The Cxvic Garden Centre (CGC), founded in nization whose mission is to act as a central |environmentalissuesbyencouraginginterest,
resource forgardening, horticulture and allied _promotinginvolvement, and gathering, disseminating and interpreting information in order toenhance the quahty oflifefor memF bers ofthecommumw
WhatWeOffer
8,000 books, 70 periodicals, and a large collection ofclippings, pamphlets, nursery and ] ~ seed catalegues, as wellas a greatselec on of _children s gardening books. Horticultural InformationServicesoffersfreegardeninginformation yearround,and the TrellisShop hasI many unique gifts, books and gardening supplies for sale. The Teaching Garden has been created as a working garden to foster interest - and educate people in the love and values of 1 - gardeningand the naturalworld. Asa communityservice,ArtintheLinkoffersgalleryspace to local artists. As well,the CGC has a wide | Centreoffers manyprograms andszrvices, ;:'?
Located atEdwards Gardens, The Civic Garden including yearround activities for fa@ es and children. Our horticultural libraryhas over
3%Directory & Hours of Operation
Administrative Offices
Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Library &Trellis Shop
April 1 to December 23
Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday & Holidays noon to 5 p.m.
January 2 to March 31
Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday & Holidays noon to 4 p.m.
Telephone: 416-397-1340; Fax: 416-397-1354
E-mail: civicgardencentre@infogarden.ca
Master Gardeners Info Line: 416-397-1345
Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sunday & Holidays noon to 3 p.m. or Infogarden.ca/mastergardenerboard.htm
Community Services: 416-397-1351 communication@infogarden.ca
show space, with access to Edwards Gardens, one ofToronto s favouritegarden spots.
variety ofbanquet ha s, mee ng oms and . e
3% Patrons
Brian Bixley, Awdrey Clarke, Mark Cullen, Camilla Dalglish, Sondra Gotlieb, Marjorie Harris, Lorraine Johnson, Michele Landsberg, Susan Macauley, Helen Skinner
3% Board of Directors
PRESIDENT: Janet Greyson
Kim Dalglish Abell, Alice Adelkind, ArthurBeauregard, Sandra Beech, Marisa Bergagnini, Dugald Cameron, LindsayDale-Harris, KathyDembroski, Leslie Denier, Tonydi Giovanni, Heather Dickson, Suzanne Drinkwater, MaryLou Eaton, MaryFisher,JudyFloyd, Carol Gardner, Lorraine Hunter, Cecil Lamrock, Sonia Leslie, Patrick Li, Grace Patterson, Jean Read, Jennifer Reynolds, Janet Rowley, Dawn Scott, Tim Tanz
3% Staff Members
Executive Director Douglas Markoff Manager, Community Services Jenny Rhodenizer Manager, Horticultural Services Cathie Cox
Volunteer Co-ordinator Christine Martin
Accounting Joe Sabatino
Administration Shirley Lyons
Capital Campaign Director Janice Turner King
Course Co-ordinator Rosetta Leung
Development Co-ordinator Niti Bhotoia
Horticultural Assistant Nicole North
Librarian
Maintenance Supervisor
Rental Co-ordinator
Mara Arndt
Walter Morassutti
Angela Carruthers
Teaching Garden Co-ordinator Diana Teal
Trellis is published six times a year as a members newsletter by The Civic Garden Centre at Edwards Gardens. 777 Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario M3C 1P2, 416-397-1340.
from the Board
- by Janet Greyson e PRESIDENT
On being with flowers
The hot days of this summer passed quick- sun, the rain, the soil the whole sense of being part of something greater than themselves. Some are guided by the aesthetic spirit within: The garden is an artistic expression, a creative exercise and release, like that wellworn but true cliché, painting with plants. Some respond to a nurturing
ly. Starting in June, The Civic Garden Centre was busy conducting three garden tours Through the Garden Gate, a day outing to the gardens of Port Hope and an overnight trip to visit the gardens of Prince Edward County.
Each tour offered beauFiful s bel ng With instinct and deri\{e their plea-
sif :tuie ?rlrll;ginzsti:: ai xd selab JOy and iRSpiration scigénti c intricacies of theynat i =orate birdhouses or interesting to all Ofs, ural world and observe the garwater features. This year s Through the Garden Gate tour took us to the gardens of Lawrence Park where we found everything from traditional perennial beds that overflowed with bloom, to professionally landscaped gardens that inspired the viewer with architectural details in stone and wood.
The Port Hope tour revealed estate-sized gardens with meandering paths that wound around ponds surrounded by many different flowers and shrubs. Seeing these gardens transported me back in time and space to some European baronial home with a landscape created by one of the great garden designers maybe Capability Brown.
The Prince Edward County tour featured wonderful gardens too gardens just brimming with roses and one garden that proved that you could even grow cactus in our climate.
This fall there will again be a garden component associated with the CGC s Golf Day on September 10. During the day there will be a workshop on herbs and one on making an herbal wreath as well as a tour of both a xeriscape and a rock garden.
What all of these gardens reveal is the uniqueness of gardeners. As Lauren Springer states in her book, The Undaunted Garden: Real gardeners are a mixed lot. Some love the
den as a marvelous microcosm thereof. Most gardeners see a little of themselves in all these inadequate explanations of the urge to garden.
Whatever the garden may represent to the gardener, it always requires hard work to make it look as attractive as possible. This effort often seems endless. The gardener is never left with a feeling of satisfaction until that last weed is pulled and the last spent bloom is removed. Just like these gardeners, our volunteers and staff work hard until every detail of the garden tours is completed.
It has been my pleasure to be invited to see these private gardens and to have seen the artistry of their owners. We owe thanks to those gardeners who allowed us to view their gardens and to admire their work. We also owe thanks to the volunteers and staff who made the tours possible.
Through their efforts, all of these individuals, whether the creative gardeners or the resourceful garden tour organizers, know that being with flowers brings joy and inspiration to all of us.
These events are yet another example of The Civic Garden Centre s commitment to providing you, our members, and the community with quality programs and services. @
from the Corner Office
by Douglas Markoff ® EXEcuTiVE DIRECTOR I
Revitalization campaign grows
he summer is here, our gardens are Tgrowing and The Civic Garden Centre continues along its exciting path to revitalization. The CGC' s revitalization campaign has two major components. The first is the redesign of the space within the building so that we can deliver our programs and services more effectively. Plans include allowing for an expansion of our cornerstone library, developing an all-year-round chil-
grams created as a result of the revitalized building and gardens.
...an extraordinary grantfrom the Ontario Trillium Foundation will provide $75,000 a
dren s exploration centre, cre- yearforfiveyears... to
ating large well-connected rental spaces for our members and stakeholders such as horticultural societies, and relocating the Trellis Shop. The second component of the campaign focuses on renewing the gardens adjacent to the building. While beautifying the area, these gardens will provide additional horticultural education and core programming for the community through handson courses as well as creating more volunteering opportunities.
Like a newly planted tree whose roots require regular nourishment and a steady source of water for growth, so does our revitalization campaign. The Ontario Trillium Foundation has supplied that nourishment. The Civic Garden Centre revitalization campaign, entitled Grow with Us, has recently received an extraordinary grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation which will provide $75,000 a year for five years that s a total of $375,000.
This grant will allow us to grow in several key areas. It will provide funding to build the framework for the Capital Campaign, which is raising money to support our revitalization plans. It will also support certain operating expenses related to managing the new pro-
Specifically, for the first couple of years the Trillium grant will cover a portion of the salaries associated with running the Capital Campaign including those for the campaign s director, Janice Turner King, and the development co-ordinator, Niti Bhotoia. At the same time, the grant will provide funds for conducting research determine potential donors, be they individual, corporate or foundation an area critical to the success of all fundraising campaigns. The grant will also fund the implementation of a communications plan to raise public awareness of the campaign so that we can broaden our donor base.
In subsequent years, the Ontario Trillium Foundation grant will provide financial support for our new programming areas. These include developing and implementing enhanced educational programs such as the children s exploration centre and the proposed horticultural therapy program. The funds will also be used to support volunteer development including our plans to have a full-time paid volunteer co-ordinator (currently a part-time position) responsible for developing a program to recruit, train and place the many volunteers who will be needed to deliver these exciting core programs as well as to maintain the new gardens and to run educational programs in the gardens.
This support will certainly nourish our revitalization plans. I hope that it will also act as a catalyst for other donors to support a campaign that is so vital to the development of your Civic Garden Centre. @
WALTER MORASSUTTIATTHECGC
Carol Gardnerpeeks under thefedoraforan up-close-and-personal look at the rock starpersona ofourMaintenance Supervisor.
WHO S THAT FELLOW who looks like a rock star? asked someone at a CGC party. He was referring to an elegant white-haired man sporting a ponytail, a fedora and a certainje ne sais quoi in his demeanour. Who knew that Walter Morassutti, the CGC s chief of maintenance, had a rock star side to his personahty? Turns out there s a lot we don t know about Walter . . .
Twenty-five years ago, Pierre and Margaret Trudeau separated, Elvis Presley died and Toronto hosted its first major league baseball game (the Blue Jays defeated the Chicago White Sox 9-5); none of these things was as important to Walter Morassutti as finding a job. With a construction job finished, a three-year-old and another baby on the way, he spent his days looking through the paper and making calls to prospective employers. When he was hired as one of the CGC s maintenance crew in April 1977, there was a great celebration in the Morassutti household. Walter put aside his love of cars (he once raced stock cars and was the proud owner of a 57 Chevy and a '69 Dodge Dart) to devote himself to his growing family and to working on and later managing the CGC maintenance crew.
Walter Morassutti loves music.
