The Toronto Botanical Garden is a volunteerbased, charitable organization that acts as a central resource and leader for gardening, horticultural arts and sciences, and allied environmental issues.
Dur Vision
The Toronto Botanical Garden will be an outstanding horticultural landmark that provides leadership in gardening education and information to enhance the qualityoflife for the communityand itsvisitors.
What We Offer
Located at Edwards Garden, the Toronto Botanical Garden offers manyprograms and services, including year-round activities for families and children.
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 4 p.m.
January 5 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: tbg@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
Our horticultural library has over 8,000 books, 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 aworking garden to foster interest and educate people in the love and values ofgardening and the natural world. As a community service, Art in the Linkoffers gallery space to local artists. As well, the TBG has a wide variety of banquet halls, meeting rooms and show space, with access to Edwards Gardens, one of Toronto s favourite garden spots.
e
3% Patrons
BrianBixley,AwdreyClarke, Mark Cullen, Camilla Dalglish, Sondra Gotlieb, Marjorie Harris, LorraineJohnson, Michele Landsberg, Susan Macauley, Helen Skinner
3% Board of Directors
PRESIDENT: Janet Greyson
Kim Dalglish Abell, Alice Adelkind, Brad Badeau, Arthur Beauregard, Marisa Bergagnini, Dugald Cameron, Peter Cantley, Lindsay Dale-Harris, Kathy Dembroski, Leslie Denier, TonyDiGiovanni, Heather Dickson, Suzanne Drinkwater, GeoffreyDyer, Ralph Fernando, Mary Fisher, Judy Floyd, Carol Gardner, Lorraine Hunter, Linda Ledgett, Sonia Leslie, Patrick Li, Doreen Paton,Jean Read,Jennifer Reynolds, Dawn Scott, Bunny Slater
Annual Giving Development Co-ordinator ~ Andrea Maclntyre Development Co-ordinator Niti Bhotoia
Horticultural Assistant
Librarian
Maintenance Supervisor
Facility & Event Supervisor
Facility & Event Co-ordinator
Supervisor, Children s Education
Sandra Pella
Ruthanne Stiles
Walter Morassutti
Stephanie Chiang
Kristin Campbell
TBA
Teaching Garden Co-ordinator Caley Baker
EDITOR
Lorraine Flanigan
DESIGN
JuneAnderson
EDITORIALVOLUNTEERASSISTANTS
T. Coombes, M. Magee
GRAPHICVOLUNTEERDESIGNER
Jennifer Capretta VOLUNTEER PROOFREADERS
M. Bruce, M, Burston J. McCluskey
K. Sundquist, L. Hickey
ADVERTISING 416-397-1351
Printed by HarmonyPrinting on recycled paper
Trellis is published six times a year as a members newsletter by the Toronto Botanical Garden at Edwards Gardt 777 La 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 must be received by July 5.
Opinions expressed in Trellis do not necessarily reflect those of the TBG. 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
Canada Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #40013928 ISSN0380-1470
by Margo Welch e Executive DIRECTOR
NUIHS from the Toronto Botanical Garden Revitalization and paid parking
the Toronto Botanical Garden. Staff and volunteers have accomplished so much and everyone has been so welcoming that I feel I have been a part of the organization for much longer. It has been an exhilarating year and excellent momentum is carrying the revitalization project forward.
The design preview of the revitalization project held prior to the Annual General Meeting on April 27 was well attended by june 2, 2004, marked my first anniversary at Gardens, information about the city s proposal was very difficult to acquire. We learned that Transportation Services initiated the plan for paid parking to generate revenues of approximately $350,000 to expand its existing programs. In a year of budget constraints, this proposal was well supported by some.
The TBG objected strongly to the proposal, and in an effort to stop it, board members, staff and volunteers lobbied our councillor, Cliff Jenkins, and Mayor TBG members. Lively discus- Members were David Miller. We emphasized sions took place with David particularly pleased the negative impact paid Sisam, the building architect, With the green roof on parking would have on our and Jim Melvin, the landscape the beautiful glass volunteers, horticultural architect. Members of the pavilion and the light- groups and park visitors. Revitalization Committee and lled lobby that looks Councillor Jenkins was the TBG board were also pre- O7t0 a new courtyard. sent to answer questions. The drawings are the culmination of the work of the many volunteers who laboured over the past five years to identify our needs and wishes as well as of the architects who put our ideas on paper.
The response to the designs has been excellent and some good suggestions were made including one to replace the step at the western entrance with a ramp to facilitate moving materials and equipment to and from the studios. Members were particularly pleased with the green roof on the beautiful glass pavilion and the light-filled lobby that looks onto a new courtyard. The gardens were admired for their thoughtful layout, innovative design elements and variety of plant material. If you missed seeing them at the AGM, the drawings are now on display outside the Trellis Shop.
Again, the TBG put a call out to our friends and stakeholders asking them to write to their local councillors requesting that they vote in support of Cliff s alternative proposal. The lobbying from members, volunteers and the public had a positive impact. The motion to eliminate the early bird discount on parking tickets was passed by council on May 19. This means there will be no parking fees at Edwards Gardens! @
On a less positive note, a controversy arose this spring over the issue of paid parking at Edwards Gardens. Although there had been rumours about the introduction of paid parking at a number of city parks, including Edwards onside early and worked to defeat the proposal. Unfortunately, the motion to proceed with paid parking was passed by Toronto City Council on April 27, but with a promise that volunteers would be exempt from parking fees. Not to be defeated, on May 3 Councillor Jenkins presented the Economic Development and Parks Committee with a counterproposal: that the funds sought be generated by eliminating the discount received when a parking ticket is paid within seven days. This proposal met with a tie vote that resulted in a motion to council on May 18, without a recommendation.
JennyRhodenizerreports on the results ofourmembership survey.
AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, many of you responded to a membership survey requesting information about what you value in your membership in the Toronto Botanical Garden. The objectives of this survey were to better understand your interests and level of satisfaction with our programs and services in order to improve the membership benefits package. One hundred and ninety surveys were returned, a return rate of approximately 12 per cent. This high response confirmed to us that our members want to be active in the development ofthe TBG.
This is a critical time for
® 0 per cent classify themselves as beginner gardeners while 81 per cent rated themselves intermediate to advanced.
Membership Benefits
® Mostrespondents indicated that 7rellis and advance notices ofhorticultural special events are ofthe greatest importance to them. Discounts in the Trellis Shop and on courses, lectures and special events were also cited asvaluable.
® Respondents indicated that theywould be most interested in receiving free tickets to special events, charitable tax receipts our organization as we grow Ipiar zt; la ylenj oytgx;Le:: sea;n for their contributions and disand evolve through our revi- g npeopleIwouldnotnormally counts atlocal gardening talization project. The infor- beexposed to. stores, should membership mation you provide is invalu- I'd lovemorenews aboutthep benefits be expanded. able to our Board of Directors oftherevitalizationplans andhow as they strive to better serve ialloitsias & momber
and meet your needs and to o]agik &woliinteerand|elthe
Areas of Interest
section read most often.
® The Library and Master Gardener hotline were rated as the highest sources of information.
® Respondents enjoyed all chart our future. TBGis awonderful,welcoming aspects of 7rellis and listed Even though the survey informative organization. the calendar of events as the was largely composed of multiple-choice questions, many ofyou took the time to put down more extensive views and thoughts. We thank you for your wonderful comments and suggestions.
Overall, 95 per cent of respondents agree that the Toronto Botanical Garden is an outstanding horticultural resource centre that meets their needs as members. Be assured that throughout 2005, you will continue to receive excellent value from your membership in all of the areas that you have indicated are important to you.
Demographics
® 03 per cent of respondents are over the age of45.
® 06 per cent have used our programs and/or services.
® 93 per centbecame amember outofpersonal interest, and 7 per cent for professional reasons.
® In the Trellis Shop, respondents were most interested in plant sales and the selection of books.
e In the area of education, the lecture series received top marks, closely followed by adult courses.
® 88 per cent rated Through the Garden Gate as their favourite annual event.
The next few years hold exciting changes for the TBG as we expand all of the programs and services that you have enjoyed. Keep reading Trellis from cover to cover, and check the calendar of events for news of developments at the TBG. The support of you, our members, is the foundation for our future success. @
IT TOOK THIRTY YEARS for Jacquie Megill to volunteer at the TBG, but during the last four years she has more than made up for the lost time.
