Trellis - V28, No5 - Sep 2001

THE CI1vic GARDEN CENTRE at

Edwards Gardens

3¢ Directory & Hours of Operation

Administrative Offices

Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

CGC Library &Trellis Shop

April 1 to December 23

Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, Sunday & Holidays 12 noon to 5 p.m.

January 1 to March 31

Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday, Sunday& Holidays 12 noon to 4 p.m.

MainNumber ................... 416-397-1340

PR SRV O R e 416-397-1354

Eamadl o B cgc@civicgardencentre.org

Course Registration .............. 416-397-1362

Course E-mail . ... courses@civicgardencentre.org

COCLIbrary 1oL b o s Ll o 416-397-1343

Library E-mail . .... library@civicgardencentre.org

Horticultural Services ............ 416-397-1358

TeachingGarden ................ 416-397-1355

Master Gardeners Free Info Line . . .

Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Saturday, Sunday & Holidays 12 noon to 3 p.m. . 416-397-1345

Reutals i ol S in s S RN 416-397-1349

Rentals E-mail . . .. rentals@civicgardencentre.org

Trellis Shop ..o usiinl s 416-397-1357

Volunteer Co-ordinator ........... 416-397-4145

Photography Permit, Toronto Parks & Recreation Division ............ 416-392-8188

3% Board of Directors

President: Tracey Lawko

Members: Kim DalglishAbell, Alice Adelkind, Arthur Beauregard, Sandra Beech, Marisa Bergagnini, Dugald Cameron, Victoria Lister Carley, Lindsay Dale-Harris, Kathy Dembroski, Suzanne Drinkwater, MaryFisher, Judy Floyd,Janet Greyson, Lorraine Hunter, Cecil Lamrock, Sonia Leslie, Kenneth D. Maiden, Grace Patterson,JanetRowley, Dawn Scott, Tim Tanz

3% Staff Members

Executive Director

Manager, Community Services

Douglas Markoff

Carolyn Moore

Manager, Horticultural Services Cathie Cox

Accounting Joe Sabatino

Administration Shirley Lyons

Campaign Director Janice Turner King Course Co-ordinator Rosetta Leung

Horticultural Assistant Nicole North

Librarian Mara Arndt

Maintenance Supervisor Walter Morassutti

Rental Co-ordinator Randie Smith

Teaching Garden Co-ordinator Shannon Collins

Volunteer Co-ordinator Mary Strachan

Volunteers Over 425 volunteers

3% Patrons

Honorary Patron: HilaryWeston, Lieutenant-Governor ofOntario Patrons: Brian Bixley, Awdrey Clarke, Mark Cullen, Camilla Dalglish, Sondra Gotlieb, Marjorie Harris, LorraineJohnson, Michele Landsberg, Susan Macauley, Helen Skinner

Behind-the-scenes help is indispensable

Art in the Park spawns fall program

Water everywhere?

Expert advice from the Master Gardeners

Information at your fingertips

Meet the Masters

Without them, where would the CGC be?

Beyond Maples

Late-bloomingplants add colourto the garden

The Eclectic Garden

Diane Kerbel s garden reflects her manytastes

Preserving Herbs

How to enjoy herbs all winter

CGC Courses Open Opportunities

Find a new career at the CGC

Bold Bulbs for Spring

The CGC has them

N[][HS from the Board

" byTracey Lawko ® PRESIDENT

The CGC helps people grow, too

So how do people find out about you? asked Toronto city councillor Chris Korwin-Kuczynski as he chaired the Economic Development and Parks Committee meeting March 29.

Lindsay Dale-Harris, CGC president at the time, had just given an outstanding presentation describing the CGC and our plans for revitalization. The councillors could not help but notice the many CGC supporters who filled the room, including representatives of the Master Gardeners, Milne House Garden Club, the Ontario Rock Garden Society, the North Toronto Horticultural Society, Teaching Garden volunteers, and staff (to name just a few). Korwin-Kuczynski expressed genuine surprise that an organization offering as many services and benefits to the community as the CGC was relatively little known throughout Toronto.

The question, of course, underlined what we all know: the CGC is well loved by a relative few, unknown to many. If we are to be successful in our plans for revitalization and in our capital campaign, many more people need to be aware of who we are and the benefits we provide. By the time Korwin-Kuczynski made his remark, the CGC board had already concluded that we needed a marketing strategy to increase public awareness.

In April, Judy Floyd s Communications and Public Relations Committee invited CGC members and clients to participate in two focus groups facilitated by Ellis Teichman Communications. We had a great turnout of landscape architects, representatives from the landscape trades, retail nurseries, hort societies and garden clubs as well as journalists, teachers, Master Gardeners, volunteers, homeowners and many more. They told us that the CGC is the best kept secret in Toronto ; that our programs, library and lectures are of great value to members; and that the name Civic Garden Centre doesn t reflect who we

are or what we do. We are a unique resource, a place for nurturing people and plants and the meeting place for anyone interested in gardening. We should be more, they added we should be the horticultural heart of Toronto. They told us that to attract new members we needed to be a little less intimidating to new gardeners. The message was clear: the CGC needs to tell people who we are, what we do, and the benefits we provide.

In May, the Communications and Public Relations Committee recommended a brand positioning that would publicize our benefits. Infogarden has been added to the i in the leaf in our logo to signify our purpose as the premier resource for gardeninginformation and education. The tag line helping people grow has been added under The Civic Garden Centre s name to cue the social benefitwe provide.

nfogarden

The CGC is all about helping people grow. We provide a personal development benefit to individuals by helping them to learn about gardening and how to create and care for their own gardens. We provide a social benefit to our community by providing a place for people to share and learn from each other. By encouraging people to care for their environment, we are also creating a better living environment for us all. City Council has approved in principle our revitalization plan and has endorsed the capital fundraising campaign. We cannot afford to be Toronto s best-kept secret any more.

It s time to get our message out: we are a unique gardening resource that helps people grow. Won t you spread the word? Why not invite a friend to become a member, or to take one ofour terrific fall courseswithyou? ®

THE C1vic GARDEN CENTRE

from the Corner Office

by Douglas Markoff ® Executive DIRECTOR

All the info fit to share

n a clear summer morning, an avid garo dener walks through the garden, steaming coffee cup in hand, and comes upon his highbush cranberry (Viburnum trilobum). The specimen shrub has been overrun with thousands of crawling creatures, their voracious appetites having transformed each leaf, seemingly overnight, into a skeleton. How does the gardener find out how to identify the culprit and offer a course of action?

Another gardener has tried and tried to get something, anything, to grow under her black walnut (Juglans nigra). Whom does she consult for advice? How and when is the best time to lift and split an overgrown hosta, why do apples begin to set fruit that soon after aborts and falls to the ground? And why does not a single bloom appear on the wisteria (Wisteria sinensis), when the garden centre promised it would flower prolifically? And speaking about blooms, how does one get a hydrangea to keep its blue colour?

All the gardening information fit to share resides in several places at The Civic Garden Centre. Members are familiar with most avenues the library is our first line of public service, and it s a veritable trove of information, with librarians and volunteers ready to assist. Next, the CGC horticultural staff can provide accurate gardening and horticultural information. The free phone-in horticultural InfoLine staffed by the Toronto Master Gardeners (see story, page 12) rounds out our information sources. Between staff, volunteers, librarians and the Master Gardeners, the CGC s research capabilities are vast.

You may not be as familiar with our newest service, however the Gardening Question & Answer Forum, available exclusively on the CGC Web site, maintained and organized by the Toronto Master Gardeners. It s easy to gain

access to this electronic service: log on to www.civicgardencentre.org and you ll be greeted by the welcome page. From there, navigate to the home page, where you re given a choice of whimsical icons that allow you to open any of 16 sections. Click on Ask a Toronto Master Gardener and you ll be whisked to the Q &A Forum.

Once there, a series of straightforward instructions on how to use the forum (on an optional printable page) will appear, and you can ask your gardening question. As a new user, you ll be asked to register and create a new account using your choice of user name and unique password. Once this stage is complete, posting your question is simple. There are 15 categories to choose from, ranging from annuals and perennials to weeds, insects, and trees and shrubs. Type in your question, including your hardiness zone (for convenience we ve included a link to Agriculture Canada s Plant Hardiness Zone map). Submit your question and a Toronto Master Gardener will soon respond by e-mail. (E-mail communication is secure. The Civic Garden Centre has a privacy policy on the Web site that you may read, but in essence it says we will not share your e-mail address with outside organizations.)

The Q &A Forum also provides an ongoing list of previously submitted questions and answers in each of the gardening categories. It offers you and all members of the gardening community a way to share information and get an electronic peek at what s bugging other people s gardens. After all, gypsy moths, the pollen that cross-pollinates your apple or cherry trees and the best gardening practices recognize no fences, and it s fun to see what s happening on the other side of other gardeners gates.

The Civic Garden Centre is delighted to again

be participating in the Plant a Row, Grow a Row program, sponsored in part by the North York Heart Health Network and established by the Canadian Association of Food Banks, the Composting Council of Canada and the Garden Writers Association of America. Any extra vegetables or fruit from your garden may be earmarked as a donation to feed the less fortunate. Starting now and continuing

through the end of October, please bring produce to The Civic Garden Centre on weekends and drop it off in the front lobby in a bushel basket. Each Monday, the North York Harvest Food Bank will pick up the produce. The program is a wonderful example of how people in the community can work together to assist those with greater needs. Please be generous. ¥

SHOP FOR CHRISTMAS AT MISTLETOE MAGIC

THISYEAR S MISTLETOE MAGIC, November 8-11, features several dozen new artisans as well as exhibitors back by popular demand. Their work rangesfrom handmade pottery, glassware and jewellery to distinctive holiday decorations, specialty foods, clothing, and more. The café offers coffee, tea and lunch. Mistletoe Magic is the perfect place to do your holiday shopping (or treat yourself), and at the same time supportThe Civic Garden Centre s largest annual fundraiser. Bring a friend orthe family...there s something for everyone. Hours: Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m; Saturday and Sunday 10 to 5.Admission $5. For information, call 416-397-1340.

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Georgetown Farm Outlet

Tel: 905-873-7547

by Carol Gardner

A =P\

Behind-the-scenes help is indispensable

WHEN YOU SIGN up to volunteer with the CGC you're asked: What would you like to do here? Some of us are initially stupefied by the question; we came prepared to be told: Here are the jobs that are available. Once we rally, we test out the implied independence. Sometimes, I go on vacation, we say, brazenly. When this doesn t shake the interviewer, we continue, ever more boldly, with And I'm not available Mondays. Ever! Again, no reaction. With one last try, we announce, triumphantly: I don t like annuals. Faced with a calm smile from the interviewer, we give up. We might as well join the ranks; these people are unflappable!

They aren t really unflappable, though it takes a lot to flap them; it s just that there are no hard and fast rules about volunteer jobs at the CGC. Sure, we need people to volunteer for certain key areas, but plenty of volunteers design their own jobs, using skills they already have, or ones they want to develop. Just ask the volunteers who work in administration , a catchall phrase we use to describe volunteers who do unique jobs, usually in liaison with a particular staff member or area.