Among other things, Walter and his crew (Stephen Dalgarno and Alvin Allen) work closely with rental clients to ensure that their space is comfortable and well organized. No matter how wild things get (and anyone who has been at the Centre when it s fully booked can relate to this), Walter keeps his cool. Too hotin one room? Too cold in another? Need more chairs? Want fewer tables? Walter smoothly negotiates the sometimes difficult path of public service with wisdom and good grace. What' s his secret? Every day is a new day, he says. If you make a mistake, correct it and put it behind you. Think positive. He s always worked to make sure a difficult workday doesn t affect his home life a good thing, as he s now the father of four children, three of whom are still at home.
Over the years he has seen many ups and downs at the CGC, including the time he was nearly fired because of his long hair and beard perceived by some as indicative of dangerous hippie tendencies. By far the worst time was in 1997 when many staff members were suddenly laid off because of a financial downturn. But there were more good times than bad, mainly because of the many different people motivated staff and volunteers who have crossed his path. I 'm honoured to have worked with them, he concludes.
One of the things he has passed on to his kids is his love of all kinds of music classical, jazz, rock, blues, opera, reggae, fusion the list goes on. As a teenager, he wanted to play guitar it had, after all, worked for the Beatles. His brother played the drums and together well, together they probably drove their poor mother crazy. Now he s content to be an appreciator rather than a participant spending free time at concerts, clubs and jazz festivals. Personally, I've never been able to look at him in the same way since the fedora incident . I just can t help but imagine him in a smoky jazz club, hat tilted at a rakish angle, entranced by the music and remembering that 57 Chevy.
Here s looking at you, kid! @
Carol Gardner is a garden writer, a volunteer and a member ofthe CGC s Board ofDirectors as wellas a memberofthe Trellis Committee.
e =9\
by Christine Martin
VoLUNTEER
Let the CGC lift your spirits
DO YOU EVER have those days when things aren t really going your way? Or the universe seems to have a conspiracy against you? Do you ever have the blahs? Does the weather sometimes get you down?
That s the time to come to The Civic Garden Centre. Our staff and their many volunteer assistants are ready to lift o T your spirits. Are you hav- = ing trouble finding that perfect gift for someone who has everything? The friendly volunteers in the Trellis Shop will help you find something that s just right for them - and maybe something for you too! Is your garden not really what you imagined or hoped for? Do your plants seem sick? The knowledgeable library volunteers can suggest the right books to help you out. Feeling out of touch with The Civic Garden Centre? Browse through 7Trellis, our magazine written, edited and proofread by a team of talented volunteers.
Maybe what you need is a change of scenery or to learn something new. Call the reception volunteers to register for a course or a tour. These volunteers can also help direct you to CGC staff and other organizations. Behind the scenes, volunteers help to keep us organized and up to date on the diverse Civic Garden Centre programs.
Drop by for an inspirational visit to the Library Garden or to enjoy the indoor plants and displays, all of which are carefully tended by volunteers. Hike up to the Teaching Garden to see the variety
of creative gardens that are maintained by volunteers throughout the growing season. Come out to an evening lecture to hear gardening experts ourvolunteers will make you feel welcome.
Better yet, why not try your hand at volunteering? It s a great way to meet new people, gain experience and contribute to the community as well as offering an opportunity to grow in a variety of ways. Volunteer tour guides share their love and knowledge of Edwards Gardens while getting fresh air and exercise. Teaching Garden program volunteers have the privilege of nurturing a love of the natural world in young people through fun activities. Special event volunteers become team players, contributing to the success of events such as Mistletoe Magic, our annual gift and craft sale that takes place in November. Our volunteer ambassadors meet new people in the city and share their enthusiasm for the CGC at various venues by letting people know about the hidden treasures of the CGC.
Whether you come to the CGC for our programs or to become a volunteer, The Civic Garden Centre has the cure for your discontents. The smiles and community offered by our volunteers are just what you need. To find out more about the Volunteer Program, contact Christine Martin, Volunteer Co-ordinator at 416-397-4145 or volunteers@infogarden.ca. @
Help Out With Mistletoe Magic
VolunteersareneededforMistletoe Magic.Weneed helptosetuponTuesdayandWednesday,November5 and 6,andthroughoutthe show, Thursday toSunday, November7-10.Volunteeractivitiesincluderegistration,
Voluteers ;iishvout the ice créam at Through the Garden Gate.
Day is done,
THE SUMMER FUN has come to an end, but what a wonderful summer it was! With all of this year s programs booked well in advance and a waiting list for each one,
gone the sun
For many Toronto families looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, the free Open Garden afternoons were a hit. Staff and volunteers worked hard to make the Teaching Garden will need ...it may be back to stations that the children and to brew up some ideas over SCROOIfOI the kids, their families could visit in the the winter to increase capacity but the Teaching garden. The afternoons were so that more children will be Gardenfall programs packed with crafts and exploable to attend nextyear. are in l swing. rations of the garden that cen-
This summer s folk art theme helped us to turn the garden into a warm and whimsical place for children to spend their time. The beautifully handpainted signs and spool tables reminded visitors that there is an abundance of imagination and learning going on in the garden. A special thanks to Jean Godawa who worked extra hard this season to make the garden a place to remember. Her ingenuity and commitment show up everywhere, including in many of the handpainted tables and some of the learning contraptions built for the Open Garden afternoons.
The three- and four-year-old Pumpkin Patchers stretched the garden boundaries by planting a new garden on the outskirts of the Teaching Garden. The pumpkins they planted are growing to enormous proportions in readiness for our upcoming harvest celebrations.
tred around the themes ofMud Pie Mondays, Plant Pandemonium Tuesdays and Paint-a-Story Wednesdays. The success of many of the Open Garden afternoons serves as a reminder that the Teaching Garden needs to continue its community outreach efforts.
As the seasons change, it may be back to school for the kids, but the Teaching Garden fall programs are in full swing. The garden and its creatures prepare for the winter months while the children learn about hibernation, migration, seed dispersal and harvest. As we prepare the garden for its dormant period we continue to explore nature s mysteries.
That s all for now, but watch for our upcoming winter workshops. Along with our regular holiday craft days, we are planning some exciting new Saturday programs for young environmentalists. @
The CGC bids farewell to Jen Turgeon
After a summer filled withTeaching Garden activities, our Teaching Garden assistant, Jen Turgeon, leaves the CGC with fond memories of magic moments spent working with children in the garden. I really enjoy seeing the kids listen to the worms and bond with bugs, she says. Along with all the laughs needed to sustain a TG staff member through the rainy days and runny noses, | learned a lot about transferring information to the ever expanding minds of young people, says Jen. Jen has crafted folk art and scarecrows, helped
out with hands-on activities and brainstormed ideas with co-ordinators Shannon Collins and Diana Teal. Her contributions have helped to make theTeaching Garden programs both rewarding and successful.
One of her fondest memories is hearing the children wish their plants good luck for the growing months ahead. Like those children, the CGC wishes Jen good luck in her future endeavours and extends our sincere thanks for the hard work and imagination that helped us grow the Teaching Garden this year.
oy * Qver-Wintering # £
.* a Balcony Garden £
LLIn this second in a series ofarticles on balconygardening, Sonia Day reveals the tips and techniques of a Master Gardener to show us how to prepare a condo gardenfor winter.
Those pretty perennials bought at the gar-
den centre earlier in the summer can prove to be a colossal headache when you grow things in small spaces, high off the ground, because there s the problem of wintering them over.
Come the late fall, people with regular gardens can just apply a layer of mulch around touchy plants, stash all the gardening gear away, then head indoors until spring. But condo and apartment dwellers often find themselves agonizing over a series of questions: Will my plants existing pots protect them from the cold? Should I buy new containers and repot or should I wrap them up in something? Bring in some kind of mulch, like leaves or cocoa bean hulls? Haul the pots down to the basement garage? Take steps to cope with winter winds? Throw everything out?
Sue Martin, a Master Gardener at The Civic Garden Centre, has some answers. She lives in a condo equipped with a gorgeous garden on her balcony that s been featured twice in the Toronto Star. She winters over many plants, rarely loses any and says, It s important to go through all the stages.
Start putting your garden to bed early in the fall, she advises. And don t try to tackle everything in one shot.
Here s what Sue recommends.
Tackle Houseplants First
ash every one of them in soapy water before you bring them indoors. If pots aren t too big, remove the contents completely, scrape off the soil and give the roots and foliage a plunge bath in a plastic basin or bucket. (Use a mild product like Dove, not detergent.) Rinse everything off thoroughly, then leave the plants to dry outside on a warm day. Wash all the pots too dry them and refill with fresh growing medium. If plants are too large to repot, slosh a stream of water from a garden hose through them for ten minutes. Or put them in the bathtub and turn the shower on.
This sounds like a lot of trouble, but it really is worth it, says Sue. It s my way of avoiding having to use pesticides which contain diazinon. Many gardeners find that when houseplants are moved outdoors in summer, they inevitably collect insect eggs that hatch outand wreak havoc after the plants are hauled back inside for the winter. But Sue says that her laundry routine nips problems in the bud and she rarely has infestations of bugs during the long months indoors.
Next: Annual Plants
Cut down climbing ones from trellises these include sweet potato vine, morning glory, licorice vine and runner beans and empty pots of annual flowers, such as impatiens, petunias,
browallia, fuchsia, bacopa and alyssum. Wash these pots too and put them away.
Then, Potted Herbs
ring potted perennial herbs, such as rosemary and sage, indoors. Martin also brings in an annual favourite, basil. She cuts it back drastically, makes pesto with the leaves, then keeps the plant going on a window ledge until the stems get too woody. It isn t worth trying to keep basil going once it gets to that woody stage, she says. Go out and getyourself a new plant.
Container-grown Roses
Sue winters hers over in a friend s garden. She removes them from pots, plants them deeply, then covers the area with a thick layer of leaves or cocoa bean hulls. Wendy Humphries, an apartment dweller who grows the tough Canadian Explorer roses on her balcony, follows a different formula. Her containers are already insulated with Styrofoam; she gives them an additional wrapping of plastic, tucks some packing peanuts in between the pot sides and the plastic layer, puts a mulch ofleaves or cocoa bean hulls on top and leaves everything outside, with no ill effects.
