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 ofthe 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
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January 2 to March 31
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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. Infogarden.ca/mastergardenerboard.htm or
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 gardening information 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 gardening and the natural world. As a community service, Artin the Linkoffers 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 s favourite garden spots.
Kim Dalglish Abell, Alice Adelkind, Brad Badeau, Arthur Beauregard,MarisaBergagnini, Dugald Cameron, Peter Cantley, LindsayDale-Harris, KathyDembroski, Leslie Denier, Tony DiGiovanni, Heather Dickson, Suzanne Drinkwater, Geoffrey Dyer, Ralph Fernando, Mary Fisher, Judy Floyd, Carol Gardner, Lorraine Hunter, Linda Ledgett, Sonia Leslie, Patrick Li, Ruth MacKneson, Doreen Paton, Jean Read,JenniferReynolds, Dawn Scott, BunnySlater
Annual Giving Development Co-ordinator Janice Howard
Capital Campaign Director Janice Turner King Course Co-ordinator Rosetta Leung
Development Co-ordinator
Horticultural Assistant
Librarian
Maintenance Supervisor
Facility & Event Co-ordinator
Teaching Garden Co-ordinator
Niti Bhotoia
Karen Sloan
Mara Arndt
Walter Morassutti
Stephanie Chiang
Mary Fitzgerald
Volume 30 3% Number 4
EDITOR
Lorraine Flanigan
DESIGN
June Anderson
~ VOLUNTEER
EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS
M. Arndt, T. Coombes, M. Magee
VOLUNTEER PROOFREADERS
M. Bruce, M.Burston
M. Pote, L. &S. Skinner, A. Smith
ADVERTISING 416-397-1351
Printed by Harmony Printing on recycled paper
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.
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 September/October issue mustbereceivedbyJuly4.
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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NUS from the Board
4 by Janet Greyson e PRESIDENT
The CGC marks another milestone
he Civic Garden Centre has moved into Tanother phase in its long and successful history. At the annual general meeting on April 23, 2003, members voted to set a clear direction for the organization s future by changing its name to the Toronto Botanical Garden. This decision marks another milestone in the Centre s 45-year evolution. From its beginnings in 1958, the Centre has grown from a small organization housed in the original Milne family farmhouse to one that welcomes several thousand visitors a year.
mmvzDIRECTOR
The proposal to change the name of the CGC resulted from the vision of where the organization wanted to be in 20 years. It became clear to the Board and staff that our common goal was the development of a botanical garden at The Civic Garden Centre and in Edwards Gardens. The name, "The Civic Garden Centre," did not reflect this dream whereas calling ourselves the Toronto Botanical Garden did.
On behalfof theBoard and membersoftheCGC,| extend a warmweicameto Margo Welchwhojoinsus asexecutive director. Welookforward toworkingwithher.
Each phase in the CGC s history required much thoughtful planning and the support of many groups and individuals. The beginnings of the next stage in the CGC' s evolution are no different. The Capital Campaign Committee under the capable leadership of Lindsay Dale-Harris has raised over three million dollars. With the guidance of Marisa Bergagnini, the Building Implementation Committee has worked diligently to develop a plan for the reconfiguration of the building. Suzanne Drinkwater and her Garden Implementation Committee have spent countless hours developing strategies and concepts to govern the design of the new gardens thatwill be developed around the building.
I also extendour thanksto Ron Dubsfk who stepped in as
The American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta (AABGA), of which the Centre is a member, recognizes that a botanical garden is, "a scientific and educational institution, whose purpose is the advancement and diffusion of a knowledge and love of plants". Institutional members of the AABGA are required to be open to the public, have aesthetic displays, educational displays, and/or site research, maintain plant records and provide identification/interpretive aids to visitors. Through our various programs, courses, workshops, and garden tours as well as our library and teaching garden, we meet these criteria.
A key to our success has always been the people who believe in the mandate of the organization. We are very proud to recognize two such people, George and Kathy Dembroski, who have shown their support by becoming the lead donors in our Capital Campaign with their contribution of 1.5 million dollars. In their honout, the building which houses the Toronto Botanical Garden will bear their name. We extend our heartfelt thanks and congratulations to George and Kathy forproviding such awonderful legacy.
Just as we grew from modest beginnings in 1958, so will the Toronto Botanical Garden grow its programs and gardens. Our first objective will be the development of new gardens around the reconfigured building while the longer-range plan will see an extension of the gardens into Edwards Gardens.
This is an exciting direction for all of us. The Board wishes to thank all of the members of the CGC who voted to support the creation of the Toronto Botanical Garden. We look forward to the challenge and to keeping you informed. @
TRANEIPY IR PSR FRIRYBR
Now in its fourth year, the Friends ofThe Civic Garden Centre annual fundraising program continues to flourish. It is hard to imagine what we would do without the generous support of our donors. The Friends i ogram maintains initiatives for children and seniors with special needs, children at ris , English as a Second Language (ESL) students and many others who would not otherwise have the op}gqrtunit to participate Tl in a horticultural experience. We would like to thank all of our ends for making this and so much more possible. With such generous donations, The Civic Garden Centre will continue to grow successfully into the future.
Director's Circle
Lindsay Dale-Harris
Janet Greyson
Barbara Mayer
Vivienne Wiggan
Benefactors
Honor de Pencier
Marjorie Shu
Sponsors
Nancy Bowslaugh
Carol Gardner
Sharon Koor
Douglas Markoff
Sustaining Members
Kim Dalglish Abell
Anne Baillie
Jeanne Banka
Marisa Bergagnini
Vashti Coombes
Susan Dolbey
Vivien Jenkinson
Claude Le Menach
Sonia Leslie
Victoria Lister Carley
Lorna Luke
John Oyston
Friends
Janet Ballantyne
Carole Bell
Maureen Bixley
Linda Boyko
Wendy Crean
Marilyn Creighton
Mary Fisher
Jane Forest
Joy Gray-Donald
Faye Griffiths
Valerie Honey
Brooke Hunter
Frances Johnson
Margaret LaBerge
Linda Ledgett
Jane Lind
Anne Lindsay
Marion Magee
Ken Maiden
Teresa Matamoros
Annette McCoubrey
Lois McDonald
Martha McLean
Carolyne Miki
Rebecca O
Grace Patterson
Catherine Peer
Catherine Pogue
Barry Porteous
Carol Rykert
Marguerite Savidant
Dawn Scott
Helen Shaw
Trudy Stacey
Gray Taylor Anonymous
C;)NGRATULATIONS TOTORONTO MASTER GARDENERS!
This year marks the fifteenth anniversary of volunteer service for Master Gardeners Janeth Cooper, Rosemary Dobson, Susan Dolbey, Barb Gomme, Vivien Jenkinson, Linda McCrossen, Roseanne Nelson while five-year service pins go to Merle Burston, Lindsay DaleHarris, Ann Hagedorn (Dobek), Norma Phillips, JoAnn Moysey, Kim Price, and GeraldYates. Graduating Master Gardeners in Training include Katy Anderson and Carol Bairstow. Congratulations to all!
CANADA BLOOMS
Many thanks to Joanne Weber of East Cliff Farm who ploughed through the snows to lend us her iron fencing to use in the CGC booth at Canada Blooms this year.
Nms the Corner Office
by Margo Welch e Executive DIRECTOR
Meet Margo Welch
here s a new face in the Corner Office.
TMargo Welch joined the CGC as executive director on June 1. In an interview with Trellis, Margo tells us a little bit about herself and shares her thoughts on the future of The Civic Garden Centre.
TRELLIS: Tell us aboutyour career.
MW: My professional background spans the not-for-profit and profit sectors with a focus on culture, especially museums. For the last three years I have been a consultant with Ketchum Canada, the leading fundraising consultancy in Canada. [ have helped clients such as universities, hospitals, municipalities, public galleries, theatres and community centres plan capital campaigns.
Prior to Ketchum, I was at the Royal Ontario Museum for a decade and a half and was director of exhibits and design at
planning and implementing projects whether exhibits, public programs or events, or a fundraising or marketing plan.
TRELLIS: What are you most looking forward to accomplishing as executive director?
MW: [ am very excited about helping with the completion of the capital campaign, the renovation of the facilities and the development of the new gardens. The CGC has a wealth of expertise and wonderful programs and services that are not widely known in the community. I d like to change that.
TRELLIS: Do you have a long-term vision for the CGC?
MW: [ believe all the ingredients are there for The Civic Garden Centre to become the recognized leader and indispensable advocate and resource for gardening the time of my departure. At The CGC has a wealth and horticulture in Toronto. the ROM I planned the ofexpertise and The new Toronto Botanical exhibit program, led the Wonde]fulprograms Garden should assume the Institute of Contemporary and services that are position of a city landmark Culture, managed exhibit staff and participated in marketing, sponsorship, contract
notwidelyknown in the community. 1'd like to change that."
while providing excellent services, accessible information and creative ideas. Our negotiations and community consultation (among other things). I was fortunate to work with every museum department.
