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adVErtising
416-397-1371
Trellis is published as a members’ newsletter by the toronto botanical Garden at edwards Gardens 777 lawrence avenue east, toronto ontario m3C 1P2, 416-397-1340
Trellis welcomes queries for story ideas, which should be submitted to the editor for consideration by the trellis Committee at least four months in advance of publication dates.
opinions expressed in Trellis do not necessarily reflect those of the tbG. submissions may be edited for style and clarity.
all rights reserved. reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.
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Cover Photo: Janet Davis
to do Features News
4 on the go where’s Paul? Who’s talking matthew wilson: new Gardening goings on Get the Jump on spring a tribute elsa young
5 from the tBg education is life-enriching tBgKids owl Prowl Yours, mine & ours volunteers housing for the Birds
9 tBg seed Exchange 2010
6 great gardening at great dixter sandra Pella tends the gardens at Great Dixter
10 the greatest garden shows on Earth a roundup of the biggest and best garden shows in the world
12 trade secret thrifty tips in our gardens what’s in bloom? Just ask toronto master Gardeners top 10 Winter plants for the winter landscape learning the lingo Cyclamen
13 Container Crazy Freshen containers anna’s plant pick bougainvillea garden gear veggie seeds sandra’s snippets winter composting in Your garden Jobs to Do
14 Events Calendar what’s on at the toronto botanical Garden 14 a good read the toronto music Garden
Printed by harmony Printing
The new look of Trellis is made possible Through a generous donaTion from The ToronTo masTer gardeners.
TBGNews
GOINGS ON ON THE GO
WHERE’S PAUL?
our energetic Director of Horticulture is always on the go. Here’s where paul Zammit is speaking over the winter months: January 11, Small Space Gardening, Agincourt Garden Club; January 14, Gardening without Flowers, Leaside Garden Society; February 16, Beach Garden Society. For garden club listings, visit gardenontario.org/soc.
SHUFFLE OFF TO BUFFALO FRIDAY, JULY 23 THROUGH SUNDAY, JULY 25.
Join Aldona satterthwaite, the former editor of Canadian Gardening, for a cross-border trip to Buffalo. visit the olmsted-designed Buffalo and erie Botanical Gardens and the private gardens on the Buffalo Garden Walk. save the dates and watch for more details in Trellis.
Who’s Ta Lk Ing
LECTURER: MATTHEW WILSON
TOPIC: NEW GARDENING: HOW TO GARDEN IN A CHANGING CLIMATE WHEN: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 7:30 P.M.
Despite being dubbed Heathcliff of the Hedgerows by the British press, Matthew Wilson is not just another pretty face. His love of gardening and concern for the environment springs from an early upbringing in his parents’ small nursery in Kent. Following time at the Royal Horticultural Society gardens of Hyde Hall and Harlow Carr, Matthew Wilson became Head of Gardens Creative Development for all four RHS gardens in 2008. A journalist and writer, he is a regular columnist for Country Life and the author of the award-winning New Gardening: How to Garden in a Changing Climate. In this lecture, Wilson will discuss the issues facing gardeners today and in the future: water efficiency, plant choices, carbon reduction and gardens in their relation to local wildlife. Public $20; students (with valid ID) $15; members free. Door sales only. Limited seating. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
A Tribute to Elsa Young
ELSA YOUNG, one of our longtime tour guides and volunteers, died suddenly this past fall. originally from england, elsa was a knowledgeable and passionate gardener. Her own beautiful terrace garden in downtown toronto spurred her interest in edwards Gardens and in passing her knowledge on to visitors. she also loved the history of edwards Gardens and, at the civic Garden centre’s 40th anniversary celebrations, she and another tour guide dressed in period
costume as Alexander and Jane milne, the original pioneers of the property, to guide guests through the gardens. When the toronto music G arden opened ten years ago, elsa became the lead guide and organized all of the tBG tours. she also regularly volunteered for many other tBG activities until a medical condition prevented her from walking easily. she will be missed.
A book will be donated to the library in her memory. — Sonia Leslie
• get your first taste of the growing season at Get the Jump on Spring, presented by the tbg and the ontario Horticultural association district 5 on Saturday, February 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. there’ll be mini-lectures and demonstrations along with a floral design competition, free advice from Master gardeners, a chance to check out local horticultural societies and to buy plants and products from a variety of vendors.
• create wedding flower designs, including corsages, table decorations, bouquets and much more!
Saturday, February 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Public $160 / Members $150, all materials included. to register, toronto botanicalgarden.ca or 416-397-1362.
