welcome to Urbanscapes
Toron
ust in time for the start of another great gardening season, Urbanscapes offers you exciting ways to DISCOVER nature in the city, LIVE in your own eco-friendly backyard and SHARE in the delights and dilemmas of the natural world. Each of the three exciting and informative sections of Urbanscapes helps you explore the wonders of nature.
DISCOVER: From vertical gardens and hiking and biking trails to butterfly gardens and parks that form much of the urban forest, Sara Katz and Lorraine Hunter have compiled a guide to the many ways you can enjoy the public green spaces our city has to offer.
LIVE: In this section, Carol Gardner asks four of Toronto’s top landscape designers to take you, step by step, through the Design Basics of building a city garden. Then, Veronica Sliva’s Wild in the City provides a guide to creating a wildlife-friendly urban garden. Completing this inspirational and practical section of the magazine, Gwen Rattle of the Toronto Botanical Garden’s Weston Family Library offers a Source Guide to designers, garden supply companies and specialist plant nurseries in and around Toronto.
SHARE: In the final section of Urbanscapes, three stories show how to live — mostly peacefully — with nature. In Why Good Trees Go Bad, Master Gardener Tena van Andel provides a lighthearted look at the dos and don’ts of planting and caring for trees. Then, Irena Hrzina asks the experts for their tips for Outwit Marauding Wildlife Without Losing Your Wits, a story beautifully illustrated by Tekla Pontius-Courtney. And, in Victoria Stevens’ exclusive interview with Lorraine Johnson, the author tells the Tales of a City Farmer. Gwen Rattle’s Source Guide to arborists and urban farming, tree and wildlife organizations wraps up this information-packed issue of Urbanscapes
The Toronto Botanical Garden offers many opportunities to live and learn about nature in the city. For a complete guide to spring and summer programs, including courses, lectures and workshops, goTo www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca. – Lorraine Flanigan, editor
All proceeds from the sale of Urbanscapes help support the programs and services of the Toronto Botanical Garden. We thank the following individuals for their generous contributions: Janet Davis, Carol Gardner, Lorraine Hunter, Pablo Hernandez, Irena Hrzina, Sara Katz, Marion Magee, Tekla Pontius-Courtney, Gwen Rattle, Veronica Sliva, Victoria Stevens and Tena van Andel as well as the Toronto Master Gardeners and members of the Trellis Committee.
tWo-daY Pass: public $50/tbG MeMbers $45 (Tickets are limited. Advance purchase recommended.)
A Speci A l iSS ue of Trelli S , 2011
EDITOR
lorraine Flanigan
DESIGN
JUne anderSon
TRELLIS COmmITTEE
lorraine HUnter (cHair)
lorraine Flanigan (editor)
Joanne FallowField
carol gardner
Marion Magee
gwen rattle
carrie SHibinSKy
PaUl ZaMMit
VOLuNTEER EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS
M. Magee, M. neVett, c. Peer
VOLuNTEER GRAPhIC ARTIST
Pablo HernandeZ
VOLuNTEER PROOfREADERS
e braiS, M. brUce, J. caMPbell, l. HicKey, M. Magee, J. McclUSKey, l . Uyeno
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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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ABOUT THE TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN
Toronto botanical Garden connects people, plants and the natural world through education, inspiration and leadership. TbG encourages, stimulates and teaches countless adults and children with its innovative urban-scale garden plantings, nature-centred educational programs and environmentallyfriendly practices. We look beyond our borders to create strategic alliances that support our mission, extend our reach and strengthen our influence within the community.
6 Stop • Look • Listen 11 Ways to explore nature in the city
777 Lawrence Avenue East Toronto, Ontario M3C 1P2, Canada 416-397-1340 fax: 416-397-1354 info@torontobotanicalgarden.ca torontobotanicalgarden.ca
9 5 Toronto Parks explore Toronto’s unique trees and forests
By TTC: Exit the Yonge subway line at the Eglinton station and take the 51, 54 or 54A bus to Lawrence Avenue. The TBG is on the southwest corner.
12 City Gardens: Design Basics in 6 Easy Steps
Four top landscapers share their tips for designing an urban garden
18 Wild in the City
How to create a naturefriendly garden in the city
22 Source Guide landscape designers, garden art & ornaments, specialist nurseries and soil suppliers
24 Why Good Trees Go Bad
How to find the right tree and give it the tlc it needs
26 Outwit marauding Wildlife Without Losing Your Wits!
savvy city gardeners offer tips for a (somewhat) peaceful coexistence
28 Tales from a City farmer an exclusive interview with author lorraine Johnson
30 Source Guide arborists, wildlife organizations, urban farming and naturalist organizations
1 Get the buzz!
Honeybees are important pollinators in both city gardens and in natural urban areas — and toronto is a hive of activity! the Fairmont royal York Hotel, Parc downsview Park and evergreen brick works are some of the sites where urban beehives have been established.
Ready for some buzz? A series of six beekeeping classes is being offered at the Toronto Botanical Garden. For details and to register, goto www. torontobotanicalgarden.ca and download the Spring & Summer Program Guide.
Stop
and smell the roses • LooK up to the green rooftops • LiSten to the
buzz of the bees
From the rooftop gardens of the University of toronto, the biowalls at Humber college and butterfly gardens in the city’s west end, discover 11 ways to explore the many public green spaces our city has to offer. — Compiled by Sara
Katz
2
nurture the birdS, beeS and butterfLieS the Pollinator gardens project creates public and private gardens full of native plants that provide nectar, pollen, larval food and habitat for birds, bees and butterflies. You can visit pollinator gardens in High Park (on the hillside overlooking grenadier Pond), dufferin grove Park (southwest side) and, this summer, in the library courtyard at the toronto botanical garden. For information about the Pollinator gardens project and how to plant your own pollinator garden goto pollinatorgardens.blogspot.com
For more about pollinator gardens, see Wild in the city, page 18.
3
biKe your way to butterfLy paradiSe just south of the waterfront trail on the east peninsula of etobicoke’s Humber bay Park lies the Humber bay butterfly Habitat. this is where you’ll see native species of butterflies flutter around the short grass prairie and wildflower meadow plants that serve as habitat hosts and sources of nectar. Protecting these beautiful pollinators from predatory birds are sculpted ravens called the guardians. be sure to walk through the Home garden’s perennial beds which show you how to turn your garden into a butterfly haven.
For information or to arrange a private group tour goto toronto.ca/parks/featured-parks/humber-bay/attractions.htm
5
CLue in to Queen’S parK’S native treeS release your inner Sherlock and uncover the 47 species of native trees growing in Queen’s Park. the royal ontario Museum and the city’s Urban Forestry Services make it as easy as a walk in the park. You’ll see a tree identification kiosk and plaques identifying 100 of the 290 trees. before you go, download an oak species worksheet to take with you or watch a video podcast about the project online at rom.on.ca/collections/trees/index. php#. Magnifying glass and deerstalker hat not required.
4
135 rooftop GardenS –and CountinG! look up — look way up green roofs are cropping up all over town. look for the drought-tolerant, low-maintenance roof on the dembrowski centre for Horticulture at the toronto botanical garden, the food-producing Sky garden atop the University of toronto’s galbraith building, the contemplative garden atop St Hilda’s college on devonshire Place and the garden on the city Hall Podium.