TRELLIS: Howwould you describe your strengths?
TRELLIS: Do you like gardening?
MW: [ have been an amateur gardener since childhood and take great pleasure from my modest accomplishments here in the city and at our family cottage in Prince Edward Island. I have high regard for horticultural and gardening expertise and look forward to expanding my knowledge, broadening my understanding and maybe, with luck, seeing improvements in my own gardens! @
MW: My particular strengths are strategic planning, managing finances, people and projects, fundraising and building stakeholder alliances. I have always enjoyed collaborating with others and I have worked with extraordinary professional staff, volunteers, board members and partners. I find teamwork the most stimulating, creative and ultimately successful approach to expanding audience will include neophytes and experts, young and old, citizens and visitors.
CAROL GARDNER WINS GARDEN GLOBE AWARD
A frequent contributor to Trellis, Carol Gardner has been awarded a Garden Globe Award from the Garden Writers Association for her five-part series entitled Focus on Pesticides. Published in Trellis during 2002, this series of articles dealt frankly and with characteristic good humour - with the issues of using synthetic pesticides, guiding gardeners through the labyrinthine trail of research that informs both sides of the argument. I'm really glad for 7rellis, says Carol, referring to her win. Trellis is a relevant magazine and I'm glad I wrote it for a publication that s dear to my heart. Congratulations Carol, and thanks for keeping us informed in such award-winning style!
FAREWELL TO Randie Smith
A fond farewell and a big thanks to our rental co-ordinator, Randie Smith, who leaves us for a position with the Hospitality Services Department at York University. Since Randie joined the staff at the CGC in 1999, she has transformed a manual bookings procedure with no filing scheme into a well-organized, computerized system that keeps the Centre humming. l couldn t have done it without the help of Christine Adamus, my volunteer assistant since day one! says Randie who will miss everything here at the CGC including the staff, the volunteers and the working environment.
After two years as horticultural assistant at the CGC, Nicole North has left the Centre to grow a business of her own called Petals, Stems and Leaves, a florist shop in Unionville.
Along with her solid horticultural knowledge, Nicole s flair for floriculture was one of her greatest assets. Always cheerful and upbeat, Nicole was a lot of fun to work with, says Cathie Cox, the CGC s manager of horticultural services. Petals, Stems and Leaves is located at #5, 209 Main Street, in Unionville, Ontario.
WELCOME TO Karen Sloan
Karen Sloan comes to the CGC with a background in horticulture and 15 years of experience in floral design. She has worked for such retail organizations as Cruickshanks and Van Nes Flowers. Karen is also an artist whose first show was held at the CGC three years ago. In her new job, Karen plans to follow Nicole s lead and continue to implement some of the great things she started. She also wants to make the Trellis Shop an even bigger success than it already is. With great new ideas percolating in her head, she looks forward to working with the CGC s manager of horticultural services. Working with Cathie is fabulous. She has such energy and knows how to get things accomplished. I have a lot to learn from her!
A Day in the Life of CGC Volunteers
HAVE YOU EVER WANTED to travel through time? Join me as I take you back to the end of April. Spring has finally arrived and a lot is happening at The Civic Garden Centre. The annual meeting took place a week ago and plant sales are about to begin. Let s take a look around the CGC to see what the volunteers are busy doing.
First, we ll stop at the reception desk where Helen Fonberg, who has the morning shift, is busy checking the messages left on the phone. A few people arrive looking for the perennials sale and she lets them know that it doesn t start until tomorrow. She s also directing people to the garage sale downstairs, to a meeting and to a course that s taking place in the studios upstairs. Phone calls are flooding in about the Perennials Preview course scheduled for tonight. Finally, Helen is helping people order tickets for Through the Garden Gate.
Today the PressedFlower Group is decorating gift baskets while the crafters meticulouslyglue pine-cone segments onto tiny birdhouses to make shingles.
Now, let s go over to the Teaching Garden office. It s pretty cramped in here with two staff members and two student volunteers as well as lots of materials for the programs. Today they re expecting a grade three and a kindergarten class. They grab a bite to eat over the noon hour while preparing for the afternoon session. Unfortunately, no one else has volunteered to help today, so they have a lot to do.
Let s head downstairs to the Library. Although it appears quiet, this place is a hive of activity. Doreen Taylor is working on technical services while Eleanor Anderson assists library visitors with book circulation, answers phone inquiries and keeps things organized. Jean Johnston is also here to help with some special projects. It sure takes a lot of skilled people to make the Library such a success.
Next door, we find Claire King and Valerie Southern staffing the Trellis Shop. At the beginning of the day they spent their time tidying things and pricing new stock. Now that it s getting busy, Claire processes a sale while Valerie helps another customer find a particular book which doesn t seem to be on the shelves. Looking for help, they visit Heather Coulter, the book buyer, in the back office. She finds the book in a catalogue and places an order for the customer.
Looking into the Volunteer Room, which is hidden away in the back, we find Gloria Pointer and Alice Minassian who have just arrived to start their afternoon shift in the Trellis Shop. Other volunteers are coming in and out, making tea and having a bite to eat before and after their shifts. Earlier this morning, about six English as a Second Language (ESL) tour guides were here to attend a training session. Gwen Merrill is now leading them outside to complete their training with a review of the script and a look at the gardens.
Heading for the up ramp, we ll stop at the Floral Hall. Several volunteers are helping Cathie Cox and Karen Sloan prepare for the perennials sale. They set out the plants alphabetically by Latin name under the two major sections of shade or sun requirements. Then, they label, price and water the plants as needed. It s a big job and Irene Derzay and Midge Cooper have been a great help. Maneck Sattha is also here ready to lend a hand wherever it s needed as he does almost every day.
Walking up the ramps, we stop by the reception desk again. Jackie Megill has taken over for the afternoon, juggling the same number of demands as Helen. While at the reception desk, Jackie also helps Shirley Lyons with the membership mailings. She s updating herself on the latest
changes at the Centre, including staff, membership fees and Through the Garden Gate. There sure is a lot to know and learn each week. It s also National Volunteer Week and some of the volunteers are writing comments about their volunteering experience at the lobby display.
On the upper level of the building, the Pressed Flower Group and the Craft Group are working away. These dedicated women come out weekly to make products for sale in support of The Civic Garden Centre. Today the Pressed Flower Group is decorating gift baskets while the crafters meticulously glue pine-cone segments onto tiny birdhouses to make shingles. What patience! As they work, the room fills with conversation and laughter.
Let s head over to the administration area. The staff is busy trying to stay on top of everything. But they re not alone. As usual, Nancy Kostoff has arrived to help Jenny Rhodenizer to prepare promotional material for mailing and faxing while Chris Adamus works in the rentals office, processing the monthly invoices.
Finally, let s stop at the Volunteer Office. I'm not here today, but that doesn t stop the phone and e-mail from gathering messages. There are calls from three people who are interested in becoming volunteers. Two people have called to say they will help at the annuals sale and two others want to work at Through the Garden Gate. A request arrives for a couple of volunteers to staff an information booth at the end of May. Two volunteers call in sick.
For the volunteers, it has been quite a day and a lot has been done. Now it s time to close the doors tomorrow is another day. @
THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS!
A Big THANKS to everyone who came out to help at Through the Garden Gate this year. We couldn t have done it without you. Over 100 people pitched in to help before, during and after this successful event.
Third Annual Golf and Garden Day
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
Woodington Lake GolfClub, Tottenham, Ontario
Tee-offtimes: noon to 1:30 p.m.
Spend a day driving a golfball down the fairway or touring local private gardens. At the end ofthe day both golfers and garden lovers will meet for a delightful dinner.
Proceeds for this unique golfand garden event support the programs and services offered by The Civic Garden Centre.
A 55-minute drive from downtown Toronto, the Woodington Lake GolfClub is designed with the low to mid-handicapped player in mind. This highly respected 7,000-yard championship style golfcourse will test your intellect and challenge your abilities ... you'll use every club in your bag. The fee for golfers covers a gift bag, golf cart, greens fees, dinner and a chance to win prizes.The garden tour will visit several private gardens in the Tottenham area.
Golfday and dinner, $175 per person
Garden tour and dinner, $90 per person
Dinner only, $50
For information and tickets, call 416-397-1351
Another busy summer
TO PREPARE FOR ANOTHER
teachinggarden@infogarden.ca.
Our door is always open if you have any questions, registrations or just want to say hi! @
Drop by and check of 30+ kindergarteners, so if busy summer, the Teaching out our discovery you have some time, energy Garden was a hive of activity stations on_]u[y 2 and are interested in volunteerthis spring. School groups began gnd 3 as well as on ing please contact the Teaching to visit, we spread compost on August5and 7 Garden at 416-397-1355 or the beds and we planted the gardens to make them ready for our Nature Day Camps. It s another exciting summer in the Teaching Garden.