•Industry Night, Wednesday, February 24, 5 to 8 p.m. if you’re an event planner or planning a special family celebration, corporate meeting or event, come and experience the possibilities offered by the tbg’s green spaces and sample culinary treats from our exclusive caterers, too. rSVP, 416-397-1349 or rentalassist@toronto botanicalgarden.ca. (exclusive industry only event, not open to the general public.)
From The TBG
JUDY WILLMOTT executive Director
education is life-enriching
An old Chinese proverb says: tell me and I forget / teach me and I remember / involve me and I learn
At the Toronto Botanical Garden we believe that “plant blindness” is an affliction of the twenty-first century. When Kevin Lamb of the National Botanic Garden of Wales spoke at the TBG last spring, he illustrated the point by telling of how people looking at scenery will note objects but not plants. Raising our awareness of plants and how they enrich our lives is what our job at the TBG is all about. We strive to provide learning experiences in a variety of ways such as by example, through traditional teaching methods and even by “stealth” — employing fun and food in our Taste of the Garden series to encourage people to learn about growing edibles.
Owl Prowl’s a Hoot!
learn all about owls during our annual owl prowl evening. Find out how owls see in the dark, dissect an owl pellet and then bundle up and head out to the forest to call for owls! saturday, January 16, 6 to 8 p.m. public $10 / members $7. Adult accompaniment and registration required.
Yours, Mine & Ours Volun T eers
Our gardens inspire an estimated 85,000 visitors a year. We display innovative plantings using environmental best practices. In 2010, we hope to enliven the visitor experience with more kid-friendly signage and by adding an audio tour.
Every year, more than 6,000 kids participate in our children’s programs and camps. For many of these urban children, it’s an introduction to the joys of tending growing things, and we know it’s a first step in their lifelong journey of learning. As well, more than 15,000 adults attend TBG programs and workshops, use our library and join our tours. Trellis is circulated to about 2,600 readers, our e-newsletters reach an audience of 6,000 and our Web site receives more than 200,000 unique visitors annually.
Our calendar boasts a roster of exciting speakers from the horticultural world — and even from the literary realm. For example, last fall, CanLit scholar Michael Peterman spoke about the writings of Susanna Moodie and Catherine Parr Traill, whose works in rare editions are held in the Weston Family Library. We produce events such as For the Birds to promote gardens as habitat. The birdhouse competition and Flocktail party were underscored by educational components and feature articles.
Come and join us on a lifelong learning journey.
Sometimes volunteers come to the TBG to use skills they’ve already acquired, and sometimes they come to learn new skills; often, they end up doing jobs related to expertise they never thought they’d use here. That happened recently when Ann Hide became a volunteer just as the For the Birds initiative was being planned. We scoured our files for volunteers with an interest in birds and, lo and behold, we discovered that Ann was a member of many birding associations. When we asked her to come and talk about being involved in the initiative, we uncovered pure gold! Not only was she interested in birds, but she also knew everyone in the field and had experience designing course modules. She was immediately pressed into service in the planning of For the Birds, and, with her training background, she’s now assisting with recreational and school programs for the Teaching Garden as well. So, if you have a skill or interest that you haven’t told us about – now’s the time. At the moment, we’re looking for someone to work on finding more advertisers for Trellis, so if you’re confident and charming (and which of our volunteers is not?), give us a call at 416-397-4145.
Housing for t H e birds
The winning birdhouses in the For the Birds birdhouse design competition have been installed in our gardens. Each of the distinctive houses was carefully placed according to the preferred nesting environments of each type of bird, including the Eastern Screech Owl, Chickadee, Purple Martin and House
Wren. The TBG wishes to thank the For the Birds Committee, including co-chairs Colomba Fuller and Tom Sparling, Allan King and the crew of Urban Garden for installing the birdhouses, and all of the volunteers who generously donated their time to make this event a “flying” success.
Ann Hide
Great Gardening at Great Dixter
Victoria Stevens talks to tbg head gardener sandra Pella about tending the gardens at great dixter.
Anyone who admires the ever-changing year-round beauty of an English country garden would do well to visit Great Dixter in East Sussex in southern England. It’s a mediaeval manor house surrounded by orchards, wildflower meadows, yew hedges, formal topiary and its most famous feature, the Long Border. A riotous and colourful mix of hardy and tender perennials, shrubs, climbers, biennials and annuals in combination with bulbs, the border is a glorious living tapestry
that changes with the seasons. The whole effect is intended to appear, as head gardener Fergus Garrett describes it, “exuberant and uncontrived”.
