandinstallanewaccountingsystem. In consultationwithourauditorsand accountingand managementvolunteers fromMAS, all accounting procedures were reviewed and updated and tighter financial controls implemented. Difficultdecisionsto cutbackstaffweremadeand costcuttingmeasures in all parts of the organization were established. The Board and staff strongly recommitted to a volunteer-based organization, pledging to strengthen the volunteer program. Ibelievewearenowontheroadtorecovery. Thecombinedeffortsofmembers, volunteers, staffand Board will make this possible. Throughout this difficultyear,your commitment,your positivevision,yourfaithandlovefortheCentrehassustainedusand will allow us to move ahead with firm resolve.
Annual meeting report "
Achievements
Butbeforewe forge ahead, we must celebratethe many achievements of 1996. Three hundred andtwenty-ninevolunteersgavegenerouslyoftheirtimeandtalents,planning and organizing programs, special events and plant sales, staffing the library, the Trellis Shop and reception, conducting tours and providing horticultural information and assistingwithdisplays,publicity,plantcareandadministrativedutiesandservingonthe boardofdirectors. Thankyoutoallofyou,whocontributedwithsuchenthusiasm,good humor and hard work. You make the difference; you make the Civic Garden Centre special.
OurEdwardsEveningscontinuedtoinformandentertainmembersandtoattractnew peopletotheCentre. MonicaKuhnshowedushowtogardenontherooftops,Dr. Alfred EvansstimulatedourinterestinthewoodlandgardenandJenniferBennettprovidedfood for the soul with a musical presentation illustrating elements of light, air, water, stone, walls and paths in the garden. David Crombie shared the latest information on the remarkable progress oftheWaterfront Regeneration Trust, while LenStanley and Hans Loewig described Communities in Bloom, the nation-wideprogram to encouragebeautificationprojectsandenvironmentalawareness,andLiseCormiertookusonatourofthe garden of gardens, the Montreal Botanical Gardens.
ParticularlysignificantfortheCentrewasMicheleLandsberg sinspiringand moving talkabouthowshe discovered thejoyand healing ofgardeningafter shewas diagnosed with cancer, which resulted in the Centre s developing a program on horticultural therapy. On November 27, we hosted a symposium for professionals which included peoplefrom hospitals,nursinghomes,rehabilitationandretirementcentres. Theenthusiasmforknowledgeaboutthegrowingfieldofhorticulturaltherapyistremendousand we havebeen asked to continue to provide leadership in this area.
We extend our sincere appreciation to the Edwards Charitable Foundation for its generous support, particularly in funding the Edwards Lectures and our horticulture services.
OurSpecialProgramCommitteeorganizedthesuccessfulworkshops: Passporttothe Ile de France and southwest England with Jennifer Dickson; Clematis and Roses with Brian Bixley, Raymond Evison and Ethel Freeman; and Holiday Tables with Toronto floral designers Fiori, Suzanne Gardener Flowers and Parterre.
Garden tours
Ourgardentoursremainpopular. ThroughtheGardenGate,thegardensofRiverview Drive, Teddington Park and Mason Boulevard, and the Great Private Gardens Tours to Brantford, Hamilton and Ancaster and to Oshawa and Bowmanville again attracted record numbers of garden enthusiasts. Our thanks to the Master Gardeners and all the volunteerswho staffthe gardens and guidethese tours. Threenew summertours to the Gardens ofCasa Loma and Spadina House, the Waterfront gardens and MarionJarvie s garden were introduced in 1996.
Over 40 volunteers provided guided tours for visitors to Edwards Gardens. Adults, Trellis,
" Annual meeting report
school groups and English as a Second Language groups all enjoyed exploring the gardens with the help ofthese knowledgeable and dedicated tour guides.
Partnerships
The Centre actively sought partnership opportunities during 1996. In co-operation with the Metropolitan Toronto Department of Parks and Culture, the Centre presented the Tommy Thompson Memorial Walk, a tour led by Frank Kershaw, and picnic in memory of Metro s first parks commissioner Tommy Thompson. Working with the GardenClub ofToronto and theToronto Historical Board, a series oflunch-timelectures exploringthehistoryofgardensinTorontowasoffered. Andtheworkcontinueswiththe Garden Club of Toronto to establish the Teaching Garden in Edwards Gardens. The Garden Club has secured the necessary funds and now Garden Club members, Centre staff and volunteers are planning programs for this exciting addition to the Centre.