Many of our popular programs, such as Pumpkin Patchers, Sunflower Hideaway, Art in the Park and Eco-Heroes, are back again and with them some new offerings such as Little Sprouts, Pumpkin Patchers II and Family Garden Days. We re looking forward to the return of many of last year s campers and to welcoming lots ofnew faces.
The Little Sprouts Camp runs from August 18 to 21. During these four fun-filled afternoons, children and their younger siblings and parents will plant seeds, hunt for bugs and create garden art to take home.
Our Family Garden Days provide a great opportunity for children and their parents to discover the wonders of the Teaching Garden together. Drop by and check out our discovery stations on July 2 and 3 as well as on August 5 and 7. Activities will include painting, planting and scavenger hunts. There is no charge for these days instead there is a suggested donation of two dollars per child.
Summer camps are filling up fast, but there are still spaces in many of the programs. If you have children or grandchildren you d like to enrol, e-mail or call the Teaching Garden for information and a registration form.
We are so grateful to all of the amazing volunteers who have been faithfully coming out each week rain or shine to do maintenance work in the garden and to assist with the school programs. There is always a need for extra hands, especially when we have a group
=
TRASH TO TREASURES
WE'VE BEEN MAKING GREAT USE of the supplies that people have generously brought our way. Plain old toilet paper rolls have been magically transformed into chrysalises by our Munchkins in the garden. For upcoming programs, we need two-litre pop bottles, big woollysocks, and costumes for dress-upand scarecrows.
Ornament Your Garden ~ with Architectural Salvage
Add hundreds ofyears to a newgarden in an instant, says Carol Gardner, with architectural artefacts.
WANT TO ADD SOME PERSONALITY
to your garden without breaking the bank? Think architectural salvage. Old doors, gates and ornamental grilles can add a certain je ne sais quoi to your garden without requiring a second mortgage. One of my favourite haunts for this kind of thing is Artefacts, an architectural salvage firm located. . in St Jacebs: Whenever I'm there, [ just feel like a kid in a candy shop, with just a nickel to spend and impossible decisions to be made!
Salvaged materials can help to turn a new garden into one that looks like it s been in place for hundreds of years (thus allowing you to attribute any design mistakes to former owners). They can also create a design link between interior and exterior spaces. Imagine an old French door gracing your living room, the panes framing botanical prints. Now imagine its double in the garden, the panes replaced by mirrors, suddenly making your garden seem twice its size. Old doors can also be turned into charming garden gates simply by inserting a small iron grille in the centre.
Roof cresting (the ornamental railing often seen around widow s walks) makes unusual and highly decorative garden edging; for a more casual effect, use pieces of old terra cotta tiles. Constructing an entire fence out of antique
fencing material may be impossible, but how about interspersing a few pieces of the ornate material with shrubs to give the feel of elegance without the price?
Victorian fireplace mantels can add grandeur to plain garden walls as can old headboards, shutters and cornice brackets. Cast-iron floor grates and window grills mounted on fencing provide elegant supports for roses and clematis. And how about using two decorative columns instead of a traditional arbour to separate one garden room from another? This is particularly effective in long narrow urban gardens that suffer from the bowling lane effect.
Many salvage dealers employ craftspeople who are skilled at converting salvaged materials to a variety of uses, so you don t even have to be handy to use salvage effectively. But if you 're a dedicated gardener, there is one concern that you need to address before you set foot in your first architectural salvage warehouse: can you cope with another obsession? If the answer is yeshappy hunting! @
Carol Gardner is an award-winning garden writer, a volunteer and a member ofthe CGC s Board ofDirectors as well as a member ofthe Trellis Committee.
Decorate the garden with stone carvings salvaged from centuries-old buildings.
Eye-catching tomatoes are staples of the ornamental vegetable garden.
y parents have always kept a large vegM etable garden. As a young child, I loved sneaking cherry tomatoes, raspberries and sugar peas before dinner. As a teenager, I resented having to weed between each row of precisely planted onions (my father, a perfectionist, twice-measured the spacing between the plants) on a summer Saturday before receiving permission to hang out with my friends. No allowance money was worth the cruel labour of dislodging dandelions from Scarborough clay, and vegetable gardening, in my mind, was not something I thought of as a leisure activity.
In the fifteen years between then and now I've had the pleasure of visiting and reading about some of the most amazing vegetable gardens in the world, some of them right here in Ontario. These gardens were not efficient farming plots; they were a tapestry of vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers all growing together. The diverse combinations in this style of planting, known as ornamental kitchen gardening, provide beautiful flowers and foliage to enjoy
VEGETABLES with Style
JenniferReynolds continues our series on container gardening with design tipsfor growing veggies in pots andplanters.
while the not-as-pretty tomato and pepper transplants prepare to bear their fruit.
As our taste buds and cooking styles are becoming more sophisticated, so should our vegetable gardens. Planting, tending and harvesting a garden outside a kitchen door, on a patio, or in a planter box can be simple and beautiful with just a little bit of planning. I think of three distinct looks when it comes to vegetable gardens: the eclectic, Leslie Street Spit-style ofmixingeverything together; the French tradition of hedge-lined potager gardens; and the minimalist approach mixing edibles with white metal and pea gravel. It s important to choose a style of garden that matches existing plantings and fits into your lifestyle.
THE ECLECTIC GARDEN
Container gardening is a clever way of growing vegetables and herbs because pots can be moved around (add wheels to the bottom of a pot for ease), in and out of the sun, wind and rain, to accommodate each plant s needs. The eclectic look is a fun and easy one to create and
can be achieved by massing a collection of favourite and colourful veggies in a variety of unusual containers. Strawberries can be planted in moss hanging baskets, cherry tomatoes in half wine barrels and herbs in old sap buckets. The edibles can be grouped together on one side of the patio or scattered throughout the space to mingle with planters ofvivid annuals.
A TRADITIONAL LOOK
For a more formal, designer look, try the traditional French potager style. Potager gardens are made up of grids of geometrically shaped beds that are created by planting a border of one kind of plant. While evergreen boxwood always works well as a border, lavender, parsley and rosemary will create the same effect and can be harvested when the border needs trimming. On a terrace or balcony the same effect can be achieved by planting several similarly shaped pots (wooden Versailles planters and terra cotta pots are ideal) with vegetables and herbs and placing them on the floor in square and rectangular patterns. For ornamentation, an obelisk, birdbath or large formal planter can be set in the centre of the grid. The success of this style depends on restraint grow only five or six varieties of plants but repeat the plants several times. If all you want to grow are tomatoes, lettuce, basil, parsley and rosemary, this is the style for you.
FOR THE MINIMALIST
One of the most interesting container plantings I 've ever seen was a part of an exhibition at Chaumont-sur-Loire, the contemporary garden festival in France. In this exhibit, galvanized tubes stood on a concrete patio, one metre (three feet) tall filled with about .1 cubic metres (four cubic feet) of soil the same size as a big bag of peat moss. Planted in each tube was a single tomato plant with a spiral stake that looked like a pulled-out spring. Until then, I had never thought a tomato could look good or be a piece of art. | was amazed to see another contemporary vegetable garden installation two years ago at the International Garden Festival in Métis, Quebec (at Reford Gardens). This exhibit, entitled Une semaine au potager, was laid
out in a series of seven colour-blocked gardens, one to represent each day of the week. Again it was the tomatoes that caught my eye. They were planted in rows alongside a medley of redflowering annuals with red wheelbarrows filled with the crimson foliage of beets, rhubarb, Swiss chard, opal basil and burgundy lettuce.
While these installations indicate how fruits and veggies can be cleverly displayed, you don t have to exhibit at a festival to grow edibles in a contemporary garden. Galvanized and zinccoloured metal pots make ideal lightweight containers to hang on a wall, sit on a balcony or set amongst pea gravel in garden beds. Steel poles and fine string can be used to train peas and beans and even to stake tomatoes.
Once you have decided on the style of garden you would like to have, choose a spot with at least six hours of direct sunlight. Ensure that garden beds and containers have good drainage (drill a hole the size of a quarter in each pot). Top up beds with five to eight centimetres (two to three inches) of compost and dig it into the existing soil. Fill each container three-quarters full with a mix of one part sterilized topsoil, one part compost and one part peat moss (available pre-mixed and bagged at most garden centres). Plant the containers with an assortment of vegetables grown in generous one gallon pots, topping up each container with soil to within two and a half centimetres (one inch) of the rim. In the garden, plant seedlings or sow seeds in the soil and add a one-centimetre (1/3 of an inch) layer of cedar or leaf mulch on top to help prevent weed seeds from blowing in and the soil from drying out. To avoid pest and disease problems, keep plants healthy by checking daily to see if they need moisture (they may need water every day in the summer heat) and by fertilizing with organic fertilizers such as sea kelp and fish emulsion. @
Jennifer Reynolds, a Gardening Life contributing editor, is a landscape designer and regulargardening guest on HGTV' s House & Home Television. SheandherhusbandNeilhavejustpurchasedtheir first house and are lookingforward to growing designer vegetablesandespalieredpeartrees.
