The Toronto Botanical Garden is a volunteer-based, charitable organization whose purpose is to inspire passion, respect and understanding of gardening, horticulture, the natural landscape 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 become a self-sustaining urban oasis while making Toronto the most horticulturallyenlightenedcityintheworld.
What We Offer
Located at Edwards Gardens, the Toronto Botét cal Garden offers many programs and services,
as well as a great selection of children s gardening books. Horticultural Information Services offers free gardening information year-round, and Shop TBG has many unique gifts, books and gardening supplies for sale. The TeachingGardenhas been created as aworkinggarden tofoster interestand 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 ti- well,theTBGhasawidevarietyof banquet halls, meeting rooms and
lection of Efippings pam hlets, nursery and seed catal
e col- ~show space, with access to EdwardsGardens,oneofToronto s favourite garden spots.
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
shop TBG: Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday noon to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m.; closed Mondays
Shop TBG 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 Wwww.torontomastergardeners.ca
Brian Bixley, Awdrey Clarke, Mark Cullen, Camilla Dalglish, Sondra Gotlieb, Marjorie Harris, LorraineJohnson, Michele Landsberg, Susan Macauley, Helen Skinner
3 Board of Directors
PRESIDENT: GeoffreyDyer
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
Fundraising Assistant
Development Officer, Capital Campaign
Maintenance Supervisor
Special Events Supervisor
Facility and Sales Co-ordinator
Librarian Supervisor, Children s Education
Teaching Garden Co-ordinator
Joe Sabatino
Shirley Lyons
Janice Turner King
Janice Turner King
Sarah Durnan
Niti Bhotoia
Walter Morassutti
Stephanie Chiang
Kristin Campbell
Leanne Hindmarch
Tobin Day
Caley Baker
Volume 33 3¢ Number 1
EDITOR
Lorraine Flanigan
DESIGN
June Anderson
TRELLISCOMMITTEE
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, J. Campbell, L. Hickey, P. Heinz, J. McCluskey, K. Sundquist
ADVERTISING
416-397-1351
Trees and shrubs in the TBG
Liatris spicata gayfeather
Expert advice from the Master Gardeners
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 voluntary basis are gratefully received. No remuneration is possible.
Articles, manuscripts and advertisingmaterial mustbereceived bythe first of the month to ensure publication eight weeks later. For example, material for the March/April 2006, issue must be received by December 16, 2005.
Opinions expressed in 7rellis do not necessarily reflect those of the TBG. Submissions may be edited for style and dlarity.
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 ISSN 0380-1470
hat a momentous year it s been at the WTBG. We ve completed phase one of our Revitalization Project and opened the George and Kathy Dembroski Centre for Horticulture. The coming year promises to be just as important with the public opening of our gardens in September 2006. Then Toronto will finally have Oy sister organizations welcome us, support our efforts and are willing to help make
ance budgets and develop Web sites and library services. As well we gained an even greater understanding of the crucial role volunteers play in helping to provide and maintain activities.
Becoming a botanical garden involves much more than creating the physical gardens.
Documentingthe plants, manag- OQUI" Venture a success. a botanical garden!
ing the collections and providing interpretation and educational programs are critical aspects ofwhat it means to be a botanical garden, andwe have been busybehind the scenes planning and preparing for these tasks and activities. Our board members, horticultural friends, TBG volunteers and members have been a great support but we will need additional staff and volunteers to help. We will also need to rely on our counterparts at other botanical gardens to advise and guide us.
One of this year s delights was visiting other botanical gardens and arboretums to meet colleagues and learn from their experiences. Along with some of our staff and board members, I visited the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, the Montreal Botanical Garden, the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Morton Arboretum. Each of these outstanding organizations had a wealth of information to share. Although different from each other, there were similarities in their approach to their business and common interests and challenges that we at the TBG can relate to, although sometimes on a smaller scale!
The lessons we learned were many, including which database system to use for collections management, the best plant labelling techniques, programming ideas, marketing and attendance-generating strategies and how to bal-
Butwe learned other striking lessons from our visits. First, everyone is very excited by what we are doing! Our sister organizations welcome us, support our efforts and are willing to help make our venture a success. We are now part of a large network of individuals who are committed to botanical gardens, have extraordinary expertise and experience and take pride in sharing what they know. This is a gift that we gladly accept.
Secondly, the cities we visited recognize that horticulture can make a difference to the urban environment. Chicago is noted for this, but Montreal and Niagara Falls are also horticulturally friendly you can see this in their streets and parks. Mayor Miller has made clean and beautiful a priority for Toronto, and we can see the impact of his interest in the improvements to parks such as Edwards Gardens and on streets like University Avenue. As citizens and members of the TBG, it is in our interest to support our city s efforts. I encourage you to inform your city councillors that you appreciate this focus and want to see it expanded.
2006 is a beginning for us as a botanical garden. We have the opportunity to reach out to a wider audience and provide our visitors with an experience that can affect how they view plants and gardens in their homes, neighbourhoods and city. We can make a difference and we can participate in a larger international movement to green our cities and protect our natural environments. It is a great time to be part of the Toronto Botanical Garden!®
CanadaBlooms
THE TORONTO FLOWER AND GARDEN SHOW
Treat your senses to a welcome escapefrom winter...
+ Explore acres of fantasy gardens stretching the imagination with vibrant colours and fragrances.
* Retreat to your own private Urban Oasis Garden presented by The Home Depot.
+ Find small-space ideas in the balcony, towhouse and new terrence gardens area.
+ Learn answers to all your questions in non-stop workshops by your favourite gardening gurus.
For complete up-to-date details, visit www.canadablooms.com.
MARCH 8-12, 2006
METRO TORONTO CONVENTION CENTRE, SOUTH
OPEN WED-SAT 10AM-9PM SUN 10AM-6PM INFO 416.4478655 ADULT $18 SENIOR/STUDENT $15 CHILD 12 & UNDER FREES
BUY TICKETS ONLINE AT
Renovation
by Jenny Rhodenizer
Finding your way around
ften overlooked, but an essential element of 0 our own revitalization project, has been the development of an intricate wayfinding system. The term wayfinding was introduced in 1960 by architect Kevin Lynch to describe maps, street numbers, directional signs and other such devices. More than signage, wayfinding is the feeling, uniformity, uniqueness and organization of information that creates a complex and interactive process ofguiding and educating visitors.
How you find the washrooms and conference rooms and how you identify plant material has been carefully analysed and translated into a sign or indicator designed to enhance and ease your experience at the Toronto Botanical Garden. Ifwe ve done our job well you'll easilyfind yourwayaround or acquire the informationyou seek using the master signage plan.
Designing such a system is a truly daunting task, so in September 2004 we hired an expert to guide us through the process. Debbie Adams, principal at Adams + Associates Design Consultants Inc., was hired to create our indoor and outdoor wayfinding and interpretive garden panels. Debbie was thrilled at the prospect of workingwith the TBG. Dream projects like this don t come along very often, she says.
Aprofessoratthe Ontario College ofArt& Design in Toronto, Debbie s diverse experience and focus
on finding unique solutions that best convey her clients goals and message was a key factor in selectingherfirm. Debbie has designed postage stamps for Canada Post and coins for the Royal Canadian Mint. She has also worked with many cultural, educational and non-profit organizations.
Buildingon the corporate identityand logo created by award-winning design firm Hambly & Woolley, Debbie collaboratedwith our building and landscape architects to ensure a clear design aesthetic for the building, the gardens and the signage program.