In 1970, Jacquie joined a small gardening group based in The Civic Garden Centre. At the time, she was working, looking after her family and taking courses in the evenings and on weekends. She promised herself that some day, when she had more free time, she d volunteer here. That day came four years ago, and she has beena force ofnature ever since.
Jacquie began her volunteer career by working at the reception desk a brave move for a new volunteer. She sailed through her training and then asked if we needed any help in the Trellis Shop. That s what volunteer co-ordinators call a rhetorical question. Before she knew it, Jacquie was doing half-day shifts in both places. Arriving early for her Wednesday afternoon reception work, Jacquie noticed a group of women working on dried flower crafts in one of the studios. She admired their work and asked about it. Before she knew it, she had joined the group and is now working hard with them at making the floral cards, baskets and glassware that are sold both in the shop and at Mistletoe Magic. And speaking of Mistletoe MagicJacquie is also on its two committees. She s a member of the jury that selects vendors as well as a member of the planning committee. Last year she was a big part of the planning and execution of our first Mistletoe Magic Preview Evening. In her spare time (!), Jacquie works with staff members to send out mailings to horticultural associations, members and organizations involvedwith the Teaching Garden.
...]acquie has alwayS wildflowers became fashionJound outletsfor her creativity. able.
When Jacquie wanted to learn about flower arranging, she offered to work for free on the weekends for a local florist. She did the work, and he fulfilled his part of the bargain by training her. While working in real estate and property management, she studied interior decorating. It seems that at every stage of her life creativity was just crying to find another outlet.
Those who know Jacquie may be surprised at how many things she s been involved in over the years she certainly isn t one to toot her own horn. In telling me about her work with pressed flowers she stressed that many of those volunteers have been working in that group for 25 years. I'm just beginning and they 've been teaching me. They re the ones who deserve the recognition.
No matter how busy her schedule, Jacquie has always found outlets for her creativity. As a young woman with a house and a very large garden, she studied gardening on her own, discovering a love for roses and zinnias. Her garden boasted a wildflower border long before
What motivates a person to do so much volunteer work for one organization? I was driving by the TBG with a friend recently, she explains, and [ said: That s my home away from home. I love the people and the building just draws me in. I walkup to the door and I'm so glad to be there! Do we have the best volunteers or what? @
Carol Gardner is an award-winning garden writer and a member of the TBG Board of Directors and the Trellis Committee.
by Christine Martin
Volunteer Service Awards
IT IS MY PLEASURE to announce the recipients of the Volunteer Service Awards for 2003. For the first time in our history, we are formally recognizing the years ofservice that so many of our volunteers have dedicated to the TorontoBotanical Garden.
As you are well aware, the TBG is a volunteer-based organization that relies on the contributions of almost 400 volunteers. Without them, we would cease to be the great organization we love so much. Volunteers contribute in many ways, from board and committee members to Trellis Shop assistants and from librari-
OVER 15YEARS
Jeanne Balman
Marisa Bergagnini
Susan Dyer
Dorothy Fowler
Lilian Lee
Sue Macaulay
Kathy Mills
Grace Muncaster
Jean Petropoulos
Doris Saffrey
ans to special events assistants. The list is long. Our volunteers come from a wide range of backgrounds and reflect the great diversity of our city. They have great spirit and bring us a wide range of skills, knowledge and experience. This year s award recipients include volunteers from virtually every area of our operation. These volunteers have completed at least 40 hours ofvolunteer work in 2003. We were pleased to recognize their contributions at the Annual General Meeting on April 27, 2004, and we also congratulated them by mail. @
VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARDS
Trudi Evans-Reizele
Frances Hay
Hazel Houghton
Helen Lawson
Sonia Leslie
Joy Reddy
Clara Strozyk
DoreenTaylor
Betty White
Lisa Wood
ElsaYoung
OVER 10YEARS OVER 5YEARS
Heather Coulter
Vera Day
Judy Baldwin
Gloria Broks
Dugald Cameron
Tish Coombes
Beverley McKeigan
Grace Mueller
Lindsay Dale-Harris Grace Patterson
Susan Dolbey
Kathy Peace
Dorothy Ferris Lillian Robus
Mary Fisher
Janet Rowley
Judy Floyd Maneck Sattha
Carol Gardner
Eleanor Heinz
Lorraine Hunter
Alma Jeffrey
Claire King
Margaret LaBerge
Thelma Marshall
Helen Shaw
Joy Sjare
Valerie Southern
Stephen Witney
EMBARKING ON AN ADVENTURE
WITH MIXED FEELINGS, | bring you the news that | am heading off on a big adventure. | am sad to leave such a great team of people who work together in an area that | love, gardening. But | am heading out on an exciting adventure as my family and | move to Belgium for a working sabbatical. By the time you read this, | will be finishing up my packing and getting ready to leave at the end of June. We plan to return in the summer of 2005.
As | move on, things will be left in capable hands. Kristin Campbell, Facility and Event Coordinator, will be overseeing the volunteer program. To assist her will be a team of three volunteers who bring with them a wealth of experience: Midge
Cooper who volunteers in the Teaching Garden, Trudy Stacey from the Trellis Shop and Gwen Rattle from the Library. Over the past month, we have had the opportunity to meet and work together, ensuring a smooth transition.
THROUGHTHE GARDEN GATE
Thanks, thanks and more thanks to the volunteers who were involved in the planning and running of this year s Through the Garden Gate tour. It was a great success!
Summer Programs 2004
THE FOCUS OF EVERY GARDEN is growth and change. Nowhere is this truer than in the Teaching Garden where we strive not only to foster the growth of plants, animals and insects but also, and most importantly, the growth of children s minds. This summer we will supplement popular past programs with new ones that offer additional challenges for our campers. Each new program allows us to keep up with the everchanging interests of our participants and builds on a constant love for gardening and the outdoors. By increasing the length of many of our day camp programs from four days to five, we can offer the opportunity for more fun and education.
In July, two perennial favourite programs return to the Teaching Garden. Pumpkin Patchers and Sunflower Hideaway will each run for two weeks. We also welcome back two great friends of the Teaching Garden who are experts in their chosen fields and have designed programs that allow them to share their expertise with our young visitors. Jean Godawa, an insect specialist who we like to call the Bug Lady, will instruct both the Caterpillar and Bug Camps to give children a bug s eye view of the garden. Professional artist Sarka Buchl also returns to offer an Art in the Park camp and the Recycled Puppets Workshop. Each of these programs prompts students to use the natural beauty of the gardens to spark their creativity.
The Teaching Garden will continue to grow this summer with a number of new programs that allow children to view gardens from the unique perspective of the past. The first is our Ancient Egypt camp which builds on the current interest in the ancient world. Our campers will journey back to a time when pharaohs ruled and beetles were worshipped. At the
Medieval World camp, myths and legends will come to life as our own knights and ladies discover the fascinating ways that plants were used hundreds of years ago. A garden inspired by each time period and filled with historically accurate plants will support our programming.
Family Garden Days provide the perfect opportunity for everyone to visit the Teaching Garden. Young and old alike are welcome to explore the garden on July 2 and again on August 6 during Kidsummer Day, run in conjunction with Today s Parent magazine. We would love you to see the results of the tremendous effort put forth by our maintenance volunteers as well as the contributions of our young visitors. We look forward to showing you how we ve grown! @
Sign Up for Summer Programs
Teaching Garden programs begin on July 5 and continue until August 27. Programs are offered for children between the ages of 3 and 12 and are open to both members and non-members of the TBG. For more information about the Teaching Garden s summer camps or school programs, please do not hesitate to contact us! Telephone 416- 397-1355 or e-mail us at teachinggarden@infogarden.ca.
Thanks to our corporate supporter
TheToronto Botanical Garden is extremely grateful to the Imperial Oil Foundation for supporting the development and delivery of our children s educational programs in theTeaching Garden. This support has allowed many children to experience the joy and wonder of nature.
BEFORE & AFTER: From Shoebox to Tranquil Oasis
Lorraine Hunter talks with Kim Price about how to create an award-winninggarden.
BEFORE: the view from the kitchen/sitting room window looked straight into the garage wall.
AFTER:Landscap
e designer, Kim Price created
a tranquil oasis on a small city lot.
im Price loves a challenge. When asked Ko turn a 5.5 by 8 metre (18 by 27 foot) pace between the back of a brand new house and its garage into a comfortable, attractive garden, the certified landscape designer and Master Gardener jumped at the chance and ended up winning two Landscape Ontario awards for her work.
