L. hickey, J. mccLuskey, D. PuDer, L. & s skinner anD L. uyeno
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: carDoon; PauL zammit
to do Features News
4 on the go summer tours
Who’s talking celebrity tastes of the garden goings on in and about the tbg a good read The Beach
5 from the tBg inspiration from our gardens tBgKids For the birds design challenge Yours, mine & ours volunteers
6 dutch master breaking Piet oudolf’s design code
10 Coping with slopes kim Price puts the right slant on slopes
12 Container Crazy rosemary planter in our gardens herbs & veggies Just ask toronto master gardeners answer your questions top 10 architectural plants learning the lingo Calamagrostis
13 anna’s plant pick sempervivums garden gear Diy birdhouse sandra’s snippets Deadheading in Your garden Jobs to Do
14 Events Calendar What’s on at the toronto botanical 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
sUMMer toUrs
June 10: urban paradises with Frank Kershaw
July 15: Rural paradises of the cambridge Area with Frank Kershaw
July 23 through 25: the secret treasures of Buffalo with Aldona satterthwaite
august 10: Barrie, Holland marsh and points north with marjorie mason
For details, see page 14.
To register, call 416-397-1341 or visit www.torontobotanical garden.ca
A gooD read
The Beach: An Illustrated History from the Lake to Kingston Road by Glenn Cochrane and Jean Cochrane eCw Press, 2009, 160 pages, $18.95 the authors are long-time residents and avid fans of this area of toronto.
the beach is a unique city neighbourhood that is constantly frequented by pedestrians, strollers and dogs and, in the summertime, by picnickers, sunbathers and kids playing games. the authors have skillfully combined history, biography and nostalgia, together with beautiful photographs representing the different eras, to describe this distinctive area.
— Madge Bruce, Weston Family Library Volunteer
Who’s TALk InG
Join Us for Celebrity tastes of the Garden
On three evenings during the summer, learn to grow and prepare fresh locally grown produce with inspiration from some of the city’s best-known gardening and culinary gurus including Lorraine Johnson, author of City Farmer, on June 24; Sarah Elton, food columnist for CBC Radio’s Here and Now, on July 29; and Sonia Day, Toronto Star columnist and author of Incredible Edibles, on August 26. Top off each evening by tasting culinary treats prepared by Chef Simon Kattar of the TBG Café and à la Carte Catering. The TBG’s Director of Horticulture, Paul Zammit, hosts each event, which take place in the gardens from 7 to 9 p.m. Eat Your Greens: Salads, Brunch and More, Thursday, June 24; Go Local: Summer Appetizers, Thursday, July 29; Viva Italia: Fun, Family-Style Meals, Thursday, August 26. Public $50 per event; members $45 per event. Pre-registration required: toronto botanicalgarden.ca or 416-397-1341.
Get CookinG with Chef Johan Maes
On Thursday, June 24, our special guest chef, Johan Maes, joins Chef Kattar to prepare garden-fresh treats. Belgianborn Maes loves to prepare simple, classic bistro cuisine. His culinary travels have included stops at a Michelin 3-star in Bruges, André Daguin’s Hôtel de France and Toronto’s Windsor Arms Hotel. Along with his wife, Tonya Reid, Maes is co-owner of Le petit déjeuner, a funky Euro-style bistro and popular brunch spot.
• through the Garden Gate: the beach 23rd annual garden tour. saturday, June 19 and sunday, June 20, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. oneday pass: public $40, members $35; two-day pass: public $50, members $45. tickets are limited. to order, call 416-551-0241, go online at www.toronto botanicalgarden.ca/ events/ttgg.htm or e-mail ttgg@toronto botanicalgarden.ca.
• for the birds summer showcase is on display between June 19 and september 14 in shoptbg and at shops at don mills during July and august. don’t forget to cast your vote for the People’s choice award.
• tbG Café by à la carte Kitchen is open may 1 to october 31, weekdays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; weekends 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. tbg members receive a 10 percent discount.
