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.
WhatWeOffer
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
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 naturalworld. 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 s favourite garden spots.
3¢ Patrons
Brian Bixley, Awdrey Clarke, Mark Cullen, Camilla Dalglish, SondraGotlieb, Marjorie Harris, LorraineJohnson, Michele Landsberg,SusanMacauley, HelenSkinner
3% Board of Directors
PRESIDENT:Janet Greyson
Kim Dalglish Abell, Alice Adelkind, Brad Badeau, Arthur Beauregard, Marisa Bergagnini, Dugald Cameron, Peter Cantley, LindsayDale-Harris, KathyDembroski, Leslie Denier, TonyDiGiovanni, HeatherDickson, Suzanne Drinkwater, Geoffrey Dyer, Ralph Fernando, Mary Fisher, Judy Floyd, Carol Gardner, Lorraine Hunter, Linda Ledgett, SoniaLeslie, PatrickLi, RuthMacKneson, Doreen Paton, Jean Read, Jennifer Reynolds, Dawn Scott, Bunny Slater
Annual Giving Development Co-ordinator Andrea MacIntyre
Annual Giving Manager
Janice Turner King
Capital Campaign Director Janice Turner King CourseCo-ordinator
Rosetta Leung
Development Co-ordinator Niti Bhotoia
HorticulturalAssistant
Librarian
Maintenance Supervisor
Facility & Event Co-ordinator
Karen Sloan
MaraArndt
Walter Morassutti
Stephanie Chiang
Teaching Garden Co-ordinator MaryFitzgerald
Volume 30 3% Number 5
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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416-397-1351
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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.
Manuscriptssubmitted 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 November/December issue must be received by August 29.
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 withoutwritten permission.
Charitable business number: 119227486RR0001
Canada Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement#40013928 ISSN 0380-1470
Botanical Garden, story page 26 Photo: Lorraine Hunter
The Toronto Botanical Garden is a reality
spell success for the CGC
A summer of fun in the Teaching Garden
xeriscape garden
armeniacum Valerie Finnis
advice from the Master Gardeners
The mystery, wonder and beauty of mushrooms
Native grasses add colour and texture to the garden
Advocating the responsible use of pesticides
garden
[ S from the Board
- ," = by Janet Greyson ® PRESIDENT
The Toronto Botanical Garden is a reality
t s official! The Civic Garden Centre has Ibecome the Toronto Botanical Garden. The City has agreed to the name change and we have our letters patent. As you know if you were at the April 2003 Annual General Meeting, this change was approved by a majority of our members.
With the new name comes the evolution of our vision. To those who have enjoyed and cherished our programs and services over the
Our vision by the year 2020, is that the TBG will be an outstanding botanical garden. Our displays will include educational aids and our programming and garden design will reflect the cultural diversity of our city. We will have superior facilities for floral, plant and gardening exhibitions as well as a café/restaurant and a garden shop. Our horticultural and botanical library will be of national importance and our outstanding educational years, we don t intend to programs will continue to feathrow the baby out with the . ture international experts and bathwater , but rather to build W e ln.tend to state-of-the-art initiatives. In on the excellent programs and beglnthe supporting and attracting famiservices we ve offered over the renovations Of lies, we hope to increase years. We will be everything we our butldmg and awareness of the importance of are today and more. the construction protecting and enhancing the
The Toronto Botanical ofourgardens natural environment. Garden (TBG) will become a nextyean.. Our volunteers will continue focus for Toronto residents as well as a key destination for tourists visiting the Toronto area. We intend to contribute, not only to the beauty, knowledge and enjoyment of our city, but to its economy as well. Gardening is the number one hobby of Canadians; this rise in popularity is being reflected all over the world. More and more travellers are seeking destinations that offer outstanding environmental and horticultural landmarks.
We intend to begin the renovations of our building and the construction of our gardens next year; we have already raised more than half the funds necessary to complete the project, thanks to the approval of the City of Toronto and the financial generosity of our lead donors, Kathy and George Dembroski, as well as Camilla Dalglish as trustee of the W. Garfield Weston Foundation, and such bodies as The Garden Club of Toronto and Milne House Garden Club.
to be the heart and soul of the operation, and we will support them with training and educational programs as well as increased recognition programs. Partnerships with the City of Toronto, trade organizations, horticultural and botanical groups, educational organizations and health institutions will allow us to offer an even broader range of programs and services to a wider range of people. We will continue to direct more services to children and youth, particularly those who have special needs or who are in high-risk situations.
There are many people to thank as we work towards the realization of this vision, but none more important than you, our members, who have supported this organization both financially and in so many other ways over 45 years. It is my sincere hope that each one of you will be with us as we continue our journey towards what I believe is our destiny to be one of the finest horticultural institutions in the world.
from the Corner Office
by Margo Welch e Executive DIRECTOR
A strong and vibrant organizatio
uring my first few months here I have Dbeen struck by the many different roles
The Civic Garden Centre fulfils information resource, program centre, community hub, oasis from the city and special events organizer. In each role we serve gardeners of different ages, interests and experience levels. What ties it all together, of course, is our membership your participation and passion for gardening drives our activities. We informally seek your feedback on lectures, courses and new initiatives to help us assess how we are doing and to shape future programming. In the next few months we will be asking you to fill out a survey offering your comments and ideas on what you value most as part of your membership as well as your ideas on how to make the organization even better.
I am impressed by the number of activities that the CGC offers in a single month. In June, for example, we held one lecture, 14 courses, two garden tours (over three days!), tours of Edwards Garden and the Toronto Music Garden, children s programs and a fifth birthday party for the Teaching Garden! In addition, numerous visitors gathered information in the Library and browsed the Trellis Shop. Considering that we are a small, largely volunteer-based organization, the breadth of our offerings is enormous. The number of unique quality programs and events that we offer rivals some of the largest cultural institutions in our city and we are the only organization in Toronto with a mandate to promote gardening, horticulture and allied environmental issues.
The Garden Club of Toronto, Milne House, the Master Gardeners and many horticultural groups (to name a few). Staff helps to co-ordinate and manage these programs through a combination of expertise, long hours and a great commitment to the CGC. Our 400+ volunteers help us with everything, from the reception desk, administrative support, Library and Trellis Shop to special events and programs. We simply could not operate without you! Our partners also collaborate with us to deliver excellent programs as well as to help us reach the greater community.
The number of unique quality programs and events thatwe offer rivals some ofthe largest cultural institutions in our city...
In the upcoming months, as you adjust to our new name, Toronto Botanical Garden, and a new executive director, | will do my best to keep you informed about our plans and activities. Right now, we are busy putting together next year s program which should be as good or even better than last year s, starting with a terrific lineup of lecturers including Glenis Dyer talking on clematis, Marion Jarvie on winter gardens, Frank Kershaw on ghost gardens and Marjorie Harris with a book launch and talk on native plants. Check the program guide in this issue of Trellis for dates as well as descriptions of courses, workshops and special events.
To produce all of these events and activities we rely on our hard-working staff, dedicated volunteers and partners such as the City of Toronto,
They say that first impressions are often the most insightful. The strength, vibrancy and potential of the The Civic Garden Centre amaze me when [ think of all that we accomplish with such limited resources. Imagine what we can do with a flexible modernized facility, outstanding gardens and the support of the community? I'm pleased to be a part of this exciting time in the organization s evolution and keen to meet you and hear your thoughts. Please drop by to say hello when you are next at the CGC.
Happy gardening! @
by Christine Martin ® VOLUNTEER
A =P Volunteers spell success for the CGC
AS SUMMER comes to a close, we start thinking of back-to-school days. In honour of those days of learning our ABCs, here s an alphabet of volunteers who help spell success for the CGC!
A is for Susan Ackerman who helps with admissions for lectures with a cheery smile and friendly assistance.
B is for Jeanne Balman who leads the maintenance team for the Library Garden where she established a xeriscape demonstration area on zero budget!
C is for Selina Chignall who, along with many other students, spends part of her summer vacation volunteering in theTeaching Garden.