Container-grown Perennials
eep container-grown perennial plants and vines going on the balcony as long as you can. Right to the absolute end, until a hard frost is forecast, is Sue s recommendation. That means watering regularly until growth has died down. Don't fertilize. When freeze-up starts, cover tops of containers with a 7.5-centimetre (three-inch) layer of composted sheep manure (sold in bags at garden centres). Then in December add Christmas tree boughs. Weigh these down with bricks ifyou live in awindylocation.
My clematis vines and perennials like hostas, heucheras and astilbes are still going strong after several years, using this procedure, says Sue. She has also tried insulating perennial planters with Styrofoam, but doesn t find that method particularly effective.
Another alternative, for smaller pots, is to place them in large Styrofoam picnic coolers and surround each potwith packing peanuts.
What to StoreAway
ash off concrete or wood balcony ornaments and store them indoors. Don t leave any pots made of clay or concrete full of earth on the balcony. They ll probably crack in the cold. Clean up garden furniture and store everything indoors if it s made of plastic or resin. But Sue says it s worth buying cast aluminum or iron tables and chairs and pots, ifyou can afford them she has several because they can be left outside all winter without hassles.
Drain Fountains and Faucets
If you don t have a faucet on your balcony, try to get one installed, Sue says. They re a big help with watering in summer and cleanup in the fall.
CreateWinter Displays
Decorate your empty flower boxes for the winter with evergreen branches, such as yews and balsam, dried wildflowers and fairy lights. Make sure you position the display so you can see it from indoors. (An urn on a stand is also a good choice for this kind of arrangement. It looks elegant and provides a badly needed focal point at a time when the balcony is suddenly looking bare.)
Keep an Eye onYour Plants
Finally, whatever you do, don t neglect your plants once the warm weather fades. It s easy to forget about them when you aren' t sitting outside on the balcony anymore, Sue admits, but gardening season isn t over yet. Perennials will be going through some devastating freeze and thaw cycles in a few months and your houseplants will have to adjust to entirely different temperatures once they come indoors.
With the topsy-turvy weather we ve been having lately, who knows what next winter will be like? But mild or severe, it pays, with a balcony garden, to be prepared. @
Sonia Day is Condo Gardens columnistfor the Toronto Star, author of Tulips and a CGC Master Gardener. Her new book on condo gardening will bepublished in the spring of2003.
Cluelessin theGarden
Follow Denise Tuazonas she taps into a community ofadvice-sharinggardeners to take herfirst babysteps in buildinga garden.
Advice ismoreagreeablein themouth than in theear.
Mason Cooley
Iusually claim to be someone to give advice
only if friends ask for it, but before I even realize it, the words trickle off my tongue. I may start off by saying, If I were you ..., or Take it from me ... or even I don t want to tell you what to do but ... . I believe that it s nearly impossible to shut off that advice button; it s just in us to give. Now that I've established that we all have a thing or two to say, let s also accept that no topic is too off-limits or taboo to invite advice. Let me explain.
I always thought that one day I'd be the owner of a spectacular garden. It would be simple yet captivating. But is this my reality? Permit me to bring you up to speed. My husband and I have lived in our present home for three years. Along with the house, we inherited an English garden. Inherited can be such a hopeful word, giving one a sense of good fortune and a future. Unfortunately, I took one look at my new garden and it finally hit me I didn t have a clue about where to begin. It was simply overwhelming. How do I water these plants? What types of plants do I have? Is there such a thing as plant food? Are these perennials, annuals or weeds? I became so terrified I decided to shut down. My gardening experience was not turning out to be as rewarding as I thought it would be and so for three years I've done nothing.
But all hope was not lost. Thanks to family and friends, I've regained my interest. Through them, I discovered that I had clematis, crocuses, roses (this one was obvious even to me), hostas, thyme, poppies, irises, and so much more. I've been told how to prune my plants, when s the best time to transplant and even how I should arrange my flowers. After turning a deaf ear to all this advice in the past, this year I madea list of resolutions one being to grow something. I had to make a move. [ was now ready to listen.
It s funny how as a novice gardener, if you don t ask for advice, it is freely given to you and if you should ask for some, you ll get more than you could imagine. This, I realize, comes from that soft spot in every gardener. There seems to be this community of sharing . Gardeners want you to know what they already know. They want you to get as much joy out of your garden as they do from theirs. The best piece of advice [ was given was to have fun, try out new things and if it doesn t work, it doesn t work.
Now that I'm ready for those words of wisdom, I want to get planting. However, I'm not tackling the English garden. One thing still stands in my way and I haven t received any reliable advice on how to get rid of them yet earwigs! Yes, I'm terrified of these bugs. We had so many last year that I 'm convinced there s a nest hidden somewhere in my garden. I've
been told to use earwig powder, to use laundry detergent containing phosphates and even bleach - still no success. I've even been told to be reasonable and try to realize who s the bigger of the two of us. This last bit of advice was courtesy of my cousin s flancé he s not going to be in the picture for long! When you fall in love, no one expects you to be mature and to think with your head. So why, all of a sudden, do people want you to be mature about fear? Cut me some slack! It takes time to overcome these fears.
I've decided that my first planting experience will take place in a pot. For now, container planting seems to be the safest and most enjoyable route for me. As for what to plant? Well, I have been advised that herbs are a great place to start. Only time will tell. @
A Toronto resident for many years, Denise Tuazon enjoys the cultural diversity of the city through food. When she s not eating, she explores the city, practicesyoga and, ofcourse, plants up pots ofherbs.
A e e o A R s R S R R s
New staff in and around The Civic Garden Centre
#&WELCOME TO DIANA TEAL TEACHING GARDEN CO-ORDINATOR
Inspired by the creativity of children and by their sense of humour, Diana Teal joins The Civic Garden Centre as Teaching Garden Co-ordinator. Whether trekking through the Gaspé, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands or leading interpretive programs, assisting in environmental workshops and frog-watching at the Toronto Zoo, Diana s work has always involved children, the environment or organic gardening.
I love working with children and I look forward to experiencing the wonders of the garden through their eyes, she says. As Teaching Garden Co-ordinator, Diana hopes to expand on Shannon Collins legacy by adding her own creative twists , educational activities and crazy characters to the garden s recreational and school-based programs. She is also very interested in expanding the Teaching Garden s volunteer training program and recruiting lots of new and enthusiastic volunteers. Welcome, Diana!
FALL MUM & PERENNIAL SALE
SEPTEMBER 12 TO 15, Thursday to Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Civic Garden Centre lobby
A popular annual event, The Civic Garden Centre s fall sale includes a wide variety of fall mums, asters and kale for gardens and containers.
Late-blooming perennials and ornamental grasses will also be available for fall and winter colour.
CGC members receive a 10 per cent discount on sales of $10 or more.
The Lang ua.ge of Pesticides
In thisfourth in a series ofarticles aboutpesticides, Carol Gardnerurgesgardeners to look beyond thejargon.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread! In
the previous article, I promised to clarify some of the confusion related to the language of pesticides, citing the example of the word organic which, to most of us, means natural but to scien-
tists refers to anything that con-
The problem is
thatyour comfort with levels of toxicity may not be the same as someone else s.
tains carbon whether natural or synthetic. It gets worse. Take the word chemical , for example. Now there s a word with baggage! So much has been written recently about pesticides, herbicides and fungicides that, for many of us, chemical immediately invokes visions of greedy capitalists and dying wildlife. In fact, all matter contains chemical elements including, and especially, human beings.
Pair the word chemical with the word synthetic and we can evoke a real powerhouse of emotion. In fact, both natural and synthetic chemicals can range from very safe to very toxic. When we synthesize, however, we combine the properties of different chemicals, potentially increasing their toxicity, both in the finished product as well as through the byproducts of the manufacturing process. How many times have we heard of an individual dying after taking two seemingly harmless prescription drugs? Each, on its own, was safe; in combination, they were toxic. This is not to say that all synthetic chemicals are toxic; but history has clearly shown that some of them are, and we aren t always speedy about figuring it out. Here s another ubiquitous phrase -
Integrated Pest Management (IPM). What does it mean? The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs defines IPM as a broadly based method that uses all suitable control measures to reduce pest related losses to an acceptable level, with the goal of respecting genetic diversity and reducing risks to human health and environment . Whoever devised that definition should receive the Order of Canada for obfuscation. Still, at least they had the courage to take a stab at a definition more than can be said for parties on either side of the debate. While they use the expression freely, nobody involved seems keen to set out a definition, although most people in the industry mean it to include a combination of both natural and synthetic pesticides. The idea is to use the least toxic method needed to do the job.
The problem is that your comfort with levels of toxicity may not be the same as someone else s. Recently, we called in tree specialists to look at three blue spruces that were starting to turn brown. We chose this company because they advertised their belief in integrated pest management. They said that the trees had Cytospora canker (an airborne fungus affecting North American spruce); among other things, they recommended the application of a fungicide. When [ looked up the fungicide on the Internet, I learned that it was highly toxic. I phoned the arborist and asked him if there was anything natural that would work. The answer
was, No . Would the recommended fungicide clear up the problem? No, again. The fungicide isn t particularly effective, but it s all we have, he said. We decided to just go ahead with the complementary treatment (cutting off affected branches with sterilized instruments) and forgo the fungicide. That wasn t necessarily the right solution, but it was the right one for us. Was the arborist being deliberately deceptive? I don t think so the solution he proposed was the best one he could find. I guess the lesson is that if you're negotiating with a landscape company, avoid using terminology that could be misinterpreted. Ask them straight out what they re using and then look it up.