Reflective ofour building, metal and glass are the primary materials used in the outdoor signage and these are mirrored indoorswith complementaryfinishes; as well, the fonts and overall colour palette echo our logo. Materials were carefully chosen for their durability and long life in extreme Canadian weather conditions. The result is functional as well as clean and elegant. This fresh look has been accented with botanical photographs donated by photographer Janet Davis. Adams describes these shots ofcolour as ameans to celebrate the incredible richness of gardens and flowers.
As with all botanical gardens, one of our goals is to educate visitors and inspire a passion for gardening. To enhance this experience, each of our gardens will have an interpretive panel to describe its purpose and showcase its special features. In conjunction with these, an exten-
sive plant labelling system will be developed to identify and catalogue the plants in our collection.
We hope that our signage and wayfinding program will not only guide visitors to their destination but welcome, inform and engage them. We look forward to your visit and hope you ll be able to find your way around! @
A SPECIAL THANKYOU TO CONTRIBUTORS AND SUPPORTERS OF
THE 5TH ANNUALTBG GOLF TOURNAMENT
Event Sponsor TFORYS ..
NEW YORK TORONTO
Dinner Sponsor
CARA K
Contributing Sponsors
Kathy & George Dembroski
David & Janet Greyson
Lakeshore Inc.
Scotts Canada Ltd.
Live Auction Sponsors
Auctioneer, Glen Smith
Algoma Central Corporation,The Briars, Conference Travel and Air Canada, Gray Rocks, Labatt, Skyservice
Challenge Sponsors
Hole in One: Roy Foss Motors Ltd.
Men s Longest Drive: ExcoTechnologies
Men s Closest to the Pin: Dalton Engineering & Construction Limited
Women s Longest Drive: Heathbridge Capital Management Ltd.
Women s Closest to the Pin: C.A. Delaney Capital Management Ltd.
Contest Sponsors
Putting Contest: Montgomery Sisam Architects Inc.
Buy the Pro: Ernst & Young LLP
Hole Sponsors
Aldershot Landscape Contractors Limited
Alkema Greenhouses
All Cover Portable Systems Inc.
ASB Greenworld Ltd.
Brad & Kathy Badeau
Bayview Flowers (Jordan Station)
Nancy & Bruce Bone
Bradford Greenhouses Ltd.
BrookdaleTreeland Nurseries Ltd.
Chair-man Mills Inc.
David & Margriet Dunlap
Enderlein Nurseries
George Sant & Sons Ltd.
Global Architectural Metals Inc.
Golden Rose Canada Inc.
ITML Horticultural Products Inc.
Just Me & Design Associates Ltd.
Konkle Farm & Greenhouses Ltd.
John McColl, Scotia McLeod
Mallet Millwork Inc.
Mehler Fashion Imports Inc.
Morrison Williams Investment Management Ltd.
PMA Landscape Architects
Rosenswig McRae Thorpe LLP
Ross Wemp Leasing Inc.
Royal LePage Signature Realty
Sanwell Nurseries Limited
Smith Nixon & Co. LLP Chartered Accountants
Subaru of Mississauga
George & Janet Wilson Special Gifts
Priscilla Brooks-Hill, Ralph Fernando, Gail Greenough, David Hawkey, Janet Karn, Northland Floral Inc., Elsie Playter, Tim & Frances Price, Robert & Sally Anne Sherwood
Gift-in-Kind Donors
a la Carte Kitchen Inc., Alfi,All Cover Portable Systems Inc., Stuart & Kate Bahen, Beacon Hall, Bell Canada, Blue Willow Garden & Landscape Design Centre, Michael & Sue Burns, Calcia Calcium, Dugald Cameron ofGardenimport.com, CanadianTire - Sheppard & Leslie, CanStage/Biagio, Conros Corporation, Hugh & Anne Coulson, Dalton Engineering & Construction Limited, Janet Davis, Paul DeCorso, Kathy & George Dembroski, George & Heather Dickson, Euan Dougal, Eagles Nest Golf Club, Elisabeth Legge Fine Antique Prints, Esther Farlinger, FiveO SevenAntiques, George Sant & Sons Ltd, David & Janet Greyson, Maggie Greyson, Phil Hardy, Hermes, HigginsTea, Horticultural Design, VK, David Kaiser, Michael Kluthe
Salon & Beauty Spa, Loblaws, Milan Wineries, Oak Ridges Food Market, Olay Total Effects, Ontario Paint & Wallpaper, Ridpath s Fine Furniture, SCOREGolf Magazine, Southbrook Winery, Sporting Life, The Paisley Garden Ltd.,ViaVerde Golf Committee Members
Sue Burns (chair), PeterCantley, Brenda Currie, George Dembroski, Heather Dickson, Esther Farlinger, Rick Gosine, Janet Greyson, John Powell, Penny Richards, Angie Rowan, JaniceTurner King, Stephanie Chiang, Leanne Hindmarch, Andrea MacIntyre
UIIeETENeNS
by Graham Curry ® PROGRAM & VOLUNTEER
AS A NEWYEARBEGINS, so does a new era for the TBG. It's been quite a ride this pastyear as the building underwent a beautiful renovation and expansion. And there is still much more to come as we turn our attention to the magnificent gardens thatwill surround the building. The addition of the gardens will bring new volunteer opportunities. Our horticultural manager, Cathie Cox, will be assembling a group of seasoned and willingvolunteer gardeners to help maintain the gardens alongside the full-time gardener who will join our small but growing staff.
Beginning this summer, TBG volunteer guides will include the new gardens on their tours. Itwill be exciting to show off our own botanical gardens to the public. But with this good news comes some sad news too. | would like to mention the passing offormer tour guide and Teaching Garden volunteer, Grant Hillson. He will be remembered fondly by both our volunteers and staff.
Don't forget that TBG members who are also volunteers receive an additional five dollars offthe members rate for courses. So don't let the winter
New for 2006
A crew ofToronto Master Gardeners joins horticulturist Cathie Cox to plant spring bulbs in the courtyard garden.
blues keep you at home join a fun and educational class, or take advantage of the many volunteer opportunities here at the TBG. You'll meet new friends and learn new skills.
As you look over our wintry grounds, you can envision our gardens of splendour. It s "Cheers to the New Year" and to our volunteers for all your past and future contributions. Let s make it the best one yet!@
BE A VOLUNTEER
e Expansion of theVolunteer Awards Program
e Volunteer Management Program with team resentatives who will serve on theVolunteer Committee. Team representatives will help strengthen staff-volunteer relationships (more about this in theVolunteer Newsletter)
e Skills-training opportunities, including computer training in the Library
e Creation of a volunteer lounge and workstations
Places just for volunteers to relax or work onTBG projects
e New aprons and badges
e Garden maintenance volunteer opportunities
Get Involved! Become a Volunteer
We need...
e administrative assistants
e information desk volunteers
e shop & library volunteers
e tour guides for
e weddings
e special events
e Edwards Gardens & our new gardens
e children s programs volunteers
Volunteer for these special events
e Get the Jump on Spring, February 18
e Canada Blooms, March 8 to 12
Detailed volunteer job descriptions are available online at www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca or contact Graham Curry, volunteer co-ordinator, at 416-397-4145 or volunteers@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
Caley Baker
Nature engages Thorncliffe Park students
A FLURRY OF QUESTIONS begins almost before the latest group of grade three students from Thorncliffe Park Public School climbs off the bus for their first visit to the Allan Gardens Children s Conservatory. I heard you're going to make us touch worms - is that true? And my friend said that you made them eat a plant and that it burnt their tongues! Will you make us eat it, too? Are we going to see monkeys in that jungle?
isn t part of their everyday urban lives dirt and worms, seeds and plants are new to them. It s not hard to gain a student s attention when you re introducing them to new things.
