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 Botanical Garden offers many programs and services, ar-roundactivities for families« Our cultural has over 8,000 books,periodicals, and alargecollection of clippings, pamphlets,
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: From May 1: Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
shop TBG: From May 1: Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 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: info@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
nursery and seed catalogues as well as a great selection of children s gardening books. Horticultural Information Services offers free gardening information year-round, and Shop TBG has manyunique gifts, books and gardening supplies for sale. The Teaching Garden has been created as a working garden to foster interest and educate people in the love and values of gardening and the natural world. As well, the TBG has a wide variety of banquet halls, meeting rooms and show space, with access to Edwards Gardens, one of Toronto s favourite garden spots.
3 Patrons
HONORARY PATRON: Adrienne Clarkson
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 Program Co-ordinator Graham Curry
Special Events Supervisor Stephanie Chiang
Special Events Assistant Joanna Verano Manager, Horticulture Cathie Cox
Taxonomic Assistant Amanda King Manager, shopTBG Brad Keeling
Director of Development
Fundraising Assistant
Melanie Gaertner
Sarah Durnan
Children s Programs Supervisor Tobin Day
Children s Programs Co-ordinator Caley Baker
Facility Sales Co-ordinator
Maintenance Supervisor
Maintenance Officers
Kristin Campbell
Walter Morassutti
Alvin Allen, Jack Speranza
Volunteer Co-ordinator Evelyn Liesner
Librarian
Receptionists
Leanne Hindmarch
Nancy Kostoff
Tanya Ziat
Lorraine Flanigan
DESIGN
June Amierson
TRELLISCOMMI]TEE
Lorraine Hunter (chalr), Lorraine Flanigan (editor), Carol Luke,| Marion Magee, JennyRhodenizerVOLUNTEER
EDITORIALASSISTANT
T. Coombes, M. Magee
VOLUNTEER
| GRAPHICDESIGNER
JenniferCapretta
VOLUNTEERPROOFREADERS
|M. Bruce,J. Campbell, L. Hickey,J. McCluskey, ADVERTISING
| 416-397-1351
PrintedhyHarmonyPrinting on recycledpa;ier
Renovation
Arrival courtyard and entry walk
Volunteer News
Spring a new beginning
Children s Programs What's for dinner?
Horticultural News
Designing aworld class entry garden and courtyard
Plant Portrait
Phormium, an architectural beauty
Expert advice from the Master Gardeners
Library News
New and fresh ideas
CD Review
Plant Propagation
Trellis is published six times a year as a members newsletter by the Toronto BotanicalGarden at ~Edwards Gardens. 777Lawrence AvenueEast,Toronto, Ontario M3C 1P2,416-397-1340.
Manuscrlp:asubmittedanavoluntary basisare gratefullyreceived. No remuneration is possible. Articles, manuscripts and advertising materialmustbereceivedbythe first ofthemonth to ensure publi-| cation eight weeks later. For example, material for the July/August2006, issue must be *receivedbyMay5,2006.
Opinions expressed inTrellis do not necessarily reflect those of the TBG. Submissions may be edited
w All rights merved Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited wlthout written permission.
- by Geoffrey Dyer ® PRESIDENT
Welcoming an honorary patron
n behalfofthe Toronto Botanical Garden s Oboard of directors, I am thrilled to announce that the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, former Governor General of Canada, has agreed to be Honorary Patron ofthe Toronto Botanical Garden. Ms. Clarkson s accomplishments and credentials are outstanding and renowned. What may be lesser known is her keen interest in gardening and horticulture and her recognition of their importance in the quality of life. She is excited about the fact that Toronto will have a botanical garden of its own.
She is particularly pleased that it is located within Edwards Gardens where she was a frequent visitor with her mother, who was an active member of the Southern Ontario Orchid Society. From our early discussions, I expect Ms. Clarkson to make an enthusiastic and creative contribution to the implementation of the vision of the TBG and its strategic plans for the future. We feel exceptionally privileged that she has chosen the TBG as a focus of her wish to further an already massive contribution to public life and the Canadian community.
The One Off, the Brilliant Christo
hristopher Lloyd died on CFriday January 27, 2006. As a friend of the TBG, my wife Susan and I came to know him well. When he last lectured at the Civic Garden Centre, together with his head gardener, botanical muse and surrogate son, Fergus Garrett, Christopher was 80, and they both stayed at our home. The visit (and friendship) began with a healthy dose of late night scotch. At eight the next morning, Christopher stood at the kitchen door, journal in hand, ready to embark on a tour of our garden (a moment of great trepidation for us).
As the relationship developed, I assisted in planning some of his personal affairs, particularly the creation of the Great Dixter Charitable Trust, of which I am
a trustee. The Trust is now in place and has assumed Christopher s interest in Great Dixter with a view to carrying on the traditions he so soundly established.
Crusty and highly critical if he didn tlikeyou, or ifhe didn t like your garden, Christopher pulled no punches. But his heart and mind were open, and he was innovative, curious and adventurous. He encouraged risk-taking in the garden: he would advise you to do what you want and try it to see if you will like it . He defied convention, perhaps the first to do so in the long tradition of British gardening. But he was also a creature of habit: god forbid that a log be placed incorrectly on the fire. He was a scholar and wit who loved a
good laugh and good cheer with his many friends, usually accompanied by good food and plentiful drink.
Christopher lived in the present. He was not a sentimentalist. He accepted his lot in life, no matter what difficulty or pain beset him. Although the last year of his life was difficult, he never complained. Through the Great Dixter Charitable Trust, Christopher s inspiration will live on. To that extent he will not be missed Dixter will always be his Dixter. GeoffreyDyer
For information about the Great Dixter Charitable Trust and its fundraising program, Friends of Great Dixter, visit www.greatdixter.co.uk or contact friends@greatdixter.co.uk.
by Jenny Rhodenizer
Arrival Courtyard and Entry Garden Walk
The Garden Club ofToronto s Gift to the Toronto Botanical Garden
he Garden Club ! of Toronto has a long history of philanthropy and making Toronto a more beautiful place to live. This dynamic group is a founder ofThe Civic Garden Centre and Canada Blooms, and it has built and restored numerous gardens including those at Casa Loma, Spadina House and Black Creek Pioneer Village as well as TBG s own Teaching Garden. In addition to making its home at the Toronto Botanical Garden, the Garden Club is a long-time financial supporter and advocate for the Toronto Botanical Garden and its projects.
Illustration courtesy Martin Wade Landscape Architects in collaboration with Piet Oudolf
Its most recent endeavour will soon transform the entrance of the George and Kathy Dembroski Centre for Horticulture. Under its direction, and with proceeds from Canada Blooms and other fundraising efforts, the Garden Club of Toronto has employed Martin Wade Landscape Architects, in collaboration with internationally renowned Dutch plantsman Piet Oudolf, to design the entranceway of the Toronto Botanical Garden.
Recently named one of the top ten landscape designers in Canada by the National Post, Martin Wade Landscape Architects has gained a reputation for pushing the boundaries of design through an innovative use of non-traditional materials, and for creating dynamic spaces, whether for large country estates or intimate
balcony gardens. The firm s award-winning approach artfully links interior and exterior spaces, creating a visual flow that is calming and a pleasure to inhabit.