However, as the Toronto Botanical Garden’s own head gardener, Sandra Pella, will tell you, achieving this natural look requires a lot of thought and a great deal of intensive labour.
She experienced the garden as an intern working at Great Dixter for five weeks last winter, from January to March, when it’s early spring in southern England and the garden is just coming back to life with hellebores, crocus, witch hazel and the garden’s famous display of snowdrops. It wasn’t entirely a comfortable experience. Sandra arrived
Photo:
At Great Dixter, house and garden complement each other perfectly.
Gardeners at Great Dixter are instructed to “tickle the soil gently” with a three-pronged fork, leaving the soil as undisturbed as possible.
during one of the coldest, wettest winters in many years – there were even a rare couple of days of snow. She stayed in the impressive-looking but cold and damp manor where she had to wear three layers of clothing in bed to stay warm. But what she learned there and the people she met were worth the discomforts: “The experience was great. I would go back in a heartbeat.”
Great Dixter dates back to the mid15th century and became the family home of well-known gardener, author and lecturer Christopher Lloyd when his parents bought the property in 1910 and hired famed architect Sir Edwin Lutyens to restore and add to the building and to design the gardens. Lloyd favoured combining many colours in mixed beds and was constantly experimenting, adding exotic species, such as Musa basjoo, a hardy Japanese banana, to the mix. He never married or had children, and when he died, in 2006, the Great Dixter Charitable Trust was established to preserve the house and gardens as Lloyd would have wanted.
Fergus Garrett, who had worked with Lloyd for many years, carries on the late master’s vision, imparting his knowledge to new generations of gardeners. Interns like Pella come from all over the world to assist the permanent staff of half a dozen gardeners and a small army of volunteers in maintaining the gardens.
Pella’s day at Great Dixter started at 8 a.m., rain or shine. Gardeners were assigned to a particular section of one of the beds and the first task was to lay down boards to walk on and run wheelbarrows over to avoid compacting the soil as they worked. They would spend the day cutting back and lifting and dividing plants – some of which were destined for sale while others would be dispersed throughout the garden. Or they would prune fruit trees in the orchard as well as the shrubs on the property.
“Great care was taken when dividing perennials. The tool of choice most often was a fork as it did far less damage to the root systems,” says Pella, adding that time was also spent in the nursery
potting up divisions and accounting for all the plant material that came in or went out.
Once the work in each section was completed, the last task was to apply a layer of compost over the bed. When amending the soil with mushroom or bark compost, Garrett instructed the gardeners to “tickle the soil” gently using a special long-handled, threepronged fork that Pella says worked very well: “We didn’t turn over the soil with a spade. We had to keep the soil as undisturbed as possible. It was very labour-intensive. Even when we were turning over a whole section, we would dig down only a couple of inches at most.”
Although the gardens are weeded, plants such as the biennial mullein (Verbascum olympicum) are allowed to self-sow and are either left where they grow or moved to other beds.
While specific areas may have had a particular purpose, or theme, there were no rigid rules about which plants should be in each bed, and everything else was not necessarily weeded out, as is often the case here in Canada, says Pella. “If invaders (self-sown annuals, perennials and trees, etc.) come in, they’re allowed to stay or are lifted out and put somewhere else. Verbena bonariensis and evening primrose (Oenothera), for example, are
allowed to self-sow freely throughout the gardens.”
Another difference in technique between the Canadian style of gardening and that of Great Dixter was Garrett’s insistence that perennials that had finished blooming be cut back practically flush to the soil and marked with bamboo sticks, a practice Pella initially thought unnecessary but came to agree with because it left the gardens tidier and allowed for an easy inventory of the plants in each bed.
What struck Pella the most was the carefully thought-out succession of plantings so that there was always something to see and the dense planting of the beds so that there was seldom any soil left exposed: “The same area, due to this style of planting, could wear three or four different faces with the changing seasons. That’s what sets English gardens apart – it’s the understanding of what will happen next.” First, in spring, come the hellebores, crocus and snowdrops, then the “massive, gorgeous magnolia” flowers, followed by tulips and bluebells. By the end of March, the dahlias and cannas are put in for a big splash of late summer and fall colour. And then the flowering shrubs and perennials put on a show throughout the summer. And while Canadian gardeners strive for the same continuous seasonal displays, she
says that Garrett and his staff have got it down to a “fine science”. “After having seen only the beginnings of the season and what was to come, it was obvious to me that we have a way to go.”