The sad part of this story (was there a happy part?) is that many of the plants with natural insecticidal properties live in tropical rainforests rainforests that are being destroyed at the rate of one hectare (2.47 acres) per second through commercial logging, mining, cattle operations and, ironically, ecological tourism. Rainforests that once covered 15 per cent of the earth s
DAY&LGARDEN TOUR
land surface now cover only six per cent, and scientists estimate that they could disappear entirely over the next 40 years. Some estimate that we lose 50,000 species annually (including plants, animals and insects) through rainforest destruction. These losses reduce our chances of finding natural insecticides for the control of pests that would allow us to reduce our use of toxic chemicals.
If you were reading this on Mars, you 'd have to conclude that human beings aren t a very bright lot. If you re reading this in Toronto, you might well reach the same conclusion. What s a gardener to do? The only thing we can do is to continue to educate ourselves, to ask questions, and to insist that information on this topic be accompanied by reputable research. The results may turn out to be our greatest legacy.
Carol Gardner is a garden writer, a volunteer and a member ofthe CGC s Board ofDirectors as wellas a memberofthe Trellis Committee.
MARKYOUR CALENDARS FOR A Floral EXTRAVAGANZA
CelebrityfloristAadvan Uffelen conducts a theatrical demonstration and two workshops.
by Nicole North
he Pope you say! The Pope! Yes, yes, together with van der Voort Flowers in Leiden, Aad van Uffelen creates the floral arrangements every year for the Pope s Easter celebrations in Rome.
For the florally challenged amongst you who are thinking, Why should I come? I'll tell you. It s not very often you have the chance to see someone of this calibre. Because Aad is a floral master, you will take home some And, he s coming here to The You don t have of his skills and techniques. Civic Garden Centre! to be an expert to Come out to see some of the
An internationally known enjoyAad s innovative things they re doing in Dutch Master in Floral Art, Aad demonstration Helland. Don' t be afraid! You don t van Uffelen currently teaches at evening. have to be an expert to enjoy Aad s Holland College in De Lier. Aad also conducts special seminars, workshops and shows, as well as judging floral design competitions around the world.
We are privileged to announce an exclusive series of special events at The Civic Garden Centre. Mark October 22 and 23, 2002 in your calendars, because these are two special CGC events that you won t want to miss. On the evening of the 22 Aad will be doing a spectacular theatrical demonstration of not one, not two, but 13 designs. I don t know how he s going to manage it, but he assures me that everything is totally under control. The materials and styles vary for each arrangement, ranging from environmentally friendly designs to vegetative arrangements even something for Christmas.
On the 23", Aad will be hosting two workshops, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. For all of you who are going to ask me what the project is for the workshops, I 'm not telling! You'll have to wait and see, but I'll tell you this it s a wonderful surprise as well as a challenge!
demonstration evening. If you want more of a challenge, I would highly recommend attending one ofhis workshops. @
Nicole North is The Civic Garden Centre s enthusiasticHorticulturalAssistant.
Don t Miss the van Uffelen Experience!
THEATRICAL DEMONSTRATION
October 22, 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Admission: $15 members ® $20 non-members
HALF-DAY WORKSHOPS
October 23, 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon OR 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
ADMISSION FOR PARTICIPANTS (includes floral supplies) $110 members; $125 non-members
Admission for observers: $15 members; $20 non-members
BOOK EARLY FOR WORKSHOPS
Numbers of participants & observers is limited Information: 416-397-1371
LRt S R R B i e SR T R SN RS R )
The Civic Garden Centre wishes to thank wholesale florist John G. Hofland Ltd. for their generous support in co-sponsoring the Aad van Uffelen demonstration and workshops.
Courses and workshops for green beginners » plantaholics
.Information and advice
The Civic Garden Centre at Edwards Gardens
Dramatic Effects with Ornamental Grasses
[GRSO1] Frank Kershaw
Explore the dramatic forms, textures and colours ofornamental grasses, alone or in combination with other perennials. From sources to growth habits and maintenance, discover ways to incorporate grasses into yourgarden.
Monday September 9, 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Members $20 / Public $30
Prune Your Trees and Shrubs with Confidence
[PRUO02] Jim Lounsbery
Pruning is always a daunting task but, done correctly, it can rejuvenate trees and shrubs. Jim will demonstrate the hows and whys ofpruning. Also learn to care for small trees, flowering shrubs and evergreens, including proper fertilization.
Saturday September 14 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Members $20 / Public $30
Success with Spring Bulbs
[BLB03] Cathie Cox & Nicole North It s not too early to start thinking about spring plants. Discover the wide variety of spring bulbs now on the market. Learn to create a succession of bloom, planting and naturalizing methods, tips on keeping squirrels away and maintenance requirements for years of enjoyment.
Tuesday September 17, 7 to 9 p.m.
Members $20 / Public $30
S
Small Budget Gardening with Big Results
[SML04] Frank Kershaw
Save time and money by knowing which plants are suited for conditions such as shade, sun, wet or dry. Plan self-sustaining garden beds that are not only stunning, but practical.
Wednesday September 18 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Members $20 / Public $30
Gardening for Fall Glory
[FLLOS] Marion Jarvie
Discover the range of late blooming perennials, flowering shrubs, and berried plants that are especially brilliant at this time of year. Rejuvenate your garden by creating new scenes, preparing new beds and dividing and moving plants into combinations that work.
Monday September 30, 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Members $22 / Public $32
Plant Propagation
[PGNO06] Marion Jarvie
Plant propagation is one of gardening s most essential and useful skills. Learn how to increase your supply ofplants through the use of seeds, cuttings, divisions and layering. Topics include how to choose the propagation method and time ofyear appropriate for different species, what equipment and materials are needed, as well as demonstration of basic techniques.
Tuesday October 1, 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Members $22 / Public $32
Plantscaping Your Garden
[PTS07] Marion Jarvie
How did your garden grow? Review the season and take a critical look at what worked and what improvements can be made. Organize your garden into various planting zones, depending on light, drainage, etc. Learn what to plant in these various areas for maximum effect with colour, shape and texture. Find out how to plan for success.
Thursdays, October 3, 10, 24, 31, November 14, 21 7 to 9:30 p.m. (6 sessions)
Members $120 / Public $150
Gardening au naturel
[NATO08] Anna Leggatt
Break free from endless weeding, watering and problem pests by utilizing native plants. Native plants in your garden will attract wildlife, require less maintenance and give you new and exciting options.
Monday October 7, 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Members $20 / Public $30
FOR BEGINNERS
Introduction to Gardening: Month by Month
Each month our staffhorticulturists will tell you what needs to be done in your garden. Gardening basics for the beginner, from soils and tools to plants and maintenance. They will demonstrate the techniques, provide tips, answer your questions and turn you into a seasoned gardener. If you complete five of our beginner classes offered between April and November, you will receive free admission to the December festive planters
workshop (materials fee applies).
=== Watch for this symbol!
Putting Your Garden to Bed
[BED09] Cathie Cox & Nicole North
Unsure what to do this fall to get your garden ready for winter? Our horticulture staff will go over the basics of what needs to be done before the cold weather sets in. Topics include overwintering annuals, mulching, plant protection, lawn care and pruning.
Tuesday October 8, 7 to 9 p.m.
Members $20 / Public $30
eWinterize Your Garden
[WIN10] Marion Jarvie
Learn how to protect everything from roses to rhodos, vincas to vines, even semi-tender perennials. Soil care, mulching, composting and protecting bulbs from pesky squirrels are some of the techniques to be learned.
Tuesday Octoberl5, 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Members $22 / Public $32
Landscaping for Winter Interest
[LDS11] Frank Kershaw
A great garden inspires well beyond the spring and summer months. Add winter interest to your garden by selecting plants for their form, bark, fruit and other attributes. Discover innovative ways to incorporate nonplant elements. The time to plan your winter garden is right now.
Monday October 28, 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Members $20 / Public $30
Botany 1: The Basics
[BTY12] Nicole North
Grow yourself a green thumb. An introduction to all parts of a plant and their functions, from the cell to the main plant parts, including roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruit. Understanding how a plant grows will allow you to maximize their potential. Join us for some hands on learning and see your world come into bloom.
Tues: Nov.12, 19,126, Dec.'3
7t0 9 p.m.
Members $60 / Public $90
Forcing Bulbs for Indoor Bloom
[IND13] Cathie Cox & Nicole North
A hands-on workshop teaching you how to force spring bulbs into winter bloom. Learn about suitable varieties to force, along with bulb care, potting techniques and more. Bring your own pot or basket. Pay only for the bulbs you use.
Monday November 18, 7 to 9 p.m.
Members $20 / Public $30
Courses may be cancelled five working days before the start date if registration does not meet the minimum requirements. Register early to ensure your class takes place.
Pebble Mirror Workshop
[MIR14] Linda Lee Purvis i
Be inspired by nature, create a unique mirror for yourself or as a gift. Use a simple mosaic technique to transform a plain frame into a work of art. All materials are supplied, but you are welcome to bring shells or stones from your beachcombing treks to incorporate into your design.
Thursday, September 12
12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Member $45 / Public $55
Basic Flower Arranging
[FLO1S5] Shirley Binns
Infuse yourhome with colour. Through demonstration and hands-on practice, learn the elements ofdesign, how to condition plantmaterial and the various uses offloral mechanics. Ineach class, except the first, participants are asked to supply theirown plant material fortheir practice arrangements. Bring pruners and a floral knife.
Thursdays, September 12, 19, October 3, 10
7 to 9:30 p.m. (4 sessions)
Members $100 / Public $130
Ikenobo lIkebana: Japanese Flower Arranging
[IKB16] Shizuko Kadoguchi
Japanese flower arranging is a traditional practice reflecting appreciation of nature and art. This course provides 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 session, approx. $7 per class.
