The Newsletter of the Toronto Botanical Garden
TORONTO GARDENBOTANICAL
Aout U
The Toronto Botanical Garden is a volunteer-based, charitable organization whose purpose is to inspire passion, respect and understanding of gardening, horticulture, the natural land~scape and a healthy environment. Since its inception in 1958, the Toronto Botanical Garden, formerly The Civic Garden Centre, has encouraged, stimulated and educated
countless Canadian gardeners. Almost 50 years later, the Toronto Botanical Garden has expanded its vision and set a goal to becomea self-sustaining urban oasis while making Toronto the most horticulturallyenlightenedcityintheworld.
What We Offer
Located at Edwards Gardens, the Toronto Botanical Garden offers
families and children. Our horticultural library hasover 8,000 books, periodicals, andalarge collection of clippings, pamphlets, nursery and seed catalogues
3¢ Directory & Hours of Operation
777 Lawrence Ave. East Toronto, ON M3C 1P2
Administrative Offices: Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Library: Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday noon to 4 p.m.; closed Mondays
TBG Shop: Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday noon to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m.; closed Mondays
TBG Shop and Library open for some special events and holidays: call 416-397-1340 to inquire.
Telephone: 416-397-1340; Fax: 416-397-1354
E-mail: torontobotanicalgarden.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 www.torontomastergardeners.ca
Communications: 416-397-1351
communication@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
Courses: 416-397-1362; courses@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
Donation Inquiries: 416-397-1483
annualgiving@torontobotanicalgarden.ca Events: 416-397-1484 or events@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
Executive Director: 416-397-1346 director@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
Horticultural Services: 416-397-1358
horticulture@torontobotanicalgarden.ca Library: 416-397-1343; library@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
Rentals: 416-397-1349; rentals@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
Teaching Garden: 416-397-1355 teachinggarden@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
TBG Shop: 416-397-1357
Volunteer Co-ordinator: 416-397-4145 volunteers@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
as well as a great selection of children s gardening books. Horticultural Information Services offers free gardening information year-round, and the TBG Shop has many unique gifts, books and gardening supplies for sale. The TeachingGarden has been created as a workinggarden tofosterinterest and educate people in the love and values of gardening and the natural world. As a community service, Art in the Link offers gallery space to local artists. As well, the TBG hasawidevarietyof 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, Sondra Gotlieb, Marjorie Harris, LorraineJohnson, Michele Landsberg, Susan Macauley, Helen Skinner
3% Board of Directors
PRESIDENT: Geoffrey Dyer
Brad Badeau, Marisa Bergagnini, Susan Burns, Dugald Cameron, Peter Cantley, Lindsay Dale-Harris, Kathy Dembroski, Tony DiGiovanni, Heather Dickson, Suzanne Drinkwater, Geoffrey Dyer, James E. Eckenwalder, Ralph Fernando, Mary Fisher, Colomba B. Fuller, Janet Greyson, Bill Harding, Janet Karn, Linda Ledgett, Sonia Leslie, Rosemary Phelan, Jean Read, Kathy Redeker, Dawn Scott
3¢ Staff Members
Executive Director
Margo Welch Manager, Communications Jenny Rhodenizer Manager, Horticultural Services Cathie Cox Program &Volunteer Co-ordinator Graham Curry
Accounting
Administration
Development Director
Capital Campaign Director
Development Officer, Annual Giving
Development Officer, Capital Campaign
Maintenance Supervisor
Facility & Event Supervisor
Facility & Event Co-ordinator
Librarian
Supervisor, Children s Education
Teaching Garden Co-ordinator
Joe Sabatino
Shirley Lyons
Janice Turner King
Janice Turner King
Andrea Maclntyre
Niti Bhotoia
Walter Morassutti
Stephanie Chiang
Kristin Campbell
Leanne Hindmarch
Tobin Day
Caley Baker
Volume 32 3% Number 6
EDITOR
Lorraine Flanigan
DESIGN
June Anderson
TRELLIS COMMITTEE
Lorraine Hunter (chair), Lorraine Flanigan (editor), Carol Gardner, Lorna Luke, Marion Magee, Jenny Rhodenizer
VOLUNTEER
EDITORIALASSISTANTS
T. Coombes, M. Magee
VOLUNTEER
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Jennifer Capretta
VOLUNTEER PROOFREADERS
M. Bruce, L. Hickey, S.&L. Skinner, K. Sundquist ADVERTISING 416-397-1351
Trellis is published six times a year as a members newsletter by the Toronto Botanical Garden at Edwards Gardens. 777 Lawrence Avenue East,Toronto, Ontario M3C 1P2, 416-397-1340.
Manuscripts submitted on a volun-
ing material must be received by the first of the month to ensure publication eight weeks Ilater. For example, material for the January/February2006,issue must be received by Nov. 4, 2005. Opinions expressed in Trellis do
in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.
number: 119227486RR0001
by Geoffrey Dyer ® PResiDENT and Margo Welch e EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR I
A Revitalized TBG Opens December 3, 2005
Toronto Botanical Garden will reach a very
significant milestone this year the completion of our renovation and addition. The building now bears a new name: The Kathy and George Dembroski Centre for Horticulture. It has taken years of planning and hard work to bring this about, and we think you will find the results outstanding.
The Centre has been constructed under stringent environmental guidelines to ensure that it meets the highest sustainable building standards. In our new facility, we ll be able to offer more programs, expand our library services and children s activities and increase our rentals and shop sales (which we depend on to finance our educational and horticultural services). The design ofthe addition is inviting, and we hope it will attract more supporters who will learn about our mission and activities and become members ofTBG.
This first part of our Revitalization Project has been accomplished through the vision, support and enthusiasm of many volunteers, members and donors. The board of directors and the revitalization committee have contributed countless hours and expertise to ensure that the goals of the organization were always in sight as the building took shape. Our donors had faith in our vision and ability and you, our members, supported us throughout. Thank you to everyone.
On Saturday, December 3, we wish to welcome you to the opening of the building. Please drop by between noon and 4 p.m. to tour the addition and renovated halls, learn about some of the new services and programs, meet the board and staff and enjoy light refreshments. Our shop will be open for business with a new look, new products to tempt you and holiday plants for sale. We do hope you'll be there.
During the summer and fall, we started the construction ofthe new gardens. Whenyou come to visit TBG, you'll discover the scale and scope of this dramatic and exciting development!
The Blossom Campaign is the funding engine for our Revitalization Project, and it is the members of the capital campaign committee who have been responsible for strategizing, planning and implementing the campaign. It isn t easy asking for money and developing innovative means to raise funds, yet this group has taken to the task and been extraordinarily successful. Their enthusiasm for the project and dedication to TBG has been infectious, and they have managed to secure support from hundreds of individuals, foundations and corporations. Under Lindsay Dale-Harris inspired leadership we have now raised $5.8 million towards our $6-million goal. Thankyou to the committee members and of course to our donors, many ofwhom are TBG members who responded generously to our request for support. @
Christmas Flower Show 2005
Our building reopens December 3
hen our building reopens you ll notice more than a few changes, including its name, The Kathy and George Dembroski Centre for Horticulture. For those entering the building for the first time, you'll find the ramps replaced by an elevator for individuals in wheelchairs, with strollers or who have difficulty climbing stairs. It s located just around the corner from the new stairway, which is at the end of the lobby in front of the Library. The stairway leads to the second floor, with its studios, garden clubs and administration areas. A comprehensive directional signage package is being developed to help you find your way easily.