Outreach
The Centre s major outreach effort, Vegetable Gardening in the City, was a two-day series ofworkshops and demonstrationsat the Riverdale Farm. The Centre is indebted to the R. Samuel McLaughlin Foundation for their generous funding of outreach initiatives. Other outreach activities included Thanks for the Balconies Award Program, our PestDiagnosticClinicwithMarilynDykstraandMarcSabourinandanOrganicFarmers Market.
Mistletoe Magic
Everyfall, hundredsofvolunteerscontributeto ourmajorfund raising event,MistletoeMagic. AspecialthankyouthisyeartoLoiHathaway,Weall&Cullen,PamelaStagg, Cruickshanks, Sonia Day, CanadianGardening magazine, Michaels, the Arts and Crafts SuperstoreandMaureenRobbinswhoprovidedprizesfortheraffle. And ourthanksto theMilneHouseGardenClub,whoseparticipationandfinancialcontributioneveryyear is sincerely appreciated.
Throughouttheyearourmembersandtheirfamilieshavehadtheopportunitytotake awidevarietyofcoursesforadultsandchildren,toenjoythelargecollectionofresources at the library, to have their questions answeredby our trained horticulture staffand the Master Gardeners, and to shop at the Trellis Shop. The Trellis newsletter keeps us informed about all these activities. Civic Garden Centre membership continues to provideawealthofopportunityforgardeners,bothbeginnerandadvanced,tosharethe joys of gardening.
LastyearIoutlinedmyvisionfortheCivicGardenCentre. Westillfacethechallenges of community outreach and community involvement, information management and interpretationandfiscalresponsibility. Aswelooktoward abrightfuturemeetingthese challenges, we have two strong leaders to guide us.
New executive director
DaveNodwelljoinedtheCentreinJanuaryasthenewexecutivedirector. Davecomes to the Centre with a background in ornamental horticulture and in non-profit manage-
Annual meeting report
ment. He trained in horticultureat the Nova Scotia Agricultural College and received a degree in political science and economics from York University. He has worked in the landscape, nursery and commercial greenhouse industry and was executive director of Flowers Canada and operated Nodwell & Associates, a firm specializing in identifying and obtaining financial assistance for companies with a focus on environmental initiatives and activities. Dave s enthusiasm for horticulture and the work of the Centre, his creative problem solving and his can-do attitude are already making a difference at the Centre. Welcome Dave.
New president
Tonight,Dr.HelenShawbecomesthenewpresidentoftheBoardofDirectors. Helen holds a M.Ed. and Ph.D. in sociology. She has taught in nursery and secondary schools and at the Royal Ontario Museum. As a volunteer at her church Helen works with homeless persons and is chair of its board of finance and administration. She is also involved withadvocacy issues for the environment. She has hadboard experiencewith community groups, parent associations and residents associations.
IfirstmetHelen threeyearsagowhenwejoined the Board together. Herdedication and tirelessworkfortheCentreduring thattimehasbeenenormous. Shehas served as vice-presidentoftheBoard,chairoftheBoardDevelopmentCommittee, amemberofthe Finance and HumanResourcesCommittees and theGreatCanadian GardeningConference Committee, and is currently a key member of the Teaching Garden Committee. Helen has volunteered at the Potting Shed, as a tour guide for the out-of-town tours, at Mistletoe Magic and many other Centre activities. She is an enthusiastic participant at Centre courses and has hosted the staff/Board holidayparties for thepast twoyears. It has been my privilege to work with and learn from Helen Shaw during the past three years. Thankyou, Helen, for all you have done for the Centre in the past. The future of the Centre looks bright indeed with your strong leadership and commitment.
Meet the new Board
byHelen Shaw
AttheannualmeetingoftheCivicGarden Centre, April 22, 1997, seven new Board members were elected.
We welcome these talented volunteers and look forward to working with them. Eachonehasexpressed adesiretocontribute to the Centre s ongoing excellence.
Abiographical sketchofthe new members follows:
Charlotte Ambridge: Charlotte attended Parsons School of Design in New
York, took a six-month course in flower arrangingatTheConstanceSprySchoolin London, England, and studied a the Slade SchoolofArtinLondon. Sheworked asan interior decorator for Dirstein Robertson for 24 years, then opened her own firm in January, 1997. She is past president of the Canadian Antique Dealers Asssociation and a member of the American Society of Interior Designers and the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario.