D is for Kathy Dembroski, Leslie Denier and Heather Dickson, three Board members who serve as part ofour leadership team, helping to move us towards the future.
E is for Trudy Evans who often helps out as cashier at special events such as Art in the Link openings and plant sales.
F is for Lorraine Flanigan who, along with Midge Cooper, has been spending some hot/cold/wet summer days as a maintenance supervisor in the Teaching Garden.
G is for Janet Greyson, president of the Board of Directors, who has given innumerable hours and energy to the Centre during the past months of transition and growth.
H is for Lorraine Hunter who faithfully serves as chair of the Trellis Committee. Three cheers for leading a great team to produce a great publication.
1 & J are for the Information that Ann Johnson provides in our Library. And, thanks to all the people like Ann who fill in when others are away.
K is for Claire King who works Monday mornings in theTrellis Shop and helps out at special events and as a member of theVolunteer Committee.
L is for Sonia Leslie and her extensive contributions to the CGC as board member, chair of the Volunteer Committee, chair of Mistletoe Magic and tour guide. M is for the more than 40 volunteers whose names start with M and without whom The Civic Garden Centre could not function.
N & O are for the Names of all of our volunteers, including Maria O Neill who gives tours of both Edwards Gardens and theToronto Music Garden.
P is for Sue Pfeiffer and Jean Pantopoulos who contribute their time and enthusiasm at special events, lectures andTeaching Garden activities.
Q is for Monika Queisser whom you can find on Monday mornings helping customers in theTrellis Shop and who also greets guests as they arrive at lectures.
R is for Gwen Rattle who works in the Library on Mondays and is willing and able to help you find what you need.
S is for Joy Sjare who greets you at reception on Thursday afternoons and who is helping with this year s Golf Day.
T is for Kam-chiuTam whose photographic skills have contributed to many of our promotional materials as well as to a recent Art in the Link show.
U and V are for the wonderful Uniqueness of each volunteer, including NimetVisram who joined us as a tour guide this spring.
W is for Rob Wimhurst who has planned the routes and directed the buses forThrough the Garden Gate over the past several years.
X is for the X-traordinary work that all our volunteers do each day.
Y is for KeithYorke who has been dedicated to working with theTeaching Garden programs for several years.
Z is Mary Zakher who represents the team of volunteers who work behind the scenes, assisting staff with their many administrative responsibilities.
I WANT TO JOIN OUR ALPHABET OF VOLUNTEERS?
e need volunteers to help with various behind-the-scenes duties at our lectures as well as volunteers who want to be involved in committee work (a great opportunity for members to contribute to the direction of The Civic Garden Centre). We also need about 100 people to help out at Mistletoe Magic. Contact Christine Martin at 416-397-4145 or volunteers@infogarden.ca.
_ IIAFRTIATREIY MARION MAGEE
Lorraine Huntertalks with Marion Magee about howshe puts her editorialskills to work as editorialassistant ofTrellis.
MARION MAGEE brings over 35 years of professional experience as a book editor to her volunteer position as a 7rellis editorial assistant. But copy editing and fact checking Trellis is much more relaxing than scholarly books, she claims. There are no footnotes, no indexes, no heavy theoretical overlays. Every once in a while [ have to remind myself not to be too pedantic!
Hired straight out of the University of Toronto to work in the editorial department of the University of Toronto Press, Marion worked largely on books in Canadian history but also in the areas of medicine, science, engineering and literature. In 1968, she joined the Canadian Institute of International Affairs as associate editor of the InternationalJournal and general editor of all the Institute s publications. In 1989 she became a freelancer, retaining the InternationalJournal but also editing for McGill-Queen s University Press and several other small organizations.
As a member of The Civic Garden Centre, Marion noticed a request for proofreaders and called CGC librarian Mara Arndt for an interview. After helpingwith the proofreading of one issue, somehow [ segued into working on the text as it came from the editor, checking facts, grammar and spelling, trying to create consistency within an issue and from issue to issue and eventually even suggesting revisions to the editor.
As one ofthe Trellis team, Marion spends 25 to 30 hours on each issue. It used to be more until another volunteer, Tish Coombes, took over the horticultural fact checking. Editor Lorraine Flanigan, who appreciates her dedication to detail, sends Marion edited material for 7rellis by e-mail. She then checks facts in the feature articles as well as ensuring that all dates, times, names of programs and such are consistent throughout the issue. She doesa lot of her checking in the CGC library, on the Internet and some
in her own library at home. Marion enjoys the atmosphere at the CGC which as a small, nonprofit organization has a similar ambiance to that of the Institute. I felt comfortable right from the beginning.
Marion finds the combination of working at something in which she is well skilled and doing it intensely over a couple ofweeks every two months very stimulating but adds that the keys to a happy volunteer experience are not just an interesting job but the people for whom, and with whom, you volunteer. For example she says, Librarian Mara Arndt is a dab hand at nurturing volunteers and we come and go amid waves ofappreciation.
Other volunteer activities in which Marion is involved include the cataloguing and conserving activities at the Trinity College Archives and working with the Friends of the Library at Trinity College including their fundraising book sale in October.
Marion claims a certain genetic predisposition to gardening. When he retired, her grandfather became a market gardener. Her uncle, Ernest Pope, was deeply involved with the CGC from its beginnings until the late 1980s.
Marion and her late husband began gardening as new homeowners, but she says that it was only in the late 1970s that we really became keen and began to read and plan and tear our hair out. Once my husband retired in 1994 and I semi-retired we did a lot more digging new beds, planting more and more perennials and so on. This year all the vines and shrubs seem to have come into their own; if he were still alive I think he would be pleased to see how all his hard work has come to fruition. @
Lorraine Hunter is a garden writerand member ofthe Board ofDirectors ofthe CGC as well as chair ofthe Trellis Committee.
by Mary Fitzgerald
A summer of fun in the Teaching Garden
ANOTHER SUMMER in the Teaching Garden has come and gone. Pumpkin patches were sown, Sunflower Hideaways tended, and EcoHeroes awarded for their extraordinary gardening skills and eco-awareness.
The summer began with a most successful fifth birthday party celebration for the Teaching Garden that included an interactive eco-concert performed by Chris McKhool. Our next events included four Family Garden Days and a Kidsummer Day. Children, parents and grandparents came out to help water the gardens, plant vegetables, try their hand at some of the activities and, later in the season, harvest vegetables for donation to the Food Bank.
Once the warm weather arrived, so did our
OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, our xeriscape area in the Teaching Garden had been deteriorating. Plants had become overgrown, soil had eroded and rocks had mysteriously disappeared. The expense and scope of the work involved to redevelop this bed was huge.
To our rescue came JEA Perennials and Arnts Loam Supply! Last spring the plant wholesale company asked us to trial some steppables groundcover plants. We agreed readily. Then, one day during the summer, the company called to say that the plants (about 800 of them) would be delivered in ten minutes! The selection included many types of low growing thymes and veronicas, euonymus and sedums. We were excited but caught off guard and unprepared. Twenty-four hours later, Arnts had kindly and speedily agreed to donate and deliver soil. Then, the Teaching Garden s team of maintenance volunteers arrived to plant the steppables in a mosaic designed in the shape of a snail so that
Pumpkin Patchers and Little Sprouts who worked in their garden plots while campers in the Sunflower Hideaway planted sunflowers and fashioned them into a house. Eco-Heroes planted a moon garden, a cosmic salad garden and learned about many of the creatures that live in the Teaching Garden while budding artists created sketches and paintings to displayin an art show.
As each week came to a close, the Green Adventure program welcomed groups of children from priority communities within Toronto. By summer s end, they had planted, harvested and explored all of the gardens.
It s back to school for all our gardeners and hopefully we ll see some of you at our upcoming workshops and school programs this fall.
the established plants could be tested by the children. Just five hours later, the entire garden was prepared and planted what a team!