Announcing the opening ofour new building: the Kathyand George Dembroski CentreforHorticulture
operation for various functions as posted on the front doors, in 7rellis or on the Web site. Both the Shop and the Weston Family Library will be closed on Mondays during the winter months (November through April), but the shop will have extended holiday hours during December. The TBG will be closed December 24, 2005, through January 1, 2006.
The TBG Shop, under the direction of its new manager, Brad Keeling, has a place of prominence jutting into the landscape just off the lobby. Deliveries of new items arrive daily and we are excited to be able, once again, to provide you with the convenience of on-site shopping for the latest in gardening books, fine wares and outdoor living products.
There will be an open house for the new building on Saturday, December 3, from noon to 4 p.m. After that the TBG will be open on a regular basis but please check the new hours of
Beginning in April, horticulturist Cathie Cox, along with our still-to-be-hired gardener and numerous horticultural co-op students will be in the gardens zealously planting the perennial and annual beds. Cathie has spent this past fall meticulously evaluating the selections to ensure we have the most garden-worthy cultivars. We look forward to telling you about the details of the development of the gardens, the next phase of our renovations, and their official opening in mid-September 2006.
We are also pleased to be participating in a city-wide cultural awakening, TO Live With Culture, a 16-month event running until December 2006. A Live With Culture Web site has been designed to enhance Toronto s image, attract more visitors to the city and increase audience levels at Toronto s cultural events. Visit www.livewithculture.ca for more information.®
FRIENDS OF THE TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN
Thank you to the following Friends for providing generous support towards our programs and services. Our Friends are fundamental to the TBG s ability to fulfil its educational mandate and to provide the community with the most valuable and up-todate information on gardening and horticulture.The following individuals made donations to the Friends Program from July 7 to September 1, 2005.
SUSTAINING MEMBERS
($300 - $599)
FRIENDS
($140 - $299)
Ralph Fernando A Friend
Sonia & Alan Leslie Kathleen Belshaw
John & Jane Lind Ernst & Iris Boehlau
Nancy Garrow
Marguerite Savidant
Ailsa & Wendy Moulsdale Loretta Skinner
Sylvia Pivko
Joy Reddy
Martin & Marsha Rothstein
John & ElsaYoung
JAZZ IN THE GARDEN EVENT IN SUPPORT OF THE TBG
On June 28, 2005, Sue and Michael Burns hosted a wonderful event, Jazz in the Garden. We would like to thank them for their generosity and warm hospitality.Thank you also to the following people for supportingToronto Botanical Garden through this event:
983751 Ontario Limited
Joseph & Susan Aziz
Margaret & John Bahen
Stuart Bahen
J. Christopher Barron
Jalynn Bennett
Judy & Bill Benson
Lorna Bethell
Margo & Klaus Bindhardt
Joanne Binnington
Bruce & Nancy Bone
Christopher&Basma Brown
Elizabeth & Jim Burns
Paddy Ann Burns
David & Lisa Burton
Patrick &Anne Casey
Ted & Susan Chant
Timothy Chisholm
Lionel & Judith Conacher
Marsh A. Cooper
Dorothy Cottrelle
Hugh &Anne Coulson
W.G. Crerar
Brenday & Gordon Currie
Pat & Peter Dalton
Richard Day
Catherine Day Phillips & Tod Phillips
Patricia De Mara
George & Kathy Dembroski
Pat & Bob Dengler
Marjorie R. Dennis
Sherry & Edward Drew
Suzanne Drinkwater
Grant & Cathy Duff
David & Margaret Dunlap
Moffat Dunlap
Susan & Geoffrey Dyer
Fred & Nicky Eaton
R. James Elder
John & Jane Evans
Marion & lan Ferguson
Julie & Morgan Firestone
M. Patricia Fischer
Constance Foley
Joan Francis
Colomba Fuller
Robert Fuller
Crawford Gordon
Patrick Gossage
Barry & Brenda Gray
David & Janet Greyson
William & Pat Harris
Nigel & Donna Hilliard
Ann Hogarth
Ronald Holbrook
Barbara Houlding
William James
Donald &Janet Karn
Daniel King
Sheila Kirk
Michael Kluthe
James & Valerie Lang
Brian Larter
Vivian & Harry Lawson
Doreen & Ken Lilley
Marylou Little
Lorne Lodge
Lianne Long
Robert & Patricia Lord
Sharon MacMurchy
Patricia Martin
Jackie McCasey
Brian McGrath
Reid McKiee
Anne & James McLeod
Jean & Jim Mylrea
Stanley & Mary Neal
Barry & Louise Needler
Al &Verena Perkin
Yvonne & Bob Peterson
Connie & Geoff Pottow
Donna & Reg Quinn
John & Margaret Regan
Liz & Steve Richards
Bob & Penny Richards
Brian Robbins
Elizabeth Rough
John & Judy Rumble
Caroline Scargall
Richard Seagram
John & Helen Shaw
Bob & Sandy Sillcox
Ken & Betty Sinclair
John & Peggy Stevenson
John & JaneTackleberry
Sheila & AlThomson
David White
Judy & Steve Wilgar
Sherill Wood
Hats off to you!
HELLO VOLUNTEERS! After warm welcomes from the staff and many volunteers, I have settled into my new position as program and volunteer co-ordinator for the Toronto Botanical Garden. And what an exciting time to join the TBG! The new wing is nearing completion, and I am sure you will be delighted with the renovated studios, Library and halls that will house our classes and lectures.
Our Open House will be held on Saturday, December 3, from noon to 4 p.m. Please join us as we celebrate the reopening of our building and let us introduce you to our new gardens, patios and indoor spaces, including the Weston Family Library, the Children s Education Centre, the TBG Shop, and the Volunteer Lounge. It s hats off to volunteers as the staff plays host in appreciation for our volunteers priceless contribution to the TBG.
Let me provide you with a little bit of background about myself. My husband and I have recently moved to Toronto from Chicago via
Bozeman, Montana. In Montana I worked as a wool designer on an organic and predator-friendly sheep farm where I nurtured my growing enthusiasm for sustainable agriculture. I have several years experience in educational programming as the director of education at Evanston Art Center, Evanston, Illinois, and the co-director of Lill Street Art Center in Chicago.
I come to the TBG with a great respect for its volunteers it is inspiring to see how this organization has flourished with the support of such a dedicated group. There will be many new and exciting volunteer opportunities in the coming year as the TBG gets back into full swing. I will continue to keep you informed through the volunteer newsletter, Grapevine, this column in Trellis and with postings on our Web site and in the new Volunteer Lounge.
Thiswillbe aseason ofchange as the organization grows intoitsnewfacilities, butitwill always remain the TBG we are all so fond of. [ hope you will join me in keeping the dream alive and growing.@
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Edwards Lectures
NOVEMBER 9 & 23
Assistance with admissions, audio/visual, book sales, refreshments
Poinsettia Sale
DECEMBER 3TO 10
Library Assistants (Public services)
We need volunteers with basic computer competency, previous library experience and an interest in gardening and/or the floral arts. These positions require only one morning or afternoon shift a week for a six-month commitment: choose fromTuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or
1 p.m. to 4/5 p.m.; we especially need volunteers for Sunday afternoons from noon to 4 p.m.
Getting the Jump on Spring
CHILDREN S STATION SUPERVISORS
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18
Volunteers will run activity stations for children and their guardians. Eight volunteers are needed to fill two shifts: 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 12:30 to 4 p.m.