Pella was also struck by the importance of the structure (the layout and use of stone, paving and hedging) of the gardens themselves. For example, yew hedging is used to divide the gardens into separate areas and provide a backdrop to the mixed plantings in the beds. “Whether summer or winter, even if nothing is flowering, it’s a pleasure to walk the gardens and see these ‘good bones’. Here in Canada, we are too caught up in always having something in flower or lots of colour. I learned that good design and structure go a long way and add other elements to the garden, extending its season. While she was at Dixter, Pella walked the garden daily and always saw something new and interesting even though it was so early in the growing season.
Her most lasting impression is of the cultural importance of gardening in England. In Canada, gardening is more of a seasonal activity, whereas in England it’s a way of life. “The connection between house and garden is not as prevalent here as it is in England,” she observes. “Certainly, Great Dixter is a great example of how the one relies on, and is tied to, the other. The Manor and the Garden are Great Dixter.”
Victoria Stevens is a retired journalist and a gardening enthusiast.
For more information on Great Dixter, visit www.greatdixter.co.uk. Interns must pay their own airfare and other travel expenses. Accommodation and a small weekly stipend are provided, but interns must buy and cook their own food.
Spring arrives at Great Dixter with drifts of daffodils.
classifieds
Highlights of the British Isles with Marjorie Mason 23 May – 05 June, 2010. Featuring historical, cultural and scenic destinations plus a Mecca for gardeners, chelsea Flower show on rhs members opening day. tour includes chartwell, hever castle, beth chatto’s garden, the welsh botanical garden, aberglasney, crug Farm Plants, helen dillon’s garden, rowallane, Mount stewart house giant’s causeway, crathes castle gardens, balmoral castle in royal deeside and Marjorie’s personal selections. detailed itinerary www.gardenersworldtours. com or contact lorna with your inquiries at 905-432-8411
Get SowinG with the tBG Seed exchanGe!
Our VO lunteer S have been busy sorting, cleaning and packaging a variety of seeds generously donated by avid gardeners, members and Master gardeners. don’t miss out on your chance to order up to 20 different types of seeds for only $10. For a full list of seeds available in this year’s seed exchange, visit www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca/ seedex. avoid disappointment and place your order before the January 10, 2010 deadline! thank you to all for your support of this year’s program.
The greaTesT garden shows
Visiting gardening shows and festivals is a great way to discover some of the latest ideas in garden design and plant developments. here’s a roundup of the biggest and best garden shows in the world, and how to get the most from them.
expect the unexpected: laundry hangs above dye plants at Chaumont-sur-loire
heading to the Chelsea flower show, london’s world-renowned gardening event
The Tour Guides’ Guerrilla survival Plan for Chelsea
For Donna Dawson and Veronica Sliva the Chelsea Flower Show is the crème de la crème of garden events. Donna has been taking enthusiastic groups of gardeners to Chelsea since 1998, and Veronica has been both enthusiastic participant and tour leader. To get the most out of the Chelsea experience, they offer these helpful insiders’ tips.
• The evening before, head to a store like Marks & Spencer and pick up some fruit, cheese and crackers and a bottle of water. Food is expensive at the show and sometimes the lines can be quite long. A small backpack is very handy; it frees up your hands for taking pictures and you can use it to store what you bring with you and what you buy. (Include the plastic laundry bag from your hotel room in case there are no seats and you have to sit on the grass.) Go over the programme (while you are recharging your camera battery) and pay attention to the layout of the show gardens in relation to the marquee and also note where the toilets are. Wear comfortable shoes, and if need be, take your rain hat, not an umbrella.
• Donna’s tour groups are at the gate at 8 a.m. to see the show gardens before the coaches arrive at around 10 o’clock. Visit the gardens and then the booths in the marquee. Next, go to the park, which is in the same area, find a place to sit and have your snack. After your rest visit the smaller gardens surrounding the park. Wait to go through the supplier area on your way out in case you end up with lots of shopping to carry. When you see a toilet, use it. If you feel like a cup of coffee or tea, try and have them at odd times – not at lunchtime – the lines will be shorter. And remember that once you are in the grounds you cannot go out and come back again. You are there for the day so pace yourself and take at least a couple of breaks. Most of all,
bring lots of supplies for your camera as you will absolutely hate yourself if you run out.
• There is a wonderful square not far from the show called Sloane Square. Save enough energy to walk over and see how the shops have decorated their windows for Chelsea week. Finish off your day at the Botanist (No. 7 Sloane Square) with a unique and inexpensive afternoon tea.