For a partial list of Toronto’s 135 rooftop gardens goto toronto.ca/greenroofs/experience.htm
6
a river runS throuGh it: the don vaLLey traiL
Hike all or part of the multi-use don valley trail, located in the heart of Toronto. although it is 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) long, there are dozens of access points along the twists and turns of the don river as the trail winds through natural areas and historic sites and connects to established parks. be aware that sections of the trail along the river are prone to flooding after heavy rains.
For information, a map and directions, goto out-there.com/ton01hkg.htm for info.
7 fun for the famiLy at franKLin ChiLdren’S Garden Hop on the ferry to centre island and follow the green turtles on the path leading from the dock to the Franklin children’s garden. there’s a turtle pond, bronze sculptures of Franklin and his friends, a vine tunnel, a wheelchair-accessible tree house in the Hide and Seek garden and a lookout point on the Snail trail spiral mound. Kids can plant, weed and water in the little Sprouts garden or listen to stories at Storybook Place.
dig in discover
8
“The world is a rose … smell it and pass it to your friends” — Persian proverb toronto has two hidden gems where you can smell the roses. the rosetta Mcclain gardens on the Scarborough bluffs (Kingston road and glen everest road) offers spectacular views of lake ontario. the rose garden is complemented by herb, scented, rockery and perennial gardens. (and from august until december, this is one of the best places in the city to view raptor migrations.) tucked away near gibson House on the northwest corner of Yonge Street and Park Home avenue, you’ll find the north York rose garden. winding pathways and mature trees enhance the roses and perennial beds.
9 pL anted wa LLS
vertical gardens, also known as biowalls and green or living walls, are interior walls composed of plants that clean the surrounding air by pulling it into the plant roots where microbes degrade pollutants and release clean air. Sound futuristic? the “breathing wall” concept originated at the canada life assurance company in toronto in 1994 and is now used in many eco-friendly buildings. Here’s where you can see some of them:
• university of Toronto’s Multi-Faith centre for Spiritual study, Koffler House, 2nd floor, 569 spadina avenue
• robertson building lobby, 215 spadina avenue
• university of Guelph-Humber building, Humber college institute of technology and advanced learning, north campus
10
u nwanted! i nva S ive G arden thu GS
if you go into the woods today, you might be in for a surprise. garden escapees are invading High Park (norway maple), the guild inn (asiatic bittersweet and japanese honeysuckle), lambton woods (maiden grass), riverdale Park (english ivy), the South Humber (Euonymus fortunei and wintercreeper) and the vale of avoca trail system (goutweed). Many plants that start out as welcome additions to our gardens can become wild, aggressive thugs when they escape into natural areas. Plants as common as these can crowd out native plants and adversely alter their growing conditions. invasive plants spread by water, wind, wildlife, pets, the dumping of garden waste and even our own shoes and clothing. the city’s Urban Forestry Services has established a control program to remove invasive species from natural parklands. You can help by identifying and replacing invasive plants in your garden (preferably with native species) and properly disposing of them.
For a list and identification of invasive plants goto ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/files/Invasives_ booklet_2.pdf. For control methods and native plant sources goTo toronto.ca/trees/pdfs/Fact_3_ Controlling_Invasive_Plants.pdf.
11
expLore the don vaLLey briCK worKS parK
Just off the bayview extension you’ll find the Don Valley brick Works park. This 16.5-hectare (40-acre) green space features the Weston Quarry garden, wetlands, hiking trails and wildflower meadows. Mud creek runs through the site and several ponds filter storm water and provide habitat for turtles, ducks, herons, fish and salamanders. the adjacent evergreen brick works is a centre for environmental innovation. evergreen operates a native plant garden centre, native plant and food gardens, art installations in the former kilns, a weekend farmers’ market and community bike space. For information and directions goto ebw.evergreen.ca/visit.
ExplorE thE UniqUE trEEs and ForEsts oF 5 ToronTo Parks
ToronTo is blessed wiTh an abundance of green spaces. While many are a product of the landscape, some were the gifts of forward-looking individuals who sought to preserve the natural landscape or to provide a place of recreation.
the broad expanse of high park was deeded to the city by John howard in 1873 with the proviso that it must remain as natural as possible and always be free to all. as well, the trees of tiny Begg’s garden on lytton Boulevard, donated as a memorial by herbert Begg’s daughters, border long-buried Mud Creek. still others, such as rouge park, were preserved from all-out development through the hard work of local people. these green expanses are important reservoirs of biodiversity, home to remnants of Carolinian forest and oak savannah, wildflower meadows, valuable wetlands, rare plants, and bird, butterfly and animal habitat.
— Marion Magee
1. humber arboretum humberarboretum.on.ca beautiful in all seasons, the 100-hectare (250-acre) Humber arboretum features a kaleidoscope of ornamental gardens and natural areas with more than 1,700 species of trees and flowering plants. the deciduous woodland that abuts it is one of the few remaining forests along the west Humber river with a good collection of mature sugar maples and beech.
2. david baLfour parK (vaLe of avoCa) lostrivers.ca/ValeavocaR.htm
Part of toronto’s lost river system, this park — actually more of a nature trail — follows the Yellow creek, a tributary of the don river, just south of Mount Pleasant cemetery. in the ravine there are remnants of old red oaks and white pines and a massive white ash that’s nearly 100 feet tall.
3. edwardS GardenS torontobotanicalgarden.ca/tours/ tbgedwardsgardens.htm edwards gardens, adjacent to the toronto botanical garden at the southwest corner of lawrence avenue east and leslie Street boasts formal gardens, manicured lawns, an extensive rockery, a water wheel and picturesque bridges over wilket creek. of special note are the magnolia and rhododendron collections, with their beautiful blooms, and several old willows.
4. hiGh parK highparktoronto.com toronto’s largest public park features hiking trails, sports facilities, a dog park, zoo, picnic areas and diverse vegetation. about a third of its natural areas consists of oak savannah — an open, park-like landscape with widely spaced black oaks that once covered much of southern ontario. in the spring up to 2,000 Japanese cherry trees burst into bloom throughout the park.
5. mapLe CottaGe parK torontoparksandtrees.org/ mapleleaf.htm almost a secret garden, Maple cottage Park is named for the tall majestic silver maple (Acer saccharinum) thought to have inspired local schoolmaster alexander Muir to write “The Maple leaf Forever” in 1867. The cottage and victorian garden became a public park in 2005 and is home to several offspring of the original tree. wires stabilize the branches of the more than 150-year-old tree.
For information on where to find city parks, gardens and green spaces, goto toronto.ca/parks/prd/ facilities/parks/index.htm.
— compiled by Lorraine Hunter Photos by Gera Dillon, photo artist, Toronto Tree Portraits Calendar 1 2 3 4 5
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The Magic of Scotland and the Outer Hebrides, 14 to 27 August, 2011. Royal Military Edinburgh Tattoo. Share Marjorie’s enthusiasm for all things Scottish as she takes us through Cawdor castle, Inverewe and Cambo Estate Gardens, Edinburgh Botanical Gardens, Royal Deeside, the Whisky Trail, Historical Glencoe and Culloden Moor. Tour cost $3,989. Details www.gardenersworldtours.com. Register now for Floriade Tour, with Marjorie Mason, includes Bruges and East England Gardens April 18 to 2 May, 2012. Itinerary www.gardenersworldtours.com. Contact Karen at CWT Travel source 416-449-0931.