Nature itselfis enough to spark the curiosity ofkids like those who attend Thorncliffe Park
Their expectations and speculations have been shaped by stories told by fellow grade three students from Thorncliffe Park who have taken part in our programs in the past. The school has a long-standing friendship with the Teaching Garden. During the past few years, a number of the school s primary classes have received funding from the Leaside Garden Society to enable them to visit the Teaching Garden. Last summer, a bursary established due to the generous contributions of the Beach Garden & Horticultural Society and The Garden Club of Toronto made it possible for three Thorncliffe students to attend our Thyme Travellers nature day camp. And during each of the past two years every one of the school s eight grade three classes has attended the Growing in Greenhouses program.
With nearly 1,700 students from 47 different countries, Thorncliffe Park Public School is exceptional in some respects, but in other ways, its students typify many that visit the Children s Conservatory. Ninety-seven per cent of the students at Thorncliffe Park live in high-rise apartment buildings. Dorothy Cook, a teacher who has visited the Children s Conservatory during the last two years, says: My students all live in apartments. This program provided a visible, hands-on and enjoyable learning experience that I could not give them in the classroom. Nature
Many of the Thorncliffe Park grade three students write us letters of appreciation. Most are enthusiastic about their experience, even those who thought they wouldn t be. Hibba, a student in Ms Fietta s class, surprised herself with her interest in plants: Since I came to Allan Gardens | was most interested in plants. The first time I came I thought plants were boring but when I learned about it I got interested in it. I am looking forward to seeing my [plant] grow!
Though we strive to find ways to engage our visitors, what we teach does most of the work. Students love to discover that there are plants growing in treetops, that worms actually make soil and that there are spicy leaves that burn their tongues. Nature itself is enough to spark the curiosity of kids like those who attend Thorncliffe Park, who live in the city and whose daily experiences include concrete and tall buildings but not plants and soil. We ve seen it happen countless times at the Allan Gardens Children s Conservatory we don t need monkeys to keep these kids interested in learning. @
Register for March Break
March Break Nature Day Camps will take place in theToronto Botanical Garden s new Children s Centre from March 13 to 17, 2006. For more information on the Teaching Garden s recreational or school programs, call (416) 397-1355 or visit www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca
Fences, Railings & Gates
Two English Gardening Schoolprofessionals, RosemaryAlexander and Richard Sneesby, look at the underlying Structures in goodgarden design
Fences, railings or gates make the first
memorable impression of any property, affecting everyone who enters. Sharing many functions with freestanding brick, stone and earth walls, they define boundaries, control movement, modify the environment and give the garden structure, shape and proportion. In some significant ways they differ from walls, and it is these differences that tend to suggest their use, in preference, as the most appropriate form of barrier. Like walls, they are crucial in defining landscape and garden and are appreciated not only by the owners, but also by everyone in the area. As they set the scene for what lies within, much care should be given to their choice.
So which is a better choice, wall or fence? Walls tend to have permanence and stability, are better at retaining heat from solar radiation, but the materials and labour costs are more expensive. Fences are cheaper, quicker to erect, can be temporary, are better at providing shelter from the wind, can be almost transparent, while still providing security and support for climbing plants. Often the budget will force the decision, although other factors should be taken into account.
A well designed fence should not exist in isolation it should work in context with all other built elements, such as benches, tables and chairs, lighting, containers, arbours, paving, and walls. Decide whether your fencing should be dominant, as in Japanese gardens, or recessive, such as a foil for plant growth. For instance, a strong vertical pattern in slatted wood, vertical bars or even concrete is an effective contrast to the rounded outline shape of plants.
The design of your fences and railings should also be influenced by the local landscape. Rural and agricultural areas may have quite crude fences, made from simple split wood, barbed wire, or woven from twigs or coppiced canes in a random arrangement. In towns timber might be treated more formally, becoming rectangular or square in section, and put together into fences with straight frames and panels with an obvious pattern or rhythm. In nineteenth- and twentieth-century towns, where design becomes more self-conscious, metal fences and railings might be used, with careful attention to the detailing of joints, fixings and the shape of individual components becoming important.
The Maker'sGarden Man
Roserary Alexander * Richard Sneesby
Because fences are made from a variety of fairly small pieces, their individual and combined shape and size will necessitate working with subtle proportions, scale and rhythm. If the component parts are oversized, timber fences can appear clumsy. Beautifully elegant barriers, using the minimum of material, are possible in metal where the same size in timber might be prone to breakage, abuse and decay. Timber comes in straight sections and is useful for making straight lines. Metal can be bent, cast, twisted, welded and brazed to form intricate and complex shapes. Both timber and metal can be painted and surface textures manipulated. Metal is chosen for inherent characteristics of colour, texture, surface appearance and finish.
Fences and railings provide occasion to include interesting opening details, such as grilles, doors and windows, giving glimpses to another part of the garden or to a distant view. Doors imply secrecy and intrigue. Low sections of fence, below eye level, maintain protection plus greater visibility. Narrow gaps at the base of the fence allow animals unobtrusive access. Louvred timber panels or slats can provide clear visibility in one direction whilst totally screening another. Slatted fences are best for diffusing the wind, while solid fences create an eddy on the leeward side, the wind passing over and down to ground level again at high speed. Slatted fences can also provide some protection against the sun, giving an attractive dappled shadow.
All fences and railings, especially those that mark legal or neighbour boundaries, must conform to your local laws and codes. Always discuss your intentions with neighbours and get their agreement in writing. Check the regulations for height and rights to light and remember that, whilst your new fence might provide you with the desired privacy and shelter, your neighbour might be plunged into darkness.®
Reprinted with permission from The Garden Maker sManualby Rosemary Alexander andRichard Sneesby, published by TimberPress2005.
FRIENDS
OF 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 educate and provide the community with the most valuable and up-to-date information on gardening and horticulture.The following individuals made donations to the Friends Programfrom September 1 to October31, 2005.
DIRECTOR S CIRCLE FRIENDS ($140 - $299)
($2,500 +)
Sue Burns
Geoffrey & Susan Dyer
Barbara Mayer
SUSTAINING MEMBERS
Carol Bairstow
Mary Louise Dickson
Peter & Joy Gray-Donald
Anne Grinevicius
Marjorie Harris
($300-$599) ean Jol
Peter Cantley
Mark Hartley
Connie Hunter
Flavia Redelmeier
Dawn Scott
Nancy Sutherland
Jean Johnson
Viive:((Itt:sk
June Knudsen
Michael & Sonja Koerner
Linda Ledgett
Catherine Peer
Mary Simpson
Trudy Stacey
Deborah S.Vernon
Margo Welch
Get the Jump on Spring 2006
Saturday, February 18, 2006
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. FreeAdmission
Comeout ofhibernation andjoin usfor GettheJump on Spring, TheToronto Botanical Garden's annual horticultural open house.
* Meet horticultural societies and specialty groups from across Ontario
* Find advice on plantmaterial, flowers an general gardening techniques
* Free garden talks and demonstrations with gardening experts scheduledthroughout theday
For full schedule ofevents visit www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca
James Shirley HibberdA VICTORIAN GOOGLE?