– Visit www.gardeningtours.com for details of Donna’s 2010 England’s Finest Gardens & Chelsea Flower Show Tour.
Why iT’s WorTh The drive To Philly
Truly a knock-out, the Philadelphia International Flower Show is an example of what can happen when everyone in a city gets behind something. Philadelphians are intensely proud of their long-established imaginative floral extravaganza – and it shows. They talk it up everywhere – in restaurants, in stores, when you stop at a gas station – and are wonderfully welcoming to Canadian visitors. The theme for 2010 is Passport to the World – gardens inspired by India, Brazil, the Netherlands, South Africa, New Zealand and Singapore. It’s not just visual stuff, either. When I went two years ago, glorious jazz played on shiny trumpets was blasting out from their New Orleans balcony gardens. This time, there’ll be live music from Bollywood, Africa and South America. And Philadelphia is a wonderful city to explore on foot – lots of history as well as interesting art and science museums and good restaurants. Be sure and book somewhere to stay before you go. I didn’t and wound up paying through the nose for a bland motel by a noisy expressway. Best viewing hours for the show are after 4 p.m. – Sonia Day is the author of Middle-Aged Spread: Moving to the Country at 50 (Key Porter Books 2009)
Courson
– rain or shine
For only two weekends each year, the Domaine de Courson just outside of Paris becomes a Mecca for plant enthusiasts. That’s where I travelled one very rainy May weekend and discovered that not even trudging through the muddy ruts caused by four straight days of rain could dampen the spirits of the hundreds of vendors and thousands of visitors to the Journées des Plantes. On show are the very latest cultivars of just about any plant family you could think of, from row upon row of Japanese maples to tray after tray of delicate epimediums. It’s tough to bring plants back to Canada
on earTh
without the required permits, so the best part of the show is talking to the growers and breeders. Many of them speak English, so it’s easy to get the inside scoop on their latest treasures as well as recommendations for local nurseries and private gardens to visit. –Lorraine Flanigan, Trellis editor
insPired by ChaumonT
Nestled in the beautiful Loire Valley, the grounds of the Château de Chaumont are transformed for an international garden festival that runs from spring through fall every year. Each of the gardens on display is inspired by a central theme created by an eclectic group of juried designers, from landscape architects and visual artists to hair stylists! You never know what you’ll see – and that’s the fun of visiting this world-class show that inspired Canada’s own International Garden Festival at the Reford Gardens/Les Jardins de Métis. Wandering the gravel pathways, you might see laundry lines of clothing waving in the breezes above beds planted with dye plants, or a horticultural hair salon where
show-going
roses frame mirrored hairstyling “stations”. Chaumont is the Alice-in-Wonderland of garden shows – bring your camera, the folks back home won’t believe you! – Lorraine Flanigan, Trellis editor
PassionaTe abouT Canada blooms
According to Collins dictionary, a passion is a strong affection, love or enthusiasm. And for 2010, it’s the theme of Canada Blooms, the Flower and Garden Festival that takes place at a fresh new venue at the Direct Energy Building at the C.N.E. right here in Toronto. Canada Blooms has always tried to satisfy our passions, whether it be the pastimes of gardening and floral design, a certain flower or plant or even a scent, colour, shape or texture. Over the past 14 years, Canada Blooms has catered to an ever-expanding array of visitors’ passions, including food, wine, art, the environment, travel, photography – even recycling. In 2010, the show will bring you even more passions to crave, so be prepared! –Colomba Fuller, artistic director, Canada Blooms
weston family library volunteer gwen rattle offers a roundup of some of the world’s best garden shows.
Canada Canada blooms direct energy building, Cne, Toronto march 17 to 21 canadablooms.com
international Garden festival/ festival international de jardins Jardins de métis/reford Gardens, métis, Quebec June 26 to october 3 jardinsdemetis.com/ refordgardens.com
uniTed sTaTes
Philadelphia international flower show
Pennsylvania Convention Center february 28 to march 7 theflowershow.com
Chicago flower & Garden show
navy Pier march 6 to 14 chicagoflower.com
epcot international flower & Garden festival
disneyworld, orlando, florida march 3 to may 16
disneyworld.disney.go.com
san francisco flower & Garden show
san mateo event Center march 24 to 28 sfgardenshow.com
euroPe
royal horticulture society shows, england
• London Plant and Design Show, february 16, 17
• Cardiff, April 16 to 18
• Malvern Spring Gardening show, may 6 to 9
• Chelsea Flower Show, may 25 to 29
• Hampton Court Palace Flower show, July 6 to 11
• Tatton Park, July 21 to 25
• Wisley Flower Show: september 10 to 12
• Malvern Autumn Show, september 25, 26 rhs.org.uk/Shows-Events
Keukenhof lisse, netherlands march 18 to may 16 keukenhof.nl
les Journées des Plantes
Courson-monteloup, france may 14 to 16 october dates to be announced domaine-de-courson.fr
festival des Jardins
Chaumont-sur-loire april 29 to october 17 chaumont-jardins.com
ausTralia
melbourne international flower and Garden show
Carlton Gardens and royal exhibition building melbourne, australia march 24 to 28 melbflowershow.com.au
in season To Do
TRade seCReT
Thrifty Tips from marjorie harris
• Don’t overplant. This is the oldest garden design trick in the book: lotsa plants, instant result and once you’ve paid the bill you can’t ask them to give you a discount because half the plants are being crowded out.