Preview Party TUESDAY, MAY 3, 7 to 9 p.m. $15
Show Times WEDNESDAY, MAY 4 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. THURSDAY, MAY 5 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Admission ADULTS $10 CHILDREN COMPLIMENTARY Tickets
416-292-4661 905-727-2722
Featuring HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITS FLORAL DESIGNS DEMONSTRATIONS SPEAKERS SILENT AUCTION CAFE (Transactions: cash or cheque)
Presented by Milne House Garden Club
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James Boyd Children's Centre Toronto Botanical Garden
City Gardens: Design Basics in 6 easy steps
Carol Gardner talks to four landscape designers about creating an urban garden that works for you, your neighbours and your budget.
DESIGN NOTES FROM THE PROS
Kim Price, Kim Price Landscape Design
• In a small space, use no more than three different surface materials.
• Stick to a simple theme or style without too many focal points.
• Don’t be afraid to use bold statements, such as large elements in a small space.
• Play with opposing elements — old vs. new; rustic vs. refined; bold vs. delicate — to create a powerful design dynamic.
• Disguise unsightly neighbouring buildings with trees such as pagoda or grey dogwoods or with architectural detailing such as trellising.
Step 1: the assessment
The biggest mistake you can make, says Steve Aikenhead, is to rush into starting a garden. Ideally, you should observe your garden for a full year, taking note of what happens over four seasons and in particular assessing the light patterns. Wander the neighbourhood; see which plants thrive; make friends with local gardeners. Being in the city offers you many opportunities to educate yourself — a plethora of gardening courses to take and nurseries to visit as well as horticultural libraries (such as at the Weston Family Library at the Toronto Botanical Garden) to consult. Remember that planting a garden isn’t like painting the house; gardens evolve constantly. Creating a garden, he says, “is a journey, not a destination.”
Janet Rosenberg, JRA Landscape Architecture/Urban Design
• Don’t be overly trendy; your garden must stand the test of time.
• Instead of spending your money “across the board”, spend it on the elements that are the most important.
• Be realistic about size when choosing trees; it can take up to 50 years for some to reach full size.
• Front garden designs should be compatible with others on the street as well as providing a smooth transition to the entranceway of the house.
• “Borrow” views of neighbouring properties by placing similar plantings/trees at the fence line. That will make it look as if your property line extends farther, visually eliminating the border between the two areas.
• When using trees or shrubs to hide neighbouring eyesores, plant nothing larger than what’s needed. Pyramidal trees are great for hiding long narrow areas.
• Don’t worry about “the rules”. All the rules are being broken.
Step 2: the decision: do it yourself vs. do it for Me
Designing a garden doesn’t have to be an “all or nothing” proposition. You can mix and match by having a preliminary design consultation with a professional, and then do the work yourself or get help along the way when you need it.
Aikenhead recommends at least asking a professional to spend a minimum of an hour in each of the front and back gardens. The landscaper can examine the soil and its deficiencies, identify existing plant material and recommend plants according to the garden’s micro-
climate and its patterns of sun and shade. These are particularly important issues in city gardens, which are sometimes affected by shade from nearby buildings, soil contamination from past industrial activities or, more happily, microclimates created by snug courtyards.
Rosenberg agrees that using a professional is a good investment. You’ll avoid costly mistakes, and the designer will draw up a master plan that incorporates all the potential features and work. This allows you to spread your work over several years if you
wish. After buying a choice piece of city property, you may not have the cash to completely redo the garden; having a plan allows you to “pay as you go”. If you’re planning to do it yourself, be realistic about your abilities and the amount of time you are prepared to spend. Do you have a good eye for design? Is your plant knowledge basic or advanced? Are you sufficiently physically fit to do the heavy work that’s often involved? How long do you intend to stay in this home? Planning a garden for five years is a lot different than planning one for a lifetime.
A professionally designed garden plan, such as this one by Penny Arthurs, allows you to create a garden over time and according to your budget.
Penny Arthurs, The Chelsea Gardener and Associates
• Push your garden’s footprint to the outer edges of the property, designing right to the borders to maximize the space and make it look bigger.
• It’s difficult to envision a space if you are seeing it as one large area. Break it up and create a route through or around it. This allows you to focus on the middle ground, which is often larger than it seems.
• Maximize vertical opportunities with interesting fencing, screens and climbing plants.
• Stick to a coherent design style and scale it up with simple, large features, ornaments and furniture.
• Select a small palette of plants. Every plant must earn its keep by providing several seasons of interest.
• Use the best building materials you can afford; they form the permanent bones of the garden.
• Plan for winter with structural elements and architectural planting.
Stephen Aikenhead, Aikenhead & Associates
• If this is your first garden, don’t feel pressured to personalize it. A garden is an evolving thing, and it will become more personal as it matures.
• Don’t copy a concept directly from another garden. If you like an idea, interpret it to fit your own design aesthetic.
• Buy the best accessories you can afford; ultimately you won’t be happy with anything cheaply made.
• Develop your taste through garden-based travel, reading gardening magazines and books, and visiting garden centres and art galleries.
• We have ancient roots in the land; if we can tap into those instincts, gardening will be both therapeutic and economically sound; a well-designed garden adds value to your property.
WORKING WITH A DESIGNER
All of our experts agree that choosing the right designer is crucial. “You don’t have to know what you want in terms of design,” advises Rosenberg, “you just have to be open to going through the process.” look for someone with whom you believe you can have a relationship and whom you can trust. Make sure that person has experience in spending the kind of money you plan to spend. You can usually do that by checking out designers’ websites or asking to see their portfolio.
Price says to make sure the potential designer listens to you. If they don’t listen, they won’t get it right. She also suggests asking the designer how many projects she and the contractor do at one time. Will the crew be dedicated to your garden, or will there be delays caused by trying to juggle a number of clients?
naturally, when you’re hiring a designer, you have a right to expect professionalism. But remember that your happiness with the finished garden will also be in direct relationship to your input and participation. Here are some tips:
• Be straightforward about the size of your budget and realistic about what that amount of money can buy.
• Tell the designer as much as you can about your wants and needs as well as how you intend to use the garden. Will it be for business entertaining, family get-togethers, solitary meals and reading or a combination of all the above?
• Be realistic about the amount of time you can spend maintaining the garden. That will strongly influence plant selection.
• listen and ask questions to avoid any horrible surprises.
Most landscape architect/ homeowner relationships progress this way:
• Client and homeowner meet for a first discussion
• The designer creates a preliminary plan, based on what the client has told them about how they expect to use the garden — as well as how they want to feel in the space.
• A second meeting takes place to present the plan. It’s important, says Price, that the designer take time to “put value on services” by clearly explaining costs as they relate to time, materials and services. To reduce costs, for example, the designer can recommend substitution materials (such as paving stones) which can range wildly in price. The designer may also suggest staging the installation over time to spread out costs.
• After consultation, the plan is redrafted, and the client generally signs the agreement. A payment arrangement is made: usually a portion of the fee is paid up-front, with the last payment made when the job is completed.
• The work begins. Generally, the landscape architect communicates closely with the client throughout the building and planting.
• The garden is done. Future phases, if necessary, are discussed.
Doing the planning this way should ensure that you’re happy with the results. If you’re not, it’s too bad — you signed the agreement and worked with the designer all along! Sometimes designers are willing to tweak the plan, but it’s unlikely they’ll change anything that generates extra costs for them.