Piet Oudolf is a native of Holland and founder ofNewWave planting, a movement which takes inspiration from nature but employs artistic skill in creating planting schemes. As a plantsman, his aim is to emphasize the form, texture and natural harmony of plants, and as a skilled plant breeder, he creates new varieties for these and other specific design purposes.
The Garden Club ofToronto s gift encompasses two areas. The first is the Arrival Courtyard, a multi-functional space that will serve as the central gathering area and entrance to the building and gardens. The second is the Entry Garden Walk, which brings a sense of occasion to the visitor s passage from parking and pedestrian access points, while providing comfortable places to sit and view the surrounding gardens. The planting of these gardens will take place in June, when Piet Oudolf will be on site to oversee their installation. (See p. 20 for more about these gardens.)
To make the most of Piet Oudolf s presence here, the Garden Club of Toronto has arranged two exciting events on June 15. The TBG thanks the Garden Club of Toronto and its members for their boundless dedication and vision.
Breakfast with Piet Oudolf
The Garden Club ofToronto presents a breakfast conversation with Piet Oudolf, moderated by Charlie Dobbin, for professionals and avid gardeners. Topics include: the impact of Oudolf s New Wave planting movement; the various horticultural traditions from which he has drawn his approach to design such as the combination of Dutch formality and naturalistic planting styles; his role in reintroducing the use of herbaceous perennial plantings into public parks and gardens; and the differences and similarities between landscape architecture and garden design in relation to plant knowledge. A tour of the new entrance gardens with Piet Oudolf and Martin Wade follows this session.
DATE: Thursday, June 15
TIME: breakfast session: 7:45 to 8:45 a.m.; guided garden tour: 8:45 to 9:15 a.m.
PLACE: Toronto Botanical Garden FEE: $50 (includes session, breakfast and tour). Tickets available online at www.canadablooms.com and at shopTBG.
Hands-On Planting Design
Workshop with Piet Oudolf
Don t miss this rare opportunity for hands-on design instruction from Piet Oudolf. Geared for the professional and avid gardener, this intensive three-hour session includes an introduction to Oudolf s approach and use of herbaceous perennials, grasses and woody plant material. Participants will then learn how to apply his New Wave planting techniques by developing individual planting designs using one of three base plans: a residential city lot, a country property or a public garden (with theTBG entry garden as the model). Workshop size is limited to allow for one-on-one contact with Piet Oudolf. Refreshments provided.
DATE: Thursday, June 15
TIME: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
PLACE:Toronto Botanical Garden FEE: $175. Register online at www.canadablooms.com or at shop TBG. Early registration is recommended as there is a limit of 25 participants.
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 theTBG 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 Program from December 14, 2005 to February 28, 2006.
DIRECTOR S CIRCLE Shari Ezyk
($2,500+)
Jill Farrow
Lindsay Dale-Harris & Patricia Gawen
Rupert Field-Marsham
Christine & Paul Hughes
Michael & Vivienne Wiggan
BENEFACTOR
($1,000 - $2,499)
Donalda Kelk
Margaret & Earl La Berge
Susan Loube
Susan Lue
Philip Maude & Marjorie Shu
SUSTAINING MEMBERS
($300 - $599)
Mary McDougall Maude
Michael McClelland
Carolyne Miki & Anonymous Adrienne Novak
Susan & Mike Dolbey
Mary & Jim Fisher
Irene Gish
Myint & Jay Gillespie
Helen Kearns
HelenThibodeau
Judy Weeks
Robert Nowe
Gisele Quesnel-Oke
Constance Fuller Quick
Jane Reynolds
Edwin Rose
Janet Rowley
Ronald Shaw
FRIENDS ($140 - $299) Jean Sinclair
Anonymous (2)
Susan Sisam
Jeanne Banka & Tom Sparling
Nickolas Kamula
M. H. Brooke
Joan Carruthers
Sonia Day
Elizabeth Stewart
Martin Wade
Trudy Wright
CONGRATULATIONS! GRADUATES
5:YEARS L0 YEARS
Barbara Anderson
Katy Anderson
Pat Anderson
Shari Ezyk
Sue Martin
Diane Savage
Carol Bairstow 15 YEARS
I8 ek Charmiene Montgomery
Linda Fischer
Dawn Bell
Eleanor Ward
Ellen Eyman
DIIBERENS
£ = Spring a new beginning
AT THE TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN,
this spring truly is a new beginning as the gardens surrounding our renovated building begin to take form with the help of our many volunteer gardeners. Some are familiar faces to the TBG while others are just learning about our wonderful organization.
Their activities are certainly catching the eye of the public who are returning to stroll through Edwards Gardens. With approximately 15 to 20 volunteers each day helping maintain the new gardens and the Teaching Garden, our volunteer gardeners will be in the spotlight all spring and summer. The TBG anticipates that our maintenance crew will create quite a stir. Don t be surprised when you visit the TBG to see them happily watering, mulching and weeding in the gardens while curious visitors stand in small groups to watch, pointing and asking questions about the plants and maintenance techniques. Cathie Cox hopes that volunteer gardeners will soon number in the hundreds that will certainly be our largest group of volunteers yet!
These volunteers come from all backgrounds - some with professional landscaping experience, and others with the accumulated experience of trial and error in their own home gardens. The TBG cannot express how deeply we appreciate
Grant Filson
Former tour guide and TBG volunteer, Grant Filson, passed away on October 17, 2005, at age 85. He was father to four children, and had seven grandchildrenandthree great-grandchildren. Donations in his honour may be made to the Terry Fox Foundation.
Our sincerest apologies for incorrectly spelling his name as Hillson in the last issue of 7rellis.
the efforts of all our volunteers. We truly are supported by the daily, weekly and monthly contributions of time and knowledge that keep our standards high, our programs the very best, and our gardens the showpiece of Toronto.®
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
® Through the Garden Gate
Don t miss out onThrough the Garden Gate on theToronto Islands, Saturday and Sunday, June 17 and 18.Volunteers are needed for a variety of tasks including setup, admissions, hosts, ice cream sales and takedown. The ferry ride is complimentary on the day you volunteer. ®Tour guides:TBG Gardens, Edwards Gardens, Toronto Music Garden, Allan Gardens
®shopTBG
®Children s Programs: summer camp assistants, Halloween Howl planning group
®Administrative and program preparation assistants
®Garden maintenance
To inquire about any of these positions, please contact Graham Curry at 416-397-4145 or volunteers@torontobotanicalgarden.ca.
Children'sPrograms
by Tobin Day ® SUPERVISOR, CHILDREN S EDUCATION
ON COLD WINTRY DAYS,
the James Boyd Children s Centre offers visitors a cozy green oasis. In this new indoor space we can offer a wider range of teaching programs, such as the one on the new carnivorous plant collection which fascinates young participants.
Purchasing carnivorous plants before the new building s opening last December was surprisingly challengingas most suppliers stop shippingtropicals when it s cold. I was lucky to findJocelyn Bertrand, owner of Beaver Valley Orchids, who selected plants for our terrarium and braved the snowy weather one Friday night to deliver the newest members of our growing plant collection. We now have two varieties of sundew, a butterwort, and two types ofNepenthes or tropical pitcher plants.