Volunteers are essential to the Teaching Garden. Our maintenance volunteers work on Thursday or Tuesday mornings under the supervision of Midge Cooper and Lorraine Flanigan to make sure that the garden is prepared for the programs and looking its best. Their hard work is an inspiration to all of us the garden is looking the best ever.
Keep fit and have fun - be a Teaching Garden volunteer!
To volunteer as part of our maintenance team or to help deliver the Teaching Garden s fall programs, please call volunteer co-ordinator, Christine Martin at 416-397-4145. We need volunteers of all ages and fitness levels and offer training and support.
NGW XeI iSCape Gal den by Cathie Cox ® MANAGER, HORTICULTURAL SERVICES
- Ontario Master Gardeners The CGC welcomes . . . . Zone 6 Annual Seminar STEPHANIE CHIANG, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2003 = FACILITYAND EVENTS CO-ORDINATOR
9A.M.TO 3 PM.
With a certificate in event and meeting Henry Kock, Gardening from a Natural Perspective - management from George Brown College, John Valleau, Perennials that Work Stephanie Chiang joins the CGC as Martin Galloway, Organic Pest Control facility and events co-ordinator. Along with Admission: public, $25; scheduling space rentals for events at the Master Gardeners, $10 Boxed lunch, $12 (to order lunch, please register by October 15)
CGC, Stephanie will be co-ordinating this year s Mistletoe Magic. A professional and highly creative natural leader, Stephanie To register, send cheque to:
Hala Saab
72 Greylawn Crescent Toronto M1R 2V6
Information: 416-445-3550
takes great pride in herwork and looks forward to helpingyou book your space requirements at the CGC.
To contact Stephanie, call 416-391-1349 or saabs@rogers.com or rentals@infogarden.ca.
Find your place. Happiness loves company.
t's your time and Lifestyle Retirement Communities is your kind of place in step with the way you want to live your life. Spend an afternoon exploring a favourite boutique, attending a theatre performance or taking an art class. Share your interests with friends as active as you are in a community where shopping,entertainment and public transit are at your doorstep. Spend your time doing the things you choose to do, not those you have to do. At Lifestyle,we do the work...you do the living
For more information please call Rosemarie at (416) 445-7555
Fascinating Fungi
JudyHernandezreveals the mystery, wonder and beauty ofmushrooms.
Oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus
ay the words fungus or fungi and most people s reactions are negative. That s a pity. A delicate Japanese parasol mushroom, Coprinus plicatilis, standing sedately among blades of lawn grass is a delightful sight. This small mushroom is just one of hundreds of beautiful mushroom species that await anyone who ventures into the world of fungi. Members of the kingdom Fungi are also valuable organisms in our domestic, urban and wilderness environments. Unseen by human eyes, fungi nourish the roots of many plants and perform other vital functions.
The kingdom Fungi includes both microscopic and macroscopic species. The rusts and smuts that infect garden plants, the yeast that raises bread dough and the moulds that colonize aging cheese are examples of microscopic fungi. The familiar umbrella-shaped mushrooms and their lesser-known kin are examples of macroscopic (fleshy) fungi. A surprising variety
of mushrooms grow in urban settings, but to see mushrooms in all their glory, you must go to wild places.
Amateur mycologists flock to the woods in spring and fall to study, photograph or collect the ephemeral objects of their desire. With baskets in hand, they eagerly scour the woodland floor for their unsuspecting quarry. The tradition of mushroom picking and cooking is respected and practised in many European countries, and Canadians from these countries make up the majority of pickers in Ontario woods.
Non-mycologists generally use the word mushroom to refer to edible, umbrella-shaped fruiting bodies of fungi; they also use the word toadstool to refer to poisonous, umbrellashaped fruiting bodies. This mushroom-toadstool distinction is irrelevant to mycologists, who prefer the term fungi and apply it to all fleshy fungi, not just to the umbrella-shaped
Photos: Vello Soots
Fly agaricAmanita muscaria
Into the Woods with the MST
JOINING A MYCOLOGICAL GROUP is the best way to learn about fungi. The Mycological Society of Toronto (MST), Ontario s only mycological group, is one of fewer than a dozen such groups scattered across Canada. In 1973 the MST was formed for fun and for fungi by a small group of mycology enthusiasts who had studied with Dr. Roy F. Cain. Thirty years later, the society has grown to approximately 220 members, meets five times a year between October and April, publishes a newsletter, offers a popular mushroom identification workshop, has a lending library and conducts spring and fall forays (outings).
These two- to three-hour forays take place in York Regional Forest, Dufferin County Forest and other woodlands within 90 minutes of Toronto. Members gather at a pre-arranged meeting place before heading out into the woods. Armed with baskets, knives, wax paper and sometimes mushroom field guides, they collect fungi and
ones. Fungi shapes can be rounded as in giant puffball, Calvatia gigantea, shelf-like as in artist s conk, Ganoderma applanatum, and coralshaped as in Ramariopsis kunzei, to name only three. Striate bird s nest, Cyathus striatus, is shaped like a bird s nest, complete with sporebearing structures that look like eggs.
Supermarket mushrooms come in shades of brown, cream and white but in the wild, mushroom colours span the spectrum from jet black to dazzling white and every colour of the rainbow. In late winter and early spring the scarlet cup, Sarcoscypha austriaca, brightens the drab forest floor with its ravishing scarlet cup-like surface. In the fall, fly agaric, Amanita muscaria, is just one of many colourful fungal flowers gracing our woodlands.
Sniff a supermarket mushroom, and you smell the ordinary earthy mushroom aroma. Sniff wild mushrooms, and you detect a surprising number of distinctive odours. Some have the scents of lilac, geranium or elderflower. Others mimic household chemicals such as iodine, chlorine and bleach. And some smell
return to the meeting place where their collections are identified.
In September the society conducts its annual weekend Cain Foray followed by a Fungi Fair held atThe Civic Garden Centre. This fair offers a unique opportunity to see over 200 species of mushrooms and to learn about the world of fungi. This year the 24th annual Fungi Fair will be held on September 22, 2003.
The society meets at The Civic Garden Centre; membership is $30 for one year or $55 for two years. Non-members may attend either one meeting or one foray as a guest.To attend a meeting as a guest or for membership inquiries, contact Stella Tracy at 416-621-9104 or stella.tracy@sympatico.ca. To attend a foray as a guest, contact Vello Soots at 416-444-9053 or vsoots@globalserve.net.
Visit the Mycological Society ofToronto s Web site at www.myctor.org.
like various foods such as raw potatoes, apricots and maraschino cherries.
Mushroom sizes range from the wispy fairy hair, Macrotyphula juncea, to the giant puffball, Calvatia gigantea, and from the twocentimetre (three-quarter-inch) tall bladder fungus, Physalacria inflata, to the elegant 40-centimetre (16-inch) tall parasol mushroom, Macrolepiota procera. Surface textures may be smooth, slimy, scaly, rough, warty, woolly, waxy or wrinkly. Old man of the woods, Strobilomyces floccopus, has such a distinctive, blackish, shaggy cap surface that it is immediately identifiable.
The mystery, wonder and beauty of nature are dramatically exemplified by members of the kingdom Fungi. Understanding these organisms enriches our understanding and appreciation of our environments, be they domestic or wild. @
Judy Hernandez, naturalist and garden lover, has been a member of the Mycological Society of Toronto since 1985 and is stillfascinated by the beauty offungi.
GREAT[AISS
S
Native grasses, says Ken Parker, add colourand texture to the modern landscape.
sing grasses in the home landscape is a Urecent phenomenon. When I started propagating North American plants almost ten years ago, I didn t consider growing our local native grasses because I did not understand their purpose in the landscape. But more and more grasses are being used in the garden as focal points and for their texture and colour. Not only are native grasses attractive, but growing these grasses in our gardens is vital to their continued existence because less than one per cent of Ontario s prairie exists today.