Step 3: Keeping Peace with the neighbours
Price warns that, before work begins, make sure you and your bordering neighbours agree on the location of the property lines. “Draw a string line and keep it there throughout the construction,” she adds. It is also essential to check out local bylaws for things like the height and setback of fences, privacy screens and other hard features; be aware that some of the pre-amalgamation bylaws for certain Toronto boroughs are still in effect. Don’t forget that one of your neighbours in a front garden is the city: boulevards and the first few feet of your front garden may actually be city property. It can be very expensive to undo anything you’ve inadvertently built on city land. Advise the neighbours about what you’re planning to do and when, and make sure that you’re aware of any special events they’re planning to have in their yard over that time period. Price advises her clients to offer to have the neighbours’ outside windows cleaned if your efforts have been messy. That, she says, will do wonders for the relationship.
Step 4: do the Messy Bits First
“Do the messy bits first,” advises Rosenberg. Prepare the soil in the garden beds and do the hard landscaping — walls, fences and walkways. Once that’s done — particularly adding good soil, such as triple mix — the planting can be done anytime.
If your garden has existing structures, have them checked to ensure their safety. You don’t want to build around something that will decay in a couple of years.
Step 5: the Fun Part: Plant selection
You might be working in an empty garden, but it’s more likely that your garden hosts trees and plants from previous gardeners. You’ll have to decide what should stay and what should go. No matter what, though, “get rid of Norway maples!” advises Price. As well as being invasive and disease prone, their surface roots emit chemicals that prevent the seeds of other plants from germinating. Instead, she recommends using ‘Flame’ amur maple (Acer tataricum subsp. ginnala ‘Flame’) with its brilliant red-orange leaves, the river birch (Betula nigra) for its disease resistance and the ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) with its disease and insect resistance.
Grappling with the shade cast by large neighbouring trees is a problem typical of urban gardens. In these situations, Price recommends planting shade-tolerant boxwood and smaller varieties of yew. Groundcovers that do
well in dry shade include Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis), big-root crane’s bill (Geranium macrorrhizum), fairy bells (Epimedium spp.), perennial spring vetchling (Lathyrus vernus), sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum), lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis), Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum x hybridum) and deadnettle (Lamium maculatum).
Now we come to one of the most enjoyable parts of the planting plan: colour. If you favour strong colours, Rosenberg recommends using colour in groupings and marrying flower and leaf colours. For example, pair pinkflowering perennials with burgundyleafed coralbells or Japanese blood grass (Imperata cylindrica ‘Red Baron’). Unity is necessary for a garden design to flow naturally. Repetition is one way to enhance unity, and colour repetition is favoured by many designers. Rosenberg creates harmony by repeating greens and chartreuses in foliage; and she has a preference for white plants which,
when repeated, give the garden a pulled-together feeling.
When you’re selecting plants, remember to consider them in light of the particular needs of city gardens. Trees and shrubs should be assessed for their ability to create privacy and baffle city noise. Because you may not be able to fit a large selection of plants into a small garden, choose ones that perform for more than one season. If you use your garden for evening meals or entertaining, surround the entertaining area with plants that glow at night (white-flowering plants are a good choice) or whose perfume will add a touch of the exotic to your evening.
In a small urban garden, make good use of vertical spaces such as trellises to make the garden seem larger and lusher. If you have a rooftop that could accommodate a garden, give rooftop gardening some consideration. Be aware, however, that rooftop gardens have very specific needs and limitations; you’ll need to consult an expert.
In this design by Janet Rosenberg, the repetition of various greens in the foliage creates harmony.
‘Flame’ amur maples
Best Trees and Shrubs for City Gardens
Kim Price has designed many urban spaces. These are the shrubs and trees she finds have proven to be most reliable.
NAME
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Eastern redbud
Cercis canadensis
Hackberry Celtis occidentalis
Katsura tree
Cercidiphyllum japonicum
‘Flame’ Amur maple Acer tataricum subsp.
ginnala ‘Flame’
Paperbark maple Acer griseum
Kousa dogwood
Cornus kousa
Pagoda dogwood
Cornus alternifolia
River birch
Betula nigra
Ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba
15 metres (50 feet) x 12 to 20 metres (40 to 65 feet)
12 to 20 metres (40 to 65 feet) x 9 to 15 metres (30 to 50 feet)
CONDITIONS/COMMENTS
Full sun to three-quarters shade. Early bloomer with white flowers; colourful berries.
Full sun to three-quarters shade. Beautiful tree that requires little maintenance.
Full sun to half shade. Very hardy.
Dappled shade to full sun. Very controlled growth.
Partial shade to full sun. Extremely hardy, adapts to many soil types, brilliant fall colour.
Sun to partial shade. Bark is particularly beautiful in the winter.
Full sun to shade but flowers better in sun. Beautiful flowers & fruit.
Partial to full shade. lovely shape
Full sun to partial shade. Very disease resistant. needs wet soil in spring.
Full to partial sun. Ultimately very large, but grows very slowly; disease and insect resistant; avoid female varieties which have malodorous flowers HEIGHT & WIDTH
Step 6: Finishing touches LIGHTING
Lighting should be done only after the other garden elements are in place. Aikenhead recommends experimenting with candles (carefully!) to see where light would work best in your garden. Above all, he says, “avoid solar lights!” Although the situation may change in the future, he says that right now they’re not up to snuff in that they’re cheaply made, unattractive and not terribly effective.
Arthurs uses light and shade to create a mood and to define different parts of the garden.
Think about your garden focal points and position lighting to highlight them. Just like the interior of your house, your garden can benefit from both uplighting and downlighting to increase drama, cause dramatic shadows and highlight shape and texture.
Remember that city lighting isn’t just for appearance; there’s often an element of safety and security involved. That being said, subtlety is also important; you want people to find their way safely to your door, but you don’t want your property to look like a Big Box store at night.
IRRIGATION
Irrigation is a big-ticket item. Because we only water about three months of the year in Canada, Aikenhead prefers using a hose. However, if you want to install a system, he suggest you wait until the second or third year to make the decision; by then you’ll know if the expense (between $3,000 and $9,000) is worthwhile.
GARDEN ORNAMENTATION
This is all about personalizing your garden, and it doesn’t happen over night. Aikenhead says that your choice of garden ornamentation should evolve from books, travel and, of course, personal taste. He strongly recommends going to galleries and travelling to gardens far and wide. He also recommends books on garden art by writers Tim Richardson ( Gardeners ), Andy Goldsworthy ( Collaboration with Nature) and Chris Drury (Silent Spaces).
Carol Gardner is an award-winning garden writer, member of the Trellis Committee and Toronto Botanical Garden volunteer co-coordinator.
citywildinthe
Veronica Sliva offers advice on creating a nature-friendly garden in the city.