STROLL THROUGH THE GARDENS OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS
Theresa Fortetakes us on a tour ofthegardens thatgraced the estates ofCasa Loma, Spadina Museum andParkwood.
listeners earlier this year when garden
The Floral Hall at the CGC was full ofeager consultant Theresa Forte lectured on some of the Toronto area s most elegant estate gardens. To encourage you to explore these gardens on your own this summer, she offers these of-=three ofii'these tempting glimpses historic gardens.
CASA LOMA
asa Loma is the former estate of § Sir Henry Mill Pellatt, a prominent Toronto financier, industrialist and military man. Situated at the top of a prominent hill, this medieval-style castle built between 1911 and 1914 dominates its neighbourhood in the city.
The gardens are laid out in a formal pattern, with generous, paved walkways and manicured lawns, impeccably edged in cut stone. Foursquare beds of tea roses are edged with manicured boxwood hedges. A circular parterre garden is the focal point for the four perennial borders. A slightly domed garden has been planted in delicate white bedding annuals to resemble a lace tablecloth and is meant to be viewed from the terrace above. It is the perfect place to rest your eye after walking along the mirror-image perennial borders. These beds have been lushly planted with a rainbow of perennials to reflect the changing seasons. Beyond these borders, a majestic water feature beckons visitors with numerous dancing fountains set in a large stone-edged pool.
A curving gravel pathway leads visitors beyond the formal gardens to the woodland gar-
dens that have been planted down the hillside. Gentle ponds and a waterfall, a timber gazebo and arbour, and the welcome cool of deep shade reward visitors who make the trek around the perimeter of the grounds.
Open May to the end ofOctober, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (with admission to the building) Free admission to the gardens only: July 14,August 11, September 8, October 6 and every Tuesday evening from 4 p.m. to dusk. Telephone: 416-923-1171
www.casaloma.org/Gardens
SPADINA MUSEUM
Surrounded by a protective screen of mature trees and shrubs, a stately Victorian home calmly oversees the confusion that is Spadina Avenue today. Built by businessman and financier James Austin in 1866, Spadina (pronounced Spadee-na) was home to four generations ofthis family. Spadina Museum is situated on a six-acre estate next door to Casa Loma in Toronto.
The gardens at Spadina Museum have been meticulously restored over the past few years so that they reflect the plantings that would have existed when the Austins were in residence. The gardens stretch to the northern and eastern boundaries of the property starting with a pretty orchard with neat rows of grapes, fruit trees and raspberry and blueberry bushes. A cedar hedge separates the orchard from the vegetable and flower gardens. These beds have been laid out in a formal grid pattern with wide pea gravel paths
separating them. Vegetable beds are located next to the hedge. The cutting gardens, overflowing with colourful annuals and perennials, are adjacent to the home and would have provided a vista from the summer dining room which features tall, screened windows covered with airy panels of lace. Simple window boxes planted with red geraniums and trailing ivy decorate each windowsill of the house. The effect is magical.
The south-facing side of the house opens onto a large terrace which overlooks a meticulous lawn and specimen trees. The terrace is covered in climbing roses and decorated with stately urns. Certainly this is where the family would have gathered for afternoon tea and to enjoy their view of Lake Ontario and the young city of Toronto. It s a lifestyle we can only imagine.
Once the home of Robert Samuel (Sam) McLaughlin, first president of General Motors Canada, Parkwood Estate is now a National Historic Site that welcomes visitors year round. Construction of the grand estate began in 1915, with additions and modifications made through the 1930s.
When you drive in through the imposing gates, past the guardhouse, garage and stables, you enter another era. The grounds have been subdivided by walls of hedging into formal rooms each with its own distinct personality. To tour all of these rooms is like visiting an estate in France or Italy.
The mansion forms an L shape, with the inner walls overlooking the formal Italian gardens and the outer walls overlooking the circular drive, terrace and lawns. The parterre beds that surround the aqua blue reflecting pool of the Italian garden remind you of intricately woven fine carpets. Panels of white lattice enclose the garden on two sides, providing a backdrop of crisp, cool white perfect for summer strolls. White statuary, water lilies and goldfish complete the picture.
Just beyond the Italian garden is the tennis court area which is flanked by a long bed of perennials that runs along a hedge with gateways cut into either end. Through either of these gates you enter Mrs. McLaughlin s white garden (at its best in late spring and early summer). A formal rose garden, ablaze in scarlet hybrid floribunda Parkwood roses, is also a feature of this area.
As you leave the rose garden, suddenly you find yourself facing a Mediterranean blue pool the length of a football field. Elegant fountains punctuate the length of the pool and dance in the sunlight. Formal gardens edged in boxwood feature tall junipers standing like sentinels along the length of the pool. Above the pool, a formal stone terrace with twin curved stairways (designed for grand entrances, no doubt) ) overlooks the formal water feature. In the distance, a teahouse encourages visitors to linger while formal gardens overflowing with colourful annuals and divided by gravel pathways complete the picture. @
OpenJune 1to Labour Day, 10:30a.m. to4 p.m. September to May, 1:30 to 4 p.m. Closed Mondays
Theresa Forte is a garden consultant andfreelance garden writer and photographer who writes a regular column for Landscape Trades and whose weeklygardening column appears in the Niagara Falls Review. Photos:Theresa Forte
Outsmarting the Red Lily Beetle
In the thirdarticle in our organicgardeningseries, Carol Gardner treats an uninvitedgarden guest to a taste ofneem oil. <
f you grow lilies in the Toronto area, you are probably already acquainted with a new and uninvited garden guest - Lilioceris lilii - the red lily (or lily leaf) beetle.
time. It was first found in Chobham, Surrey, in 1941 and in the past 20 years has spread from southeast England into Lancashire and Wales as well. It is now one of the most Though the beetle was identified
The, oil ShOlll.d be common pest inquiries received in Montreal in 1945 and in applled, early in the by the RHS Gardening Advice Boston in 1992, it didn t wend growing ,Sea ,gon Service. Entomologists; at Wisley its way into Ontario until very and appllcatlons are conducting a long-term recently. But now it s here, repeated reiularly study of the red lily beetle. Why quickly decimating lilies, Lilium, as long as there is all the fuss? Because, in very including Asiatic, Oriental and a problem. short order, they can make Turk s cap lilies, fritillaries, Fritillaria, and, to a somewhat lesser degree, Solomon s seal, Polygonatum, bittersweet nightshade, Solanum dulcamara, potato, Solanum tuberosum, hollyhock, Alcea, and some hostas, Hosta. The little beasts do not, however, prey on daylilies, Hemerocallis.
If it s any comfort, the beetle is causing grief on other shores as well. According to Britain s Royal Horticultural Society, the pest has been recorded in Scotland and Ireland for the first
mincemeat (not a technical term) of all the lilies in your garden.
For such pernicious creatures, the adult beetles are not bad looking as pests go with bright red bodies, about six to nine millimetres (half to a third of an inch) long. Their offspring, however, are another matter. Slug-like in appearance, the larvae have swollen bodies and black heads and a very nasty habit: while they feed, they pile their own excrement on their backs, thus displaying what many horticulturists
describe as a rather repulsive appearance. Can t you just imagine the conversations between beetle mom and dad: ... and I say, he takes afteryour side ofthe family!
The adults overwinter in sheltered garden locations and emerge in very early spring, seeking both food and romance. The females lay their eggs on the undersides of foliage; the reddish-brown eggs start to appear in April-May and hatch within four to eight days. The larvae begin life by feeding on the undersides of the foliage, but they quickly graduate to feasting on the upper surfaces and the buds. This destructive feeding period lasts for 16 to 24 days; they then drop to the soil to pupate. New adults emerge in about 20 days. Each female beetle produces 250 to 450 eggs, so quickly getting a grip on the situation is important.
The traditionally accepted way of dealing with these pests is through the application of heavy-duty pesticides. Those who want to avoid synthetic solutions have been advised to do hand picking a task that is, frankly, quite repugnant, considering the larvae s hygiene habits. However, more and more gardeners are using, apparently with great success, a natural product neem oil both to kill the larvae and to disrupt the mating patterns of the adults (think of it as the anti-Viagra of the bug world). The oil should be applied early in the growing season and applications repeated regularly as long as there is a problem.
The oil is just one product of the neem tree, Azadirachta indica an evergreen originally found in Southeast Asia and later established in western Africa. In India, almost every village has a neem tree, and villagers refer to it as the village pharmacy because of the medicinal properties found in its seeds, oil, roots, bark and leaves. It has been used in those countries for centuries for therapeutic reasons, and many modern-day scientists are researching its legendary anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-fertility properties. Its most active agent is azadirachtin, which is used in natural pesticides. Azadirachtin can act in several ways. It is an anti-feedant, causing insects to stop feeding on whatever the compound is sprayed on. It
can also act as a hormonal substance, interfering with the normal development of the insect.