The heart and soul of a native grass lies below the ground. Prairie grasses have extensive root systems with nearly one-third of the plant devoted to foliage and two-thirds to the root system. For example, a typical prairie grass such as little bluestem grows 60 to 90 centimetres (two to three feet) tall while its roots can reach as much as one to two metres (four to nine feet) deep. This makes Ontario prairie grasses extremely droughttolerant once they re established.
Native perennial grasses can be divided into four groups.
Spreaders. These grasses spread by underground roots. These plants are more suitable for the large garden and to control erosion: for example, to prevent a slope from collapsing. Clumpers. These grasses stay in one spot without invading the rest of the garden.
Cool season. Lawn or turf are examples of cool season grasses. These grasses begin to grow when temperatures rise above freezing but go dormant or turn brown during periods of drought and heat.
Warm season. These grasses begin to grow much later in the growing season when soil temperatures reach 15°-20°C (60°-70°F). They remain lush and green during hot, late summer days.
TIPS FOR GROWING NATIVE GRASSES
® Cool season grasses quickly provide height in the early summer garden.
e Warm season grasses make an impact in the garden by about mid- to lateAugust in Ontario. oTwo-thirds ofthe height of a grass as described on a plant tag generally is foliage while the remaining third is the height of the seedheads or flowerswhen in bloom.
e Grasses that spread are appropriate for embankments, erosion control, natural ponds and prairie or meadow gardens.
e All grasses provide food, cover and nesting material for birds and other wildlife.
e Grasses need an annual haircut in early springtime (April), to 2.5 to 5 centimetres (1 to 2 inches) above the base.
Kaylin Parker in the grasses at Charlottetown, P.
Photos: Ken Parker
10 EASY-TO-GROW ONTARIO NATIVE GRASSES
1. BIG BLUESTEM GRASSAndropogongerardii
(120-180 centimetres; 4 to 6 feet)
The king of native warm season grasses, this long-lived clumping grass has nourished millions of bison. Its height and three-pronged seedheads that resemble turkey feet make it very attractive in the garden.
2. LITTLE BLUESTEM GRASSSchizachyrium scoparium (syn.Andropogon scoparius)
(60-90 centimetres; 2 to 3 feet)
The most sought after ornamental grass for the home landscape, this clump-formingwarm season prairie grass has beautiful bluish-green foliage. Its reddish brown to copper fall colour also provides interest to the winter garden.
3. CANADAWILD RYEElymus canadensis
(60-120 centimetres; 2 to 4 feet)
This cool season bunchgrass has arching seedheads that look attractive in fresh and dried floral arrangements. Outstanding in the prairie garden growing among wildflowers, Canada wild rye tends to flop after ahard rain or in highwinds, making it unsuitable as afocal pointorspecimen plant.
4.VIRGINIAWILD RYEElymus virginicus
(30-90 centimetres; 1 to 3 feet)
This cool season native features stifflyupright bristly seedheads that are attractive in floral arrangements. It blooms in early summer and is often found growinginfloodplains, thickets andprairie.
5. SWEETGRASSHierochloéodorata
(60-90 centimetres; 2 to 3 feet)
Native people of the Great Plains believe that sweetgrass was the first plant to cover Mother Earth. Its presence serves as a reminder to respect the earth and all the things that it provides. Today, traditional natives of Six Nations use sweetgrass in a variety of crafts and basketry. It is extremelyfragrantwhen dried.
6. EASTERN BOTTLEBRUSH GRASSHystrixpatula
(60-120 centimetres; 2 to 4 feet)
A unique, clump-forming woodland native, eastern
bottlebrush grass features wide-bladed, dark green foliage. The attractive seedheads resemble bottlebrushes and are excellent for dried arrangements.
A favourite of finches, panic or switch grass is a hardy drought-tolerant warm season grass with tiny open seedheads. The coppery-tan blades of the large fountain-shaped clumps put on a beautiful autumn show.
8. INDIAN GRASSSorghastrum nutans (120-180 centimetres; 4 to 6 feet)
A striking prairie native, Indian grass is a handsome, robust, tall prairie grass that produces glossy, coppery plume-like seedheads in late summer. Indian grass is sure to attract many birds to the garden.
9. CORD GRASSSpartinapectinata (120 to 210 centimetres; 4 to 9 feet)
Long ago, pure stands of this cool season prairie grass dominated the bottomlands of the Missouri River. I highly recommend it for embankments, stabilization and low, wet sites. Cord grass is suitable only for the large garden as it spreads rather quickly. However, it competes well with tall prairie wildflowers and native sunflowers.
10. PLANTAIN-LEAVED SEDGE Carexplantaginea (30-90 centimetres; 1 to 3 feet)
The uncommonly wide leaves of this sedge form impressive clumps in shaded or woodland settings. Plaintain-leaved sedge occurs naturally in shady forested areas near oak stands, and once established, it tolerates dry shade.
Regular guests on W-Network s Gardening Gamble, Ken Parker is founder and co-owner with his wife, Linda, ofSweet Grass Gardens, North America sfirstNative-owned and operated native plant nursery. Sweet Grass Gardens is located on the SixNations Indian Reserve near Brantford, Ontario. Web site: www.sweetgrassgardens.com;phone 519-445-4828.
TORONTO S Pesticides Bylaw
The new bylawadvocates the responsible use ofpesticides, says industryrepresentative TonyDiGiovanni, within theframework ofIntegratedPestManagement.
Not a total ban on pesticides
nder the terms of the pesticides bylaw which was passed by Toronto City Council in May 2003, pesticides may be used to rid residential properties of weeds and harmful insects. However, the bylaw encourages homeowners to reduce their reliance on pesticides through a focus on Plant Health Care (PHC) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices. By passing this bylaw, the City of Toronto is advocating the responsible use of pesticides.
Public education
he bylaw will come into full effect in September 2005. During 2004, the City of Toronto will be mounting a public education campaign focussed on employ-
sionals to continue to control pests but within the framework ofI[PM and PHC.
Issues arising from the bylaw debate
WHAT IS INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT?
THE IPM-PHC COUNCIL defines Integrated Pest Management(IPM) as a multidisciplinary, ecological approach to the management of plant health problems based first on good horticultural practices, and when needed, a control (biological, cultural, genetic or mechanical), using chemical treatments only when necessary.A brochure about the IPM accreditation program is available online at www.planthealthcare.ca.
Environmental Alliance, health care professionals and staff from several city departments) to develop an appropriate definition and to establish thresholds.
In the confusion generated by 24 hours of debate, two important motions were finally accepted. One motion makes it clear that weeds must be included in the definition of an infestation that will be developed by the committee. Another motion stipulates that city-owned property falls under the
'I"he bylaw restricts the use of pesticides to infestations that cause or threaten to cause substantial property damage. During the debate over the bylaw, stakeholders failed to agree on what constitutes an infestation . The definition held by the Board of Health does not consider weeds an infestation. This oversight concerned the lawn care industry because it disregarded its core business which is weed control. The compromise solution, reluctantly arrived at after much debate, calls for the formation of an advisory committee (with representatives from ing horticultural techniques industry, the Toronto that promote healthy landscapes and thus minimize the need for pesticides. These practices have been employed by many landscape professionals for years: professional horticulturists know that a healthy plant develops a natural defence against pests. Horticulturists also know that from time to time the application of pesticides may be necessary. These professionals are licensed and trained to apply these products responsibly. The bylaw will allow homeowers and industry profes-
Positive Steps Towards the Responsible Use of Pesticides
1. Health Canada has nearly completed its re-evaluation of the safety of the most common lawn and garden products. Any product that does not meet with the new standards will be discontinued. The lawn care industry welcomes the stringent and ongoing review of products that Health Canada is conducting.
2. New products such as biological controls for dandelions and
ones with very low toxicity levels are now being developed. These will be available to homeowners in the next few years.
3. A majority of lawn care professionals are committed to an IPM accreditation program which involves a third-party audit of practices and skills.
4. A joint federal and provincial initiative based on IPM practices
new bylaw. This opens the way for the control of weeds in accordance with IPM practices on city property something the municipality had been precluded from doing under past council motions.
