TRELLIS
July/ August, 1999
The Newsletter of The Civic Garden Centre in TorontoVolume 26, Number 4 -
Notes from the Board Spring brings good news
by Lindsay Dale-Harris, president, Civic Garden Centre Board
The annual meeting was a wonderful evening. Spring was in the air and there was a feeling ofoptimism and enthusiasm. Thanks to the City ofToronto and some skilled pruners, the Centre was filled with branches ofbeautiful blossoms forsythia, magnolia and cherry and the stage in the Floral Hall was a blaze ofcolour. Dugald Cameron, president ofGardenimport Inc. and one ofour more entertaining board members, gave an excellent slide presentation on new and interesting plants. Ifonly our gardens were bigger and our pocketbooks fuller.
At the meeting, five new board members were elected to replace retiring members Liz Primeau, Mark Hartley, David Money and CharlotteAmbridge, bringingthetotal to 21 plus the city s representative, The new members Marisa Bergagnini, Clare Fisher, Lorraine Hunter, Jane Larson and Victoria Lister Carley bring to the board considerable skills as gardeners, horticulturists, landscape architects and volunteers. We are honoured to have themjoin us.
Retiring president Dr. Helen Shaw summarized the accomplishments ofthe Centre over the past year. I thanked her at the meeting for her dedication and hard work, and I would like to thank her again for her outstanding efforts over her two-year term .
The best news ofthe evening came from our trusty treasurer, Ken Maiden: the financial report shows that the Centre is back on a solid financial footing, the result ofcritical support from our funders, especially the City ofToronto, and the dedicated efforts ofour volunteers and hard-working staff.
We still have much to accomplish. The future planning committee, chaired by board member Tracey Lawko, will present a series ofinitiatives to the board at our annual retreat the end ofMay. Certain physical spaces, such as the library and horticultural services, are in need ofrefurbishment but what about the grounds, and improving the linkages with Edwards Gardens? The Teaching Garden has been a resounding success should we now provide space indoors for children s education during the winter months? And horticultural therapy is a growing interest should there be a special place for it at the CGC?
Ifyou have any thoughts on these questions, run, do not walk, to the suggestion box. Or speak to executive director Douglas Markoff his door is always open.
Although it will be challenging, I 'm looking forward to my term as president of the board. With your support we will be able to continue to build on the strengths ofThe Civic Garden Centre.
Cryptolaemus montrouzieri arrives at CGC
About the middle ofApril, 500 adult Cryptolaemus montrouzieri took up residence at The Civic Garden Centre at the invitation of Douglas Markoff, executive director.
The little insects, Australian relatives of the Canadian lady beetle, immediately made themselves at home on the large Ficus in the lobby and settled in for a feed ofmealy bugs, their favourite food. Scale, another problem on the CGC s indoor plants, was also on the menu. We brought them in to control the inseets, inconjunctionwithgoodhorticultural practices, not to eradicate them, Douglas says. That s the way beneficial insects like these should always be used.
In the few weeks since they arrived, the bugs have had limited effect on the mealy bugs, but they re earning their keep. The best place to observe them is from the upper level of the ramp in front of studios 1 and 2, and the best way is with binoculars.
DIRECTORY
Main Number: (416) 397-1340
Fax: (416) 397-1354
Email: cgc1@idirect.com
Course Registration: (416) 397-1362
CGC Library: (416) 397-1343
Horticultural Services: (416) 397-1358
Horticulturist: (416) 397-1355
MasterGardener s
Free Info Line: (416) 397-1345
Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday& Holidays 12 to 3 p.m.