Dawn Bazely & P. J. MacDougallexamine the works ofan author who popularizedgardening
Googling has become one of the main ways that many people obtain information today. Powerful Internet search engines give us unparalleled access to huge quantities of reliable information. The wide availability of high-quality digital cameras and scanners means that we also expect to see beautiful photographs on the Web. But this is not the first time that an expansion of access to information has spurred rapid change. There was the invention of the printing press but another example important to natural history and botany occurred during the Victorian Era when affordable, scientifically accurate and beautifully illustrated books on a large variety of topics became widely available.
James Shirley Hibberd (1825-1890), a British journalist and amateur horticulturalist, was the prolific author of a series of popular and practical gardening books, founding editor of the series, The Floral World and Garden Guide, and editor of Gardener s Magazine. His interests were exhaustive, covering the cultivation and appreciation of roses, ferns, ivy, seaweed, sponges, algae, wildflowers, vegetables, fruits, aquariums and indoor gardening with a range of titles that included The Town Garden:AManual for the Management of City and Suburban Gardens, RusticAdornmentsforHomes ofTaste and The Rambling Botanist.
Many of Hibberd s books were illustrated extensively with colour wood-engraved plates printed by Benjamin Fawcett, considered one of the best colour woodblock printers of the nineteenth century. It s easy to forget how astounding these detailed images must have appeared to the average Victorian in an age before television, photography and the Internet.
These affordable books helped to popularize gardening, botany and natural history among the
AucubaJaponica
Aureo-Maculata Tasconia buchanani
middle and lower classes. Prior to this, gardening had mainly been a pursuit of the aristocracy and the very wealthy who were able to hire armies of gardeners and landscape architects.
The library of Massey College in the University of Toronto holds a unique collection devoted to the History of the Book and the related arts of printing, papermaking, bookbinding and typography. Many of Hibberd s titles are found in the Ruari McLean Collection of nineteenth-century books, representative of the development of Victorian colour printing, illustration and publishers bindings. The two accompanying illustrations are from books in this special collection and show the high quality of these wood-engraved images as good as the highest pixel camera available today!
The TBG library holds a 1986 facsimile reprint ofHibberd s TheAmateur'sFlower Garden, originallypublished in 1871 by Groombridge & Sons.®
Dawn Bazely is a professor in York University s Biology Department. PJ. MacDougall is Assistant Librarian, Robertson Davies Library, Massey College, University ofToronto.
New Shop. New Look.
shop TBG for botanically inspired merchandise, from leaf-shaped glassware to 100-per-cent soy-based candles. shop TBG for the most current and diverse selection of horticultural and gardening books.
NEWBLOWOUTYEAR'S SALES
Winter hours, after January 6 Monday, Closed
Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
Closed December 24 through January 6
BOTANICAL SYMBOLISM INTHE ARTS
/The Pomegranate
Carol Gardnerexplores the myths and legends surrounding this ancientfruit
IF YOU DON'T LIKE weather, blame the pomegranate. According to an ancient Greek myth, Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter (goddess of the earth), was abducted by Hades to reign with him over the underworld. When Demeter learned of the abduction, she fell into a depression and refused to nourish the earth. Zeus, wanting a happier home life, eventually forced Hades to return Persephone, but not before Hades tempted her to eat several (some say it was four, some say six) pomegranate seeds. Each seed, he later told her, stood for a month each year that she would have to stay by his side. When Persephone returned home, the earth grew and flourished, but when she returned annually to the underworld, Demeter mourned, allowing the earth to become barren and die. So don t believe the silly tales spun by the weather "experts"; the real cause of winter is the seductiveness of the pomegranate.
Earthenware charger with pomegranate design, England, ¢.1650-70
Punica granatum is the fruit of a small tree that originated in the area stretching from Iran to northern India; it has been grown for thousands of years in the Mediterranean and is now found in many other parts of the world as well. It is believed to be the first fruit cultivated by the Phoenicians (circa 1500 BC) as well as one of the features of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (circa 600 BC). To ancient Persians, the pomegranate symbolized invincibility in battle. Ancient Egyptians made pomegranate wine and buried the fruit with their dead in the hopes that it would bring them rebirth. The pomegranate has been a continual symbol in Jewish art because the fruit s 613 seeds (don t bother to count them - the numbers vary!) reflect the
number of mitzvoth (commandments) in the Torah. But the strongest symbolism attributed to the pomegranate is of fertility and abundance. Many cultures to this day include the fruit in wedding celebrations.
The pomegranate image is a featured motif in ancient and modern art and architecture, china, textiles, pottery, ceramics, stained glass and even jewellery. It was often used on priests vestments and the columns of churches and was the primary image of the fifteenth-century Italian textile industry. The nineteenth-century British craftsman William Morris adopted the pomegranate theme for many of his designs.
But the pomegranate is not just a pretty face. Throughout the ages, it has been used to treat a wide variety of ailments, including leprosy, intestinal parasites, dysentery, bleeding gums and kidney stones. As a tribute to the fruit s long history of medicinal use, the British Medical Association chose the pomegranate as the logo for its Millennium Festival of Medicine. Present-day scientists have found that pomegranates contain high doses of antioxidants and are researching their use in the treatment of diseases such as arthritis, prostate cancer and heart disease.
So forget that winter thing, and learn to love the pomegranate an ancient fruit that may help us deal with a number of contemporary woes.®
Carol Gardner is an award-winning garden writer and a member ofthe Trellis Committee. [ o e e s s sen R e S e
Mix up a Pomtini
Combine equal amounts of citrus-infused vodka and pomegranate juice. Add ice and garnish with orange or lemon peel. Cheers!
Photo: Gardiner Museum, Toronto
SINCE ITWAS ESTABLISHED in 1885, Niagara Parks has grown to become North America s most completely maintained parks system, with 1,720 hectares of parkland and 56 kilometres of roadway and trails that run along the Niagara River. The Niagara Parks Commission was founded to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of the falls and the Niagara River corridor for the enjoyment of visitors, and to preserve and commemorate the historical, cultural and environmental significance of the corridor. The Commission operates its own police force, road maintenance and snow and garbage removal services.
The botanical gardens are open to visitors year round at no cost. Within the gardens visitors can explore a herb garden, vegetable garden, rock garden and a splendid arboretum, embracing one of Canada s finest collections of ornamental trees and shrubs.
The gardens are unusual in that they are maintained almost entirely by students of the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture. The school was established in 19306 (as the Training School for Apprentice Gardeners) to meet the growing need of the Niagara Parks Commission for skilled gardeners. Today the school s mission is to educate students in the art, mystery and science of horticulture while providing opportunities for visitor enjoyment, education, study and research . The school offers a three-year horticulture diploma program where students spend the first two full years living on site and working in the gardens. The day I visited, I was fascinated by the student s assignments which were on
/ Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens & School of Horticulture
By Leanne Hindmarch
display for example in the vegetable garden, students are graded on their choice of plants, the design of their patch, and how successfully they cared for the plants.
The newest visitor attraction within the Niagara Parks umbrella is the Butterfly Conservatory. One of North America s largest, it has been extremely popular with visitors who are fascinated by the lush exotic flora and exquisite butterflies. The conservatory, which is located adjacent to the botanical gardens and has an admission fee, offers a number of educational programs for children in kindergarten through grade 12. The popularity of the butterfly conservatory has boosted awareness of the botanical gardens and the work of the Niagara Parks Commission in general.