Wildlife habitat loss caused by urban sprawl is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. Here in the city, we can help by creating gardens that are not only beautiful but also in harmony with nature, attracting a variety of wildlife including birds, bees, butterflies, moths and beneficial insects. These visitors make our gardens come alive. More importantly, they perform a critical role as pollinators (pollination is the act of transferring pollen grains from one flower to another to create seeds for the next generation). Without pollinators, life as we know it would not exist. Pollinators help to produce our food supply and sustain ecosystem health. Experts say that one out of every three bites of food we eat is a direct result of pollination.
going native
Eco-consultant Sean James of Fern Ridge Landscaping points out that with a little thought in plant selection any garden can be a magnet for wildlife. He says, “You don’t have to compromise to have a natural garden that is beautiful; you just need to learn about the palette of plants and other elements that attract wildlife.” When designing a natural garden, James advises clients to use native plants as much as possible: “Native plants are better able to withstand drought conditions and poor soil. They are also better able to resist pests and diseases because they are adapted to the specific conditions of the local environment, thus reducing the need for harmful chemicals.” He also recommends gardeners use a range of flower varieties that bloom in succession throughout the season. His favourite natives include the fall-blooming perennial New England purple dome aster ( Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘Purple Dome’) and the midsummerblooming shrub, ‘Diablo’ ninebark ( Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diablo’).
James is also an enthusiastic advocate of native trees such as the oak ( Quercus ). “In early spring, insects overwintering in the tree soon become a valuable food source for migrating birds,” he says.
Miriam Goldberger, co-owner of Wildflower Farm native plant nursery, agrees that natives are the way to go. She says: “These gorgeous wildflowers support all the pollinators that keep our natural environment humming along and are very hardy and long-lived. And they are super-low-maintenance, too!”
Among her seasonal favourites are:
• Early spring Bird’s-foot violet (Viola pedata), shooting star (Dodecatheon meadia), Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica), prairie smoke (Geum triflorum), Canadian columbine (Aquilegia canadensis).
• Late spring White beardstongue (Penstemon digitalis), wild geranium (Geranium maculatum).
• Summer Turk’s cap lily (Lilium superbum), cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica), nodding wild onion (Allium cernuum).
• Fall Smooth aster (Symphyotrichum laeve), white aster (Solidago ptarmicoides).
Water: a magnet for wildlife
Not only do birds love to splash and bathe in shallow water but pollinating insects and butterflies as well as frogs and toads also find water features irresistible. Satisfy their thirst by providing water in a shallow dish, bowl or bird bath. Add some half-submerged stones to create perches. Ponds with edges that slope gently into the water make it easier both for birds and for tadpoles to climb out. To provide essential mineral salts for butterflies, hang a dripping water bucket over a patch of earth or sand to create a muddy puddle.
Home sweet home
Evergreen and dense shrubby thickets offer birds a comfy place to call home. These habitats provide shelter from the elements, a place to perch and a safe environment for nest building. For some wildlife species, a log or rock pile tucked into a corner becomes a place to hide from predators as well as a safe haven to raise offspring. This kind of habitat makes a snug abode for frogs, toads and a variety of insects.
Pollinator Garden at the toronto Botanical Garden this season, the toronto botanical garden will become the city’s newest site for beekeeping. the toronto beekeepers co-operative and the tbg will install two beehives in the newly planted pollinator garden, located in the weston Family library courtyard. in the first season a harvest of 45 kilograms (100 pounds) is expected from the work of some 30,000 bees. — Sara Katz
White beardstongue
White beardstongue
cardinal flower
Smooth aster
Design tips for creating a wildlife-friendly garden
Blur the edges. In nature most of the action is where the forest meets the field: think hedgerow. Create a layered effect by planting a combination of trees, shrubs, flowers and groundcovers. Seek out plants with multiple season features that provide design interest and will draw wildlife. Some flowering shrubs attract birds with their berries and can provide pretty fall foliage and winter interest. The sumac (Rhus), for example, sets the fall landscape on fire with its neon-red foliage while also producing interesting berries. Though the berries are not the first food choice of birds early in the fall, in the depths of winter when little else is available sumac berries become a valuable food source. You get the picture.
beetles. Due to their sheer numbers, beetles are the largest set of pollinators and are responsible for pollinating 88 per cent of flowering plants worldwide. They are especially important pollinators for ancient species such as magnolias ( Magnolia ) and spicebush ( Lindera benzoin ).
Plant for a succession of blooms. Choose a variety of plants so that something is in bloom or fruiting throughout the season. For butterflies, be sure to offer nectar-rich flowers for the adults and also foliage plants for the caterpillars to munch on. (For a list, see Plants for Pollinators, page 21.)
Don’t be too neat. Allow stalks and seed heads to remain standing over the winter for birds to feed on. Avoid removing all the leaves or clippings from your garden. Plant debris provides shelter for beneficial insects such as
Naturalize your lawn. Manicured lawns are monocultures; as such, they provide limited support for wildlife. Consider replacing areas where grass struggles to grow with a more wildlifefriendly alternative. For example, where lower light conditions are ill suited to growing turf, try a shadetolerant groundcover such as everbearing strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa). They produce fruit most of the summer, providing food for wildlife (and snacks for you, too).
toronto Botanical Garden Woodland Walk and Bird haBitat
in november 2010, at the busy southwest corner of lawrence avenue and leslie Street, the toronto botanical garden officially launched the creation of the 23,000-square-foot Woodland Walk and bird Habitat. “one of the goals for this wildlife-friendly garden,” says Paul Zammit, the director of
horticulture, “is to inspire and educate visitors about the benefits of gardens that are environmentally responsible. we want to show visitors how to create a home garden that provides habitat and nesting sites for migrating songbirds, whose populations are declining at an alarming rate.”
incorporate eco-friendly elements into your garden Gather rainwater. Water means life to just about every creature on earth. As our demand for water increases, drought and the declining water table put the habitat of countless wildlife species at risk. Use a rain barrel to conserve water. Rainwater is soft and pure and does not contain chlorine. It’s perfect for watering your garden. Drip irrigation. Use soaker hoses so that water is not wasted through runoff or evaporation. A soaker hose delivers a steady, slow supply of water to plants’ root systems.
Composting. Composting kitchen and garden waste produces rich humus that can be used to improve your garden’s soil. This organic matter restores valuable nutrients to the soil. By composting, you also reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill sites, thereby reducing greenhouse gases. Minimize impervious surfaces. When constructing paths and driveways, asphalt or concrete paving is often the material of choice. But these impervious materials do not allow water to filter through to the soil below. Rain and snow falling on these surfaces runs off, causing erosion and ending up in our already overtaxed storm sewers. A better option is to choose porous (or permeable) paving surfaces that allow water to percolate through to the soil beneath. For example, consider using paving stones or bricks that allow water to seep down into the spaces between the individual pavers.
Veronica Sliva is a garden journalist whose articles appear in magazines, newspapers and on HGTV.ca. She appears as the Garden Guru and the Armchair Traveller on Rogers Cable TV program, “daytime”. Visit her blog at www.gardenersworld.ca.
Plant a diversity of nectar-rich native flowers.
Plants for Pollinators
PollinatorS
humminGBirdS
red, orange, purple/red tubular flowers, which contain lots of nectar.
floWer PreferenceS
bee balm (Monarda spp.)
cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) columbine (Aquilegia spp.)
Flowering quince (Chaenomeles speciosa)
Foxglove (Digitalis spp.)
Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.)
lupine (Lupinus spp.)
Morning glory (Ipomoea)
Penstemon (Penstemon spp.)
Sages (Salvia spp.)
Scarlet runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus)
trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) weigela (Weigela spp.)
hoVer flieS and BeeS
Many small bees have short tongues so they prefer clusters of tiny flowers.
aster (Symphyotrichum)
black- and brown-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia spp.)
catmint (Nepeta spp.)
currant (Ribes)
elderberry (Sambucus spp.)
goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
Joe-pye weed (Eupatorium spp.)
lupin (Lupinus spp.)
