The Civic Garden Centre (CGC), founded in 1958, is a volunteer-based, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to act as a central resource for gardening, horticulture and allied environmental issues by encouraging interest, promoting involvement, and gathering, disseminating and interpreting information in order to enhance the quality of life for members of the community.
What We Offer
Located at Edwards Gardens, The Civic Garden Centre offers many programs and services, including year-round activities for families and children. Our horticultural library has 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
8,000 books, 70 periodicals, and a large collection of clippings, pamphlets, nursery and seed catalogues as well as a great selection of children s gardening books. Horticultural Information Services offers free gardeninginformation year round, and the Trellis Shop has 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 gardeningand the natural world. As a community service, Art in the Link offers gallery space to local artists. As well, the CGC has a wide variety of banquet halls, meeting rooms and show space, with access to Edwards Gardens, one ofToronto sfavourite gardenspots.
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, Arthur Beauregard, MarisaBergagnini, Dugald Cameron, Lindsay Dale-Harris, Kathy Dembroski, Leslie Denier, TonyDiGiovanni, Heather Dickson, Suzanne Drinkwater, Ralph Fernando, MaryFisher,JudyFloyd, Carol Gardner, Lorraine Hunter, Cecil Lamrock, Sonia Leslie, Patrick Li, Ruth MacKneson, Grace Patterson,Jean Read,Jennifer Reynolds, Dawn Scott, BunnySlater, Tim Tanz
3 Staff Members
Interim Executive Director Ron Dybyk Manager, Community Services Jenny Rhodenizer Manager, Horticultural Services Cathie Cox
Volunteer Co-ordinator
Accounting
Administration
Capital Campaign Director
Course Co-ordinator
Christine Martin
Joe Sabatino
Shirley Lyons
Janice Turner King
Rosetta Leung
Development Co-ordinator Niti Bhotoia
Horticultural Assistant
Librarian
Maintenance Supervisor
Rental Co-ordinator
TBA
Mara Arndt
Walter Morassutti
Randie Smith
Teaching Garden Co-ordinator Mary Fitzgerald
Volume 30 3 Number 3
EDITOR
Lorraine Flanigan
DESIGN
June Anderson
VOLUNTEER
EDITORIALASSISTANTS
M. Arndt, T. Coombes, M. Magee
VOLUNTEER PROOFREADERS
M. Bruce, M.Burston - J. McCluskey
L.&S. Skinner, A.Smith
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Trellis is published six times a yearasa members newsletter by The Civic Garden Centre at Edwards Gardens. 777 Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario M3C 1P2, 416-397-1340.
Manuscripts submitted on a voluntary basis are gratefully received. No remuneration is possible. Articles, manuscripts and advertising material must be received by the first of the month to ensure publication eight weeks later. For example, material for the July/August issue must be received by May 2.
Opinions expressed in Trellis do not necessarily reflect those of the Centre. Submissions may be edited for style and clarity.
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.
Charitable business number: 119227486RR0001
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ON THE COVER:
The garden of
Mr. and Mrs. Dammizio
Springtime at the CGC 6 Notes from the Corner Office
A return to The Civic Garden Centre 8 Volunteer News
Looking forward to growth 9 Teaching Garden
Help celebrate our fifth birthday! 22 Plant Portrait
Pennistum glaucum Purple Majesty 23 Q&A
Expert advice from the Master Gardeners
Artin the Link
News, Web site and book reviews
Transforming a lawn into a cottage garden Through the Garden Gate
A preview ofthe gardens ofthe Kingsway and Sunnylea
Les QuatreVents
A trip to Frank Cabot s garden in Quebec
Floriade a Horticultural Extravaganza
Top garden trends from the Netherlands
Award-Winning Gardens
Eight design considerations that make a garden great
Natural Ways to Control Pests
A look at what s bugging our gardens
Pots ofAnnuals for a Long Hot Summer
The best new annuals for containers
Springtime at the CGC
pringtime at The Civic Garden Centre S is probably our busiest time of year. Just as your gardens are waking up to new growth, so are our programs. For example, you can learn to make the beautiful miniature flowers that were displayed in our book booth at Canada Blooms by taking the course listed in our Spring-Summer
horticulturist Cathie Cox, Teaching Garden co-ordinator Diana Teal and our great volunteers including Jean Godawa are planning a well-deserved celebration. The Teaching Garden was a Garden Club of Toronto initiative developed under the leadership of Marisa Bergagnini. A great success right from the start, 1,800 children came to Program Guide. ..we y to glve work in the garden during the
Another really fun event is the our members program s first summer. By last overnight trip to Montreal, May great valuefOl" year that number had grown to 13 to 15. Participants on this tour theirannual 3,000 children coming to learn will stay in Old Montreal and visit membershtp about the art and science of garcultural and garden sights includ- dollar... dening and about the environing the wonderful Montreal Botanical Garden with its many distinctive features such as large greenhouse displays and world-renowned Chinese and Japanese gardens.
Dr. Allan Armitage, a prominent name in North American horticulture, is coming to The Civic Garden Centre on May 28. We are sure that you won t be disappointed in what he has to say about choosing plants that will give you long-lasting value in your garden.
Not to be missed is our annual tour of private gardens, Through the Garden Gate. This year s gardens are in the neighbourhoods of the Kingsway, Sunnylea and the Old Mill. Tour dates are Saturday and Sunday, June 14 and 15 a great Father s Day treat!
One of my very favourite trips away from the city is the out-of-town tour. On June 24, plan to spend a wonderful day with friends wandering through beautiful country gardens. This year the trip takes us to the counties of Durham and Northumberland, an area of rolling hills and challenging garden environments.
The Teaching Garden will be five years old this year and we are celebrating its birthday on June 21. The chair of the Teaching Garden Committee, Kim Dalglish, her committee, staff
ment in which plants live.
Spring is not too early to mark your calendars for our annual Golf Day on September 16. There will be lots of prizes, contests and good food!
At The Civic Garden Centre, we try to give our members great value for their annual membership dollar through exclusive benefits such as six issues of Trellis as well as wonderful workshops, topnotch lectures, courses and more. We count on your support to assist us in providing these services at a minimal cost. Our membership fees have not increased for several years, yet many of our costs have those for printing and postage, for example. As a result, the Board has decided that we must raise membership fees by a small amount. Single membership will be $40 and family membership will be $55. Even with this nominal increase, our fees remain lower than those of most other institutions. We feel that the benefits of a Civic Garden Centre membership are significant and hope that you do too.
Spring is upon us and [ wish you much pleasure in your garden. I also hope that you will join us here, in our garden centre. @
Mark s Garden Perennials, a Weall & Cullen exclusive, is a unique collection of over 50 plant varieties, in 6 different garden categories that are grown for their outstanding features and proven garden performance. Look for them in the distinctive purple pots
N [ s from the Corner Office
by Ron Dubyk e INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
A Return to The Civic Garden Cente
I am thankful for the opportunity to once
again serve the CGC in the capacity of interim executive director. [ appreciate the warm welcome that I have received from many of the staff, volunteers, horticultural groups and board members.
Coming back into the organization will be very challenging, and I am excited about the exceptional progress the Centre has made to date and with the revitalization plans proposed for the future.
While I am here, I will continue to work with the staff and to carry on maintaining the lines of communications with staff, volunteers, board members, related associations and our membership.
The future of the Centre has taken a very positive direction and I will be working hard to sustain its growth.
Once again, thank you for your warm reception and I look forward to meeting and working with you over the next few months. @
Large Selection ofNew and Award-Winning Varieties
Master Gardeners and horticulturists will be on hand to answer your questions.
Join the CGC and receive 10 per cent offyour purchases.
A list ofannualsthat may be preordered will be available from the Trellis Shop oron theWeb site, infogarden.ca.Pre-orders must be submitted by May 8 by e-mail, horticulture@infogarden.ca, by fax,416-397-1354,or by post, Horticultural Services at the CGC.
Unfunteer News
by Christine Martin VOLUNTEER CO-ORDINATOR
Looking forward to growth
WOW, IT
S HARD TO BELIEVE
that [ have been at The Civic Garden Centre for a year already. It s been a year of growth not only for me but also for the volunteer program. Since last spring, over 70 new volunteers have joined our team. Our Last year, more
larity of our tour programs. As interest in these tours of Edwards Gardens and the Toronto Music Garden continues to grow, I look forward to helping this team of volunteers develop in both skills and numbers.