If you re ready to get involved in TBG activities, please contact Graham Curry at 416-397-1362 or 416-397-4145, or e-mail volunteers@torontobotanicalgarden.ca.
ToBIN DAY ® SUPERVISOR, CHILDREN S EDUCATION
CALEY BAKER ® TEACHING GARDEN CO-ORDINATOR I
A preview ofthe new Children s Centre
THE TEACHING GARDEN STAFF has always been busy during the spring, summer and fall. Running summer camps and school programs is a challenging and ever-changing job that is never dull! 2004 was the first year that Teachlng Garden staff ran programs year- e round, and by January 2006 our staff of two will have doubled in number!
Since the first of November, Teaching Garden co-ordinator Caley Baker and an assistant have been at the Allan Gardens Children s Conservatory running the TD Bank Financial Group Programs for Schools. High-needs schools received priority when booking programs (getting a month-long head start for registration). Students who need help to enrich their regular studies with field trips receive free programs and transportation to the conservatory thanks to this unique partnership between the Toronto Botanical Garden and the City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation.
dents will get up close and personal with the micro-organisms that live in our soil and water. All grade 2 and 4 students will make connections between animals and the plants they depend on for survival. Each child will help create butterfly habitats by designing a seed packet for nasturtium, milkweed or other flower seeds that butterflies or caterpillars use as important food sources.
li] ;tration by Teaching Garden Student Baachi
Grade 3 has always been one of our most popular school programs in the Teaching Garden. The Ontario Ministry of Education s Science and Technology grade 3 curriculum focuses on plants as well as soil. As a result the Teaching Garden and Children s Centre are obvious choices for teachers seeking educational and engaging field trips for their students. Teachers can select one, or both, of our new grade 3 programs: From the Ground on Down and Plant Pandemonium.
Tobin Day, supervisor of Children s Education, along with an assistant, will be opening the Children s Centre at the Toronto Botanical Garden in early January. These programs are designed for students in grades 2 to 4. The Children s Centre houses a unique collection of living plants and animals, preserved specimens and models. Students will interact with living or preserved organisms and use technology such as a digital microscope and interactive computer programs to broaden their understanding of the natural world.
During the Amazing Animals grade 2 program, students will have a chance to figure out if all creatures have bones, how bugs see the world and if baby butterflies have wings. During the grade 4 program, Who Needs Habitat?, stu-
Please visit us at Getting the Jump on Spring (February 18, 2006) for a taste of the Children s Centre s programs. During Getting the Jump on Spring, children can take part in a variety of fun, hands-on activities at our nature stations. Stations are recommended for children 3 to 10 years old. Adult accompaniment is required.®
THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS!
This pastseason volunteers did an amazing job of supervising children, maintaining the garden and representing theTeaching Garden at the Science Teachers Association of Ontario s annual conference. Thank you to all the dedicated volunteers who contributed so much to the success of the Teaching Garden in 2005!
TORONTO GARDENBOTANICAL
Saturday, Dcer 32 D
Noon to 4 p.m.
We wish to invite ourvalued supporters, family and friends including TBG members, donors and volunteers, to our first day offull operation as we reopen and unveil our building, now named the Kathy and George Dembroski Centre for Horticulture. Staffand board members will be available to answer questions and introduce you to the amenities offered by ournew and improved building.
Here's a Sneak Preview of What You'll See
- Weston Family Library: almost 2,000 square feethousing ourunique horticultural library withnew public computer stations
- Children's Centre: dedicated to year-round classes on the environmental sciences for schools, community groups and individuals
- TBG Shop: prominently located at the front entrance and carrying a broad array of gardening books and distinctive wares forhome, gardening and outdoor living
777 Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto, ON 416-397-1340 / torontobotanicalgarden.ca R T R
What Does TBG Membership Mean to You?
Carol Gardnerfinds out what members value most
THERE ARE memberships and then there are memberships. We've all had the experience of joining an organization only to let our membership lapse the following year. That rarely happens with the TBG. Why? Probably because your TBG membership buys you more than advertised a real rarity these days. You may sign up because of the fabulous library or the courses or lectures, and if you only use those things, your membership is still a huge bargain. But for most of us, membership has resulted in so much more. Listen to what some of our members say:
©® VOLUNTEER GWEN RATTLE:
My learning curve about plants, pests, ecosystems, environmental stewardship, gardens, and gardeners has been huge!
©® GARDENIMPORT S DUGALD CAMERON:
It s the only place where a bulb-a-holic like myself can not only feel welcome but understood by those who can appreciate my obsession.
©® MARISA BERGAGNINI, HORTICULTURAL JUDGE AND FLORAL DESIGNER:
My involvement in the evolution from The Civic Garden Centre to the TBG lets me think big!
© FORMER STAFF MEMBER KATHY VARLEY:
As a new homeowner, 7rellis is something I especially look forward to! Great ideas! Hot new trends! Helpful tips.
©® BOARD MEMBERJEAN READ:
Having been raised in England, I've had the opportunity to see some beautiful public and private gardens. [ have now begun to understand a little of what goes into the planning, development and nurturing of those gardens.
As for me, my membership has given me a wacky and wonderful group of friends, a new career in garden writing and a passion for horticulture that has opened up a whole new world! Try getting that anywhere else for 40 bucks ayear!
Buy someone special a gift membership this year. You may just be starting them on a magical journey.
It's the gift that keeps growing.
For that budding orexperienced gardenerwho haseverything,a gift membership to the Toronto Botanical Garden makesawonderful holiday present. Call 416-397-1361 or complete this form. 2
I would like to purchase a gift membership for
Name Address
City
Postal Code
Tel.
Family, $55 (]
This gift is from Single, $40[]
Name
Phone
Payment:
] My cheque is enclosed (payable to the Toronto Botanical Garden)
[] I will pay by credit card
VISA/Mastercard #
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{Towards the City in Nature
With the retreat ofthe industrialglacier , says Ken Greenberg, possibilitiesfor a new relationship with the natural world emerge.
ST. PAUL ON THE MISSISSIPPI
The city of St. Paul, Minnesota had exploited its Mississippi River location by channelling the river and removing the natural landscape. By the 1990s, a weakening economic base had left vast areas of obsolescent land. During 1994-5, a new appreciation of the city s natural setting led to a Development Framework with a new vision of the city to re-connect it to the Mississippi RiverValley, thereby restoring the historic landscape and re-establishing an urban forest.
ities are perpetually reinventing themCselves to reflect changing priorities, altered conditions and newneeds. One of the most significant changes in our time is the regeneration and re-use ofvast tracts of obsolescent land sea fronts, lake fronts, river fronts and port, industrial, railway and warehousing lands in the core areas of our cities. Their renewal offers a unique opportunity to recreate the areas where we once suppressed nature most aggressively. In the mid-1990s, I first used the phrase retreat of the industrial glacier as a metaphor to describe two key concepts of this process of urban re-appropriation firstly, it is a long, slow process and, secondly, it exhibits a certain inevitability. As the industrial glacier recedes, an extraordinary number ofvarying terrains becomes available and a host of new possibilities arise including revealing and restoring the underlying character ofthese spaces through the forging of a new relationship with the natural world in the heart of the city.
