- 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 environ-ment. 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-sustain-
Toronto the mosthorticulturally enlightened city in the world.
What We Offer
Located at Edwards Gardens, the Toronto Botanical Garden offers many programs and services, including year-round activities for families and children. Our horticultural library has over 8,000 books, periodicals, and a large collection 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.
shopTBG: Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Weston Family Library: Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
® 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 Noon to 3 p.m.
® April & July: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
® May & June: Daily
® August through March: Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday Children s Programs: 416-397-1355 childrensprograms@torontobotanicalgarden.ca Communications: 416-397-1351 communication@torontobotanicalgarden.ca Courses: 416-397-1362; programs@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
nursery and seed catalogues as well as a great selection of children s gardening books. Hortlcultural Information Services many unique gifts, books and gardening supplies for sale. The TeachingGarden has beencreated 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, Mark Cullen, Camilla Dalglish, Sondra Gotlieb, Marjorie Harris, LorraineJohnson, Michele Landsberg, Susan Macauley, Helen Skinner
3% Board of Directors
PRESIDENT: Leslie Denier
Dugald Cameron, Kathy Dembroski, Nancy G. Dengler, Tony DiGiovanni, Suzanne Drinkwater, Geoffrey Dyer, James Eckenwalder, Mary Fisher, Colomba Fuller, Jim Gardhouse, Lynn Grogan, Peter Gray-Donald,Janet Karn, Catherine Peer, Rosemary Phelan, Penny Richards, Dawn Scott,Judy Shirriff, Claudette Smith, Elaine M. Solway, Tom Sparling, Judith M. Willmott
3¢ Staff Members
Director, Communications
Program Co-ordinator
Jenny Rhodenizer
Rebecca Golding Director, Development
Stephanie Chiang Director, Horticulture
Cathie Cox
Gardeners Sandra Pella, Ellen Eyman, Sandra Spudic
Ahe board and staff have Tundertaken a review of the 2007 strategic plan, testing the relevance of each priority against current needs. Judy Willmott, a board member with considerable experience in strategic planning, has been leading this initiative and has met with staff members over the summer to further refine the plan. A budget process will be developed at a plenary session to be held in September in support of our strategic direction. This business plan will be executed during the coming months, and we are looking forward to the many successes we can achieve. Many thanks go to everyone who has so diligently worked on this project.
budgetprocess will be developed to support our strategic direction.
The Development Committee, under the capable direction of Stephanie Chiang, successfully managed the logistics for our major fundraiser this past spring, Glamour in the Garden, which raised $250,000. Four exceptional volunteersledthe galacommittee: KarenArbesman, Kelly Barnicke, Dee Dee Hannah and Heather Regent. Our thanks go to them and their committee of volunteers for their efforts and for such great results.
Through the Garden Gate, co-chaired by Carol Bairstow and Eleanor Ward, was held in Riverdale this year. The tour featured 28 gardens, which provided an exceptional experience for all levels of gardeners. Many thanks to Carol and Eleanor who have chaired this event for three years and to the many committee members and volunteers, includingthe Toronto MasterGardeners, who helped make this event such a success.
Summer has been an extremely busy time for all aspects of the TBG. Our valued volunteers and staff continue to care for our flourishing gardens; children s programs continue to be sellouts; and our pre-apprenticeship program goes from strength to strength. We have so much to celebrate. Thank you.®
ThankYou to Margo
~ As many of you know, our Executive Director, Margo Welch, has recently left the Toronto Botanical Garden. On your behalf | have ~ thankedherforherconsiderablecontributions - over the pastfiveyearsand wewish herall the best in the future.
Canada LargestandO
Suppliers Events Live Chat Forums
Glamour in the GARDEN
TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Thank you to the sponsors & supporters of our annual fundraising gala.
Platinum Sponsor
M TRiNITY
Gold Sponsor
Patrick and Barbara Keenan and Family
Bronze+ Sponsor
RIDLEY
Bronze Sponsors
Funds from Glamour in the Garden will benefit the Toronto Botanical Garden s programs for children and families which provide firsthand experiences ofnature, plants, and animals.
Glamour in the GARDEN
TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Thank you to the sponsors & supporters of our annual fundraising gala.
Special Gifts
Karen and RossAbbott,Alice andAlanAdelkind, PaulAustinand GianiTariello, Deborah and David Beatty, Jennifer and Jim Beqaj, LindsayBerry, Sue and MichaelBurns, Beth and Richard Currie, Brendaand Gordon Currie, Jeanine Davis, Heather and David G. Fuller, Catherine andWayne Gibson, Dianne and Peter Gillin, Sandra Hubley, Sharon Hudson, Rosamond Ivey, Joyce and Stephen E.Johnson, Carolyn Kearns and Bob Hutchison, Landscape Ontario HorticultureTradesAssociation, Lynda Latner, Susan and Ned Macaulay, Patricia and Robert Martin, Sloan Mauran, Frank Morneau,AnthonyMunk, Sandra and Norman Munn, Neil Munro, Onex Corporation, Gwenyth and Don Parkinson, Catherine and Bruce Peer, Rosemary Phelan and Sam Blyth, Philip & Hannah ReichmannFamily Foundation, PeggyRicciardelli,JillRichardson, Rosenswig McRea Thorpe LLP, Catherine and David G. Ross, Brock Seymour, Lori andWard Seymour, Ann Shaw, Marilyn and and Paul Shepherd, Jennifer Spiess, The John David & Signy Eaton Foundation, The Sharp Foundation, Joanne Turner, Anne and Larry Ullman, Linda and FredWaks
Gift-in-kind Donors
ACE Bakery, Allweather Landscape Co. Ltd., Body Blitz, Kelvin Browne, Cs, Chanel, Phil and Liz Charal, Paul and Stephanie Coffey, Concord Limo, Mary Joe Eustace,Alison Hannah and RogerTaylor, Dee Dee and Rob Hannah, Drain Brothers Excavating Ltd., GrandTouringAuto, Dr. Michael Hawke and Mrs. Naneve Hawke, Hermes, Hugo Nicholson, Ken Kostick, Langdon Hall, McNabb Roick, Moét & Chandon Champagne, Muskoka Lakes Golfand Country Club, Myles Mindham Jewellery, Roland Semprie Rosedale, Royal Ontario Museum, Robert Souza,Todd Halpern, Valentino, W Network,Wayne Gretzky s, Wildfire GolfClub, Terry Witzel, Yorkshire Pudding
Thank You
Michael Adams and Donna Dasko, Fiona and Dave Berry, Best PR Boutique, Bloéman Decor byAlbert Graves, Cateringwith Style, Francesca D Angelo, Roger and Sheila duToit,The Garden Club ofToronto, Mr. and Mrs, Roger Garland, Stephen Gilles, HalpernWines, Karen Lim Design, Kumari, Sarah and David Macdonald, Marc de Breyne. McNabb Roick, Dan Molerinho, Northern Valet, Joan Randall, RegalTent Productions Ltd., Room to Go, The Royal ConservatoryofMusic, shopTBG,Taylor HannahArchitect Inc.,Westbury National ShowSystems, and ourwonderfulvolunteers.