EatErtainmEnt CatErs to soCial rEsponsibility
The TBG selects independent catering companies that are capable of offering menus and services that support our role as an environmental steward. Eatertainment Special Events & Catering, as one of our select providers, has taken some giant steps towards greening our clients’ events. The company is a strong proponent of Local Food Plus (LFP) and incorporates seasonal foods into its catering menus. Executive Catering Chef Christopher Matthews prides himself on supporting local farmers, not only because they have the freshest produce but also because it reduces carbon emissions. (For local deliveries, Eatertainment uses low-emission vehicles.) Eatertainment supports local charities, too, including Evergreen Brick Works and fundraisers such as the Big Night Out for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Toronto. For a checklist of how you can green your next event, visit www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca/rentals/greentips.htm or contact TBG Event Spaces at 416-397-1324 or rentals@torontobotanicalgarden.ca.
From The TBG
aldona satterthwaite executive Director
Inspiration springs from our gardens
All my life I’ve known that plants and gardens have the power to soothe my soul and inspire my heart. So imagine my happiness at being chosen as the new executive director of the Toronto Botanical Garden. My history with this place is a long one — as a member, as a former editor of Trellis and lately as a Master Gardener.
One of the best parts of my new job is I get to walk around and look at what’s coming up in our 12 glorious gardens, and I do this as often as I can. So here’s a suggestion: If you’ve ever zoomed up to the TBG for a lecture or a class or a meeting and just given the gardens a passing glance, next time stop and take a good look. Our gardens are intimate in scale but big on ideas. Spend a bit of time out there and I guarantee that you will come away with inspiration for your own patch. Bring a camera (or use your cellphone) to take photos of combinations you like and their plant tags. Before you go shopping, though, make sure the growing conditions in your garden — especially light and moisture — are comparable to where you see your chosen plants growing in ours.
Some of you may remember me as the former long-time editor-in-chief of Canadian Gardening. While this job is a new direction, I feel energized, optimistic and filled with ideas. How could I not? I’m buoyed up by beauty, and by the utterly committed and hard-working staff, volunteers and Board who keep the TBG going strong. No doubt about it, I’m one lucky woman.
Yours, Mine & Ours Volun T eers
For more than a year, Trudy Stacey, Joy Reddy and Heather Coulter volunteered as volunteer co-ordinators. On top of these duties, Trudy helped Paul Zammit with shopTBG, Joy co-ordinated library volunteers and Heather looked after receptionist scheduling and training. They also served on committees and took part in other volunteer commitments. They’ve now finished their co-ordinating duties but continue to help out in a wide variety of programs. Many thanks to this awesome threesome for all their hard work and for stepping in when help was needed. — Carol Gardner
for the birds Children’s design Challenge!
If you like to draw and love nature, this is the competition for you! Kids aged five to 11 can show off their free-flying imaginations and soaring creativity by drawing one of our native birds along with a birdhouse they might like to live in. Here’s how:
· Pick one species of bird you might find in our area (see list at torontobotanicalgarden.ca/birds).
· Draw a picture of your bird and its home on an 8.5- x 11-inch piece of paper. Be as creative as you like!
· Submit your drawing to the TBG by mail or in person by June 12, 2010. Mark your name, age, address, phone number and e-mail address on the back.
Judging will take place June 14, 2010. Finalists in each age category (5 & 6, 7 & 8, 9 to 11 years) will be invited to a fantastic day filled with activities, a hike and, of course, some birding! The prize for the top finalist in each age category will be a week at one of our TBG camps. Good luck!
pick up a summer Kidkit
next time you take your kids to the tBg, ask for a Kidkit backpack (free with credit card security). Designed to help bring the garden to life, each Kidkit contains binoculars, magnifying glass, guide on birds, flowers or trees, bug viewer, scavenger hunt sheets and kid-friendly guide to the garden.
tBgKids Facebook Fans
Find out about all the great happenings for kids at the tBg by becoming a tBgKids Facebook Fan. sign up at www.facebook.com/pages/tBgKids and you’ll be in on all the info about our eight fabulous summer camps, including our newest one, cooking camp
DuTcH MaSTER
tony Spencer breaks the design code behind Piet oudolf ’s entry garden walk
S EEI n G P IET Ou DO l F ’ S new Wave planting style for the first time was like discovering a Rosetta Stone of modern garden design. The day I saw it, the Entry Garden Walk at the Toronto Botanical Garden had been newly planted and the perennial beds looked like an immense puzzle, with each plant poking up its head like a clue.