The hands-down winner in the unique jobs category is the library, where librarian (and frequent volunteer) Mara Arndt is responsible for fact checking and proofreading both 7rellis and

SMITH NIXON

Smith, Nixon & Co. LLP

Chartered Accountants

Ken Maiden, cA

(416) 361-1622

Suite 1600, 320 Bay Str

the Web site with the help ofvolunteers editorial assistant Marion Magee and proofreaders Madge Bruce, Jean McCluskey, Tish Coombes, Anne Smith and Loretta Skinner. Loretta, along with libraryvolunteer Lorna Luke, is also a member of the 7rellis Committee and a frequent contributor to it; Jean sits on the Web Committee and Tish works at plant sales, in the bookstore (for volunteer Heather Coulter), in the Teaching Garden and on the Master Gardener InfoLine.

Before Randie Smith joined us as rental co-ordinator, volunteer Chris Adamus worked for weeks to ensure that everything would be shipshape for her. The two became fast friends, and Chris still comes in one day a week to do the billing. If you're a CGC volunteer, you've already seen the work of volunteer Merrill Pote; she s the creative whiz behind the party invitations sent to volunteers. Merrill spends a half-day a week creating wonderful graphics foravarietyofevents.

Brenda Hamer and Carole Bell each work regularly with Cathie Cox; Brenda does organizational and administrative work while Carole uses her writing skills to continually update the CGC plant fact sheets you see on our Web site. The Master Gardener fact sheets are maintained by Master Gardener, garden writer and Web Committee member Lorraine Flanigan. Lorraine also has the distinction of having saved the Web Committee from mass suicide with her knowledge of, and calm approach to, Web design.

Sylvia Thompson helps volunteer co-ordinator Mary Strachan with special events as well as working as a back-up receptionist, and Sou-Wah Chang is developing a new database for volunteer files. Alice Minassian and Molly Pelton work in the Teaching Garden office, Jean Johnston does a variety ofprojects for the Library....

Well, you get the picture: the place just couldn t run without the eclectic talents of our administrative volunteers even the ones who don t like annuals andwe reworkingon them! ¥

by Shannon Collins and Angela Croft

Art in the Park spawns new fall program

THIS SUMMER THE garden was in full bloom and creativity was abundant. The Art in the Park program, which made its debut during this year s March break, had been so successful we had decided to make it a regular feature of our summer programs. Nature-loving 6- to 9-yearold artists were invited to participate every day for a week in a two-hour program highlighting visual arts, puppetry, music or drama.

Traditionally, children are taught to appreciate nature through scientific exploration, but these days educators recognize the importance of integrating artistic and creative teaching methods as well. They are effective ways to enhance the learning process, and the Teaching Garden is proud to be offering this calibre ofinstruction.

We owe much of the success of the Art in the Park series to our outstanding instructors. Mary Vida Chiang returned this year, leading the young artists into the park to observe nature and its magic from new perspectives. They expressed the images they saw in a variety of ways drawing, making prints, in pen and ink and watercolour, and in sculpture using found natural materials.

Our puppetry instructor, Kanya Chang, wowed the children with his Muppet-like puppets. As a kindergarten and Grade 1 teacher, Kanya brings puppetry into every subject he teaches, and the stories he created for Art in the Park touched on the mysterious workings of water, the underground galaxy of soil and the adventures of a young Venus flytrap. Crafting the puppets and developing their character and the storywere also part ofthe program. The final showwas a bighit.

Louise Cullen took Music in the Park to new heights. Louise came to us highly recommended and has extensive experience working throughout the Toronto District School Board. She had the children listening to the sounds in the park, then creating their own sounds and making instruments with found objects and recycled material. Their exciting, sound-filled

week ended with a colourful music parade through the park.

Teaching drama in such a beautiful setting as Edwards Gardens is the dream of many an instructor. Michelle Green appreciated this and made the most ofwhat was around her, instilling in the children an appreciation of simplicity, clear expression and using their imaginations. She kept her students captivated with activities requiring very few resources Inside this Cloth, for example, in which the children would tell a story using a large piece of blue cloth.

When each set of week-long programs was over, the children s work was shown in Edwards Gardens uvisitors strolled through displays of art, or watched puppet shows, music parades or theatre productions. The park will never be the same after this summer s flurry of creative energy.

This fall the Teaching Garden will once again host Art in the Park after School. The program runs from 4:30 to 6 p.m. each Wednesday from September 19 through October 24. Fees: $60 for members; $75 non-members. Register your 6- to 9-year-old soon by calling Shannon Collins at 416-397-1355. @

Shannon Collins is the CGC s Teaching Garden co-ordinator; Angela Croft was the Teaching Garden ssummerassistant in 2001.

Late Summer Sale at the Trellis Shop

Christmas,giftware, bulbs and books, all itemsinthe Trellis Shop will be on sale at 25 per centoffforthe month of September. Includedin the sale are tropical plants,

Loretta Skinner

Water, Water Everywhere?

THERE S A LOT of talk in Ontario about water these days. Yet, since Canada holds 25 per cent of the world s surface water, one might think we could sit back and not worry about it.

But complacencywould be folly. For example, while in Toronto we might feel secure because we have Lake Ontario to supply us with water, there are some alarming and potentially damaging practices taking place. I refer primarily to the pollution and destruction of the Oak Ridges Moraine.

Although most Torontonians might know that three rivers (the Rouge, the Don and the Humber) flow through the Toronto area and into the lake, how many realize that all three have their sources in the Oak Ridges Moraine? Technically, a moraine is a glacial deposit from the most recent Ice Age, and typically contains many kinds of soil, from boulders and pebbles to gravel and fine sand. When a glacier recedes (or melts) this material is left behind in a high ridge a moraine. The OakRidges Moraine is significant in two ways. First, it forms a divide, the north side of which drains into Lake Simcoe, while the south side gives rise to the many creeks and rivers that drain into Lake Ontario. Second, the moraine acts as an aquifer, storing vast quantities of ground water. In that sense, the moraine is an underground reservoir.

To illustrate the significance of the moraine to, say, Don Mills, let us look at Wilket Creek as it flows through Edwards Gardens and thence into the West Don River. We know that at one time much more water flowed through Wilket Creek than at present because it provided power for Milne s first woollen and saw mills.

A walk along Wilket Creek today reveals many signs that the creek is in distress. It s small comfort to know that matter is neither created nor destroyed when large trees in the park are uprooted and carried downstream, or when the path is torn up and washed away. While we recognize that soil is re-deposited

elsewhere as sand bars, islands and even marshes, and that this is a natural process, the rate of erosion in Wilket Creek is unnatural. What applies to the creek also applies to the Don River.

The rate of erosion in Wilket Creek is directly connected to the change in our neighbouring landscape from rural to urban, which has led to a change in the rate at which water is absorbed into the ground. In typical urban settings, much rainwater cannot be absorbed owing to the vast areas covered with buildings or paved: think of our driveways, streets, and parking lots. All these surfaces not only deflect water but also increase the speed at which it is moving.

As well as the problems stemming from urban development, the aquifers are also being polluted and destroyed by development, and from farm and human waste. (Think of all those septic tanks being put in for the new housing units on the moraine.) And when forests are destroyed, the result is increased runoff and less water filtering into the aquifers.

Another sad reality of our local river systems is that they are often polluted. This is true of the Don River, though recent work on rehabilitating the river has led to some improvement in the quality of its water. One source of water pollution is urban runoff in the form of salt, lead, oil and animal feces, garden fertilizers and pesticides and whatever else home owners pour down their sinks and into the sewers. A far more alarming source, however, is the discharge of raw sewage that flows into the lakes after a storm causes overflow from the storm sewers. Is it any wonder Toronto s beaches are often closed after a rain because the Lake s water is contaminated by E coli?

Local golf courses may appear environmentally benign, yet they can damage the valley by filling in flood plains that used to be waterretaining marshes.

So, Canada has 25 per cent of the world s

surface water. Here are a few facts about this water: approximately 70 per cent of Canada s land mass drains north into the Arctic Ocean, Hudson Bay and Hudson Strait, and this drainage pattern conducts 47 per cent of the volume of water. Drainage into the Pacific Ocean is from 10 per cent of the Canadian land mass, but it accounts for 23 per cent of the volume of water. Drainage into the Atlantic Ocean comes from 15 per cent of the land mass, but accounts for 28 per cent of the water. The rest drains into the MississippiMissouri River system.

How fortunate we are as a nation to have all this water, but what an awesome responsibility we have to manage it well. When we fault others for mismanagement of our water resources, we have to bear in mind that where our homes are now located was once pristine countryside and remember that Don Mills was one of the first planned communities in Canada. But if

what is happening in Wilket Creek can be traced to mistakes or oversights in past development plans, we must surely work together now to prevent such things happening in the future. We must do better.

Perhaps we should all be more concerned about the proposed development on the Oak Ridges Moraine and the pollution of our water systems before we get to the stage where, like the Ancient Mariner, we cry, Water, water evelywhere/Noranydrop todrz nk C

Loretta Sktnneris an avzd naturalzstand gardener. She studied biology and botany at university and currently volunteers at The Civic Garden Centre.

J& 3% 3K 3% 3% 3K 3% 3% 3K 3¢ 3R JK 3T B MR Trellis welcomes comments on this oranysubject. Please send to Point of View, Trellis editor, CGC, 777Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto M3C 1P2 or e-mailto TrellisPOV,primzelk@sympatico.ca.

HISTORICALWALKINGTOURTO RESUMETHIS FALL

MY CONNECTION WITH the Milne family, the family whose name is lent to Milne House and the garden club, began during elementaryschool in Don Mills about 45 years ago. Linda Milne and | were in the same class in Grades 7 and 8, first at Don School and then in the newly opened Greenland Road Public School. Linda lived with her family in an old farmhouse on Don Mills Road across from the first strip of the Don Mills plaza. (Apartments were later built on her family s property, afterthey moved to a new house inVictoriaVillage.) Linda and the police, but that s another story.

into the 1940s and early 1950s, when Rupert Edwards owned the land on which the park now stands and sold it to the newly established Metro Toronto.Then we moved our focus to more recent times when The Civic Garden Centre was reorganized and expanded.

Our first two tours were initiated on a warm weekend early in May. Following a leisurely stroll through the Gardens, we invited the walkers inside pantsforourpremiere presentations.

the Centre to view old photos and interesting ~archival material. We were pleased with the | shared several adolescent adventures, including our first smoking experience. We were caught by favourable comments and the number of partici- 13 and 14 (consult the course listings in the insert

This past year, the Edwards Gardens tour guides decided to add variety and expand our walking repertoire to include eco/nature, senior, and historical tours. Considering my childhood associations with the Milnes and early Don Mills, the historical tour appealed to me. Three of us IJohn Bromley, Jean Petropoulos and I worked on giving the tour historical flavour. We took our story from the time of Alexander Milne in the 1800s,

The historical tour will be offered again October for more information), and we hope to attract another group interested in learning more about the intriguing background ofthis area.