The Niagara Parks Commission is a great example of what can be done with co-operation and commitment. There is certainly a lot for plant lovers to see in Niagara Falls. The Commission maintains a number of other facilities; for example, there is a display greenhouse, a garden theatre, Queenston Heights Park and retreats such as Niagara Glen and Dufferin Islands. For a complete overview, visit Niagara Parks Nature and Gardens Web-site at www.niagaraparks.com/nature/index.php. At the very least, I highly recommend a visit to the botanical gardens and butterfly conservatory which are located at 2565 Niagara Parkway, nine kilometresnorthofthe Horseshoe FallsB
Leanne Hzndmarchis theTBGsLzbrarzan.
by Cathie Cox ® Manager, Horticultural Services
Trees and shrubs in the TBG
TO BE PRESENT at the birth ofa botanical garden is truly exciting! To see the gradual emergence of new buildings, gardens and a collection of beautiful plants, all from a morass of mud, is a thoroughly engaging experience.
Each tree or shrub chosen for the TBG has special merits and fits into the theme and purpose of the garden in which it grows. These plants have also been selected for their eyecatching foliage. For example, a variety of Japanese maples will be planted in the ericaceous soil of the sheltered Garden Hall Courtyard, along with other acid-tolerant shrubs and perennials. Among the Japanese maples to be planted in this area are Acer palmatum Inaba Shidare , a mushroom-shaped cultivar with finely divided dark wine-red leaves, and Acer p. Sango-kaku , a specimen with striking fiery coral red branches in winter and golden foliage in the fall. You'll also see Acerp. f. linearilobum, Acer p. Osakazuki and Acer shirasawanum Aureum , a small shrubby tree with rounded lobed golden foliage that turns a striking orange-tinted gold in fall. This courtyard will also hold a small collection of mountain laurels, Kalmia, a genus of mainly evergreen native North American shrubs that prefer the same conditions as rhododendrons and Pieris, which will also be planted here. Look for Kalmia latifolia var. alba with its pink buds that open to white flowers as well as Clementine Churchill with its rich deep pink flowers and buds. Also planted in this area are cultivars of Pieris japonica, a tender evergreen
shrub noted for its colourful new foliage and racemes of long-lived flowers. Some of the cultivars that you ll see growing in this garden include Mountain Fire with its vivid red and brownish buds and white flowers reminiscent of lily-of-the-valley, Shojo with blackish red buds that open to deep pinkish red, and Brouwer s Beauty with its purple-red buds that open to white.
Evergreens are important for their all-season beauty. In the Show Garden, there will be a collection of slow-growing and dwarf pines, false cypress, junipers, spruce, cedars and other evergreens. One of the most striking is Pinus thunbergii Oculus-draconis , the dragon s eye pine, which features deep green leaves marked with two strong bands of yellow. Also planted in this garden is the umbrella pine, Sciadopitys verticillata, a slow-growing medium-sized conifer with peeling reddish brown bark and fused pairs of glossy rich green leaves arranged in dense whorls like the spokes of an umbrella.
Another feature of the Show Garden is the collection of berry- and fruit-bearing shrubs chosen to provide splashes of fall and winter colour as well as food for the birds and other wildlife. One of these is Callicarpa or beautyberry, a medium-sized shrub noted for its conspicuous violet or lilac fruits and showy fall foliage. Three cultivars will be used in this garden: Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii Profusion , with bronzepurple new foliage and dense clusters of violet berries; and the slightly smaller C. dichotoma
Issai and Early Amethyst , both with bright purple berries.
Trees and shrubs with colourful foliage are also used as accent plants in the perennial beds of the Water Garden. Sambucus nigra Black Lace debuted at the Chelsea Flower Show. It has deep purple-black finely dissected foliage with fragrant trusses of creamy pink flowers and reddish black berries. Sambucus nigra Black Beauty is similar with black-purple foliage, while Sambucus racemosa Sutherland Gold is a golden cutleaf elder. Pyrus salicifolia Pendula , the willowleaf pear, is a small silver-leafed tree that adds a graceful Mediterranean air to this area.
The Nature Garden features two habitats: the Boreal or Canadian Shield area with outcrops of rock and sandy acid soils; and a transitional section of alkaline soil that s more shaded and sheltered. Native trees and shrubs chosen for this garden provide shelter and food for birds and small mammals. Sassafras albidum is a distinctive medium-sized tree with leaves that look like one- or two-fingered mittens. In the fall it produces blue-black berries on red stems and the foliage turns brilliant orange and scarlet. The Alleghany serviceberry, Amelanchier laevis, is a shrub-like native tree with distinctive bark and profuse fragrant white blossoms. Rich yellowand red-tinted foliage and red berry-like fruits make this tree a showstopper in the fall. A variety of blueberries, bilberry, native honeysuckles and the fragrant currant, Ribes odoratum, will also be planted here. A contorted white pine, Pinus strobus Contorta , with its curious form and twisted branches and needles, will be strategically planted to suggest the windswept landscape of the Boreal Shield. A mass of flowering eastern redbuds, Cercis canadensis and C. canadensis f. alba will bring spring to the Nature Garden. Together with these are some prima donnas that deserve to stand alone. One of them is Gleditsia triacanthos Rubylace honey locust, a slow-growing, thornless tree with glossy red new foliage that darkens to bronze.
On the west bank of the Terrace Garden, which forms a sculptural boundary between the car park and the Knot and Water Gardens, will stand a Katsura tree, Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Red Fox (syn. Rotfuchs ). This Japanese native has heart-shaped reddish brown leaves that, come fall, form a mass of shimmering amber and apricot hearts with the aroma of caramel. There ll also be an Oxydendrum arboreum, or sourwood, another ornamental tree that is rarely seen locally. Gracefully pyramidal, pendulous racemes of white flowers cover the tree in July, and the showy lustrous leathery green foliage turns brilliant scarlet in fall.
The courtyards at the TBG can provide protection for slightly tender trees and shrubs that are susceptible to frost and wind damage. The innovative Floral Hall Courtyard uses contemporary architectural elements within elegantly enclosed walls that perfectly shelter a Stewartia pseudocamellia. This tree is famed for its pure white large single camellia-like flowers and for its eye-catching peeling and colourful bark. It shares the space with a Manchurian cherry, Prunus maackii, a rare small tree with attractive brown flaking bark and racemes ofwhite flowers.
These are just a few of the many interesting, beautiful and useful trees and shrubs that you can look forward to seeing in our new gardens. Many will be planted in the spring of 2006, some of the harder-to-find items will be planted as the year progresses, and we might have to wait until next fall to obtain the truly rare specimens.
Botanical gardens are growing, changing and living museums of plant life and I look forward to seeing what lies ahead for the TBG. One of my favourite trees is Magnolia Elizabeth ; a small conical tree with large primrose-yellow fragrant flowers, which will be planted in the Show Garden. This tree was raised and selected at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and is named for the director, Elizabeth Scholz. The possibilities of our botanical garden are limitless.®
The Toronto Botanical Garden would like to thank Sheridan Nurseries and Bill and Valerie Stensson for their extremely generous donation of trees and shrubs for the new gardens. Special thanks go to Linda Podzorski for her patience and hard work in sourcingandassembling these plants.
SEED EXCHANGE 2006
Don t be disappointed orderyour seeds beforeJanuary 20
THANKS TO the generosity of this year s donors, there is a wide variety of seeds available. Our donors (whose codes appear at the end of entries) include Katy Anderson ANDE, Merle Burston BURS, Cathie Cox COX, Sonia Day DAY, Susan Dolbey DOLB, Ruth Garnett GARN, Eleanor Heinz HEIN, Vivien Jenkinson JENK, Anna Leggatt LEGG, Alan Millikin MILL, Gayle Olsson OLSS, Jacqueline Pilote PILO.