The Grade 3 Plant Pandemonium program allows students to observe these plants and try to predict how each one catches insects. While many students guess correctly that the sundew and butterwort have sticky leaves that trap bugs in the same way as flypaper, the lid of the Nepenthes pitcher looks deceptively like part of a Venus flytrap, which tricks students into thinking that it catches bugs in the same way. After making their deductions, the students complete a sequencing activity developed by TBG volunteer and art teacher Huda Siksek. Students are shown six images ofeach plant capturing a meal, and six captions, each describing one of the drawings. Children must match each image to a caption and place them in the correct order. By doing so, children learn that the pitcher plant catches food by luring ants with a sweet nectar. The ant drinks the nectar and slips into the pitcher, and the slippery walls of the pitcher make it difficult for the ant to crawl back out.
We have also been able to incorporate technology into the programs in our new space, including three digital microscopes designed for elementary students. These microscopes connect to the computer in the Children s Centre where children
can see live worm specimens wriggling on the screen. Seeing worm poo inside a worm presents a whole new way of seeing compost!
If you know children who would enjoy meeting our plants and worms and using our new technological toys, consider signing them up for one of our upcoming summer camps which take place outdoors in the Teaching Garden and indoors at the James Boyd Children s Centre. @
lllustration: Huda Siksek
Through the Garden Gate
Carol Gardnertelis tales ofToronto Island where the 19th annual garden tourpromises a weekend ofgarden gazingand exploration.
This year s Through the Garden Gate tour Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe to build the town here in the 1790s. His wife, Elizabeth, a painter and naturalist, quickly fell in love with the peninsula, visiting it often by birchbark canoe.
will be a special treat for gardenerstwelve exquisite gardens lovingly planted and tended by their owners as well as almost as many walk-by gardens, a ferry ride and a day spent on beautiful Toronto Island. As if that weren t enough, you ll be able to explore the new Franklin Children s Garden (inspired by books about Franklin the turtle), lunch at the Queen City Yacht Club, take a tour of the Algonquin wilderness area and check out the Island s fascinating archives. What betterwayto spend Father s Day weekend?
Torontonians often think of the Island as a lovely peaceful place to relax and escape from the stresses of life. Its history, however, hasn t always been tranquil: storms, ghosts, sporting legends and boating tragedies all form part of the Island s colourful past.
The island was originally a peninsula formed by sand blown in from the Scarborough Bluffs. A violent storm in 1858 submerged the neck of the peninsula, creating an island, which formed a single unit until 1958 when Hurricane Hazel splintered it. The eighteenth-centurytown ofYork owed its founding largely to this peninsula, which sheltered a harbour strategic enough to entice
Much to the amusement of European colleagues, the governor named the western tip of the peninsula Gibraltar Point. Completed in 1809, the nearby lighthouse is the oldest landmark in Toronto. The first lighthouse keeper, J.P. Rademuller, was brutally murdered in 1815, supposedly by soldiers from Fort York, when he refused tocontinue sharinghis bootlegliquorwith them. Rademuller is said to haunt the spot still.
Two of the earliest known settlers were David Ward and John Hanlan (or Hanlon). Both were fishermen, but they were certainly not the first to ply this trade on the island for Mohawks, Hurons, Iroquois, Senecas, Chippewas and Mississaugas had long fished here for salmon, pickerel, bass and sturgeon.
John Hanlan, an Irish immigrant, brought his young family to live on the eastern end of the island around 1855, but about ten years later storms forced him to move to the western tip, now known as Hanlan s Point. Sometime in the mid-1860s Hanlan built the first of his hotels overlooking the beach. It was his young son,
Photo: Stephanie Chiang
Ned, who became a championship rower, winning over 300 races around the world.
David Ward and his family had settled on the island in the early days as well, but the first mention of note was when tragedy befell the young family in 1862. Ward s 15-year-old son William took his five younger sisters for a cruise on the bay, against the advice of his father. There was an accident, and all of the little girls drowned. Shortly after, the Wards moved to the centre of the Island, adjacent to the area that is now known as Ward s Pond.
In 1867, the Island was transferred from the federal government to the CityofToronto, became divided into lots, and cottages, hotels and amusement areas were constructed. Many Torontonians set up camp sites where theyspent theirvacations.
In 1894, the Toronto Ferry Company built an amusement park, which was demolished to make way for the Island Airport in 1937. At the same time, thirty-one homes were floated down from Hanlan s to Sunfish Island (later named Algonquin), and the city built a bridge to connect Algonquin to Ward s Island.
By 1937 there were 130 cottages on Ward s, and by the time World War II broke out, no campsites were permitted. A wartime housing crisis was responsible for the Island becoming a year-round community. Cottages were winterized and people settled in. But in the mid-1950s the new Metro Toronto Council decided that the Island should be made exclusively parkland and ordered all the buildings demolished as leases came due. By 1968 many businesses and all the homes along the Lakeshore had been destroyed.
Only homes on Ward s and Algonquin islands survived. Their residents fought for their homes for many years until the Toronto Islands Stewardship Act of 1993 essentially gave Islanders title to their homes and 99-year leases for the publicly owned lots on which they stand.
The Island now has 262 homes. Many of the residents have a long history here: almost 40 per cent of the adult population has lived on the Island for 35 years or more and 67 per cent have lived on the Island for 20 years or more.
The Island has long been a haven for gardeners lured by the tranquil lifestyle, the mesmerizing
views and the abundance of native plants. But there are challenges too the wind, sandy soil and the cottony fluff emitted by the Island s poplars can discourage all but the seasoned gardener. Nevertheless, the Island gardens are a delight. The gardeners who live here seem blessed with both creativity and determination not surprising when you realize that the Island is home to many artists, writers and naturalists. You will see their artistry in the combinations of textures and colours, unusual plant choices, inspired garden ornaments and imaginative structures, including all manner of natural and man-made trellises, tree houses and even Torii gates (usually found at the entry to Shinto shrines in Japan). As usual, the Toronto Master Gardeners will be on hand in each garden to answer questions.
This year s tour takes place on Saturday, June 17, and Sunday, June 18, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This, our 19th Through the Garden Gate tour, is one that will gladden your heart, give flight to your spirit and awaken the artist within. Purchase tickets online at torontobotanical garden.ca or at shop TBG and selected nurseries and gardening shops in Toronto.®
Carol Gardner is an award-winning garden writer and a member ofthe Trellis Committee.
THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE ON THE ISLANDS
Saturday, June 17 & Sunday, June 18 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
TBG members $35; public $40
Admission includes ferry ride to the Island, shuttle to the Franklin Children s Garden on Centre Island, a map and descriptive booklet.
Tickets available online at torontobotanicalgarden.ca and from shopTBG; Blossoms Rosedale; PlantWorld; Sheridan Nurseries(Yonge Street);ViaVerde
Tickets are limited, purchase yours early to avoid disappointment.
Working with Dry Shade
In this excerptfrom Making the Most of Shade, LarryHodgson offers solutionsforgardening in dry conditions.
ecause shady conditions
B naturally reduce evaporation (water evaporates most quickly from sites in full sun) you d think dry shade would be an oxymoron. However, several factors can combine to make your shade garden fairly dry or even very dry. In fact, dry shade is probably the most common problem shade gardeners complain about.
Top on the list of factors leading to dry gardening conditions in shady spots is root competition. The very trees that cause shade in the first place have first dibs on the water as well and can thoroughly dry out soil, even in climates that are naturally cool and moist. Some soils, notably sandy and stony ones, though, are naturally very well-drained and tend to be dry: Water simply flows right through them. In leafy shade, there are actually two sets of plants sharing the same root space: the trees above, and the ornamental plants below. Because they both need water, you are essentially watering for two.