The property is located in a new development where there was no existing vegetation and the owners felt closed in as soon as a sixfoot-high fence went up, she recalls. From the large window in the kitchen/sitting room they looked straight into the garage wall.
This project actually held many challenges. Foremost was the need to visually increase the size of the garden and draw the eye away from
its boundaries. We also wanted to de-emphasize the garage and add as much greenery as possible while leaving room for a functional and attractive terrace. The designer also had to work with a step-down that divided the space as well as very compacted clay soil. The clients wanted the garden to feel as established and spacious as possible. They wanted a tranquil oasis that would transport them away from the barren look of a new development. And, finally, they wanted to tastefully incorporate a six-foothigh statue of Buddha into the design. My first decision was to design the garden on the diagonal to visually stretch the space and take the eye away from the shoebox shape, explains Kim, who taught a course on the smaller garden at the TBG this past winter. The next
Photos: Kim Price
step was to play down the garage wall. For this, she designed cedar lattice panels to cover it as well as the door and part of the fence that borders both sides of the terrace.
] worked the grade change by designing a sunken terrace one step down, retained with a dry stone wall, she says. The owners now walk from their home onto a pea gravel path with Wiarton stepping stones to the stone terrace. Changing the grade and materials created the feeling of two distinct spaces and visually enlarged the garden.
Next, the fence was painted a muted green to diminish its presence and help push back the garden s boundaries. A lighter shade of the same green was used for the lattice panels and the pergola which was built above the terrace. The pergola both adds a beautiful architectural element and also helps define the terrace as a separate space.
Kim used top quality materials and plants on this project, which she says is very important in a small garden where all the details stand out. The terrace was built with large slabs of black Wiarton stone. Larger plants were used to give the garden its more established look. A lilac, Syringa reticulata Ivory Silk , and a serviceberry, Amelanchier, both multi-stemmed, frame the entrance to the terrace. To keep the garden from looking too busy only two types of evergreens were used: Fuonymus Sarcoxie and holly, /lex. Long-blooming perennials such as Rudbeckia Goldsturm , Echinacea, Coreopsis Moonbeam , Hemerocallis Stella d Oro daylily, Heuchera, Hosta and Tiarella were planted - all chosen because their foliage remains attractive until frost. Clay soil was removed to a depth of 60 centimetres (two feet) in the planting area and about one metre (3.5 feet) for the trees. To help drainage, the soil was mounded as much as possible and the trees were planted high.
Finally, a water feature in the far right corner visually stretches the garden, says Kim. She placed the Buddha beside it so that there is only one dominant focal point. To the left, a PeeGee hydrangea standard complements the statue s size and helps integrate it into the
garden. The sound of trickling water adds a touch of serenity.
This garden was a pivotal point in Kim Price s career. A former magazine art director, she started her company, Kim Price Landscape Design Inc., in 1997. She went back to school to study horticulture at the University of Guelph, became a master gardener, attended Landscape Ontario courses and absorbed information from the experience of building gardens and working with knowledgeable contractors.
In 2001 she entered Landscape Ontario s Awards of Excellence for the first time. Although she entered only one garden the one described here she won two awards: the Casey Van Maris Award for unique and innovative design in landscaping, and first prize for Residential Construction in the $10,000 to $25,000 category. @
Lorraine Hunter is a freelance garden writer, member of the TBG Board of Directors and chair ofthe Trellis Committee.
DOYOU WANT TO BE A MASTER GARDENER?
Those interested in becoming a Master Gardener are invited to attend an information meeting and to sit the entrance test at the Toronto Botanical Garden on Monday, September 20, in Studios 1 and 2 at 7 p.m. Those successful in the test will be invited for interviews that take place the followingweek.
For further information, contact Nicole
at Reford Gardens
or some gardeners, it s exciting to watch mosses grow. Even though these miniature plants don t call attention to themselves as much as colourful perennials do, a gardenscape enhanced by moss has a unique beauty and appeal. There is a lot more to mosses than meets the eye and more and more gardeners are awakening to their captivating qualities. Thousands of moss species inhabit our planet, and some 490 species are native to Ontario. They come in diverse sizes, colours, shapes, textures, lifestyles and habitats.
If you want to grow mosses in your garden, an important first step is to assess the environmental suitability of your garden for them. Light levels are a critical factor. Vivien Jenkinson of Toronto found that out when she pruned a magnolia that shaded a fledgling moss bed. The moss died back in the increased light and grass happily moved in. Most mosses are shade lovers, and different species require different levels of shade.
Moisture level is another critical factor. Since mosses take in nutrients from water on their leaves and stems, they need a consistent supply of
moisture for growth. They go dormant if they dry out, and many species shrivel up and appear dead. Fortunately, they are only sleeping beauties awaiting the kiss of rain to green up again. Overarching trees and shrubs not only provide the necessary shade, but they also conserve the humidity of a moss habitat. Drying winds in an exposed habitat is the kiss ofdeath to many mosses.
A third environmental consideration is the substrate. Mosses grow on rocks, soil, tree bark, decaying wood, weathered concrete and other surfaces. Different mosses grow on different substrates. For growth on soil, most mosses require acid levels ranging from pH 5.0 to 5.5.
In addition to an environmental assessment, you must consider the best method of cultivation. A common method is to transplant moss sods from their original habitat to the garden. Springtime is best for this, and the fall is second best. Transplanting from the wild usually guarantees failure and is destructive to wild habitat. In the United States, a handful of nurseries sell moss sods, but I 'm not aware of any Canadian nursery that does. In urban gardens,
it is best to transplant moss from other parts of the garden, friends gardens, sidewalks, vacant lots or other non-sensitive urban sites. Mosses already thriving in an urban environment are the best candidates for success.
Artificial propagation is another cultivation method. One technique involves collecting the tiny, ripe spore capsules and sowing the spores over moist soil. Another is to crumble dried mosses and spread the resulting powder over moist soil. A final technique uses a blender, in which moss fragments are blended with either buttermilk, yogurt, beer, sugar or corn syrup. However, Hal Massie of Musella, Georgia, is a long-time moss gardener and maintains that blending moss with just a small amount of water for up to two minutes is all that s needed. Paint this slurry on the surface you wish to moss and within five weeks a healthy growth should be evident.
A highly recommended method is to simply encourage mosses already present in your garden by removing nearby competing plants, without drastically altering light and moisture levels. Letting the moss grow itself is the simplest, cheapest and most effective way to work
with mosses. Many gardeners have grown extensive moss carpets this way.
Regardless of which cultivation method you use, new moss plantings or spores must be kept moist at all times until growth is established. In the first year, be prepared for frequent watering daily if necessary. Fortunately, mosses require more misting than deep watering because they have no penetrating roots, just rhizoids that attach to surfaces.
For decades, a few discriminating gardeners have used mosses for their cool, calming influence and for the air of aged respectability they impart. In mosses, a wonderful medium for garden artistry awaits your creative touch.
For information about all aspects of moss gardening, read Moss Gardening: Including Lichens, Liverworts, and Other Miniatures by George Schenk. This book is indispensable for the moss gardener. Its luscious photos and engaging writing earned the author the American Horticultural Society Book Award. @
Judy Hernandez is a garden writer and member ofthe Toronto Botanical Garden.
Mossy Landscape at Reford Gardens
IN GRAND-METIS, QUEBEC, the Reford Gardens (Les Jardins de Métis) overlook the St. Lawrence River, and among the collection of gardens is the Moss Garden. It is actually a moss sculpture, created specifically for its site by Québec artist Francine Larivée. The sculpture is 2 metres (6.5 feet) high and spans six metres (20 feet); it rests in a small stream which runs through the gardens and woodlands. Visitors view the sculpture through a frame of tree branches from the bridge adjacent to the Azalea Walk. Larivée was commissioned by the Musée régional de Rimouski to
create a piece ofcomtemporary art for Reford Gardens. After studying the site in 1992, Larivée collected various moss species from the surrounding woods and applied them to a polystyrene base sculpted in the form of an undulating surface. The miniature mossy landscape is titted Un paysage dans le paysage le paysage comme tableau vivant, 1993-1996. The simple natural form of the sculpture resembles a mountain range. It brings forward the subtlety and beauty of minimalism, says Alexander Reford, director of Reford Gardens. Simplicity can be as beautiful asthe most complicated bedding plantarrangement.