Penstemon (Penstemon spp.)
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
ButterflieS
red, orange, yellow, pink, blue flowers. different species have particular preferences, so it’s a good idea to learn about the preferred foods of the butterflies that you wish to attract. For example, Monarchs prefer milkweed (Asclepias spp.) whereas the black Swallowtail favours carrots, parsnips and dill.
larval plants:
clovers (Trifolium)
Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.)
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) thistles (Onopordum spp.)
nectar plants:
butterflies need a landing pad, so prefer flowers with clustered petals.
butterfly bush (Buddleia spp.)
Joe-pye weed (Eupatorium spp.)
lilac (Syringa cvs.)
Marigold (Tagetes)
Zinnia (Zinnia)
mothS
Most moths are night fliers that are attracted to light-coloured flowers that open at dusk.
BeetleS
Pollinating beetles (such as longhorned and soldier beetles) prefer wide-open flowers.
bladder campion (Silene vulgaris)
evening primrose (Oenothera) night-scented stock (Matthiola longipetala)
Sweet rocket (Hesperis matronalis) tobacco plant (Nicotiana)
asters (Symphyotrichum spp.)
Magnolias (Magnolia spp.)
Sunflowers (Helianthus spp.)
water lilies (Nymphaea) beetles are also attracted by the spicy scent of crabapples (Malus).
TBGNews
source guide
landscape designers aikenhead & aSSociateS 416-970-0685; stephenaikenhead.com
the Beach Gardener brooklin 416-694-0543/905-655-9543; thebeachgardener.com
the chelSea Gardener and aSSociateS 416-964-3374; ca.linkedin.com/pub/ penny-arthurs/1a/892/621
earth inc. deSiGned landScaPeS 416-216-0378; earthinc.com
eliaS & aSSociateS landScaPe architectS 416-929-1085; eliasassociates.net
fern ridGe landScaPinG and eco-conSultinG Milton 905-876-4852; fernridgelandscaping.com
holBrook and aSSociateS 416-924-8165
Jra landScaPe architecture/ urBan deSiGn 416-656-6665; jrala.ca
kim Price landScaPe deSiGn 416-693-5143; kimpricelandscapedesign.com
mhla inc/mark hartley landScaPe architectS 416-920-6017; markhartley.ca
martin Wade landScaPe architecture 416-491-2922; mwla.ca
SParlinG landScaPe architectS 416-921-5557; sparlingla.ca
Wild at heart deSiGn 416-537-7301; wildatheartdesign.ca
Garden art & ornaments
Barracuda home & Garden acceSSorieS
416-923-7789; barracuda.ca resin planters, colombian artisans
floyd elzinGa
beamsville
905-563-5926; floydelzinga.com art and sculpture, flags, metal installations
Garden artifactS
Uxbridge 905-852-1356; garden-artifacts.com
Urns, statuary, lanterns, ponds, fountains, bird baths
indoorS and out
416-489-7553; indoorsandout.com
outdoor dining accessories, cushions, furniture
liGht emittinG deSiGn
416-913-1002; lightemittingdesign.ca landscape lighting
Starlite liGhtinG concePtS inc. newmarket
905-953-0099; starlitelightingconcepts.com landscape lighting
Veranda home & Garden
416-481-9998; 2493 Yonge street
Water artS inc
416-239-5345; waterartsinc.com Fountains, water gardens
Specialist nurseries
BelGian nurSerieS breslau
519-648-2608; belgian-nursery.com cacti, succulents
BurnS Water GardenS baltimore 905-372-2737; burnswatergardens.ca Waterlilies & other specialized water plants
From landscape designers and garden art to soil suppliers and nurseries, here’s your guide to creating a garden in the city. compiled by Gwen rattle, weston Family library
caVendiSh PerennialS burlington 905-336-5107; cavendishperennials.com Succulent perennials
chalk lake GreenhouSeS Uxbridge 905-649-5284
Perennials, shrubs, alpines, grasses, native plants
eaSt of eliza 416-691-8038; eastofeliza.com Perennials, vines, annuals, tropicals
fieSta farmS 416-537-1235; fiestafarms.ca trees, shrubs, perennials
frank Schenk PerennialS belfountain 519-927-5415 native grasses & perennials, hostas
GardenimPort richmond Hill 905-731-1950/1-800-339-8314; gardenimport.com bulbs, shrubs, vines
Grand moraine GroWerS alma 514- 638-1101 grandmorainegrowers.ca
Grimo nut nurSery niagara-on-the-lake 905-934-6887; grimonut.com nut trees & minor tree fruits
GroW Wild! claremont 416-735-7490/705-799-2619; grow-wild.com native plants of ontario
John’S Garden Uxbridge 905-862-8175; goldbook.ca/portperry/gardencentres/18474_Johns-garden.html
Over 200 hosta varieties as well as trees, shrubs, perennials
loSt
acton 519-853Perennials, trees, shrubs, ferns maSon Uxbridge 905-649Perennials, rock garden plants, heathers, succulents
natiV guelph 905-47 all plants are gr
natiV claremont 905-64 indigenous plants
Plant 416-24
richter goodwood 905-640-66
culinary, medicinal & ar
ridley Garden 416-487 daylilies, hos dwarf conifers
Sheridan 416-481-6429; sheridannurseries.
uxBrid Uxbridge 905-655-33
uxbridgenurseries.com trees & shrubs
Vandermeer ajax 905-427 annuals, perennials, w holiday plants Toronto Botanical Garden Floral Hall 777 Lawrence Avenue East (Lawrence & Leslie)
SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2011 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Why Good Trees go bad
Like any relationship, says Tena van
Andel
, finding the right
tree for your yard can be overwhelming. Once found, learning how to live with your tree means giving it the tlc it needs.
Mr Right, or Mr Right Now?
Jumping out of bed and declaring “Today I’m buying a tree” is pretty much like running off to Vegas to marry some cute nameless guy after one too many tequilas. Finding the perfect “one” takes time and effort. First, know your environment: look up, look down, look all around your yard. Make notes of overhead obstacles, hard surfaces, fences, buildings and availability of space, soil, sunlight and water. Then, know yourself: does your commitment to gardening consist of watering once a week while sitting on the porch enjoying a cold beer? Finally, know your tree: the perfect tree is compatible with both your environment and your lifestyle.
Stop, you’re smothering me …
Trees need space to grow — lots of space. Planting a soonto-be-big tree in a soon-to-be-too-small spot inevitably leads to perverse pruning. Know how tall and wide your tree will grow and give it enough room for it to reach its mature size. It’s worth getting to know the roots of your tree, too, because they make up 40 per cent of its mass. Don’t be fooled into thinking that roots go deep. They’re no deeper than 60 centimetres (two feet). Roots stretch out well beyond the width of the tree to ensure access to water, oxygen and nutrients. That’s why a tree planted in a trunk-sized hole surrounded by pavement eventually smothers, starves
and dies. Another kind of fate awaits trees planted in tiny raised boxes or containers: they die of strangulation. As the roots grow outward, they hit the side of the container and spiral until they’re as tight as a ball of string — and therefore impermeable to water and oxygen.
Don’t tie me down …
Like a finger that becomes too large for the wedding ring that once fit so comfortably, trees secured to stakes eventually expand beyond their ties. When this happens, the trunk can snap in two. Trees rarely need support. Bare-root trees planted in sandy soil or on a windy hill might need staking for the first year, but after that, they should be freed from their tethers. Given the freedom to sway in the wind, saplings develop a deep-rooted relationship with the soil that gives them the stability they need for healthy growth.