And if | ever learn the whereabouts of Linda Milne, I ll happily reimburse her the 17 cents | owe her as my share of our first and only! package of Matinee cigarettes.

Susan Ackerman

Meet the WithoutMaster

Gardeners, where would the CGC be?

by Lisa Wood

hen I arrived at the CGC one June Wmoming to meet with Lucy Van Wyk, she was busy answering questions that had been left on the Toronto Master Gardeners InfoLine. Lucy is a Master-Gardenerin-training, and this is one of the ways she volunteers her time. The problems were fairly typical for early summer. People were having clematis trouble, for example, or wondering about what to do with their poppies and irises now that they had finished flowering. One caller wanted to know how to get rid of groundhogs, and another worried that sow bugs were eating everything in the garden. The most difficult question came from a man who had seen a shrub on TV and hoped that a Master Gardener could identify it.

As 1 listened to Lucy on the phone, I was impressed by her patience and the amount of research needed to answer the trickier questions. I was struck by how each of her answers led to a new flurry of questions on the part of the caller. If you ve ever listened to a radio phone-in show, you ll know what I mean. It s amazing to realize that the 70member Master Gardener group responds in depth to about 3,000 similar calls every year.

The Master Gardener program began on the west coast of the United States in 1972 and in the ensuing years has spread across the U. S. and Canada. The first Ontario groups were sponsored and funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, which believed such a service could free ministry employees to respond to queries from farmers and other professionals rather than from home gardeners. (Unfortunately, with recent provincial budget restrictions, the status of the Master Gardeners has changed, and there is now no direct funding to provincial groups.) The mandate of the program is to provide gar-

dening advice to the public and to develop a technical resource base in horticulture for use by the media and others, but it also increases the leadership opportunities and skills of the avid gardeners in the program.

The Toronto Master Gardeners group had its start in 1988, when Anne Marie Van Nest, CGC horticulturist at the time, faced an increasing number of queries from the public and wondered if she could use volunteers to help her answer the calls. On behalf of the CGC, she applied to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and received approval to begin a group. Currently, this group volunteers a minimum of 2,100 hours to the CGC everyyear. In addition, of course, some members contribute many more hours as tour guides, board members and committee members.

Norma Phillips, the co-ordinator of the Toronto Master Gardeners, explained how members can be so knowledgeable and fulfil so many roles. Norma herself is from a gardening family but believes her Master Gardener training has given her a more solid, scientific background from which to offer horticultural advice. The steps to qualify as a Master Gardener are very specific, and it s important that every potential candidate understand them before enrolling in the program. Each prospective Master Gardener is asked to take an exam to assess current horticultural knowledge and to attend an interview to determine his or her suitability for the program. Once accepted, Master Gardeners-in-training must enrol in independent studies at the University of Guelph and complete, within two years, the three courses that lead to a certificate in horticulture. Once they are fully fledged Master Gardeners, their training continues with monthly meetings, yearly seminars and

ongoing education, and a commitment of 30 hours of volunteer time every year. Some members choose to continue their studies to achieve the well-respected Ontario diploma in horticulture.

Becoming a Master Gardener and maintaining one s status is a lot of hard work, and those I spoke to are justifiably proud of their comprehensive training and certification. It doesn t seem surprising that some Master Gardeners are also professionally involved in horticultural pursuits. They have careers as town planners, garden designers, garden writers and broadcasters, and plant hybridizers. Others have or have had careers in social work, in libraries, in school or business administration and in

from their volunteer staffing.

You might think these activities are enough for one small group to handle, but there s more. Master Gardeners love to talk about gardening. Ifyou have a school, church, horticulture community or other group that would like to see a presentation, watch a demonstration or host a question-and-answer panel, you can call the Master Gardeners and book a speaker. Shade gardens, water gardens, container gardens, weeds, growing annuals, choosing bulbs, repotting plants, whatever the subject, the Toronto Master Gardeners will be able to provide you with an expert.

For free advice about any garden question, to book a Master Gardener for a talk, or to find out more about becoming a Master Gardener, call 416-397-1345. Or go to the Toronto Master Gardeners Web page, which is linked to the Civic Garden Centre site, at www.civicgardencentre.org. The Toronto Master Gardeners annual qualifying exam to test applicants gardening knowledge

takes place September 24 at the CGC.

teaching, professions that have provided them with the kind of interpersonal skills necessary to interact with the public.

All CGC fundraising events would be at a loss without the active participation of the Master Gardeners. Imagine Through the Garden Gate without a Master Gardener at each location to answer questions. Consider our involvement at Canada Blooms, the Royal Winter Fair, the CNE, Getting the Jump on Spring, seasonal plant sales, Mistletoe Magic, bus tours and so on without the help of the Master Gardeners. All these events benefit

And turn to the Q&A page in this and every issue of Trellis. By now, it should not surprise you that this, too, is the work of a Master Gardener. Vivien Jenkinson not only compiles but also illustrates this page. A nurse by training, she began taking a botanical painting class at the CGC when she was approaching retirement about 18 years ago. This introduced her to a new area of interest and she has since become an accomplished painter of botanical subjects. Vivien also volunteers her time as a Master Gardener by recording the history of the group. Over the last 14 vyears she has reviewed and compiled all the questions and answers from the InfoLine. The result is an interesting record of the typical concerns of Toronto area gardeners since 1987. Vivien says that, in general, questions vary little from year to year, and she knows there are sure to be plenty of questions about pruning roses.

Ifyou need some help with your roses or those suspicious green things in your raspberries, be sure to call the Master Gardeners for help. @

Lisa Wood is a multi-tasked volunteer with the CGC.

by

by Janet Davis

Choose some later- bloomingperennials and vines to add colour toyourfallgarden

ome people think of autumn as a S farewell to long days and warm nights, to swimming, golf and lazy backyard picnics. But fall s arrival needn t signal the end to the pleasures of the garden, not when there are fabulous late perennials and ornamental grasses just hitting their stride, as well as the changing leaf colours of maples, birches, sumac and serviceberry creating their own technicolour magic. The hooded blue flowers of monkshood (Aconitum carmichaelii), for example, stay open to Remembrance Day, barring a hard frost. Rugged pink Arctic daisy (Dendranthema arcticum) and autumn snakeroot (Cimicifuga simplex) bloom in October.

So here are some ideas for late perennials, a corm, a vine and a shrub that will add beauty to your fall garden.

Aster Alma Potschke is a cloud of fuchsia-

pink in October. Like all New England asters (A. novae-angliae), it prefers good soil and full sun. Shearing or pinching back the stems once or twice before Canada Day results in a bushy, floriferous plant slightly shorter than the normal 90 centimetres (three feet). Hardy to Zone 4.

Graceful Japanese anenome is a workhorse in the autumn garden. Both the species, Anemone hupehensis var. japonica, and its many hybrids (A. x hybrida) as well as A. tomentosa and A. vitifolia, have an exceptionally long flowering season. Depending on the cultivar, silken mauve, white or pink single or double blossoms with prominent yellow stamens appear from late August well into October. The plants like humus-rich moist soil in light shade and are

Photo

Janet Davis

good companions to monkshood and snakeroot. Slow to establish and to emerge in spring, the plants reach 90 to 160 centimetres (three to five feet) at maturity. Hardy to Zone 6; provide protection the first winter. It took Europeans to discover the potential of our native goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) and to begin hybridizing it to develop noninvasive cultivars. Among the best are the 60to 90-centimetre (two-to-three foot) tall Crown of Rays , Golden Fleece and Goldenmosa , and the dwarf Golden Thumb and Golden Dwarf . Incidentally, it s ragweed, which blooms at the same time, not goldenrod, that s an allergen.

Colchicums (Colchicum autumnale) are among the few bulbs in this case, corms that flower in fall. Mauve, lavender or white crocus-like blossoms, sometimes four to a stem, grow about 20 centimetres (eight inches) tall. Strap-like leaves appear in spring and must be allowed to ripen, as with spring bulbs, to feed the developing corm. These plants are poisonous, so care should be taken when han-

Seed Exchange Donations f

TO DONATE SEEDS to this fall s seed exchange, please package clean seeds in paper envelopes. Label each envelope with your name, address and phone number. We also require the following information: plant name (both common and Latin, ifpossible), plant type (annual, perennial, bulb, vine etc.), colour, height (in centimetres), description and growing tips. Please note if the seed was collected in the wild.If you have seeds that aren t ripe, say when you expect them to be ready.

Instructions for collecting and cleaning seeds appeared in the July/August 2000 issue of 7rellis. Donors of seeds have their requestsfor new seedsfilled first.

Deadline for submissions is October 26.

1| Please send your seeds with the appropriate information to Cathie Cox, horticulturist,The ILCivic Garden Centre, 777 Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto M3C 1P2.

dling the corms. They like full sun and fertile, well-drained soil, and are hardy to Zone 5 with a thick winter mulch.

Devil 's walking stick (Aralia spinosa) is a tough customer for harsh, polluted city conditions, but not an easy plant to place in the garden. Tall, thorny trunks reach about six metres (30 feet). In fall, clusters of black berry-like fruits follow summer s flamboyant white flower panicles, and the long compound leaves turn a delicious red-orange. Aralia s suckering habit makes it a good choice for a wild garden, and its exotic architectural appearance fits well in a spot where it can be appreciated on its own. Hardy to Zone 4b.

North American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) is an excellent woody vine for a rustic fence or arbour. In October there s nothing more breathtaking than its pale yellow foliage and orange seed capsules, which split open to reveal scarlet berries. You need both a male and a female vine to fertilize the small white flowers and produce the berries. Hardy to Zone 3. @

The Canadian Rose Society

7thAnnual Goulding Memorial Lecture in conjunction with The Civic Garden Centre proudly presents Roger Phillips

Author of 18 major horticultural books including The Questfor the Rose speaking on

Roses: China and Beyond

Sunday, September 23, 2001

2:00 p.m. Civic Garden Centre

Admission: $5.00 at the door (free to Canadian Rose Society members and one guest)

=k clectic GARDEN

Diane Kerbel sgarden may have its roots In England, but it reflects hermany other tastes as well

by Nicole North

and a busy volunteer, but I never realized what a talented garden designer she is until the recent Through the Garden Gate tour.

l ve known Diane Kerbel as a CGC member informal garden with many intermingling plants. Everything is crowded yet happy, and the whole represents all the parts she loves: a little bit of a woodland here, some Japanese styling there, and a lot of English country.