Co-Chairs
Karen Arbesman, KellyBarnicke, Dee Dee Hannah, Heather Regent Committee
Chairs
Bonnie Bloomberg, Kathy Dembroski, Steve Dembroski, Lisa Eaton, Colomba Fuller, Janet Karn, Denise Petican, Helen Shaw,Jodi Stodgell Committee
KarenAbbott, DivaAnderson, Kelvin Browne, Stephanie Coffey, Brenda Currie, Lindsay Dale-Harris, Leslie Denier, Heather Fuller, Joy Gray-Donald, Janet Greyson, Mark Hartley, Floy Leach, Barb MacDonald, Myles Mindham, Rosemary Phelan, Linda Pincott Kitchen, Amie Rocket, Louise Sugar
A very special thank you to our generous garden hosts Sarah and David Macdonald along with their neighbours for donating their beautiful garden for our annual fundraising gala.
by Cathie Cox ® DIRECTOR, HORTICULTURE
TBG gardener Sandra Pella helps plant drought-tolerant perennials at the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant.
During the summer of 2007, Toronto Water colour and interest. And at the Fishleigh Drive hosted the American Water Works Association pumping site in Scarborough, we were asked to annual conference. In keeping with Mayor David install an exhibition bed of drought-tolerant plants. Miller s Clean and Beautiful vision for the city of So ifyou wonder what the gardeners do when Toronto, the TBG was contacted to oversee the they re not working in the TBG gardens, please gardens at E J. Horgan Filtration Plant in Scar- visit the Toronto Water sites and take a look. borough. Our horticultural staff agreed to help Visitors are welcome to walk through most of identify plants, replant and beautify the gardens these gardens. @ for this international event.
Situated by Lake Ontario, the plant is surrounded by a series of gardens and lawns that play host to much wildlife including turkey vultures, deer and the occasional groundhog. Native plants, perennials, ornamental grasses, roses and annuals were ordered and planted, beds were weeded, edged and fertilized and plant labels installed.
The gardens have done so well the TBG has been approached by five other Toronto Water facilities to upgrade, design, plant or maintain their gardens. The last garden to be installed was at the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant on Queen Street East in The Beach. The focus there was on drought-tolerant plants with year-round
Photo:
Ellen Eyman
Photo; Ellert Eyman
At the F.J. Horgan Filtration Plant a colourful garden surrounds the front entrance.
FRIENDS OF TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN
Thank you to the following Friends for providing generous support towards our programs and services. Our Friends arefundamental 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 Program from March 1, 2008, to June 30, 2008.
DIRECTOR S CIRCLE
($2,500 - $4,999)
J. F. Crean & Wendy Crean
BENEFACTORS
($1,000 - $2,499)
Ute E. Durrell
Janet & David Greyson
Nancy A. Laurie
Frances Price
Mr. & Mrs. Bob Wright
SUSTAINING MEMBERS
($500 - $999)
Honor & Michael de Pencier
Mr. & Mrs. James Eckenwalder
Rose Feikes
Mrs. Frances Johnson & Ms Julia Johnson
Carolyn Kearns
Nancy Kennedy
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Richards
Tom Sparling
Ray &Trudy Stacey
FRIENDS
($140 - $499)
Katy Anderson
Joan Avery
Janet Ballantyne
Jeanne Banka & Nickolas Kamula
Ms Elizabeth Bean
Ruth Bolt
Linda Boyko
Michele Bussieres
Dorothy & John Cartmell
Midge Cooper
Mrs. Dorothy Cottrelle
Marilyn Creighton
Patricia Dalton
Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Dyment
Ms Heather Emery
Dorothy Ferris
Myint Gillespie
Mr. & Mrs. Mark Golding
Barbara & Warren Goldring
Kathy Harvey
David Hogarth Smith
Ms Jean Johnson
Joyce Johnson
Mr. & Mrs. J.Timothy Kennish
Jean Kitchen
June Knudsen
Mr. & Mrs. Bob Kotyk
Mr. & Mrs. Warren Laing
Marion Lambert
Suzanne Law
Barbara McDonald
Alan Millikin
JoAnn Moysey
Barbara Murchie
June Murdoch
Mrs. Louisa Newbury
Christine Palasciano
Jean Read
Ms Jeanne Rowles
Marilyn Shepherd
Helen Silverstein
Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Skinner
Anthony Spencer
Ms Nancy Sutherland
HelenThibodeau
DeborahVernon
Marion Warburton
Ms Eleanor Ward
Betty JaneWeckerle
Ms Judith Willmott
Yorkshire Garden Services
Anonymous (8)
REMEMBERING Awdrey Clarke
MRS. AWDREY CLARKE, secretary to Executive DirectorJames Boyd in the early days ofthe Civic Garden Centre, died early this spring at the age of 94. Mrs. Clarke was also an early member of Milne House Garden Club. Active and in good health during much of her life, current TBG members recall Awdrey talking about working with Mr. Boyd and attending meetings with him in church halls to inform the community about The Civic Garden Centre.
Joyce Dossal &Jean McCluskey
May 24, 2008, was the official opening of Ken Duncan s Rhododendron Dale. The hard work and dedication of Ken Duncan, who has volunteered his time and energy over the years to plant and maintain the hundreds of azaleas, rhododendrons and magnolias growing on the western flank of Wilket Creek in Edwards Gardens, was officially recognized during Doors Open Toronto, with an unveiling ceremony that drew dignitaries from the city ofToronto and the Toronto Botanical Garden. Ablaze with colour in late May, the gardens are testimony to the accomplishments and contributions of volunteers like Ken who devote their free time so others can enjoy the beauty they create.
Lorraine Flanigan
Letter to the Editor
In the most recent 7rellis (May/June 2008], you have a piece about Dugald Cameron. In it, you write of people like Barrie Porteous who organized the First Great Gardening Conference . Now, | am a great fan of Barrie s; he is a fine gardener and a droll wit, but he was not involved in the Great Gardening Conferences. Those were conceived and organized by me, with abundant help, of course, from staff and volunteers and the support of the Board.
| am very proud of what the CGC accomplished at that time. It went from being a parochial institution to one with an international reputation that was fostered by the Great Gardening Conferences.The CGC has gone on to fine things in its new manifestation as the TBG; it is important to get the earlier history right.