Sorry honey, I shrank your cashmere sweater …
Just as you wouldn’t throw a cashmere sweater into the washer, you need to treat your trees with care. Hapless lawn trimming with weed wackers can wound the bark, opening the tree to infection from bacteria and fungal pathogens, which can enter through the wound and quickly spread to the tree’s circulatory system.
Grand gestures can’t take the place of proper tending. Show your tree you care with the gift of mulch, which conserves moisture and keeps down the weeds. But don’t overdo it. A castle of mulch reaching halfway up the trunk provides an ideal vacation home for insects, disease and small animals.
Who Needs Professional Help?
if you’re having trouble meeting that special tree, there are several matchmakers around town. The City of Toronto Urban Forestry Services can help you pick the perfect tree for your front yard — and plant it, too — for free! More help is available through Local enhancement & appreciation of Forests (LeaF), a non-profit organization with a reputation for successfully matching trees to people since 1996. it co-ordinates a forest of volunteers dedicated to bringing trees back to our cities. For a subsidized fee, LeaF interviews you, assesses your backyard and gives you a choice of several attractive native trees. LeaF has also branched out to offer city tree tours and tree-tending courses.
But I thought you loved my meatloaf … Despite popular belief, you can have too much of a good thing. Meatloaf is tasty, but we need a little broccoli in our lives, too. For example, it’s all very well to plant ash trees because they’re your favourite, but beware the devastating consequences when the Emerald Ash Borer comes for dinner. A more balanced ecosystem comprised of a variety of different types of trees is better able to fend off these infestations.
I know you’re stressed, so I’ve hired help … There’s a horror movie scenario that goes something like this: a husband tries to help his stressed-out wife by hiring a seemingly perfect — but psycho — nanny, who sends the kids to boarding school and poisons his wife so she can marry him for his hefty bank balance. Meet the psycho nanny of the tree world: Acer platanoides, a.k.a. the Norway maple. Nanny Norway effortlessly sets down roots despite city pollution, drought, shade and poor or compacted soils. In such challenging environments, she flourishes where our natives flounder. Flirtingly waving her maple-like leaves, this insidious intruder is rapidly taking over our home and native land, gobbling up nutrients and water and invading with armies of saplings. Don’t be duped — plant a reliable native tree instead!
Tena van Andel is a Master Gardener who has renewed her vows with her Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) after attending LEAF’s tree-tenders course in 2010.
Living with urban wildlife requires garden smarts. Irena Hrzina talks to savvy city gardeners for tips on maintaining a (somewhat) peaceful coexistence.
Outwit Marauding Wildlife Without Losing Your Wits!
LINDa LyNott knows she’s being watched. While planting fall bulbs in her Richmond Hill garden she can hear the gleeful chatter of squirrels. “They sit in the trees chittering as you’re planting,” she says. “They sound excited.” Hungry squirrels are the least of Lynott’s worries, though. “The rabbits are unbelievable! They eat almost everything,” she sighs. Add the occasional foraging raccoon and she has her hands full. A less intrepid green
thumb might give up in frustration, but that’s not Lynott’s style. She takes up the battle against urban wildlife, daily. This Master-Gardener-in-Training has a multi-pronged plan of attack: she uses unpleasant scents, plants that are unpalatable, barriers and plain-old scare tactics in an effort to protect her plants from ravenous critters. Lynott has her work cut out for her, though. Repellants must be reapplied after every rainfall. And the fake owl she
uses to scare away wildlife needs to be moved every day; otherwise, “they know it’s a decoy,” she explains.
Frank Kershaw would call Lynott’s approach “garden smart”. As a long-time instructor at the Toronto Botanical Garden, Kershaw has heard countless stories about the damage wrought by raccoons, skunks, squirrels and rabbits. Kershaw finds that most people aren’t against these troublesome pests; rather, “they want to live compatibly with wildlife”. He is quick to point out that common sense goes a long way towards solving nuisance wildlife problems. “You have to ask yourself,” says Kershaw, “why are they coming to your garden?” Opportunistic wildlife “will eat pretty much what is in their path,” he adds.
Some food sources aren’t so obvious, though, until the damage is done. Skunks and raccoons can destroy a lawn while hungrily digging for grubs (the larvae of beetles). Reduce the insect population with an application of grub-busting nematodes. (See www. torontobotanicalgarden.ca/mastergarden er/Grubs.shtml for information on when and how to apply nematodes.)
Minor adjustments can also make a garden habitat less appealing to wildlife. This is where a little bit of knowledge can give gardeners a fighting chance. The advice of Nathalie Karvonen, executive director of the Toronto Wildlife Centre, is simple: “Get to know your adversaries.”
Karvonen says a big part of dealing with wildlife is educating yourself about the animals in your neighbourhood.
Every square kilometre in the city of Toronto can support anywhere between 40 to 80 raccoons. With such a high-density population raccoonrelated nuisances are common, including the all-too-unpleasant task of cleaning up droppings. Raccoons are very dedicated to their chosen latrine location, explains Karvonen. They might use a single spot for weeks on end. However there’s salvation for gardeners tired of donning latex gloves for cleanups. Raccoons don’t like the sensation of walking on slippery surfaces, so a garbage bag placed over the latrine site renders it less appealing.
The plastic bag deterrent is just one example of sensory harassment, a humane approach for dealing with nuisance wildlife. Nocturnal animals such as raccoons and skunks dislike night lighting. The sudden blare of music from a radio or a blast of water from a motion-activated sprinkler will also scare some animals. Groundhogs, for example, are very nervous creatures, easily frightened by the slightest noise or movement — even a dollar-store pinwheel makes an effective deterrent.
“Each animal has a different threshold for what they can tolerate,” says Karvonen. “The more you change the comfort level of the animal, the better your chances of getting it to move on.” Trapping and relocating animals is not recommended. In fact, the Toronto Wildlife Centre is “dead set” against it. “Almost, without exception,” explains Karvonen, “babies are left behind either to die or be handed over to wildlife rehabilitators — and there aren’t enough of those to go around.”
Karvonen encourages gardeners to see the bright side of dealing with urban wildlife. “It does have to be give and take,” she says. “We can’t live in a city with all these green spaces and not expect to see wildlife.”
That’s a sentiment Susan Ackerman can appreciate. When the needles on the lower branches of her cedar hedge disappeared, she wrote it off to a bad winter. That is, until she witnessed the real perpetrator at work: a deer from a nearby ravine that leapt into her backyard over a chain-link fence. That year, deer also nibbled on Ackerman’s phlox, sedum, rosebuds and tulips. Ackerman has had some luck deterring the deer with a repellant spray. But she’s not overly worried about the deer that share her backyard. Instead, she’s taking a more practical approach. “It’s so annoying,” she says, recalling the loss of her tulips just as they went into bud, “but it’s their space too,” she says of the deer. “I’m just not planting tulips anymore.”
Irena Hrzina has been gardening for 12 years in the city of Toronto where she lives with her family and a small army of visiting squirrels.
OuTsmArTIng bulbHunTIng squIrrels squirrels present a unique challenge due to their sheer numbers and acrobatic abilities. but Toronto botanical garden instructor Frank Kershaw says gardeners can limit the damage squirrels do to bulbs. Here are his tips.