Just like bedding plants, this miniature garden requires maintenance. Work includes regular watering, weekly removal of seedlings and debris, and monthly fertilizing during the growing season. In the fall, the installation is removed from the brook and stored until the following spring.
After a visit in 2000 to Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island in Washington state, Reford was inspired by the Bloedel moss garden to expand the use of mosses and ferns in the woodlands of Reford Gardens. We forget, he says, that moss is a plant and that it can be as beautiful as other plants.
Colour Your Flower Garden
Yvonne Cunnington explains how to achieve all-season colour.
HAVE YOU TRIED TO CREATE a garden that has all-season colour flowers in continuous bloom from spring to fall? Here s how.
Many annuals flower all summer, but most perennials bloom for only a short time usually a week or two, or a month to six weeks for longer bloomers. The trick for all-season colour is to group plants so that as one clump is fading, nearby plants are coming into flower.
Many flower gardeners fail to achieve all-season colour because they do most of their plant shopping in spring, buying plants that are in bloom at that time or that are about to come into bloom. We all know that plants with flowers already in bloom sell faster, right? Ifyou shop the nurseries like this buying only in bloom - by mid-July, your garden is finished. No more flowers, no all-season colour even though there are a couple of months ofwarm weather to come.
Six steps to all-season colour
1. Think of the growing season in three main waves of colour - early, mid- and late season. You don t have to make a complicated month-by-month plan. Dividing the season into three periods offlowering is good enough.
2. Make a plant list by season of bloom. Be sure to pick perennials so you have something
flowering through all periods of the growing season one-third of your plants should be early season, another third mid-season and the final third late blooming. A good perennial book such as Rodale s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials or Larry Hodgson s Perennials for EveryPurpose can introduce you to many plants you may not know yet. Also have a look at Pam Duthie s excellent book, ContinuousBloom.
3. Combine perennials that bloom at the same time into groupings. For example, try early-flowering Siberian irises, Iris sibirica, and peonies, Paeonia spp., planting them in a group of one peony next to at least three irises. Beside this group add plants that will bloom later such as three purple coneflowers, Echinacea purpurea, in front of a couple of garden phloxes, Phloxpaniculata.
4. Between clumps of perennials, plant groups of bulbs, such as tulips, 7ulipa, daffodils, Narcissus, or ornamental onions (Allium spp.) for spring colour, as well as clumps of longblooming annuals, such as blue salvia, Salvia cvs. or cosmos, Cosmos bipinnatus cvs., and you ll be on your way to continuous bloom.
5. To keep the garden looking good when plants have finished flowering, choose perennials with attractive leaves. Remember that green
is a colour too and leaves also come in other lovely shades, such as burgundy, silver and lime green. Some perennials in the neat leaves category include yarrow, Achillea; astilbe, Astilbe; Heuchera cultivars; peony, Paeonia; Siberian iris, Iris sibirica; pinks, Dianthus spp., and ornamental grasses.
6. All-season colour is easier to achieve if you have a sunny garden rather than the shade garden. Most shade-tolerant perennials bloom quite early in the season, so your shade garden will generally not be as colourful as a sunny
flower garden. Annuals such as impatiens, Impatiens walleriana cvs., and begonias, Begonia spp., can help and many hostas, Hosta, bloom in midsummer, but your shade garden is going to be more dependent on attractive foliage. @
The author of Clueless in the Garden, a book for beginner gardeners, Yvonne Cunnington gardens obsessively just outside Ancaster, Ontario. Her plantings are inspired by the new wave style ofDutch designer, Piet Oudolf, and are at theirpeakfromJuly into September.
BLOOM TIMES FOR FAVOURITE PERENNIALS
EARLY SEASON
Basket of gold (Aurinia)
Bleeding heart (Dicentra)
Candytuft (/beris)
Columbine (Aquilegia)
Cranesbill (Geranium)
Creeping phlox (Phloxsubulata)
Delphinium (Delphinium)
Iris, Siberian (/. sibirica) and bearded (/. germanica cvs.)
Leopard's bane (Doronicum)
Lungwort (Pulmonaria)
Oriental poppy (Papaver)
Ornamental onions (A/liumn)
Peony (Paeonia)
Pinks (Dianthus spp.)
Primrose (Primula)
Rock cress (Arabis &Aubrieta)
MID-SEASON
Astilbe (Astilbe)
Baby's breath (Gypsophila)
Bee balm (Monarda)
Blanket flower (Gaillardia)
Blazing Star (Liatris)
Coral bells (Heuchera)
Daylily (Hemerocallis)
Drumstick allium (Allium sphae-
rocephalon)
Gas plant (Dictamnus)
Goat s Beard (Aruncus)
Golden marguerite (Anthemis)
Oxeye (Heliopsis)
Lilies (Lilium)
Meadow rue (Thalictrum)
Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum)
Tickseed (Coreopsis) - larger
LATE SEASON
Aster (Aster)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum)
Culver's root (Veronicastrum)
Garden phlox (Phloxpaniculata)
Globe thistle (Echinops)
Goldenrod (Solidago)
Japanese anemone (Anemone x hybrida, A. hupehensis)
Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium)
Monkshood (Aconitum)
Oxeye (Heliopsis)
Prairie coneflower (Ratibida)
Purple coneflower (Echinacea)
Sedum 'Autumn Joy' and S. 'Matrona'
Sneezeweed or Helen's flower
Spurge (Euphorbia) and threadleaf types (Helenium)
Woodland phlox (Phloxdivaricata, | Yarrow (Achillea) P. stolonifera)
Spring-flowering bulbs
Ornamental grasses
: ABOUT TOURING THE GARDEN
Yvonne Cunnington s 10-acre Ancaster property features perennial display gardens and a four-acre prairie in a park-like setting. It is open by appointment only. To arrange a visit, call 905-304-0766 or e-mail ycunnington@sympatico.ca to book a time; admission is $3 per person. For more information, including other garden day trip attractions in the area, visitwww.flower-gardening-made-easy.com and click on Tour our Garden .
his is a challenging time of the year in Tthe garden. The increasing heat and humidity as well as frequent periods of drought mean that plants wilt and pests and diseases begin to appear on plants such as roses, garden phlox and hosta. This invariably occurs when you have invited all your friends and relatives to come round for a barbecue, and of course they have always regarded you as a gardener par excellence!
My ten favourite flowering plants for July and August are all vigorous, disease -and pest-resistant, very floriferous and help you look like you know whatyou are doing!
Rosa The Fairy , a polyantha rose, is the most disease- and pest-resistant, longest flowering and most floriferous rose in my garden. It is very hardy in Toronto, grows to about 75 centimetres (30 inches) tall and over 90 centimetres (36 inches) wide and flowers nonstop from June to the end of October, providing you remember to deadhead it occasionally. The blooms are small, clear pale pink, and appear in large clusters. It looks good in the front of a mixed border, grown with other roses, in a formal bed with boxwood hedging or even in a container.
Another showstopper, Centranthus ruber or red valerian, has large blowsy panicles of pink, red or white star-shaped fragrant flowers that last for most of the summer. This variable plant can reach a height of anything from 45 to 90 centimetres (18 to 36 inches) and is a hardy perennial that readily self-seeds and can grow in poor thin well-drained soils in full sun.
Sidalcea malvifiora or prairie mallow is a July-flowering perennial that grows to about 75
to 90 centimetres (30 to 36 inches) and has elegant pink spires that somewhat resemble a wellbehaved miniature hollyhock. Best grown in clumps of three or five, its glossy foliage that grows at soil level makes it suitable for the front of a border. My favourite cultivar is S. Elsie
Coreopsis Créeme Brulée
Heugh with glossy pure pale pink fringed and cupped flowers arranged in multiple spires. Some cultivars, such as S. Party Girl can be grown from seed.
Platycodon grandiflorus or balloon flower is another showy perennial best grown in a sunny location in well-drained soils. Available in double or single forms, the balloon flower has clear rich blue or white bell-like blossoms that open from large balloon-like buds. Although there are some dwarf forms for the front of the border, the most floriferous, longest flowering and showiest cultivars are the taller double varieties.
Lysimachia clethroides or gooseneck loosestrife is a perennial that loves wet claybased soils and can thrive in sun or shade. In these conditions, it is a rapidly spreading groundcover plant with uniform, large panicles of creamy white flowers that bloom in July and look like the head and neck of a goose. This plant always looks smart providing it is watered well. Its dark green foliage is topped by blooms that all point in the same way. I have this plant in poor dry sandy soil that needs to be watered and mulched well but which, under shady conditions, limits the spread of this rampant plant.