Seeds are listed alphabetically by botanical name, followed by common name in parentheses, then plant type coded as follows: AN annu-
12. Amsonia sp. (Blue star) PER blue 50cm; like A. tabernaemontana but with shiny lvs LEGG
13. Amsonia tabernaemontana (Blue star) PER blue 80cm; early flowering DOLB
14. Anchusa leptophy!llasubsp. incana (Bugloss) AN blue 20cm,; brilliant azure, self-sows, half hardy, deadhead ANDE
al, BI biennial, BU bulb, HERB herb, PER perennial, GR grass, SH shrub, VEG vegetable and VI vine. A brief description includes flower colour, height and distinguishing characteristics as supplied by the donors.
Some plants mayhybridize and maynot grow as expected, especially named varieties. We cannot guarantee that all seeds are true to name. Only limited quantities of some selections are available.
Please keep this list for reference when you order as your seed packets will be numbered but not named.
15. Anemone narcissiflorasubsp. biarmiensis(Windflower) PER pale yellow 25cm; nice large flwr, sun PILO
16. Anemone sylvestris (Windflower) PER white 40cm; good naturalizer PILO
136. Salvia argentea (Silver sage) Bl white 90cm; wonderful woolly white lvs GARN
137. Salvia coccinea Coral Nymph (Texas sage) AN coral 60cm; long bloom summer-fall on slender, open terminal spikes ANDE
138. Salvia coccinea Lady in Red (Texas sage) AN red 3560cm; long bloom summer-fall on slender, open terminal spikes ANDE, HEIN
139. Salvia glutinosa (Jupiter s distaff) PER yellow 90cm; sticky buds, shade DOLB
140. Salvia transsylvanica (Sage) PER blue 60cm; flwrs all summer, one of the best LEGG
W T G S W S O
141. Scilla scilloides (Chinese scilla) BU mauve 20cm; late flowering LEGG
142. Sorghastrum nutans (Indian grass) PER green 100cm; wonderful gold sheen, Essex County LEGG
143. Symphyandra hofmanniiBl white 40cm; campanulalike flwrs DOLB
144. Tagetes erecta (Marigold) AN 30-40cm; double MILL
145. Tagetes Signet Group (Marigold) AN orange 90cm; antique marigolds, small orange flwrs, orange-scented DAY
146. Thermopsis villosa (Carolina lupin) PER yellow 30150cm; long tap root, sun to part shade GARN
147. Tithonia Torch (Mexican sunflower) Bl orange 1.5m; brilliant orange in late summer, mine grow to 2m BURS
148. Tithonia rotundifolia (Mexican sunflower) AN 1.5m; brilliant orange flwrs late summer to autumn ANDE
149. Unknown Crepuscule (Noisette rose?) PER blue 125cm GARN
150. UnknownVI 3m; covered with mini-green lanterns, conversation piece GARN
151. Veronicastrum virginicum Album (Culver s root) PER white 1.5m; elegant DOLB
152. Zinnia (Zinnia) AN purple-red 100-130cm; June to Sept HEIN
153. Zinnia pumila (Zinnia) AN mix 90cm; old-fashioned zinnias, red, orange, shocking pink DAY
2006 SEED EXCHANGE ORDER FORM.
Orders are filled in the order received, with donors getting first choice.You may order
NAME (PLEASE PRINT) up to 20 packets of seed. Please write the numbers clearly in the boxes at left in
ADDRESS ascending numerical order. To have the seeds shipped, send the form along with a qry
POSTAL CODE SASElargeenoughtoholdyourorderanda $6cheque (payableto theToronto Botanical
TELEPHONE MEMBERSHIP# Garden) for handling. Ifyou plan to pick up your seeds, send the form with a selfaddressed envelope large enough to hold yourorderand a $6chequeforhandling.
by Anna Leggatt
LIATRIS SPICATA 1S AN easy-to-grow, versatile perennial that is native along the eastern part of North America, from Ontario to Florida, and into the mid-west.
Its common name is gayfeather or blazing star. Plants grow from a tuft of long, narrow, midgreen, grassy leaves that are about 15 centimetres (six inches) long. In July, a spike appears, growing to as much as 150 centimetres (five feet) tall, though mine grow only to about 90 centimetres (three feet). The stalk is covered with leaves which diminish in length towards the flowering part.
The narrow flowering spike is about three centimetres (one inch) wide and can grow up to 50 centimetres (20 inches) long. By mid-July purple-pink flowers begin to open at the tip of the spike, followed by others below them. This is an unusual flowering habit as most plants flower from the bottom upwards, such as snapdragons or gladioli. Blooms last through to August and sometimes September. The flowers ofLiatris attract bees and butterflies,.and in the fall, birds love the ripening seeds.
In late September and October the spike takes on a fuzzy appearance because the developing seeds have a tuft of protruding hairs. The seeds are too heavy for the tuft to carry them far in the wind, so most of them drop beside the plant, and a few will self-seed and germinate a year later.
Hardy to Zone 4, Liatris spicata grows well in dry beds, even though it prefers moist places when it grows in the wild on prairies. This characteristic makes Liatris an excellent choice for water-wise xeriscape gardens. It prefers full sun, with well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Do not over fertilize. Good companion plants for Liatris include Rudbeckia, Monarda and Echinacea. Gayfeather brings colour to the fall garden when the leaves turn an attractive plum colour, and its spiky blooms make excellent cut flowers.
To grow Liatris from seeds, sprinkle them in a pot filled with a sterile peat-based mix. Place the pot in a shady place and keep the soil moist. If sown in 20006, seedlings should appear in the spring of2007. Plants mayalso be propagated by dividing the fleshy tuberous roots in the spring.
Look for cultivars such as Kobold , which is a shorter form of the species, and grows only to about 40 centimetres (16 inches) high. There is also a white form and one that is violet-coloured as well as a blue form that I've heard about but haven t seen growing.
Easy to grow and long blooming, Liatris makes a great plant for the late season garden. Liatris seeds are available from this year s Seed Exchange Pleasesee page 18
Anna Leggatt isaMaster Gardener Who Work.s tirelessly on the TBG Seed Exchange each year.
lllustration: Jocelyn Mann
To
M Expert advice from the Master Gardeners |
Q This spring, I'd like to plant a small tree that blooms but produces no fruit and will grow in my clay soil. Would the Japanese cherry tree Prunus Kanzan be appropriate?
A Although you can plant Prunus Kanzan in clay, it does not like sitting in waterlogged soil. To ensure good drainage in clay soil, which retains water more readily than sandy soil, plant the tree on higher ground or in a raised bed. Alternatively, you could plant an ivory silk lilac tree (Syringa reticulata lvory Silk ), which will tolerate tough conditions, instead of the Kanzan cherry.
Cherry and Ivory Silk Lilac in flower
Q My indoor jasmine plant bloomed in November. How do I ensure it will bloom again?
flowers. It has grown and continues to produce new leaves but no flowers. How do I get it to re-bloom?
A There are two kinds of houseplants commonly known as zebra plants. One has very ornamental foliage and is known in the horticultural world as Calathea. The other genus is called Aphelandra. The several species of this genus have striped foliage (like a zebra) and produce bright yellow flower spikes. From your description, | think that this is the one that you have. The most common form of this plant is Aphelandra squarrosa.
If the leaves on your plant are healthy, you are doing a good job of taking care of it, because the most common problem with these plants is leaf drop due to temperatures that are too cool for its liking (below 18°C/65°F) or roots that are either too dry or too moist.To encourage a zebra plant to bloom, it needs three things:
1. A rest period after blooming. This means watering sparingly right after it flowers and over the winter months.
2. Once the blooms have finished, cut back the flowering stem.
A Water the plant sparingly during the winter months. In early spring, cut back the stems that have flowered and place the pot in a bright window where it will receive direct sunlight three to four hours daily. When it starts to grow, water freely and apply a low-nitrogen liguid fertilizer formulated for indoor plants.