This re-connection with nature in the city responds to an almost universal human desire to
be near the water, ravines, valleys and restored woodlands. The allure of these natural features is powerful and draws people to live, work and play near them. As these strategic areas of our cities are reclaimed for a variety of new urban uses, the challenge is to strike the right balance between the urban and the natural and to enhance both qualities simultaneously, thus making them both more urban and more natural. For many city dwellers, these newly found places, in particular those near waterfronts, become an incity resort for urban dwellers, offering an expanded horizon and a respite from the pressures of city life. Because of their centrality (the reason cities were founded there in the first place) they offer an inherent potential for more sustainable development, such as putting housing closer to workplaces to reduce travel times.
As the process of reclamation unfolds and the city is greened in key locations, the false dichotomy that divided the city from the natural world dissolves. This reconciliation has long been advocated byinspired landscape practitioners and writers, including Ian McHarg in Design
with Nature, Ann Spirn in The Granite Garden and Michael Hough in City Form and Natural Process. It is based on the acknowledgment that humans are part of nature and that nature everywhere on the planet has to some extent been deeply altered by human interaction. To develop a vision of the future, these people have argued, it is necessary to understand the nature of the city, and how it functions as a home for the vast majority of people who live in urban settings.
Two quotes from Ann Spirn illustrate the need to understand the relationship between the natural and built environments: We need to move away from the persistent, common perception of the city as a degraded environment and wilderness as a pristine place untainted by human presence. ...We have to deal with cities as systems in which cultural processes create an environment that s decidedlydifferent from undisturbed nature, yet united to it through the common flow of natural process. These ideas are also reflected inJane Jacobs great synthesis ofnatural systems and economics in her book, TheNature ofEconomies.
BOSTON:
ROSE FITZGERALD KENNEDY GREENWAYANDTHE CROSSROADS
The removal of Boston s elevated Central Artery (the Big Dig ) is one of the largest civil engineering works in urban history. In early 2004, a comprehensive planning program called the Crossroads Initiative was launched to re-knit the fabric of Boston, reconnecting neighbourhoods to the harbour and to each other with the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway as its centrepiece. Ken Greenberg has been working with the Boston Redevelopment Authority and other city departments to develop this concept and move it towards implementation.
While the impacts of this renewal are just beginning to be felt, they are already producing new forms of more environmentally friendly development, working with natural process on a range of issues from storm water management to energy consumption and handling of waste. They are also producing an altered sense of urban place. As Betsy Barlow Rogers, the former president of the Central Park Conservancy, states: As the city becomes more park-like, the park becomes more city-like. This development has proven to have a broad popular appeal that often cuts across class, cultural and political lines. And as public perceptions and expectations raise the bar, the practice ofurban design, architecture and landscape architecture is evolving rapidly, reflecting this altered view of nature in the city.@
Ken Greenberg is an architectand urban designer who has played a leadingrole in the rejuvenation ofdowntowns, waterfronts, neighbourhoods, and campus master planning in highly diverse urban settings in NorthAmerica andEurope.
GreenCity Lecture « NOVEMBER 23 ¢ Ken Greenberg talks aboutthe GreenCity: New PracticesinUrban Designat the TBG onWednesday, November23 at7:30. Limitedseating. Doorsalesonly.$12;free toTBG members.
./ GREEN ROOF TOPS REVITALIZED TBG
Lorraine Hunterfinds out howgreen-roof technology benefits the environment
The city skyline fromi= the rooftop garden of 215 Spadina Avenue*~
ou can t miss the Toronto Botanical Garden s new green roof. The sweeping swath of greenery at the front of the building is one of the most notable indications of the TBG s commitment to environmental responsibility.
The gently sloping garden, designed by Terry McGlade of Gardens In The Sky, is immediately visible from the ground, especially as you drive into the parking lot via the western driveway. Freshly planted with sedum, which will grow no higher than eight to 10 centimetres (three to four inches), this green roof will present a green image to the
require some care
world, says McGlade. While no one will be allowed to walk on it and the garden will in terms of weeding and watering, it s essentially low maintenance.
"The new roofwill also show the botanical world that what we might have thought to be unattainable is totallypossible."
The new roof represents a great opportunity for the botanical garden to demonstrate that gardening as we know it is not just confined to what s happening on the ground or in pots, he says. It will also show the botanical world that what we might have thought to be unattainable is totally possible.
A green roof is literally a vegetated roof cover, unlike a roof garden which is generally made up of containerized plantings situated on a rooftop.
A green roof typically consists of a thin (eight- to 10-centimetre/three and four inch) layer of soil and a drainage layer, applied directly over a roofing membrane (the critical waterproof layer). Green-roof plants are usually short perennials, grasses and succulents that will quickly cover the soil and prevent erosion, retain rainwater and provide insulation and respiratory cooling.
Green-roof technology, established for some time in Europe Germany, for example, now has 13 million square metres (140 million square feet) ofgreen roofs has been attractingwide attention in North America recently because of the many environmental and social benefits it offers. Not only is a green roof a joy to look at but it can also help to decrease building operation costs. Its cooling and shading properties can limit the heat flow into a building, thereby lowering the load placed on air conditioning equipment and reducing energy consumption. It will also cool the surrounding air, creating microclimates that can significantly reduce urban heat island patterns.
the sulphur dioxide that causes acid rain.
Construction of the green roof at the TBG ties in with its core value commitment to environmental responsibility and a green building design. To express this commitment, the TBG has registered with the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System, a voluntary, consensusbased national standard created by the United States Green Building Council for developing high performance, sustainable buildings.
Benefits of greening Toronto
A City ofToronto Green Roof Task Force study on the potential benefits of green roofs for our city estimates that a greening of 6 per cent of the total roof area inToronto would result in:
The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) has recently been set up to administer a Canadian adaptation of the LEED System, tailored specifically for Canadian climates, construction practices and regulations. The TBG was one of the first to register a LEED project in this country.
* A reduction in the urban heat island effect of one to two degrees Celsius
e A reduction in annual greenhouse gas emissions of 1.56 mega tonnes
¢ A 5- to 10-per cent reduction in the incidence of smog advisories per year
e 30 tonnes per year of particulate matter captured by plants
¢ 3.6 million cubic metres per year of storm water retention capability
A green roof can reduce the surface temperature of a roofing membrane by up to 30°C (85°F) on hot sunny days, significantly increasing its life expectancy (often by as much as 50 per cent). It can retain rainwater, reducing runoff and minimizing storm drain requirements and overflow. Depending on weather patterns, up to 90 per cent of an area s typical rainfall can be absorbed by a green roof. Because plant life actively suppresses noise by presenting a barrier to sound vibration, green roofs reduce the noise-related stress of urban environments.
A green roofcreates additional land area, allowing for more biological diversity, and it can absorb airborne toxins and transpire oxygen into the air. Since the foliage in plants binds dust, a green roof further improves air quality by reducing dust and
Based on scientific standards, LEED emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, material selection and indoor environmental quality. It recognizes achievements and promotes expertise in green building through a comprehensive system offering project certification, professional accreditation, training and practical resources.
By following the LEED rating system for its building renovation, the TBG has been able to limit the energy used in construction of the building and the overall impact it will have on the environment. The new roof at the TBG is just one green aspect of its revitalization. The finished building will also have a green education program, set up through LEED, to help educate the public on the environmental issues addressed in the building, including energy savings of up to 30 per cent.®
Lorraine Hunter is a garden writer and chair of the Trellis Committee.