• If you have a computer use it for research; if not, hit the libraries and bookstores. It’s way cheaper than rejigging a whole garden because it’s not what you had in mind.
Excerpted from Thrifty: Living the Frugal Life with Style by Marjorie Harris, House of Anansi, January 2010.
in
our Gardens
WhaT’s In bloom?
Season by season, if you want to check out which plants are at their peak, visit the What’s in Bloom blog. it’s updated each week and features a picture and description of each of the top five seasonal plants, chosen by head gardener Sandra Pella. go to torontobotanicalgarden.ca and click on What’s in Bloom.
– Elaine Carey, editor, What’s in Bloom blog
JuSt ASK
What is the best way to overwinter Clivia?
Clivia is a beautiful tropical plant that benefits from spending the summer outdoors but needs to be brought indoors for the winter. Place it in a cool room (warmth will make it sulk!). Water sparingly, just enough to prevent the leaves from wilting – perhaps once a month, depending on how dry your home is. In the spring, start watering it more frequently and once it begins to produce flower buds again, do not move the pot when in bud or flower –like Greta Garbo, it wants to be left alone.
For more information on growing houseplants, see torontobotanicalgarden.ca/ mastergardener/BeginnersGrowiHouseplants.shtml
WInter PlAntS
Director of Horticulture Paul Zammit has chosen trees, shrubs, grasses and even some perennials that look good in the winter landscape.
Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica ‘Compacta’ (Compact Rocky mountain fir)
Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ (‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass)
Cotoneaster horizontalis var. perpusilus (Prostrate rock spray)
Quercus robur f. fastigiata (Columnar english oak)
T R ees & sh R ubs
GR asses
Pe R enn I als
GR asses
container crazy
FReshen uP holIday ConTaIneRs give urns and other containers a fresh winter look once the holidays are over. Carefully remove any festive decorations, such as ornaments, ribbon and berries. to make the arrangement last for the balance of the winter, add southern magnolia leaves, seeded eucalyptus and a few new branches — Paul Zammit
Anna’s Plant Pick
Bougainvillea: Paper flowers
if you’ve ever travelled to a place with a Mediterranean climate, you’ll have noticed brightly coloured vines scrambling over walls and up the sides of houses and into trees. the brilliant “flowers” bloom in pink, purple, magenta, orange and crimson.
Bougainvillea species, or paper flowers, are subtropical woody vines native to South america. their startling colour comes from the three showy bracts that surround the true flowers, which are small creamy-coloured tubes. the plants have spines, enabling them to scramble through other plants or over walls. in open ground, they can grow as much as eight metres (26 feet) long. Luckily for gardeners in more northern climates like ours, there are dwarf cultivars that make excellent houseplants. Some have variegated leaves while others have bicoloured flowers.
to grow them, plant the vines in a pot with good drainage, in standard indoor plant soil with a high peat moss content. to flower well, they need at least four hours of sun daily and temperatures above 10˚C (50˚F) at night. When the vines are actively growing, fertilize every two weeks with a 20:20:20 formula and water them well when the top 2.5 centimetres (one inch) of soil becomes dry to the touch. Be careful, though: if the plant is overwatered or if the soil dries out completely, the leaves will begin to drop. When going through winter dormancy, they’ll need less water and cooler temperatures. take bougainvilleas outside for the summer. however, before bringing the plant inside for the winter, spray well with insecticidal soap. remove any spotted leaves and squash any scale.
then, enjoy the ambience of the tropics in your home!