(J.mesny)
Qi purchased a zebra plant over a year ago. It was in full bloom with beautiful yellow
3. Provide lots of light (but not direct sunlight) and fertilize regularly while in active growth.
Doyouhavea questionaboutgardening?Contactthe Toronto Master Gardeners Info Line at 416-3971345 or log on to www.torontomastergardeners.ca andAskaMasterGardener!
Kanzan
llustrations: Vivienne Jenkinson
Jasmine
A new year, a new library
THE TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN' S WESTON FAMILY LIBRARY has been open for business and is in full swing. Ifyou haven tvisited us yet, here are some ofthe newfeatures ofthe Library.
e More space. The library is double its previous size. This means enhanced services and more space for everyone: staff, volunteers and you, the users of the Library.
* More computers & wireless Internet. Our four new public workstations each have Internet access. With them you can use our extensive directory of gardening Web links and our collection of searchable databases on CD-ROM. We also hope to offer wireless Internet access in 2000, which will enable you to use your laptop computer in the Library.
* More shelving. We are fortunate that the new Library space is entirely outfitted with new shelves, providing almost double the book storage capacity of the old Library.
* More working and reading space. A new reading room is located in a bright area near the glass doors which look out onto the Library garden. There are two tables as well as several easy chairs for leisurely reading.
® More family-friendly. The children s area has been expanded and redesigned so that books are on low shelves, making it easier for kids to reach them, and we also have kid-sized furniture. The children s education programs being offered by the newindoorJames Boyd Children s Centre will also use the Library.
® More dynamic Library Web site. Our Web site will list lots of great gardening links as well as new books that have arrived in the Library each week. Call or e-mail us from home to reserve your copy ofanyofthese books. Check out the Web site www.torontobotanicalgarden/library.htm on a regular basis!
Most importantly, the library has a newvision. The TBG has always been a horticultural hub, a term which brings to mind motion, change and
participation. The Library aims to become a reflection ofthese images and the hub ofinformation for the entire TBG community. We want you to think of us first as the place to go for answers.
However, we do not intend to become something that those ofyou who love our Library will not recognize. In her history of The Civic Garden Centre, Elizabeth Bryce notes that the library was intended to be "everyman s horticultural library". This emphatically will not change. The Library s collection, focusing on gardening and horticultural material, is unique in Canada and we plan to keep it that way.
LIBRARY SERVICES
e THE LATEST GARDENING TITLES. Lots of new titles published during 2005 are readyfor borrowing come in and check them out! Materials may be signed out byTBG members.
e ANSWERS TO GARDENING QUESTIONS. Your gardening and horticultural questions will be answered either by our knowledgeable staff and volunteers, or by our great group of Toronto Master Gardeners. You'll find their office right inside the Library.
e SEARCHTHE COLLECTION ONLINE. Search both our book catalogue and our database of periodical articles on our Web site.
RESERVES. Reserve items either by phone (416-397-1343) or by e-mail. (Note our new address: library@torontobotanicalgarden.ca.)
e PHOTOCOPYING AND PRINTING. Both are available for a small fee. Colour and black and white printing are available.
e PAYMENT METHODS. We can now accept cheques, VISA and Mastercard for book sales and fines above $10.
LIBRARY HOURS
January through March 2006 Monday, closed Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday & Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
GET THE JUMP ON SPRING 2006
Limber upyourgreen thumb, says Stephanie Chiang, at the TBG s annual horticultural open house
IT S TIME TO COME OUT of hibernation and start thinking of next season s garden. Get the Jump on Spring, the Toronto Botanical Garden s annual horticultural open house, offers a head start on planning your warm weather activities with advice on plant material, flowers and general gardening techniques.
Start your day by visiting the exhibitors area where you ll meet the many horticultural societies and specialty groups from across Ontario. Whether you have a Zen for bonsai or delight in dahlias you ll find a wealth of information here.
Pop into the Weston Family Library, one of the best horticultural libraries in the province, and browse the shelves. While you're here, find answers to your gardening questions from the Toronto Master Gardeners, volunteers who are skilled and proficient gardeners. They ll be on hand to offer advice on plants and other gardening topics.
Drop by the newly created Children s Centre, home to a unique collection of live plants and animals, preserved specimens, models, digital microscopes and interactive computer games that allow children to discover the natural world around them. Children from age three to 10, when accompanied by an adult, can take part in a variety of fun, hands-on activities at nature stations set up for the day.
Upstairs in the studios, special guest speakers will provide information on planning your city or cottage garden, the season s hottest plants, new and unusual vegetables, trees for small gardens and a host of other topics. Floral demonstrations will be taking place too, and experts will be sharing their tips on floral design techniques and materials.
As you stroll downstairs, don t forget to visit our newly renovated and beautiful TBG Shop for the latest in gardening gifts and books. Be one of the first to purchase tickets to the TBG s Through the Garden Gate tour, which will be on
Fsale in the shop. You ll want to browse our selection of gardening books too. They offer lots of inspiration and ideas for the coming season.
Fuel up during the daywith coffee and a snack at the on-site café hosted by a la Carte Kitchen Inc. and wander through the vendor area where you ll find everything from heirloom seeds to unique pots for sale.
Limber up your green thumb with information, new products and gardening advice from African violets to xeriscape gardening at Get the Jump on Spring. Bring your friends and family to this great gardening event. @
GET THE JUMP ON SPRING
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2006 10A.M.TO 4 PM.
Free parking and admission
Full schedule of events at www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca
Edwards Lectures 2006
Bold and Brilliant: Speakers and Master Classes
IN CELEBRATION of the revitalization of the Toronto Botanical Garden, we have assembled a series of lectures by top garden designers and horticulturists. These world-class speakers will help you design a new garden or makeover an
SpeAker: Tim Wood
Topic: Trends in Flowering Shrubs
WHEN: Wednesday, February 1, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Floral Hall
TIM WOOD searches the globe for new plants for Spring Meadow Nursery. He s here to let you know what he s discovered and explain how new breeding and developments in shrubs are changing our perceptions and the way we garden. No longer just foundation plants, new flowering shrubs are moving to the front of the gar-
existing one and guide you in selecting the right plant for the right place.
New this year! We are offering master classes with leading landscape designers and teacherswho will help you create a plan for your own garden.
den and garden centre. Come and see what s new and why flowering shrubs are changing the way we garden.
Tim Wood is first and foremost a plantsman. At Spring Meadow Nursery, he has the enviable task of travelling the world to hunt for new and commercially promising plants. He holds two horticulture degrees from Michigan State and has spent over ten years in public horticulture. He has also co-authored three books.
Free to TBG members; public $15. Limited seating.
Garden Design Doubles
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, FLORAL HALL
FIRST SPEAKER: Julie Moir Messervy
Toric: Outside the Not So Big House: Creating the Landscape of Home
TiME: 7 p.m. sharp
JOIN ONE OF TODAY' S top leaders in landscape design as she removes the traditional design barriers between the home and its surroundings to produce a unified design the landscape of home. Julie s groundbreaking approach, as featured in her new book Outside the Not So BigHouse, explores ways to embrace the habitat of home, compose journeys, link the inside to the outdoors and extend the presence of home into the landscape.