Brian Bixley
Dear Brian,
Thanks so much for setting the record straight on an important part of the TBG s history. The dedication and commitment of members like you have helped shape and enrich this organization.
Lorraine Flanigan, editor, Trellis
Giant Gardenin Used Bo
Make a Garden Book
IF YOU WERE BUSY planting vegetable seeds in your garden last spring, then you probably have some harvestingto do this fall. Whetheryou planted WHAT AM | EATING? a few of your favourite vegetables or helped to We eat many different parts of plants, such plant awhole garden full ofgoodies, you have a lot as the frult, leaves and seeds. But, did you to be proud of. This is a great time to make your Know that We alsofal 1o0ts, Stems anid even flowers? Match up the food to the part very own garden book to remember all the hard of the plant they came from. work you have done over the summer. What to put in your garden book:
e Write down the seeds you planted and when you planted them.
¢ Did you notice any bugs or animals eating your plants? Write down the ones they liked the best. Note where you planted them so that next year you can find a new spot for them and fool
the munchers!
e List your favourite vegetables. That way you ll remember to plant them next year.
* Draw some pictures of the vegetables you
grew in your garden.
Root
o Ask a grown-up to help you take pictures of the garden in the early fall when the plants are big. If you have a picture of the garden at the Seed beginning of spring, you can compare the two to see how your hard work has paid off.
e Write down some of the dishes you created using your homegrown veggies. Leaf
e Decorate your garden book with pictures of your favourite garden memories. When it s cold and snowy, you can open your garden book and look back at the vegetables you i grew, the food you made and, most importantly, Fruit all the great memories you had in the garden so you ll be ready for next spring!®
HARVEST DAY
Saturday, September 20, noon to 4 p.m. helped plant and tend in theTeaching Garden JoinTBG staff to help harvest vegetables to over the spring and summer. During the day, have
send to the NorthYork Harvest Food Bank. your face painted and participate in fun activities We ll be gathering the veggies kids have and crafts. FREE. No registration required.
Youth Program at the TBG
Youth surmount barriers to employment, says Marcela Crowe, through co-operative trainingprogram.
DURING A GRADUATION luncheon at the TBG on September 5, 2008, the students of the Horticultural Trade Technician Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program will unveil their class project: a butterfly garden built and maintained over the course of the summer. The luncheon will also mark the culmination of the first year the TBG has collaborated with other partners to deliver horticulture pre-apprenticeship training programs for youth.
The aim of the program is to provide the landscape and horticulture field with skilled apprentices while simultaneously making these trades more accessible to at-risk youth. Each program partner makes a unique contribution to the success of the students:
e The TBG provides some of the nation s best gardeners and horticulturists to work side by side with the participants and provide expertise in industry best practices.
e Humber College is the ministry-approved training delivery provider. Instructors set curriculum standards and classroom expectations.
e Landscape Ontario assists participants with career counselling and job placement.
e Job Connect (Operation Springboard) assists in providing job-readiness workshops as well as access to vital part-time employment, without which some students would be unable to attend class.
e Second Base Youth Shelter is responsible for providing the personal and case management support for students and for co-ordinating the program partners collaborative efforts.
This fall, participants will enter the final stage of their pre-apprenticeship program. Having finished their Level 1 training, delivered over the summer at the TBG, students will begin paid work in either the public or the private sector of the landscape and horticulture field. They will be assisted in registering as horticultural trade technician apprentices with the Ministry ofTraining, Colleges and Universities. Upon completion, a certificate will be awarded to youth participants.
... The pre-apprenticeship program has helped me get back in touch with schooling. The students are friendly and the location is perfect.
Noah Widder
The pre-apprenticeship training program is funded by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. For information about the horticulture pre-apprenticeship program, Second Base s role in this and other programs and ways you can help, visit: www.secondbase.ca.®
Marcela Crowe is Manager of the Horticulture Program at Second Base Youth Shelter and is a member ofthe Toronto Master Gardeners.
DISCOVER shoplBG
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Specializing in botanical-inspired and eco-friendly giffs and accessories
4 ON _NO V) BUY 2 AND GET 1 FREE: selected placemats and butterfly garden picks BUY 3 AND GET 1 FREE: tea-light garden stakes
Get set for our CLEARANCE SALE, November 1 to 7
ellow-flowered Golds hydrid tea
No-spray Roses
Lorraine Flanigan discovers the perfect rosefor organicgrowers.
here were you in 1976? If you were WWilhelm Kordes III, you were risking a family business founded in 1887 by growing rows and rows of roses without pesticides and fungicides. Back then, recalls Anne Graber, former secretary of the Canadian Rose Society, spraying roses was like smoking everybody did it.
Kordes daring move resulted in field after field of dead bushes that had succumbed to diseases such as black spot. The first year, recalls Graber, only one in 25 rose bushes survived. But, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Kordes started a successful 10-year breeding program using the few survivors from the unsprayed fields to produce a world-renowned range of modern roses that are noted for their disease resistance. What [ like about Kordes roses, continues Graber, is that they're the closest roses to being disease-resistant you can get and they re hardy. Unlike breeding programs such as Earth Kind in Texas, explains Graber, which is developing drought- and heat-tolerant cultivars, the climate at the Kordes operations in northern Germany is similar to Canada s, with hot summers and cold winters, making its roses more suitable to our gardens.
The development of disease-resistant roses is the latest in a chain of family accomplishments that followed the founding of the firm in the late nineteenth-century as a full-range nursery. Starting in the 1920s, Wilhelm II bred some of the
best roses of that era, including Catherine Kordes and CrimsonGlory thelatterremainsanall-time favourite ofrosarians. In 1950, Kordes introduced Independence , a flamboyant, bright orangecoloured rose that signalled a break from the softer apricots and peach colours of older cultivars.
But perhaps Kordes most significant contribution to rose breeding was the development of Rosa kordesii, a cross between R. wichuraiana, a disease-resistant groundcover rose with glossy leaves, and R. rugosa, a hardy, vigorous repeatbloomer. Notable for its shiny disease-resistant foliage and winter hardiness, R. kordesii became the basis for a series of cultivars that are among the staples of today s gardens. The most famous of these may be Dortmund , which in turn has been used to breed miniature roses such as SincerelyYours , Scarlet Moss and Chick-a-dee .
The kordesii class of shrub roses was also used to develop many of the cultivars in Canada s Explorer Series. These include pink-flowered John Davis , Louis Jolliet and William Baffin as well as red-blossomed Champlain , Henry Kelsey and John Cabot .