Before you pop out to the nursery to purchase some neem oil, be advised: the stuff is hard to find because it has not been registered as a pesticide in Canada. According to the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), the reason for the non-registration is that nobody has asked us. An American company, Thermo Trilogy Corporation, has secured a temporary registration to sell a product called Neemix 4.5, but it is restricted to use against sawfly in the forestry sector and is not available to the home gardener.
Does this mean that you ll have to don your most concealing gardening hat and hang out on street corners whispering to shady characters: Got any neem oil? I ll pay cash no questions asked? Blessedly, no. It is perfectly legal to sell neem oil in Canada as long as the label doesn t specifically say that it s a pesticide (pause for silent scream here). It exists in the same no man s land as do the myriad herbal concoctions that you can buy in any drugstore, as long as the label is vague as to their purpose. In fact, you can march into our own Trellis Shop and buy neem oil (we have a good supply) without the slightest risk of ending up in The Big House.
Kidding aside, it s wise to remember that being natural doesn t mean that a product can be used with any less attention than we would give synthetics. As an example, testing on neem oil has shown that the seeds (which are the source of the oil) may contain a small degree of aflatoxins naturally occurring toxins produced by mould. So be sure to follow the storage and application directions on the label.
Hope you re having a great summer, red lily beetles notwithstanding. In the next article, we ll deal with organic fertilizers and other soil amendments, so get yourself into a nautical frame of mind. All will be explained. @
Carol Gardner is an award-winning garden writer, a volunteer and a member ofthe CGC s Board ofDirectors as well as a member of the Trellis Committee.
RainforestsPeople
In the case ofthe disappearing rainforest, Carol Gardner discovers that the problems are closer to home than we think.
Rainforests are the world s oldest ecosystems.
sk just about everyone what they think Aabout the rainforest and they ll probably shake their heads sadly and tell you that rainforests are disappearing, and that many species are becoming extinct, because of logging, mining and other man-made interferences. It all seems very sad and very far away.
Sad, it is. Far away, it isn t. Though we tend to think of rainforests as tropical, there are many temperate rainforests as well, the largest one being in British Columbia. The Great Bear Rainforest occupies seven million hectares (17 million acres) of land from Vancouver Island to the Alaskan panhandle. This is a small area compared with the size of the tropical rainforests in Africa, Asia, Central and South America and Oceania. But whether temperate or tropical, all over the world rainforests are
disappearing at a stupefying rate. The reason for the destruction of the Great Bear Rainforest is clearcut logging; tropical rainforests face a multitude of threats including logging, mining, oil and gas exploration and cattle ranching.
Once, tropical rainforests occupied 14 per cent of the world s land mass; today, they occupy six per cent and they re being lost at a rate of at least 20 million hectares (50 million acres) a year an area the size of Great Britain. Scientists predict that these rainforests may disappear altogether over the next one hundred years.
It s hard to overstate the potential fallout when we consider that rainforests, at 70 to 100 million years old, are the world s oldest ecosystems and play a critical role in the atmosphere, in part because they hold vast reserves of car-
bon in their vegetation. When they are burned or the trees are cut and left to decay, the carbon is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. This is the second largest factor leading to the greenhouse effect (the warming of the earth s surface).
Moreover, tropical rainforests are home to over half the plant and animal species on earth (including more than 20,000 varieties of orchids). A typical rainforest patch of 10 square kilometres (four square miles) holds as many as 1,500 species of flowering plants, 750 species of trees, 125 mammal species, 400 species of birds, and 150 different species of butterflies.
rainforest plants. But with some experts calculating that we are losing 137 plant, animal and insect species every single day, will those plants continue to exist?
Once, tropical rainforests occupied 14 per cent ofthe world s land mass; today, they occupySix
The destruction of rainforests will have an effect that is so profound that it s hard to of the foods we eat today ein (including vanilla, cocoa, cinnamon, coffee, bananas, lemons, limes, oranges and mangoes) originated in the rainforest; the wild strains available there provided genetic material to fortify existing agricultural stock. Seventy per cent of the 3,000 plants identified by the United States National Cancer Institute as having potential anti-cancer properties are endemic to the rainforest. Rainforest plants give us drugs used to treat heart ailments, hypertension and arthritis. Quinine, used in the treatment of malaria, is an alkaloid extracted from the bark of the cinchona tree; the alkaloid d-turbocurarine, extracted from the bark of the curare lianas, is used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis, Parkinson s disease and other muscular disorders; Madagascar s rosy periwinkle provides two important antitumour agents used, very successfully, in the treatment of lymphocytic leukemia and Hodgkin s disease. In spite of the many medicinal drugs found in the rainforest, less than one per cent of rainforest species have been thoroughly examined for their chemical compounds. Many scientists believe that the cures for some of the worst modern medical scourges, including AIDS, will eventually be found in
There is a legend about an old and lovely tropical plant the frangipani. It begins with a young Frenchman named Charles Plumier who decided, as many young men do, that he would like to travel the world and get rich. Notwanting to leave this to chance, he consulted a fortune teller who advised him to search for a tree that grows near churches and graveyards: Its blossoms are the colour of the new moon; its fragrance will overpower your soul; if you uproot it, the leaves and flowers continue to grow. When
youfindit,you shallbe rich. getourminds around it.
Many éJeI'centand they re lostata rate of at least 20 million hectares (50 million acres) ayear...
Plumier travelled far and wide until one day he went to an old woman known for her wisdom and described the tree he was looking for. She directed him to a nearby church where, she said, he must go on the night of the full moon. There he would see a tree spreading its branches along a wall. Once he shook its branches, he would find riches beyond imagining. Plumier did as he was told. He found a small, lovely tree and shook it. Blossoms fell all around him, their shimmer lighting up the night. He was overcome by the beauty and fragrance of the plant and suddenly realized what real riches were. He became a botanist. He stopped looking for material wealth and instead learned to find the wealth in nature, discovering many plants. The family of the tree that he found was named Plumeria after him.
Plumier and the Plumeria are real, but the legend is, alas, just a legend. Still, doesn t it make you wonder: where are all the good fortune tellers and wise old women when you really need them? @
Carol Gardner is a garden writer, a volunteer and a member ofthe CGC' s Board ofDirectors as wellas a memberofthe Trellis Committee.
VOLUNTEERS RECREATE HERITAGE GARDEN
A smallgroup ofvolunteers, writes Ann Adams, is reconstructing thegardens at Colborne Lodge.
o you remember that catchy '60s pop song, How many kinds of sweet flowers grow in my English country garden? On June 14, 1883, John Howard could have told you down to his last bud:
1882, the High Park caretaker s daughter noted that the Lodge was surrounded with fruit trees, flowering shrubs and lilacs. In the early spring the gardens were a mass of bloom - daffodils, narcissus, tulips [and] 900 crocus, 750 snowdrops, ...three oWer beds blue grape hyacinths border1,915 tulips, 860 grape will set off the house ing the windingpaths. hyacinth, 2,198 daffodils and by mimicking the It is difficult for visitors to 3,770 jonquil. That same year in a letter to his sister-inlaw, Fanny Montcastle, he mentioned his gladiolas, Crown Imperial lilies, feather plants, rose trees, peonies and hollyhocks: My flower beds are much admired [and] I do not allow the flowers to be picked.
authentic midVictorian design and tastes ofthe 1860s.
In fact, after some 50 years of gardening at his Colborne Lodge house in High Park, Howard s garden was immense, and judging by contemporary reports and Howard s own prolific notes, it must have been spectacular. By
imagine that the 165-acre central area of Toronto s High Park was a private domainboth working farm and magnificent garden until Howard deeded it to the city before his death. And, even more impressive to modern city dwellers, the newly-wed Howards, who had barely survived their nightmarish sea passage to Upper Canada in 1832, built and moved into Colborne Lodge within five years of their arrival.
Now a small group of volunteers have overcome aching backs and last year s long hot
summer to reconstruct the garden. The vegetable garden and fruit trees at the rear of the house are being stocked with such 1830s varieties as are still available while three flower beds will set off the house by mimicking the authentic mid-Victorian design and tastes of the 1860s. The area of John and Jemima Howard s tomb will be planted with varieties that were typical of the 1870s.
Of course an undertaking like this doesn t just happen. Over the course of six years, and on a shoestring budget, a small group of dedicated volunteer gardeners has devised a working plan with the site co-ordinator, Cheryl Hart, and Wendy Woodworth, the horticulturist at Spadina Museum. And while the flower beds that border the Lodge and the large circular flower bed have been laid out with attention to the original colour schemes, the overall goal is for a less formal country-garden look.
Fortunately, Howard s journals and many letters have survived and have become an invaluable resource for making crucial decisions about appropriate garden content, form and scale. But because the notes were for his own use, the painstaking reading and interpretation of Howard s garden journals is a daunting task. Not untypically for the nineteenth century, he wrote in copperplate both across the page and vertically over top of the writing below! The hope is that the journals will eventually be accessible on a database.