Wednesdays, September 18, 25, October 2, 9 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (4 sessions)
Members $130 / Public $160
The Civic Garden Centre
Sketch en plein air
[AIR17] Mary Elizabeth Dugg
Pack up your paints and discover joys of sketching outside in Edwards Gardens. Each outing will have a different focus including how to select subject matter, how to capture changing light and shadows, how to mix colours and how to cope with mistakes. The preferred medium for this class is watercolour but use of pencil, water-soluble crayons or acrylic is welcome. Intermediate painting skills are recommended. A materials list will be provided prior to the first class. Thursdays, September 19, 26, October 3, 10, 17 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (5 sessions)
Members $100 / Public $130
Watercolour Painting
Beginner - Advanced [WCP18] Ita Pechenick
Discover the versatility ofwatercolour painting from basic to more advanced techniques. Learn about materials, colour theory and composition. Through demonstration and practice, develop a range of skills using washes, wet and dry paper techniques, negative painting and glazing. Bring pencils, watercolour paper, paints and any brushes you have.
Mondays, September 23, 30, October 7, 21, 28, November 4 1 to 4 p.m. (6 sessions)
Members $160 / Public $190
Unearth the Healing Pow of Your Backyard
[HLG19] Jocelyn Allen
Learn about the different medicinal uses of herbs from the garden. Jocelyn will demystify the whole process of making your own medicines by showing you how to make tinctures, teas, salves, oils and more.
Monday, September 23, 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Members $45 / Public $55
Forever Flowers
[FLS20] Karen Broadbent
Discover ways to keep flowers in bloom. Through demonstrations learn about silica gel, glycerin, air drying techniques and more. Great tips on suitable preservation methods for a variety of fresh flowers and foliage. Select from a bounty ofplant material and makea floral craft for everlasting enjoyment.
Tuesday, October 1 , 12:30 to 3 p.m.
Members $35 / Public $45
Decoupage in 3-D
[DCP21] Ann Clifford
Be inspired by this centuries-old craft ofpaper cutouts. Explore the fascinating forms of decoupage and try your hand at making your own threedimensional design. All materials are provided.
Wednesdays, November 13, 20, 27 12:30 to 3:00 p.m. (3 sessions)
Members $65 / Public $80
Kitchen Cosmetics
[KIT22] Jocelyn Allen
Today s cosmetics are full of hazardous ingredients so, why not make your own? It s a lot easier than you think! Make all natural herbal products for your face and body. Choose from lip balms, face masks, hair treatments, herbal soaps, moisturizers and powders.
Monday, November 25, 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Members $45 / Public $55
Information was accurate at the time of printing. However, The Civic Garden Centre reserves the right to make changes without further notice. Please confirm dates and times with the Course Office, 416-397-1362
[GAR26] Shirley Binns Justin time for your Thanksgiving i ariety offresh greenery, table. A bouquet of splendid m and fragrant garland colour berries, branches/and . Evergreen soms, artfully arrangedi /H are included in the All supplies are included pers, needlenose Friday, October 1 30 : £ Members $45 / D3 e S ( balls). Learn
Festive Holi e :
[CTR24] Linda Le ] ber: 28510 9:30 p.m. A natural cut i ' taper candlesg with richly c@l pods and othergeo liking. Makes a'@
12:30 to 2: B ir oW - oo - ] : Testaft horticulturists H Wil ) ) selection, design Paper Arts
[PAR2S5] Jocelyn Allen ] Using 100 cutmini cards, explore a variety oftechniques to create cards/ tags ready for any occasion. You will _ Cmber 9, 7 to 9 p.m. $20 / Public $30 learn embossing, dry embossing, A great resource for horticultural stamping, punch art and sticker ideas. information can be found at the Monday, November 25 CGC Library. Drop into the Centre 12:30 to 3 p.m. or browse the library online at Members $35 / Public $45 www.infogarden.ca -
Flora and Fauna
Jennifer Reynolds, June 19, 2002
There was a soft, warm breeze as I walked towards the Civic Garden Centre (CGC) that evening. The front flowerbeds were bursting with pansies, the wisteria on the south wall was finally blooming, and as I looked back, I saw a fresh green canopy of trees hanging over the spectacular Edwards Gardens. When I walked into the building, I was greeted, as always, by the friendly faces of several volunteers and was delighted to see that there was a new art exhibit opening that night. The walls of the CGC were alive with paintings rich with colourful scenes of life in India. The artist, Anunaya Chaubey, was there to meet visitors and media. I said hello and headed up to the studio to meet the natural artists.
By the time I had met 10 or 12 ofthe other women, many of them had denied that they had any artistic talents at all and most said that they had never made a flower arrangement before. I was curious to see how floral designer Kathy Dembroski would turn this group into the natural artists they claimed not to be. Kathy began her presentation by dazzling us with floral decorations she had made earlier that day. She had adorned presents, preserves and wine bottles with mini arrangements that had maximum impact. We each tried one of these mini floral creations and were ready to attempt the large centrepiece. We started slowly by adding several types of greenery to create the bones of the arrangement and then began to add colourful peonies, roses and Queen Anne s lace. After two hours, a few trays of snacks and great conversation, we were
done. Kathy couldn t believe her eyes. The arrangements were outstanding. Though our floral creations could have easily been shipped directly to any wedding reception, we boxed them up to enjoy on our dining tables at home. Several women expressed an immediate sense of urgency to plan a dinner party that week (it s kind of like shopping for an outfit to go with a new belt) and menus were discussed as we cleaned up.
The same warm breeze was present as I carried my arrangement to my car. On the way home, I made a mental list of all of the friends I must remember to invite to the next class. September 2002. The FAUNA group meets again. Bring a friend and register now.
F.A.U.N.A
Forty And Under Natural Artists
HAVING A BALL [FAUO1]
Stacy Begg
The next workshop for the Under 40 will be given by Stacy Begg, Marketing Editor at Century Home/Canadian Home & Country magazine. Stacy will be demonstrating how to make a floral arrangement into a pomander (in the shape of a ball). Includes refreshments and hors d oeuvres. Wednesday, October 9, 7 - 9 p.m. Members $45 / Public $50 -
%tgrowing !
Enjoy the benefits ofbecoming a member ofThe Civic Garden Centre. For a yearly membership of $30.00 ($40.00 for a family) you will receive:
* Exclusive borrowing privileges from one ofCanada s finest horticultural libraries
e Trellis, the CGC newsletter, 6 times a year
» Tours ofprivate and public gardens at reduced rates - advanced notice via Trellis
* Special prices on gardening and horticultural workshops and courses for adults, children, and families
* Horticultural services and expertise
¢ Free admission to 9 Edwards Lectures andthe Helen Flegg Memorial Lecture
* Special prices on programs inThe Teaching Garden at Edwards Gardens
* Discounts at The Trellis Shop, specializing in gardening and horticultural books, supplies and unique gifts
Registeronline atwww.infogarden.ca, or with your course application. You can also register by phone at 416-397-1340.
CHRISTMAS AND HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE
Thursday, December 5, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
In one day we will cover everything you need to decorate your home for the holiday season. Floral design experts and horticulturists will be available to answer your questions and help YOU become the expert! Poinsettias and Chrisippas Greens will be on sale, providing you with all the tools and supplies you. need
Twenty minute demonstrations will take place throughout the
* Christmas plant and bulb care = Decorating gifts and mantles
« Creating festive garlands, wreaths and table;c
Location: Various Studios at The Civic Garden
Admission: No registration needed. Drop by and j Demonstrations are $2 each
For more information contact: Cathie, 416-397-13 horticulture@info
September 27 to 29, 2002
HOME & STYLE STUDIO TOUR AND SALE
Toronto s most creative fine artists, product designers and home decor professionals throw open the doors to their often never-before-seen studios, homes, galleries and showrooms to celebrate design and help raise funds and awareness for HIV/AIDS.
For the first time the Home & Style Studio Tour and Sale will also offer a series of special talks and attractions by celebrated home and style professionals in-the-know. The Civic Garden Centre will be participating in one ofthese attractions.
Admission: PASSPORT $12
Your Studio Tour passport gives you access to 60 tour sites across the GTA, special discounts from participating restaurants and a chance to win dozens of fabulous prizes for your home in our post-event draw! PassportscanbepurchasedonlineinadvanceorateveryTour-site duringtheevent.
SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS $10
Flash your 2002 Passport at the door and pay just $10 for each Special Attraction location. Members of the CGC will receive $5 off admission to the workshops held at The Civic Garden Centre. This would mean you would pay $17 instead of$22 for a special attraction at the CGC.
Prices include applicable taxes. All proceeds benefit HIV/AIDS related causes. No purchase necessary.
September 27, 2002
Gardening Special Attraction at The Civic Garden Centre, Garden Auditorium Presented by White Rose
1to2p.m.
Good Bones
Kent Ford focuses on the architectural components of landscape design with a detailed exploration of materials and techniques used in residential landscape construction.
LandscapeArchitect Kent Ford, Principal of Kent Ford Design Group Inc. has been practicing in Toronto since 1987 on a wide range ofcommercial, municipal andprivate residentialprojects. His expertise isfeatured regularly on CityTV s Cityline and in several design publications.
2
to 3 p.m.
Gardening Naturally
Stephen Westcott-Gratton will discuss how to make the most of your garden by choosing plant material appropriate to your site, while at the same time dispensing with chemical additives.
Stephen Westcott-Gratton is a horticulturist, author, garden consultant and host ofFlower Power on Home & Garden Television.
3to4 p.m.
Book Signing
Stephen Westcott-Gratton will be available to sign copies of his latest books Creating a Cottage Garden in Canada and The Naturalized Garden.
The Civic Garden Centre
Gift and Craft Sale
November 7 to 10, 2002
Thursday & Friday
10am.to7 pm
Saturday & Sunday
10am.toSpm _&
VOLUNTEERS GROW HERE
Why volunteer? Our longtime volunteers say they like it here because of the positive environment, because of the diversity of people and because they get to learn more about gardening and develop skills. It s an opportunity for men and women of all ages to help out in an area of interest, to gain experience and to learn new things.