— Anna Leggatt, Toronto Master Gardener
Garden Gear
Whether you grow them in a traditional garden, in containers or on a balcony, shoptBg’s carefully chosen vegetable seed selection offers something for everyone.
eggplant
‘little Prince’
An exclusive to shopTBG, this compact eggplant produces abundant clusters of eight- to 10-centimetre (three- to fourinch) oval-shaped fruit. The velvety leaves and lavender flowers make this an attractive edible for any landscape, patio or sunny balcony.
‘sweetie baby’ romaine lettuce
A new introduction for 2010, this heat-tolerant lettuce is slow to bolt and suitable for container growing.
heirloom tomatoes
The Rainbow’s End collection includes ‘Brandywine’, ‘Green Zebra’ and ‘Marvel Stripe’.
$2.99/package
sandra’s sniPPeTs
adding to the compost pile is just as important in winter as in any other season. Insulate the bin to keep the organic matter warm enough to decompose. To do this, pile straw bales or bags of soil or compost around the bin, or surround it with a burlap screen and fill the space between it and the composter with leaves.
— Sandra Pella Head Gardener
in your Garden
Jobs To do
WInTeR
Evaluate the placement, form and framework of evergreens, trees and shrubs. Make notes for changes and additions.
Carefully tie twine to damaged or crossing tree and shrub branches. Use these flags to prune out the selected limbs during the appropriate season.
Catch up on gardening literature and review seed catalogues.
Start an indoor vermiculture bin to produce compost all winter.
After a wet snowfall, check evergreens, especially those around the house that may be affected by snow sliding off the roof, and gently brush heavy snow from branches.
Stock up on seed-starting supplies; clean plant stands; create a calendar of when to start seeds.
Clean garden tools that were missed at the end of fall.
Monitor indoor plants for insects and disease.
Top up bird feeders regularly.
Reduce or stop feeding tropical plants that are not actively growing. Resume as light levels begin to increase and growth resumes in late winter or early spring.
For more winter tasks, visit torontobotanical garden.ca/trellis.
Bougainvillea glabra
events What’s on at the t oronto Bo tanical Garden
Tallgrass Prairie lecture, January 20
2
Toronto Judging Centre of the American Orchid Society
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Open to the public. Admission $10; children 12 & under free; soos.ca
15
Mycological Society of Toronto
Speaker: Richard Aaron Garden Hall, 7:30 p.m.; myctor.org
17
North American Native Plant Society
Paul General: Allies in protecting the environment: First Nations and the land
Garden Hall, 7:30 p.m.; nanps.org
20
Get the Jump on Spring
TBG, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; free torontobotanicalgarden.ca
21
Ontario Rock Garden & Hardy Plant Society
Matthew Wilson: Star plants for small gardens
Floral Hall, 1:30 p.m.; onrockgarden.com
Ontario Water Garden Society
Studio 3, noon; onwatergarden.com
March
7
Southern Ontario Orchid Society
Floral Hall, noon; soos.ca
Greater Toronto Rose & Garden
Horticultural Society
Studio 1, 2 p.m.
gardenontario.org/site.php/rosegarden
8
Toronto Bonsai Society
Garden Hall, 7 p.m. torontobonsai.org
9
North Toronto Horticultural Society
Studios 1, 2, & 3, 7:30 p.m.
gardenontario.org/site.php/northtoronto
14
Ontario Rock Garden & Hardy Plant Society
Darren Heimbecker: Whistling Gardens
Garden Hall, 1:30 p.m.; onrockgarden.com
Toronto Gesneriad Society
Paul Lee: Plant pests & solutions
Studios 1 & 2, noon; torontogesneriadsociety.org
15 to 17
March Break at the TBG
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Public $65, members $55
EDWARDS LECTURES
February 17 · Matthew Wilson
New Gardening: How to Garden in a Changing Climate
Wilson will discuss the issues facing gardeners, including water efficiency, plant choices, carbon reduction and the importance of gardens to local wildlife.
lectures take place in the Floral hall at 7:30 p.m.
Public $20, students (with id) $15, members free.
door sales only, limited seating. 416-397-1340
SCHEDULES CAN CHANGE AFTER PRESS TIME– BE SURE TO CHECK AHEAD
A good ReaD
The Toronto Music Garden: Inspired by Bach by Julie Moir Messervy, Julie Moir Messervy Design Studio, 2009, 57 pages, paperback.
the result of a creative collaboration between cellist yo-yo Ma and garden designer Julie Moir Messervy, the toronto Music garden interprets in nature the music of bach’s First suite for unaccompanied cello. celebrating its tenth anniversary, this jewel on toronto’s waterfront is alive with blooming plants, interesting pathways, birdsong and imaginative music programming. this book, which is illustrated with 70 beautiful colour photographs, will inspire you to take part in a unique and spectacular garden experience.