A Passion for Christmas
In horticulturist TrevorAshbee, Sonia Daydiscovers the kid who loves holiday memorabilia
TREVOR ASHBEE is a passionate plantsman. His garden and unusual earth home (which is tucked into a hillside north of Fergus, with a lawn for a roof) has become a popular feature of garden tours in southwestern Ontario.
But this eccentric Brit has another passion too: Christmas. Visit him at any time of year and his fondness for the holiday season immediately hits you in the eye. A dainty little antique Christmas tree, decorated with glass ornaments, occupies a table in the dining room. There s a portrait of Santa hanging on one wall and on another a big festive wreath ornamented with an angel.
These decorations stay on display permanently. Then in mid-November, Trevor starts hauling out awhole lot more. Six other trees go up around the house, along with Santas (he has no less than 80 of them), antique lights, clowns, elves, and other doodads that he s collected over the years.
Why the fascination with Christmas? I love the atmosphere, he says. It brings family and friends together, and everyone s in a good mood. It brings out the kid in you.
But he also likes the scouring of antique shops for Christmas memorabilia because many of the items he finds are true works of art. The artificial tree that he keeps on show year-round, for instance, was one of the first sold in North America (from Germany, it s made of goose
Left: Trevor Ashbee sits beside a dainty little antique Christmas tree decorated with glass ornaments. Right: Ashbee scours the antique shops for Christmas memorabilia such as this Father Christmas.
feathers dyed green), and many of his fragile glass balls were hand-blown and painted in Germany and Romania during the 1930s. They made some amazing things back then, he says. You don t see stuff like this anymore.
Trevor s Christmas collection remains on display until the end ofJanuary (tolerated byhis goodnatured wife, Janet) when he regretfully packs most of it away for another year. I hate taking everything down, he admits, so a few things, like the wreath, get to stay up for months.
He offers this advice to others on the art of decorating for the holidays: I think it s like gardening. It s really personal. Do what you like, not what s in fashion. Everyone decorates differently and it should depend on how you feel. There s no right or wrong way.@
Sonia Day is a garden writer and columnist and a Master Gardener.
BOTANICAL SYMBOLISM INTHE ARTS
! The Lotus
In thisfirst in a series, Carol Gardnerexamines how ancient cultures revered the lotusflower.
IN A VAGUE WAY, I always knew that gardening was one of the links that connects otherwise disparate groups of people, but it wasn t until I took a course in decorative arts that I realized how strong and enduring that link is. From practically the beginning of time (contrary to what my children think, I wasn t actually present at the beginning of time), the same botanical themes can be found in decorative objects all over the world.
The lotus is considered a symbol of the four earthly elements earth, water, wind and fire.
Perhaps the strongest and longest-lived botanical symbol is the lotus which, technically, is the genus Nelumbo, the only genus of the family Nelumbonaceae. There are two species of Nelumbo Nelumbo lutea (the yellow lotus) and Nelumbo nucifera (the sacred lotus with pink flowers). Just to make it more confusing, ancient Egyptian art has depictions of three types of lotus : the sacred lotus and two which are actually water lilies Nymphaea, called the white lotus , and Nymphaea caerulea, the blue lotus . So as not to drive the reader (or the writer) completely crazy, [ will only use the term lotus henceforth.
The endurance of the lotus image is thanks primarily to its method of growth, which is rife with symbolic possibilities. Because its roots grow in the mud, its stem in water and its flowers in the air and sun, the lotus is considered a symbol of the four earthly elements earth, water, wind and fire. Some claim that seeds of the sacred lotus have been known to germinate hundreds of years after being shed and so, to many, it represents hope, promise, rebirth and the expansion of the soul. Perhaps that is why
seeds ofthe blue lotuswere found scattered over Tutankhamen s body when his tomb was opened in 1922.
In Buddhism, the lotus represents purity of body, mind and speech. Egyptians associated the lotus with the sun because it opened during the day and closed at nightfall. Some believed that, at the time of creation, the sun rose out of a giant lotus flower, and so it became a symbol of birth, renewal and the promise of an everlasting life.
The lotus image can be found on such disparate items as Inca vessels and frieze paintings, Chinese snuff bottles and jade figurines, Thai lacquer boxes, Persian carpets, ancient and contemporary china just about anything you can imagine. In 1997, Christie s auction house sold a Tiffany lotus lamp (circa 1900) for US$2.8 million.
Not all lotus connections are positive ones at least not for the people of this century. One of the aims of the ancient Chinese practice of footbinding was to enable women to glide along gracefully like a lotus floating on a pond. Their tiny (3- to 4-inch) beautifully embroidered silk shoes were called lotus shoes . During her lifetime, a woman embroidered many sets of shoes; the botanical patterns represented her hopes at different times oflife for romance, for marriage and also for motherhood.
However, the prevailing symbol of fertility in many cultures was not the lotus but the pomegranate. But that s another story...2
Carol Gardner is an award-winning garden writerand a member ofthe Trellis Committee.
Photo: Lucy Weir
SPOTLIGHT ON Black Creek Pioneer Village
by Jannette Porter
At Christmastime Bla PioneerVillage pulls out§
IMAGINE BEING IN A VILLAGE of the 1800s: Houses and shops are decorated for the holiday season, the aroma of wood burns invitingly in fireplaces and smoke curls from the chimneys while snow gently falls.
No, this isn t a scene from Dickens A Christmas Carol; it s Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto. At Christmastime Black Creek pulls out all the stops! The Village, a living history museum complete with interpreters in period dress who go about their daily activities, also shows how early settlers in Ontario decorated their homes for the holidays. Swags, wreaths, garlands and kissing boughs graced the outsides of buildings while inside more kissing boughs as well as tables and mantelpieces were adorned with nature s bounty.
Although an evergreen tree is now part of many people s Christmas traditions, as recently as the 1860s that was not the case. European settlers from Scotland or Ireland would have focused on decorating their doors, mantelpieces and tables. In the home of the Stongs, a Pennsylvania German family who settled in 1816 on the land where the Village is located, you d have seen a cedar tree standing in their log cabin home, hewn from the banks of nearby Black Creek. As the family
became more established, they built a more elaborate second house, in which you d find homemade gifts carefully placed on, not under, the tree branches.
For holiday decorations, pioneers used natural materials gathered from their gardens or nearby fields and forests: white pine, cedar, and spruce boughs, grape vine (good for wreaths), sumac flowers, mountain ash and yahoo berries, fruit and nuts. Some of the preparation would begin in summer, such as the drying of straw flowers from the gardens and the gathering of evergreen cones. In fall, the bittersweet vine (used extensively in the Village s decorations) was cut and stripped of leaves to show off the orange berries against the dark green of evergreen boughs. Farmers proud of their fall crops of apples and wheat would display them in their homes at Christmastime. Even the cloth ribbon that tied them was local, from the weaver s shop. On the blacksmith s door hung a small bag of coal; the same coal he would use to keep his fires going to carry out his trade - and, of course, what naughty Victorian children would have found in their Christmas stockings!®
Jannette Porter is afreelance writer who works in support ofBlack Creek Pioneer Village.
Visit Black Creek Pioneer Village
Dressed for the holidays from Saturday, November 12, to Saturday, December 31
Visit early and be inspired to create your own festive decorations!
PLANTOATTENDTHESE HOLIDAY PROGRAMS:
Christmas Remembered
November 12 to December 31
(December 25 & 26 excepted)
December 3 & 4,10 & 11,17 & 18 (11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.): festive demonstrations and hands-on activities include homemade presents, decorations and tasty treats. No need to book, just take the family and enjoy.