Bylaw replaces common ground approach
few months ago the staff of the Toronto Board of Health recommended a common ground approach to the issue of pesticide use. This proposal recommended the creation of a pesticide reduction partnership
The compromise solution callsforthe Jformation ofan
called the Healthy Lawns Strategy has recently been launched. For more information, visit the Healthy Lawns Web site at www.healthylawns.net.
5. Landscape Ontario and garden retailers are developing educational materials on the safe use of pesticides for homeowners. These will be available at retail locations throughout the province.
pesticides will result in a patchwork of rules from municipality to municipality that would be confusing and expensive to implement and enforce. Instead, the industry has advocated a public education campaign targeted at homeowners in combination with provincial legislation governing Integrated Pest Management practices. Under the terms of Toronto s new bylaw, both industry professionals and homeowners will be able to use pesticides responsibly within the framework of Integrated Pest Management and Plant Health Care. The bylaw is a comprothat would have involved all advisory committee to mise to which the landscape stakeholders. This approach establish thresholds, industry agreed only because was ultimately rejected in favour of a bylaw that the lawn care industry views as confusing, expensive to administer and impossible to enforce.
In aworld full ofconflict, this common ground approach was refreshingly sensitive to the views of all parties. It had the seeds of a new way of governance based on mutual respect, empathy and the realization that confrontation and conflict will not achieve results.
Tony DiGiovanni, executive director of Landscape Ontario, is a memberofthe board of The Civic Garden Centre and sits on the steeringcommittee ofCanada Blooms.
The landscape industry has argued that a bylaw approach to the safe management of it reflects the responsible use of pesticides following IPM practices. Those advocating a total ban of pesticides agreed to a law permitting the use of pesticides under these conditions, in exchange for the passage of a pesticides bylaw in the City of Toronto. @
Feeding the Soil, Naturally
In thefourth article in our organicgardeningseries, Carol Gardnerhighlights newproducts that helpyou maintain healthygarden soil.
If the clarion call for real these elements, particularly nitrogen, leach from the soil, it s necessary for the gardener to ensure that the soil maintains a healthy balance.
estate agents is location, location, location! then the mantra for gardeners should be soil, soil, soil! If you're in the process of converting from synthetic to organic gardening, multiply this by ten! Years of synthetic chemicals may have robbed your soil of the organisms and nutrients it needs to support healthy plants and grass.
Healthy soil needs just what healthy bodies need air, water and food. Good soil is well aerated, retains moisture, has key minerals in balance and is flush with organisms the beneficial nematodes, worms, insects and microbes that are needed to break up the earth and make nutrients available for use by plants. We ve discussed pH balance in previous articles, so we won't go into it here except to say that you should have your soil tested, not just for acidity or alkalinity, but also for mineral content.
Three of the key minerals that plants need are nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium or potash (K) found listed on fertilizer bags along with the relative amount by weight of each ingredient. Nitrogen is necessary for healthy leaf and stem growth; phosphorous promotes strong root growth and aids flowering, fruiting and seed production; and potassium enables the plant to withstand the stress of extreme weather conditions and disease. As
Fortunately, the natural world is full of these elements, and many of them can be found in the sea. This hit home with me last year when I attended a gardening conference in Nova Scotia and realized that my soil can afford to feast on a more luxurious diet than I can, including a plethora of seafood delights such as:
e LOBSTER MEAL - made from the bodies and shells of the aforementioned creature is an excellent source of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and trace elements (including manganese, copper, zinc).
e KELP MEAL made from rockweed, a type of seaweed, is a potash-laced soil conditioner containing trace minerals, amino acids and enzymes and natural growth stimulants. It aids in the breakdown of organic material, improves the quality and texture of the soil and increases its water-holding capacity.
¢ LiQUID FISH FERTILIZER - a reliable slowrelease source of nitrogen, it adds organic matter to the soil, stimulating helpful micro-organisms and providing growth-promoting substances. These are only a few of the sea-based products that are currently coming on to the market. The land and its creatures also provide excel-
lent organic soil amendments. As well as the compost, mulch, bone meal and blood meal that most gardeners are familiar with, there are:
e FEATHER MEAL (hydrolyzed poultry feathers) a source of slow-releasing nitrogen that is great for plants that are heavy nitrogen feeders such as corn, leafy greens, trees, shrubs and many vegetables.
e SOYBEAN MEAL - another excellent source of nitrogen.
e ALFALFA MEAL - with its high nitrogen content, can be used as a compost starter. It s also good as a rose fertilizer and for flowering shrubs or vegetable gardens.
In the inelegant category of waste material, we have:
(Note to male readers: as useful as they are, these are not the sort ofgardening gifts that you should give to your wife for birthday or anniversarypresents.)
Fortunately, many companies are in the process of doing much of the work for us, putting together organic fertilizer blends rich in natural ingredients and free of synthetic pesticides or herbicides. One of them, the Canadianbased Premier Tech Biotechnologies, has produced a number of products that seem to be taking the gardening world by storm. I first heard of the Myke (pronounced Mikey ) product line at the aforementioned conference where a speaker and landscape gardener was raving about the benefits of Myke lawn fertilizer. As she didn t seem to be a normally excitable type, | made a mental note of the name and tried it for the first time this year. I have to say that our lawn hasn t looked this good in years, though certainly some of the credit must go to the abundant spring rain.
Myke s key ingredient is mycorrhizal fungi, Vorganic beneficial fungi that have occurred in the soil naturally for 400 million years. Mpycorrhizae form a close symbiotic relationship with plant roots; when the fungi colonize a plant s root system, they increase the plant s capacity to absorb water and nutrients such as copper, phosphorous and zinc. Another Canadian company producing a good range of natural fertilizers and soil-amending products is British Columbia s Gaia Green.
We ve just touched upon the vast array of soilenhancing products available; you'll no doubt find many more yourself. Just remember to follow application directions; leggy plants and burned leaves are indicators that too much of a good thing is, well, just too much. Now let s hear one more rousing chorus of soil, soil, soil! @
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.
SEPTEMBER
1 TO 14 25 per cent off!
All items in the Trellis Shop will be on sale at 25 per cent off with the exception of Christmas giftware, bulbs and books. Sale items include TROPICAL PLANTS, GLASSWARE AND VASES, DRIED AND SILK FLOWERS, POTS AND CONTAINERS, CANDLES AND NAPKINS
PlamPnrlran
by Anna Leggatt
Muscari armeniacum Valerie Finnis
GRAPE HYACINTHS. How very ordinary, you might think. With many good bright blue bulbs that bloom in the early spring, this genus includes several under-used treasures and they re inexpensive to buy, too!
Muscari armeniacum Valerie Finnis is similar to the species Muscari. However, its colour is a soft, powdery glacier blue. The fragrant flowers grow from 15 to 20 centimetres (six to eight inches) in a drawn-out conical spike, about four centimetres (one and a half inches) long. The individual flowers are shaped like tiny bells with narrow downward-facing mouths. The green strap-shaped leaves are unremarkable and, like some of the other cultivars in the species, appear in the late fall. Cold weather doesn t harm the species Muscari which are hardy to zone 3. Valerie Finnis is hardy to zone 2.
Plant the bulbs as soon as they appear in the garden centres in early September, in full sun to partial shade. Muscari look best in a large group, so buy 25 at a time! (All small bulbs are best in large groups; never plant less than 15 in one group.) They require no special soil for growing. For a good April show, pale yellow species Narcissus such as Minnow make good companions for Muscari. Cream or white pansies would also look well with them.
Look for other Muscari too, such as the single-leafed M. latifolium which has two-toned flowers a deep blue on the bottom topped by sterile, pale blue florets. I was excited to find M. neglectum (syn. M. racemosum) growing in Spain bulbs of this species are readily available here, too. It has darker flowers than M. latifolium and white teeth around the opening of the bell.