Growth is an exciting and volunteer hours for 2002 than 00 volunteers inspiring thing. We all need it accounted for the equivalent of participated in for personal health and satisat least 16 full-time employees. workshops... faction. Isn t the growth we
Now we are hoping to continue that growth. As in a garden where we try to shape the process and encourage it along, so, in the same way, I hope to nurture the volunteer program and our volunteers in several ways. | hope to fine-tune our volunteer position descriptions so that they can be used to help volunteers and staff to clarify their roles. I hope to continue to offer skills-building workshops and opportunities so that each of us can grow and learn, gaining confidence and knowledge. Last year, more than 60 volunteers participated in workshops on topics such as customer service, leading effective meetings and engaging your audience, thereby increasing both personal and professional skills. This growth in skills and knowledge will enable our great team of volunteers to better fulfil their roles while remaining the caring group they are. I look forward to having more fun together.
In the Teaching Garden, I look forward to an increase in the number of volunteers and an expansion of their skills. We are seeking interested individuals who can act as program leaders and assistants, inspiring young minds in the love and knowledge of gardening and nature. We are also enlarging our Teaching Garden maintenance team, the dedicated gardeners who work together on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from April to October to keep the Teaching Garden in top condition. Please contact me ifyou are interested in helping out.
It's been great to watch the growth in popu-
see in the natural world part of what we love about gardening? Let s celebrate and look for growth in our volunteers too! @
A great big thank you to volunteers like Donna Kerr who worked one of the 130 shifts at Canada Blooms! You contribute to our success!
THROUGHTHEGARDEN GATE
Volunteers wanted for our popular tour of private gardens, June 14 and 15. Those who volunteer for oneday receive free admission to the alternate day of thetour.PleasecallChristineMartin, Volunteer Co-ordinator, at 416-397-4145 or volunteers@infogarden.ca, formore information.
by Diana Teal ® TEACHING
Help celebrate our fifth birthday!
THE TEACHING GARDEN' S STAFF and volunteers are buzzing with excitement about our upcoming birthday. This is the year that the Teaching Garden turns five, and we can t believe how much we have grown. We would like to invite you and the children in your life to join us at our birthday party on June 21, 2003, from one to three p.m. We ve planned for an afternoon of summer sun, live music for children, garden crafts and great company.
We have invited Chris McKhool, one of Toronto s finest children s musicians, to wow us with his Earth, Seas and Air interactive eco-
7 Like busy bees buzzing in a hive, We re simplya-buzzabout being F-I-V-E!
On June 21stwe turn 5 years old, So a BIRTHDAY PARTY we re planning to hold.
And we're really excited itfalls on that date, Because there s more than a birthdayto celebrate. It sthe SOLSTICE and that meansthat SUMMER is here, The very bestseason in all oftheyear!
So pleasejoin us on theyear s longest day! There ll be lots of nice treats, songs to sing, gamesto play. We ll welcome backsummer, and like bees in a hive, We'll be buzz-buzzing happyaboutturning F-I-V-E!
Bee there! Saturday, June 21, from 1 to 3 p.m.
Ifyou wish toattend, pleaseRSVPto the Teaching Garden Co-ordinatorat416-397-1355 or bye-mailat teachinggarden@infogarden.ca.
concert. Children are invited to join Chris on stage to play simple musical instruments that he has gathered from around the world. I'm certain that all of the children (and adults, too) will learn many new songs to hum and sing while working in the garden this summer.
To top off the afternoon, Loblaws Supermarkets Ltd. has graciously donated fresh strawberries and shortcake to delight your taste buds as well as fruit juice to wet your whistle while you are singing alongwith Chris McKhool.
We hope you will feel the buzz of our excitement and join us for our fifth birthday party. @
GOODBYE TO DianaTeal
From the Teaching Garden department, including the volunteers and the children who have participated in the program, as well as the rest of us at The Civic Garden Centre, we regretfully say goodbye and bon voyage to Diana Teal, ourTeaching Garden co-ordinator. However, it s with tremendous happiness that we wish her well and congratulate her on her move to Vancouver Island in March and on her forthcoming marriage in July. Diana has done a fabulous job of teaching her students a love of gardening and nature and will be sorely missed by all who knew her.
WELCOME TO Mary Fitzgerald
Mary Fitzgerald is a very brave soul. She joined The Civic Garden Centre asTeaching Garden Coordinator on March 10 - at the start of March Break and just before the Canada Blooms show, one of our busiest times of the year! Mary brings to the position an extensive teaching background coupled with biology and environmental studies. Mary has plenty of experience teaching children, has worked alongside volunteers and has been involved with community-based programs. Welcome Mary!
Overcomingafewhurdles, LizPrimeau
transformeda boring lawn into aflowery cottage garden.
ike most men I know, my husband always liked cutting the front lawn I swear it s a guy thing. One week he d run the mower from the front of the house to the street, the next he d cut crosswise, the third week he d go corner to corner. He liked the roar of the power mower maybe he was even hooked on the gas fumes and he commented many times that he did his best thinking while mowing the lawn.
But I changed all that. For years I'd found our lawn more than a little boring. My back garden, on the other hand, where I d been obsessively experimenting with a Sissinghurst-style white garden, a meadow and other trends I d admired in magazines and garden books, overflowed with colour, scent, birds, bees and butterflies. Nature was alive and well in my back garden, and I resolved to have it reside in the front, too.
My husband was the first hurdle in developing my plan, but a heavy infestation of white grubs finally convinced him the lawn had to go. We hired a nice young man with a strong back and a sod cutter to remove the grass, and once it was gone I had my first opportunity to see the yard as a whole and plan the new garden.
Panic ensued. What on earth was I going to do with this expanse of dirt? A little creative squinting revealed that a couple of paths would help to
provide structure as well as access to the eventual garden. I dragged out all the hoses I could find and laid them out as pathway boundaries. Then I walked down the street away from the garden, did an about-face and recorded my immediate impressions. This tried-and-true technique helped me place the pathways so they looked graceful as well as fulfilling their purpose.
But as I spent time pondering the pathways, the neighbours began to wonder. One asked if we were planning to put in sod or to seed a new lawn. I said, well, neither, I had a new plan in the works. Another asked if I needed help. Dirt in the front yard obviously didn t meet neighbourhood standards. I realized I was going to have to make some moves fast.
Liz Primeau s front yard before and after.
Our small house has a cottage-y look, and I decided on a full, flowery garden, planted in swaths of blending perennials. But how would we pay for the hundreds of plants we d need? We started by selecting some relatively inexpensive
...the neighbours began to wonder.
dozen years since, the back has yielded many more transplants among them lavender that wasn t thriving there because of increasing shade and five The Fairy roses that had outgrown their space. The annuals I seeded that first year, shrubs for the southwest corner of
I splurged on an eastern redbud for the spotlight position in the garden and purchased a few perennials heathers, thymes, cupid s dart, rock rose, bergenia, lady s mantle, catmint for the chorus, filling in with annuals and plant divisions from the back garden. In the half-
volunteers like verbascum, veronica and echinacea have taken up residence wherever they could find space.
Like all gardens, mine has changed subtly over the years, by my hand or nature s. My husband has taken ownership of the garden, too, and comments on how much more beautiful and how much less work it is than the lawn.
One asked lfwe such as clary sage, bright yellow the lot, to block the sounds of a were planmng California poppies and fluffy pink nearby highway: red osier dog- to put in sod or opium poppies, have propagated woods and lime green double to seed with abandon every summer, and a new lawn. Japanese kerria whose complementary branches provide pleasing winter colour. A fellow gardener donated two glossy evergreen euonymus that bear dark purple berries in fall. A fragrant Carolina spice bush joined the group, as did a bright candy-pink rhododendronI fell for at the nursery because it was in radiant, blinding bloom on a dull spring day. One should know better.
What about his love affair with grass? He s had to take up golf. @
\
\ \ \l.l.\ \l\ .\ \l\l.\
A past editor of Trellis, Liz Prtmeau wasthe founding editor ofCanadian Gardening and is a frequent guest speaker and the author of numerous articles and books on gardening.
GROUNDWORK: STARTING A FRONT YARD GARDEN
A FRONT GARDEN isn t that much different from one in the back, but there are a few significant distinctions.
e A front garden is essentially public, and you should aim for a look that suits your house and fits the intrinsiccharacter of the neighbourhood. Don t introduce jarring change, such as a tall-grass prairie in a small front yard on a narrow street, especially if your neighbours prefer patches of conservative grass.