Ever since, I’ve attempted to unravel the mystery of its making and decode the guiding principles of the garden’s designer. The serpentine journey has taken me into Oudolf’s books and his gardens, and to the netherlands and back.
Four years since that first moment, I’ve finally come to a far deeper understanding of some of the key principles
of naturalistic planting design that Oudolf uses in the Entry Garden Walk (or Piet’s Garden as Horticulture Director Paul Zammit calls it). Here’s what I’ve discovered on my journey.
1. Never reveal everythiNg at oNce
Oudolf makes ingenious use of hedges, levels and plant curtains, or screens, to create an air of mystery that blocks out the outside world and entices the viewer to come inside and explore.
For example, at the TBG, landscape architect Martin Wade has elevated the front of the walkway planting and faced it with a concrete wall to separate it from the parking area. Oudolf has reinforced Wade’s effect of separation with a screen of perennials that masks the mass of
Photogra P hy by Janet d avis
different colours without much danger of them clashing. The effect is further enhanced by the buffering effect of ornamental grasses.
This is a naturalistic approach that reflects Oudolf’s fascination with how plant communities thrive in the wild — both in terms of ecology and as a guiding aesthetic. Oudolf asks us to look beyond our fixation with flowers to appreciate the full life cycle and drama of the planting itself — in all its four seasons and stages of growth.
modern: from the curvilinear caged hedges to the flared stone paths, concrete benches, sleek metal trellis work and the sculpture in the garden itself. Within this strong architectural context, the plantings somehow seem all the more wild.
4. Put it iN PerSPective
plantings behind, so that the full impact of the garden is revealed only when you walk up onto the sidewalk and find yourself completely surrounded by plants.
2. look aNd learN from Nature
Oudolf’s root inspiration is nature itself. He starts with plant selection, preferring robust and long-flowering plants with a wild character, turning his plantsman’s eye to the proportions between flower, seed head, leaf and stem and to the balance between form and texture.
He places less emphasis on colour, favouring small, less profuse flowers that are akin to their wild cousins. This frees Oudolf from the dictums of colour theory so that he can mix many
In the Entry Garden Walk, Oudolf has abstracted patterns from nature: sweeping drifts of prairie-style perennials are massed into diamonds, scoops and blocks and intermingled with grasses, woody plants and trees to evoke a feeling of nature. and while the planting hums with a spirit of spontaneity, it is, in fact, a highly ordered horticultural and artistic composition.
3. PlaNt Wildly iN a StroNg deSigN
The late modernist Dutch designer, Mien Ruys, who was one of Oudolf’s key early influences (along with Germany’s Karl Foerster), cultivated an aesthetic philosophy based on the power of juxtaposition, setting naturalistic plantings within the context of a formal yet modern garden design. Oudolf has evolved this idea by placing his naturalistic plantings within formal garden structures — invariably with a contemporary twist.
The Entry Garden Walk is a good example. The underlying structure is
Generally, traditional mixed borders are designed for the viewer to look along or at the planting — as in an art gallery. But Oudolf designs from a variety of perspectives and angles, looking into, along, under, through, up or down, over and out of the garden. He brings the viewer right into the planting for a more immersive experience. For example, viewing Piet’s Garden from the west, you look over the plantings and all around you, as you would in a meadow. This perspective highlights the tapestry of the design to reveal patterns, rhythms and changes in height and depth. as you walk eastward, the garden slopes upwards, and at the top Oudolf has planted tall prairie perennials to accentuate their height and to make us look up to see them.
5. uSe PlaNt PaletteS aNd iNtermiNgliNg techNiqueS
Oudolf organizes perennials into a planting palette of geometric forms, shapes and colours that can be combined in myriad ways. He divides the elemental forms of flowers, and even seed heads, into spires, plumes, buttons and globes, umbels, daisies,
Sanguisorba officinalis ‘red thunder’ (‘red thunder’ great burnet)
Sedum ‘matrona’ (‘matrona’ stonecrop)
screens and curtains. He envisions the colour spectrum as hot, cool, sweet, sombre and earthy. Foliage provides the counterpoint to form and colour by adding layers of shape and texture.