The Kordes family is not one to rest on its laurels. To evaluate the continued performance of rose cultivars, Wilhelm III founded the Allgemeine Deutsche Rosenneuheitsprufung (ADR), an industry working group that tests roses from international breeders over a fouryear period at 11 sites throughout Germany, assessing them for such characteristics as winter
CANADIAN ROS IETY (canadianrosesocief org). This site luable information on th planting and care of roses, recommends roses by climate zone and even offers a directory of public rose gardens throughout Canada.
WIKIPEDIA (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose). Wikipedia s entry on roses is quite comprehensive, covering botanical and horticultural information as well as rose symbolismand quotations. . (helpmefind.com/rose), A with information on selectin dedicated to ros buying, breeding, Cféiing for and exhibiting. Includes
on thousands of rose nurse
ore than 84,000 phot gwith information public and private gardens, rose societies,authors, breeders, hybridizers and publications.
hardiness, number of flowers, attractiveness and scent, but overwhelmingly for resistance to pests and diseases. Of the 1,500 cultivars evaluated by the ADR judges thus far, only 55 have received their approval. An ADR-qualified rose is an organic gardener s dream attractive, healthy and hardy.
The firm continues to develop new cultivars, such as the Fairy Tale Series. The Canadian Rose Society s Anne Graber has tried a few of the 12 cultivars in this series of romantic, double-flowering Kordes roses and thinks they re perfect for smaller gardens.
So, what are you doing on Wednesday, October 15? If you're not planning to attend the TBG s Edwards Lecture when Wilhelm Kordes III will be speaking, you're missing out on the greatest story of organic gardening in the history of roses.®
types and search the site s
EVERYROSE (everyrose.com). A rose reference database with information on more than 7,500 roses, including photos for many. Gardeners can share experiences and advice on growing specific database for suppliers nd rose clubs and societ
Compiled byRob
Caldwell, Manager, Information Services
Top Kordes Roses
Trellis asked Canadian Rose Society member Anne Graber to name her favourite Kordes roses.
HYBRID TEAS
Folklore ( KORlore )
Goldsmith (a.k.a. Helmut Schmidt syn. KORbelma ) Liebeszauber
Valencia ( KOReklia )
FLORIBUNDAS
Friesia ( KORresia )
Iceberg (a.k.a. Schneewittchen syn. KORbin )
CLIMBERS
Alchemist
Dortmund (ADR)
Westerland ( KORwest ) (ADR)
SHRUBS
Lichtkdnigin Lucia ( KORIillub ) (ADR)
Queen Mother ( KORquemu )
o S R s P R S S S TAT e
Notedgrass expert and advocate Rick Darke discusses the beauty ofgrasses and how theyfit into our modern landscapes.
Julie Messervy s design forToronto s Music Garden reclaims and enlivens (an) urban waterfront that had once succumbed to industrial neglect. It includes both generous sweeps and intimate spaces, employing grasses and real stone to bring a bold dynamic within reach of new urban residential development. Here feather-reedgrass, Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster (foreground), and switchgrass, Panicum virgatum (background), create a gentle enclosure.
Iconic Grasslands: Prairie to City Gardens celebrating dominion over nature certainly had their day, and many of the results are enduringly dramatic, if admittedly high maintenance. Gardens celebrating regional ecologies, or increasingly, evoking lost landscapes, are more the current model. Grasses as a group are in no danger of extinction; however, few grasslands have survived intact past the twentieth century. The North American tallgrass prairie is perhaps the most iconic ofgreat grasslands that have been reduced to remnants. Less than four percent of the original 400,000 square miles (1,035,995 square kilometers) has been left unplowed or undeveloped. Once a familiar home to North American Indian tribes, then a forbidding and often lethal realm for pioneers venturing west, the vast sea of grasses punctuated by perennial flowers has survived mostly as an emblem of sunlit wilderness. Some wonderful patches of prairie have been preserved, including Bluestem Prairie Preserve in Minnesota, Prairie State Park in Missouri, and Tallgrass Prairie National Pre-
serve in Kansas, and others have been rebuilt or restored; however, the newest iterations of the prairie are sprouting internationally in suburban and urban spaces.
The prairie, tallgrass and shortgrass, translates with relative ease to the city, not as a literal re-creation but as an abstraction. As with the original prairie, the urban prairie is built on a foundation of sturdy perennial grasses. This durable, drought-tolerant matrix is adaptable to a wide range of urban and suburban conditions and can cover large areas at relatively low cost, with floriferous perennial herbs contributing periodic interest throughout the seasons. In the process of abstraction, the prairie has become the praerie . This is more than a variation in national spellings (North American versus northern Europe). The praerie retains the grass/forb mix but employs species from globally diverse sunny habitats. Visually rich but lacking many of the ecological dynamics of authentic prairie systems, the praerie is a new type of garden, in sync with human habitat.
Grasses in Context: Style Fit to Place
More than two centuries ago, the French writer Chateaubriand suggested: Ideas can be, and are, cosmopolitan, but not style, which has a soil, a sky, and a sun all its own. I've always found these words illuminating when applied
Expanding the Palette
Although the garden palette of grasses, sedges, rushes, restios, and cattails is hugely expanded from even a few decades ago, it still represents a fraction of the potential. How do we recognize the garden grasses of the future, and how do we gather the material and information necessary
This winter morning view of the gravel garden at Knoll Gardens in Dorset demonstrates the drama possible in an unirrigated landscape even during England s dimmest season. The eclectic but regionally adapted mix of grasses includes Pennisetum macrourum (foreground) from South Africa, Muhlenbergia rigens (rear center) from California, and Miscanthus nepalensis (rear right) from Asia.
to garden style. It seems so sensible that of all art forms gardens should recognize local context and conditions, both environmental and cultural. As the garden palette of grasses continues to expand and develop, it is ever easier to employ grasses for this purpose.
Production rows at Hoffman Nursery in Rougemont, North Carolina, represent two continents and one trend. Muhlenbergia capillaris (foreground) is an up-and-coming southeastern North American species, while Miscanthus sinensis (background) is a triedand-true crop that hails from eastern Asia. o = ~ fn 2 o g O
for them to thrive in tomorrow s landscapes? There is no better place to begin than by closely observing the places in which we live.?@
Excerpted from Rick Darke, The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes (Portland OR: Timber Press 2007)
zwinski
Photo: Dianna
THIS YEAR S GARDENS in Riverdale were many, varied and eclectic. And so were the questions about the plants. Here are the plants that piqued visitors interest most.
1. The purple heart-shaped leaves of Forest Pansy redbud (Cercis canadensis Forest Pansy ) surprised many. This small tree will grow under the shade of larger trees, is tolerant of most soil types and is hardy to Zone 6. Clusters of pink pea-like flowers bloom in early spring before the leaves unfurl.
WHAT IS THAT DIVINE PLANT?