* Your neighbours have a stake in it. Tell them what you plan and assure them your lot will be uprooted for as little time as possible. Then live up to your promise.
o A front garden is viewable from all sides your house, the street and adjoining properties. Take these sight lines into consideration. A tall hedge may be the perfect backdrop foryour perennial bed but an unfriendly barrier in your neighbour s eyes.
e Local bylaws may affect its design. Plants, fences and statuary over a certain height might be disallowed. Planting in ditches, or altering the grade of
a property, ditch or swale could be no-nos if they detrimentally affect water runoff. Check the location of both overhead and underground utility lines so you don t interfere with them when digging deep holes or putting in potentially tall trees.
e Some front yard gardens aren t planned; they evolve. | know a couple that kept growing out from the house till they reached the street and another that was originally made up of island beds that got bigger and bigger, leaving narrower and narrower strips of grass between them. The beds eventually dominated and the grass strips became paths.This isn t a bad approach to planning if you're stuck for ideas: use hoses and extension cords to create several circles or shapes in the lawn, and keep widening them until the spaces between them shrink.
Adapted by the authorfrom her new book, Front Yard Gardens: Growing More Than Grass, to be published this spring by Firefly BooksLtd. at$24.95softcover.
THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE
Lisa Woodgives us a preview ofthegardens ofthe KingswayandSunnylea.
In my many years
as a tour guide forithe sCGC, 1 have heard all kinds of opinions and comments about gardens. There are those who are unhappy with everything and those who find pleasure in just being in a garden. Some turn away from roses in favour of wildflowers; others want to see the latest plant introductions while their friends long for more old-fashioned plants. Some praise gardens with big old trees; others find big trees dirty . This debate seems never ending. What to do, then, when planning a garden tour? How can everyone be happy? Well, this year s Through the Garden Gate, the CGC s sixteenth, goes a very longway to satisfyingeveryone s desires.
This Kingsway garden bursts into bloom in May and June.
Our 2003 tour offers a truly eclectic mix of gardens: classic, contemporary, quaint and quirky. Every gardener has a particular intent and those
On manystreets,
your own garden. At the beginning of the twentieth century, developer Robert Home Smith looked at the area now called the Kingsway and envisioned it as A little bit of England - far from England. His idea was to create a planned subdivision on what was then mostly farmlandwith houses built by their owners on serviced lots. Although development started slowly, it began to move ahead more quickly in 1924 following the completion of the Bloor Street bridge over the Humber River. Toronto s elite had already discovered the Old Mill Tea Rooms, built by Home Smith about ten years earlier in a converted lumber mill near the banks of the Humber. As a further incentive to homebuyers, in 1927 Home Smith arranged for the construction of a fine golf club (now called the St. George s Golf and intentions are wide-ranging. ont lawns have Country Club). Today, although One gardener only became a peen rep[aced wWith there have been plenty of altergardener after an illness and has COlOlll llgarden¢, ations and renovations to houses remained committed to growing tree peonies for ten years. Another garden is designed as a setting for casual visits with family and friends. A third is largely composed of a lovely sparkling pond, and another is a verdant ravine garden a perfect escape from the summer heat. There are 21 gardens and five front gardens on this year s tour and they are all a delight. It s lovely to see the different ways that people express themselves on their patch of land. There are so many ideas here that you ll come away with a head full of things to try in and gardens, especially in recent years, the area retains a leafy English feel.
Many of the gardens in this neighbourhood have been designed and built and are cared for with the help of professionals. We can see the evidence of that in the use ofwell-chosen specimen trees, generous stonework, the latest in plant combination ideas and a careful working out of the use of space. The classic elements of garden style are often present large cool sweeps of well-maintained lawn, parterres, pergolas, ornamental gates and swimming pools.
Even though some of the gardens are large with grand old trees and a lovely sense of scale and others are quite small and newly built, most remain within the parameters of the conservative good taste so emblematic of this area.
Rowingraceonth HumberRivernear the 0ld Mill, circa
In the Sunnylea neighbourhood, which lies directly south of Bloor Street and the Kingsway, the land was largely devoted to orchards and farmhouses until the 1940s when the current Tudor bungalows and other houses began to be built. Here, the gardens on the tour are more often designed, constructed and maintained by their owners. On many streets, front lawns have been replaced with colourful gardens. These are the inspiration ofthe owner and so interesting that we have added a special section to this year s tour that includes five front gardens. As Liz Primeau notes in her new book, Front Yard Gardens: Growing More Than Grass, a neighbourhood that can boast a number of them is a lucky neighbourhood indeed .
1909
There are many avid gardeners in this community. On the tour you can visit the ebullient space gardened by a duo of horticulture professionals who have plants, including a collection of hostas and succulents, growing in every available space; a long-time CGC member s garden which has evolved over the years; the ravine garden owned by a professor of botany at the University of Toronto who sometimes uses his pond to grow all kinds of aquatic plants, some of which are the subjects of his work; and a long-time gardener who has developed a lush garden growing in sandy soil into a series ofgarden rooms.
Through the Garden Gate remains one of the best-planned tours and useful resources for gardeners in the city. The wide range of garden types and styles ensures that there will be good ideas for everyone to consider. Master Gardeners will be waiting in every garden to answer your horticultural questions. In many cases, where professionals have been used their names are listed with a brief description of the garden in the
garden booklet that is part of the tour package. Free shuttle buses will travel frequently from the Royal York subway station to the garden tour headquarters and circulate along the tour route. You can take the TTC or park your car in one location and rely on the buses to get you to the gardens on the tour. We make sure that you can buy water and ice cream along the route to keep you well enough fuelled
Photo William James. Courtesy City of Toronto Archives
to see all the gardens.
Tour headquarters is, as always, the heart of the garden tour. It s a great place to stop and sit and have lunch, ice cream or a cold drink. There will be quite a few interesting plants for sale in case you just have to have something that you saw in one ofthe gardens.
The Through the Garden Gate tour is a major fundraising event for the CGC. It is a means by which members and others can spend a very pleasant day in one of the neighbourhoods in our city and get a chance to explore other people s gardening styles. @
A memberofthe Through the Garden Gate tour committee, Lisa Wood is a landscape designer anda CGCmemberand volunteer.
ORDERTICKETS BEFORE THEY SELL OUT!
THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE takes place on Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15. Gardens will be open from noon to 5 p.m. each day.Tours proceed in all weather. Tickets are available in the CGC sTrellis Shop or by calling 416-3971340.You must buy a ticket for a specific day; tickets are valid for either Saturday or Sunday and cannot be interchanged. Often, tickets sell out before the tour weekend, so it is a good idea to buy in advance. If any tickets are available on thetour days, they will be sold at tour headquarters.Tickets: $25 for members and guests; $30 for non-members.
LES QUATREVENTS
Intrigued by thejazzyanthropomorphicfrogs, Gwyneth Norton-Wilksrounded up somefriends fora trip to Frank Cabot sgarden in Quebec.
Frogs jazz it up in Frank Cabot s les
hen Frank Cabot came to lecture at WThe Civic Garden Centre in October 2001 it was the anthropomorphic frogs that did it! [ had to see that garden! Just popping over for a quick peek was out of the question the garden is situated two hours north of Quebec City and, more importantly, it is necessary to obtain a personal invitation before planning a trip.
On a chilly afternoon last February, while walking through Edwards Gardens, my friend and fellow member of the Ontario Rock Garden Society, Ruthanne Stiles, and I drafted a letter to Frank Cabot at his winter home in Cold Spring, New York. In our request, we emphasized our interest in alpines. By return of post we received our invitation to Les Quatre Vents together with a list of recommended accommodations near La Malbaie, a hand-drawn map of the area and a list of floriferous moments in the garden from May to Labour Day. Frank Cabot informed us that the Auberge des Peupliers in Cap 4 I'Aigle was the inn that was most highly favoured by his garden visitors.
Along with another friend and CGC volunteer, Jean McCluskey, we immediately made our reservation. The three of us flew to Quebec City in July and picked up a rental car at the airport. We were immediately struck by the beauty of the mountain ranges surrounding us. The two-hour drive to Cap 4 1 Aigle was a pleasant one, and we were impressed by the neat little Quebec villages with church spires and brightly painted houses. We felt as if we were in another country.
We settled into our spacious and comfortable room at the auberge, and I suddenly found my rusty French surging back. The views of the St. Lawrence River were breathtaking and we were glad of a walk through the village after our fivecourse dinner. The food was sumptuous and presented with great artistry why don t my sliced cucumbers stay in interesting animal shapes on the plate?
The great day dawned and we were at the gate for opening at nine a.m. We were given maps of the garden and left to make our way around at our own pace. There were about ten
Photo Gwynet Norton-Wilks
QuatreVents garden.
other cars in the parking lot all day, so we pretty well had the place to ourselves. What struck me was that all the different features of the garden were much closer together than I had imagined from seeing the photos in Cabot s book, The Greater Perfection: the Story of the Gardens atLes Quatre Vents.