Another Muscari, M. ambrosiacum needs careful placing. Growing to a height of 15 centimetres (six inches), its flower spikes are shorter than Valerie Finnis and bloom in an odd
Plant Muscarias soon as they are available.
colour. The individual bells are a greenish pinky yellow with a milk-chocolate fringed edge. [ planted some where I could look up at them to appreciate the brownish fringe. Unfortunately, the colour was lost against a rock and grey gravel mulch. I will buy a lot more and try them in other situations!
Muscari comosum and M. c. Plumosum have long florets and a wider flower spike. M. c¢. Plumosum has a hazy pale blue spike while the colour of M. comosum is more of a royal blue. I prefer the neat, tightly packed spikes of the other types, but when I tried these, I planted only a few bulbs perhaps a larger patch would be more impressive.
Try some Muscari you will be pleased with their great colour effectsC'
Anna Leggatt
is aMaster Gardener, garden writerandactive CGCvolunteer..
Illustrations:
Jocelyn Mann
B Expert advice from the Master Gardeners |
Q 1 have some hardy cyclamen tubers for the first time and I don t know when to plant them. Apparently they are hardy in Toronto and they bloom in the fall, but different sources say plant in midsummer, late summer or fall. Which is correct? Also, what soil? Will they bloom this fall?
A Plant your hardy cyclamen tubers right after you get them. o5 o) Cyclamen hederifolium is a g tas L fall-flowering tuber that should ~ Cyclamen corms survive zone 6 winters, espe- I'ike grav?l cially if lightly mulched with i the soil leaves in the winter. Plant the for droiname. tubers about 5 centimetres (2 inches) deep in partial shade: under deciduous trees is recommended. Also ensure that they are sheltered from drying winds.
Cyclamens prefer a soil rich in humus, but they also like good drainage so you might want to add a shovelful of grit to the planting area.They go dormant in summer and so don t need much water then. It is important therefore that they are not planted in a spot that stays wet all the time. At the same time they shouldn t be allowed to dry right out. If they are happy where you put them they should self-seed.
If you plant the tubers in the summer (for example, in July) they may break dormancy and bloom that fall. However, the plants need to establish themselves first and you may just get some leaves the first year with bloom the next year.
| wish you success with them cyclamens are lovely plants.
Q@ We are in zone 5 (Barrie). Just off my deck, which faces west, we have two plastic pots planted with Emerald cedars, Thuja occidentalis Emerald . Will they survive in the pots during the winter or do I have to put them in the ground for winter? I also have three cedars in cement pots out in the garden away from the house. They also face west but are protected by a fence. Will theybe okayfor the winter too?
A You do not mention the size of the pots your cedars are in. Certainly, if you have the option of sinking the pots into holes in the garden for the winter, | would go ahead and do so.The main idea is to protect the roots of the shrubs from the cycles of freeze and thaw that they would be subject to in an unprotected pot. The larger the pot, the more protection the roots wili have. If the pots are too large to move (it sounds like the concrete pots would be heavy), protect them on all sides with bales of straw, bags of leaves or pieces of insulating styrofoam. The objective is to let the soil in the pots freeze and then to keep it frozen until the weather warms up in the spring.
It is very important to keep the cedars well watered until the ground freezes. (This is true of cedars in the ground as well as those in containers). Because they are evergreen, cedar leaves continue to transpire and lose moisture all winter long. Therefore, you want to make sure that there is enough moisture in the plants when the ground freezes to keep them from drying out during the winter. Because the amount of moisture in any pot would be quite limited, you might also want to protect your cedars by screening them from strong drying winds during the winter.
Insulate pots of X conifers with bags of leaves
sink the pot in the ground.
Doyou havea question aboutgardening? Contact the Toronto Master Gardeners InfoLine at 416397-1345orlogon to the Q&A Forum at infogarden.ca/mastergardenerboard.htm and Ask a MasterGardener!
lllustrations: Vivien Jenkinson
ADVENTURES OF A LIBRARIAN
What do Rikers Island convicts have to do with horticultural librarians? CGC librarian, Mara Arndt, found out at a special library conference.
The 35th annual meeting of the Council on
Botanical and Horticultural Libraries (CBHL) was an information-packed adventure. Hosted jointly this year by the New York Botanical Garden, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Horticultural Society of New York, Planting Fields Arboretum and Elisabeth Woodburn Books, I had the opportunity to learn from some of the world s leading botanical and horticultural information services as one of only three Canadian professional librarians in attendance.
One of the first events was an evening book fair where it was announced that Francis Cabot s The GreaterPerfection: The Story ofthe Gardens at Les Quatre Vents had won a CBHL literature award. Conference presenters came from such premier institutions as the Library of Congress and the New York Public Library as well as the host organizations. The combination of lectures, live demonstrations, panel discussions and guided tours provided a unique insider view of current best practices and future developments. We covered reference service, collection development, user education, outreach programming, resource sharing through formal consortia, creating florilegium and rare book exhibitions and library collection cleaning, moving and re-housing.
We ogled unparalleled displays of botanical, horticultural and garden design antiquarian monographs and prints. A real-time (live chat) reference querywas conducted via the NewYork Public Library s Web site. A behind-the-scenes look at an internal user-management database was offered at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The
Librarian, Mara Arndt
keynote speaker from the Library of Congress sparked a dynamic session about the lessons learned from providing a Web-based collaborative worldwide reference service. Booksellers, collectors and librarians were candid in their comments on dealingwith budget constraints.
At the formal business meeting sessions, we had an opportunity to influence the structure, functioning and governance of the Council, an all-volunteer organization. Receptions and bus rides afforded time for informal discussions about the challenges of serving the information needs of gardeners, educators and researchers.
The host organizations have developed impressive partnerships and programming. We visited one example the GreenBranches garden at the Walt Whitman Branch Library in Brooklyn. Its GreenTeam of intern garden designers and builders came from another initiative called GreenHouse that involved inmates at Rikers Island correctional facility. While not flower-show award winners (as in the movie Greenfingers), their creations transform blighted areas into living classrooms and help city kids get their first contactwith earthworms, good bugs and plants.
My attendance at this assembly of peers the first time in eight years that the Librarian of The Civic Garden Centre has participated was made possible by an extremely generous donation. [ would like to acknowledge and honour the benefactors who wish to remain anonymous. @
Mara Arndt is the Librarian of The Civic Garden Centre Library and a member of the Trellis Committee.
Web site REVIEW
by Mara Arndt e Librarian
FORAGINGFORFUNGIONTHEWEB
IFYOU ATTENDTHE FUNGI FAIR and want to delve further into the world offungi, these sitesare worth visiting. | found www.perspective.com/nature/fungi to be a good introduction to some of the divisions that make up this kingdom. Pages of beautiful photographs helped with identification and the amount of information was not overwhelming. For those with a good background in biology, however, more advanced information can be found at www.mycolog.com/fifthtoc.html. This is a mycology textbook with 25 chapters and 800 photographs. Thetextofthis book isalso availableon a CD-ROM.
Reviewed byJeanMcCluskey
Book REVIEW
Architecture in the Garden
ByJames van Sweden with Thomas Christopher New York, Random House, 2002; xx, 264 pages; $59.95
Only too often gardeners fail to take into account that basic garden architecture paths, walls, gates, fences, patios, storage sheds, lighting, outdoor furniture and water features forms the backbone of garden design. This is probably because plants and flowers are the centre of attraction for most of us. But, as the author of this book points out, the garden should be more than just a nursery. Renowned landscape architect James van Sweden explains how to design a garden in the country, the city, the suburbs and by the shore. He shows us how to reada regional landscape and work with it rather than impose upon it. The book beautifully illustrates how every garden needs an architectural background to hold the design together throughout its maturity. In a sense, the author takes you on a walking tour of various types of garden designs to help you understand the techniques and natural features that make these gardens successful. Each study focuses on solutions you can use in constructing your own garden. This book is enjoyable and easy to use, with beautiful illustrations and photographs depicting each type of garden.