" Annual meeting report
Wendy Barrett: Wendy is a Master GardenerwiththeToronto groupbased at the Centre. She is chair ofthe MasterGardeners Planning Committee. She worked as a curator and educator in galleries and museums, as a teacher and educational consultant in schools and has given lectures on gardening with adults and children. She has experience in working with volunteer groups in not-for-profit organizations. Wendy has had full scholarships for M.A. and Ph.D. study (with writing in progress). She claims a great personal love of gardening and all things plantrelated.
DugaldCameron: Dugaldisagraduate of University ofToronto Schools, the UniversityofWesternOntarioandtheOntario College of Art. He is president of Gardenimport Inc., a small family-owned mail order company specializing in unusualandhard-to-findperennials,bulbsand seeds. The firm represents many wellknowngrowerssuchasDavidAustinroses, RaymondEvisonclematisandSuttonSeeds ofEngland. Dugaldismuchindemandas apublicspeakertogardengroupsthroughout the country and is often featured on radio and television.
CarolynKearns: CarolynhasaM.Sc.in planning from the University of Toronto. With a strong interest in socio-economic planning, her professional life has been spent in consulting. She is a founding memberofageneralmanagementconsultingfirm,TheRandolphGroup. Shesitson the national awards jury for the Canadian Institute of Planners and speaks at planning conferences. She has worked as a volunteer at her church, her children s school, her cottage residents association andtheUnitedWay. Sheisamemberofthe AvenueRoadGardenClubandhasopened
hergardenfortheirannualtour. Sheisalso a member of The Garden Club of Toronto and a member of the Teaching Garden Commitee and the Future Planning Committee.
Allen "Pat Ryley: With a B.Comm., FCA, Pat was a chartered accountant from 1955 to 1995 with Coopers and Lybrand and apartnerin 1960. Patwasinchargeof hisfirm' sassignmentasagentfortheliquidator(SuperintendentofFinancialInstitutions of Canada) of a large property and casualty insurer with international coverage and reinsurance (1987 to 1995). He retiredinMarch,1995. Heispastpresident of Canadian Scholarship Trust Plan, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario,apastmemberofthePublicAccounts Council for Ontario, board of trustees of the Toronto Western Hospital and Diabetes Canada. Currently Pat is involved in not-for-profitactivitiesasaMAS(management advisory services) volunteer.
Craig Stubbs: Craigwas a salesperson atSearsfor25years. Heisnowretiredand is working on a century home and garden in Brooklin, Ontario. He is a director and founding member of the Ontario Hosta Society (with membership totalling 300 in two years). He is a member of the Ontario RockGardenSocietyandtheNorthAmerican Rock Garden Society. Craig speaks at horticultural society meetings and is takinghorticulturecoursesatGuelphUniversity. Throughe-mailheisbecomingajackin-the-pulpit broker.
DolceTatlow: Dolcehasbeenownerof a designerchildren sclothing store. Sheis an experienced volunteer and has volunteered in the Trellis Shop. She is currently jewellrybuyer for the shop at the Art Gallery ofOntario.
Coming events at the Centre Interested
July
in roses?
Come to hear
5 Douglas Green
* Orchid judging centre, 1:00 p.m. 1 author of .
_ Tender Roses for Tough Climates
¢ Kidsummer at the Centre at the Centre
August Thursday, July 3
2 7:30 p.m.
* Orchid judging centre, 1:00 p.m.
9
Douglas Green is a photographer, radio
* Mycological Society commentator and greenhouse owner. He
R e 816' i 5 will be speaking on Growing Roses in b anadian lris Society, plant auction, | containersand OtherHintsforSuccessful e . Rose Gardeners in Ontario .
Admission to thi tis free.
¢ (CanadianChrysanthemumand Dahlia A i Society, meeting, 7:00 p.m.
Mark your calendar now
Saturday, February21, 1998, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Civic Garden Centre presents the second annual Horticultural Open House: Get a Jump on Spring. An all-day event at the Centre.
The new Green Thumb Camp
Take a walk on the wild side. Become a woodland detective. Go on a floral parade.
Children will be able to explore and discover the wonders of the natural world in beautiful Edwards Gardens through hands-on activities in one of these week-long programs for children ages 4 to 6 years and 7 to 10 years.
July 7-11
July 14-18
August 18 - 22 and August 25 - 29.
For a brochure, call the Civic Garden Centre at (416) 397-1340.
Saturday,October18and Sunday,October19,1997