The most obvious solution for dry shade is to plant drought-resistant, shade-tolerant plants, like liriopes (Liriope spp.) and lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis). Add moisture-retentive soils and amendments when planting (organic matter is inevitably moisture-retentive, so any effort to improve the soil with compost, peat moss, or similar materials will also improve its capacity to hold moisture). Mulches do a wonderful job of reducing soil evaporation and should be considered an absolute necessity under dry conditions.
All efforts toward reducing moisture needs in the garden are called xeriscaping: landscaping with water conservation in mind. Even drought-resistant plants, though, do need some water. In fact, freshly planted ones need lots of it plants become truly drought-resistant onlywhen they are well rooted. It s not unusual to see drought-resistant plants still struggling to survive years after theywere planted because theywere never given the chance to develop a good root system. So no matter what you plant, expect to do quite a bit ofwatering the first year! During that time, you ll need to water as needed to keep the soil evenly moist: once aweekduring rainless periods, possibly even more frequently. Water thoroughly, making sure that, ideally, the top foot (30 cm) of soil is thoroughlymoist. Not only does deep watering ensure that the new plants get all the water they need, even at the lower level of their roots, but tree roots will not grow back as quickly or aggressively if they are well watered. It's during times of drought stress that trees develop the numerous shallow roots that are such an annoyance to gardeners. If you choose the proper plants for your growing conditions and water well at first, the watering needs of the garden should drop off considerably the followingyears. In most cases, watering will be needed only during periods of drought.
One way of helping keep freshly installed plants moist is to form an irrigation well. A 2- to 3-inch (4- to 8-cm) mound of soil around the
plant will create a basin that can be filled with water and allowed to drain slowly. The water applied will largely go to the plant that needs it instead ofspreading throughout the garden. This is a common practice when planting trees and shrubs, but it can be applied to any kind ofplanting. You can remove the well (just even out the soil with a rake) after the first year under most conditions, but leave it in place in spots where drought will always be a problem.
Slopes present a particular problem when it comes to moisture water tends to flow right down them without sinking in and the steeper the slope, the drier the soil will tend to be. Moisture-retentive soils will help considerably, as will mulching, but mulches are easilywashed off steep slopes. After you apply a mulch to a slope, water thoroughly. Moist mulch has better holding power than dry mulch, and moisture stimulates the development of beneficial fungi whose mycelia (spreading underground rootlike structures) will help hold the mulch in place. Consider terracing extreme slopes this will not only reduce erosion but ensure much better water retention. If you use a soaker hose on a slope, run it parallel to the slope rather than up and down. The hose is subject to the effect of gravity, and water will naturally seep out most heavily at the lowest point of the hose and least abundantly at the top.
Remember that if the middle and top of a slope are often very dry, its base is usually fairly moist, as the water that runs off the slope ends up there. Consider planting spreading plants at the base of the slope, where it s moist,
rather than at the top or in the middle, where it s constantly dry. They ll crawl in every direction, even up the slope, providing green, low-maintenance cover even in an otherwise difficult spot. Municipalities often have watering restrictions that have to be respected and if you re using a well, you re very aware that water is a precious commodity not to be wasted
so learn to water established plants as little as possible. Again, mulching is an excellent way of reducing watering needs, and using droughtresistant plants in dry shade should be a nobrainer, but learn to find other sources of water for the garden than that coming from pipes. The old-fashioned rain barrel that catches runoff from the roof has always been a good source of water that you can use at will. Where seasonal drought is a recurring problem, consider installing a pond to retain water during periods of abundance to be used when you need it. Good gardeners are water-wise gardeners!@
Reprinted with permissionfrom Rodale Inc.
SPOTLIGHT ON Franklin Children s Garden
MaryFran McQuade finds lots to explore in this Toronto Island nature park.
ALWAYS A MAGICAL PLACE,
the Toronto Island have a new area to stimulate kids curiosity. It s the Franklin Children s Garden, inspired by Franklin the Turtle, the Canadian storybook character created by author Paulette Bourgeois and illustrator Brenda Clark. The four-and-a-half acre site combines an adventure playground with learning activities focusing on nature and reading. Everything is child-sized and wheelchair accessible (even the treehouse!).
Hills and hiding places
A pair of iron gates, ornamented with friendly creepy-crawlies, lead to the park s six sections:
1. Pine Grove, where handsome bronze figures of Franklin and his buddy, Bear, welcome visitors.
2. Unilever Snail Trail, spiralling up a hill to the highest point on the Island with panoramic views of the landscape and the lake.
3. Hide and Seek Garden where a tunnel planted with vines provides natural hiding places beneath an elevated treehouse (accessible by ramps).
4. Turtle Pond where young visitors can spot real turtles and other wetland plants, birds, insects and animals, with interpretive information posted nearby.
5. Kids Can Press Little Sprouts Garden where gardening activities take centre stage. Raised beds let kids experience the magic of growing plants, and a fountain made of watering cans invites dips on hot days.
6. TD Storybook Place, a quiet, sheltered amphitheatre offering readings and performances for big and little audience members.
Bronze
sculptures | e ofFranklin created by artist Ruth
Summer activities
The garden is open year-round. This year, activities are scheduled forJune, July and August. Lastyear s events featured afternoon readings and performances, a roving artist-in-residence, aJunior Sprouts drop-in program, adventures to different areas of the garden and twilight story time. Admission is free, thanks to Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation; TD Bank Financial Group; Canscaip (Canadian Society ofChildren s Authors, Illustrators and Performers) and the Toronto Arts Council.@
Mary Fran McQuade is a garden writer with a special lovefor turtles.
GARDEN GATE: TORONTO ISLANDS
19TH ANNUAL WALKING TOUR - WARD'S AND ALGONQUIN ISLAND PRIVATE GARDENS
Take theferry across the harbour to discover theprivategardengems ofartists andplant lovers.
SATURDAY, JUNE 17 & SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 2006
3k NEW TIME: 11 AM. - 4 P.M.
DEPART FROM FERRY DOCKS AT FOOT OF BAY STREET.
One DayPass includes: Ferry Ticket, Comprehensive Garden Guide, ComplimentaryTransportation to New Franklin Children's Garden on Centre Island, Guided EcologyTours, IslandArchives and Exclusive access to Queen CityYacht Club for Lunch.
PUBLIC $40 / TBG MEMBERS $35
(TICKETS ARE LIMITED, ADVANCE PURCHASE RECOMMENDED)
For more information call the Toronto Botanical Garden, 416-397-1340 oby itSortaortof @ TORONTO Ecos@_ BOTANICAL GARDEN
ANNUALS SALE
May 18 to 21
Thursday to Saturday, 9.30 a.m.to 5 p.m. Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
EXCITING ANNUALS
Love-lies-bleeding *Velvet Curtains
@ Ornamental pepper 'Black Pearl
Ornamental millet Purple Majesty
@ Alternanthera *Grenadine and Purple Knight
Sweet potato vine Sweet Caroline Light Green and Sweet Heart
@® Gazania Red Shades and Pink Shades
Easy Wave petunia Rosy Dawn
TBG members receive 10 per cent off purchases over $10 Toronto Master Gardeners on hand to give advice
Perennials Sale
May 4 to 7
Thursday to Saturday Gelamiodpm.