Reviewed byMadgeBruce
TO BETTER SERVE OURMEMBERS, the CGC Library continually needs to add new books to the collection. If you can help us acquire any of the titles on our current wish list , please contact us at 416-397-1343 or library@infogarden.ca.
Complete Gardener sDictionary by Barbara W. Ellis, $13
The Essential William H. Whyte edited by Albert LaFarge, $35
FloweringEarth by Donald Culross Peattie, $25
Gardening with PrairiePlants by Sally Wasowski, $50
Grass Scapes: Gardening with Ornamental Grasses by Martin Quinn and Catherine Macleod, $20
"Specializing in a total plant health care approach to maintenance oftrees, shrubs, vines and hedges in city gardens."
BRUCE TREE
Ourwork is backed by knowledge and experience gained over 30 years in the horticulture and arboriculture field.
_entary Third Annual Golf and Garden Day
oThe Toronto Symphony Volunteer Committee is honoured to present a Lecture on Estate Gardens in Tuscany by
The Princess,Giorgiana Corsini
Thursday, September 18 at 7 pm
The Civic Garden Centre 777 Lawrence Ave. East North York
$55.00 per person
Reception sponsored by Movenpick Catering and Events
The Princess Giorgiana Corsini, whose family traces its history to 13th Century Florence, is a fervent supporter of culture and the arts in her native Italy. She also oversees the extensive Renaissance gardens surrounding the Palazzo Corsini, built in 1575. Her lecture will follow the history of the finest and oldest family gardens and their influence on the artistic and commercial development of Tuscany from the Middle Ages.
Don't miss this opportunity to golfat Woodington Lake GolfClub, rated as one ofthe top 10 courses in Ontario by TorontoLife, orjoin the garden tour which will be visiting Tottenham's most spectacular private gardens.
Golfers and garden-goers will reunite in the Woodington Lake dining room overlooking the lake and fairways for a meal prepared by award-winning and internationally renowned master chefFrank Berger.
Join as a foursome and you will be entered in a draw for a free round ofgolf!
Proceeds from this event support the CGC's programs and services.
Golfday and dinner, $175 per person
Garden tour and dinner, $90 per person
Dinner only, $50
For information, call 416- 397-1351 or visit www.infogarden.ca/golf.htm
Send Us Your SEEDS FOR THE 2004 EXCHANGE
BY OCTOBER 24
I HOPE YOU HAVE had a great summer and have been collecting seeds to donate to the CGC s 2004 seed exchange. The more seeds you send us, the better the selection! (See the July/August issue of Trellis for instructions on collecting seeds.)
Send cleaned seeds in a paper envelope, clearly labelling each packet with your name, address and telephone number and the following information:
PLANT NAME (common and botanical, ifpossible) AND CULTIVAR (if known)
PLANT TYPE (annual, perennial, bulb, vine)
FLOWER COLOUR BLOOM TIME
HEIGHT (in centimetres)
COMMENTS (e.g., easy to grow, attracts birds)
If your seed was legally collected in the wild, mark your envelopes with a W . If some of your seeds are not ripe by the deadline, please include a note that they are to follow.
Please consider donating to the exchange, even if you have only one type of seed; and, remember, donors requests are filled first. Last year s seeds germinated well. Let s hope that this year s exchange is bigger and better!
Send or deliver seeds by October 24 to Cathie Cox, Manager, Horticultural Services, The Civic Garden Centre, 777 Lawrence Ave. East, Toronto, Ontario M3C 1P2.
Anna Leggatt, SeedExchange co-ordinator
MISTLETOE MAGIC
Bringing your HOME to Life - DECEMBER 4 to 7, 2003
Unique Handmade Crafts
Poinsettia and Holiday Plant Sale
Home Decorating Demonstrations
More than 80 Vendors
Admission: $5
Location: The Civic Garden Centre
All proceeds support The Civic Garden Centre
Fall Mum and Perennials Sale
September 24 to September 28, 2003
Wednesday to Saturday, 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Civic Garden Centre Lobby
Colourful mums, asters, fall and lateflowering hardy perennials and omamental grasses.
CGC members receive a 10-per-cent discount on plant purchases of $10 or more, so join the CGC now!
Horficulturists will be available to answer guestions and provide advice.
A GARDENER S TOUR OF
SEPTEMBER 30 TO OCTOBER 2, 2003
By Carol Gardner
BANISH THOSE FALL gardening blues and join us on an overnight tour to Montreal where we intend to immerse ourselves in gardening, history, food and, perhaps, just a soupcon of suspense.
We'll stay at an elegant hotel in the Old Port area. On arrival, we ll take a special tour of the Mosaicultures sculpture garden before dining and schmoozingwith the movers and shakers of the Montreal gardening world. Before bed, we ll prowl the dark streets of the Old Port with brave and experienced ghost hunters.
Among other adventures, we ll visit the gardens and greenhouses of the Montreal Botanic Garden. For history buffs, there ll be a visit to the oldest garden in North America (1686), the medieval monastic garden of the Sulpician priests and a visit to Montreal s Museum of Archaeology and History.
You may want to travel to Montreal on your own but, if you join us for the train trip, you'll be
Tour Montreal s Mosaicultures
regaled with gardening lore and French lessons en route, returning home in first-class coach while enjoying a gourmet dinner with wine. Price is $377 per person for the land tour; add $212 (actual cost) to join us for the train trip.
Ifyou re saying to yourself, Hmm, this sounds a lot like advertising , you re right. The idea of offering quality overnight garden tours at reasonable rates for CGC members is a new initiative and we want you on board! Let us know about potential destinations for future trips and think about joining us in Montreal. A bient6t! Contact Lorna Bates at 905-683-8411 or Ilbates@on.aibn.com
THEATRICAL FLORAL DEMONSTRATION AND WORKSHOP with KIRK PAMPER
The Civic Garden Centre is pleased to announce our second annual
Theatrical Floral Demonstration and Workshop. Following the stir caused by Aad van Uffelen last year, we have invited the internationally renowned oral de51gner Kirk Pamper, ofMempbhis, Tennessee, to lead this year's event. His presentations have been compared to a magic show, leaving his audience spellbound. Kirk's diverse, provocative and engaging designs have been featured in many trade magazines including Flowers& Magazine and FleurDesign. He has been recognized as Designer ofthe Year by the Tennessee State Florists Association and has been awarded the Tennessee Iris Cup. Kirk was selected as a designer for President Clinton's inauguration. Do not miss this exceptional opportunity to learn from one ofthe innovators in floral artistry.
Theatrical Demonstration: Tuesday, October 28, 2003, 7 p.m.
Members $20, non-members $25 Floral arrangements auctioned at the end ofthe evening.
Hands-on Workshops: Wednesday, October 29, 2003
Morning or afternoon sessions available Members $75, non-members $85 (plus $50 materials fee)
For more information or to register call 416-397-1340 or 416-397-1362
Many thanks to our eventsponsor, Hofland, afamily-ownedfloral business since 1956.
Photo:
Lonaine H
Edwards Lectures
SPEAKER: GLENIS DYER
WHERE: FLORAL HALL
WHEN: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 7:30 P.M.
Topic: CLEMATIS WITH CLASS
GLENIS DYER WILL TALK ABOUT THE new and unique species and varieties of clematis that are now available from clematis breeders in Russia, Poland, Estonia and Sweden. She will highlight the varieties that are suitable for Canada s climate and suggest how these plants can be used in your garden, along with their pruning and feeding requirements. Glenis Dyer is a well-known lecturer and plant propagator from the United Kingdom. Her Elm Close garden covers twothirds of an acre and is heavily planted with an eclectic mix of plants. Glenis opens her gardens for group tours in addition to regular charity days for the National Gardens Scheme and the Red Cross. She has hundreds of pots of seed and cannot prune a plant without rescuing and propagating some shoots.
Free to members; non-members $5
SpEAKER: FRANK KERSHAW
WHERE: FLORAL HALL
WHEN: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 7:30 P.M.