He might pair the contrasting shapes of spires with umbels: blazing star with yarrow, for example. Then he introduces plume shapes, such as those of astilbe, to connect these contrasting forms, while using the daisy shapes of coneflowers and asters, for instance, to create button-eyed points of definition on the lower levels of the planting scheme.
Piet’s Garden is composed of various groups of shapes that he repeats in different combinations to create rhythm and to punctuate the flow of his composition. He typically uses a roughly 70:30 ratio of taller structural plants to lower-growing filler plants — all closely spaced to achieve a lush meadow effect.
While large blocks of perennials can be dramatic when seen from a distance, they can compromise detail when viewed up close. Oudolf remedies this by using a new Wave planting technique called intermingling, which is inspired by how wildflowers grow randomly together in nature. When two or three different perennials are paired within the same block they blend into the overall planting when observed from afar, but up close they offer an unexpected level of detail.
In the TBG gardens, such startling intermingled combinations abound, including setting off the blue-grey spears of Perovskia atriplicifolia ‘little Spire’ against the spiky globes and thistle-like silver foliage of Eryngium yuccifolium common in nature, but rare in north american gardens, intermingling offers a new frontier of experimentation in how we combine plants.
6. every gardeN NeedS a guidiNg haNd last September, I talked about design with Piet Oudolf while visiting his “plantasmagorical” garden and nursery in Hummelo, the netherlands. When he asked me how the TBG planting was doing, I replied, “Great, it’s taking on a life of its own.” (I was thinking about the spread of rambunctious selfseeders like Knautia macedonica and grasses like Calamagrostis brachytricha.) His response was that a guiding hand remains necessary to ensure the integrity of the original design and intention; otherwise things can fly out
of control. The role of maintenance is to actively continue the design process, with the freedom to edit the garden selectively as it evolves.
7. PereNNialS: to cut or Not to cut?
When deciding whether to cut back perennials in the fall, traditional gardening says, “cut them down.” Modern gardening asks, “Do I cut them down?” Oudolf says, “cut down and you’d miss a lot.”
8. the maSter’S touch
In our chat, Oudolf emphasized that planting design is about far more than combinations. like a great orchestral composer or painter, he’s able to visualize the overall composition as a highly complex but unified expression. like a symphony, the garden is never truly finished until the audience experiences it for themselves.
Tony Spencer is a Toronto writer and Friend of the TBG with a perennial garden in the Kawarthas.
coping with
slopes
make the journey through the garden more enjoyable with wide steps and several landings that invite visitors to linger longer.
Landscape designer Kim Price gives Mary Fran McQuade the right slant on designing on slopes.
Most folks think gardening on ravines (or reverse ravines where the ground slopes upwards from the viewer) is a pain in the neck. And the back. And the knees. And the wallet. It doesn’t bother award-winning landscape designer Kim Price, though. “You can have lots of drama on slopes,” she says. “You can plant large accent plants on them. You can also play off the hard rockery against lovely soft plants.”
Many of the gardens featured on this year’s Through the Garden Gate tour of the Beach are ravine properties — an ideal opportunity to see some innovative ideas to make the most of slopes. “If they’re handled well, slopes can be very dramatic and beautiful,” Kim says. Here’s some of her advice.
Start with the baSicS
Whether dealing with a ravine or reverse ravine, the gardener has two main choices: terrace it or leave it and let plants hold the slope in place. The decision, Kim says, depends on finances and aesthetics.
“The cheapest way to deal with a slope, if it’s lawn, is to leave the grass and dig in ornamental grasses and native plants, placing them in drifts,” she says. “It becomes almost meadow-ish. You can do this slowly over a period of years and eventually you’ll have little or no grass left. It’s a very good way to hold the slope while things fill in.”
A super-steep slope — say about 75 degrees — can be covered with landscape fabric [Look for specialty products such as Slope Hugger –ed.]. Cut small holes in the covering and set the plants into the ground beneath. The fabric will keep the slope stable until the plant roots take hold.