Rentals: (416) 397-1349
Trellis Shop: (416) 397-1357
Volunteer Coordinator: (416) 397-4145
Photography Permit, Toronto Parks and Recreation Division:- (416) 392-8188
Lindsay Dale-Harris
Notes from the Corner Office
Togetherwe can make a difference
by Douglas Markoff, executive director
As I write my first column for 7rellis as the new executive director ofThe Civic Garden Centre, it s early spring inmy garden, amagical time ofthe year. Necklaces of golden green hang like pendants fromtheweepingwillows. The leaves ofbeech and Japanese maples slowly unfurl in a pattern resembling an oriental fan. Rhododendrons and azaleas hesitantly open their magnificent flower buds, waiting for the time when all danger ofthermal chill has passed. Robinshavereturnedtothe garden. A male cardinal, who s nested in the garden for years, calls for his mate always be- Douglas Markoff fore I intend to awaken. A patchwork quiltofscilla, daffodils and tulips intermix with golden forsythia, fuzzy blue Anemone pulsatilla, and Virginia bluebells. Nodding heads ofFritillaria meleagris poke up fromthe sandierparts ofthe garden, while clusters of larch needles open further each day, extendinglikehungrycoralpolyps. And what s that [ hear? It s the first bumblebee
TRELLIS
Volume 26, Number 4
Editor: Liz Primeau
Proofreaders: Mara Arndt, Dorothy Gebert, Lorna Luke
Advertising information: (416) 397-1340
Trellis is published six times a year as a members newsletter by The Civic Garden Centre, at Edwards Gardens, 777 Lawrence Avenue East, North York, Ontario M3C 1P2. Telephone number: (416) 397-1340.
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 for the September/October issue should be received by June 30.
Opinions expressed in 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.
Charitable business number: 119227486RR0001 Printed by Harmony Printing, on recycled paper
ofthe season, already with a pair of golden energy-rich food sacs on his sides. How do they manage to fly?
At the edges ofthe more wooded section ofthe garden, the umbrella-like leaves of mayapple have expanded, while the trilliums are beginning to awaken. The beaks of hostas are poking through the mulch, joined by myriad otherherbaceousperennials. And those magnificent magnolias and crab apples!
Just as the spirit ofspring was awakening in my garden, I was becoming familiar with the spirit ofThe Civic Garden Centre. It was a busy and dynamic place. One day, for example, volunteers from a public school were setting up forafund-raising silentauctioninFloral Hall. The Toronto Potters were hosting a sale of handmade pottery in the studios upstairs. School children hadjust finished a program in the Teaching Garden at Edwards Gardens, and their voices rang through the building. Singing from a church choir emanated from the auditorium; lovely melodies carried throughthe Centre. What a greatplace itwas to work.
Nature s reawakening is truly a dynamic time ofthe year. Ofcourse, by the time you read this, my garden and yours will have evolved into summer, and I will have completed my first few months as executive director. Abusy Civic Garden Centre will also have progressed to new stages. As reported
at the annual general meeting, we are enjoying a more positive financial position than in recent years. This past winter we continued to raise public awareness of the Centre by participating in Canada Blooms and Success with Gardening, and each of these events gained us new members. The Edwards Lecture series has been well attended and, as was reported in the May/June Trellis, February s Getting the Jump on Spring set a record attendance. I m also happy to report that In a Country Garden, the bus tour ofthe gardens ofCaledon and the Hockley Valley, has sold out, and tickets for the always popular Throughthe GardenGate Tourare going fast. Since its spring startup, many school children have taken part in the activities and programs of The Teaching Garden. May s perennials sale was a great success, thanks to the hard work ofstaffand volunteers, including the Master Gardeners, and at this point I 'm looking forward to an equally successful annuals sale. One of our next cam-
next logical step in the evolution ofThe Civic Garden Centre s communications strategy. The Civic Garden Centre is your organization. Itrepresents yourinterests and acts as liaisonwiththe community,providinghorticultural, gardening and environmental information and advice to anyone requesting it. Hundreds of enthusiastic volunteers, a dedicated staffand a forward-thinkingboard ofdirectors are behind it. My door is always open to discuss new initiatives or anything you consider to be of importance. Please continue to support us together, we will make a difference.
Desperafél& seé king VVSusan, and Fred, and Maude...
By Carol Gardner
We are in urgent need of volunteers to work in the Trellis Shop and at the front reception desk. Shifts are four hours (morning or afternoon) per week. Ifinterested, please call the volunteer office at 397-4145.
An early alert to all CGC volunteers: keep some time for us
September 15, 4 to 7 pm. We re planning a volunteer appreciation party, and it wouldn t be the same without you! Watch for more information in the September/October issue of Trellis). In the meantime, enjoy summer in your gardens.