— Madge Bruce, Weston Family Library Volunteer
aB out t he toronto Botanical Garden
the toronto Botanical Garden (tBG) 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. the tBG raises over 90 per cent of its operating funds through membership, facility rentals, retail enterprises, program fees and donations. the organization relies on the generosity and financial commitment of individuals, foundations and corporations to help maintain the gardens and support the many horticultural and environmental services we provide to our community.
G eneral hours and admission
Gardens: Free admission, dawn to dusk a dministrati V e oFF ices: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Weston Family l i B rary: Call 416-397-1343 or check www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca for hours of operation. shop t BG: Call 416-397-1357 • shop@torontobotanicalgarden.ca t BG c afé: 416-392-6190 (closed until spring) m aster Gardeners’ i n Fo l ine: noon to 3 p.m. 416-397-1345 (April & July, Tuesday to Saturday; May & June, daily; August through March, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday) or www.questions.torontomastergardeners.ca
GiFt memBershiP: $40 single, $55 family. call 416-397-1341 or sign up online at torontobotanicalgarden.ca/membership
siGn uP For Garden e-neWs!
Receive the latest horticultural news and information on events, workshops, lectures and other horticultural happenings. Free registration at torontobotanicalgarden.ca/e_newsletter.asp
F riends o F the toronto B otanical G arden
Thank you to the following Friends for providing generous support towards our programs and services. o ur Friends are fundamental to the TB g ’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 July 1, 2009, to o ctober 31, 2009.
PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE
($5,000 +)
Geoffrey & Susan Dyer
BENEFACTORS
($1,000 - $2,499)
Frances Price
Helen & John Shaw
SUSTAINING MEMBERS
($500 - $999)
Tony DiGiovanni & Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association
Shari & John Ezyk
Barbara Hill
Sonia & Michael Koerner
Joan & Alan Lenczner
Catherine Peer
Shirley Taylor
FRIENDS ($140 - $499)
Katy Anderson
Alexander R. Armstrong
Carol Bairstow
Kathleen Belshaw
Daryl Bessell
Brian & Mary Bixley
Sadie Blain
Frances M. Brown
Marilyn Chapman
Deborah Cloakey
Jennifer Ferguson
Joanne Fleming
Helen Galt
Barbara Goldring
Valerie M. Grant
Dr. Gordon Horne
Judith Humphries
Jane & Paul G. Jeffrey
Mary Lee Laing
Susanne Law
Bernice Levitt
Jane Lind & John Eidt
Barbara McDonald
Patricia & Douglas Markle
Barbara Murchie
Toshi Oikawa
Patrons
h onorary Patron: adrienne clarkson
Brian Bixley, mark cullen, camilla dalglish, sondra Gotlieb, marjorie harris, lorraine Johnson, michele landsberg, susan macauley, helen skinner
B
oard o F directors
leslie denier (president); kathy dembroski, nancy G. dengler, suzanne drinkwater, Geoffrey dyer, James eckenwalder, mary Fisher, colomba Fuller, Jim Gardhouse, Peter Gray-donald, lynn Grogan, Janet karn, allan kling, catherine Peer, rosemary Phelan, Penny richards, dawn scott, Judy sherriff, claudette smith, tom sparling, margaret taylor, anne ullman
Birthday Party coordinator, alyshia Goldblatt birthdayparty@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1380
adult Program coordinator, rebecca Golding programs@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1362
shoptBG
Geraldine O’Meara Burke
Ruth Ann Penny
Mary Jean & Frank Potter
Joan Redfern
Elisabeth Renner
Vivian Rosen & Irving L.
Rosen Foundation
Lois Rowland
Bernice & Hugh Smythe
James N. Stanley
Nancy Sutherland
Martin Wade & Daniel Larocque
Eleanor Ward
Judith Wardell
E. Joan Williams
Doriana Zohil; Maggie & Christina Morton-Zohil
Anonymous (3)
trellis editor editor@torontobotanicalgarden.ca deVeloPment dePartment director of development development@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1372 development officer annualgiving@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1483
shop@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1357
tBG caFÉ 416-392-6190
Weston Family liBrary library@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1343
taxonomic assistant, toni Vella taxonomy@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
777 l awrence a venue e as t, toron to, o n tario m 3 c 1P2 , c anada 4 16-397-1340; fax: 416-397-1354 info@torontobotanicalgarden.ca torontobotanicalgarden.ca