Ligularia The Rocket is another plant that prefers rich wet boggy soils and a fairly sunny location: the wetter the soil, the more sun the plant can tolerate. The plant is well named for its 12- to 18-centimetre (5- to 7-inch) yellow bottlebrush-like flowers produced on tall spikes that make a dramatic focal point in July. Moreover, it has thick glossy maroon stems and huge glossy deep green leaves with maroon undersides. Unlike Ligularia dentata Desdemona or Othello , The Rocket is seldom troubled by slugs and snails.
Hibiscus moscheutos, the hardy hibiscus or rose mallow, is another plant that likes moist rich soil and flowers well in sunny locations. The taller varieties of this plant can be a little ungainly and leggy and it is late to start growing in spring. Hardy hibiscus is available in white, plum and shades of pink or red and varies in height from 90 to 150 centimetres (36 to 60 inches). It is hard for me to pick a favourite, but
H. Kopper King has purple-red tinged foliage and stunning red-veined white blooms with a deep red eye. Individual flowers don t last long but many flowers are produced once the plant is established.
Coreopsis Moonbeam is an indispensable workhorse in my garden with its masses of small, lemon yellow flowers that bloom from June to September, covering low growing tidy mounds of needle-like deep green foliage.
Moonbeam can be grown at the front of the border, teams well with most colour schemes and needs very little maintenance. This tickseed does, however, require well-drained soil and tends to die prematurely in clay soils. I have high hopes for Créme Brulée a new Moonbeam -type coreopsis with creamy yellow flowers.
Hosta Sum and Substance is the focal point of my shady garden at this time of year. Immense golden leaves grow to a height of over 90 centimetres (36 inches) and are crowned by lavender-coloured flowers in August. This hosta forms a vase shape and is a superb background plant for any border, especially because it tolerates full sun and is not bothered by slugs and snails.
Finally, a clematis, Clematis, that provides a colour that I could not do without at this time of year is C. Mrs. Robert Brydon , a sprawling woody vine that requires a strong support. Growing to a height of 150 to 200 centimetres (60 to 80 inches), it erupts into a glorious mass of pure pale blue starry flowers in August. The foliage is a little coarse and the vine requires tying up, but this clematis is long-lived and requires little other maintenance.
All these plants make an impact if planted in the right location and under the right conditions. With very few exceptions, I plant them in multiples of three or more to maximize their effect. It is also more effective to place late summer bloomers together in the same area so that the masses of late summer blooms draw the eye away from flowers that are past their prime. @
Cathie Cox isManager, HorticulturalServices at the Toronto Botanical Garden.
Protect Our Trees
Carol Gardneridentifies some ofthe pests and diseases that threaten our urban andforest trees.
The health of spruce trees and Douglas fir is being threatened by Cytospora canker.
Even greater writers than Woody Allen
Ofall the wonders ofnature, a tree in summer is perhaps the most remarkable; with thepossible exception ofa moose singing Embraceable You . WoodyAllen have written odes to trees. Trees are the stuff of myth and legend; they protect us, inspire us, amaze us with their beauty, provide us with medicines and shelter our weary bodies and souls. Now many North American trees are under attack from insects and diseases that are threatening not just urban trees but forests as well. Here are some unsettling statistics:
® Since 2002, over 200,000 ash trees have been destroyed in the Chatham-Kent area in an effort to halt the spread of the of the emerald ash borer.
e This spring, the town of Oakville took down over 5,000 oak trees in a fight against the two-lined chestnut borer.
® Last fall 15,000 maple trees in the northwest part of the Greater Toronto Area were removed to halt the progress ofthe Asian long-horned beetle.
The symptoms are devastating and the solutions drastic. There are no magic bullets available to battle these pests; often a tree has
to be destroyed once it begins to show symptoms. This season, keep your eyes open for the following unwanted guests.
Cytospora canker
Cytospora canker (Leucostoma kunzei) is a fungus that primarily affects Colorado blue spruce, Picea pungens Glauca , but it can also threaten other ornamental spruces and Douglas fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii Glauca . It s a tough fungus to stop because the spores can easily become airborne. The first sign of a problem is dead or dying leaves on the older, lower tree branches. The fungus eventually moves higher to the younger branches and resin exudes from cankers on the tree trunk and then hardens into a crusty white stain.
To be effective, fast action is necessary. As soon as you have a dry day (wet weather helps the spores to travel), remove and destroy diseased branches by pruning at the base of the infected branch back to the main stem. Destroy affected branches promptly and sterilize prun-
ing shears between every cut. There is some evidence that a spraying with a copper-based fungicide (similar to those used on fruit trees) can provide additional protection. This is an intervention best left to professionals. After dealing with the fungus, you ll have to keep a close eye on affected trees, especially each spring when the spores tend to travel.
The Emerald Ash Borer
The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis (Fairmaire)) is a highly destructive insect pest native to Asia. It was first detected in Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, in 2002 and is believed to have entered North America via wooden packing crates from Asia.
This beetle attacks and Kkills all species of ash trees, Fraxinus, and is considered a major economic and environmental threat. Because of the seriousness of the threat, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced the creation of an ash-free zone in Chatham-Kent earlier this year, removing and destroying all ash trees in the zone and forbidding the movement of all ash tree materials.
Symptoms of infestation include thinning crown, diminished density of leaves, long shoots growing from the trunk or branches, vertical cracks in the trunk, small D-shaped emergence holes and S-shaped tunnels under the bark filled with fine sawdust.
Although these pests have not yet been seen outside of Elgin County, City of Toronto officials are on the alert; 60 per cent (25,354) of Toronto s street trees are ash and there are about the same number of privately owned ash trees in the city.
The Two-Lined Chestnut Borer
The two-lined chestnut borer (Agrilus bilineatus) is a native beetle that attacks chestnut and oak trees. In Canada the primary target is oak trees, Quercus spp., particularly stressed trees or those that have alreadybeenweakened bygypsy moths. The first symptom is wilted brown foliage. Eventually, the branches die, followed within a couple ofyears by the death of the tree itself.
The beetle begins its cycle of destruction by lay-
ing its eggs in cracks in the tree bark. When the adults leave the tree, they make D-shaped exit holes in the bark. When the larvae hatch, they burrow into the tree, cutting offits water supply.
When the problem manifested itself recently in Oakville, the town followed the lead of the United States Forestry Service by removing trees as well as by using already infected trap trees . Rings were cut around these trees trunks which released the pheromone that attracts the insects. The trees were then cut down before the adult beetles had emerged.
The Asian Long-Horned Beetle
The Asian long-horned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky)) is native to China, Japan and Malaysia; it is also believed to have entered the United States through wood packaging material. In September 2003, the beetle was discovered in parts of the cities of Toronto and Vaughan. It is a threat to all species of maple trees as well as other hardwood trees such as elm, birch, poplar, willow, hackberry, sycamore and mountain ash. The beetle poses a serious threat to about 70 per cent of the trees in Toronto and Vaughan. No known natural predators exist in North America, and no biological controls are available.
The adult beetles and their larvae feed on trees until they are riddled with holes. Since the discovery of the beetles, city crews and private contractors have launched an all-out assault, removing about 15,000 trees. In the spring of this year, City of Toronto officials announced their belief that the fast action had eradicated the Asian long-horned beetle in Toronto.
No matter what the threat, experts agree that the best defence is to maintain healthy trees. Ensure that your trees get the necessities of life water, food and enough room for adequate air circulation. Trees really are the wonders of nature . . . when was the last time you encountered a singing moose? @
Carol Gardner is an award-winning garden writeras wellas a member ofthe TBG Board of Directors and the Trellis Committee.
SPOTLIGHT ON Stratford s Arthur Meighen Gardens
By HarryJongerden
Thisgardefz hasa worldofpleasures in t.
' The?i»voNobleKinsmen-(II i, 177)
THINK OF SHAKESPEARE and your thoughts soon turn to gardens and flowers. Think of Stratford and your thoughts soon evoke visions of its beautiful river, parks and gardens. The Festival Theatre s Arthur Meighen Gardens exist by virtue of the compelling influence of a writer renowned for his mastery of nature and a city renowned for its parks.