The white garden has an immense variety of plants and fewer silvers and greys than at Sissinghurst. Growing at the feet of Crambe cordifolia were white peonies, Paeonia, Oriental poppies, Papaver orientalis, Campanula latifolia and Lamium. There were white Nicotiana, Platycodon, Gypsophila and Phlox. The sound of water trickling from a statue of Pan and his pipes and the perfume of Philadelphus completed the picture.
The whole garden covers about 20 acres and from the house you walk straight down the tapis vert and through the rose garden where carpets ofDianthus were at their peak. We saw more peonies together with delphiniums, Delphinium, to die for, a glorious combination of fire-engine red Crocosmia, the blue leaves of Rosa glauca and white Martagon lilies, Lilium martagon. Myosotis was still out in abundance as well as Iris missouriensis. We crossed the goose allée and took some great pictures of the swans on Lac Libellule. Then we made our way up to the music pavilion and down to the Pigeonnier where we ate our lunch to the strains of a French balladeer.
Next came the anthropomorphic frogs and their jazzy music. They were just as I'd expected and out came the cameras. From this part of the garden we walked down to the Nepalese rope bridges which are truly terrifying. Not only do they sway backwards and forwards and sideways, the wooden slats were slippery from the rain that had just started, and the slats sloped at a sharp angle under our weight. We wisely waited for each person to make it to the other side before the next one of us started across. We needed both hands to hold onto the rope sides, so notebook and camera were stashed away in the knapsack. I didn t even feel comfortable enough to take a picture of the ravine 30 feet below. However, we got
photos from the other side with each one of us struggling across.
The Japanese garden with its two teahouses is really the climax of the whole place. The manmade waterfalls were spectacular and filled with massive-leaved plants. Apparently, Frank Cabot asked a psychiatrist friend to analyse his love of big leaves and the shrink wrote back saying that Cabot must consider himself so well endowed that [he] couldn t resist searching for the ultimate fig leaf .
We ended up in the potager which is a whole garden in itself and walked back to the car past paddocks of thoroughbred horses. We spent the evening visiting artists studios and trying to work off another five-course meal.
At dinner, a woman at an adjoining table came over and gushed, You gals seem pretty couth. Did you get an invitation to the garden? We suppressed our giggles and decided to nickname ourselves The Couth Cousins .
Thanks to Jean s brilliant navigational skills and Ruthanne s vast knowledge of plant names, the trip was a phenomenalsuccess.d
A member ofthe OntarzoRock GardenSoczety and the CGC, Gwyneth Norton-Wilks is a manic gardenerwho says she wouldgarden all night if she hada headlamp.
PLAN AVISITTO LESQUATREVENTS
Open Wednesdays and Saturdays from May to September.
Donation of $25 per person to the CEPASTrust
Information: After April, write to Francis H. Cabot, Les QuatreVents, 345 rue Fraser, La Malbaie, Quebec G5A 1A2, or phone 418-665-2474. Before May, write to Mr. Cabot at Stonecrop Gardens, Box 222, Cold Spring, New York 10515.
Floriade a Horticultural Extravaganza
Lorraine Flaniganhighlights the top garden trendsfrom the Netherlands.
Imagine acres and acres of gardens surround-
ing a giant terraced pyramid topped by a massive Calderesque sculpture and you have the horticultural extravaganza called Floriade, a show that takes place in the Netherlands once every ten years or so. The most recent Floriade was held in 2002 in a region called Haarlemmermeer near Schiphol airport just outside of Amsterdam. Six years in the making, the show opened in April and last September, I was lucky enough to have visited the show.
Nothing can prepare you for Floriade. It s not like the Chelsea Flower Show; it s not a botanical garden maybe Disneyland for gardeners comes closest to describing its sixty-four acres of gardens, pavilions, exhibits and floral displays. Based on the theme, Feel the Art ofNature, the
CONTAINERS
Big, plain, sim- & ply planted and arranged in a group or series, containers wer everywhere.
ROOFTOP GARDENING
Planted with succulents and alpines or weather-resistant ornamental grasses, | green roofs make || ecological sense andlookbeautiful.
VERBENA %3 BONARIENSIS
&%
Ifyou don t have it, get it. Verbena bonariensis is the !1 / hottest plant to hit the garden setyet.
park was designed by Dutch landscaper, Niek Roozen. Atits centre was Big Spotters Hill, a manmade terraced pyramid crowned by the contemporary sculpture of Auke de Vries, a striking landmark that could be seen from miles away. Laid out around Big Spotter s Hill was a Green City with ideas for gardens and homes of the future. On the shores of a small lake, display gardens showcased some of the best in Dutch and international garden design, including a breathtaking water lily pond that would have made Monet throw down his brushes in despair. Indoors, 10,000 square metres of floral displays were arranged under a solar roofthat remains the largest in the world.
Apart from awe at the sheer size of the show, I came away from Floriade with some great garden design ideas these five top my list:
ART AND SCULPTURE
Outdoor furniture takes on a new meaning with | concrete sofas that are both functional and works of art.
WIRED STRUCTURES
Wire and steel were used throughout the display gardens. This chain link fence is complemented bya steel pergolabrimmingwith plants.
Editor of Trellis, Lorraine Flanigan is a member andvolunteerofthe CGCandaMaster Gardener.
Photos Lorraine Flanigan
AWARD WINNING GARDENS -
YOU BE THE JUDGE!
Whatgivesagarden thatcertainje ne sais quoi?
Asapastjudge ofneighbourhoodgarden contests, Carol Gardneroutlines eightdesign conSiderations injudgingwhat'sgreataboutagarden.
1 STYLE The look ofhouse and garden should be complementary. A ranch-style house with a formal garden is jarring to the eye. Be careful about mixing formal and informal design: a cottage garden surrounded by clipped boxwood can look good but onlywhen done by an expert!
2 Focus Decide on a focal point and lead the eye towards it. Small gardens with multiple focal points are the opposite of peaceful.
3 SCALE Many gardens contain a lot of little ornaments instead of one imposing one. Miniscule ornamentation can look cute, but it will never look elegant.
4 MOVEMENT A garden should feel alive. Create a sense of movement through repeating plantings, swaying flowers or grasses and water features.
5 VARIETY It s the spice oflife. Plant a range of colours, heights, shapes and textures. A layered garden is far more interesting than a flat one.
6 IMAGINATION Try some unusual plant combinations. If they don t work, you can always move them. If they look great, you ll build yourself a reputation for artistry.
7 RULE OF THREE. Plants really do look better when grouped in odd numbers. Check it out for yourself place two of any plant in a bed, look at them, then add a third. Voila!
8 MAINTENANCE Be ruthless with fast-growing specimens. The look of the garden can easily be ruined by one over-enthusiastic shrub. Deadhead, weed, water. A poorly maintained garden looks unloved, and isn t that the worst thing you could say about a garden?
First published in Plant& Garden magazine.
Carol Gardner is a garden writer, a volunteer and a member ofthe CGC s Board ofDirectors as wellas a member ofthe Trellis Committee.
Helen Dillon s Garden
in Dublin is just one of the Or% featured Gardens on Marjorie s / Celtic Garden Tour
22 June - 05 July 2003
Ireland touring includes:- Bunratty CastleVillage ofAdare ~ the Burren Celtic Park Gardens Ring of Kerry- linacullin Island GardenWaterford Crystal Wicklow Mountains ~ Helen Dillon s Garden in Dublin -National Garden
Exhibition centre Wales - Mountains of Snowdonia National Botanical Gardens Powis Castle Beatrix Potter's Hilltop Farm in the Lake District-Scottish Borders - Loch Lomond and Glasgow Botanical Gardens
$4579.00 per person, double occupancy includes Air Canada direct flight service.
Discover the Magic ofScotland Tour
includes Edinburgh Tattoo s August 4 - 15, 2003 &\.' . Love, Lilt and Laughter in the Highlands, and the Orkney Islands 2 annual all things Scottish tour includes castles and gardens, golf, music and dancing, history, folklore, food and single malt!! Direct Air Canada flights $3779.00 per person, double occupancy
PHILADELPHIA
Longwood Gardens and the Brandywine Valley Coach Tour September 14 -17, 2003
Marjorie and Jeff will co-host this annual Fall Garden Getaway Tour.
$749.00 per person, double occupancy
All tours personally designed and escorted by Marjorie Mason of Mason Hogue Gardens, Uxbridge, Ont. May we welcome new and past gardening friends to our 2003 tours.
itineraries!