Photos:
terrace For beauty, Flexibility
Terracing a slope opens new design possibilities. The choice of materials has both a visual and dollar impact.
• Natural stone. Used in any kind of terrace wall, it can become a main feature of the garden. It’s also the most expensive choice because of the labour required to build it.
• Precast stone wall products. Made of moulded and dyed concrete, these are much less expensive than natural stone. To lessen their plain-Jane look, Kim suggests using them for low walls (less than 1.2 metres or four feet). For example, at 18 Fallingbrook Road (a reverse ravine garden on the tour), Kim built several low walls rather than one giant one. Plantings placed either in front of the walls or cascading over them soften the severe look of the stone.
• Boulders (a.k.a. armour stone). These big blocky stones are an economical way to retain a slope or the side of a parking pad, as seen in many Beach gardens. Use ornamental wood screening, such as lattice, or columnar, cascading or climbing plants to disguise their clunky look, Kim advises. Or set them into the bottom of a slope to make it less steep and use the landscape-fabric-and-plants technique described above.
• Landscape timbers. These are a low-budget solution with only a 15-year lifespan. In addition, they can only be placed in straight lines and they can’t be shaped into pockets for planting, as stone walls can.
PlantS and Planting
“The main thing with ravine gardens is that they’re hard to get at, so you want things to be as low-maintenance as possible”, says Kim.
That includes selecting drought-tolerant plants; it’s difficult to water a slope and those rocks heat up in the sun. And even though an irrigation system can help, you still have to water more often, so why not go drought-tolerant in the first place? In general, smaller plants need less water to become established than bigger ones, though every plant needs regular watering in the first year or so. It’s also wise to use plants that spread quickly to cover the slope and prevent erosion. Here are more planting tips from Kim:
• Think of how you view the slope, especially with a reverse ravine. “Plant things that have some impact, that you can
Select plants with strong colours that make an impact from a distance.
see from a distance,” she says, “something with strong colours or, alternatively, a variety of greens.”
• Select plants with different heights. Tuck them into the gaps and pockets that occur on the walls, arranging them in diagonal drifts.
• Don’t plant large trees or shrubs in a line at the top or bottom of a slope. Depending on your sightlines, they’ll either block your view or, if they’re way up high, you’ll feel like you’re in a canyon. Instead, site them at the edges so they frame the garden. Accent the planting with one or two tall plants, such as the pagoda dogwoods Kim used in the garden at 18 Fallingbrook Road.
reMeMber the MechanicS
• Plan for water flow and drainage. Grade the land away from your house, incorporate a waterfall and ornamental pool to take advantage of the change in grade or build a drainage channel filled with rocks to mimic a dry riverbed.
• Use paths as design elements. “Instead of going straight up or down, create landings so you can stop as you go. If space allows,” she continues, “make a path wide enough so you can wander back and forth diagonally across the face of the slope. Then the journey becomes part of the enjoyment of the garden.”
• Take care with lighting. Path lights are fine in ravines. In reverse ravines, though, they’ll shine in your eyes as you look uphill. Instead, build lights into path treads or put small ground lights beside the path or behind a plant.
Mary Fran McQuade is a Toronto writer and gardener. She used Cotoneaster dammeri as a cheap fix for her pesky front yard slope.
Visit Kim’s web site at www.kimpricelandscapedesign.com
black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) bearskin fescue (Festuca
gautieri a.k.a. F. scoparia) low-growing junipers, such as calgary carpet juniper (Juniperus sabina ‘Monna’)
Stonecrops (Sedum spp. & cvs.)
tufted fescue (Festuca amethystina)
For accentS
daphne (Daphne cvs.)
Japanese maples (Acer japonicum & palmatum cvs.)
Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) (clipped to 2.7 metres or nine feet)
Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina)
tall ornamental grasses, such as ‘Morning light’ maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning light’)
a slope terraced with natural stone can be the main feature of a garden.
in season
container crazy
rosemary planter
Create a formal planter using fragrant and edible plants, such as standard rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), tri-colour sage (Salvia officinalis) and dianthus (Dianthus spp. & cvs.) (petals are edible).