We re always looking for more people tojoin our team.
Call Christine Martin, Volunteer Coordinator, to find out more. 416-397-4145 volunteers @infogarden.ca
October
22 to 23
AAD VAN UFFELEN THEATRICAL DEMONSTRATION
& WORKSHOPS
Co-sponsored by Hofland Ltd. Aad van Uffelen, a renowned Dutch Master of Floral Art, will be at the Civic Garden Centre for two days, October 22 to 23, 2002. For tickets call 416-397-1371.
On the first day he will be giving a theatrical floral demonstration creating 13 breathtaking avant garde floral designs. members $15; non-members $20
On his second day he will be conducting hands-on floral arranging workshops. You will be given the option to participate or observe in these workshops. Times: 9:00 am 12:00 or 1:30 pm 4:30 pm participants (includes supplies) members $110: non-members $125 observers members $15; non-members $20
The Civic Garden Centre
Our Instructors
Jocelyn Allen is an herbalist and teaches herbology at Durham College, offers workshops at Richter s Herbs and leads culinary demonstrations at Loblaws cooking and crafting school. She owns Beautiful Things & Bright Ideas, offering creative classes in her studio.
Shirley Binns is an accredited rose judge and decorativejudge. She has competed internationally and has had an arrangement published in the Canadian Flower Arranger.
KarenBroadbenthasdevotedover25 years to the art of floral design. She has managed anumberofflowershops inToronto andwas the personal floral designer for the Eaton family residence at one time. She currently owns her own business.
AnnClifford has beendecoupagingforover 15 years, winning numerous awards. A director of the Decoupeurs Guild of Ontario and member of the National Guild, Ann has led many workshops.
Cathie Coxis aMasterGardenerandagreat lover of perennials, grasses and unusual plants with interesting foliage She began jaf currently the Manager of Services at The Civic Garden$80uE
MaryElizabethDugganpain, exhibitions as well as being the source or commissions. She is one of the womegt artists who form the group TRIO, Georgian Bay.
Marion Jarvie started her own landscape consulting business more than 15 years ago. She has been lecturing in the field for many years throughout North America.
Shizuko Kadoguchi has the highest qualifications in Ikenobo in North America. She has taughtformore than 30 years in Canada, the United States, Jamaica and Japan.
Frank Kershaw has degrees in science and urban regional planning, a diploma in horticulture and a certificate in landscape architecture.
Anna Leggatt is a nature interpreter at the Kortright Centre forConservation. Aformer teacher, shehas adiplomain horticultureand is very active in many horticultural groups.
JimLounsbery was supervisorofparklands at the Royal Botanical Gardens, manager of horticulture studies at Mohawk College and nowownsVineland Nurseries which specializes in dwarf and unusual conifers.
Fall 2002
REGISTRATION FORM
- must be accompanied with payment -
Name (please print)
Address
City Postal Code
Daytime Phone E-mail
Are you a CGC member? [INo [l Yes Member No.
11 am a volunteer at The Civic Garden Centre
[]1 want to add a yearly membership feeO Single - $30O] Family/Dual- $40
I would like to register for the following courses
Course
Total Enclosed $
L] Cheque (payable to The Civic Garden Centre) [ cash [ visa [] MasterCard
Credit Card #
Expiry Date / Signature
No confirmation ofregistration will be sent. Please make a note of the courses for which you have registered. To confirm registration, please call the Course Office at 416-397-1362. Thank You.
The Civic Garden Centre 777 Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto ON M3C 1P2 Tel: 416-397-1340 Fax: 416-397-1354 Email: courses@infogarden.ca www.infogarden.ca
nfogarden
THE C1vic GARDEN CENTRE
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Advance registration is required for all courses. Registration for Fall 2002 courses starts Monday, August 19. Participants may register in person, by mail, phone, fax or on our web site. Full payment must accompany each registration. To register by mail, please fill out the form in this guide and send it to Course Registrations, The Civic Garden Centre, 777 Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario, M3C 1P2. To registerby telephone call 416-397-1340, orfax to 416-397-1354. To register online, visit www.infogarden.ca. 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 members discount can be applied immediately.
VOLUNTEERS
Registration fees are further reduced by $5 to those registrants who are both members and volunteers of The Civic Garden Centre. For details about becoming a volunteer, call the Volunteer Office at 416-397-4145.
CONFIRMATION
No confirmation ofregistration will be sent out. Please make a note of the courses for which you have registered. To confirmregistration, please callthe Course Office at 416-397-1362.
CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS
All cancellations by registrants are subject to a 20 percent administration fee. The Civic Garden Centre reserves the right to cancel any course 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.
Lecture Series
September 4, 7:30 pm
Floral Hall
Lecture co-sponsored by Weall & Cullen COURAGEOUS GARDENING
Stephen Anderton will give you the courage to boldly move forward in making your dream garden a reality, doing away with convention and daring to try something new and innovative.
Admission $5
September 25, 7:30 p.m.
Floral Hall
Lecture presented by The Edwards Foundation BORDERS AND BEYOND: NEW TRENDS IN PLANTING & DESIGN
Stephen Lacey will be discussing the revolutionary trends in design and planting currently transforming the look of gardens in Britain and Europe.
Free to members; non-members $5
October 9, 7:30 p.m.
Floral Hall
Lecture presented by The Edwards Eoundation CARNIVOROUS PLANTS AROUND THE WORLD
Matthew Soper will open your eyes to plants that bite back, giving insight into carnivorous plants from around the world.
Free to members; non-members $5
November 20, 7:30 p.m.
Floral Hall
Edwards Memorial Lecture PERENNIAL PLEASURES
Rob Procter will teach you how to use perennials in exciting and innovative ways to provide an everchanging kaleidoscope throughout the seasons.
Free Admission
October 30, 7:30 p.m.
Floral Hall
Lecture co-sponsored by Weall & Cullen REVIVING A TIRED OLD GARDEN
Helen Dillon will help you breath new life into your tired, old garden, teaching you how to be selective, make positive changes and go with the flow.
Admission: $5
Halloween Flower Garden with
black and orange Icicle Pansies
by Lorraine Hunter
itches, goblins, pumpkins and pansies? That s right, pansies. If you want to decorate your garden for Halloween, you might consider planting clusters of clear black and clear orange Icicle Pansies (or their smaller cousins Icicle Violas) this fall.
The new black pansies, along with red and white, have made several different mixes possible including the Halloween Mix, a new Patriot Mix of red, white and blue, and several combinations of cool, soothing blues, including blue blotch, clear blue and violete faced pansies. As well, the Winter Blues Mix of pansies or violas include azure cream, blue and violet tones. This year s palette also includes red Icicle Violas.
Because of an unusually mild winter in much of Ontario, Icicle Pansies bloomed through the coldest months of the year in most locations, right into spring. In fact, mine were still blooming, although just starting to get leggy and succumb to the heat, at the end ofJune.
Introduced two years ago, Icicle Pansies planted in late summer or early fall are guaranteed to bloom the following spring. They need six to 12 hours of sunlight a day, should be planted 15 to 20 centimetres (six to eight inches) apart and will grow 15 to 20 centimetres (six to eight inches)
high. They should be planted in fertile, welldrained soil. The grower, Fernlea Flowers of Delhi, Ontario, recommends watering and applying an all-purpose fertilizer at planting time and again in spring. Avoid windswept, exposed locations. Do not place these plants where they will be exposed to road salt or standingwater.
Plants may bloom until snow covers them, look dormant in winter, butwill bloom again in spring. You can replace them with annuals in late spring or early summer. While not recommended for container growing, I know gardeners who planted Icicle Pansies in containers anyway last fall and found that they over-wintered quite well.
Icicle Pansy and Icicle Viola plants will be available around Labour Day weekend throughout Ontario. @
Lorraine Hunter is a garden writer and member ofthe Board ofDirectors ofthe CGC as well as Chairofthe Trellis Committee.
For a complete list of colours and mixes of Icicle Pansies and IcicleViolas aswell as plant information, growing tips and a list of participating retailers, visit the Icicle Pansy Web site at www.iciclepansy.com.
Catch the Gardening Bug with the
North York Horticultural Society
by Madge Bruce
HAVE YOU EVER wished you could connect with all the avid gardeners in your neighbourhood to compare notes, trade tips and perhaps even admire each other s handiwork? If so, the North York Horticultural Society would welcome you with open arms.
Founded in 1924 and affiliated with the Ontario Horticultural Association, the society is mandated to promote the love of gardening through open meetings, flower shows, guest speakers, plant sales and community outreach.
Members include a core of experienced gardeners and a group of younger members who have recently moved into new homes. Some members live in apartments and condos and are interested in container gardening and indoor plants. In all, there are about 90 members whose ages range from 30 to 90 years!
Besides featuring excellent speakers, at each meeting members contribute helpful hints to deal with specific gardening problems such as grubs, rabbits and slugs in the garden what a great way to hone your gardening skills!
Recently the society offered a series of floral design workshops to encourage members new to floral design to have some fun and participate in the group s flower shows. The workshops paid off! Of the 16 new candidates who signed up, two members won prizes for their first show entries!
The society organizes an annual plant sale every May which offers exceptionally low prices on perennials donated by members. Proceeds from fundraisers are used to purchase seasonal gift plants for the Meals on Wheels program each December. The society also ereag_gs a
flowerbed of annuals on the grounds of St. John s Convalescent Hospital as well as making a yearly donation to support the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
The North York Horticultural Society actively participates in the CGC s annual event, Getting the Jump on Spring . In fact, that s how the society s current president, Gloria Broks, became involved with this organization. Watch for the North York Horticultural Society s upcoming flower show on September 7 at Newtonbrook United Church. Let s see if last year s top winners, Tom and Kay Nixon and Gloria Broks, win again this year! @
Madge Bruce is a volunteer in the Libraryat the CGCand often writesfor Trellis.