Sunday
noon to 4 p.m.
MEMBERS ONLY PERENNIALS
PREVIEW NIGHT WITH MARION JARVIE WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 7 TO 9:30 PM.
$10, lecture followed by pre-sale shopping You'll have the first chance to buy those hard-to-find perennials!
Registration: 416-397-1362
TBG members receive 10 per cent off purchases over $10 Toronto Master Gardeners on hand to give advice
BENEHTS OF Community Gardening
Jannette Porterfinds communitygardens sprouting in Toronto neighbourhoods.
n a road just off gritty Parliament Street in Cabbagetown, something wonderful has happened. As the neighbourhood watched, a neglected piece of land that seemed able to create only garbage has produced shrubs, evergreens and perennials. This is the Prospect Street Community Garden where colour and life have emerged through the efforts of a group of interested residents.
Community gardens like this one are sprouting all over the city. There are community gardens in schoolyards and churchyards, at community centres and on rooftops. They can be found from Etobicoke to Scarborough, from the waterfront to North York. Many can be found on city land; in fact Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation oversees more than 100 community gardens, comprising over 2,500 plots.
Unlike allotment gardens, in which a seasonal fee entitles you to an individual plot, in community gardens you participate with others in making decisions about the garden. Community gardens
can be set up so thatmembers share the work and the harvest, or members can cultivate an individual plot while growing some crops communally.
There are many benefits to community gardening, including getting to know your neighbours and sharing gardening advice. For apartment dwellers or for gardeners with shady lots, this may be the only way to have a garden. Community gardens can also provide a supplemental source of fresh food for people on fixed incomes.
FoodShare can help locate a community garden near you or provide advice on starting one on private land. Ifyou would like to start a community garden on city (public) land, the city of Toronto publishes the Community Garden Toolkit, which walks you through the steps ofthe Community Garden Application and Implementation Processes.
Before starting a community garden, consider the site carefully. It should be located conveniently nearby and in a sunny spot veggies do best with at least six hours of sun daily with accessibility to water. If it s in a city park, be sure the location won' t interfere with other park activities such as sports (you don t want to be retrieving soccer balls from your dahlias). Apartment dwellers might consider approaching their building s management to see if space can be allocated for a community garden. If they encounter resistance, successful community gardeners have found that the best way to overcome this is to involve the decision-makers in the project and to offer them some of the harvest.
A good example of how one community garden was formed and has evolved is Riverdale Meadow
STARTING A COMMUNITY GARDEN
TheToronto Community Garden Network and FoodShareToronto have produced several flyers and a community gardening manual entitled HowDoes Our Garden Grow?The groups also conduct a five-part workshop, which runs from Januaryto March. Itfills up early, so call to register no later than December.To order publications or inquire about the workshop, call the Community Gardening Line
416-392-1668 or e-mail tcgn@foodshare.net.
Community Garden, which started in the mid1990s with only four or five gardeners. The garden became a new home for the plants that were displaced when Ecology House in the Annex was disbanded. A suitable site was found on a nearby school property, and the group enlisted the assistance of a school trustee and the school s principal.
Today, group members have come and gone, but the garden thrives, covering the hillside with 25 individual plots plus communal areas. Members are free to plant what they like in their own plots, so in various gardens you ll see vegetables, perennials, shrubs, native and non-native plants while strawberries and raspberries can be found in the communal areas. The members have established a set of guidelines, which include paying a nominal yearly fee, planting gardens by a certain date each spring and participating in seasonal cleanups and working bees to keep their plots and the areas around them tidy and weeded.
The bounty that comes from this garden has helped non-members too. Local residents without access to composting facilities bring their kitchen scraps to be composted in the garden, and in 2004 one of the members donated 95 pounds of fresh vegetables to local food programs via the Plant a Row, Grow a Row program. These community gardeners have discovered the benefits of forming other partnerships too: veggie scraps from The Big Carrot and manure from Riverdale Farm are used in the composter, buckets have been donated by Fermentations, and the group has received a grant from the Toronto Heart Health Partnership.
While [ was visiting Germany a fewyears ago, friends took me to a community garden that covered an entire hillside. The abundance of flowers and vegetables was astounding. Small homemade sheds stood here and there, and
gardeners would spend the day, even making themselves cups of tea! While I don t know of any community gardens in Toronto with power sources for tea-making, I can certainly see the attraction of spending as much time as possible in the midst of beautiful gardens.
There are plenty of community gardens here in Toronto that you can visit. The Alex Wilson Community Garden (Richmond St. W. at Portland) stands on land, offering gardening space, art and agatheringplace. PreservingOur Health Community Garden at Dundas and Bathurst streets operates a greenhouse, a children s program and a worm composting project. Other community gardens include the Sunshine Garden at 1001 Queen St. W., which runs a market of organically grown food, and the Moss Park Community Kitchen Garden. Both of these have been formed by partnerships between various community organizations.
With the social and environmental benefits of participating in a community garden come personal benefits too, including the pride in knowing that, through their ingenuity, community gardeners have transformed wastelands of debris into flowering oases. @
The Community Gardens Toolkit is available from the City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division, Community Gardens Program. Call the Community Gardens Coordinator at 416-392-7800 or visit www.toronto.ca/parks/programs/community.htm.
The people I contacted at these organizations were warm, knowledgeable and encouraging.
Jannette Porter is a garden writerand landscape designer who lives in Toronto.
Makes sense. Makes sense.
Makes sense.
Makes sense.
Makes sense.
Everything about Scotts EcoSense makes sense. When it comes to your family and to your environment, every little bit counts. With Scotts® EcoSense)' you can continue to do your bit. And still have a beautiful lawn and garden to show for it. Go to www.scottsecosense.ca to find out more.
® used under license by Scotts Canada Limited. " Registered Trademark, used under license by Scotts Canada Limited.
Twig to This Handmade Fence Idea
Springpruning? MaryFran McQuade _ has a great ideafor weavingyoung branches into decorative edging.
oven-twig fences look charming in casual cottage garden settings. But these rustic wattle fences serve a practical purpose too. They 're great for outlining new plantings and useful in keeping puppies and other young creatures from romping through the pansies. The twig fence doesn t have to be tall or strong a low visible barrier is often enough to deter little feet. English garden magazines advertise ready-made twig fences (often called hurdles), but they re easy to make and can be a relaxing project for the home gardener. Here s how to do it.
The twigs
The quantity and size of twigs to use depends on the size of your fence you ll need more of them, and longer and thicker ones, if the fence is waist high; a low edging for a flower border requires fewer, shorter and thinner ones. The uprights (sturdy vertical twigs that support the structure) can be fashioned of any durable seasoned wood. Twigs for horizontal weaving (called whips) should be green and pliable. Willow branches are traditionally used, but rose canes (stripped of their thorns), fruit tree trimmings and forsythia, lilac or spirea twigs also work well. Red and yellow dogwood stems are lovely too.
Materials
® Twigs for uprights: 2.5 centimetres (one inch) in diameter, and as long as the height of your fence plus 20 to 25 centimetres (8 to 10 inches)
® [ots of whippy twigs for weaving, about 1.25 centimetres (1/2 inch) in diameter and at least one metre (three feet) long
® Secateurs or loppers
® Sharp knife (for trimming knobbly bumps left when a branch is pruned off another)
® Gloves
® Rubber mallet (to bang sticks into the ground)
Assembly
1. Trim and sharpen the ends of each upright. Working at the site where the fence will stand, drive the uprights one at a time into the ground to a depth of about 20 to 25 centimetres (8 to 10 inches). For a low fence of 30 centimetres (12 inches) or so in height, space them at 20-centimetre (eightinch) intervals.