For further information or registration Contac: Lorna at 905-683-8411 e-mail Ibates@on.aibn.com
Natural Ways to Control Pests
In the secondarticle in our organicgardeningseries, Carol Gardnerlooks at what's bugging ourgardens.
Ladybugs feed on aphids, mites, scale and whiteflies
Ithough the best natural way to control Apests in the lawn and garden is to have healthy soil and grass, there are a number of other steps that you can take to wage war on pests, including three that I'll highlight here: biological controls, insect repellant plants and a plethora of natural products. None of these solutions is completely devoid of controversy; so, at the end ofeach description, I'll list the cautions.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROLS
The concept of biological control is not as sinister as it sounds; it simply means that you use a pest s natural enemies, either as predators or parasites. This is especially good news for gardeners who have been plagued by lawn grubs, those creatures that annually carve brown patches in the lawn by eating the grass roots. The grubs are actually the larvae ofJune bugs, Japanese beetles and chafers. By introducing beneficial nematodes (microscopic worms that inhabit the soil), the grubs can be assured a short (and rather unhappy) life. The nematodes work by infesting the grub s body and then feeding and reproducing there. The grub
actually becomes a hatchery for its own nemesis; it s a bit like a Stephen King movie without the popcorn. Nematodes are also available for fungus gnats, black vine weevils and other unwelcome guests.
Cautions
® The key to a successful application of beneficial nematodes is to apply them when the soil is at the correct temperature, so follow the package directions to the letter.
® Some worry that this solution has not been sufficiently researched and that the nematodes themselves maybecome a problem in the future.
BENEFICIAL INSECTS
Not all solutions are high tech; for generations, gardeners have used helpful insects to control their natural enemies. Ladybugs (lady beetles), for example, are known to feed on aphids, mites, scale and whiteflies. As if their predilection for pests weren t enough, they also help to pollinate plants and to decompose organic matter. Lacewings feed on aphids, mealy bugs, scale, spider mites, thrips, small caterpillars, insect eggs
and larvae. Lacewings, ladybugs and many other helpful insects can be purchased in bulk.
Cautions
® Beneficial insects will only remain in your garden if they are provided with adequate food and a source of water. If those aren t available, they ll soon be moving in with your neighbours.
® Know your ladybugs! Beware of the Asian ladybug, Harmonia axyridis, which is the one that bites and congregates in masses on exterior walls in the fall. The types that are good to attract are the Australian ladybug, Cryptolaemus montrousieri, or the convergent ladybug, Hippodamia convergens.
® When encouraging beneficial insects, stop using synthetic insecticides or you ll kill off the good insects along with the bad.
INSECT REPELLANT PLANTS
Many plants (especially herbs) do a terrific job on insect control. Tansy, Tanacetum vulgare, and marigolds, 7agetes, repel cutworms and sunflowers, Helianthus, trap the little devils. Nasturtiums, 7ropaeolum, trap aphids; basil, Ocimum basilicum, repels mosquitoes; and yarrow, Achillea, attracts ladybugs and is an excellent natural fertilizer. Even the trendy Cimicifuga gets one of its common names bugbane from its reputed insect repellant qualities.
Cautions
® Before using a plant for its insect repellant properties, educate yourself on its effects on humans, animals and other plants. Wormwood, Artemesia absinthium, for example, is highly effective in tea form against slugs, snails and other pests. However, the ingredient that makes it effective is thujone, a toxic element found in absinthe the drink that was popular in France in Van Gogh s time; some believe that the artist was drinking the green liquor when he lopped off his ear! Wormwood also contains absinthin which can leach into the soil and stunt the growth of surrounding plants ... a fact that goes a long way in explaining why Artemesia once took over a very large portion of my garden!
® Research in this area can be sketchy and a lot
of the information comes from gardeners observations rather than proven science.
NATURAL PRODUCTS
There are a growing number of natural products available to control insect populations, including diatomaceous earth, dormant oils, insect traps and insecticidal soaps. Diatomaceous earth is a powder made from the skeletons of micro-organisms called diatoms. The sharp edges of the powder cut into the waxy coating of insects, causing them to lose body fluids, dehydrate and die. Dormant oils are used to smother insect eggs laid in early spring and sticky traps lure and trap insects such as aphids. There are a number of safe insecticidal soaps on the market, and it s also very easyto make one at home.
Cautions
® Be sure to read the ingredients carefully before purchasing any natural product and take any necessary precautions before applying. Diatomaceous earth, for example, should be applied wearing a paper mask so that it cannot be inhaled. Some commercially available dormant oil may contain toxic substances. @
We ve just skimmed the surface of the topic here, I know, but there s plenty of related information available through the Master Gardeners, horticultural societies, the CGC library and a number of government and university Web sites. Why not have a cup of tea and get out the gardening books while the nematodes are doing their thing in the garden?
Carol Gardner is a garden writer, a volunteer and a member ofthe CGC' s Board ofDirectors as wellas a memberofthe Trellis Committee.
RECIPE FOR INSECTICIDAL SOAP
2 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil 1/4 cup dishwashing liquid enough water to thin mixture for spraying
Insecticidal soaps may be toxic to some plants. Test on one or two plants before spraying directly on affected plants and surrounding soil.
POTS OF ANNUALS FOR A LONG HOT SUMMER
From bold cardoons to demure diascias, Cathie Coxshowcases some ofthe best newannualsfor containers.
he current trend in container plantings Tcontinues to be large, lush, tropical-looking foliage and in-your-face colour such as oranges, reds and deep purples.
The wide range of container plants available at many garden centres from succulents to edible flowers and herbs, accent plants and fragrant flowers offers enough choice to satisfy every gardener s search for individuality. So, check out all these new introductions and improved varieties, decide whether you are for foliage, fragrance, flowers or funky succulents, fill your pots, planters and urns and make the most of summer!
ADDING DRAMA
For those of us who like a touch of drama and have large containers a must-have is Purple Majesty ornamental millet, Pennisetum glaucum,a striking corn-like plant with deep purple foliage, stems and cattail-like flowers. To read more about it, see the Plant Portrait on page 22.
Rosmarinus vulgaris, or the nasturtium, Tropaeolum, Empress of India .
FOLIAGE ACCENTS
Compact and floriferous, theWhisper Series of Diascia have a trailing habit.
Accent or foliage plants are essential to many successful container combinations. They echo or add colour and contrast as well as giving a rich lush feel that flowers often cannot achieve. Foliage plants also soften the edges and the colour of a container and add grace and movement to a design. Accent or filler plants can be perennial groundcovers, ornamental grasses or tropical ferns. Happy in sun or shade, a Perilla called Magilla Perilla is a heat-tolerant coleus look-alike with deep purple foliage splashed with a bright red centre. This is a stunning new introduction that can be placed in a large container and used as a contrast plant.
The striking foliage of some cannas, Canna, offers colour and a lush tropical look in any arrangement. Cannas Pretoria (also known as Bengal Tiger ) and Striped Beauty have zebrastriped cream, yellow or red and green leaves and orange or yellow blossoms, while Rose , Red , Red Futurity and Angele Martin are dwarf cannas with bronze or burgundy foliage and pink or red flowers. The flower of a canna is ofsecondary importance to the foliage.
The cardoon, Cynara cardunculus an Italian vegetable in its other life grows rapidly and has huge sword-shaped silver leaves that provide a Mediterranean look. To make an edible container planting, edge cardoons with trailing herbs or edible flowers such as rosemary,
Dichondra Silver Falls is a sun-loving vigorous but graceful trailer. Drought- and heat-tolerant, Silver Falls has fan-shaped silver leaves and cascades to over one metre (three feet).
New and exciting this year is a trailing bamboo look-alike, Agrostis stolonifera Green Twist . Apparently hardy to -5°C (23°F), in Europe it s grown as a groundcover; but here, planted in a hanging basket, it will trail up to 1.8 metres (six feet)! It is mildew resistant and requires some shade.
Persian shield, Strobilanthes dyerianus, with its striking iridescent silvery purple leaves and well-branched habit is another foliage plant that adds a touch of sophistication to a planter placed in partial shade. Add hot pink and purple trailing petunias or Million Bells to the container to create an eye-catching display.
Coleus, Solenostemon, is one of the few plants that can be chosen like wallpaper. Pick three different coleus of contrasting colours and leaf habits, plant them in a pot and see for yourself how successful you can be. Coleus Rustic Orange or Red Ruffles teamed with Black Dragon and Wild Lime adds zest to any shady corner. Coleus Little Frills with rich claret-pink foliage and lime-green flecked edges and Kiwi Fern with narrow ruffled deep pink and lime leaves are good choices for small pots.