Gardener
Katzreveals
2. Henry s Garnet sweetspire (Itea virginica Henry s Garnet ) is a tough shrub with long, white, fragrant spires of flowers in June and July. It grows in moist or dry soil and withstands sun or shade. Dark green leaves turn purple, crimson and orange in the fall.
3. Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is a Zone 6 broadleaf evergreen that produces clusters of small white or pink, cupped flowers in May and June. It grows in sun or shade and prefers good drainage, acid soil and winter shade.
4. Spiny leaves give bear s breeches (Acanthus hungaricus) a thistle-like appearance. Long-lasting, cylindrical, white to mauve flower spikes soar 60 centimetres (24 inches) or more. Hardy to Zone 6, it needs good drainage and grows in sun or part shade.
5. Many people were surprised that eastern prickly pear cactus (Opuntia humifusa) is not only hardy but also native to Ontario. A lowgrowing succulent, it has oblong, flattened pads covered with barbed spines. Large showy yellow flowers bloom in June or July.
6. Ground clematis (Clematis recta Purpurea ) is a herbaceous non-climbing vine that creeps along the ground or clambers through other plants. Its purple leaves and stems fade to green
after flowering. Small, fragrant, white, star-shaped flowers in June and July turn to silvery seed heads in fall. This tough clematis is hardy to Zone 2 and grows best in rich soil in sun to part shade.
7. The bright, flaming-redoverlaid, peach-coloured leaves of Heuchera Peach Flambé stopped many garden visitors in their tracks. White flowers in the summer and plum-coloured winter foliage complete the picture. Hardy to Zone 4, it can be grown in sun or part shade.
8. Underused despite its ability to grow in dry shade (yes, even under a Norway maple!), barrenwort (Epimedium spp.) has semi-evergreen foliage with a bronzy hue in early spring and fall. Sprays of starry flowers appear in early spring. Hardy to Zone 4; with protection it may overwinter in Zones 2 and 3. It prefers moistwoodland soil but once established, it s drought tolerant.
9. A new peachleaf bellflower called BlueEyed Blonde (Campanula persicifolia Blue-Eyed Blonde ) had many garden visitors guessing it was Sweet Kate spiderwort (7radescantia Sweet Kate ). This long blooming bellflower forms a spreading mat of brilliant golden foliage with deep blue, bell-shaped flowers. It prefers average well-drained soil and full sun.
10. Surprisingly few visitors were familiar with the native Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis), a vigorous plant when grown in moist soil in full sun or part shade. (It s less aggressive if grown in dry shade.) The small single white flowers put on a show from late spring through early summer.®
Sara Katz is a Master Gardener and long-time memberofthe Through the Garden Gate Committee.
Queen Mother s Memorial Garden, Ed1nburgh
by Marion Magee
IN JULY 2006, Queen Elizabeth II opened this garden created in memory of her mother who had been a keen contributor to many royal gardens during her lifetime.
Tucked into the northwest corner of the magnificent Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, the motif used for this garden by designer Lachlan Stewart is patterned on the famous Pictish Eassie cross slab, found near Glamis Castle, the ancestral home of the Queen Mother s family. The circular labyrinth at the centre ofthe garden uses bog myrtle (Myrica gale) to replicate the knotwork of that cross.
Each corner of the garden is devoted to a signature specimen tree as well as shrubs and plants from a different part of the world to reflect the late Queen s many travels abroad. The focus of the North America section is a columnar tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera Fastigiatum ) while in the Asia quadrant, the katsura (Cercidiphyllum magnificum) is surrounded by that continent s native plants, many of which have become popular in North American gardens, including anemones, hostas, irises, primroses, magnolias, butterfly bushes and poppies.
The plants surrounding the cypress oak (Quercus roburf. Fastigiata ) in the Europe section include representatives of the constituent parts of the United Kingdom: the Welsh poppy (Meconopsis cambrica); Irish yew (Taxus baccata Fastigiata ); traditional English rose cultivars, including many with royal connections such as Rosa Queen Elizabeth andR. Albertine , the Queen Mother s favourite old rose; and of course the bog
IfYou Visit
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is open every day except December 25 and January 1; hours vary according to the time of year. Admission to the garden is free but there is a charge for visiting the glasshouses. The Queen Mother s Memorial Garden is about a ten-minute walk from the West Gate. For more information, visit rbge.org.uk.
A Royal Read
If you're interested in learning more about the late Queen Mother s gardens, see Lady Salisbury s book, Gardens ofQueen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, which is available in the TBG library.
myrtle, used to create the labyrinth, which is a common plant of the Scottish highlands. The fourth section features southern hemisphere exotics such as Phormium, Fascicularia, Agapanthus and Astelia.
Indigenous Caithness flagstone is used for pathways and the little pavilion that stands at the south end of the garden as well as for the slab wall on the westwhich records the names of the many societies and charities with which the Queen Mother was associated.
This small memorial garden provides a delightful place to stop and rest while exploring the glories of the 31 hectares (76 acres) of the entire Royal Botanic Garden.®
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TBG volunteerMarion Magee is a member ofthe Trellis Committee.
Lynsey Wilson, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
The Toronto Botanical Garden: EIGHTIES & NINETIES
Compiled by Marion Magee
DURING THE 1980s, the Civic Garden Centre experienced an expansive growth in activities and new initiatives. These were supported by a membership that peaked at some 4,000 in 1988, an active board, a creative staffof21 and dedicated volunteers whose numbers reached 320 in 1989. As the CGC entered the 1990s, a Development Committee proposed a restructuring of the organization and put forward suggestions for cutting costs and increasing revenues.
Here are some of the landmark dates of the 1980s and 1990s:
* November 1983: Edwards Foundation Memorial Lecture: the first of this annual series featured Anthony Huxley; later speakers included Roy Lancaster, Helen Dillon, Lois Hole, Sheila Macqueen and Marco Polo Stefano.
® 1985: Anne Marie Van Nest became the Centre s first full-time horticulturist. During her ten-year tenure she began the seed exchange, a soil testing program and tours of Edwards Gardens.
® 1985 to 1997: Great Gardening Conferences. The first of the biennial Great Gardening Conferences moved the Centre onto the international stage, drawing a dazzling array of lecturers.
e Fall 1987: The Master Gardener program was inaugurated and 25 enthusiastic gardeners were accepted. In 1993, Master Gardeners fielded 3,330 Info Line questions and participated in 96 clinics and speaking engagements.
e April 1988: Catch the Gardening Spirit was established with a day of themed lectures and workshops.
e July 1988: Through the Garden Gate: Over the years, small weekend tours of private gardens
had been organized for members only; in 1988 the first major tour of 16 gardens was held in Old Cabbagetown, South Rosedale and Yorkville.