2. When all uprights are in place, begin weaving at the base of the fence by holding the thicker end of a whippy twig and weaving the slender end in front of the first upright and then behind the next, alternating as you go along the row of uprights.
3. When you come to the end of a whip, overlap it with the thick end of a new whip and continue weaving. (Leave about five centimetres (two inches) of overlap on both pieces.)
4. Continue in this way until you ve completely finished weaving one row, then begin the next. If the first row s whip started infront ofthe upright, begin the second row s whip behind the upright.
5. Try not to add new whips in the same spot in each row to avoid seeing a bunch of stubs that stick out in the same place.
6. Finish the top rows of the fence with the longest, most regularly shaped whips to give it a clean, smooth effect.
7. Use loppers or secateurs to trim any stubs that stick out. Don t overdo it you need some leeway so the twigs don t pop out of place. @
MaryFran McQuade is a garden writer who, like herdog, enjoysplayingwith twigs in hergarden.
lllustration: Vivien Jenkinson
by Cathie Cox ® Manager, Horticultural Services
Designing a world class entry garden and courtyard
DUTCH
GARDEN DESIGNER
Piet Oudolf is well known for his public planting projects and as a leader of the New Perennials or New Wave planting movement in garden design. Feted in Britain for his many works there, he is chiefly known in North America for the design of the Gardens of Remembrance in New York City and for the Lurie Garden in Chicago s Millennium Park. Oudolf s first Canadian project will be the Entry Garden Walk and Arrival Courtyard at the Toronto Botanical Garden, a collaboration with Martin Wade Landscape Architects under the direction of the Garden Club of Toronto.
Oudolf has developed a unique and contemporary planting style inspired by nature and plant ecologyand dependent on the structure and form of perennials, grasses and sculpted hedges. His chief influences have been Karl Foerster who pioneered the naturalistic gardening style and Mien Ruys who blended planting skills with innovative garden design. Instead of following the traditional English style of colour themes, Oudolf feels that colour is an exciting extra and that the form and the structure of plants are key to the design.
Horticulturally complex, his gardens evoke nature and create many seasons of interest through a primary focus on the shape and juxtaposition of plants. In an Oudolfgarden, perennials and grasses are massed together in drifts to create repetition and rhythm. At the TBG, Oudolf has designed a naturalistic landscape based on a painstaking selection of hardy and sustainable plants. Perennials, vines, flowering shrubs, trees and ornamental grasses have been woven into a shimmering moving tapestry. Constantly swaying, rippling grasses attract the eye, envelopingvisitors and enticing them to stay and watch the interplay of light, colour and texture. Mounding perennials such as coneflowers (Echinacea), stonecrops
(Sedum), Joe Pye weed (Eupatorium) and grasses are offset by groups of spiky, spired and plumed perennials like foxgloves (Digitalis), mulleins (Verbascum), fleeceflowers (Persicaria) and meadow rues (Thalictrum) that provide sculptural and architectural elements. In Oudulf s gardens visitors are encouraged toappreciate the everevolving, growing and maturing plants throughout the seasons.
The soft and swaying organic shapes of the plants in the Entry Garden Walkway are sharply contrasted with the clean lines of the innovative sculptured hedges that dominate the Arrival Courtyard. The use of architectural hedges as a counterpoint to the flowing lines of his sophisticated meadow planting style is characteristic of an Oudolf design. On arrival at the TBG, visitors will see a unique series of muscular, sculpted living hedges of beech (Fagus sylvatica) interplanted with cornelian cherry (Cornus mas). Their geometrically rigid shape complements the prominent angular roofline of our building and provides a dramatic entranceway. Each hedge is wrapped in a sculptural metal cage, which provides a strong contrast to the seasonally evolving life of the beech and cornelian cherry trapped within: spring flowers, unfurling foliage, ripe fruits and, to end the season, crisp and browned dead leaves.
Many of the perennials used in this garden are new introductions and selections that have undergone trials in the Oudolfs nursery in the Netherlands. These have been sourced in Europe and NorthAmerica and then grown here by Valleybrook Gardens.
The Entry Garden Walkway and Arrival Courtyard promises to deliver what many visitors hope to experience when they visit a botanical garden: innovation, stimulation, plants that educate and inspire and a constantly changing palette that invites you to return again and again.@
THE NIAGARA FLOWER GARDEN.
SHOW
VISIONS FROM THE GARDEN - ONTARIO'S OUTDOOR +> GARDEN SHOW JUNE 9,10,11 200
Friday and Saturday 9am - bpm
Sunday 10am - 5pm
Niagara Parks Botanical Gar & School of Horticulture Niagara Falls, Ontario, Can aflowerandgardensho
Sunday, May 14, 2006 llam.to Zp.m.
A4petrsonal and ?/O/U( H way to say 1 hank //(;//
Bring mum to the Toronto Botanical Garden for a fun session offlower
Floral designer EmilyMays will guide you through the steps of creating atraditionalVictorian floral arrangement. Please bring a favourite teapotand/orcup and saucer to create a take-home arrangement.
Public $85 / members $75 To register, call 416-397-1340 or go online at torontobotanicalgarden.ca
The Toronfo Botanical Garden Wil officially open its new series of innovative contemporary gardens, spanning nearly four acres, on Saturday, September 16, 2006.
by Anna Leggatt
Phormium, an architectural beauty
PHORMIUM IS ONE of today s in" plants. It s deservedly popular. The strong architectural lines of the leaves make them great single specimens or focal points. In combination plantings, their colours enhance the others around them. When grown in containers phormiums also add a lush tropical look to decks and at poolside where they provide much needed height.
Native to New Zealand, the = D leaves of the Phormium tenax species are purplish green and were traditionally woven into baskets by the Maori. It has been crossed with the only other species, P cookianum, and its subspecies to provide an enormous variety of plants, with new introductions appearing every year.
These tender evergreen perennials cannot survive temperatures below -6 to -10°C (14 to 21°F). Although not fussy about soil, they prefer it to be well drained, and theywill grow in full sun to light dappled shade. Water regularly until they are established. Once they have developed a strong healthy root system, they ll need less water.
In the fall, lift plants carefully from the garden without disturbing the root system or, ifgrowing
in containers, bring them indoors pot and all. Do not be tempted to divide plants at this time. Through my own experiences and those of friends, I've found that the plant divisions will not overwinter successfully. Small plants can be safely overwintered on a cool, bright windowsill, and larger ones in a heated garage or a cold basement. Mine live in a cold greenhouse where temperatures remain just above freezing. Because myphormiums receive lots ofsun there, I water them regularly, butwhen stored under lower light conditions, such as in a garage or basement, water these plants only occasionally just enough to prevent them from drying out. In the spring, once all danger of frost has passed, they can be divided into large sections of at least three fans (in my experience, smaller pieces usually dwindle away) and planted outdoors. @
Thanks to Kato s Nursery Ltd. for some information supplied
Anna Leggatt is a Master Gardener and tireless TBG volunteer.