Time to think of seed saving
Snap! Crackle! Pop! There s an art to harvesting the pods of summer
By Anna Leggatt
In October, the CGC will have another
seed exchange, and over the coming weeks you ll have an opportunity to collect seeds from your garden to donate. Look around your garden for strong-blooming, non-hybrid plants hybrids do not set seed true to the mother plant and keep an eye out for wildflower seed to collect, too. Just remember that if the plants are on someone else s property, even a roadside woodland or a farm, you should ask permission to collect. And nevertake more than 10 per cent of the seed from any plant.
Some early blooming plants might even be going to seed now. If you want repeat bloom as well as seeds, leave one plant for seed production and deadhead the rest for more show. Or, leave one or two stems for seed production and deadhead the rest.
The seed pods ofmany flowers contain a large number of seeds. When the pods start tobrown, watchuntiltheybeginto split. Then cut the pods offinto a paper bag. Long, narrow LCBO bags are good, or you could use envelopes. Leavebagsorenvelopes in acool, dry place until the seeds have fully ripened and fallen out of the pods, then sieve them carefullytoremovedebris. I sometimes shake themgentlyacross aplate sothe seeds, which are heavier, move first, leaving the dust behind.
Podsthatcarry single seeds, such as clematis, are more difficult to harvest because the whole pod, with the seed inside, often falls offthe plant and disappears on the earth below. Wait till these pods start to change colour and then give them a gentle tap, holding a hand or an envelope underneath. Some pods, such as hardy geraniums, tend to explode, dispersing the seed. Cut offthe pods just as they turn brown and store them in a bag until the seed is ripe.
Many seed pods of the pea family split " B
explosively. I sometimes open these when they startto lookripe. Even ifthe seed is still green, itwill oftengerminate. Lastyear, Itried to open some wisteriapods, with no success. Then I dropped one. Bang! Seeds flew all over the place. After this happened a couple of times, and I had to hunt for the seeds in corners, a friend suggested I drop them into a paper bag.
The pulp of many berries should be removed from the seed before storing them. Squash the berries in a sieve and run water over them. Put them in a bowl ofwater and try to float the skins and pulp away. Dry the cleaned seeds on a paper towel. Some seeds canbe easily separatedfromthe skin andpulp ofthe berry after they have dried, but others are impossible. Daphne and Arisaema seeds
germinate more successfuly iftheir coats are left on untiljust before planting.
Seeds referredto as ephemeral germinate only ifthey are planted immediately. There s little point in storing these seeds Hepatica and members ofthe buttercup family are examples.
Once you ve harvested your seeds, keep them cool and dry. Store in small, labelled envelopes. I usually leave my seed packets in a box in a cool room. For long-term storage, put the seed packets in an airtight container with some silica gel. Wait a day and then place in the freezer.
Seeds for the seed exchange should de delivered to the CGC horticultural office no later than October 20, suitablypackaged and labelled.
Summer hours
Please note that our hours ofoperation for the summer months are as follows:
Monday to Thursday: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday and holidays: noon to 5 p.m.
Complete with over 400 colourphotographs, updatedplant information, planting tips, rose care information, the Canadian Hardiness Zone map, andmuch more! We are sure you will find this colourful and informative Guide an essential tool to answerallyourgardening needs.
Visit any one ofour stores to pick upyour copy today, and | happygardening fromyourfriends at Sheridan Nurseries!
Helen Flegg Memorial Lecture
Don t miss down-to-earth garden talk
Kathy Renwald, host ofHGTV s Gardener s Journal, calls them the Merril Lynch ofhorticulture: When they talk, people listen. And no wonder: David and Cathy Cummins lush garden, in Dundas, Ont., looks like it s more than a full-time job for two, but they
Coming Events at The Civic Garden Centre
JULY
3
Orchid Society
Toronto Judging Centre, | p.m.
8
The Teaching Garden s first anniversary celebration 3 -5 p.m. at the Teaching Garden in Edwards Garden
14
Helen Flegg Memorial Lecture
David and Cathy Cummins
The Rusty Rake Gardener, 7:30 p.m.