Christmas by Lamplight y
Saturday evenings, December 3, 10, 17 ers used natural
(6 to 9:30 p.m.) holiday decoral
Call well in advance to book tickets for this . special event celebrating aVictorian Christmas with the magic of lamp and candlelight. Lots of crafts to make and take home, yummy goodies to sample (like sugar plums) and carolling to put you in the holiday mood.
The Heintzman House
Specify if you want program only or program with dinner (similar fare to Sunday dinners listed below, subject to availability).Tobook, call 416-661-6600 ext. 5331.
Traditional
Christmas Dinners
Sundays, December 4, 11, 18
Enjoy a sumptuous turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Some families no longer cook their own dinner, preferring to return year after year for the fabulous food at the e 3L & 44 Village. Call 416-661-6600 ext. 5256 to Sat. & Sun. Nov. 12th - 13th reserve for 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m. or 6 p.m. 10am. -5 pm. 135 Bay Thorn Drive. Thornhill BLACKCREEK PIONEERVILLAGE ISOPEN (905) 889 - 7980
FROM MAY 1 TO DECEMBER 31, CLOSED DECEMBER 25 & 26.
www.hhouse.ca
A Holiday Wish List of Books for Gardeners
by Heather Coulter
MANY EXCITING NEWBOOKS are available this holiday season which would make perfect gifts for gardeners. My recommendations are helpful to both the beginner or the expert gardener. All are written by knowledgeable authors and are packed with information and great pictures.
Gardens by Design
Noel Kingsbury
Planting Design
byPiet Oudolf& NoelKingsbury
Planting the Natural Garden
byPiet Oudolf& Henk Gerritsen
These three books will assist garden designers at all levels and cover everything from choosing a garden style and planning layouts to maintaining the garden over time. Beautifully written with eye-catching plant combinations.
Alpine Plants of North America by Graham Nicholls
Everything you need to know about alpines, including identification and cultivation.
The Organic Home Garden by Patrick Lima
The author lives and gardens near Tobermory so you ll know the information in this book is appropriate to our zones.
Trees of the Carolinian Forest by Gerry Waldron
Plenty of information on trees for our gardening zones.
Dirr s HardyTrees and Shrubs byMichael Dirr
Great pictures for easy identification, packed with information and very helpful on the best plants for our cooler climates.
The Ferns of Grey & Bruce by Bruce-Grey Plant Committee (Owen Sound Field Naturalists)
Locally produced and very informative.
Pocket Guide to Shade Perennials by W. George Schmid
[llustrations of more that 1,000 species and cultivars in an easy-to-read format.
Succession Planting for Year-Round Pleasure Color for Adventurous Gardeners
These two must haves by Christopher Lloyd provide lots of inspiration from a well-known author and gardener.
Dryland Gardening byJenniferBennett
Plants that survive and thrive in tough conditions.
To placeyour orderfor books, contact Heather Coulterat 416-397-1359 or e-mail books@torontobotanicalgarden.ca. TBG members receive a 10-per-cent discount on all books.
Heather Coulter is a TBG volunteer and book buyerfor the TBG Shop.
New Shop. New Look.
The TBG Shop will feature wonderful botanical inspired merchandise ranging from leaf shaped glassware to 100% soy based candles and will continue to supply it's diverse selection of horticultural and gardening books. Grand Opening
December 3, noon to 4 p.m.
| Beautiful poinsettias
THE FIRST RECORDS OF | poinsettias from the four- | teenth century indicate that the Aztecs used the sap to reduce high fevers and the bracts to make a reddish-purple dye. Native to Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia was named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States ambassador to Mexico in the 1820s and an avid botanist who introduced the plant to the United States. It was given its botanical name, Euphorbia pulcherrima, meaning very beautiful , by Karl Ludwig Wilenow, the director of the botanical gardens in Berlin.
Silverstar Marble features cream and pink bracts.
I
The plant s link with Christmas may have begun in the seventeenth century when Franciscan priests near Taxco in Mexico began to use the flower in the Fiesta of Santa Pesebre, a nativity procession. It soon came to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem and thus associated with the Christmas season.
Poinsettias are flowering shrubs that can ultimately grow to three metres (10 feet). The flowers are really showy bracts or modified leaves that surround the inconspicuous pollenbearing flower clusters. There are over 100 varieties of poinsettia available in North America, and over 85 per cent of the potted plants sold in the holiday season are poinsettias. Nearly 75 per cent of the population prefers red, and 80 per cent are bought by women.
Despite popular perceptions, poinsettias are not poisonous or toxic to people but the sap in the stems can be a skin irritant.
When selecting a poinsettia choose a plant that shows no wilt, looks balanced and full from all angles and has rich green foliage right down to the soil. The bracts should be fully coloured and the flower clusters should show little or no pollen. The plants should not be kept in their sleeves as this causes a buildup of ethylene gas which results in premature leaf loss and root rot due to poor drainage.
New and different poinsettias to look for this season include the Silverstar Series with its strikingly variegated foliage: Silverstar Red has cherry red bracts and Silverstar Marble features cream and pink bracts. Sonora White Glitter has deep red bracts dramatically splashed with white. Holly Berry is compact and bushy with holly-shaped bracts and subtle pink and cream marbling. Strawberries N Cream has oak-leaf-shaped bracts in deep pink and cream. Cortez Burgundy has become extremely popular for its rich colouration. For the traditionalist, Olympus Red is a long-lasting dark rich red, Freedom Fireworks has long, bright red flame-like bracts and Cortez Electric Fire is a vivid scarlet.
To keepyour poinsettia at its best duringthe holiday season, place it in indirect sunlight, keep it at a daytime temperature of 20 to 21°C (68 to 70°F) and a night temperature of about 13°C (55°F), water regularly when the soil surface feels dry and keep it from cold draughts and excessive heat and cold. Don t fertilize when in bloom and don t allow it to stand in water.®@
JCreate an All-Season Container
Sandra Pellashares her tips on how to make an outdoorplanter that s uniquelyyours
SELECTING A CONTAINER
Choose a frost-proof container that will stand up to our winter weather. There is a variety of lightweight, freeze-resistant containers that provide good insulation such as those made of fibreglass, polyethylene and resin. Concrete planters must be at least five centimetres (two inches) thick or they will crack when frozen. Terra cotta is too risky a choice for our winters.
PLANTING
Good drainage is essential for proper root growth. Check that the container has drainage holes. If it doesn t, ask the garden centre where you purchased it to drill holes for you as this can be a bit tricky to do at home. Place the empty container where you want it by the front door, on the porch or veranda. Fill it with any of the commercially available well-draining, soilless growing media but leave an inch or so at the top so that when you water, it doesn t overflow the pot. Lightly firm the soil as you fill the container and moisten the soil so that it is easily workable but not soaking wet. Arrange the plants, starting from the middle of the planter and working your way to the outer edges. You will need to remove some of the soil as you plant but reserve it to use later to fill any gaps. I always plant the container tightly, packing it with as many plants as possible because the visual impact is immediate. When finished, water the container well.
MAINTENANCE
Container plantings of evergreens are great for providing all-season interest. For added insulation during the winter, line the pots with slabs of Styrofoam before planting. Situating the container close to the house provides protection from severe weather and cold winds. (If you are
concerned about evergreen plants surviving the winter in containers, use cut boughs.)