North York Horticultural Society MEETINGS
The 4" Monday ofJanuary throughJune, October and November, 8 p.m.
Yorkview Heights Baptist Church 98 FinchAve. West
Single $10 peryear; family$15 CONTACT Membership Director, Mrs. GabyCrawford, at416-221-7287 WEB SITE www.interlog.com/~onthort/dist5/ northyor/northyor.htmi
We Need Your Help to Collect Seeds for the 2003 SeedExchange
by Anna Leggatt
LAST YEAR S SEED EXCHANGE included some really great items. We need your help again this year to collect seeds from your garden or from the wild. (Remember to ask permission to collect wild seeds and never take more than 10 per cent of seeds from any plant.)
Seed collecting hints
® [f your flower has pods containing many seeds, when the pods start to go brown and start to split open, cut them from the stems and put them in a paper bag.
® Store pods in a cool, dry place. When the seeds have fallen out, sieve them carefully to remove any debris. I sometimes slide them across a plate so the heavier seeds move first, leaving the dust behind. A gentle blow will work for larger seeds.
® Single-seeded pods such as clematis will often fall off when your back is turned. Wait until they start to change colour, then give them a gentle tap, catching them below in your hand or an envelope. Some pods might explode (e.g., hardy geraniums). Cut off the pods just as they turn brown and place them in a bag.
® Many of the pea family will split explosively, scattering seeds over several metres. So, I sometimes open these when they look ripe. Even when the seed is green, often it will germinate.
® Many berries should be cleaned. Squash them in a sieve, running water over them. Then put them in a bowl and float the skins and pulp away. Dry the clean, wet seeds on a paper towel. Some can be easily separated from the
skins after they have been dried, but others are more or less impossible. Daphne and Arisaema seeds will germinate better if their coats are left on until just before planting; so, leave these to dry with their skins on.
® Some seeds are ephemeral; they germinate only if planted immediately. Hepatica is a good example, as are many spring bloomers and members of the buttercup family. These seeds are not worth collecting.
The seed list will be published in the January/February edition of Trellis. Donors of seeds have their requests for new seeds filled first. @
SEND USYOUR SEEDS BY OCTOBER 25!
SEND CLEANED SEEDS in a paper envelope, clearly labelling each packet with your name, address and telephone number; plant name (both common and botanical, if possible) and cultivar (if known); plant type (e.g., annual, perennial, bulb, vine); colour; height in centimetres; description and growing tips. Note if seed was collected in the wild or comes from a hybrid plant (hybrid plants will not set seed that is true to the parent).
Send or deliver seeds to: Cathie Cox
The Civic Garden Centre 777 Lawrence Avenue East Toronto, Ontario M3C 1P2
Dahlia MRS. GRACE MERKLEY
by Carol Gardner
MAY 31, 1925 was a special day for little Helen Merkley. It was her 10" birthday and her mother, Grace, wanted to make it special for her first-born. Two presents awaited the excited little girl a small, simply wrapped one and a larger one wrapped in several yards of pongee silk. The small gift, Lucy Maud Montgomery s Emily of New Moon, was labelled Pleasure and the larger one Responsibility . Unwrapping the yards of silk, Helen discovered her father s horticultural ledger the book in which he recorded his experiments in plant breeding. This was responsibility indeed!
Helen s father, Keith, had the kind of background that sounds romantic only in retrospect. He had mined for gold, been an ambulance driver in the Boer War and then returned to Vancouver to work during a typhoid outbreak. In 1919, the family moved to the north shore of British Columbia s Fraser Valley where they bought a poultry farm. Keith was an amateur horticulturist who was soon planting fruit trees and flower gardens. He had come to love dahlias and dreamt of creating new cultivars. Armed with a camel-hair brush from Grace s watercolour kit, labelled envelopes and an old mayonnaise jar, he pursued his dream in his spare moments. And now Helen had become a partner in this enterprise.
The Vancouver Province wrote a story about the erstwhile dahlia enthusiast and soon the
farm was filled with visitors and eager buyers every weekend. The Depression came and business dropped, but not R, - before Keith had bred and reg-
Bistered a large coral-pink dahlia that he named after his wife, Mrs. Grace Merkley .
The children grew up and left home. Helent became a registered nurse and then became involved in the leather business, travelling between New York and Europe. Horticultural background notwithstanding, she was a city girl at heart. When her work took her to Germany, it was something of a homecoming the Merkley forefathers had come from there, where the family name had been Marckle. The dahlia gardens of Germany brought back sweet memories of her childhood. One day, just outside Heidelberg, Helen was driving to an appointment when she spotted a few familiar-looking dahlias in a private garden. Stopping the car, she discovered their label Frau Grace Marckle . How her father s cultivar, bred and sold only in the Fraser Valley, had come to rest in a garden in Germany remains a mystery. The owners weren t at home, and Helen s travels never again took her past the lovely garden where she saw her mother s namesake plant growing.
It took the city girl a long time to return to her horticultural roots. After she retired, Helen found herself drawn to Edwards Gardens for regular walks. She discovered the CGC' s library and Trellis Shop and became a
Helen Lawson, daughter of dahlia hybridizer, Keith Merkley
member, then a volunteer. She s our own Helen Lawson for the last 12 years, our spirited and fashionable Friday morning receptionist. You'll find Helen at her post like clockwork unless she s running off for a week in New York or a sojourn in Turkey. Seems the
ATTEND A MEETING of the Canadian Chrysanthemum & Dahlia Society.The society meets atThe Civic Garden Centre on thefourth Thursday ofthe month in January through June, August and October.Annual dues of $16 entitle members to receive a monthly bulletin with growing advice on both chrysanthemums and dahlias as well as a yearbookofgrowing tips, flowershow results,anda list offuture events. For information, contact Sheila Cule at iancule@netcom.ca or 905-697-7842 or president, Mike Maves at 905-683-8058.
Merkleys knew a thing or two about breeding and it wasn t restricted to dahlias. @
Carol Gardner is a garden writer, a volunteer and a member ofthe CGC s Board ofDirectors as wellas a memberofthe Trellis Committee.
Satt
Courtesy Man
by C&DS member, Maneck Sattha
PlamPnrtrau
THIN DENSE SPIRES
bearing small starry flowers push out of the ground in early summer, surprising your neighbours as they rapidly reach up to three metres (10 feet) in height. The hundreds of downward-facing individual flowers are about two centimetres (3/4 inch) in length, covering the top third of the stem. This is the foxtail lily, Eremurus.
Several species as well as some hybrids can be found easily. Eremurus himalaicus has white flowers and E. robustus has pink ones while the Shelford Hybrids may be white, cream, yellow, orange, rose or pinky-peach. This group is shorter, usually about one metre (three feet) in height. My favourite is E. x isabellinus Ruiter Hybrid Cleopatra with soft salmon-orange flowers on a one-metre (three-foot) long stem.
Towering spires of Eremurus'Pinocchio
by Anna Leggatt
The tall varieties look best at the back of a flower bed against a background of evergreens. They do not like being moved and will grow happily for many years. Sometimes they exhaust themseves with overflowering.
The time to buy foxtail lily plants is in the fall. They remind me of brown octopuses because the fleshy roots radiate out from the dormant crown. They need fertile, alkaline, well-drained soil. Plant them shallowly in a sunny place with the growing tips just below
the surface of the ground; then mulch them well. Tufts of long thin leaves will appear in the spring, dying down as the flower stalks appear. Hardy to Zone 5, foxtail lilies grow in drier areas from eastern Europe through to the western Himalayas where rain (or snow) falls in the fall, winter and spring and the summers are long, hot and dry. Because they are accustomed to these conditions, do not water your plants after they die down. They are perfect for a xeriscape raised bed.
Fertilize with potash (or wood ashes) in the fall. Patient gardeners may grow plants from seed. These need to be planted in small pots and kept just above freezing for about three weeks. They may germinate when the tempefature reaches around 15°C (59°F). Do not throw your pots away. Leave them outside in a sheltered spot. The germination may be slow or very slow. If you are lucky, your seedlings will reach flowering size in about three years.
If you have Eremurus seeds, please consider sharing by donating some to The Civic Garden Centre s annual seed exchange. For details, see page 19. @
3% 3% 3% 3% 3K 3% 3K 3K 3¢ 3 3 B3 M K XN Anna Leggatt is a Master Gardener, garden writerandactive CGCvolunteer.
Allan Gardens and Centennial Park Conservatories present: =3
Che Fall Chrysanthemm Show 2002
As the summer draws to a close and the colours begin to fade from your garden, come and enjoy our colourful array of Fall Chrysanthemums and Asters just bursting with blooms! Treat your senses to a spectacular display of the latest varieties along with some old-time favourites. Discover the beauty of autumn within the city!
October 6 to early November 2002
Open daily 10 am-5 pm
Admission is free
Allan Gardens Conservatory
Carlton Street (Between Jarvis and Sherbourne Sts) 416-392-7288
Centennial Park Conservatory 151 Elmcrest Road (North ofRathburn Road, west of Hwy427) 416-394-8543
B Expert advice from the Master Gardeners :
QMy dieffenbachia is tall and bare. How can I rejuvenate it? °
A Dieffenbachia lose their lower leaves as they grow older. To stimulate new growth, cut the plant back in the spring to within 10 to 15 centimetres (4-6 inches) of the pot. You can also propagate at any season from sections of the main stem by air layering. Choose a bit of healthy stem near the top of the plant. Make a cut upward, onethird to halfway through the stem. Insert a matchstick in the cut to keep it open. Dust the cut surface with rooting powder, then wrap a bundle of moist
Air layering
1. Cut matchstick
2. Moss plastic wrap
sphagnum moss (about the size of a baseball) around the area. Cover with plastic wrap to hold the moisture. After some weeks, when you see some roots growing, cut the stem below the layering, remove the moss and pot up the new plant.