IMPROVED CLASSICS
Many flowering plants that have been around for a while have been improved and re-introduced this year. The Good Morning Series, a compact form of morning glory, Jpomoea, suitable for hanging baskets has creamy white variegated leaves and is available in pink and violet. These morning glories perform well in sunny, hot, humid conditions and are very floriferous.
Osteospermums, Osteospermum, are known for their poor flowering habits in the heat of midsummer but the new Maxima Series, available in orange and yellow, has been bred to flower all season long.
Lantanas, Lantana, make excellent container plants with their bushy form, heat- and sun-tolerance and floriferous habit, even under adverse conditions. Look for the Lucky Series, an improved, well-branched, more compact and more floriferous form that s available in just about every colour except white.
Wave petunias continue to be very popular and are excellent performers in containers. New this year are the Tidal Wave and Easy Wave Series that have improved colour ranges but the same ever-flowering and mile-a-minute growth habit. Million Bells or calibrachoa is another sun- and heat-loving petunia-like annual with a superb flowering performance that lasts all season. Plum and Apple Blossom have been rated the best this year.
Scaevolas, Scaevola, have been steadily gaining popularity as container plants. They are a bushy trailer, most suitable in partly shady locations as an alternative to lobelias, although far
more vigorous. New this year and hard to get is Diamond , a purple-edged white, more compact form. Aqua is a new lavender blue. All forms flower all season long and require minimum care but need to be well watered if placed in hot sunny locations.
Big Blue is a new and improved trailing lobelia, Lobelia, with larger flowers and increased heat tolerance. When choosing lobelias for a container, it is always best to go for the vegetatively produced type, such as Blue Star and White Star which bloom for most of the season. Cheaper, seed-grown lobelias flower for a month in a container and then shrivel to an embarrassing nothing, leaving you feeling like an incompetent gardener.
For those gardeners who enjoy subtlety, diascias, Diascia, have bushy growth habits and pastel colours; they probably do best in a partly sunny location. The Whisper Series is an improved form with a more floriferous and trailing, compact growth habit. I think the most exciting colour is Whisper Cranberry Red . Whisper Apricot and Orange Sunshine are also newcomers rich pastel colours and compact bushy growth habits.
Gauras have also been around for a while. A short-lived perennial that s used more and more as an annual, gauras have always been a challenge to place in a garden border. This year Gaura Ballerina Blush and Ballerina Rose are being reintroduced as container plants. They should give an open, airy look to planters and add height with their delicate orchid-like self-cleaning blooms and glossy deep green foliage.
Container plantings are becoming more popular and individuality is increasingly important to gardeners. Anything goes and the only limitations are the placement of the plants in the appropriate location, how much care you can give them and the size of your containers. Experimentation is the key to success. @
As Manager ofHorticultural Services at The Civic Garden Centre, Cathie Cox is always on the lookoutforgreatplants.
GRASSES ARE IN. Purple foliage is in. Architectural plants are in. Attracting birds is in. Annuals are no longer disregarded by the serious gardener. Purple Majesty is a large, purple-leaved annual grass with seed that attracts birds. To give you an idea of what it looks like, imagine a cattail with a lot of tiny seeds instead of a rod of fluff. Then think of this on top of a corn plant with purple leaves.
Modern cultivars have attractivefoliage.
Purple Majesty appeared by chance in some feed millet at the University of Nebraska. It is the first ornamental millet to be grown and is new to the gardening scene. The All-America Selections trial judges realized that this ornamental millet was a breeding breakthrough and awarded the plant the Gold Medal Flower Award Winner for 2003.
The plants grow from 90 to 150 centimetres (three to five feet) tall and about 60 centimetres (two feet) wide. The corn-like leaves are purple with a red midrib. The flower spikes rise well
above the leaves and are 2.5 to 5 centimetres (one to two inches) wide and 25 to 30 centimetres (10 to 12 inches) long. The purple spike becomes a golden yellow when it produces pollen. The maturing seeds are shiny purple.
Both seed and young plants are available from several companies. It only takes 60 to 70 days from seed to blooming, so do not sow seed too early. Start seeds indoors in a warm room. Keep evenly moist and under good light once they germinate. Do not let the young plants burn in the direct sun of a windowsill. When you look at your seedlings, they will be a boring green. Do not give up keep the seedlings growing steadily. They will not grow to their full height if growth is checked by lack of water or by becoming pot-bound. When the weather has warmed up and the soil is warm (in early June, I hope), take your seedlings outside. Harden them off carefully by leaving them in a shady protected place for two days. Then gradually move them into the sun. Full sun will rapidly turn their colour from green to purple.
They need space but are not fussy about soil. Purple Majesty is tolerant of heat and low moisture. Plant them in containers, use them as accents, perhaps as a screen how about mixed with sunflowers? Cut the flowering spikes for flower arrangements or leave them for the birds.
Yellow colours should look well with them perhaps a sun-tolerant yellow-leaved hosta or pink- and silver-coloured plants.
I am looking forward to trying this new plant. Most talks I have heard suggest thatwe all buy it!
With informationfrom theAll-America Selections.
Anna Leggatt is a Master Gardener, garden writerandactive CGCvolunteer.
B Expert advice from the Master Gardeners i
QMy lilac, Syringa, is two and a half metres (eight feet) high but it has never bloomed. What can [ do?
A The number one cause of lack of bloom is insufficient light. Is there too much shade from the house or from nearby trees?
Identify next year s buds when pruning offfaded blooms
The number two cause is incorrect pruning. Lilac should be pruned in late spring or early summer immediately after flowering. Be very careful not to prune off the next year s flower buds which are just beneath the fading blooms.
The number three cause is using the wrong fertilizer. If the lilac is growing near the lawn, it may be getting too much nitrogen from lawn fertilizer.Try to shield the area around the lilac when feeding the lawn. Use a fertilizer with a high second number to encourage blossoms.
Finally, a shrub can sometimes be prodded into flowering by pruning the roots. Dig around the drip line, slicing through the outer roots. [When root pruning, it s wise to follow with an application of fertilizer that s high in phosphorus. Ed.)
Q My privet, Ligustrum, hedge looked very dead after last winter s killing frosts, but now it is starting to shoot again from the bottom. What should I do with it?
A Prune away all the dead wood and let the new shoots develop. Keep it watered well during the hot weather.You can give it some fertilizer (use one with a high first number such as 10-6-4) early in June, but don t feed it after mid-July or you run the risk of losing the new growth the next winter as it will not be mature enough to survive.
Q 1 have a pot of agapanthus lily bulbs which I have been trying to get to bloom for four to five years. Every year, I get a good show of healthy foliage but never a flower shoot. I have been overwintering the pot, well-insulated with leaves, in a cold frame. As soon as weather permits in spring, I have relocated the pot to a fairly sunny spot outdoors. The bulbs have multiplied to the point where they occupy most of the available space in the pot. | am wondering if I should be replanting them to give them more space. I think some bulbs flower better when they are crowded, but such doesn t appear to be the case with this one. [ am also not sure when this plant normally blooms in the Canadian climate. I saw them in flower in San g-4 100 oqAgapanthus Francisco some years back, arefrost-hardy but must in earlyJune I believe. winter indoorstoflower.
A For best results, Agapanthus should be brought indoors for the winter. Grow them in a large pot with good potting soil. To keep their leaves inside they need partial sun and very light watering just enough moisture to keep the plants alive. In the spring they should be given more light, warmer temperatures and a feeding of a balanced fertilizer or liquid manure when new growth appears in the spring and continued monthly until flowering. Leave them undisturbed for years, lifting and dividing only when very crowded or if you wish to increase the number of plants.You might be wise to re-pot those you have in good soil this spring, removing the smaller bulbs to start new plants, especially when you have had several years of no flowering.
Prune away dead wood to let new shoots develop
Do you have a question about gardening? Contact the Toronto Master Gardeners InfoLine at416-397-1345 or log on to the Q&A Forum at infogarden.ca/mastergardenerboard.htm and AskaMaster Gardener!
llustrations:
Vivien Jenkinson
Visit the Country Gardens of Durham and Northumberland
Gardenersin Durham and Northumberland counties are a resourceful and imaginative group, creating gardens of interest and beauty in a region where the terrain is challenging and the climate is harsh. Here's a sample of some of the gardens that we will be visiting.
A World unto Itself
You enter this magical setting through woods which lead to a clearing with a cabin and an enclosed apple orchard where rare sheep graze and cockerels strut. Here, self-sufficient perennials and herbs grow alongside old-fashioned and Canadian Explorer roses. The artistic couple who garden here have placed sculptures and other curiosities among the plants to enhance the natural setting.