It all began in England 30 years ago. Diane lived in an upstairs apartment in a Victorian-era house, but she was lucky enough to be the one to have access to the garden. An elderly lady who lived below her taught her about gardening and fostered her love for this newfound pastime. But Diane moved back to Canada, where she was kept busy raising her daughter. Once her daughter was nearly grown, Diane looked for another outlet for her creativity and instinct to nurture. She found it in her garden. Naturally, she leaned toward an English country-style garden, but because she appreciates many styles of gardening she was drawn elsewhere as well. The result is a rambling,

Diane s garden has therapeutic qualities: she says it energizes her and takes away the day s troubles. Like every gardener you or I know, she d love to have perfect conditions for everything she wants to grow, but all gardeners know there is no such situation. Fortunately, her garden has areas with varying amounts of light, enabling her to grow a wide selection of plants. In the back, sun-loving flowering plants grow against a retaining wall. In this area, her favourite, Diane is able to grow a large variety of plants that bloom for her all summer. I get the most pleasure from flowers, even though I

Plants are crowded but happy in Diane Kerbel s rambling informal garden.

The Civic Garden Centre at Edwards Gardens

Come see what The Civic Garden Centre has harvested for you. This fall we are featuring several themed packages: Harvest Time, Backyard Trees, Practical Feng Shui, Gardening Indoors and Festive Stylings. Attend all three in a series and receive a great discount. The Centre continues to offer single session courses and workshops on a variety of gardening, nature and arts & crafts topics. You're invited to our fall feast, so pull up a chair and join us. And with our special deals, bring a friend too.

SEPTEMBER

HARVEST TIME SERIES

Series ofthree: Members $90 Public $120

Single course: Members $35 Public $45

Harvesting, Drying& ProcessingHerbs

Sue Britnell

Extend your gardening season by harvesting, drying and storing your herbs for use all year. A hands-on opportunity to clean and process herbs to make different types of herbal products to take home. Class limit: 12.

Date: Wednesday, September 19

Time: 1 to 4 p.m.

Jams &Jellies

Murielle Cassidy

HARO1

Learn to preserve the bounty of the season s harvest by making your own jams and jellies. Auntie M will walk you through the steps involved--when and how to pick fruit, ingredients needed, basic utensils and equipment, and nofail recipes to try. Bring an apron and take home jars of your own creations. Class limit: 12.

Date: Tuesday, September 25

Time: 12to 4 p.m.

PressedFlowers

Cathy Bartolic

HARO02

BACKYARD TREES SERIES

Series ofthree: Members $50 Public $80

Single course: Members $20 Public $30

Trees &Shrubs forthe Garden

Frank Kershaw

Trees and shrubs provide green walls and roofs that define space and improve environmental quality. Explore the potential of woody plants and discover interesting and unique species.

Date: Tuesday, September 18

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Pruning Workshop

Jim Lounsbery

Proper pruning rejuvenates trees and shrubs. Jim will demonstrate the hows and whys of this art. Also learn to care for small trees, flowering shrubs and evergreens, including fertilization. Participants will be walking outdoors to study surrounding woody plants. Please dress for the weather.

Date: Saturday, September 22

Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WoodyPlantPests

Jennifer Liewellyn

Preserve the beauty of your flower garden. Learn about the age-old craft of flower pressing, and then use some ready-pressed material to create your own greeting cards. Class limit: 12.

Date: Tuesday, October 2

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m.

HARO03

Discover what pests may be lurking in your trees and shrubs. This lecture takes you through techniques of detection, identification and control of common insects and diseases in the landscape. Slides and specimen samples will be used to illustrate woody pests and plant damage.

Date: Thursday, September 27

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m. TREO3

PRACTICAL FENG SHUI SERIES

Feng shui is the art of facilitating energy flow. Tila Silverio will discuss ways to wash away negative energy, avoid energy traps and accentuate the positives with feng shui enhancements. A well-designed space at home, at work or in the garden will bring the opportunity for a healthier, more prosperous and happier life.

Series of three: Members $50 Public $80

Single course: Members $20 Public $30

FengShui Your Garden

Date: Thursday, October 11

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m.

FengShui YourHome

Date: Thursday, October 18

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m.

FengShui Your Workplace

Date: Thursday, November 1

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m.

FENO1

FENO2

FENO3

GARDENING INDOORS SERIES

Series of three: Members $90 Public $120

Single course: Members $35 Public $45

BonsaiBasics

David Johnson

The world of bonsai offers a fascinating dimension to gardening. The art of growing dwarf trees in shallow containers involves some basic, but not difficult, steps. All materials are provided, including bonsai stock which you will prune, wire, pot, then take home for years of enjoyment. Class limit: 12.

Date: Saturday, September 29

Time: 10 am. to 1 p.m.

ForcingBulbs for Winter Bloom

Dugald Cameron

INDO1

Just in time for Christmas decorating and giftgiving, a hands-on workshop on how to force spring bulbs into winter bloom. Discover suitable varieties to force, bulb care, potting techniques and more. Bring your gloves; all materials are included.

Date: Thursday, October25

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Inside Terrariums

Cathie Cox

IND02

A terrarium is a glass container inside which plants are grown. In such controlled microclimates many plants grow better than in ordinary room conditions. Discover the diversity of vessels that can be used, learn about proper materials and preparation, receive planting suggestions, and aftercare tips. Roll up your sleeves and create a bottle garden with the help of our CGC horticulturalist. Please bring a container of your choice, or purchase one in advance from The Trellis Shop.

Date: Thursday, November 15

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m. INDO3

FESTIVE STYLINGSSERIES

Series ofthree: Members $90 Public $120

Single course: Members $35 Public $45

Inspiring Planters

Paul Zammit

Greet your guests with stunning planters. Give your urns, jardinieres or pots some festive flare. Plenty of ideas and tips on potting up and overwintering containers. Come dressed to get down and dirty.

Date: Thursday, November 22

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m.

HolidayGreens

Shirley Binns

FSTO1

Using a variety of fresh greenery, create a beautiful and fragrant garland or swag for the holiday season. Receive instruction on how to work with and care for evergreen boughs, including ideas on incorporating nuts, cones, fruits and vegetables. Bring hand pruners and needlenose pliers. Materials included. Class limit: 12.

Date: Thursday, November 29

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m. FST02

Yuletide Entertaining

Marisa Bergagnini

Celebrating the festive season is an integral part of the spirit of Christmas. From a quiet family gathering to a gala event, create pieces of detail and style to enhance your table setting and holiday atmosphere. Bring a floral knife. Materials included.

Date: Tuesday, December 4

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m. FSTO03

GARDENING COURSES

Gardeningin DifficultSpaces

Anna Leggatt

Make the most of your wasted space. Overcome the challenges of size, soil and light to plant inviting and interesting gardens. Discover design ideas for narrow spaces, difficult slopes, sandy or rocky soil, and dense shade or hot sun.

Date: Monday, September 17

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Members: $20 Public:$30 DIF01

GARDENING COURSES

Collecting, Cleaning&StoringSeeds

Anna Leggatt

This workshop explores when and how to harvest flower, vegetable, herb and other seeds from landscape and garden. Learn proper storage methods to create your own seed bank to draw from year after year. Participants are welcome to bring their own plants, and everyone will get seeds to take away.

Date: Tuesday, September 11

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Members: $20 Public: $30 SEE02

Fall Finale

Marion Jarvie

Mother Nature s finest show brings the gardening season to a grand finale. Discover which perennials and shrubs are best of show in late summer and into the fall. Get tips on how to overwinter your plants for years of enjoyment to come.

Date: Monday, September 24

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Members: $22 Public: $32 FALO3

Propagating Plants

Marion Jarvie

Multiply your plant population. Watch and learn how from demonstrations of cuttings, divisions and layering. Discover the propagation method and time of year appropriate to different species--now is the perfect time for hardwood plants.

Date: Wednesday, September 26

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Members: $22 Public: $32 PRP04

Plantscaping Your Garden

Marion Jarvie

It's never too late or too early for planning a garden. Organize planting zones depending on light, drainage, etc., and design with colour, shape and texture. The secret of success is always in planning.

Dates: October 3, 10, 24, 31, November 21, 28 (Wednesdays)

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Members: $100 Public: $130 PLAO5

Gardeningon the Internet

Lorraine Flanigan

Cyber-surfing gardeners find the information you want without scrolling through screens of bewildering Web sites. Learn to use directories, guides and search engines to discover Web sites with plant profiles, gardening events, landscaping ideas and horticultural techniques. Through hands-on practice, takehome projects and handouts, use the World Wide Web as a tool for good gardening. Class limit: 12.

Date: October 16 and 30 (Tuesdays)

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Members: $32 Public: $42 NETO06

NATURE COURSES

MountPleasantArboretum

Walks

Frank Kershaw

Mount Pleasant Cemetery, founded in 1873, houses one of North America s finest tree collections. Join Frank on a guided tour of its treasure trove of trees. Marvel at the splendour of the mature canopy and discover the variety of trees that grow in this climate. Rain or shine. Map will be mailed upon registration.

Date: Sunday, September 23

Time: 1to 3 p.m.

Members: $10 Public: $20

OR

Date: Sunday, October 14

Time: 1to 3 p.m.

Members: $10 Public: $20 WALO07 WALO08

Historical Walking Tourof Edwards Gardens

John Bromley

Join our walk through Edwards Gardens and discover the history behind this beautiful Toronto park. Following the tour, enjoy refreshments and an opportunity to view historical photos and maps. Meet in foyer of The Civic Garden Centre. Rain or shine.

Date: Saturday, October 13

Time: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Members: $8 Public: $10

OR

Date: Sunday, October 14

Time: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Members: $8 Public: $10

HIS09

HIS10

Watchingthe NightSky

Ray Khan

Learn to locate and identify major constellations and planets. Discover what is visible with the unaided eye and through the use of telescopes set up in Edwards Gardens. Receive advice on choosing and using binoculars and telescopes for night sky observation. Participants are welcome to bring their own equipment. All registrants will receive a planisphere at the first class.

Dates: October 15, 22, 29 (Mondays)

Time: 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Members:$55 Public:$85 SKY11

ARTS AND CRAFTS COURSES

Floral Design

Shirley Binns

Bring flowers indoors. Through demonstration and practice, learn the elements and principles of design, how to condition plant material, and the uses of floral mechanics. In each session except the first, participants make a design for which they must supply their own plant material. Please bring pruners and a floral knife.

Dates: September 13, 20, 27, October4 (Thursdays)

Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Members: $80 Public: $110 FLO12

Watercolour Painting

Ita Pechenick

Discover the versatility of watercolour painting from basic to more advanced techniques. This course will cover materials, colour theory and composition. Through demonstration, practice and individual assistance, you will develop a range of skills using washes, wet and dry paper techniques, negative painting and glazing. Bring watercolour paper, pencil and any brushes and watercolour paints you have.

Date: September 24, October 1, 15, 22, 29, November 12 (Mondays)

Time: 1to 4 p.m.

Members: $100 Public: $130 WCP13

Ikenobo Ikebana

Shizuko Kadoguchi

Japanese flower arranging is a highly traditional art reflecting appreciation of nature and art. This course gives a sound introduction to beginners while continuing to develop the skills of experienced students. Bring one shallow and one tall container, pin holder, clippers, pencil, notebook and lunch. The instructor collects the additional cost of plant material for each participant (approx. $6 per class).