Toric: GHOST GARDENS: TREASURES FROM AN EARLIER ERA
THIS NARRATED SLIDE PRESENTATION features examples of 35 remarkable North American gardens dating from the early twentieth century. While many have preserved their grandeur, others merely hint of their former beauty, but each garden has a story to tell. Past the eyes of menacing gargoyles and vigilant stone lions, Frank will take you through the deepest recesses of these gardens to reveal
their contribution to the fields of garden history, design or plant lore. Frank Kershaw is the Director of Policy and Development for the City of Toronto s Economic Development, Culture and Tourism Department. Frank teaches and lectures on gardening topics in Canada, the United States and beyond. Over the last ten years, he has led numerous garden tours and has visited and photographed over 300 gardens in North America, the Caribbean and Europe.
Free to members; non-members $5
Helen Flegg Memorial Lecture
SPEAKER: MARION JARVIE
WHERE: FLORAL HALL
'WHEN: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 7:30 p.M. Toric: FRoM FROST TO FROST: GARDENS IN WINTER
MARION WILL EXPLORE THE BEAUTY of winter gardens. Through appropriate planning and planting, she will show us how to bring colour, texture and interest to our gardens during the colder months using grasses, groundcover, flowering shrubs and open minds. Marion Jarvie, horticulturist, has spent over 25 years teaching at The Civic Garden Centre and the University of Toronto and has lectured around the world. Marion owns a showpiece property of unusual trees, shrubs and perennials in Thornhill, Ontario, which is open to the public twice a year.
Admission free
L8 P w e < &
Philadel{;hla Tour
September 14 - 17, 2003
with Marjorie and Je 'Mason Limited availability to visit Longwood Gardens and explore Brandywine Valley. Evening dinner cruise and stay at Plaza Warwick Hotel $749.00 per person share basis.
A Gardener's Tour of Montreal
September 31 - October 2, 2003
$589.00 plus GST. We are now able to offer the option ofour VIARAIL Tour or a land only option at $379.00 so that those who wish to drive canjoin us. Proceeds support the CGC.
Mprmgtnmein Scotland =
rch 26 - April 6, 2004 ,
A new tour d551gned and personally escorted by Marjorie Mason Hogue of Mason Hogue Gardens in Uxbridge. Explore with us the land of Robbie Burns at the Tam O Shanter inAlloway with its folklore, poetry, dancing, music plus golfing in Troon (area). Then venture south to Marjories favourite place in the Lake District, Beatrix Potters Hilltop Farm. Here is where the beauty of the surroundings was the inspiration for Wordsworth's "Daffodils". Selected gagens, with water features are included is tour ofall things Scottish with two days in Glasgow for culture and great shopping. Let us show you a uniquely personal Scottish experience with ~Marjorie's enthusiasm for gardens and castles of Scotland.
Chelsea Flower Show 2004
Kindly contact Lorna if you are interested in visiting London and the South of England in May 2004. This 10 day tour will include a theatre evening ,the famous Wisley, Leeds Castle and Chelsea on members day.
Contact Lorna Bates for details on the 4 above events at 905-683-8411
i mthLilk
Fax 905-683-6842
g=mail Ibates@on.aibn.com or visit ours, website at www.gardenersworldtour.cgm
Reflections on Nature: PressedFloral
Design Collection
DANIA D.
September 9 to September 22, Upper and Middle Links
An imaginative collection capturing the delicate beauty of a summer garden s shapes and colours.
Hand ofNature
MARYAM REZAEE
September 9 to September 22, Lower Link
Unique combinations of harmony and order engrave an unforgettable image in the mind by the hand of nature.
bud; leaf; shoot; open, unfold
DINATHELERITIS
September 23 to October 6, Upper and Middle Links
Vibrant acrylic paintings present intimate portrayals of natural subjects with an emphasis on colour and texture.
Lifescapes
RAYMOND DAVIDSON
September 23 to October 6, Lower Link Moments of life captured by the ease and freshness of watercolour.
The World Through MyLens
MORDEN SHAPIRO
October 7 to October 20, Upper Link
The artist shares his view of the world as he sees it through his lens, capturing form and light, places and people, moods and feelings.
A NewArt Collection
BUD SHAPIRO
October 7 to October 20, Middle and Lower Links
Over 40 oil works of scenery, still life and nature studies on canvas and panels. Bud has been the village artist at Black Creek PioneerVillage for over three years.
ALYSSA CONWAY
October21 to November 3, Upper and Middle Links
YVONNE CHEESELEY
October 21 to November 3, Lower Link
One-of-a-kind floral or scenic pictures which make unique wedding, birthday or farewell gifts.
For information on Art in the Link, call Cathie Coxat416-397-1358.
=5"" -gll What's on at The Civic Garden Centre|
Show admission, free; tea, $4
Information: Gloria Broks, 416-493-0141 or ghroks@rogers.com
6
Toronto Judging Centre of the American Orchid Society
Judging, 1 p.m. Open to the public.
Information: www.soos.ca
7
Southern Ontario Orchid Society Meeting, Floral Hall, 12:30 p.m.
Information: www.so0s.ca
Greater Toronto Rose and Garden Society
Annual General Meeting, 2 p.m.
Topic: Members speak about their roses
Information: Marilynn Mitchener, marilynn@ca.ibm or Doreen Stanton, doreen.stanton@sympatico.ca
Topic: Putting dahlias to bed and storing chrysanthemum stools
Studio 1, 8 p.m.; Information: 905-686-8058; www.icangarden.com/clubs/CCDS
26
Ontario Master Gardeners Zone 6
Annual seminar
Floral Hall, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Admission: Public, $25; Master Gardeners, $10
Boxed lunch, $12 (to order lunch, please register by October 15)
Information: Hala Saab, saabs@rogers.com
28
Theatrical Floral Demonstration
Speaker: Kirk Pamper
Floral Hall, 7 p.m.
Members $20; non-members $25
Information: 416-397-1371
29
Floral Workshops
Kirk Pamper
Morning or afternoon sessions
Members $75, non-members $85; materials fee $50
Information and booking: 416-397-1371
Edwards Lecture
Speaker: Frank Kershaw
Topic: Ghost Gardens: Treasures from an Earlier Era
Floral Hall, 7:30 p.m.
Members free; non-members $5
IN & AROUND THE GTA
SEPTEMBER
6,7
Hamilton Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society
Royal Botanical Gardens
Saturday, 2 to 5 p.m.
Sunday, 10 to 3 p.m.
Information: sharth@sympatico.ca
16
CGC Golf Day & GardenTour
Woodington Lake Golf Course
Golf & dinner: $175 per person
Garden tour & dinner: $90
Information & tickets: 416-397-1351
20
Canadian Chrysanthemum & Dahlia Society Show
Agincourt Mall, Scarborough
11 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.
Information: odyssey@bellnet.ca
30
- OCTOBER 2
CGC GardenTour of Montreal
Mosaicultures, Montreal Botanic Garden, Old Port and more
Information: Lorna Bates 905-683-8411 or Ibates@on.aibn.com
OCTOBER 11
lkenobo lkebana Society ofToronto
40th Anniversary
Westin Prince Hotel, Toronto
Noon to 5 p.m.
Demonstration by the 45th Headmaster, 1.30 p.m.
Tickets: $20 at the door
Information: Betty Arai, 905-839-0535 or betty.arai@sympatico.ca
CLASSIFIED ADS
Yonge/York Mills spacious studio apartment in lower level of new house, separate entrance, light cooking. Short or long term. Call 416-782-8808
The Magnificent Gardens of Montreal, September 30 - October 2
Three-day garden tour in one of our country's most romantic cities. Travel by train, accomodations in the 0Old Port, visit the Montreal Botanical Garden, Biodome and International Mosaicultures Exhibition, $589.00 per person plus GST. Contact Lorna Bates, at 905-683-8411 or travel@infogarden.ca, www.infogarden.ca
classified ad in Trellis costs only $1 a word (1/2 price for members).
Deadline for November/December issue September 5, 2003