The Slyfields
Thirty years ago Jim and Sylvia Slyfield, dedicated amateur gardeners, purchased this country lot which is hidden from the road by a lovely woodland of maple, beech, yellow birch, hemlock, ash and white cedar. The couple have laid out the garden in a formal design with a rectangular courtyard, brick garden walls, winding pathways, island beds and closely clipped evergreens. In the garden beds, the owners rely on plants hardy to zone 5.
Joanna and David Bryant
Over the past 21 years, David's passion for roses has resulted in a garden of over 1,000 bushes that are interspersed with Joanna's perennials and annuals. This enthusiastic and dedicated gardening couple start many oftheir annuals from seed. Other features of the garden include carefully placed boulders, garden statuary with a children's theme and a small pond.
Jane Zednick
This garden is only ten years old, but its owner, Jane Zednick, has developed a remarkable array ofplants, trees and shrubs. These include a Siberian apricot, a bayberry and a Heptacodium. Jane tests seeds for the Heritage Seed Program in Ottawa and as a result grows many unusual annuals such as Nicandra physalodes.
Rhododendron Woods
This country garden is a magnificent sight in June when hundreds of rhododendrons burst into bloom. Under lofty stands ofpine and oak, sandy paths wind among the growing collection offlowering magnolias and azaleas. A primeval feeling pervades parts ofthe garden where many ofthe rhododendrons that David Hinton started from seeds in 1976 have grown to a great size. There is a fish pond, rock gardens and large perennial beds planted with many interesting species.
Ander-Vale Garden and Art Gallery
This English-style garden is brimming with roses, old-fashioned peonies, irises and poppies. Trees and shrubs surround an Italianate farmhouse where shady verandahs offer vistas ofgardens that blend into the surrounding fields, ponds and woods. This is an artist's garden where meandering paths lead from one tableau to the next, including a shade garden, a sunny herb garden, a hillside garden and an orchard which is being reestablished with heritage apple varieties. Doug Andrews and John Good welcome you to their gardens and gallery on Sunday afternoons from late June until the end of September.
Order your tour tickets now! Garden Tour, Tuesday, June 24. Buses leave The Civic Garden Centre at 8:15 a.m. and return at about 6 p.m. Lunch at a lakeside resort is included in the ticket price (please advise the CGC of any dietary restrictions).
Members $85; non-members $95 Register early as places are limited: call 416-397-1340.
LOOKING FOR INFORMATIONHISTORICAL
Volunteertourguide, JohnBromleyisupdatmg the historical tourofEdwards Gardensan needs yourhelp. Do youhavefirst-hand informationabout: - TheMilneFamily (firstsettlersofthearea) - RupertEdwards - llgxgoearlyyears ofEdwards Gardens(1950s to 5)
Ifyouhave anyinformationto share, please contactthe CGC receptionistat416-397-1340 andleaveyournameandphonenumberso that John cancontactyouforaninterview. .
Port Hope Garden Tour
a day in the country
come for the tour, stay for dinner & the theatre we re not very farl
SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 2003
10:00 a.m. ~ 4:00 p.m. (Rain or Shine) Tickets: S15.00
INFO/MAIL ORDERS
Phone 905-885-7929
Garden Tour (ACO) Box 563, Port Hope, ON L1A 3Z4
Sponsored by the Port Hope Branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario
PERENNIAL
SALE
MAY1 to 4, 2003
Thursday to Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WIDE SELECTION OF NEW AND EXCITING PERENNIALS! WE'LLHAVETHE PLANTSTHATEVERYONEISTALKINGABOUT!
NEW THIS YEAR ASELECTION OFSPECIALANDUNUSUAISMALLSHRUBSANI ULOUSSELECTIO!OFCLEMATISANDOTHERFLOWERING VINES.
MASTER GARDENERS AND STAFF HORTICULTURISTS WILL BE ON HAND TO GIVE ADVICE ON SELECTING AND GROWING SUITABLE PLANTS FOR YOUR GARDEN.
Check theTrellis Shop and ourWeb site at www.infogarden.ca for a list of perennials that will be available for sale. Pre-sale orders are welcome: by e-mail, horticulture@infogarden.ca; by fax, 416-397-1354; or by post, Horticultural Services at The Civic Garden Centre.
The Green Living Show~
<ng Q,Ny"Q])
Helping you achieve a healthy, sustainable lifestyle
¥ Over 50 exhibitors
¥ FREE seminars
¥ Eco-garden tours
¥ Organic caf
¥ Cooking demos
Sat. May 31, 2003
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
The Civic Garden Centre in Edwards Gardens Admission: $5
Civic Garden Centre members: $3
Our Sponsors:
Lava Metamorphoses
Lava formations along the shores ofLake Superior are remarkable manifestations ofnature's creative powers. They truly are unique artifacts displaying endless variations ofshape, colour and texture. Basking in sunlight at one point in time, they can disappear from our sight over a stormy winter, remaining buried under the sand for years or forever.
Part ofthe Toronto Photo Exhibition: CONTACT 2003 www.contactphoto.com
Work by Lenka Holubec www.photosharedvisions.com
SHOWINGAPRIL 25 - JUNE 1, 2003 AT THE CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE
Opening Night: Friday, April 25,5 - 9 pm CGC members Welcome
Avtinthie Link " T
LavaMetamorphoses Photographic Exhibition
LENKA HOLUBEC
April 25 to June 1,Trellis Shop and Library Corridor
Lava formations found along the shores of Lake Superiorfeature unique variations of shape, colour and texture.
Opening night: April 25, 5 to 9 p.m.
Studentsfrom the studio ofSuzanneMetz
May 6 to 19, Upper, Middle and Lower Links
Each of these seven students has been encouraged to find a unique and individual style.
Unbroken Promises
BARRY URIE
May 20 to June 2, Upper Link
An exhibition of impressionism nouveau.
Innate Goodness ofMankind
DIANA COLLINS
May 20 to June 2, Middle and Lower Links
Using oil painting styles that range from the realistic to the abstract, the artist draws inspiration from nature, man and earth.
Opening night: May 22, 7 to 9 p.m.
The Eye ofthe BeautifulHeart
HEATHER KERTZER
June 3 to 16, Upper Link
In watercolours and pastels, the artist reveals the simple beauty of her heart s vision, from the petals of a flower to the landscapes of Ontario.
Impressionfrom Reality
SARAH SHEN
June 3 to 16, Middle and Lower Links
This exhibition springs from the association between personal artistic expression and the subject matter, interpreted in the tradition of European fine art. Opening Night: June 4,7 to 9 p.m.
Willowdale Group ofArtists
June 17 to 30, Upper and Lower Links
En Plein Air
JEANNE CAMERON BROWN
June 17 to 30, Middle Link
These oils and acrylics capture the dramatic light and colour ofa variety of locations around the world.
For information on Art in theLink, call Cathie Coxat416-397-1358.
by Madge Bruce
You Asked Us ...
IN THE LIBRARY, we are amazed and amused at the unexpected questions we re asked to answer. Here are a few that come to mind:
A very excited lady came running towards me, loudly inquiring, Where are the worms? I was tempted to point out that there weren t any on our shelves, but instead I tactfully directed her to the Master Gardeners/Teaching Garden office.
Last spring, a gentleman who was obviously Scottish asked me whether he should wear his kilt to take part in the Scottish dancing being held in the park and, if so, should he wear it even if it rained. I suggested it would be an authentic touch regardless of the weather, especially if he had the knees for it!
Another morning, a lady ran towards me asking, Can you tell me where to go? I'm here to hang. Seeing the horrified look on my face, she hastily explained: to display my paintings.
Lest anyone reading this feels a particular incidentdepictshim orher, please do notfeeloffended just realize thatyou brightened ourday.
Web site REVIEW
IFYOU'RE PLANNING to travel to visit some gardens this summer, then Les QuatreVents (see p.14) is a delight not to be missed. Having enjoyed it so much with Gwen and Ruthanne last year, | decided to find out more about Frank Cabot s other garden in Cold Spring, New York. At www.acornonline.com/hmonthly/home856k.htm, you will find a detailed description of the gardens and information for planning a trip.
While you're in the United States, Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania is also well worth a visit. Complete information on this display garden is available at www.longwoodgardens.org.
It should be noted, however, that whereas Longwood offers visitors all the usual facilities, Frank Cabot s gardens do not. They are much more private and personal in character and are only open on certain days.