At $10 per ticket 1,900 people attended.
e August 1988: Green Thumbs camps for children aged 7 to 11 began with two sessions, which soon expanded to eight weeks for various age groups.
e November 7, 1989: 25th anniversary celebration.
e May 1991: The Edwards Foundation provided funding for seven evening meetings, during which members made presentations. By 1996, these Edwards Foundation Garden Evenings had evolved into today s Edwards Lecture series.
e Summer 1991: Out-of-Town Garden Tours inaugurated under the direction of Bayla Gross.
* November 1994: the first Mistletoe Magic Craft Show, a successor to regular Christmas shows and sales that had been held since the 1970s.
® 1995: Pamela MacKenzie retired as the Centre s librarian after nearly 25 years of service. Under her guidance the library had grown to hold 8,000 books.
e February 1997: Getting the Jump on Spring was established as an expanded successor to Catching the Gardening Spirit.
e June 25, 1998: Official opening ofthe Teaching Garden, which was a project of the Garden Club of Toronto, and was given to the Centre. The Centre s children s programs had expanded exponentially during this decade.®
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Marion Magee is a member of the Trellis Committee and a dedicated TBG volunteer.
" ARGENTINA
Labelled envelopes should include:
® Plant name (common and botanical) and cultivar
* Plant type (e.g. annual, perennial, bulb, vine efc.)
® Flower colour
® Height (centimetres)
® Comments (bloom time, attracts birds efc.)
For tips on collecting seed and submission forms, see torontobotanicalgarden.ca
Mail or deliver seeds to Cathie Cox, Director, Horticulture
Lawrence Ave. E.Toronto M3C 1P2
by Anna Leggatt
Dog-strangling vine
In this third in a series on weeds, Anna Leggatt tackles the bane ofhergarden. Tk )
DOG-STRANGLING VINE - also known as black swallow-wort (Cynanchum louiseae syn. C. nigrum and Vincetoxicum nigrum) or pale swallow-wort (C. rossium syn. V. rossicum) is one of the worst weeds in my garden. Twenty years ago I found and removed the occasional plant, but now I dig out hundreds every year.
Itwas introduced to North America more than 100 years ago, and now it grows in all our conservation areas, and in the Don Valley, smotheringyoung trees and seedlings on woodland edges and removing habitat for animals. Biologists say it is a worse threat to our wildlife than purple loosestrife and it s spreading westward.
At first, it appears as an inconspicuous vine, but quickly grows to one metre (three feet) in full sun and up to 2.5 metres (eight feet) in shade. Then, suddenly, the plants take off. They twine counterclockwise round any structure and many twist together to support each other.
C. louiseae spreads by both seeds and rhizomes, which sprout from either end if broken, while C. rossium spreads only by seeds. The dark green matte leaves measure up to six centimetres (2.5 inches) long and grow in pairs from short stalks along the stems. Their shape is oval, pointed at the tip with a heart-shaped base.
Cynanchum is a member of the milkweed family, and monarch butterflies have been fooled into laying eggs on dog-strangling vine; however, the caterpillars die, making these weeds more dangerous to butterflies than to dogs. (The name is derived from the Greek kynos, meaning dog , and anchein, to choke .)
The tiny self-pollinating flowers first appear in earlyJune and continue to bloom into July as the plant grows taller. The flowers of C. louiseae are purple-brown while those ofC. rossium are pinkish brown. The first seed pods form at the beginning ofJuly. They are slim, light green, about six
centimetres (2.5 inches) long. From August to October, the pods dry, releasing winged seeds, most of which germinate and blow into your garden!
The most effective way to eradicate this pest is by digging it out. Look for small seedlings, about 10 centimetres (four inches) high with two pairs of small leaves. They lurk under large perennials and are easy to dig up. (Pulling usually results in the stem breaking off, leaving the crown and the resting buds in the ground, ready to sprout more plants.) Mulching inhibits germination to some extent, and large areas can be mowed to help prevent seed production.
Roundup (if permitted for use in your community) has some effect if applied when the plants are in flower, but repeated doses are recommended.
My best advice? Ifyou find dog-strangling vine in your garden, dig it up immediately! @ NF N7 \ )( .\( LYAR Y AR, Y 4 ): NZ NS NS NZ N NS NS X ) LA AN PX N N FN N N PN Anna Leggatt is a Master Gardeneranda tireless TBG volunteer.
Earlier this year, a barcode gene was discovered that can be used to distinguish among the majority of plant species. A BBC report on the work of Dr. Vincent Savolainen of Kew Gardens suggests that in the long run, a DNA database for as many plant species as possible will be built up, so that samples can be compared to this database and difficult plant species accurately identified. In the future, we hope that non-experts will be able to take a small portable device, capable of reading a plant s genetic barcode, into species-rich areas of the world for their plant composition to be established, he says.
Mysterious bat die-off
Bats are one of nature s most valuable pollinators and consume enormous quantities of night-flying insects. In the last two winters, what is being called white-nose syndrome has killed hundreds of thousands of hibernating bats in the northeastern United States. As of this writing, scientists do not know the cause of the sickness but suspect it may be related to an environmental toxin or pollutant or to a bacterium or virus (or to a combination of these factors). Scientists are calling this the gravest threat bats in the United States have ever faced. Ontario s close proximity to the affected area means there is a risk for Canada s bats as well. For more information, visit the Bat Conservation International Web site at www.batcon.org.
Head for the hills!
The effects of climate change can be observed in the changing distribution of plants by altitude, accordingtoastudyconducted inwestern Europe. It was shown that an average upward shift of 95 feet per decade is occurring in the growing range of 171 forest species. The plant ranges are moving upward to higher cooler spots because seeds are not growing as well in the traditional ranges due to much higher average temperatures.
3 GARDEN BLOG FOCUS
A blog (short for weblog) is an on-line journal. There are thousandsof them on the Internet, many focusing on specific topics, such as gardening. Here s a roundup of those that are a bit cutting edge, hip and humorous.
*You Grow Girl (yougrowgirl.com).
This blog, launched by author GaylaTrail in 2000, has grown into athriving online community that speaks to a new kind of gardener, seeking to redefine the modern world s relationship to plants. This contemporary, laid-back approach to gardening places equal importance on environmentalism, style, affordability, art, and humour. eGarden Rant (gardenrant.com).
The work of four self-described opinionated gardeners, Garden Design Magazine called their blog pithy, hysterically funny, with poignant news and views of all aspects of the garden world. oThis Garden Is lllegal (thisgardenisillegal.com).
A gardener in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, waxes on and off about her garden, the flowers, what she wants to do in her yard and how it all fits into her everyday life.
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Witer Care for Roses
FOLLOWTHIS CHECKLIST FROMTHETORONTO MASTER GARDENERS TO HELPYOUR ROSES THROUGHTHEWINTER.