Dates: October 3, 10, 17, 24 (Wednesdays)

Time: 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Members: $140 Public: $170 IKB14

Master Class In Botanical Watercolour

Pamela Stagg

A unique opportunity to work with one of the country s best botanical painters. Participants will work on an extended painting of a botanical subject, with continuous individual feedback. The master class is intended for experienced botanical painters. Participants are welcome to use the subjects and watercolour materials oftheir choice.

Dates: October 30, 31, November 1 (Tuesday through Thursday)

Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Members: $110 Public: $140 PAM15

Printmaking Workshop

Rita-Anne Piquet

Learn simple printmaking techniques to create beautiful, original cards, bags and tags. This method will allow printing multiple editions of your designs. Bring a smock to protect your clothing. All materials are included. No previous art instruction is necessary.

Date: Monday, November 19

Time: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Members: $35 Public: $45 PTM16

MEET THE INSTRUCTORS

Cathy Bartolic started Perennial Petals in 1992, a business devoted to dried, edible and fresh flowers as well as garlic.Cathy has been conducting workshops since 1995, being a regular at Richter's Herbs and area garden clubs.

Marisa Bergagnini is a flower design judge, a horticultural judge, an instructor/ demonstrator and Garden Club of Toronto member. She has an undivided love for flower arranging and horticulture, competes internationally, and has won several awards.

FACTS ABOUTREGISTRATION

Advance registration is required. Registration for Fall 2001 courses starts Monday, August 27, 2001. Participants may register in person, by mail, phone, or fax. Full payment must accompany each registration. To register by mail, please fill out the form on the back of this booklet and send it to Course Registrations, The Civic Garden Centre, 777 Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto, ON M3C 1P2. To register by telephone, call 416-397-1340, or fax to 416-397-1354. Registrations are accepted strictly on a first-come basis.

MEMBERSHIP: Registration fees are always lower for members than for the public. Civic Garden Centre memberships may be purchased at the same time as course registration, in which case the member s discount can be applied immediately.

CONFIRMATION: No confirmation of registration will be sent out. Please make note ofthe courses for which you have registered. To confirm registration please call the Course Office at 416-397-1362.

CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS: All cancellations by registrants are subject to a 20-percent administration fee. The CGC reserves the right to cancel any event ifthe minimum number of registrants is not reached one week prior to the start of the class, in which case course fees will be refunded in full. Registrants will be notified of such cancellations by telephone between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Please supply telephone numbers where you can be reached directly or by recorded message. We will not accept responsibility for inconvenience caused to those we cannot contact.

LIABILITY: The Civic Garden Centre assumes no responsibility for loss or damage to property, or for personal injury or mishap, during courses; all activities are at the risk of the participant.

THE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP

Trellis, The Civic Garden Centre's newsletter, delivered to your home six times a year.

Borrowing privileges at the CGC Library, one of Canada's finest horticultural libraries.

Free admission to all monthly Edwards Lectures, featuring many of the world s finest horticulturalists.

Discounts on all CGC courses for adults and Teaching Garden programs for children.

Discounts on out oftown bus

cial events hosted by The Civic

A 10% discount on purchases over tours, plant sales and many spe- $10 in the Trellis Shop, specializing in garden books, supplies and

Advance notice of programs, sales and activities hosted by the CGC.

Single Yearly Membership $30

Free year round Master Gardener s Information Line.

Family/Dual Membership $40

Join today andgrow with us. Call (416) 397-1340

MEET THE INSTRUCTORS

Shirley Binns is an accredited decorative judge. She has competed internationally and has had an arrangement published in the Canadian FlowerArranger.

Sue Britnell is a chartered herbalist and coowns Kettleby Herb Farms. She studied at the Dominion Herbal College. She lectures, teaches workshops, writes articles, and is author of Herbs to Grow, Know and Use.

John Bromley is a volunteer at The Civic Garden Centre, assisting with special events and maintaining the bog gardens. He has been conducting adult tours of Edwards Gardens since the early 1990s.

Dugald Cameron owns Gardenimport Inc. For over 12 years Dugald has searched the horticultural world for little-known gems that would do well in Canadian gardens.

Murielle Cassidy has been making jams and jellies for over ten years--as Christmas presents at first, and now for wholesale and retail purchase. Based in Brampton, Auntie M's offers preserves in a variety of flavours, including ones of Murielle s own creation.

Cathie Cox is manager of Horticultural Services at The Civic Garden Centre. She is a Master Gardener with an interest in new and unique plants.

Lorraine Flanigan is a freelance garden writer, Master Gardener and BookBeat editor at GardenCrazy.com

Marion Jarvie started her own landscape consulting business more than 10 years ago. She has been lecturingg in the field for many years throughout North America.

David Johnson has been a member of the Toronto Bonsai Society for over 12 years. He studied bonsai in Japan under Mr. Susumu Nakamura. David regularly contributes articles to The Bonsai Society Journal.

Shizuko Kadoguchi has the highest qualifications in lkenobo in North America. She has taught for more than 30 years in Canada, the United States, Jamaica and Japan.

Frank Kershaw has degrees in science and urban and regional planning, a diploma in horticulture, and a certificate in landscape architecture. He is a proponent of growing natural landscapes in North America.

Ray Khan is an avid amateur astronomer, a member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, and part owner of Khan Scope Centre, a telescope store in Toronto.

Anna Leggatt is a nature interpreter at the Kortright Centre for Conservation. A former teacher, she has a diploma in horticulture and is very active in numerous horticultural groups.

Jennifer Llewellyn is nursery crop specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. She holds degrees in plant biology and horticulture from the University of Guelph.

Jim Lounsbery was supervisor of parklands at the Royal Botanical Gardens, manager of horticulture studies at Mohawk College in Hamilton, and now owns Vineland Nurseries, which specializes in dwarf and unusual conifers.

Ita Pechenick has more than 20 years experience in design and fine arts. Her paintings feature florals, landscapes, still lifes and figures. She is an original member of the Group of Ten Artists ofToronto.

Rita-Anne Piquet received her training at Three Schools of Art in Toronto and Ballinakill Studios in Ireland. She has exhibited extensively and her work has been published on several covers. Rita-Anne is a member of the Toronto Heliconian Club. She has been teaching for over ten years.

Tila Silverio is the owner of Nine Corners of Feng Shui. She is a certified feng shui practitioner with the Feng Shui Institute of Canada. She consults for business as well as residential clients.

Pamela Stagg is a Canadian botanical artist who has achieved international recognition for her work. She holds the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society Gold Medal for Painting.

Paul Zammit is a horticulturalist at Plant World in Toronto. He participates at Canada Blooms and at The Garden Club of Toronto s events.

COURSE REGISTRATION FORM

(Must be accompanied with payment)

Name (please print)

Address

City Postal Code

Telephone (9 a.m. to 5p.m.)

Are youa CGC member? @ Q No Q Yes, Member Card# | want to addyearly membership fee: Q Single ($30) Q Family /Dual ($40)

| would like to registerforthe following CGC courses:

(416) 397-1340 Fax: (416) 397-1354 Email: courses@civicgardencentre.org

love foliage plants, too, she says.

Like many obsessed gardeners, Diane is a plant collector, and there s not always space for what she brings home. I find plants I love, then I create a garden for them is the way she puts it. She tends to mix plants together in a bed and then watch their interaction. Mass plantings do not exist in her garden; instead, she creates intimate spaces that offer a bouquet effect.

Diane is lucky that the only major problem in her garden is lack of moisture. The full-sun back garden dries out very quickly, but she has yet to install a sprinkler system she still chooses to water by hand. Her dogs also presented a challenge, but by leaving paths in the garden where they can run, she seems to have averted a trampling extravaganza.

A new deck provides her with a sitting area from which to view the back garden, and from her swimming pool on a lower level she can appreciate it from a different direction. Diane has a word of advice about gardening near a pool: forget growing acid-loving plants nearby: When you backwash the pool, the water has to go somewhere, and obviously the nearest flowerbed is the most convenient spot. But pool water is very alkaline, and even major soil amendments aren t enough to counteract that.

Diane describes being on the Through the

Garden Gate tour as wonderful, satisfying, and even overwhelming! It even offered a dose of pressure Diane and her husband were worried about attractive access to the garden, since she had always used the side of the house as a hidden dump . So, two weeks before the tour, they installed wood and concrete steps and turned the area into a wonderful, enchanting space. The honeysuckle and the silverlace vines at each end of the new pergola now have a place to grow, instead of the fence.

Being on the tour was like having a big party, Diane says. She enjoyed having people in her garden, but she also enjoyed seeing the other gardens because that s how she finds new ideas and ways to improve her own garden.

On every garden tour, I try to pick up one idea : this year it was mirrors, placed to visually increase the size of the space, and byJuly she d already put in a mirror behind the fountain.

As the last day of the tour came to a close, Diane stood in her back garden and took a moment to appreciate it. The tour wasn t quite over, and many people were still lingering. It was quiet and peaceful, and I felt such a sense of accomplishment, she says. And no wonder her garden is a truly wonderful experience that another gardener cannot forget. ®

A new deck affords the Kerbels an inviting view of the swimming pool.

Preserving f Herbs

Freeze them, dry them, bake them into delicious breads orgrow theplants onyour windowsill

Here s how to enjoya % herbal harvestall winter

by Loretta Skinner

ummer s sun and heat, and your careful Stending have produced a crop of herbs that will come in handy this fall and winter. But first you have to decide how to preserve their flavour and colour.

Some herbs freeze well: basil and parsley are two good examples. As soon as you pick them, wash and spin them dry they will then have just enough moisture adhering to them to freeze well. It s a good idea to freeze them in small amounts because they are difficult to measure once frozen.

Individual packs can be made from a single sheet of plastic wrap cut about 16 centimetres (six inches) square. Put all the small packets into a regular freezer bag, label it and pop it into the freezer. Done!

If you prefer to dry herbs, a microwave is the quickest and simplest method. Bring in the herbs from the garden and immediately wash and spin dry; place a few sprigs or a half a cup of leaves between sheets of paper towels and heat on high for two to three minutes, or until dry and crumbly. Timing may vary according to the herbs and your microwave oven. The herbs that are most easily dried are basil, parsley, sage, tarragon, mints of all flavours, chives, dill and lavender. Store the crumbled herbs in labelled, air-tight jars.

Some herbs can be wintered indoors in pots, which means you can have them fresh all year round. My rosemary is 15 years old, grows in a 30-centimetre (12-inch) plastic pot and has not been repotted in the last 10 years. However, it must be kept cool and fairly dry. In our cool garden room, the rosemary blooms off and on all winter, with attractive blue flowers. Other herbs that can be kept growing on a warm windowsill are chives, basil, thyme and tarragon; however, it s necessary to keep reseeding basil and chives for new plants. If you intend to winter tarragon, chives and rosemary, bring them indoors before the nights get too cool.