Last spring and summer visitors to the Lodge garden were treated to an impressive display of historically appropriate plants that included heritage tulips such as 7ulipa Keizerskroon and the English bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta. In June, period peonies were in bloom including Paeonia Duchesse de Nemours , P. Festiva maxima and P. Monsieur Jules Elie . Such old roses as Rosa Pompon de Bourgogne and R. Stanwell Perpetual were planted in 2000 and seem to have survived this April s ice storm!
Most of the annuals have been grown in the greenhouses at Spadina from historic seed varieties obtained from Black Creek Village and from the stockist, Florabunda. These include aster, Aster; calendula or pot marigold, Calendula; nasturtium, Nasturtium and Tropaeolum; love-in-a-mist, Nigella; and Verbena as well as love-lies-bleeding, Amaranthus caudatus; and morning glory, Ipomoea.
During the hot summer of 2002, a glorious profusmnof colourful hollyhocks, foxgloves and sweet william provided a backdrop for the jewellike annuals. This is truly a vindication of the hard work of the original group of volunteers, now called Friends of Colborne Lodge Gardens, who are hoping to make 2003 a banner year. But as one volunteer commented, Some garden tasks can be too authentic! and this year the Friends are hoping that the promised sprinkler system will be installed. Cost is always a factor, so two local horticultural societies are providing financial support for the project.
John Howard s priceless gift of High Park and Colborne Lodge to the city of Toronto was the culmination of a colourful career. When the garden is fully re-established, it will enhance Colborne Lodge by providing a historically appropriate setting for the Howard s 1837 Regency cottage. And it seems only right to honour his memory by restoring the gardens he adored for the future pleasure of the citizens of the cityhe helped shape. @
Thanks to Catherine Raven and Margaret Hawthorn of Friends of Colborne Lodge Gardens for their help in preparing this article. New volunteers are welcome. For information call 416-392-6916.
Ann Adams is a member of the CGC and a volunteerat ColborneLodge.
Photos courtesy Colborne Lodge
OTANICAL ARTISTS OF CANADA
Welcomes New Members
by Lorraine Hunter
FROM ENTHUSIASTIC AMATEURS to serious professionals, the Botanical Artists of Canada (BAC) is open to anyone with an appreciation of and interest in the subject. The association was started by a small group of artists who were meeting every few months to have their work critiqued by botanical artist and instructor, Pamela Stagg, who teaches at The Civic Garden Centre. While only two years old, the BAC has blossomed to include some 70 members from across Canada; although most are based in the Toronto area, there is a thriving group in Deep River, Ontario.
There is a good mix of beginners and professionals in the group, says President Deborah Marrison. "We all have our own styles, work mostly in water colours, graphite and coloured pencil. But, we are not floral artists," she says. Botanical illustration is a well-defined, centuries-old art that portrays plants accurately and in an aesthetically pleasing manner for scientific purposes. A depiction may include leaves and roots as well as flowers, fruits, seeds and cutaways but it is not floral fine art.
"We provide the opportunity to learn, share, teach, guide, encourage and inspire," says Deborah. BAC members attend classes and workshops. At least two exhibitions are held each year. Members also organize smaller exhibitions or participate in juried shows such as Canada Blooms. Their annual general meeting is held inJune at the CGC.
Workshops are offered at all levels from beginner to master art classes and include working in a variety of media. Recent workshops listed in the quarterly newsletter include a weekend getaway on Amherst Island with Pamela Stagg as well as Celia Godkin s Painting
in a Summer Garden. Members can also join monthly painting sessions. Important benefits of membership include the opportunity to have your work professionally critiqued as well as a quarterly newsletter containing a calendar of events and articles on a variety of subjects by artists like Pamela Stagg and Celia Godkin.
The BAC recently held a competition for a new logo which was won by Marianne Wilkinson who works from Ivy Hill Studio in Mansfield, Ontario.
Botanical illustration has a celebrated history, dating back to a limestone bas-relief in the great temple of Tuthmosis III at Karnak. The art form was initially used to depict herbs for medicinal purposes. In the sixteenth century, woodcuts were used to produce illustrations of the plants. The emergence of travel and exploration to all parts of the world in the seventeenth century resulted in many new species of plants being brought back to Europe. This, in turn, prompted a need to develop accurate reproductions. At the same time, wealthy people with beautiful gardens full of rare flowers would commission artists to paint their gardens. Botanical illustration became a status symbol with the emphasis shifting away from the medicinal properties of the plant to their aesthetics. Botanical art reached new heights in the eighteenth century. One of the best-known artists of the time, Pierre-Joseph Redouté, is famous for his books of paintings.
Currently, the preferred medium for botanical art is watercolour because of its transparent qualities. However, gouache, coloured pencil and pen and ink are also common. Backgrounds are usually left white to enhance the threedimensional quality of the specimen. @
Join the BAC
Annual membership in the Botanical Artists ofCanada is $25. For more information, contact Karen McLean, 60 Langbourne Place, Toronto, ON M3B 1A9.
Lorraine Hunter is a garden writerand member ofthe Board ofDirectors ofthe CGCas well as chair ofthe Trellis Committee.
WE ARE BLOSSOMING!
Lindsay Dale-Harris, Capital Campaign Chair
WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN TO BE SUCCESSFUL?
First and foremost, the cause must be good and credible one which is relevant, timely and about which people care passionately.
Second, a successful campaign needs a dedicated team ofvolunteers who believe in the cause people who are prepared to give their time to assist with the campaign and to raise the money.
Third, it takes professional
Board and the Capital Campaign Committee are dedicated to making this campaign a success. Third, we have qualified professional staff. Janice Turner King, our campaign director, came to us with many years of experience at the National Ballet of Canada, Sunnybrook Hospital and Villa Charities. Niti Bhotoia has completed a postgraduate certificate in fundraising and volunteer management from Humber College, and this summer Janice and Niti will be advice and support this is not George and.Kathy joined by an intern from that a game for amateurs. There eng?g:g l'o sgg,g%%ed program, Andrea Maclntyre. have been a number of success- { i4
$1.5 million to the campaign ...
We have also been very forful campaigns both in Canada and south of the border which have demonstrated that any serious capital campaign should have a campaign plan, a business plan and answers for how the organization will be funded once the campaign is over.
Fourth, "seed money" must be found to fund the campaign organization which is not the same as funding the bricks and mortar (and, in our case, the gardens and plants). This money is needed to hire the professional advisers and pay for support services.
Finally, a campaign needs donors individuals, corporations, foundations and the public sector donors big and small, who care about the cause, believe in the continuing strength of the organization and are willing to support the initiative.
HOW DOES THE CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE STACK UP AGAINST THIS TALL ORDER?
I would say, really well. First, the CGC is a hub of gardening and gardening-related activities accessible to any member of the public who cares about horticulture, gardening and related environmental issues. No other public or private agency in Toronto today provides the range and depth of horticultural programs and services available at the CGC. Our staff and our programs are great, but our current building severely restricts our operations. Our case for support is compelling.
Second, our volunteer base is very strong. The
tunate in receiving our "seed money" from the Trillium Foundation. Its grant of $375,000, payable over five years, has given us secure funding for the campaign costs and for helping to build the organization once the campaign ends.
And last, but definitely not least, our donors. The growing number of people who are contributing to the campaign is very exciting; I have been overwhelmed by their generosity.
Let me start with our lead donors. George and Kathy Dembroski have generously committed $1.5 million to the campaign in return we are delighted to announce that the CGC building will be named in their honour. We cannot thank this remarkable couple enough for their support of our organization.
As previously announced, the Weston Foundation, through the good offices of Camilla Dalglish, has donated $500,000 to our new library. In addition, board members, capital campaign committee members, garden clubs, societies, corporations, foundations and individuals have pledged a further $1.5 million. We are now well over the halfway mark on the way to our goal of $6 million.
Is the CGC s Capital Campaign going to be successful? Yes indeed, thanks to everyone who is making it happen - staff, volunteers, donors, advisers and members. We are truly blossoming. @
by Anna Leggatt
Rosa Clair Matin
I AM A LAZY GARDENER: roses generally are high maintenance. I try to garden organically: many rosarians say that it s essential to use synthetic chemicals. Luckily, Clair Matin is a tough rose that s rarely bothered by disease and requires less maintenance than most roses. I don t need to mound it up in the winter, nor do I need to spray it. For these reasons and more, | think it is almost my favourite rose.