As the Stratford Festival s head gardener, it isn t easy to write about the beauty of these gardens. Fortunately, it s easier to boast about the beauty of our city. In the year the Stratford Festival was founded, 1953, a story in Maclean s magazine hailed Stratford for having a park system unique in North America. Anyone who thinks that Stratford has recently developed these parks and gardens for the benefit of Stratford Festival visitors would be putting the cart before the horse. If the beautiful Stratford riverfront park system hadn t already existed, it s hard to imagine our founder, Tom Patterson, ever dreaming up the notion of staging Shakespeare within it.
The success of the Stratford adventure led to a permanent theatre in 1957, with its own gardens following soon after. Known as the Arthur Meighen Gardens, in honour of the former prime minister who was born not far from Stratford, the gardens were developed according to the plans of Oakville landscape architect
Macklin Hancock. He hoped that the stunning new theatre would appear to rise out of the surrounding parkland and its evolving ring of season-long colour.
Under Dennis Washburn, head gardener for 36 years, the style of the gardens came to reflect his British training immaculate lawns and carpet beds. That was all swept away during the renovations of 1997 when a new Arthur Meighen Gardens was born. Landscape architect Neil Turnbull initially laid out the contemporary Perennial Garden, while three years later I designed the Renaissance-era Elizabethan Garden. We still have some roses, annuals and a carpet bed, but these two gardens form the heart of our horticultural display.
The wide variety of perennials we can grow in the Perennial Garden is greatly assisted by Stratford s abundant snowfall. With over 300 species and cultivars on display, we're able to showcase a range of perennials that might have more trouble surviving in the freeze-thaw, freeze-thaw of a Toronto winter. We choose our cultivars carefully, avoiding anything prone to disease, as all of our lawns and gardens have been maintained without pesticides for over five years.
The stylistically different Elizabethan Garden provides an opportunity to reflect our roots as a theatre dedicated to performing the works of
William Shakespeare. We can t show all of the 180 different plants he mentions, but we do our best to evoke his natural world.
The overall effect of the Arthur Meighen Gardens is to put a smile on your face before you enter our doors. After all, the elements of theatre anticipation, magic, mystery, romance and excitement are also the elements of any beautiful garden. @
Author ofThis Other Eden, a history ofgardening at the Stratford Festival, Harry Jongerden has been a professional gardenerfor 25years. He is the designer of the Walkerton Memorial and the Walkerton Heritage Water Garden.
VisittheArthur Meighen Gardens
Tours of the Arthur Meighen Gardens are offered Tuesdays through Fridays at 10 a.m. from June 8 to September 3. Tickets are $7 ($5 for seniors andstudents). Contact the Stratford Festival Box Office at 1-800-567-1600 for details. falo and the
~October 27 and 28,2004
This smal]Jjewel-like tri to visittheBuffaI%Botanical G Albright-Knox ArtGallery. In .noon, we ll wend our way bac | Dalhousie for dinner in a very sp restauram and stay ?%overmght ataB&B
Jordan we ll return home, stoppmg at Mumz n Crafts Showin Hamlltgn
For information, contact
Be one ofthe first to hit the links at the new Eagles Nest GolfClub. Ranked among the top 10 courses in Canada by the National Post, Eagles Nest is in Maple, just 20 minutes from Toronto.
Support the Toronto Botanical Garden! Proceeds from the golftournament help to fund the TBG's many programs and services. They enable us to continue to educate people of all ages and abilities about gardening and horticulture and their role in community improvement. You or your company can sponsor a hole for $500 or one ofthe tournament contests for $1,000. Other ways to participate include donating a gift for the silent auction or making a cash donation. Please contactAndrea Maclntyre at annualgiving @infogarden.ca or 416-397-1483.
Golfday and dinner, $300pergolfer Dinner only, $75
Fees include golfand carts, contests and prizes, use offull clubhouse facilities, cocktails, dinner and a silent auction. With the field limited to 144 players, this event is certain to sell out, so register early: please contact Stephanie Chiang at events@infogarden.ca or 416-397-1484.
Volunteers Needed!
Gardens of Diversity: Growing Across Cultures
American Community Gardening Association
25th Anniversary Conference, October 1 to 3, 2004
Toronto
- Learn more about community ardening
- Develop skills
- Meet people from all over the world
Help us plan events that will:
- Create a glace for gardeners to meet each other
- Feature tasty, local food
- Highlight our city's diversity
Host a visitor
Visitors will be coming from across North America and around the world! Can you offer a guest a place to stay?
Find a donation
We need donations for our silent auction and for presenters' gifts. Help us find everything from books to tools to garden decorations.
Make it happen!
There are many other tasks - from stuffin enveloges to driving guests to working at the reception tablewhich you can do to help make this conference the best ever.
For more information, please contact Rhonda at 416-6527867x22 or rhonda@thestop.org
2005 SEED EXCHANGE .
By Anna Leggatt
LAST YEAR S SEED EXCHANGE was very successful thanks to the 22 people who donated seeds, a considerable increase from last year. Of the 160 kinds of seeds donated, the most popular were Aquilegia chrysantha, Arisaema triphyllum and Ipomopsis rubra. Anemone sylvestris, Echinacea purpurea Ruby Star , Eryngium giganteum, Miss Willmott s Ghost, and Papaver lateritium Flore Pleno were nearly as popular.
Unfortunately we had fewer orders this year even though growing from seed is a good way to obtain some great plants cheaply. To those of you who ordered seed, I hope they have germinated and are growing well for you.
COLLECT AND DONATE SEEDS FOR 2005 SEED EXCHANGE
Collecting seeds from your garden is a great way to share your favourite plants. Follow these tips when harvesting seeds.
® 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 Clematis 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.
® Store seeds in labelled paper envelopes, not in plastic bags.
Details about participation in the 2005 Seed Exchange will appear in the September/October issue of Trellis.
Thankyou to ourdonorsandto the21 people who helped package the seeds and to those who ordered seeds. Any seeds left over have been donated to the Teaching Garden. Our thanks also go to the Trellisproofreadersandthe TBGstaff.
byAnna Leggatt
Salvia transsylvanica, Sage
WHY DO I LIKE SALVIAS SO MUCH?
Perhaps because they are one of the showy members of the mint, Lamiaceae, family. Many species have evocative scents which take me back to holidays long ago. I think of dry flowery roadsides and banks shimmering in the hot sun, with scents permeating soft breezes. I also think of food: roast duck with sage and onion stuffing.
Many salvias are half-hardy perennials or annuals in the Toronto area. Even the culinary or common sage, Salvia officinalis, dies back in a cold winter, especially if it has become old and woody. Luckily there are several perennial species that are easy to cultivate and relatively problem-free.
Salvia transsylvanica is native to Russia and Romania and has only been available for the last 15 years or so. It is a multi-stemmed plant that grows to 75 centimetres (30 inches) with lax branched stems curving outward for a spread of approximately one metre (three feet). The leaves are dark green and more or less elliptical with a prominent network of veins on the underside which give the upper surface a crinkly texture. The leaf margins are crenate (scalloped). Like many salvias, the leaves are covered in tiny hairs. They are arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the square stem and each pair of leaves is at right angles to the pair below. The whole plant has a gentle sage smell.
The flowers are clustered on the top 20 centimetres (8 inches) of the spikes. The doublelipped flowers are a violet blue, making an attractive show. The bracts and the stems also have a faint bluish colouration. When deadheaded, the plant blooms from July through October. It also does well as a cut flower. There is a sky-blue cultivar called Blue Cloud .
Grow Salvia transsylvanica in a well-drained sandy soil in full sun to partial shade. It is
hardy to Zone 5 and is easily grown from seed. It self-seeds gently in the garden. You can start your own seedlings under lights in February.
Many salvias are half-hardy perennials or annuals.
THE NEW BOOK OF SALVIAS: SagesforEvery Garden
Author Betsy Clebsch offers a wealth of information about this fascinating genus. The book starts with an introduction to the genus noting its characteristics and commercial importance. Nearly 300 pages follow providing a detailed description of each species, including its culture and uses, and accompanied in many cases by a photograph. At the back of the book are lists of salvias suitable for specific situations such as shade or colder regions as well as a source list.
lllustration: Jocelyn Mann
Expert advice from the Master Gardeners |
Q 1am having major repairs done on my inground pool this summer and will have to remove my hostas, Hosta, which completely surround the pool. How can I best do this to save as many of the plants as possible? My intention is to replant them around the pool after the repairs are done in about a week. I also have some daylilies, Hemerocallis, in the same situation.