— Paul Zammit
in our Gardens
HerB & Veggie tapestry
the Kitchen garden bursts with the pungent aromas of our basil collection, which includes a new boxwood variety as well as the familiar ones. these plants are one strand in a tapestry woven with bold and dramatic artichokes and a medley of tomatoes and peppers (no sampling please!). You’ll also find containers planted with a tempting assortment of herbs, such as sage, rosemary, parsley, thyme and other fragrant delights.
JuSt ASk
Are there any annuals I could plant in my mostly shady small backyard?
although there aren’t as many shade-loving annuals as there are sun-lovers, there are some (including tender bulbs) that provide a variety of colour and texture. look for the many different kinds of begonias: the ones often sold in hanging baskets have huge blooms while others have beautiful leaves. impatiens is a shade garden basic that’s available in a wide range of colours. Keep them well-watered and fertilized so they’ll bloom their best. Caladiums are grown from tubers that can be potted up in early spring. these exotic foliage plants can add a touch of the tropics to a shady garden. Fuchsias, whether planted in hanging baskets or trailing from window boxes, can add lots of colour, too. and coleus — a shade garden staple — is grown primarily for its stunning foliage.
Make a strong design statement with bold plants that offer architectural interest.
Cyperus involucratus (Umbrella plant)
Verbena bonariensis (Brazilian verbena)
Fagus spp. & cvs. (Beech)
Pinus strobus ‘Contorta’ (Contorted white pine)
Acer japonicum & palmatum & cvs. (Japanese maple)
Buxus spp. & cvs. (Boxwood)
a nn U als, Biennials, B U l B s & t ropi Cals
Equisetum spp. (Horsetail) (Can be invasive)
Sanguisorba tenuifolia ‘purpurea’
Canna ‘Intrigue’ (Canna lily ‘intrigue’)
Cynara cardunculus (Cardoon)
t rees & sH r UB s
p erennials
Anna’s plant pick
Commonly known as hen and chicks or houseleeks (these grew on the roofs of thatched cottages and reputedly repelled lightning), sempervivums are easy-care succulents that belong to the Crassulaceae family, and are closely related to sedums. the 40 species of sempervivums are mostly native to europe and western asia and give rise to hundreds of cultivars. My favourite is deep red, about five centimetres (two inches) across and covered with delicate silver threads.
all sempervivums have rosettes of evergreen triangular fleshy leaves that form dense mats, clumps or mounds, but they vary greatly in size. the tiniest species have rosettes that measure less than one centimetre (1/3 inch) across while the larger ones may reach as much as 18 centimetres (seven inches) in width. the plants produce many thin stolons, which spread out horizontally from the parent, producing offsets at the tips. these soon grow into full-sized rosettes. Leaf colour is usually green or grey-green. however, many are flushed with red, purple, lilac-grey or yellow, and the pointed tip is very often a different colour. Several species have hairy leaves, some of which may look like a cobweb covering the rosettes.
“No two gardens are the same. No two days are the same in one garden.”
in Your Garden
JoBs to Do
sUmmer containers
• feed plants growing in containers, hanging baskets and window boxes with fish emulsion and/or compost tea.
flowerbeds & borders
Sempervivums flower in the summer when the older rosettes produce fleshy spikes with small scaly leaves and a curl of pinkish starry flowers. Once the plant flowers, the rosette dies but the offshoots can be removed and rooted.
My favourite species is S. octopodes the rosettes are about 2.5 centimetres (one inch) across with finely hairy, pale green, incurved leaves that are brown at the tip. the stolons are overly long for the size of the plant, so the plants look like tiny green octopuses. to preserve this form, separate the new rosettes before they root and form mounds.
grow sempervivums on green roofs, between rocks, in gravel or sand. the fleshy leaves retain moisture so water sparsely and plant them in well-drained soil. Visit the tBg’s sempervivum collection in the terrace garden, a sculptural garden that forms a buffer zone between the parking lot and the other tBg gardens.