PHORMIUMS TO KNOW AND GROW
e P. Apricot Queen : yellowish leaves and dark green margins with a hint of red
e P. Jester : 70 centimetres (28 inches) high; bright green leaves with a hint of cream, broad reddish pink centre stripe
e P Maori Sunrise (syn. Rainbow Sunrise ): leaves have broad central swath of pink, bands of bronze, red and pink at margins; weeping habit; one of a series of Maori hybrids, sometimes sold under the Rainbow name; grows to about one metre (three feet)
e P. Pink Stripe : dark olive green leaves with a vivid pink edge; 1.5 metres (five feet).
e P. Sundowner : 1.75 metres (5.75 feet); dark green variegated leaves with copper red, bright pink margin fades to a creamy colour with age
e P Surfer : narrow wavy and twisted leaves, soft bronze; from 30 to 60 centimetres (12 to 24 inches)
e P. tenax Atropurpureum : medium sized if grown in a container; chocolatey purple leaves
Wildtlowers of the World
Western Australia
September 25 - October 11, 2007 ¢ Land Cost: US$3650 (Approx.)
Leader: Vonnie Cave. Vonnie is awell known garden writer and plant photographer in her native New Zealand. Vonnie has led more than a dozen wildflower tours to this area.
Sichuan & Yunnan
June 1-22, 2007 * Land Cost: US$3495
Leader: Peter Cunnington. Peter is an experienced and very popular leader who has accompanied numerous trips, including our very successful wildflower trips to the mountains ofChina and Europe.
"X Expert advice from the Master Gardeners |
Q When is the best time to move tulip bulbs? I have some that I would like to move to a different spot.
A Move your tulips after they have finished blooming this spring. Handle the foliage carefully and plant them at the same soil level as they are now growing. Water after transplanting and be sure to take off the spent blooms.Then allow the leaves to die down naturally so that the bulb can take up the nutrients required for next year s bloom. [Although with this method it s easier to remember where the bulbs are, another option is to wait until the foliage browns and dies off, then dig up and replant the bulbs immediately or store them in a dry place until they can be planted in the fall. Ed.)
lllustrations: Vivien Jenkinson
but allow leaves to die back naturally.
Q can you please tell me what type of soil to use for a tufa trough? Someone suggested one-half soilless mix and one-half coarse construction sand (a mix of sand and very small stones). The construction mix that I found contains cement. I'm sure this isn t the right stuff. What should I use instead?
A Don t worry too much about the planting medium as every gardener has a favourite recipe. All agree that at least half should be composed of a well-draining medium like coarse sand, gravel that s less than half a centimetre (one-quarter inch) in diameter, perlite or even pumice. The other part should be some sort of organic matter leaf mould, peat moss or topsoil will
Pea gravel improves drainage for plants in tufa troughs.
do. Consider what you intend to plant. If you are creating a traditional alpine trough, half to twothirds of the mix should be composed of the welldraining medium (i.e., coarse sand or pea gravel) that alpine plants prefer. Ifyou are planting miniature hostas, err on the side of more nutrient-rich organic matter. Generally, you will be fine with a half-and-half mixture.
Coarse sand and pea gravel suitable for use can be found in the garden/landscape sections of most hardware or building centres, not in the construction materials department. You were quite right not to use the builder s sand which contains cement. Perlite would also be available in the garden section.
To plant your trough, cover the drainage holes with a bit of screening to keep the growing medium from washing out. Moisten the inside of the trough to prevent it from leaching moisture from the planting mixture. Fill the trough three-quarters full in a mound that is higher in the middle than at the edges. This way the water drains down the insides of the trough, not over the edge. Next, add a few rocks to give structure to your miniature landscape small pieces of driftwood work well too. Then add the plants. Finish by covering the entire surface around the plants with two to five centimetres (an inch or two) of pea gravel and, ta-da, you ll have one beautiful trough!
Doyouhavea questionaboutgardening?Contactthe Toronto Master Gardeners Info Line at 416-3971345 or log on to www.torontomastergardeners.ca andAskaMaster Gardener!
Lectues Les " Edwards Lectures 2006
Bold and Brilliant: Speaker Series
Europe and is a regular garden commentator on French-language television and radio. The most recent of his half-dozen books is Making the Most ofShade.
Free to TBG members; public $15 (door sales only)
SPEAKER: Kevin Hughes
Toric: Trilliums and Woodlanders
WHEN: Tuesday, May 30, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE:
Floral Hall
SPEAKER: Larry Hodgson
Toric: Making the Most of Shade
WHEN: Wednesday, May 10, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Floral Hall
IMAGINE A GARDEN where plants grow slowly but surely, where there no need to rush and where weeds are rare. In many ways, shade gardening is the easiest type of gardening of all once you know how to deal with a few special needs. And if you thought you were limited to hostas and ferns, there are in fact thousands of plants that adapt to shade. Larry Hodgson will discuss how he s learned to overcome obstacles and make his shade garden the joy of his life. And you ll discover a host of super plants that will make shade gardening a snap.
Larry Hodgson is a Quebec City-based garden writer who grows well over 3,000 species and varieties, both indoors and out, on a restrictive suburban lot. He is a regular contributor to gardening magazines, including Canadian Gardening, Harrowsmith, Horticulture and Fine Gardening. He speaks to horticultural groups throughout Canada, the United States and
KEVIN HUGHES is an avid conservationist who will walk you through a succession of seasons in the woodland garden. His talk will encompass a discussion of the many species of trilliums, including new cultivars, their habitats and how to grow them successfully. Other plants highlighted in this presentation include Cypripedium, Dactylorhiza, Lilium, Cornus and Rhododendron. Kevin will discuss the ethical question of sourcing material for our gardens and the commercial harvesting of trilliums.
Kevin Hughes began his career as a naturalist studying the endangered Dartford warbler. He now operates Kevin Hughes Plants, specializing in rare and unusual plants. A passionate conservationist, he hopes to end commercial wild harvesting of trilliums and to promote gardens as refuges for wildlife as well as for people. He lectures on a wide range of horticultural subjects, has a weekly BBC radio program and writes for various journals and gardening magazines.
Free to TBG members; public $15 (door sales only)
ORTICULTURAL & INNOVA
Toronto For Tickets contact D
Toronto Botanical Garden 6th Annual Golf Tournament
Monday, June 26, 2006 at Eagles Nest Golf Club $300 Golf (includes Dinner) /$75 Dinner Only
For information or to participate, contact Sarah Durnan at annualgiving@torontobotanicalgarden.ca or 416-397-1483.
New and fresh ideas
IT S SPRING and time for new beginnings, new garden ideas, and of course new books! Here are some ofthe latestadditions to the Library scollection:
Curb AppealIdea Book by Mary Ellen Polson
Daphnes by Robin White
The English Roses by David Austin
Garden Plants andFlowers (Canadian edition) by Lorraine Johnson
1001 Garden Plants in Singapore by Boo Chih Min et al.
Garden Your City by Barbara Hobens Feldt
Making theMost ofShade by Larry Hodgson
Outside theNotSoBigHouse by Julie Moir Messervy and Sarah Susanka
Paula Pryke s FlowerSchool by Paula Pryke
The SolarFoodDryer by EbanV. Fodor
StonescapingIdea Book byAndrew Wormer
The Welcoming Garden by Gordon Hayward
Saturday May 6, 2006 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Markham Civic Centre, Atrium 101 Town Centre Boulevard (Hwy 7 at Warden Ave.)