A If you have to move perennials, about the easiest ones to move are hostas and daylilies! Both should be fine if you dig them out carefully with a garden fork, taking as much soil around the rootball as you possibly can. Then, either pot them up in large containers (the black plastic ones that nurseries sell trees and shrubs in are great) or heel them into a shady out-of-the-way spot in your garden. To heel in plants, simply dig a trench long enough and deep enough to accommodate the roots of your plants. Then, lay the plants in the trench and cover the roots with soil. Be sure to water the plants well after moving them and check them regularly during the week. Before replanting into the new border, you might want to take this opportunity to divide some of the larger ones. [Although hostas and daylilies will survive transplanting in midsummer, most perennials will be stressed if moved at this time. Ed.]
Q@ 1 have a chain link fence along my driveway and on the other side of the fence is a parking lot not a very pleasant scene and | was thinking that [ might be able to create some privacy by growing a vine along that fence. My neighbour is not opposed to this idea as the fence continues along her backyard. Any suggestions? We get lots of sun. Would Virginia creeper be a
good choice or would it be hard to control and does it require a lot of pruning? Can it be trained to grow along a fence rather than up?
A For a chain link fence you need to choose a vine that supports itself by twining. Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, attaches itself to surfaces with adhesive discs and so is more difficult to train along a fence. One twining vine that could be grown in this situation is hops, Humulus lupulus, a deciduous vine with lobed green leaves. Hops will grow to nine metres (30 feet) in virtually any well-drained soil. It needs full sun to light shade. Another possible choice is bittersweet, Celastrus scandens.To produce fruit, the plant s main attraction, you need both male and female plants. It grows up to six metres (20 feet) and actually prefers poor soil. It is an aggressive plant, but good for growing along a fence.
Some of the species Clematis will also grow along a chain link fence and are very vigorous growers, for example, C. fangutica, C. viticella.You might also consider the scarlet trumpet honeysuckle, Lonicera x brownii Dropmore Scarlet , which is very hardy and has red tubular flowers which appear from midsummer to frost. It grows to about 4.5 metres (15 feet).
If your fence is in a somewhat protected position, you could try hardy kiwi, Actinidia, porcelain vine, Ampelopsis brevipedunculata, or trumpet vine, Campsis radicans.
You could also try planting more than one kind of vine for some interesting effects. Vines for a chain link fence
Do you have a question about gardening? Contact the Toronto Master Gardeners InfoLine at 416-397-1345 or log on to the Q&A Forum at infogarden.ca/mastergardenerboard.htm and AskaMaster Gardener!
lllustrations: Vivien Jenkinson
Ruthanne Stiles
BROWSE OUR COLLECTION OF KID S BOOKS
KIDS LOVE GARDENS too and there are lots of books in the TBG Library for children aged three and up. Parents often bring their children to the Library so they can choose their own books. Then mom or dad can sign them out and take them home for some family reading. Here are some of our most popular titles and some new ones.
STORYBOOKS
The VeryHungry Caterpillarby Eric Carle
Miss PennyandMr. Grubbs by Lisa Campbell Ernst Nip and Tuck by Robert McConnell
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
NEW BOOKS
Tops &Bottoms byJanet Stevens
How Groundhog s Garden Grewby Lynne Cherry
TurtleSplash! by Cathryn Falwell
Wildin the City by Jan Thornhill
PROJECTS, CRAFTS AND INFORMATION
The GardeningBook byJane Bull
Lookingat the Environment by David Suzuki
Compiled by Ruthanne Stiles with help from volunteers Judy Baldwin and Sylvia Bonis
Book REVIEW
A Gardener s Labyrinth: portraits ofpeople, plants andplaces
By Tessa Traeger & Patrick Kinmonth London: Booth-Clibborn Editions, 2003; 304 pages; £59.95
THIS BOOK WAS ORIGINALLY commissioned as a series of portraits for the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery of London. It became a book because of the artistic vision of its creators, Patrick Kinmonth and Tessa Traeger. Thanks to Barbara Mayer, a long-time TBG member, who lugged it back from a recent visit to England to donate to the library, we have this glorious and absorbing book of large, exquisite and unique photographs of gardens and prominent garden personalities. Many of the pictures seem to pull you right into the gardens and into the company of their spokesmen and women. The photos of top gardeners, plantspeople and horticultural designers are accompanied by fascinating personal accounts of aspects of their gardening careers.
This is a book you will want to peruse for inspiration each time you visit the Library.
Reviewed byRuthanne Stiles, Librarian
SPOTTHOSE BUGS
BUGS BOTHER US in the garden from time to time, and we try to deal with them. Correct identification is the first step and this is where www.pestcontrolcanada.com/bug_identification.htm is a great help. There is an excellent slide show in this site, but thank goodness the bugs are not the size shown! For those with lawn care problems try the Lawn Problem Identification page at lawncare.london.ca for answers to your turf pest problems. With the coming into force of Toronto s pesticide bylaw on April 1, 2004, the Backyard Bug Brigade might be useful at www.ns.ec.gc.ca/epb/factsheets/bkyard_bug/ bugs_brch.html. It gives tips on safe pest control through an Integrated PestManagement program. Reviewed byJean McCluskey
THANK YOU TO OUR FRIENDS
This year marks the fifth anniversary ofthe Friends ofthe Toronto Botanical Garden annual fundraising program. With the growing generosity ofboth new and long-term Friends, the pro%'am continues to thrive. The support ofour Friends has enabled people ofall ages and a ilities, from children to seniors and from students to professionals, to experience the wonders ofgardening and horticulture. We are truly thankful to our Friends for their continued support ofthe TBG's programs and services.
Director's Circle
Lindsay Dale-Harris
Kathy & George Dembroski
Pat & Peter Dalton
Janet Greyson
Vivienne Wiggan
Benefactors
Mona Campbell
Susan Dyer
Nancy Laurie
Marjorie Shu
Sponsors
Carol Gardner
Sustaining Members
Alice Adelkind
Nancy Bowslaugh
Vern Campbell
Midge Cooper
Wendy Crean
Deborah Beatty
Susan Dolbey
Suzanne Drinkwater
Ralph Fernando
Diana Jackson
Vivien Jenkinson
Janet Karn
Sonia Leslie
John Oyston
Helen Shaw
Marilyn Shepherd
Joan Williams
Friends
Anne Baillie
Janet Ballantyne
Arthur Beauregard
Carole Bell
Brian Bixley
Ruth Bothern
Linda Boyko
June Brayshaw
J.F. Brooke
Michele Bussieres
Peter Cantley
May Copland
Marilyn Creighton
Leslie Denier
Heather Dickson
Maureen Downes
Shari Ezyk
Rose Feikes
Mary Fisher
Helen Galt
Irene Gish
Barbara & Warren Goldring
Sondra Gotlieb
Joy Gray-Donald
Ann Guthrie
Marjorie Harris
Patricia Harris
Beverley Harrison
Heather Heaps
G.M. Horne
Brooke Hunter
Lorraine Hunter
Irene Ilchyshyn
Frances Johnson
Shizuko Kadoguchi
Ourthankstothe following sponsors formakingthe 17th annualThrough the Garden Gatetouragreatsuccess. ChestnutPark Indoors & Out Loblaws
Special thanks to ViaVerde,PlantWorld, Blossoms Rosedale andto the TBGLibraryforbeingtheofficialticketoutlets for ThroughtheGardenGate.
Suzanne Kopas
Nancy Kostoff
Margaret LaBerge
Marion Lambert
Claude Le Menach
Linda Ledgett
Jane Lind
Susan Loube
Susan Lue
Annette McCoubrey
Barbara McDonald
Martha McLean
Marion Magee
MaryMcDougall Maude
Carolyne Miki
Joanne Miko
Pauline Morris
Jo Ann Moysey
June Murdoch
Robert Nowe
MaryNoylander
Toshi Oikawa
Catherine Park
Terry Paterson
Grace Patterson
Catherine Peer
Konrad Radacz
Gwen Rattle
Jean Read
Marguerite Savidant
Dawn Scott
Susan Scott
Ronald Shaw
Nooney Sigesmund
Loretta Skinner
CarolAnn Slipetz
David Hogarth Smith
Trudy Stacey
Joan Stevenson
Ruthanne Stiles
Valerie Story
Janice Turner King
Marion Warburton
Betty Jane Weckerle
Margo Welch
Judith Wilder
Wendy Woodworth
Public/private partnerships in the public interest?