Meilland, the famous French rose breeders, produced Clair Matin in 1960. Although David Austin s Shrub Roses and ClimbingRoses classifies it as a modern shrub rose, I find that this rose can be treated as a climber: the long, arching stems (three to four metres 10 to 12 feet in length) can be tied to a wall or a fence. Also, it s not as thorny as a true climber.
hard on many plants. All I do in the spring is prune out the dead wood together with the old, tough stems that are more than three years old. I also cut back thin spindly growth. Then I tie back the stems to the fence so that they curve up and out to make a fan shape. Finally, I give the bush a good dose of compost, then sit back and wait. After I enjoy the flowers, I deadhead and cut back some of the prolific canes to encourage the growth of long shoots from the base.
lllustration: Jocelyn Mann
The semi-double, clear light pink flowers of Clair Matin re-bloom up until frost.
The young stems and leaves of Clair Matin are a bronzy greenish-red colour but soon turn to a mid- to dark green. The flowers grow in long trusses, up to about 50 centimetres (20 inches) long. The flowers are medium to smallish in size, semi-double and a clear light pink. Although sources disagree as to whether Clair Matin re-blooms, I haven t met one yet that hasn t re-bloomed prolifically, right up until frost. What more does a gardener need? Unfortunately, it has one failing; the blossoms are only slightly fragrant.
All roses need care. But I don t need to mound soil at the base of this one because Clair Matin doesn t die back to the ground not even after this past winter which was very
As for diseases, my plant has not yet had black spot. Although it does get slight mildew in the fall, I have ignored it and have found that the mildew hasn t spread and is barely noticeable.
I combine the pink roses of Clair Matin with pink Clematis Hagley Hybrid (also called Pink Chiffon ) and purple and white Clematis Venosa Violacea . I once had a beautiful colour echo: the reddish new stems of the rose were beautifully matched by the rusty red /Iris Sultan s Tent along with an unknown lupin, Lupinus.
I wish I could better time the blooming of Clair Matin for flower shows. Although I have won several awards for best rose , more often I discover a prize-winning stem of Clair Matin blooming in my garden the week after the show. If you have some vertical space, try Clair Matin but I warn you, do not enter your blooms in a flower show where mine will be entered! @
Anna Leggatt is a Master Gardener, garden writerandactive CGCvolunteer.
Q My pond is very green with algae. How can I control this?
A Add some oxygenating plants to your pond. Fanwort, Cabomba caroliniana, and tape grass or eel grass, Vallisneria, are oxygenating plants that grow submerged in water. These plants are not frost hardy, however, and must be added to the pond every year. Oxygenating plants that grow on the surface of the water include duckweed, Lemna minor, water fern, Azolla, water hyacinth, Eichornia crassipes, and water lettuce, Pistia stratiotes. Algae are controlled when two-thirds of the pond is shaded. Therefore, as the season progresses and the leaves of plants such as water lilies grow larger, they will shade the surface of the water.
Water hyacinth and waterlilies will help to control algae.
lllustrations: Vivien Jenkinson
Q In one year, my wisteria, Wisteria, has grown to the roof of our bungalow but has not yet flowered. Should I prune a wisteria this young or wait until after it has bloomed?
A The short answer is yes, you should prune in the first year. The longer answer is that cutting back the vigorous lateral branches that are produced in the summer and shortening them again in the winter will help form flower-bearing spurs. If spur pruning is started when plants are young, they should begin flowering in their fourth or fifth year. Early pruning also allows you to establish an attractive framework for later growth.
In our climate, the first pruning of wisteria is done in the summer and the second about February or
March. An alternative method of pruning is to work the plant over every couple of weeks in the summer, pinching back all growth not needed to extend the plant. Pinch back shoots to about 10 centimetres (four inches) and later pinch back any extension growth to two leaves. In this way each shoot will be pinched back about three times during the growing season. If you follow this method, no winter pruning will be needed.
"Specializing in a total plant health care approach to maintenance oftrees, shrubs, vines and hedges in city gardens."
Wisteria blooms on short lateral spurs.
BRUCE TREE
Continuing Education
Iitin e Lk =
Ryerson Course
offered at the CGC
Plant Materials 1
Monday nights
6:30 - 9:30 p.m.
September 8 to December 15 (14 sessions)
Fee: $459
This course will analyze plant materials as basic structural elements of the landscape and includes identification, classification and an examination ofthe purposes of using both native and cultivated forms of trees.
Part of the Landscape Design certificate,this course is offered atthe CGC through Ryerson's Continuing Education Division. It provides individuals with practical skills gained through an understanding of design theory.
For more information call 416-979-5035 or logon to www.ryerson.ca/ce.
July 1 to July 14, Upper and Middle Links
Photographs of flowers in Edwards Gardens.
Choices
LINDA HARRIS
July 15 to July 28, Upper Link
Linda s collages and paintings highlight environmental changes and the impact of humanity on water, trees, plants and birds.
Art- Giftfrom the Soul
LALITA BASHIR
July 15 to July 28, Middle and Lower Links
A multi-talented, multi-media artist inspired by dream and vision, Lalita Bashir has exhibited throughout Scarborough. Her works have been selected for the archives of the National Museum of Arts for Women in Washington.
Opening night: July 17,7 to 9 p.m.
Don River Valley
ALLAN LALL
July 29 toAugust 11, Upper, Middle and Lower Links
These paintings, done in acrylics and watercolours, highlight the beauty of the Don River Valley as seen through the eyes of the artist who uses colour combinations in an impressionistic way.
Opening night: July 30, 7 to 9 p.m.
Poetry in nature - Where landscape meets the eye
HEDVIGA RAKUS-WIGGLESWORTH
August 12 to September 8, Upper Link
Like poetry, the artist s paintings offer more than a description of the beauty of nature.
FloralFantasies
RITA NARAS
August 12 to 25, Middle and Lower Links
Butterflies, orchids and exotic blooms mingle with oriental ginger jars and Galle vases in this collection of vibrantly coloured oil pastels.
For information on Art in the Link, call Cathie Coxat416-397-1358.
by Mara Arndt e Librarian
LEARN MORE ONLINE
THE EXPLORE THE LIBRARY section of the CGC Web site has a new feature called, Learn More About ... Every two months, we will review Web sites that complement the Centre s current lectures, workshops, courses and events. Accompanying each review will be a live link to the Web site.
Web site REVIEW
Organic Vegetable Tips
What could be more delicious than picking vegetables out of your own garden and popping them into the cooking pot? If you did not have the opportunity to attend Jennifer Reynolds lecture, Growing Vegetables, the following Web sites will provide assistance.
A useful beginner s guide located at www.canadianliving.com/health/features/organic/1.asp discusses location, soil, seeds, weeds, feeding and insects. The site also recommends related Web sites and books. For more detailed information on particular vegetables, use the Google search engine at www.google.ca.Type organic vegetable tips and select pages for Canada before clicking on Google Search. Among the many Web articles available are pages from the Ecological Agriculture Projects section of the University of McGill Web site entitled Organic Vegetable Tips and More Organic Vegetable Tips.
Reviewed byJeanMcCluskey
Book REVIEW
The Urban Gardener: How to Grow Things Successfully on Balconies, Terraces, Decks andRooftops By Sonia Day Toronto, Key Porter, 2003; 144 pages; $19.95
NOWADAYS MANY PEOPLE
do not have the time or space to maintain a traditional garden. Sonia Day, one of Canada s leading garden writers, has written this book specifically to show us how to create an urban garden so that we can maintain a connection with Mother Nature, however small and tenuous. She provides practical solutions to the unusual problems faced by city gardeners such as designing a spaceefficient floor plan, choosing suitable containers and handling city pests (read squirrels), to name just a few. Beautifully illustrated and filled with useful timeand money-saving advice, this book clues you in on the latest gardening trend in North America.
Reviewed byMadge Bruce
Do you want to be
a
MasterGardener?
Anorientation meetingand entrance examfor anyone interested in becoming a Master Gardener in Toronto will take place onTuesday, September 9, at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of The Civic Garden Centre.The meeting and exam will takeoneand-a-half to two hours. Those whopass theexam will be invited for a 20-minute interview on eitherThursday, September 11,at7p.m. or Saturday, September 13, at 10 a.m. For information,pleasecallJoan Lencznerat416-486-9862.
Heather Coulter
Carol Gardnerchats with Heather Coulter, our volunteer book buyer who keeps the Trellis Shop shelvesfilled with the hottest books in the gardening world.
WHEN HEATHER LEAVES,
I'm leaving too! said horticulturist Cathie Cox, summing up her feelings about volunteer Heather Coulter. The two work hand in gardening glove; Heather comes in three days a week to do all the book buying for the Trellis Shop and Cathie is her best source for what s hot and what s not in the gardeningworld.
of us would look at least slightly harassed at that point, but Heather - looked as if she hadn' t a care in the world. That s the most amazing thing about her she can balance work and four live-in guests and still look the way she always looks calm, pulled together and fit. Geesh!