— Anna Leggatt, Toronto Master Gardener
– hugh Johnson
Garden Gear sempervivums
Diy birdhouse! this birdhouse in a box comes ready to assemble and paint. Kits start at $17.99.
sandra’s snippets
Deadheading earlyflowering perennials can prolong bloom time and promote a second flush of flowers, especially in first-year plants. in older plants, skip the deadheading and forgo a second flowering. instead, rejuvenate mature plants by pruning stems to basal growth right after flowering.
— Sandra Pella Head Gardener
• Keep on top of weeds; if you can’t remove the entire weed, cut off the developing seed heads to prevent weed seeds from spreading.
• Pinch back late-blooming perennials such as fall asters, chrysanthemums and rudbeckia to promote compact plants and more flowers.
• collect seed from earlyblooming perennials; store in a cool, dark place and keep until the tbg seed exchange (details in the fall issue of Trellis).
• Keep birdbaths clean and top them up with fresh water daily.
herb & veggie garden
• Harvest quickmaturing veggies such as cucumbers, beans and squash daily. Pick in the morning when vegetables are freshest.
• Pinch back herbs to keep plants compact and to promote fresh new growth.
lawns
• Keep turf grass blades long rather than cutting them short.
• check to see if the lawn and garden needs watering; irrigate less frequently but water deeply.
events What’s on at the t oronto Bo tanical Garden
JUNE
6
Southern Ontario Orchid Society
Floral Hall, noon; soos.ca
Greater Toronto Rose & Garden
Horticultural Society
Judi Denny: Peonies
Studio 1, 2 p.m. gardenontario.org/site.php/rosegarden
Speaker: Martin Schmalenberg Garden Hall, 7:30 p.m.; torontobonsai.org
15
Toronto African Violet Society
Studios 1 & 2, 6:30 p.m.; bluejasper.com/tavs
Toronto Cactus & Succulent Club
Speakers: Frank Valente, Dave Naylor,
Erika Schroedersecker
Studio 3, 7:30 p.m.; torontocactus.tripod.com
19-20
Through the Garden Gate: The Beach
One-day pass: public $40, members $35
Two-day pass: public $50, members $45 416-551-0241; torontobotanicalgarden.ca/ events/ttgg.htm
20
Sogetsu Ikebana
Studio 3, 12:30 p.m. highpark35@rogers.com
JULY
3
Toronto Judging Centre of the American Orchid Society
Studios 2 & 3, 9 a.m.; soos.ca
14
Special Lecture
TBG & Ontario Rock Garden & Hardy Plant Society
Cameron McMaster: The Floral Kingdom of South Africa
Garden Hall, 7 p.m.
Public $12; TBG & ORGS members $9
Marjorie Mason Garden Tours 2010
Chelsea Members Opening Day ticket included on the best of the british isles tour 23 may to 05 June; england, wales, ireland and scotland we have one room available. Tournament of Roses Parade california and crystal cathedral: 5-day tour. 29 december. 2011. Edinburgh Tattoo Highlands and Outer Hebrides Islands of Scotland: g ardens, castles, royal deeside, the whisky trail — scottish country dancing — embrace the heather in the hills with marjorie in august. 2011, South Africa: marjorie will escort grand g arden tour in november 2011. register your interest now with lorna or marjorie: lorna@cwtajax.com
Southern Ontario Orchid Society Floral Hall, noon; soos.ca 8
Toronto Region Iris Society Auction & sale
Studio 1, 1 p.m.; torontoirissociety.com
26
Canadian Chrysanthemum & Dahlia Society
Studio 1, 7:30 p.m.; mumsanddahlias.com
29
Geranium, Pelargonium & Fuchsia Society of Ontario
25th Anniversary Annual Show Floral Hall, 9 a.m.; 519-836-4487
SEPTEMBER 4
Toronto Judging Centre of the American Orchid Society Studios 2 & 3, 9 a.m.; soos.ca
5
Southern Ontario Orchid Society Floral Hall, noon; soos.ca
SUMMER TOURS
June 10
Frank Kershaw Urban Paradises tour Public $120; members $110
July 15
Frank Kershaw rural Paradises of the cambridge area Public $120; members $110
July 23 through 25
aldona s atterthwaite the secret treasures of Buffalo including the Garden Walk Public: $529 + tax per person (double occupancy); $729 + tax (single occupancy) Members: $499 + tax per person (double occupancy); $699 + tax (single occupancy)
august 10
Marjorie Mason B arrie, holland Marsh and Points north Public $120; members $110
SCHEDULES CAN CHANGE AFTER PRESS TIME– BE SURE TO CHECK AHEAD
or call 416- 397-1484 for details and to register.