HYBRID TEAS, FLORIBUNDAS AND GRANDIFLORAS
oCut back to about 45 centimetres (18 inches) to avoid wind damage and possible upheaval of roots in strong winds.
eAfter the ground has frozen, hill up with enough soil to cover the crown where the graft is located. Use friable soil left over from a planter of summer annuals. Do not use manure or compost. Once that soil is frozen, cover with more soil, damp sawdust, leaves or hay. Chicken wire or plastic collars can be used to hold the mulch in place to provide insulation. Small conifer branches laid around the crowns of roses will also act as an insulator by holding the snow in place and minimizing the possibility of rodents nesting in the mounds.
Book REVIEW
The Growing Years: The Garden Club of Toronto 1946-2007, by Helen Skinner Toronto: Harmony Printing Ltd., 2008; 154 pages; available from the Garden Club s office at 416-447-5218 or at thegardencluboftoronto.ca
OVER THE PAST 60 YEARS, the Garden Club of Toronto (GCT) has helped shape the city s landscape with gardens of great significance, promoting green spaces before green became a fashionable word.
Founded in 1946, from its very beginning, the GCT emphasized the pleasure to be found in gardens and flowers. The organization encouraged the creation of parks and gardens to improve Toronto s various neighbourhoods. Exhibitions, flower shows, meetings and teaching sessions were all part of its mandate. It was a long-time supporter of the Civic Garden Centre and a co-founder of Canada Blooms.
Author Helen Skinner s account of the inception and growth of the GCT over the past 60 years makes a very interesting and informative read for all gardeners, whether novices or veterans.
Reviewed by Madge Bruce
SHRUB ROSES
All shrub roses, including David Austin roses, can be cut back to about 60 to 100 centimetres (2 or 3 feet).
CLIMBERS
eSecure or remove branches to avoid possible wind damage.
MINIATURES
*Most are hardy but consider hilling up with soil.
Excerptedfrom the Toronto Master GardenerFactsheet, Putting the Garden to Bed for the Winter. For more advice from the Master Gardeners, visitfactsheets.torontomastergardeners.ca.
TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN 8th Annual Golf Tournament
Monday, September 8, 2008 Scarboro Golf & Country Club
For further information, contact 416-397-1484 events@tor b icalgarden.ca www.tor b icalgarden.ca
Lectures L, \__\ = Edwards Lectures |
SPEAKER: [an Christie
ToriC: Gentians & Late-Flowering Perennials
WHEN: Tuesday, September 16, 7:30 p.m.
OWNER OF Christie s Alpine Nursery in Angus, Scotland and a specialist in rock garden and woodland plants, Ian Christie s enthusiasm for plants has taken him to many exotic locations to collect seeds, including China and Nepal. He ll talk about the plants that are his forte: gentians, nomocharis (small bulbs native to the Himalayas), lilies, lady s slipper orchids, gingers, blue poppies, trilliums and dwarf shrubs.
lan Christie has been a nurseryman for 25 years and is president of the Scottish Rock Garden Club. He participates in many Royal Horticultural Society events and has won a number of awards for his Meconopsis and Gentianae from the RHS aswell as from the Alpine Garden Society and the Scottish Rock Garden Society.
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SPEAKER: Rick Darke
Toric: Grasses for Livable Landscapes
WHEN: Thursday, October 2, 7:30 p.m.
DURABLY DRAMATIC and luminously responsive, grasses are playing increasingly important roles in truly sustainable landscapes that blend fine design with conservation ethics. Rick Darke will highlight the range, purpose and promise of grasses, sedges and rushes. These sturdy all-season
plants are perfect for our challenging and ever changing climate.
Rick Darke is a contextual design consultant, author, photographer and internationally recognized authority on the use of grasses and their relatives. Darke has written and illustrated many award-winning books including The Color Encyclopedia ofOrnamental Grasses. His latest and most comprehensive work, The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes (see excerpt, page 16) includes over 1,000 photographs from around the world. Formerly Curator of Plants at Longwood Gardens, Rick Darke travels extensively in search of ideas to enrich North American gardens.
SPEAKER: Wilhelm Kordes
TopiC: Roses for a Healthy Planet
WHEN: Wednesday, October 15, 7:30 p.m.
WILHELM KORDES, managing director of W. Kordes Séhne, Germany, is a rose hybridizer par excellence. He'll speak ofthe company s history, the developments in rose breeding over the last two decades and the company s 1988 decision to stop using fungicides and instead develop diseaseresistant roses. (See story, page 14.)
Wilhelm Kordes is a devoted rosarian and a fourth-generation member of a family dedicated to rose hybridizing. He is known for his development of hardy, disease-resistant varieties and, most recently, for the development of three new groups of roses: Vigorosa, Fairy Tale and Climbing Max.
SPEAKER: Jill Cherry
Topic: Opportunities and Challenges for Public Gardens Today
WHEN: Tuesday, November 11, 7:30 p.m.
ASDIRECTOROFGARDENSANDESTATESfor
Britain s Royal Horticultural Society, Jill Cherry is well aware of the opportunities and dilemmas facing those responsible for public gardens. Get an insider s view of these issues and learn about the fascinating ideas and themes that keep these gardens fresh.
Jill Cherry is a horticulturalist and landscape architectwith more than 25 years experience in
municipal, botanical and display gardens. She began her career in Toronto, eventuallybecoming Director of the city s Division of Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and then became Director of the VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver. She served for three years as a trustee on the board of the American Public Gardens Association before becoming Director of Gardens and Estates for the RHS in May 2006.
Lectures take place in the Floral Hall. Free for TBG members; $15 for non-members. Door sales only, limited seating. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Kitchen Garden Feature Recipe
d la Carte Kitchen created this dish inspired by the Indian herbs and vegetables grownin the TBG Kitchen Garden this summer.
1 tbsp (15 mL) balti garam masala (available in specialty shops)
1 tsp (5 mL) chili powder
2 thsp (30 mL) coriander leaves, including the tender stalks, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 large egg
1 tsp (5 mL) salt, or to taste
2 thsp (30 mL) sunflower or corn oil
e Put all the ingredients for the kebabs except the oil in food processor or grinder and blend until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
e Line a baking sheet with foil and brush it with oil. Have skewers handy.
e Pre-heat the oven to 400°F (200°C)
e Lightly grease the palms of your hands and fingers with the oil (this will stop the mixture from sticking to your hands) and divide the chicken mixture into 12 equal portions. Mould each portion onto a skewer and make a sausage shape by gently patting and stretching it to about 6 inches (15 centimetres) in length. Grease hands frequently while shaping the kebabs. Place the skewers on a prepared baking sheet.
to garden design has been to create your own fantasy backyard, and the only limitation was your budget. Now, faced with climate change and increased environmental awareness, we realize we need to reduce our use of oil, synthetic chemicals and, of course, water.