Markham, ON L3R SW3
Wildflowers, Ferns, Trees, Shrubs, Vines, Grasses, Related Books, Free Organic Lawn Care Seminar, Lots of Fun
www.nanps.org (416) 63(-4438
The Library also has a great selection of books for young people. Here are some that we've recently acquired:
Bateman s Backyard Birds by Robert Bateman
Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
Dirt by SteveTomecek
Isabel s House ofButterflies byTony Johnston
Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert
Plantzilla by Jerdine Nolen
For a more extensive listing, check out the What s New section of the Library s Web site at torontobotanicalgarden.ca/library_news.htm. To reserve items on this list or to inquire about others, send an e-mail to library@ torontobotanicalgarden.ca or call 416-397-1343.
NEW SUMMER HOURS
From May 1: Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
CD REVIEW p
PLANT PROPAGATION
West Lafayette IN: Purdue University, 2005; CD, US$40
Available online at www.hort.purdue.edu/ plantprop/webversion/Intro.html and in the Weston Family Library
This CD contains a great deal of useful information on all types of plant propagation. Arranged in the form of a course, there is no direct path to follow, which allows you to go back and forth either by clicking on the breadcrumb trail to retrieve information or by using the search feature which works very well. The material is easy to understand and instructions are clear, with explanations provided at every level, but it is sometimes hard to access the excellent information that lies beyond the initial pages.A table ofcontentson this CD would be an asset and would enhance the CD s usefulness. Even so, it is an asset to any gardener s library.
Reviewed by Helen Kirkup
What's on at the Toronto Botanical Garden|
MAY 3
6th Annual Milne House Legacy Event
Demonstration: Andreas Verheijen
Floral Hall, 12:15 p.m.
Tickets & information: 416-292-4661
TBG Perennials Preview with MarionJarvie
Garden Hall, 7 to 9:30 p.m.
TBG members only: admission $10
Information & registration: 416-397-1362
4
6th Annual Milne House Legacy Event
Workshops: Andreas Verheijen
Garden Hall, 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Tickets & information: 416-292-4661
4-7
TBG Perennials Sale
Thursday to Saturday, 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
6
Toronto Judging Centre of the A.O.S
Judging, Studio 1, 1 p.m.; Information: www.soos.ca
g
Southern Ontario Orchid Society
Poul Hansen: Miltoniopsis Garden Hall, 12:30 p.m.
Information: www.s00s.ca
Toronto Bonsai Society
Demos & workshop: Marco Invernizzi Studios 1, 2, 3; 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
SCHEDULES CAN CHANGE AFTER PRESS TIME BE SURE TO CHECK AHEAD.
CLASSIFIED ADS
Magnificent Mansions & Gardens Tours with Horticulturist Frank Kershaw
May 18 -19/06 Rochester & Finger LakesJourney to the popular Rochester Lilac Festival & Finger Lakes areas with Horticultural expert Frank Kershaw. Highlights ® Rochester s Highland Park with famous lilac & magnolia collections ¢ Webster Arboretum e Sonnenberg Gardens, spectacular property featuring Queen Anne style turreted mansion and impressive gardens ¢ Geneva-on-the-Lake, an exquisite Italianate villa featuring fine partiere gardens bordering the lake. $369 tw. June 11-15/06 Pittsburgh & Alleghenies Travel with Horticulturist Frank Kershaw to Pittsburgh and Alleghenies areas, which surrounds magnificent horticultural destinations. Highlights e Olmsted Estate, splendid Arts & Crafts style mansion, with lily ponds, stone bridge and thatch roof gazebo ® Chataugua Institute with many fine Victorian homes & splendid gardens ¢ Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens withVictorian glass house & glorious gardens ® world famous Frank Lloyd Wright s Fallingwater e Charles Schwab Mansion, ltalian-like Villa with impressive sunken gardens & sculptures ® The Henry Clay Frick Estate with artworks, mansion & splendid gardens. $1299.00 tw.
Daytripping Garden Adventures with Frank Kershaw to Belfountain, Fergus, London, & Cobourg areas. Call for brochure Toronto s Motorcoach Tour Specialist Mary Morton Tours (416) 488-2674 marymortontoursl@aol.com; Reg # 04488722.
The Dufferin Arts Council follows its highly successful 2004 garden tour with its 2006 version: Mostly Mono; West Side Story. Eight fascinatingly diverse gardens in a narrow band around Hwy. 10 between Orangeville and Primrose. Tickets, $15, includes descriptions of the gardens, how to reach them, where to eat. A great day in beautiful countryside. June 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Tickets and information: DAC2006 Garden Tour, 4045 Conc.10, S.Nott., R3 Shelburne, ON LON 1S7; 705-466-6233; bmann@sympatico.ca
Maureen and Brian Bixley s Lilactree Farm Garden will be open on four Sundays in 2006: May 21, June 4, July 2 and September 17. Plants for sale usually include double bloodroot, pink bloodroot, Jeffersonia dubia, unusual trees, Lilium martagon, snowdrop cultivars, the white form of Daphne mezereum and the pink form of Lathyrus vernus. 10a.m.-4p.m. Good restaurants nearby. For information call (519)-925-5577 or email: lilactree@sympatico.ca
Beach Garden Society Annual Plant Sale Saturday, May 20, 9 to 11:30 a.m. Adam Beck Community Centre, 79 Lawlor Avenue. Offering a wide variety of perennials (many from members own gardens), specialty plants for the collector, and containers. Always a line-up, so come early. For information, call B.J. Weckerle at 416-698-3506. Also, join us for our Tour of Beach Gardens, Sunday, July 9.
The Northumberland Big Sisters Big Brothers organization is having its annual Garden Tour on Sunday, June 25, 2006. It is an increasingly important fundraiser for them and it is always a highly anticipated Garden Tour. Once again, there are ten intimate and beautiful gardens with country views to delight your senses and to inspire your own garden projects, just a little over an hour east of Toronto (near Cobourg). While on the tour you can also enjoy a reasonably priced lunch and visit the Birdhouse Boutique. Come out and make a day of it. Tickets are just $20. Phone 905-885-6422.
The Milne House Garden Club presents its 38th Annual Flower and Garden Show - Solstice, June 20, 21, 22, 2006. In addition to a creative and exciting flower show, there will be special horticultural and floral design exhibits, demonstrations and a cafe. Location: TBG, 777 Lawrence Avenue East. Preview Party $35, Tuesday, June 20, 6:30 p.m. General admission $6 on Wednesday, June 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. orThursday June 22 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Call 416-386-0174 or 416-248-5242 or 416-449-3664.
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Gardens Plus (Perennial Nursery & Display Garden)
Chosen as one of the Top 40 Boutique Nurseries in Canada by Gardening Life. Annual Hosta Fest, Daylilies in Bloom, workshops and mail order too! Open mid-May July 31; Thurs/Fri. 10 to 7 & Sat/Sun/Mon. 10 to 4 or by appointment; #136 County Rd 4/Parkhill Rd E, Peterborough. 705-742-5918
Sunday, June 25, 2006. Tour of exclusive gardens in the Humber Valley/Islington area in support of THE DOROTHY LEY HOSPICE PALLIATIVE CARE CENTRE. Noon until 5 p.m. Floral demonstrations, music, refreshments, vendors boutiques, plant sale, prizes! LimitedTickets, $25. Telephone 416-239-2680.