I READ WITH INTEREST your W article on the possibility of public/private partnerships enhancing Toronto s parks in vol. 31, no. § 2 [March/April 2004] of Trellis. 1 lived in New York City for many years and am aware of Lynden = Miller s work in this area. I would, however, like to raise a word of caution about such partnerships. When talking about partnerships, it s important to make sure that the public interest remains firmly in control. I observed first hand in New York how Bryant Park, a relatively small park behind the Public Library, was turned into a platform for promotional/commercial enterprises of all types. The steady stream of events that took place there was
7 clearly not mounted with the aim of enhancing the public s enjoyment of the park.
Toronto is fortunate to have so many parks and grassy playgrounds. In this respect, it is a far wealthier city than New York, in particular Manhattan. Private enterprise should certainly be encouraged to contribute to the upkeep of this valuable resource, but it should remain a public, not a private, asset.
Carolyn Cooper, Toronto
To submit items to Green Scene about green happenings in and around Toronto, write to: Editor, Trellis, Toronto Botanical Garden, 777 LawrenceAvenue East, Toronto M3C 1P2.
SummerKaleidoscope
BAYVIEW WATERCOLOUR SOCIETY
July 13 to July 26, Upper and Middle Links
A show and sale ofjuried paintings in vibrant colours and diverse themes.
Rock, Sand, Stone:Images ofthe CanadianLandscape SUE FIRSKER
July 27 to August 9, Upper Link
0il landscapes and acrylic floral works that reflect the artist s South African heritage as well as trips toTobermory and the Gaspé. The paintings are bright and bold and painted with direct colour on canvas.
The Garden Ethereal SANDY TRUNZER
July 27 to August 9, Middle Link
An exhibit of monochrome and colour photographs that capture a sense of quiet solitude and the grace that can be found in the gardens and parks ofToronto.
Moudu Uthman-Ekhar
July 27 to August 9, Lower Link
Contemporary Canadian artthat mixesand pushesthe basic ideas ofCubism andAfrican art to create something new, unusual and unique. The use of bright and vibrantcolours isan expression ofcreative freedom and rich cultural heritage.
The FourSeasons
MARY CHORNIUK
August 10 to August 23, Upper Link
Portraits of flowers and landscapes painted in oils, watercolours and acrylics.
Wall Flowers KAREN SLOAN
August 10 to August 23, Middle Link
Flowersand interiorsaretheartist'smain subjects,and hervision tends to push the boundaries and diversity of these themes.
The Beauty ofthe Natural World KWONG CHUNG LAW
July 27 to August 9, Lower Link
This exhibition reflects the beauty ofthe natural world.
Sri Lanka: The Land and the People PRIYANTHA SRIVIJAYASRI
August 24 to September 6, Upper and Middle Links
In paintings and drawings of water-soluble oil, crayon and watercolours, the artist explores the many facets of Sri Lankan life including images of the countryside that are rapidly disappearing.
Ode to Invasive Species
By Joan Lenczner
Oh vexing, vexing vetchy, why did | ever plant you?
You wander underground at will
And pop up constantly until | tear my hair in helpless rage
That what looked pretty on the page
Of nursery catalogues | read
Turned out to be a bigger pest
Than anything I've lived with yet!
And advancing Artemisia
With your gently waving way
You seduced me with your softness
And your lovely greenish grey. Alas, how could | know that when | put you in my garden, You'd control the major part Ofevery plot you had a start in!
Let s not forget you, Bittersweet
You rampant, twisting vine
Your blossoms white and lacy
Your berries bright, sublime!
| fear | must uproot you, Find a place for you to climb
Where | don t have to break my back
Imposing discipline you lack!
So gardeners, new or practised, Take heed of what you do
Lest what you plant in innocence
Might start controlling you!
Joan Lenczner is a Master Gardener and TBG volunteer.
What s on atthe Toronto Botanicai Garden|
JuUulLYyY
3
Toronto Judging Centre of the American Orchid Society
Judging, 1 p.m. Open to the public.
Information: www.so0os.ca
24
International Water Garden Symposium
Floral Hall
All-day seminars and panel discussions; auction/sale of aquatic related items.
Speakers: GREG SPEICHERT, New Raves and Old Faves: Aquatic Plants
CLA ALGOOD (Wakoola Water Gardens): Planning Choices in Water Garden Design
KELLY BILLING (Maryland Aquatic Nurseries) & ANITA NELSON (Nelson Water Gardens): Favourite Plants for Filtration
Free tours run in July and August, every Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. There will also be four evening tours: on July 13 and 27 and August 10 and 24 at 7 p.m. Meet by the front door of the TBG. Tours last one hour and are conducted rain or shine.
MUSIC GARDEN
Inspired by Bach s Suite #1 for Unaccompanied Cello, the Music Garden was created in a collaboration between Yo-Yo Ma and Julie Moir Messervy. Free tours of the garden, located on Queen s Quay at the foot of Spadina Avenue, run from June through September, every Wednesday at the following times: June and September, 11 a.m.; July and August, 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. During July and August, tours will also be conducted on Thursday nights at 6 p.m. prior to the scheduled evening concerts. Tours start in the Prelude section at the west end of the garden and are conducted rain or shine.
Adult group tours of both gardens can be arranged by special appointment: for information on fees or to booka tour, call 416-397-1366.
GARDENERS WORLD TOURS
Cleveland is our annual late summer 4-day getaway destination forAugust 22-25, hosted by Marjorie and JeffMason. Cleveland Botanical Garden is the focus ofour tour and its new crystal-peaked conservatory and canopy walk in the Costa Rican Cloud Forest. Then there is the rose garden, the herb garden and the Japanese garden ... please be an early bird and take advantage ofthis special $759 rate with 4-star accommodations at the central Hyatt Hotel including breakfast. Time for shopping, visits to museum and theatre evenings.
September in Scotland and the Lake District departs on September 4 - 11 day tour hosted by Marjorie and Stewart. Highlights include Culzean Castle, Threave Garden and Estate, Beatrix Potter's Hilltop Farm in the Lake District, Gretna Green, the new excitingAlnwick Gardens with their amazing water features, Holy Island ofLindisfarne.Abbotsford House, the home of SirWalter Scott. Discover Glasgow's cultural heritage thatincludes the MacIntosh Museum andArt Gallery. Gentlemen, we can arrange a couple ofgolfgames foryou too. $3679 per person double occupancy.
! garden days anywhere in
Should yourlocal Garden Club wish to de special m happyto includethisinformation on thewebsite, Ontarioplease contact Lorna andwi forthe enjoyment ofall.
Weinviteyou tovisit our website atwww.gardenersworldtours.com for de d itineeari contaciLornaat905 %-8411 egai]Ibates@on.aibn.com
CLASSIFIED ADS
Ontario Wildflowers Birding and botany tours to The Bruce, Manitoulin Island, Ojibway Prairie and Pelle Island. For free Newsletter and itineraries, call George Bryant atTravel Helpers (416) 443-0583
Quinte Garden Tour and Tea July 17 Belleville area, 10 am - 4 pm. Tickets $15. Call 613-962-6323 or email cfuwbellevilleand district@cogeco.ca. Mail orders, CFUW Garden Tour, 749 Massassauga Road, RR#7 Belleville, ON K8N 4Z7.
Toronto Island Garden tours Sunday, July 11, 18, 25, 1-5 pm, $6, ten or more private gardens each day. The Ward's Island ferry departs from the foot of Bay Street on the hour and the half hour. Follow the signs to 5 Ojibway Avenue for tickets and maps. Info: 416-203-0921 or www.torontoisland.org/gardens.
Gardening Software The Garden Management System - SoftwareYour Garden Will Love!. Record your plant requirements and characteristics plus multiple
photos throughout the growing season to create a personal garden reference. Start with plant tag information, and build as you learn. Record your gardening activities in a journal to track what worked for you, and what didn t. Minimum Windows95 required. Price $30.00. Order from website www.hmk.on.ca or call 416.286.2980 for information.
The Milne House Garden Club presents the 37th annual Flower and Garden Show- Bridge to Autumn, September 13th, 14, 15, 2004. In addition to a creative and exciting flower show, there will be special horticultural and floral design exhibits and demonstrations, a marketplace offering an eclectic mix of personal, home and garden merchandise. A café will also be open offering light lunches and refreshments. Location: Toronto Botanical Garden, 777 Lawrence Avenue East, at Leslie Street. Doors open:Tuesday, September 14th, from 10:00am 5:00pm, Wednesday, September 15th, from 10:00am-5:00pm For more information please call (416) 486-4320 or (705) 728-7719