Qcanl put rhubarb leaves into the composter?
A Yes. Although rhubarb leaves are poisonous to eat, they will biodegrade completely in the composter. )\ Rhubarb leaves make good compost
herapyHorticulturalProgram
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
lllustrations:
Vivien Jenkinson
Edwards Lectures
SPEAKER: STEPHEN LACEY
WHERE: Floral Hall
WHEN: Wednesday, September 25, 7:30 p.m.
Topric: Borders and Beyond: New Trends in Planting & Design
FOR A LOOK at the revolutionary trends in design and planting that are transforming the gardens in Britain and Europe, Stephen Lacey will begin his lecture with contemporary examples of traditional gardening showing the new interplay between formality and landscape. His lecture will also explore the origins, principles and appeal of the new nature-inspired styles of planting featuring woodland, meadow, perennial and annual schemes. A well-known garden writer, lecturer, and television presenter, Stephen Lacey s books include The Startling Jungle: Colour and Scent in the Romantic Garden and Scent in Your Garden.
Free to members; non-members $5
SPEAKER:
MATTHEW SOPER
WHERE: Floral Hall
WHEN:Wednesday, October9, 7:30 p.m.
Toric: Carnivorous Plants Around the World
MATTHEW SOPER of Hampshire Carnivorous Plants in England will open your eyes to plants that bite back, giving insight into carnivorous plants from around the world. He is a threetime winner of the Gold Medal at the Chelsea Flower Show for his exhibits of carnivorous plants from around the world. The range of plants at Hampshire Carnivorous Plants has grown over the past 20 years from the lowly Venus Fly Trap to the exotic and unusual Nepenthes.
Free to members; non-members $5
Special Lectures
Co-sPONSORED
BY
WEALL & CULLEN
SPEAKER: STEPHEN ANDERTON
WHERE: Floral Hall
WHEN: Wednesday, September 4, 7:30 p.m.
Torpic: Courageous Gardening
STEPHEN ANDERTON will give you the courage to make your dream garden a reality by daring you to try something new and innovative. He believes that the best results are achieved by people who work out what they want in their garden and who have the courage to go for it ruthlessly. A coveted lecturer and the gardening correspondent for the 7imes, Anderton has received four awards from the British Garden Writers Guild, including Practical Gardening Book of the Year for Rejuvenatinga Garden.
Admission $5
SPEAKER: HELEN DILLON
WHERE: Floral Hall
WHEN: Wednesday, October 30, 7:30 p.m.
Topric: Reviving a Tired Old Garden
HELEN DILLON will explain how she reinvented her 30-year-old garden during this lecture aimed at helping people cope with too many plants and not enough space. She ll show you how to breathe new life into your tired old garden, teaching you how to be selective, make positive changes and go with the flow. Broadcaster, writer and plantswoman extraordinaire, Helen Dillon has a democratic approach to gardening. She has written several books, including The Flower Garden, Garden Artistry andHelen Dillon on Gardening.
Across the Open Field: essays drawnfrom English landscapes by Laurie Olin
Encyclopedia ofGardens: historyand design (3 volumes) edited by Candice A. Shoemaker (Reference only)
Flowers bythemselves by Gregor Lersch
Flower-World by Aad van Uffelen
Native Trees, Shrubs, & Vines: a guide to using, growing, andpropagatingNorth American woodyplants by William Cullina
NewEncyclopedia ofHerbs & Their Uses by Deni Bown
The Cactus Family by Edward F. Anderson (Reference only)
Borrow Our Back Issues!
BACK ISSUES of the 75 magazines carried in the Library are available to members forborrowing. (Thisexcludes issues from the currentyear.)
Looking for Gardening Articles?
SEARCH OUR ONLINE index at the CGC s Web site: www.infogarden.ca. This index has been growing steadily since 1995 and to date selected issues of about half the periodical titles to whichwe subscribe have been indexed.
Web site REVIEW
DALLYING WITH DAHLIAS
WHILE ON GARDEN tours this summer, | admired gorgeous dahlias blooming and resolved to find space for some next year. As a novice growing these flowers, going to the following Web site gave me some good pictures and the information that | needed.
Bulb.com
Scroll down and click on 7. Bulbcom-Summer Bulb Guide.
Book REVIEW
Tulips: Facts andFolklore about the World sMostPlantedFlower By Sonia Day; photographs byMalak Toronto, Key Porter Books, 2002; 127 pages; $24.95
IN THIS BOOK, Sonia Day, an artist, journalist and Master Gardener, traces the history of the tulip throughout the world, starting with its original prominence in early Turkish harems and moving on to its subsequent import into North America in the 17th century from the Netherlands. She gives special mention to the annual tulip festival in Ottawa which features around five million flowers. Princess Juliana of the Netherlands instigated the event in 1946 when she sent 100,000 bulbs to the city as a gesture of gratitude to Canada for harbouring her and her children during World War Ila gift that has been renewed every year since.
Sonia also includes cultivation suggestions for the many varieties of tulips we have here at home. Added are practical tips for arranging tulips and even suggested methods of cooking the bulbs for eating. Lavishly illustrated with exquisite photographs by renowned craftsman, Malak, who is also known for his passion for tulips, this book is a tribute to a classic, timeless and favourite flower around the world.
Reviewed byMadge Bruce
Scroll down and click on Dahlia.To purchase, click on Where to Buy.
Click on Canadian mail-order & e-commerce retailers. Of those in Ontario, Gardenimport and Dominion Seed House were offering dahlia bulbs in their 2002 catalogues; so they will be worth looking at in 2003. For those wanting a wider selection, try Botanus in Langley, BC. Now just maybe Ill have some of those wonderful dahlias blooming in my garden next summer.
Reviewed byJean McCluskey
Distinctive Garden Accents
5221
905-475-7674
Upper, Middle and Lower Link
Ontario the Beautiful and Other Rich and Rare Lands
LASZLO BUDAY
August 27 to September 9
Museum-quality fine art, landscape, still life and figurative oil paintings by internationally known artist Laszlo Buday, a master of colour and light.
Opening Night: August 27, 7 to 9 p.m.
BotanicalArtists ofCanada
September 24 to October 21
Recently founded, the Botanical Artists of Canada promotes the development and appreciation of botanical art to encourage individual artists in the pursuit of excellence.
Opening Night: September 26, 7 to 9 p.m.
Upper Link
Toronto Up Close etc. FRANKLYN GLAZIER
October 22 to November 4
Watercolours
For information on Art in the Link, call Cathie Coxat 416-397-1358.
SEPTEMBER SALE AT THE TRELLIS SHOP
Stock up on home accessories and flower arranging materials.
All items in theTrellis Shop will be on sale at 25 per cent off during the month of September, with the exception of books, bulbs and Christmas giftware.
Sale includes tropical plants, glassware and vases, dried and silk flowers, pots and containers, candles and napkins.
=S" gll What s on atThe Civic Garden Centre]|
SEPTEMBEHR
1
Southern Ontario Orchid Society
Speaker: Dick Wells, Hilltop Orchids, Indiana
Topic: On Phalaenopsis
Floral Hall, 1 to 5 p.m. Information: soos.ca
4
Special Lecture
Speaker: Stephen Anderton
Topic: Courageous Gardening
Floral Hall, 7:30 p.m. Admission $5
7
Canadian Hemerocallis Society
Speakers: Richard Norris & Matthew Kaskel
Garden Auditorium, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Registration fee $45
Banquet to follow: arrangements tba
Information: 416-362-1682
TorontoJudging Centre ofthe American Orchid Society
Judging 1 p.m. Open to the public
Boardroom & Administration Foyer
Information: soos.ca
8
Ontario Rock Garden Society
Speaker: David Tomlinson
Topic: Trouble-free Cultivation & Propagation of Rock Garden Plants
Floral Hall, 1:30 p.m.
Plant sale: 12:30 p.m.
Information: 416-755-2325
9
Mycological Society ofToronto
Meeting; Boardroom, 7:30 p.m.
Information: 416-444-9053; vsoots@globalserve.net
Toronto Bonsai Society
Meeting; Garden Auditorium, 7 p.m.
Information: 416-755-0880; torontobonsai.org
10
North Toronto Horticultural Society
Speaker: Janette Higgins
Topic: The Making of a Garden
Floral Hall, 8 to 10 p.m.
Information: 416-484-0677
11
Ikebana International Chapter 208
Demonstration workshop
Focusing on the use ofcolour - Sogetsu
Studio 1, 7:30 to 11 p.m.
Information: 416-920-0775
12-15
CGC Mum & Perennial Sale
Thursday through Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
15
York Rose & Garden Society
Speaker: Joel Schraven
Topic: Shrubs: Growing Modern, Old Garden and English Roses
Studio 3, 2 p.m.
Rose Show: Studio 2, 1 to 5 p.m.
Information: 416-282-4434; 416-482-2244
16
SOOS Newcomers Meeting
Topic: Introduction, Media and Watering Boardroom, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Information: Wayne Hingston, 905-649-2467
17
Toronto Cactus and Succulent Club Meeting; Studio 1, 6 to 11 p.m.
For Sale: bud shears and bonsai tools. Never Used. Call Lucie, 416-499-1796
New Garden Product
Sponsored by National Research Council Excellent Business Opportunity. 416-698-8362
Chicago Garden Getaway 16-19 September 2002 - only 6 SEATS LEFT $599.00 double occupancy. Scotland in the Fall 4-14 October 2002 - 10 SEATS available at $2999.00 double occupancy-;Gardens, Castles, magical Isle of Skye and all things "Scottish"ALL TOURS PERSONALLY ESCORTED BY MARJORIE MASON-HOGUE. Contact Lorna for details; Tel 905-6838411 Fax 905-683-6842 e-mail Ibates@on.aibn.com website www.gardenersworldtours.com REACH
civicgardencentre@infogarden.ca Deadline for Nov/Dec issue, September 13, 2002