As well as cooking with all these wonderful herbs, you can make many kinds of gifts for non-gardening friends. For example, take several 16-centimetre (six-inch) squares of fabric and cut out heart shapes; stitch two hearts together and fill the pocket with lavender. I like gingham fabric because it s inexpensive and comes in many colours. Be as creative as you can with your designs. Attaching a lace ruffle through which you thread a thin ribbon makes a pretty gift or sachet for your dresser drawer. Or cut out 16-centimetre (six-inch) squares of washed muslin and in the centre of each place a teaspoon (five mL) each of dried parsley and dried

thyme and a bay leaf. Draw the corners and then the edges together to form a ball; tie the ball tightly with string and you have a classic bouquet garni. Make a dozen or so and place them in a fancy tin or jar for a hostess gift or keep them handy to flavour your own soups and stews over the winter.

You can also preserve your herbs by turning them into flavoured oils and vinegars. To make tarragon vinegar, for example, put a few sprigs of fresh tarragon in a sterilized bottle (small juice bottles have tight-fitting lids and are a usable size) and fill the bottle with a good wine vinegar. Add a pinch of sea salt for flavouring. Store in a cool, dark place for a few weeks, then remove the tarragon sprigs ifyou wish.

I have used the same method with oils. Use a larger bottle and try a combination of herbs ginger, garlic and shallot is an especially good mix for Asian dishes. Put two cups (500 mL) of the best extra-virgin olive oil you can afford in a bottle, add a seven-centimetre (2'-inch) piece of peeled ginger, two slightly bruised whole garlic cloves and three small peeled shallots. Handle as for vinegars, being sure to remove the garlic cloves once the oil is infused with their flavour. For a stronger, more highly flavoured oil, put two cups (500 mL) of the best olive oil in a bottle and add one large garlic

clove, peeled and halved, three whole chilies, one teaspoon (five mL) of coriander seeds, three allspice berries, four juniper berries, six peppercorns and two bay leaves.

I also make pesto with basil as it matures all summer and freeze it in recipe-sized plastic freezer tubs. To make the pesto, put into a food processor two cups (500 mL) packed basil leaves, ' cup (125 mL) pine nuts, two medium garlic cloves, % cup (125 mL) grated Parmesan cheese, % cup (60 mL) grated Romano cheese, % cup (125 mL) olive oil and % cup (125 mL) chicken stock. Process till it becomes a smooth paste. The pesto can be used on pasta or spread on bread as pesto bruschetta for a snack or an appetizer. To vary the recipe, use walnuts instead of pine nuts, or only one kind of cheese, or add more or less garlic.

Your herbs can also be baked into delicious breads. Use a basic white bread recipe, add two beaten eggs, % cup (60 mL) sugar, one teaspoon (five mL) nutmeg, two teaspoons (10 mL) crumbled sage leaves and four teaspoons (20 mL) caraway seeds to your first addition of flour. This bread goes well with leftover turkey or cold roast pork.

These are just a few uses for your harvest of herbs. I'm sure more will occur to you as you try them. @

CGC Courses Open Opportunities

Pamela Stagg, RHSgold medal winner,founda new career in botanicalartat the

CGC. You might, too

by Carol Gardner

hat can we say about the end of summer? It s a Canadian s recurring nightmare how to get through those long winter months without our precious gardens to walk in, weed and worry about. Cheer up at the CGC there s a whole fall and winter full of fascinating lectures, workshops and courses awaiting the forlorn gardener. Okay, it s not an early morning walk among perfumed roses and dew-dipped lady s mantle, but it'll do until spring rolls around again next year!

How about starting with one of our new series, which includes backyard trees? It includes a discussion of woody-plant pests, a pruning workshop and trees and shrubs for the home landscape. Once that s done, you can focus on the gardening indoors series, which includes courses on forcing bulbs, bonsai for beginners and building a terrarium. Or plunge into festive stylings with courses on holiday greens and yuletide entertaining ideas. If after that, you re still feeling your environment isn t as harmonious as you d like, how about signing up for the new practical feng shui series, which deals with your garden, home and workplace?

Naturally, many of our most popular standalone courses are returning, including Lorraine Flanigan s gardening on the Internet and Frank Kershaw s Mt. Pleasant arboretum walks. The botanical arts programs will, as usual, be among the first to sell out.

The growing interest in botanical painting has spawned art courses at everything from the beginner to master levels and, if we could, we d

clone teacher and internationally acclaimed Canadian artist Pamela Stagg. Pamela understands the importance of training: she got her own start in this second career when she signed up for a CGC course in botanical illustration in 1987. At the time, Pamela wasn t looking for a career she had one as a writer and art director in advertising. I just thought that botanical painting might be something I could do when I reached retirement age, she says. Two years after her first class, she had her first solo show right here at the CGC, and she wasn t anywhere near retirement age. She continued taking courses and, in 1991, won a gold medal at the Royal Horticultural Society s winter show in London, England. At that point, the CGC asked her to teach, and she s been doing so ever since, with magnificent results. Four of Pamela s students now exhibit internationally, and her courses draw people from all over Quebec, Ottawa, New Orleans, New York and even England. Many of her regular students check out her teaching schedule before planning their vacations. They 've started a new group called Botanical Artists of Canada, and it already has a mailing list of more than 100 of Pamela s former and current students.

This just goes to show you that when you decide to learn something new you could be opening the door to a whole new future. So think about taking a course, any course. Heck, think about taking two or three! Summer is the time for your garden to flourish; fall and winter is the time foryou to grow. ®

by Cathie Cox

ChooseBOLD BULBSfor Spring

Strong colour combinations are the trend, and the CGChas themforyou

hen you buy bulbs to plant in the fall, wYou buy into a dream. The temperature is dropping and you need a break from the extra watering, mulching, and tidying up indeed, all the countless jobs that are involved in putting the garden to bed, again. In some ways it s a relief that winter will soon roll around, promising another chance to make an even more beautiful garden next spring. It s exciting to choose spring-flowering bulbs for a new season. Forget the disasters and failures of the past and promise yourself your garden will look more like your favourite plant catalogue or that spread in a garden magazine. To help you, the CGC has chosen a wide selection of spring-flowering bulbs to plant over the next few weeks, all available in the Trellis Shop after September 1. Here are some of them.

New for 2001 is the species Tulipa clusiana Lady Jane , a dwarf type suitable for the rock garden or the front of the border. It has subtle red outer petals edged in white. Triumph tulip Mata Hari is a vigorous variety with unusual shadings of white and rose pink. Red Lips is another Triumph tulip with ruby-red petals, each marked with a strongwhite flash.

The design emphasis in the garden world this year a trend brought forward a year or two ago by Thomas Hobbs in his book Shocking Beauty and discussed by Christopher Lloyd in his CGC talk this past spring is high-impact colour. This works particularly well with tulips and, to make it easy for you, a few combinations have already been put together in strong reds, purples and vibrant pinks. (If you're brave enough to be on the cutting edge but prefer to

choose your own combinations, make sure you choose bulbs that bloom at the same time.) Double Color Explosion is a selection of three varieties of double, fragrant, long-lasting tulips in red, yellow, and yellow with red stripes. Other combinations available are Cambridge Garden Duet, a bold mixture of scarlet and lavender-blue single, mid-season tulips, and Perennial Tulip Mixture, a special selection of long-lived tulips (meaning they return to bloom for several years) in soft pinks, reds and yellows.

For shady gardens, daffodils or narcissi are the obvious choice, but there are daffodils for nearly every situation, for the rock or scree garden to the woodland garden, where they naturalize well. They have the additional benefit of being toxic to squirrels. Daffodils are long lived if planted in the right conditions, and they have the added advantage of often being fragrant. Especially notable for fragrance are the following: Thalia is my personal favourite because it s white and very long flowering. Palmares is a tall white and peach-pink variety. Cheerfulness is a classic favourite, a double creamy-white variety with two or three flowers per stem. Minnow is a white-and-yellow multi-flowering dwarf that grows to five or six inches (15 centimetres) tall.

Many other new and old favourite spring bulbs include the ever popular and sometimes hard to find Nectaroscordum siculum, an allium-like plant with many bell-shaped blooms, and Allium schubertii with its weird and wonderful ray-like flowers. @

Cathie Coxis the CGC's horticulturist.

LEARNING THE Lol DT

Makingyour mark in theplant world and in history

by Charmiene Montgomery

I n a previous article we looked at plants that

were named after various people in the botanical world. This time we re concentrating on more unlikely sources, people who are not normally connected with flora. While some of the plants are hardy in our northern gardens, others are exotic tropicals. However, knowledge of these unusual ones may help when you give your final answer to Regis to win the $1 million. Nowadays politicians have buildings, airports, and other structures named after them. In earlier times, their names were bestowed on plants, and kings and politicians felt just as duly honoured. Here are a few.

The well-known American statesman Benjamin Franklin lives on in the Franklin tree, of which there is only one species (Franklinia alatamaha), discovered in the state of Georgia in 1764. By 1803 it was extinct in the wild because of excessive collecting. Grown for its lovely white flowers and autumn foliage, it s hardy to Zone 6. President Thomas Jefferson was well known for his interest in both horticulture and agriculture, so it s no wonder that Jeffersonia, a genus of spring-flowering perennials, is named after him. One species,J. diphyila, commonly called American twinleaf, has cupshaped white flowers and is hardy to Zone 5. Many tropicals have been named for George Washington the desert fan palm (Washingtonia filifera) and the thread palm (Washingtonia robusta) are fast-growing evergreen palms seen in Zones 9 and 10. However, Clintonia, a group of shade-loving hardy perennials, is not named for a recent president but for a former governor of New York state, De Witt Clinton, who was instrumental in the construction of the Erie Canal.

Political references aren t limited to North America. Bismarckia, a tall ornamental palm native to Madagascar, is named for Prince Otto von Bismarck, the Prussian statesman and first Chancellor of the German empire. The genus Eugenia, a group of ornamental tropical trees grown in California, Florida and Hawaii, honours Prince Eugene of Savoy, whose exploits were military not horticultural, but who was known as a promoter of things botanical. Strelitzia, a genus of four tender perennials, was named after Charlotte Sophia of Mecklenburg-Strelitz who married George III of England and presented him with 15 children. The best-known species, S. reginae, is the flamboyant bird of paradise flower.

While the main intention of explorers may have been to discover and map unknown territory, some of the plants they found along the way have been linked with them. George Vancouver s name is the source for a genus of hardy (to Zone 5) groundcover plants, including American barrenwort (Vancouveria hexandra). Two Americans who explored the western areas of the United States are remembered horticulturally. Lewisia, a perennial genus beloved of rock garden enthusiasts, is named after Meriwether Lewis, one-half of the famous Lewis and Clark team. On his journey into the far west, Colonel John Charles Fremont discovered the flannel bush genus and it was named Fremontodenron (or Fremontia) for him. William Bligh, a man forever coupled with the word mutiny , was responsible for bringing Blighia sapida, the breadfruit or akee tree, from its original home in Tahiti to the West Indies.