¢ Broad-leaf evergreens and conifers are good choices for winter containers and can be combined with ornamental grasses and perennial ivy. Each of these makes a great backdrop for evergreen boughs, berried branches, and so on. Prune evergreen shrubs regularly. It is critical that the roots do not dry out completely: water well until the first hard frost and leave excess snow to melt in the pot during winter. Fertilize at planting and again in the spring with a water-soluble fertilizer.®
Plants for all-season containers
Boxwood,Buxus sempervirens
Dwarf pine, Pinus spp. and cultivars
Heather, Calluna vulgaris
Juniper,Juniperus spp.
Native viburnum, Viburnum spp.
Red Dogwood, Cornus sericea
Silky Dogwood, Cornus amomum
Winterberry, llex verticillata
Witch hazel,Hamamelis virginiana
Yew, Taxus spp.
Red and purple chokeberry, Aronia spp.
Sumac, Rhus glabra
Rose hips
Curly willow
Sandra Pella is a gardener for the City of Toronto, has worked as horticultural assistant at the Toronto Botanical Garden and operates her own business. She also has a gardenfull ofone ofeverything...
by Anna Leggatt
Plant successes and failures
WINTER GIVES GARDENERS in this part of the country a break when we can think back over the season, note our successes and failures and plan for nextyear. We can also research new plants to find ones perfect for our different garden microclimates.
This past season has been stressful for many plants. It began with a mild fall in 2004, which was followed by a sudden deep drop in temperature that gave many woody plants inadequate time to acclimatize. Several came out of the winter of 2005 showing stress such as dead branches, and some died completely. The summer that followed was dry, hot and humid. Many plants (mostly those native to cooler mountainous regions) quietly shrivelled away. After the ups and downs of the season, several of the plants [ recommended in the past would not be on my must get list today. For others, I have reservations.
The bark of Cornus alternifolia Golden Shadows split in the winter causing the stem to rot I'll buy a more mature specimen next time it ll be able to withstand temperature fluctuations better. On the other hand, Cornus sanguinea Midwinter Fire and Winter Beauty have spread so much that I'm taking them off my good plants list. Hydrangea macrophylla Variegata died back to the ground but shot up again. Three of my Buddleia died while others came back up from the roots. To protect these, I'll pile soil over the base before winter sets in.
I've been enthusiastic in the past about Cotinus Grace , a new shrub that still looks lovely in my garden. However, it shot up to three to four metres (10 to 13 feet), even though I cut it back. The dilemma is whether I should replace it with the smaller Young Lady even though its foliage is rather ordinary compared with the purply green leaves of
Grace . Physocarpus opulifolius Diabolo has also grown far too large. It s worth keeping though, if pruned back vigorously. I thought my Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea Helmond Pillar had died, but it later shot up from the ground, and B. . Gold Ring grew faster than ever with no dieback.
Last winter was not good for roses. Many of mine died back to the ground. Clair Matin had several weak branches but put out many vigorous new shoots at the end of August.
Polemonium caeruleum Brise d Anjou was a great disappointment. It had overwintered twice before melting in the heat of this past summer. Next year I'll try Snow and Sapphires , which is supposed to be tougher, but only if my friends plants come through this winter!
Most of my Brunnera plants were great this year. Unfortunately, B. macrophylla Jack Frost came up late with only a tiny leaf. It s well worth replacing though, so I'll be getting another one. Despite the setbacks of this past season, I think it s still worthwhile trying new plants. To limit disappointments, buy more mature plants and check the web and gardening magazines to see what theexperts recommend
Anna Leggattis a Master Gardener and TBG volunteer.
"X Expertadvice fromthe MasterGardeners |
Q 1 would like to try growing herbs indoors this winter. [ have chosen basil (Ocimum), flatleafed parsley (Petroslinum), sage (Salvia), thyme (Thymus) and coriander (Coriandrum). I want to plant them all in a nice long rectangular container in a very bright sunroom with two skylights.
the drainage of excess water and to keep the air humid around the plants. For the same reason, keep a bowl of water near the herbs too.The dry heat in our houses in the winter is very hard on herbs.
Thyme Parsley
Here are my questions.
1) How cool can the room become during the winter months without Killing the plants?
2) What is the best type of soil?
3) What should I fertilize with?
A You have decided on a combination of hardy and annual herbs. Sage and thyme will survive our winters, but they can be grown indoors as well. Because winter is usually their dormant period, they will probably look a little scraggly by early spring, but they should perk up as soon as you
move them outside.
To successfully grow all of these herbs indoors, they will need as much light as possible, ideally five hours of direct sunlight or 15 hours of artificial light per day. You may have to supplement your natural sunlight with a grow light placed 40 to 50 centimetres (16 to 20 inches) above the plants. It would be best if you can stand your planter on a tray of gravel to allow for
Watering should be done carefully. Thyme and sage require less frequent watering than the other herbs. It might be best to grow them in separate pots. (This will also make it easier to move them outside in the spring.) Let the water stand for 24 hours before using it on the plants. This not only allows chemicals to dissipate but brings the water to room temperature which is better for the plants. Water the plants from ilzove, making sure that the water penetrates right through the soil. Mist the leaves to keep them free of dust. Ideally, indoor herbs should be kept at an even 16°C (60°F), and they will not grow well if they are subjected to extremes of temperature. Potting soil is fine for most indoor herbs; however, plants such as thyme need very sharp drainage, so add some extra perlite to the mix. Applications of weak liquid plant food can be given every two weeks.
Do you have a question about gardening? Contactthe TorontoMaster Gardeners InfoLine at 416-397-1345 or log on to www.torontomastergardeners.ca andAsk a Master Gardener!
Sage Coriander Basil
by Leanne Hindmarch
Your Library returns!
I HOPE YOU LL ALL DROP BY to see the Library s exciting new space during our members Open House on December 3. I'd love to introduce myself and give you a tour Meanwhile, here s a sampling of the new books that will be available for members to borrow in December.
100 Easy-to-Grow Native Plants for Canadian Gardens (updated) by LorraineJohnson (2005)
A Natural History of Ferns by Robbin C. Moran (2004)
Creative Garden Lighting byMichele Osborne (2005)
Easy Orchids by Liz Johnson (2005)
Growing Hardy Orchids byJohn Tullock (2005)
Ornamental Foliage Plants byDenise Greig (2004)
The Plant Hunter s Garden by BobbyJ.Ward (2004)
Planting Design
byPiet Oudolf& Noel Kingsbury (2005)
Practical Science for Gardeners byMaryPratt (2005)
You Grow Girl by Gayla Trail (2005)
To reserve anyofthese titlesfor borrowingonce the Library is open in December, please contact Leanne Hindmarch at 416-397-1343 or library@torontobotanicalgarden.ca.
Web site REVIEW
Cultivating native plants
Create a natural habitat in your garden with the help of these Web sites. All of them include local sources. Who knew there were so many places to find unusual and esoteric plants?
CAROLINIAN CANADA
www.carolinian.org/FactSheets_NativeStock2.htm
Carolinian Canada is a unique ecosystem zone found in southern Ontario that boasts more plant and animal species than anywhere else in Canada. This site promotes innovative and comprehensive approaches to conserving our natural heritage. A section on native plants pinpoints exactly where each plant grows in Canada and provides descriptions of the plants, photos and links to more detailed sites in the United States.
NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY
www.nanps.org
Dedicated to the study, conservation, cultivation and restoration ofnative plants,thissite provides information about featured plants, associations, seed exchanges, publications and plantrescues. Instead offactual descriptions of the plants, there are interesting and informative articles written by Ontario horticulturists.