AUGUST
7
Orchid Society
Toronto Judging Centre, 1 p.m.
14
Canadian Iris Society, Toronto Region
Sale | p.m.; auction 1:45 p.m. Free admission
23-27
The Trellis Shop s summer sale Save up to 40 percent on purchases.
Open Mon-Fri 9:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.; Sat & Sun noon-5 p.m.
29
Geranium & Pelargonium Society annual show, 1-4 p.m.
Open to the public.
SEPTEMBER
1
The Trellis Shop Fall bulb sale begins. The shop is open daily (see hours above). Members receive 10 percent off purchases over $10,
say it takes far less time than people think. After all, they also travel, look after their grandchildren, playtennis, sing in achoirand have a busy social life. There s no time for garden work only puttering and whatever you call it, they love every minute ofit.
David and Cathy, authors of 7he Rusty Rake Gardener: Beautiful Canadian Gardens with Minimum Toil, published this year by
Library N ws
CGC library needs books
by Mara Arndt
CDG Books ($24.95), will share their tips, tricks and practical garden wisdom with members and guests ofthe CGC at the Helen Flegg Memorial Lecture, July 14 at 7:30 p.m. They ll also show slides oftheir 24-year-old garden as it developed from a large grassed areato thebeautifully designedoasisofplants it is today. The lecture is free to members and non-members.
Donations ofhorticultural and gardening books and magazines are always welcome atthe CGC library. Donations ofmoneyfrom individuals orgroups are used to buy specific books on our wish list, and tax receipts are issued on request. Donors are also credited on the book plate. Our current wish list includes the following titles:
John Lindley, William T. Stearn, editor; Antique Collector s Club, 1999; $45. Plantfinder s Guide to Tender Perennials, by Ian Cooke; Timber Press, 1998; $35. Scots Roses: A Botanical Album, by Mary McMurtrie; Garden Art Press UK, 1999; $40. Weeders Digest: The Best ofGreen Prints, Pat Stone, editor; Fulcrum Press, 1996, $20. Xeriscape Handbook: A Gardener's Partnership with the Environment, by Gayle Weinstein; Fulcrum Press, 1999; $30.
Mara Arndt isCGC librarian andcan be reached at(416)397 1343
Lily lore
The lily is one oftheworld smostromantic anddecorative flowers, as well as one ofthe oldest. Its history dates to the ancient Greeks, who believed lilies sprang from the dops ofthe goddess Hera s milk as she nursed the baby Hercules.
Lilies have beenusedtomake perfumes, cosmetics and antiaging creams. The petals,mixed with honey, were thought to remove facial wrinkles and make skin soft.
The flowers were also used for making aphrodisiacs, and in the East the roasted bulbs were considered a delicacy. It was also used to treat burns, snakebit and leprosy.
Lilies grow only in the northern hemisphere, in regions with a moderate climate, and they re prized by flower arrangers. Place young buds and tender, pointed leaves at the top of the arrangement and larger, dominant flowers at the bottom. Lilies flower this way naturally.
Lilies are strong enough to carry an arrangement all by themselves, but they also mix well with other flowers. Even one lily can dress up an arrangement ofmoremodest flowers. Place it centrally in the vase, preferably in the lower two-thirds ofthe grouping. Ifyou're using lilies only , remember that they re large, heavy flowers and require suitably large containers.
Now we are one
Teaching Garden celebrates its first birthday
hether they re exploring or getting their hands in the dirt tending their own small plots, kids love The Teaching Garden at Edwards Gardens, which celebrates its first birthday at a party July 8. The 30,000square-foot (2,700-square-metre) garden, unique in Toronto some say in the whole country is surrounded by a grove ofpine trees on a knoll in the gardens, and combines education with fun. Demonstration areas that teach classes of kids about the diversity of nature include a pioneer/ prairie garden, a Rocky Mountain garden, and an espaliered orchard. There s an alphabet garden, topiaries shaped like deer and rabbits, a dinosaur in afossil garden and achild-size Inukshuk. Many garden plots, some raised for wheelchair accessibility, are tended by kids and their school teachers, plus the CGC volunteers who direct the programs.