905-428-8411 Visit our website at www.gardenersworldtours.com
Frank Kershaw 2010 Garden
Adventures: Visit some of ontario’s most spectacular private gardens! our own backyard — June 5; norfolk county — June 12; waterfront splendours — July 10; King township — July 17; muskoka — aug 7. call for details. m ary m orton tours (416) 488-2674 marymortontours1@ aol.com tico #4488722
Gardens Plus specializing in Hosta, daYlilies, coneFlowers & other easy-care perennials. For list see www.gardensplus.ca or email us. award-winning d isplay g ardens, Perennial n ursery. For personal shopping & mail-order. 136 county rd 4, Peterborough, on K9l 1V6 (705)742-5918 (mention this ad
with $75 purchase and we include a bonus!)
Leaside Garden Society is excited to announce its annual garden tour to be held on saturday, June 26, 11:00 –4:00. mark this date on your calendar. this year’s tour again promises to be an exciting mix of gardening styles and plants. c heck the website www.leasidegardensociety.org for further information.
The Arboretum, University of Guelph – Summer / Fall Workshops and Programs are available on-line at www.uoguelph/arboretum, click on “Programs and workshops”. topics include: gardening, plant identification, wildlife, art, photography, stargazing and more. information also available on our annual plant sale, weddings, meeting rooms, trails, plant collections and gardens. 519-824-4120 ext. 52113.
aB o U t 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 ho U rs and ad M ission
Gardens: Free admission, dawn to dusk a d M inistrative oFF ices: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Weston Fa M ily 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 • Weekdays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Weekends 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Master 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 f riends f or providing generous support towards our programs and services. o ur f riends are fundamental to the t B g ’s ability to educate and provide the community with the most valuable and up-to-date information on gardening and horticulture. t he following individuals made donations to the f riends Program from d ecember 25, 2009, to March 26, 2010.
DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE
($2,500 - $4,999)
Wendy Crean
Lindsay Dale-Harris & Rupert Field-Marsham
BENEFACTORS
($1,000 - $2,499)
Allan & Sondra Gotlieb
Rosamond Ivey
Susan Loube
SUSTAINING MEMBERS
($500 - $999)
Richard M. Ivey
Allan Kling & Tecca Crosby
Susan Macaulay
James & Anne McLeod
Robert Nowe
Mary Grace Wright
FRIENDS ($140 - $499)
Gonda Angus
Joan Avery
Roger & Janice Barton
Mr & Mrs David Biensch
Janeen Bowes
Elise Brais
John Calcott & Elaine Ross
Myint & Jay Gillespie
Kathy Harvey
David Hogarth Smith
John Hunter & Jane McCulloch
Nina Lapin
Barbara & Edgar Lea
Susan Leask
Alessandra Leopardi
Barbara McDonald
Phillip Maude & Mary McDougall Maude
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
Geoffrey dyer, Mary Fisher (co-chairs); nancy G. dengler, suzanne drinkwater, James eckenwalder, colomba Fuller, Jim Gardhouse, Peter Gray-donald, lynn Grogan, Janet Karn, allan Kling, Joan lenczner, Penny richards, dawn scott, Judy shirriff, claudette smith, tom sparling, Margaret taylor, anne Ullman
sta FF directory
executive director, aldona satterthwaite director@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1346
BUsiness and Finance director of Business initiatives and Finance rebecca Golding programs@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1484
Weston FaMily liBrary library@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1343
Maintenance sUPervisor, Walter Morassutti maintenance@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1344 volUnteer oFFice volunteers@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-4145
777 l awrence a venue e as t, toron to, o n tario M3 c 1P2 , c anada 4 16-397-1340; fax: 416-397-1354 info@torontobotanicalgarden.ca torontobotanicalgarden.ca