Reviewed byJeanMcCluskey
Book REVIEW
Compendium ofRose Diseases
By R. Kenneth Horst St. Paul, MN, APS Press, 1983;
101 pages; US$ 49
THINK OF THIS BOOK as a walk-in clinic for your roses where on-the-spot diagnosis, treatments and/or prescriptions are at your fingertips. The first inThe American Phytopathological Society s series of disease compendia covering commercial flowering ornamentals, this book is primarily intended for plant pathologists and other agricultural workers. However, because the rose is such a popular garden plant, it is reassuring for gardeners to be able to pinpoint a cause and a cure by consulting this slim reference volume. Diseases are arranged according to causal agents and are generously illustrated and described. A glossary of terms is included.
Compendium ofFloweringPottedPlantDiseases
By Margery L. Daughtrey, Joseph L. Peterson & Robert L. Wick
St. Paul, MN, APS Press, 1995; 90 pages; US$ 49
THIS COMPENDIUM DEALS with an important floriculture group greenhouse-grown, flowering potted plants. It is a useful reference for both diagnosis and implementation of better and responsive disease management programs. Diseases are shown in coloured plant illustrations to assist in identification. Most helpful are descriptions of the host range, epidemiology and management within each disease discussion. A glossary of terms is included. Note: Where pesticides are named, but not necessarily recommended, localpesticide labelingregulations should be consultedforrecommendations andrestrictions.
Compendium ofConiferDiseases
Edited by Everett M. Hansen & Katherine ]. Lewis St. Paul, MN, APS Press, 1997; 101 pages; US$ 49
THIS COMPENDIUM ADDRESSES a wide audience, from forestry and plant pathology students to practitioners and researchers. This includes maintenance departments responsible for city parks, and arborists hired for landscaping and grounds care as well as homeowners who use conifers in landscape plantings. In this volume, both the economic and ecological impacts of conifer diseases are dealt with in-depth. The most significant diseases of the most important genera are analysed, and both diagnosis and disease management are facilitated by coloured illustrations of diseased trees.
Reviewed byMadge Bruce
SEED EXCHANGE, 2002-3
IN THIS YEAR S SEED EXCHANGE, 164 kinds of seeds were donated of which only 11 were not requested. The latter were mostly not hardy or else common garden plants. We had enough seeds to fill all but three requested packets.
Ipomopsis rubra was the most popular plant with 16 requests. We had 12 orders forAster lateriflorus Lady in Black , 11 for Allium schubertii and Berberis koreana Red Tears , and 10 each for Daphne mezereum and Monarda punctata. Many other seeds prompted eight or nine requests.
Thank you to the 12 donors, the 20 people who helped to package the seeds and the 50 people who ordered seeds. Also, our thanks go to our proofreaders and to the CGC staff. | think this was the best year in our current series of seed exchanges. | hope your seeds have started to germinate and will grow well for you. Please remember to save seeds this summer and to donate to the exchange in the fall. What we don t use in the seed exchange will be donated to theTeaching Garden.
Anna Leggatt
Amsterdam & KeukenhofGarden Tour
Cote d Azur Garden, Culture & Museum Tour
Paris & The ChelseaFlowerShow
Spring In London and the Chelsea Flower Show
Castles & Gardens
The Loire Valley, France
Gardens ofIreland Cork and Dublin
Gardens ofLisbon Portugal Tour
Exotic Gardens ofSouth,Africa Tour
I
Edwards Lectures
SPEAKER: KELLY MACKENZIE
WHERE: FLORAL HALL
WHEN: WEDNESDAY, May 14, 7:30 p.M.
Toric: ROMANCING THE Liry
THANKS TO THE HISTORIC and present-day efforts of amateur and professional hybridizers, there are now hundreds of lily varieties available, making it one of the most versatile of garden flowers. Kelly will introduce you to the wide variety of species of lilies found in the northern hemisphere, highlightingtheirbeautyand theirindividualmerits.
SPEAKER: DR. ALLAN ARMITAGE
WHERE: FLORAL HALL
WHEN: WEDNESDAY, MAy 28, 7:30 p.M.
Toric: Buy THE GOoD STUFF: WHAT S GARDEN-WORTHY
IFYOU ARE GOING to spend the money on your garden, you might as well buy the good stuff to get the best results. Allan will give you valuable advice on new high-performance annuals and perennials thatwill thrive in any environment.
A renowned expert and prolific writer Dr. Allan Armitage has evaluated garden plants in Montreal, East Lansing, Michigan, and now in Athens, Georgia. Book signing to follow lecture.
SPEAKER: THERESA FORTE
WHERE: FLORAL HALL
WHEN: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 7:30 P.M.
Toric: GARDENS OF THE RicH AND FAMousS
FROM HISTORIC CASTLES to elegant family mansions, immerse yourself in the formality and elegance of the homes of Ontario s rich and famous and the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Nouveau influences that shaped their gardens. Theresa will give you insight into the history and design of gardens such as those of Casa Loma, Spadina House, Parkwood and Chiefswood Park. Theresa Forte is a garden consultant specializing in perennial borders. She is also a freelance garden writer and photographer whose weekly garden column appears in the Niagara FallsReview.
ROUGH THE RDEN GATE
er Gardener in each garden guide and map for the gardens
Complimentary shuttle service
Outdoor cafe
Accessible byTTC
What' s on atThe Civic Garden Centre|
MAY
1-4
CGC Perennials Sale
May 1-3, Floral Hall, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
May 4, Auditorium, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
3
TorontoJudging Centre ofthe American Orchid Society
Judging 1 p.m. Open to the public.
Information: www.s00s.ca
4
Southern Ontario Orchid Society Meeting, Floral Hall, 12:30 p.m.
Information: www.soos.ca
Greater Toronto Rose and Garden Society (formerly York Rose & Garden Society) Meeting, Studio 3, 2 p.m.
Information: 416-282-4434; 416-482-2244
10
North American Native Plant Society
Plant Sale, Floral Hall, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Information: www.nanps.org
Canadian Chrysanthemum & DahliaSociety
Plant Sale, Studio 1, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Information: 416-286-5798
11
Ontario Rock Garden Society
Speaker: Vic Aspland
Topic: The Practical Rock Garden Plant sale, 12:30 p.m.; speaker, 1:30 p.m.
Information: 461-755-2325
12
Toronto Bonsai Society Meeting, Auditorium, 7 p.m.
Information: 416-755-0880 torontobonsai.org
13
North Toronto Horticultural Society
Speaker: Nikola Warnock
Topic: Gardening in Alpine Troughs Floral Hall, 8 p.m.
Information: 416-480-9379
13-15
Magnificent Gardens ofMontreal CGC tour
Information: Lorna Bates, 905-683-8411
14
Edwards Lecture
Speaker: Kelly MacKenzie
Topic: Romancing the Lily Floral Hall, 7:30 p.m.
Members free; non-members $5 Ikebana International Chapter 208
Also open June 14, June 18 (11 a.m. to 7 p.m., admission $5)
JUNE 7-8
Jarvie Garden Open House
37Thornheights Road (Hwy 7 &Yonge Street)
10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine
SCHEDULES
CLASSIFIED ADS
Speak with Assurancetoanyaudience.Get Podium Power $19.95 tax included 416-690-5740
The Horticultural Societies of Parkdale & Toronto Annual Plant Fair: annuals, perennials, herbs, native plants, seeds, Saturday, 10 May 11:00 am to 2:30 pm Parkdale School & Community Centre, 75 Lansdowne Avenue at Seaforth. All proceeds go to support our public gardening projects.
Paint Wildflowers with me! Take your botanical painting skills outdoors to paint a variety of wildflowers in a civilized location (no blackflies/mosquitos). $85. per daily session. Space is limited. Contact artist M.E. Duggan; 416.221.4584 or email: duggan_me@hotmail.com
Garden Murals Bring the beautyofyourgarden indoors. EnjoyYear Round. Sharyn 416-250-1249
Garden Tours 2003 to Ireland,Wales, Scotland and Philadelphia with Marjorie Mason; please see page 17 for details. Visit our website www.gardenersworldtours.com or call Lorna 905-683-8411
July 5 - Quinte Garden Tour and Tea, Belleville, 10am - 4 pm. Tickets $15. Info 613-966-0242 or email quintel@reach.net. Mail orders: CFUW Belleville, PO 20033, Belleville, ON K8N 5V1.
Visit the Magical Gardens of Leaside Saturday, June 21, 2003, 11:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. The Leaside Garden Society invites you on a self-guided tour of special gardens in the community. Passports, with maps, are $10.00 per person and are available after June 1. For information, call 416-423-8542 or, visit our web site at www.leasidegardensociety.org.