The fitness comes from a love of Volunteering came naturally to Volunteerin, 7 walking, regular exercise classes Heather. Both her father and her ~C@Imeé natura Y and, of course, gardening, which to Heather. grandfather volunteered, so it didn t seem unusual when, at the age of sixteen, she began volunteering as a ward aide at the local hospital. Her catalogue of jobs since then would put most of us to shame. She has volunteered with the Canadian Cancer Society, the local school board (when her three children were in school) and the Toronto General Hospital as well as for 20 years with the Hugh McMillan Centre four to five days aweek.
After all that, what in the world made her think she could take on another volunteer job? I needed some light relief from the medical field, she laughs, and I wanted to learn more about gardening. Guess you just can t keep a good woman down - that light relief has turned into an eleven-year commitment. Her job doesn t end when she goes home. To get a feel for what books will sell, she studies publishers catalogues, reads gardening magazines and watches every HGTV gardening show; she even admits to the odd bit of spying lurking in local bookstores to see what they re stocking and, more importantly, what s selling.
When Heather s not volunteering, she s busy with her husband, Bob, their three grown children and spouses, and four grandchildren under the age of 5! After our interview, she was heading home to daughter Wendy and family who were visiting from their home in Geneva. Most
she does at the family cottage at Lake Rosseau. We have, she says, holding her fingers very close together, about this much soil. The cottage is built on bedrock, so most of our gardening is done in containers. She sticks to rock garden plants, succulents, and daylilies, but there s something new on the horizon a chance to try her hand at garden design for her daughter Maggie s new home. What makes you think I know how to design a garden from scratch? she asked Maggie. Everything s relative, replied the gardening neophyte.
With such a busy life, what keeps Heather working so hard for the CGC? The job just suits her, she says. A degree in English from the University of Western Ontario contributed to a lifelong love of books and the company of her volunteer co-workers is the icing on the cake. As for staff member and horticulturist, Cathie Cox, Heather says: I've learned so much about gardening from her. She knows everything; she goes to the Chelsea Flower Show every year and is constantly ahead of the trends. In fact, she says, the two work so well together that when she leaves, I'm leaving too! @
Carol Gardner is an award-winning garden writer, a volunteer and a member ofthe CGC' s Board ofDirectors as well as a member ofthe Trellis Committee.
«««GARDEN HELPERS-...
EmbraceMe plant supports
HOW DO YOU SUPPORT weak perennial stems? There are many devices on the market, but most have some drawback or other. For example, those hoops that move up a vertical stake have you ever tried to fit all the stems of a fall aster into one of them when the stems are too tall? Then there are wonderful, handwoven willow cages designed for the stems to grow through. Problem: no willow tree and no time.
Some splendid supports made locally by Shooting Star Products Inc. of Mississauga have come to the rescue. EmbraceMe plant supports consist of four horizontal semicircles of wire that are attached to four uprights, making a half-cage. The ends of the horizontals end in a loop. To use the supports to stake your perennials, hold the stems of the plant to one side while you push the half-cage into the ground. Then, move the stems over into the half-circle and insert the other half of the support. Secure the two halves together with the vertical connector rod that drops through the loops at the end of the horizontals.
EmbraceMe cages can be stacked or several can be joined together to contain larger plants. Half-cages can also be secured against a wall by screwing the vertical rod and eye hooks into the wall. Plant cages are available in two sizes. Information: www.embraceme.net
Reviewed byAnna Leggatt
August 4 15,2003
DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF SCOTLAND TOUR 3 Love, Lilt and Laughter in the & Highlands, and the Orkney Islands. Personally escorted by Marjorie Mason Hogue ofMASON HOGUE GARDENS, Uxbrudge and Stewart Bennett ofTHE WEE TARTAN SHOP, Port Perry. Second annual all things Scottish tour includes Edinburgh Tattoo, castles and gardens, golf, music and dancing, history, folklore, food and single malt!!
DirectAir Canada flights $3779.00 per 4 person, double occupancy
September 14 17, 2003
GARDEN GETAWAY
TO PHILADELPHIA
2
k4
Longwood Gardens and the Brandywine Valley Coach Tour, Marjorie and Jeff will co-host this annual Fall Garden Getaway Tour.
$699.00 per person, double occupancy
September 30 - October 2
, THE MAGNIFICENT GARDENS OF MONTREAL
Inspiring gardens, scrumptious food, and i&he&ompany ofkindred spirits. Join us for athree-day celebrationin one ofour gcountry s most romantic cities-Montreal. We ll travel by train, stay in a splendid hotel in the city s Old Port, and soak up inspiration at the Montreal Botanical Gardens, Biodome and International Mosaiculture Exhibition, see the Chinese Lantern Exhibition, and walk through historic neighbourhoods, we may even run into a ghost or two!
$589.00 perpersonplus GST.
Visit our website for detailed itineraries! www.gardenersworldtours.com For further information or registration
Contact: Lorna at 905-683-8411, | ,e4nail Ibates@on.aibn.com %
. NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD GARDENERS TO
COLLECT SEEDS FOR THE 2004 SEED EXCHANGE
COLLECTING SEEDS FROMYOUR GARDEN is a great way to share your favourite plants with other members of the CGC. Here are a few seed-collecting tips from our Seed Exchange co-ordinator, Anna Leggatt.
® Flowers that produce seed pods containing many seeds are best collected when the pods turn brown and start to split open. Cut them from the stems and put them in a paper bag and store in a cool, dry place until the seeds fall out. Then, sieve them to remove debris.
® Seed pods of plants such as Clernatis contain only one seed.To catch them before they fall, wait until they start to change colour, then give them a gentle tap, catching them below in your hand or in an envelope.
® Pods that explode, such as those of hardy geraniums, can be cut off just as they turn brown and placed in a paper bag.
® Many berries must be cleaned. Squash them in a sieve and run water over them. Then place them in a bowl of water until the skins and pulp float away. Dry the clean, wet seeds on a paper towel. Some seeds can be separated easily from their skins after they
have dried, but others are more or less impossible. Daphne and Arisaema seeds germinate better if their coats are left on until just before planting; so, leave these seeds to dry with their skins on.
® Store seeds in labelled paper envelopes, not in plastic bags.
Details about participation in the 2004 Seed Exchange will appear in the September-October issue ofTrellis.
DAVID TARRANTwill host exciting excursions focused on - ora: Public & private gardens in Tampa, Florida The Queen Elizabeth IT Botanic Garden of Grand Cayman Private gardens in historic Key West, Florida Plus exclusive onboard gardening seminars and more!
JULY
5
Toronto Judging Centre of the American Orchid Society
Judging, 1 p.m. Open to the public.
Information: www.soos.ca
27
Southern Ontario Orchid Society Orchid Fest
Open to members of orchid societies.
Floral Hall, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; judging 10 a.m.
Admission: dish for potluck lunch
Information: www.soos.ca
AUGUST
9
Ontario Water Garden Society
International Waterlily and Water Garden Society
2003 Symposium, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Floral Hall, Auditorium and Administrative Foyer Pre-registration: Ann Michalek, 416-425-3329
16
Canadian Iris Society
Toronto Society Show and Sale
Floral Hall, 1 to 4 p.m., Information: 416-225-1088
24
Geranium, Pelargonium & Fuchsia Society ofOntario
Annual show and sale, Garden Auditorium, 1 to 4 p.m., Information: 416-281-6399
28
Canadian Chrysanthemum & Dahlia Society Meeting, Studio 1, 8 to 10 p.m.
Information: 416-286-5798
JULY & AUGUST
Guided Tours of Edwards Gardens
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 10 a.m.
July 15 & August 12, 7 p.m.
IN & AROUND THE GTA
JULY
5,13
Merlin s Hollow Open House
181 Centre Cres., Aurora 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission free
5
Oshawa Garden Club Open Gardens 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets $15 Information: Bonnie White, 905-728-3756
Quinte GardenTour & Tea, Tickets $15
Information: 613-966-0242
6
Agincourt Garden Club GardenTour
Information: BruceVodden, 416-298-0984
12,413
Jarvie Garden Open House 37Thornheights Road (Hwy 7 &Yonge Street) 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine
13
Secret Gardens of Riverdale GardenTour 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Information: 416-469-5211 x 1173
Tours run from June to September, every Wednesday. Tours start in the Prelude section at the west end of the garden. They last about 1 hour, rain or shine.Times: June at 11:00 a. m., July at 11:00 & 6:00 p.m., Aug. at 11:00 & 6:00p.m., Sept. at 11:00 a.m.
The Magnificent Gardens of Montreal, Sept. 30 - Oct. 2
Three-day garden tour in one of our country's most romantic cities. Travel by train, accomodations in the 0ld Port, visit the Montreal Botanical Garden, Biodome and International Mosaiculture Exhibition, $589.00 p.p. plus GST. Contact Lorna Bates, at 905-683-8411 or travel@infogarden.ca, www.infogarden.ca
Free Walking Tours of Edwards Gardens
July and August, Every Tuesday andThursday at 10:00 a.m., Evening Walks on July 15 & Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. Meet by the front door of The Civic Garden Centre. Tours last about 1 hour, rain or shine.