Gardeners can help reduce water usage by mulching, planting or building windbreaks to create shade and by choosing drought-tolerant plants. Many drought-tolerant plants have modified their foliage to conserve water: leaves may be very small or thin and narrow (less surface area reduces moisture loss); they may be able to store excess water in their cells for example, (succulents such as hens and chicks); or, like lavender, they have grey or silver foliage that helps reflect the sun s rays instead of absorbing them. Others have developed hairy stems and foliage to trap moisture. Many drought-tolerant plants have extensive root systems and long taproots. Many bulbous plants are also able to tolerate long periods of drought.
Even with all this information about how to spot a drought-tolerant plant, selecting the right one still requires careful consideration. I have been surprised at the lack of accurate information in books and on Web sites, and many generalizations are inaccurate. Plants that have been erroneously listed as drought-tolerant include many bee balms (Monarda spp. and cultivars) aswell as summer phlox (Phloxpaniculata). Both of these perennials develop mildew and look weedy when grown in less than ideal conditions.
Some drought-tolerant plants thrive in clay soils but not on sandy or poor soils. Plants that frequently fail to survive or thrive drought in clay-based or compacted soils include anise
hyssop (Agastache spp.), yarrow (Achillea spp.), sea holly (Eryngium spp.), pinks (Dianthus spp.), lavender (Lavandula spp.), oriental poppy (Papaver orientale) and stonecrop (Sedum spp.). Many of these have deep taproots or grey or silver foliage, otherwise typical signs of droughttolerant plants.
Amended soils offer greater success in growing a wider range of drought-tolerant plants. Adding coarse sand, grit or any humusy material, such as compost or leaf mould, helps clay drain faster and increases the level of oxygen in the soil. Adding compost, leaf mould or manure to sandy soils will help retain moisture.
There are many otherwise invasive plants that tolerate drought in shade: the lack of moisture helps control their spread. These include gooseneck loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides), creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia), Solomon s seal (Polygonatum spp.), yellow fumitory (Corydalis Iutea), Siberian bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla), and chameleon plant (Houttuynia cordata Chameleon ).®
TRULY DROUGHT-TOLERANT PLANTS FOR CLAY
Beardtongue (Penstemon spp.)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckiafulgida)
Blue oat grass (Helichtotrichon sempervirens)
Blue-star flower (Amsonia spp.)
Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Culver s root (Veronicastrum virginicum)
Evening primrose (Oenothera spp.)
Foxglove (Digitalis spp.)
Gayfeather (Liatris spp.)
Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
Helen s flower (Helenium spp.)
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Roses (Rosa spp.)
=5l What s on atthe Toronto Botanical Garden|
16
Edwards Lecture
TorontoJudging Centre ofthe American Orchid Society
Judging, Studios 1 & 2, 9 a.m. S00S.Ca
7
Toronto Region Iris Society Show & auction, Studio 1, 10 a.m. torontoirissociety.com
Southern Ontario Orchid Society Meeting, Floral Hall, noon $00s.ca
Greater Toronto Rose & Garden Horticultural Society
Mycological Society of Toronto Meeting, Garden Hall, 7:30 p.m. myctor.org
18
Toronto Cactus & Succulent Club
Dalibor Tichak: Growing cacti from seed Studio 1, 7 p.m. torontocactus.tripod.com
30
Sogetsu Ikebana Meeting, Studio 2, 10 a.m. Highpark35@rogers.com
Toronto Region Rhododendron & Horticultural Society
Barrie Porteous: Rhododendrons of China Studio 1, 2 p.m. onrhodos.com
Canadian Chrysanthemum & Dahlia Society Christmas Party, Garden Hall, 7 p.m. mumsanddahlias.com 6
Toronto Judging Centre of the American Orchid Society Judging, Studios 1 & 2, 9 a.m.
Southern Ontario Orchid Society Meeting, Floral Hall, noon $00s.ca 8
Toronto Bonsai Society Meeting, Garden Hall, 7 p.m. torontobonsai.org
14
Ontario Rock Garden & Hardy Plant Society
Barrie Porteous: Unusual perennials
Floral Hall: plant sale, 12:30 p.m.; speaker, 1:30 p.m. onrockgarden.com 15 SOOS Newcomers Meeting, Boardroom, 7 p.m.
DECEMBER4TH2008 o
THE FLORAL HALL TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN 777 LAWRENCE AVENUE EAST PHONE 416-449-3664
AND 7:00 pm
oy ser s s e S S e e g September 6 Wild & Wonderful Gardens of East York
Self-guided garden tour of 10 inspiring gardens. Visit www.eygc.ca or email gardentour@eygc.ca
Postage paid Portpayé
PublicationsMail Poste-publications
CLASSIFIED ADS
Open Gardens Toronto 2008 will have 23 private gardens open to the public on weekend afternoons in September and October. Each afternoon, visitors can see three or four gardens, grouped in an area of the city over a three hour period. Gardens are accessible byTTC, by walking and by car. Proceeds from the fees - $4 per garden or $25 for unlimited visits to all 23 gardens - go to the Canadian Women s Foundation. For more information visit our website at www.opengardenstoronto.com or pick up a brochure at your local garden centre or theToronto Botanical Garden.
GARDENERS WORLD TOURS
The Garden of Cosmic Speculation is a highlight of our Scottish Borders, Yorkshire Dales, Lake District and North Wales Garden Tour this September 2 to 15 with Marjorie Mason, our delightful and knowledgeable host. Beatrix Potter Hilltop Farm, Alnwick Gardens, Harlow Carr, Bodnant Gardens and Caernarfon Castle are also stars of this tour. $3799.00 plus air per person double occupancy. (2 spaces available)
The Flora and Fauna of New ZealandTour, personally escorted by Marjorie Mason departs October 28 November 12 , 2008 visiting North and South Islands, plus Doubtful Sound overnight cruise. $4275.00 plus air. (4 spaces available)
Preview Grand Tour of the British Isles July 2009Hampton Court Flower Show, Beth Chatto s Garden, David Austen Roses in England, Welsh Botanical Gardens, Powis Castle and Abergathny in Wales. Inverue beckons us to the Highlands for Scottish Homecoming celebration year. Ireland offers a tapestry of garden delights from Helen Dillon in Dublin to the glorious coastline of the Giants Causeway and the gardens of the North. (max. 25 participants). Personally escorted by Marjorie Mason.
Detailed itineraries www.gardenersworldtours.com or call Lorna at 905-432-8411 or e-mail lorna@cwtajax.com