Scientists are also remembered. A group of

palms (yes, yet another!) called Copernicia, grown in the West Indies and South America, is named for Copernicus, the Polish astronomer who was the first to prove that the sun, not the earth, was the centre of the solar system. We get carnauba wax from one of these, Copernicia cerifera. The name of Sir Francis Galton, an anthropologist and geneticist, was bestowed on three deciduous perennial bulbs native to South Africa. We know Galtonia as summer hyacinth. (Galton also promoted fingerprinting as a method of identification.)

Another inventor, and chemist, the Reverend Stephen Hales, is remembered in the genus Halesia, a group of ornamental deciduous small trees. H. carolina, commonly called the silver bell or snowdrop tree, is a showy spring-flowering tree hardy to Zones 5-6. Hales experiments included such diverse procedures as the first measurement of blood pressure and a system of ventilation designed to curb jail fever in prisons and dry rot in ships.

Another plant of note with a famous connection is Boswellia, named for James

Boswell, friend and biographer of Samuel Johnson. This genus of evergreen trees native to the Middle East and India includes the famous frankincense tree, B. carteri. Carnegiea, the giant cactus of the southwestern United States and Northern Mexico, was named after Andrew Carnegie, the steel tycoon and library founder.

Finally, perhaps one of the most unusual and interesting plants in the world is named for Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore, whose name also lives on in the Raffles Hotel. There arel6 known species of Rafflesia, a group of plants parastic on palm trees, which grow in the Malaysian Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. Among them is R. arnoldii; at over one metre (three feet) wide and weighing seven kilograms (15.5 pounds), it bears the world s largest flower. ®

In the next issue: botanical namesforplants we eatand drink.

Charmiene Montgomery is a Master Gardener and designer who specializes in smallgardens. HUMBER

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by Anna Leggatt

The royal Fritillaria

EARLY IN THE SPRING, the fat yellowish spikes of Fritillaria imperialis (otherwise called Crown Imperial , and for good reason) emerge quickly from the ground. They come up so rapidly you can almost watch them grow. This is happening just as the buds of the forsythia start to swell and show a little colour. By the time the forsythia is in flower, Fritillaria imperialis has grown to more than one metre (three feet) tall. The lower two-thirds of the stems are covered with glossy, bright green lanceshaped leaves. Above them is a stretch of naked stem, no doubt meant to draw attention to the tuft of about a dozen leaves, each about 15 centimetres (six inches) long, crowning the top of the plant. Eventually, the leaves set off a circle of five-centimetre (twoinch) petals of reddish orange or yellowwhich hang down to form an imperial crown, as Perdita describes it in Shakespeare sAWinter s Tale. We moved into our house in December, 1973, and the following spring I was delighted to find several clumps of Fritillaria imperialis thrusting up through dead leaves. At the same time, I could smell the unmistakable scent of skunks in the garden. I encourage wildlife in my garden, but this was a little worrisome. It took some time before the penny dropped: it was the fritillaries that were giving off the scent. This seems odd, but don t question it. The smell discourages squirrels, so plant fritillaries in a part of the garden where you grow tulips.

Fritillaria imperialis is hardy to -29°C (-20°F). Buy the bulbs early in September, before they dry out in the stores. Look for the new varieties: yellows, clear reds, variegated leaves and Kroun ap Kroun this one has a double circle of flowers. Plant the bulbs deeply. I dig a hole 30 centimetres (12 inches) deep and place them in the bottom, 15 centimetres (six inches) apart. Some experts suggest planting the bulbs on their sides to prevent rot, as the flowering stem from the previous season leaves a hole which may collect water. I have not found this necessary with deep planting. My old-fashioned varieties have done well in heavy clay soil, and the clumps multiply quickly. However, they tend to die out if I plant them more shallowly in a soil rich in humus. As with all bulbs, the foliage dies back by midsummer, making it difficult to remember where you ve planted them. But there s an easy solution ¢ with fritillaries: just dig a shallow hole, put your nose close to the ground and sniff. The unmistakable odour will let you know they re there.

Grow your Fritillaria imperialis with hostas or daylilies; as their early summer foliage grows, it hides the unsightly leaves of the withering fritillaries. There are more than 100 species in the genus Fritillaria. They grow in North America, China, the Himalayas and Europe. E imperialis is native to Iran. ¥

lalet~M Expert advice from the Master Gardeners |

Q rve brought my desert cacti indoors, but they are in a shaded east window. Should I provide them with artificial light?

A In that light they ll probably go dormant and survive the winter. But they'd benefit from grow lights or from the light from one warm and one cool fluorescent tube placed about Ifcacti are not in a sunny 12 inches above them. windowthey _ -~ "\ | Leave the lights on for B beactit %~ . 12 hours each day. If from added you want the cacti to light over bloom, they need VHO winter (Very High Output) fluorescent tubes 12 to 24 inches above them.

Q How can I overwinter myPennisetum?

A Pennisetum is not reliably hardy in Ontario. If you want to overwinter it in a dormant state and replant it in spring, cut it back to five inches (it needs stubble to survive) and keep it in a cold but not freezing area. It can be in the dark or reduced light. Water only once or twice. In spring, bring it into the light, water it, and when shoots appear give it some fertilizer. If you want to enjoy it over the winter, keep it in

Pennisetum: Cut back in fall; mulch heavily for winter

sun and water when it gets dry. However, neither of these methods is a guarantee of success. Chinese fountain grass (P. alopecuroides) is slightly hardier than others and sometimes

overwinters outside if well mulched and grown in a protected area. You could also try collecting seeds and starting them next year.

Q Is there a formula for the amount of triple mix needed to cover a garden?

A Yes. To find the amount needed in cubic yards, use this one: the depth desired in inches X the length in feet X the width in feet, then divide by 324 (i.e., 12 X 27). Note that in the formula, dividing by 12 turns the inches into feet and by 27 the cubic feet into cubic yards.

A cubicyard ofsoil has 27 cubic feet.

lllustrations:

Vivien

Jenkinson

_ Edwards Lectures |

Speaker: DUGALD CAMERON

WHERE: Floral Hall WHEN: Wednesday, SEPTEMBER 19, 7:30 p.m.

Toric: Bulbs in the Garden

DUGALD CAMERON BEGAN his gardening career as a child at a low-paying job weeding his English grandmother s garden. After a career as an art director, and as his interest in gardening grew and he became frustrated by the limited selection and inferior quality of bulbs, plants and seeds available in Canada, he started his own

company, Gardenimport. For more than 12 years now he s imported little-known gems that do well in Canadian gardens. Dugald is also chair of the CGC s program committee and has been largely responsible for the calendar of speakers that have been attracted to the Civic Garden Centre during the past year. Free to members; non-members $4.

SpeAKER:JOHN PEAT AND TED PETIT

WHERE: Floral Hall WHEN: Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 25, 7:30 p.m.

Toric: A Color Encyclopedia of Daylilies

TED PETIT IS a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Toronto. His passion and knowledge of daylilies is rooted in his practice of breeding daylilies at his Florida garden, Le Petit Jardin. John Peat is a research technician in biology, a daylily hybridizer and a nurseryman as well as owner of Cross Border Daylilies in Picton, Ontario. Ted and John will lead us through the material in their colourful new book, The Color Encyclopedia ofDaylilies and show slides of a diverse array of beautiful

daylilies. Gardeners will revel in the possibilities offered by the exquisite forms, colors and patterns available. Free to members; non-members $4.

Mark your calendar for this year s Edwards Memorial Lecture, November 14 at 7:30 p.m. It features Rick Darke, formerly of Longwood Garden and currently a writer. Rick s topic is ornamental grasses, and the lecture is free to all.

& Helen Flegg Memorial Lecture

SpEAKER:

MAUREEN HEFFERNAN

'WHERE: Floral Hall WHEN: Wednesday, OCTOBER 17, 7:30 p.m.

Toric: The Hershey Children s Garden: A place to Grow

MAUREEN HEFFERNAN, director of public programs at the Cleveland Botanical Gardens, will discuss how the nationally recognized and awardwinning children s garden was planned and built. Slides will be shown of each of the garden s themed planting areas, including the pond garden, woodland, maze, prairie patch, miniorchard, grass garden, butterfly garden and veg-

etable garden. She ll also discuss each area s plantings, including groupings and specimen plantings. The slides will illustrate how the garden is used for special events, educational and art programs, from spring through fall. To make the lecture of special interest to parents, Maureen will also offer tips on how to make your own backyard children s garden. Admission: Free

Co-hosted byWeall & Cullen

Speaker: DANIEL HINKLEY

Where: FLORAL HALL

When: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 7:30 P.M.

Topic: PLANT COLLECTING IN TURKEY, TiBET & CHINA

DAN HINKLEY S enthusiasm and sense of humour make him a busy and popular speaker. When not on the lecture curcuit, Dan may be found writing (his latest book is The Explorer s Garden) or at Heronswood Nursery in Washington State, which he co-founded. It is home to more than 9,000 plants. Dan travels the world in search of unusual plants and will speak about his recent journeys to Turkey, Tibet and China.

Sign up early for what promises to be an extraordinary lecture. Finger foods originating in these countries will be served. Tickets must be reserved in advance, but seating is not assigned.

Admission: CGC members $10

Non-members $15

Call 416-397-1340 to reserve.

Speaker: MARK CULLEN

Where: FLORAL HALL

When: MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 7:30 P.M.

Topic: PUTTING THE GARDEN TO BED

MARK CULLEN is a prolific writer, a regular contributor to the National Post, a radio and television host and co-sponsor of The Civic Garden Centre Special Lecture Series. He ll speak about preparing your garden for the coming winter. It may seem early, but Thanksgiving is just around the corner and it s time to start planning.

After his talk, Mark will answer questions and sign his books, which may be purchased in the Trellis Shop.

Admission: $5

Speaker: MARCO POLO STUFANO

Where: FLORAL HALL

When: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 7:30 P.M.

Topic: FOLIAGE IN THE GARDEN

MARCO POLO STUFANO has just retired after 33 years as director of horticulture at Wave Hill Public Garden and Cultural Center. Marco and his crew are responsible for the transformation of this private estate, which was deeded to the City of New York by the Perkins-Freeman family in 1960, into one of the most distinctive landscapes in the U.S. With his staff he created idiosyncratic gardens filled with imaginative and audacious plant combinations on Wave Hill s rolling landscape overlooking the Hudson River. Marco speaks about foliage in the garden, but will answer questions on any topic. Visit the Wave Hill site at www.wavehill.org.

Admission: $5

Mark November 5 on your calendars, when Frederick Case Il addresses CGC members andfriends on Great Lakes wildflowers. Time is 7:30 p.m.

Don t Miss Our Annual Mum and Perennial Sale

MUMS,ASTERS, LATE-BLOOMING hardy perennials, ornamental grasses and shrubs will be for sale September 13-16. We ll also have pots of late-blooming half-hardy annuals for those tired container plantings that need a little lift after the heat of summer. Remember: for CGC ~_members, plant purchases are discounted - 10 per cent on sales of $10 or more. Master Gardeners and the Centre s horticulturists will be available to answer questions and give advice.

by MaraArndt

Information at your fingertips

THROUGH THE CGC Web site, members and the world at large can, this fall, search our book catalogue and index to articles in the library or from their own homes and offices. Searches may be made by author, title and subject as well as other relevant access points. Once you ve located the article or book you need, call, fax or email us to put it on reserve for you.