WILD ABOUT GARDENING
www.wildaboutgardening.org
Produced by the Canadian Wildlife Federation, this site contains a good section on native plants as well as information about pesticides, growing green and attracting wildlife to your garden. In the section on native plants, you ll find information about container plants, companion planting, plants that will repel pests, a plant-hardiness zone map and instructions on creating a natural habitat in your garden. A plant encyclopaedia includes photos but is searchable only by the scientific or common name.
Reviewed by Lorna Luke
Edwards Lectures 2005
GROWING A VISION
SpeAKERS: Tom Sparling, Terry McGlade
Topic: Garden Design in Public Spaces
WHEN: Wednesday, November 9, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Floral Hall
THE TBG S REVITALIZATION PROJECT
includes the creation of a sloping green roof as well as a series of newly designed gardens spanning nearly four acres. These gardens will demonstrate environmentally responsible gardening and will introduce the very best of what can be grown in our region. Tom Sparling and Terry McGlade are intimately involved with our project and will speak on the unique aspects of our garden and green roof designs.
Tom Sparling has been a driving force behind the landscape architecture program at Ryerson University and instrumental in shaping the profession into what it is today. Tom is a key contributor to the major gardens created at Canada Blooms and the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
Terry McGlade is at the forefront of rooftop garden installations in Canada. His company, Gardens In The Sky, has received six Awards of Excellence from Landscape Ontario. His recent projects include the Merchandise Lofts extensive rooftop garden and Mountain Equipment Co-op.
Book REVIEW
Treesfor the Small Garden
By Simon Toomer Toronto, ON, Key Porter Books, 2005; 176 pages, $24.95
Designed specifically for discouraged gardeners, this book shows how to choose, plant and care for
Free to TBG members; non-members $12. Door sales only. Seating is limited.
SPEAKER: Ken Greenberg
Toric: Green City: New Practices in Urban Design
WHEN: Wednesday, November 23, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Floral Hall
THE NEW FRONTIER for city enhancement lies inside municipal boundaries from lakefronts to tracts of obsolescent industrial, railway and warehousing lands. These are the places where cities can realize a renewed vitality. Ken Greenberg will explore the existing separation between natural and built environments and discuss how new practices in urban design can provide a new urban relationship with nature.
Ken Greenberg is an architect and urban designer whose work focuses on the rejuvenation of downtowns, waterfronts, neighbourhoods and campuses. His projects include the Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York, the Big Picture for the Big Dig in Boston and the renewal of Regent Park in Toronto. .
Free to TBG members; non-members $12. Door sales only. Seating is limited.
trees. By simplifying the choice of the most important feature of the garden, everything else falls into place. A helpful A to Z directory lists some of the best trees available. Each entry advises on climatic zones, soil conditions and growth rates.
A invaluable source of information and inspiration this book,
with its over 400 colour photographs, will appeal to both novice and well-established gardeners.
Simon Toomer has made a lifetime study of all aspects of arboriculture and is currently curator of the National Arboretum in Westonbirt in the United Kingdom.
Reviewed byMadge Bruce
NOVEMBEHR
5
Toronto Judging Centre of the American Orchid Society
Judging, 1:00 p.m. Open to the public.
Boardroom & Administrative Foyer
Information: www.so00s.ca
6
Southern Ontario Orchid Society
Meeting, Floral Hall, 12:30 p.m.
Information: www.soo0s.ca
8
Southern Ontario Orchid Society
Newcomers meeting
Topic: Light, humidity, air movements, pests, diseases
Boardroom, 7 p.m.
Information: www.soos.ca
9
Edwards Lecture
Topic: Garden design in public spaces
Speakers: Tom Sparling, Terry McGlade
Floral Hall, 7:30 p.m.
TBG members free; public $12; door sales only; limited seating
13
Ontario Rock Garden Society
Speaker: Richard Fraser
Topic: Orchids & other choice plants for the garden
Floral Hall
Plant sale, 12:30 p.m.; speaker, 1:30 p.m.
Information: www.onrockgarden.com
14
Toronto Bonsai Society
Meeting, Floral Hall, 7 p.m.
Information: www.torontobonsai.org
20
Geranium, Pelargonium & Fuchsia Society
Meeting, Garden Auditorium, noon
Information: 416-281-6399
21
Mycological Society
Meeting, Garden Auditorium, 7:45 p.m.
Information: www.myctor.org
23
Edwards Lecture
Topic: Green city: new practices in urban design
Speaker: Ken Greenberg Floral Hall, 7:30 p.m.
TBG members free; public $12; door sales only; limited seating
DECEMBER
3
TBG Open House
Noon to 4 p.m.
3-10
TBG Poinsettia sale
4
Southern Ontario Orchid Society
Meeting, Floral Hall, 12:30 p.m.
Information: www.soos.ca
6
Milne House Garden Club
Christmas workshops Floral Hall, 1:30 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Tickets: $20
416-491-0540/905-881-1406
11
Ontario Rock Garden Society
Speaker: Frank Kershaw
Topic: Rockscaping
Floral Hall
20th century
Convocation Hall, University of Toronto, Plant Sale, 12:30 p.m.; speaker, 1:30 p.m. 7:30'p:m.
Information: www.onrockgarden.com
Information & tickets: 905-875-1805; www.landscapeontario.com/brookes 12 Proceeds to benefit the TBG
Toronto Bonsai Society Meeting, Garden Auditorium, 7 p.m.
Information: www.torontobonsai.org
13
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HOMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS House Tour
Nine beautiful homes in Markham and Southern Ontario Orchid Society Unionville are decorated inside and out for Newcomers meeting this fundraiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer
Topic: Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilum Foundation and the Varley Art Foundation. Boardroom, 7 p.m. Tickets $30 (includes tour, afternoon tea, door
Information: www.soos.ca prizes and gift certificates).
Information: Kate Seaver or Vivienne McGaffney at 905-475-7674
IN & AROUND THE GTA
NOVEMBER
Poinsettia Sale
BLOOMERS
CLASSIFIED ADS
Calling all Gardeners Marjorie Mason s Personalised
GardenTours
July 1-13 2006 Discover with us the Bagatelle Rose Gardens in Paris and ChateauVillandry in the LoireValley. Tour Giverney, the Normandy Beaches and Bois des Moutiers. Excite the senses at Hampton Court Flower Show, Sissinghurst, Great Dixter and Wisley.These are just some tempting highlights planned for all gardening enthusiasts. $4289.00per person double occupancy includes Air Canada direct flights. August 12-25 2006Highlands and Islands of Scotland Golf and Garden Tour to Loch Lomond, Islay, Mull, lona and Skye, Cawdor Castle Gardens, Speyside Heather Nursery, St Andrews, Edinburgh Botanic Gardens plus Edinburgh Tattoo. $4789.00. Detailed itineraries call Lorna 905 683-8411 e-mail www.gardenersworldtours.com
Italian Gardens of Tuscany and Florence, April 20 to 28, 2006. Three nights in Florence, 4 nights villa/Tuscany. Visit French Gardens of the Loire, Paris...Garden Festival of France, May 30 to June 8, 2006. Three nights chateau/Loire, 5 nights Paris. Small group, walking problems will be accommodated. Contact Jeanne Brown for itinerary and pricing jeanne012@sympatico.ca 416-383-0077 or Paul, OverseasTravel 416-481-4427 info@overseastravel.ca