Julie Moir Messervy is an acclaimed landscape designer, author and lecturer with an inspired vision for creating outdoor sanctuaries. Recipient of the American Horticultural Society s 2005 Great American Gardeners Award for Landscape Design, she has studied with the eminent Japanese garden master, Kinsaku Nakane, and collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma and the City of Toronto to create the Toronto Music Garden.
SECOND SPEAKER: Rosemary Alexander
Topric: Colour in the Garden TiME: 8:30 p.m.
ROSEMARY ALEXANDER looks at garden design using an artist s approach to colour, including understanding and using the colour wheel as a tool to select plants for hot, cool, contrasting and monochromatic effects.
Founder and principal of The English Gardening School at the Chelsea Physic Garden, Rosemary Alexander is keenly interested in the school s distance learning students. She also writes and lectures worldwide and is the author of several landscape design books, including The Essential Garden Design Workbook. She also created the Old World garden at the National Trust s Stoneacre property in Kent. Double lecture free to TBG members; non-members $25. Limited seating. Copies of Fine Gardeningwill be given to early arrivals.
Master Class
Toric: Designing Colour Borders
INSTRUCTOR: Rosemary Alexander
WHEN: Thursday, February 23 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A SUCCESSFUL BORDER is harmonious with the basic structure, colours and design ofyour garden. Under the guidance of the founder of The English Gardening School, participants in this interactive workshop will learn how to design a garden with beautiful plant groups and colourful borders. The morning will begin with an introductory lecture illustrated with slides, followed by a demonstration in garden design. Participantswill then design and complete their projects by incorporating colour combinations, form, texture andvertical and horizontal planes. The day will end with a question-and-answer session. Please bring a notebook, pencil, ruler and photographs of your proposed garden area.
Maximum of30 people: to register, call 416397-1340. TBG members $250, non-members $280 (includes a boxed lunch and beverages)
Book REVIEW
Outside the Not So Big House: Creating the Landscape ofHome
THIS BOOK IS NOTABOUT landscaping or gardening in and of itself, but rather it s about the integration of the residential landscape with the home. Based on the premise that the exterior surroundings of a house are just as important as its interior, the authors have concluded that a smaller and better designed house is the first step towards achieving this goal, which will enable us to enjoy both inside and outside spaces more completely. Collaboration on what constitutes good landscaping and good architectural design is the key.
Containing over 300 colour photographs and drawings, this book is a veritable dictionary of ideas to help readers understand their surroundings in a whole new way. Porches, balconies, screened rooms, arbours, gardens and pools can be attached to the house and still remain part of the outdoors.The authors also point out that buildings, terraces, decks, arbours, walls, fences and paths look better with plantings, climbers, groundcovers and such that soften their edges so that all elements fit together more readily. In other words, the landscape of a home includes the views and vistas, the walkways and entrances that make you feel as if your home grew right up on the site.
The authors, landscape designer Julie Moir Messervy and architect Sarah Susanka, are well known in their respective fields. Messervy designed theToronto Music Garden in collaboration withYo-Yo Ma, while Susanka s writings revolutionized residential architecture and have been featured on the Oprah Winfrey show.
Reviewed byMadge Bruce
Eveats Galendar
I=5"> gll What's on atthe Toronto Botanical Garden|
JANUARY
Toronto Judging Centre of the American Orchid Society
Judging, Studio 1, 1 p.m.
Open to the public
Information: www.s00s.ca 8
Southern Ontario Orchid Society
Meeting, Floral Hall, 12:30 p.m.
Information: www.so0s.ca 9
Toronto Bonsai Society
Meeting, Garden Hall, 7 p.m.
Information: www.torontobonsai.org 10
North Toronto Horticultural Society
Speaker: Jack Radecki
Topic: The trees of Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Studios 1, 2, 3, 8 p.m.
Information: 416-488-3368
Southern Ontario Orchid Society
Newcomers meeting
Topic: Cattleya, Dendrobium Boardroom, 7 p.m.
Information: www.so0s.ca 15
Ontario Rock Garden Society
Meeting, Floral Hall, 1:30 p.m.
Information: www.onrockgarden.com 22
Ontario Water Garden Society
Meeting, Studio 1, noon
Information: www.onwatergarden.com
Toronto Region Rhododendron & Horticultural Society
Meeting, Studio 3, 2 p.m.
Information: www.onrhodos.com
FEBRUARY
Edwards Lecture
Speaker: Tim Wood
Topic: Trends in flowering shrubs
Floral Hall, 7:30 p.m.
TBG members free; public $15.
Limited seating. 4
Toronto Judging Centre of the American Orchid Society
Judging, Studio 1, 1 p.m.
Open to the public
Information: www.soos.ca
S
Southern Ontario Orchid Society
Meeting, Garden Hall, 12:30 p.m.
Information: www.soos.ca
Ontario Rock Garden Society
Speaker: Bobby Ward
Topic: Modern day plant hunter
Floral Hall, 1:30 p.m.
Information: www.onrockgarden.com
11-12
Southern Ontario Orchid Society
Show & Sale
10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Information: www.soos.ca
Toronto Bonsai Society
Meeting, Garden Hall, 7 p.m.
Information: www.torontobonsai.org
14
North Toronto Horticultural Society
Speaker: Rosemary Dobson
Topic: The joy of houseplants
Studios 1, 2, 3, 8 p.m.
Information: 416-488-3368
18
Get the Jump on Spring
TBG horticultural open house
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Free admission
Information: www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca
19
Geranium, Pelargonium & Fuchsia Society Meeting, Garden Hall, 1 p.m.
Information: 416-281-6399
20
Mycological Society of Toronto Meeting, Garden Hall, 7 p.m.
Information: www.myctor.org
21
Landscape Ontario
Landscape Lecture Series 2006
Speakers: Janet Rosenberg, Randy Tumber Floral Hall, 7 p.m.
Information: www.landscapeontario.com
22
Edwards Double Lecture
First Speaker: Julie Moir Messervy
Topic: Outside the not so big house: creating the landscape of home
Second Speaker: Rosemary Alexander
Topic: Colour in the garden Floral Hall, 7 p.m. sharp TBG members free; public $30. Limited seating.
23
Master Class
Topic: Designing colour borders Instructor: Rosemary Alexander Studios 1, 2, 3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Members $250; non-members $280; (includes a boxed lunch and beverages) Maximum 30 participants.
To register: 416-397-1340
26
Ontario Hosta Society Meeting, Garden Hall
Information: www.ontariohostasociety.com
Ontario Water Garden Society Meeting, Studio 1, noon
Information: www.onwatergarden.com
SCHEDULES CAN CHANGE AFTER PRESS TIME BE SURE TO CHECK AHEAD.
Through the Garden Gate 2006 Toronto Islands
Our 19th annual Through the Garden Gate tour journeys across the lake via ferry to visit the private gardens of artists and plant lovers on the Toronto Islands.
Saturday, June 17 & Sunday, June 18, 2006 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Please note the new time!)
Public $40 / Members $35
Admission includes the return ferry ride to the islands and a shuttle bus to visit The Franklin Children's Garden.
For more information visit www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca or call the events hotline at 416-397-1371.
CLASSIFIED ADS
Calling all Gardeners Marjorie Mason s Personalised Garden Tours
July 1 to 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,
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
Japan &Thailand,April 19, 2006 for two weeks. Join us on our inaugural tour, featuring visits to gardens in Kyoto and Tokyo and to Bangkok and Chiang Mai inThailand with an optional stop-over in Hong Kong. Your tour host is Master Gardener Lorraine Flanigan. Call the TBG events hotline at 416-397-1371 or Conference WorldTours at 416-221-6411.