We wish to acknowledge the generous support of The Ontario Trillium Foundation in funding the automation of the library.

Book REVIEWS byMadgeBruce

CulinaryHerbsforShort-Season Gardeners

By Ernest Small and Grace Deutsch

Ottawa, NRC Research Press/Toronto, Ismant Peony Press, 2001; 192 pages; $24.95

SINCE CANADIANS HAVE become more aware of the use of herbs, particularly in gourmet cooking, they have also learned that cultivating herbs at home is relatively simple and provides instant fresh flavourings. In their book Culinary Herbs for Short-Season Gardeners, Dr. Ernie Small and Grace Deutsch supply home gardeners with all the information needed to grow culinary herbs successfully in a northern climate. Covering more than 50 species, including beautiful illustrations, the book also gives cultivation and harvesting tips, culinary and medicinal uses, safety hints, and other interesting herbal trivia. An indispensable reference work for the would-be herb gardener.

prtineink

The Civic Garden Centre presents a FALL PLANTER WORKSHOP

UPPER LINK

Sarka Buchl

September 4 to October 1

Natural Forms. Organic or natural forms found in the park or the supermarket. Waterbased monoprints and drypoints.

Susan Chater

October 2 to 15

Blooming Wonderful. Flowers in watercolours, painted with a gardener's eye.

Franklyn Glazier

October 16 to 29

From Algonquin to Spadina, with stops in-between. Watercolours.

Opening night: October 17

LOWER LINK

Donna Neely

September 14 to 17

Country Charisma.Themagnetic charm ofthe country. Opening night: September 5

Andrew Machalski

September 18 to October 1

Port Scapes and Land Traits. Mixed media, ranging from traditional oils to 3D and digital collages. Information: www.andmacart.com

Opening night: September 20

Barry Urie

October 2 to 15

Reminiscence of Spring. Flower portraits and impressions from the garden.

Opening night: October 4

PART Il OF OUR UNDER-40 S SERIES (whiteliesacceptable). Bring a planter ofyour choice. Purchase fall mums, asters, ornamental grasses, perennials and half hardy annuals in bloom. Have fun designing your own outdoor planter. OurHorticulturalistswill be on hand to help.

CGC Members$20 Public$30 Toregister, call Cathie Cox, 416-397-1358

Web Site REVIEWS

Wintering on the Web

The fall season, with all its glorious colour, is one of the most beautiful of the year. However, winter must follow, so with a view to preparing the garden I went to www.google.com with the subject winterizing Ontario gardens and

came up with many results. Some were eliminated because they dealt with winterizing cottages, etc., but of the many I checked, the following seemed the most useful:

A Web site that is helpful for rose lovers can be found at: Philadelphia Rose Society www.helpmefind.com/sites/prs/rosecare.html

Scroll down through this article for how to care for your roses from September onward.

The Ontario Hosta Society www.rittenhouse.ca/hortmag/Hosta/ Click on Past Articles and then Fall Clean-up for an article on mulching, composting, weeds, vegetable and flower beds, and more.

For tips on how to winterize your pond, go to: Northern Pond www.northernpond.com

There, you can search for the term winterizing in order to link to various online articles.

Reviews byJean McCluskey

HELP WANTED for TRELLIS SHOP

Paid weekend shop supervisor needed. Horticultural knowledge desirable. Cashier experience preferred. Call Cathie Cox, 416-397-1358, for details.

Gardening in February and March? Yes!!! GARDEN TOURS - CUBA 8% 15" February, &22 29"March 2002. Fully escorted tours of Eastern Cuba s fascinating botanical gardens. Between the Caribbean Sea and the forbidding Sierra Maestra are microclimates supporting exotic species and ancient plants. Based in Santiago de Cuba the throbbing heart of Caribbean Cuba we ll enjoy luxury accommodations and the culture of the oldest colonial city in the Americas. Our guides are Cuban specialists of international reputation, whose gardens have been their lifework. Amid a cloud forest of giant ferns and orchids, we ll explore high altitude gardens. Our cactus expert will lead us through his multinational collection and in search of indigenous rarities. Casa de los Helechos is the 25 year labour of love ofits director who created this unique tropical fern garden in his family s home yard. Our travels will take us to orchid laboratories, medicinal plant gardens and a Bird ofParadise nursery.

For more excitement Add-on a side trip February go hunting wild orchids with ourexpert March attend the Jamaican Orchid Society s Annual Show in the company oftheir President Contact Kate: South Wind Travel & Tours* Tel. 416-921-4012 Visit our website www.realcubaonline.com

January9" 19" 2002

Escorted by renowned horticulturistArt Drysdale. Join Artand fellowgarden loverson a 10night deluxecruiseon PrincessCruiselinesto6lushislands.

Private gardening workshops, cocktail parties, special events and excursions tobeautiful fragrant gardens. Ifyou loveto garden andenjoygreat food and awardwinningentertainment,don t miss outon this unique cruise sailing on thenew5 starOcean Princess. This cruise combines thebestofcruising, relaxation,romance and excitementwith special events customized especially for garden lovers!

Call Cruise Holidays ofBarrie today toll free at 1 (877) 717-0777 forcomplete information.

= PRINCESS CRUISES

BvesGalentar

SEPTEMBEHR

9

Special Lecture

Speaker: Daniel Hinkley

Topic: Plant Collecting in Turkey, Tibet and China

7:30 p.m. Members $10; non-members $15; includes refreshments

Pre-registration: 416-397-1340

Co-sponsored by Weall & Cullen

Southern Ontario Orchid Society Meeting: 1 to 4 p.m. Information: www.soos.ca

10

Mycological Society ofToronto Meeting: 7 p.m.

Information: 416-444-9053

Toronto Bonsai Society Meeting: 7 p.m. Information: 416-755-0880

North Toronto Horticultural Society Meeting: 8 p.m.

Information: 416-484-0677

12

Ikebana International Workshop with Sadame Muromoto: 7:30 p.m.

13-16

CGC Chrysanthemum Sale

16

Ontario Rock Garden Society

Sale: 12:30 to 2 p.m.

Speaker: 2 to 5 p.m.

Information: 416-755-2325

18

Toronto Cactus and Succulent Club Meeting: 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Information: 905-877-013 webhome@idirect.com~naylor/tcsc.htm

19

Edwards Lecture

Speaker: Dugald Cameron

Topic: Bulbs in the Garden

7:30 p.m.

Members free; non-members $4

23

Canadian Rose Society

7th Annual Goulding Memorial Lecture

Speaker: Roger Phillips

Topic: Roses: China & Beyond

2 p.m. Admission $5

Information: 416-787-4451

24

Mycological Society ofToronto

22nd Annual Fungi Fair Noon to 9 p.m. Admission $2

Information: www.myctor.org

25

Edwards Lecture

Speakers: John Peat & Ted Petit

Topic: Encyclopedia ofDaylilies

7:30 p.m.

Members free; non-members $4

27

Chrysanthemum & Dahlia Society Meeting: 8 p.m. Information: 416-286-5798

30

Rhododendron Society ofCanada Meeting: 2 to 4 p.m.

Free admission; public welcome Information: 416-226-1270; e-mail: matthew.h@home.com

O CTOBTER

1

Special Lecture

Speaker: Mark Cullen

Topic: Putting the Garden to Bed

7:30 p.m. Admission $5

Co-sponsored by Weall & Cullen

Mycological Society ofToronto Meeting: 7 p.m. Information: 416-444-9053

7

Southern Ontario Orchid Society Meeting: 1 to 4 p.m. Information: www.soos.ca

9

North Toronto Horticultural Society Meeting: 8 p.m. Information: 416-484-0677

10

Ikebana International

Talk and presentation: Shakuhachi Music by Debbie Danbrook; 7: 30 p.m.

14

Ontario Rock Garden Society

Sale: 12:30 to 2 p.m. Speaker: 2 to 5 p.m.

Information: 416-755-2325

York Rose & Garden Society Meeting: 2 to 5 p.m.

Information: 416-282-4434

15

Mycological Society ofToronto Meeting: 7 p.m. Information: 416-444-9053

Toronto Bonsai Society Meeting: 7 p.m. Information: 416-755-0880

16

Toronto Cactus and Succulent Club

Meeting: 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Information: 905-877-6013

www.webhome@idirect.com~naylor/tcsc.htm

17

Helen FleggMemorial Lecture

Speaker: Maureen Heffernan

Topic: The Hershey Children s Garden: A Place to Grow

7:30 p.m. Admission free

20, 21

Toronto Bonsai Society

Show and Sale: Saturday 12 to 6 p.m.

Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Adults $4; seniors and students $3; children under 12 free.

23

CGC Special Lecture

Speaker: Marco Polo Stufano

Topic: Foliage in the Garden

7:30 p.m. Admission $5

Co-hosted by Weall & Cullen

25

Chrysanthemum & Dahlia Society

Meeting: 7 p.m.

Information: 416-286-5798

IN & AROUND THE GTA

SEPTEMBER 7

CGC GOLF

Whirlpool Golf Club, Niagara Falls

An alternative garden tour is available for non-golfers.

Information: 416-392-0724

8

NYHS FLOWER SHOW

NewtonbrookUnited Church, 53 Cummer Information: 416-222-2324

8,9

CHRYSANTHEMUM & DAHLIA SOCIETY SHOW

Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington

Information: 905-529-2920; www.rbg.ca

23

IKENOBO IKEBANA JAPANESE FLOWER SOCIETY SHOW

Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington

Information: 905-529-2920; www.rbg.ca

29, 30

CENTRAL ONTARIO ORCHID SHOW & SALE

University Centre, University of Guelph

Information: www.icangarden.com/clubs/COOS

CLASSIFIED ADS

GardenTour, Flower Show andTea

Saturday, September 15, 11 a.m. 4 p.m. The Leaside Garden Society invites you on a self-guided tour of special gardens in the community. Later, please join us to view the Flower Show and enjoy a cup of tea. $10.00. Information: Call 416-425-7582 or visit www.interlog.com/ ~onthort/dist5/leaside/leaside.htm

Floriade August 12-26, 2002 Holland, Germany & Denmark Ask for preview itinerary. Personally escorted by Marjorie Mason-Hogue. Chelsea Flower Show May 21-31, 2002 Plus Cotswolds Villages and gardens. Contact Lorna: Carlson WagonlitTravel 905-683-8411, Fax 905-683-6842

BOOKS & MAGAZINES WANTED

Please bring your donations to the librarythenext time you visitthe CGC.

PLANT SALE

We are moving our exquisite garden (York Mills, Bayview area) is being dismantled! Many lovely perennials, shrubs and bushes are for sale starting September 2001. Please call 416-226-3281 for appointment with owner/gardener.