The birthday party, to be held in the Teaching Garden from 3 to 5 p.m., features group storytelling, raffles for kids and adults,
craftsandgames, face painting, chalkdesignsandadisplayofredwrigglerworms plus, ofcourse, refreshments.
The Teaching Garden was the brainchild of The Garden Club of Toronto. Under the direction of Marisa Bergagnini, its volunteers spent four years researching the idea, getting together a designandraising funds beforeconstructionwas started in 1977. The gardenwas opened by Lieutenant Governor ofOntario Hilary Weston July 8, 1998, and is maintainedand staffedbyThe Civic Garden Centre volunteers.
Events Around the GTA
JULY 4
The Ikenobo Ikebana Society of Toronto. 36th anniversary floral exhibition, Prince Hotel. Special demonstration by 45th headmaster Sen ei Ikenobo from Kyoto, Japan. Call (416) 229-9950 for more information. Open to the public at one p.m.
10-11
The annual Jarvie Open Garden, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., rain or shine. The garden of Marion Jarvie, landscapeconsultant, horticulturistand lecturer, contains every manner ofplant that grows in this area, plus rare trees and shrubs. Wear sensible shoes and please don t bring children, except little ones in strollers. Good restaurants nearby. 37 Thornheights Rd., Thornhill. (SE ofHwy. 7 and Yonge St.)
AUGUST 29
Gardens ofInspiration Town and CountryTour. The Garden Club ofToronto s tour ofThe Max Tanenbaum Garden, onthe rooftopofPrincessMargaretHospital, andHedgerow, the country garden of Neil and Carolyn Turnbull. Information sessions, a silent auction and a garden lunch included. Proceeds to the hospital s psychosocial oncology program. Tickets $200. To order, call (416) 946-4574.
Gifts & Gear for Gardeners
If you are a gardener or need a gift for a gardener, come and see our extensive selection of tools, books, accessories, clothing, furniture, seeds and gifts.
Phone: (905) 607-3372
Mississauga Home & Design Centre 2575 Dundas Street West (Just East ofWinston Churchill) Fax: (905) 607-6703
*Club members receive a 10% discount on all purchases
Sweet cukes need covers
Q. A.
My English cucumbers are bitter. I store them in the refrigerator could this be the cause?
The fridge is a bit cold for cucumbers, which keep best at 10 degrees C (50 F). But the bitterness is caused by pollination. The cucumber vine produces fruit without pollination, and it s grown commercially in greenhouses to exclude bees. And only gynoecious plants which produce female flowers are grown. To grow seedless greenouse-type cultivars outdoors, cover the plants with afloatingrow coverbeforethey flowerand leave itinplacethrough the harvest.
Radishes, peas,
lettuce and beans can be grown for fall crops.
Q.
English cucumbers outside may taste bitter: try to remove the male flowers.
What vegetables can Iplant now to replace the beans I've already harvested?
Radishes, peas, lettuce and more beans will produce crops ifplanted now. Beets can also be planted for their green tops, not the roots.
Myjuniper has bright orange galls. What is it, and what can I do about it?
This is a disease called cedar-apple rust, and it affects redjunipers such as Skyrocket and apple trees. Remove and destroy the galls before they burst and release thousands of spores. If you have apple trees, spray them with Ferbam several times in spring to prevent infection spreading to the junipers, and spray the junipers in August. The fungus overwinters injunipers as irregularly shaped galls. Look for them in early spring and destroy them.
Weekdays: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m
Gardening questions? Call the Master Gardeners Free Infoline: (416) 397-1345 & Weekends: noon to 3 p.m.
Garden consulting, design and maintenance. Specializing in perennial beds, shade gardens and flowering shrubs. Ornamental tree and shrub pruning. Experienced, personal and affordable care for your garden. Carole Charsley (416) 444-8254.
Wildflower and bird watching tours.
Point Pelee, Algonquin Park, Great Smokies, Vancouver Island, Turkey. For free newsletter, call George Bryant atNATURAL HISTORY TOURS (416) 443-0583 or 1-877-2452424,
& Company
Cedar apple rust on Red Cedar (juniper).