• Don’t tempt them by leaving tunics (the papery outer skins of a bulb) in the garden. “It’s like a candy wrapper to them,” laughs Kershaw.
• Interplant favourite bulbs with ones squirrels despise, such as fritillaries and daffodils.
• Plant bulbs very deeply.
• Firm the soil after planting.
• Sprinkle blood meal or hen manure over the planting site. Squirrels don’t like the smell.
• Use a barrier such as wire mesh to discourage digging.
• Mulch to camouflage the planting site.
TALES FROM A CIT Y FARMER
Victoria stevens talks with City Farmer author Lorraine Johnson about front-yard veggie gardens, chickens and strawberries in January.
LoRRaINe JohNSoN lives in the heart of Toronto in a charming house on a typically small urban lot. While her neighbours grow lawns and shrubs and perennials, she grows her own food. Well, at least as much of it as she can, given time and space constraints.
That includes the eggs from her three chickens, Harriet, Nog and Roo, who cluck contentedly behind the wire fence at the rear of the back garden and obligingly provide her with enough eggs to feed herself, give away to friends and have soufflé parties. Even though it is legal to keep chickens in many other urban centres in Canada and the United States, it is not permitted in Toronto, so Lorraine keeps her chickens a secret, sort of. In her latest book, City Farmer: Adventures in Urban Food Growing, she devotes a chapter to her “girls” called “What the Cluck?” in which she details with humour her own experiences as part of the widespread movement toward keeping chickens in North America, itself part of the larger framework of urban farming aimed at closing the gap between city dwellers and their food.
It’s a political issue, as Johnson readily acknowledges. She has been ahead of the curve on this for over 20 years, writing her first book, Green Future, in 1990, one of the first wave of “green” books to look at the issues of sustainability and the environment. Since then, she’s written ten books and many articles on gardening and the environment, she appears regularly on radio and TV and she is in demand as a speaker. “Any way we can shorten the distance between what we eat and who grows it and where it’s grown and how it’s grown, the better,” she says. “It’s not that I think everyone should grow (food) — do what you want. But it’s very useful to grow anything, even if it’s a small amount. It gets us connected to our food and it’s more meaningful and gets us thinking about the bigger picture. Even if it’s just one little pot of basil.”
As for the opposition faced by urban farmers who want to plant veggies and native plants in their front yards or keep chickens out back, Johnson says it’s just a different mindset. “You might not endorse it, but don’t get in the way of it unless there is some kind of health or safety problem,” she says. “If my tomatoes in the front yard create some sort of health and safety issue, then by all means tell me to get rid of them. But if it’s just ‘they’re different’ and I want you to be the same, that’s something we have to fight against. We have to remove any objection that is based on convention or aesthetics.”
“it’s very useful to grow anything, even if it’s a small amount. it gets us connected to our food and it’s more meaningful and gets us thinking about the bigger picture. even if it’s just one little pot of basil.”
Beyond the importance of producing the food itself, Johnson points out that the very act of growing food for oneself and others who need it is transformational. “Time and again in community gardens, I’ve witnessed a kind of casual embrace of difference, a slide into comfortable ordinariness where differences of class and ethnicity and age and history and all kinds of personal circumstances seem irrelevant to the task at hand … the collective cultivation of food is fertile, unifying ground for communities.”
In City Farmer, her extensive research into urban food growing goes back to the two World Wars and the Depression when, of necessity, city food gardens were established wherever land was available. She outlines the decline of family farms and the rise in multinational agribusinesses after World War II which allowed us to eat strawberries in January, but at an enormous cost to the environment. Johnson nonetheless paints an optimistic picture of the future, describing in impressive detail the movement back toward locally grown food and the many creative ways that city dwellers are doing it: community gardens flourishing on abandoned lots in Detroit and in the parks, schoolyards and churches of many North American cities, including Toronto; roof-top gardens; floating farms on waterways; tapping city trees for syrup; harvesting fruit from backyard trees; and guerrilla boulevard gardening and foraging.
In her own life, Johnson practises what she preaches. She doesn’t own a car and rides her bicycle everywhere, even in winter. She shops at farmers’ markets and is a member of the Community Supported Agriculture program, where she pays about $250 to $300 up front to a local farmer who delivers what she has selected from the list of seasonal produce he provides. She grows and cans heritage tomatoes, freezes pesto made from her basil crop, grew pumpkins and canteloupe in the back lawn this summer and planted two native pawpaws, a pear tree, a choke cherry, currants, blackberries and serviceberry. She has a dehydrator to process apples, sour cherries and other fruits in season. The day I visited she was busily cutting up apples. Johnson does whatever is necessary to enjoy the bounties of the local harvest through the cold dark days of winter. No strawberries in January needed.
City Farmer: Adventures in Urban Food Growing is published by Greystone Books and is available at shopTBG, $19.95.
Victoria Stevens is a retired journalist and volunteer co-coordinator at the Toronto Botanical Garden.
TBGNeWs
source guide
Arborists & Tree Help
ArborWooD tree ServIce Inc. 416-422-0224/888-721-8882; arborwood.ca
AUtHentIc tree cAre Inc. 416-990-care
F.A. bArtlett tree exPert co. 416-631-8111/877-227-8538; bartlett.com
brUce tree exPert coMPAny ltD. 416-252-8769; brucetree.com
cIty oF toronto UrbAn ForeStry ServIceS toronto.ca/trees Trees for city-owned property; tree damage maintenance.
DAvey tree exPert coMPAny 416-241-7191; davey.com
kelly’S tree cAre 416-462-0007; kellytree.com
leAF (locAl enHAnceMent & APPrecIAtIon oF ForeStS) 416-413-9244; yourleaf.org assistance with backyard tree selection and planting.
noble tree ServIce ltD 416-716-1808; nobletreeservice.com
ontArIo ForeStry ASSocIAtIon 416-493-4565/800-387-0790; oforest.ca
dedicated to raising awareness and understanding of Ontario’s forests.
ProFeSSIonAl tree ServIceS 416-577-2716; professionaltreeservices.ca
rIcHArDSon tree cAre 800-769-9183
toronto PArkS AnD treeS FoUnDAtIon 416-397-5178; torontoparksandtrees.org enhancing public spaces.
Trees OnTArIO 416-646-1193/877-646-1193; treesontario.ca its mission is to increase the forested landscape of Ontario’s private lands.
Wildlife Organizations
AnIMAl DeFence SocIety OF TOrOnTO animaldst.esmartweb.com Promoting wildlife protection and animal rights.
toronto WIlDlIFe centre 416-631-0662; torontowildlifecentre.com dedicated to helping wildlife in need.
toronto AnIMAl ServIceS 416-338-7296; toronto.ca/animal_services Operates four shelters for animals that are lost or surrendered by owners or animals that are available for adoption; 24-hour emergency response number.
urban Farming
coMMUnIty SUPPorteD AgrIcUltUre (cSA) csafarms.ca
CSa farmers receive a set fee in return for delivery of farm-fresh produce to the consumer.
eDIble lAnDScAPIng ediblelandscaping.ca growing organic vegetables in the city
FooD cycleS foodcycyles.org a city farm inspiring people to raise worms, make compost, grow food.
ryerSon UnIverSIty ryerson.ca/foodsecurity/projects/ urbanagriculture/index.html Courses and postgraduate certificates in urban agriculture.
toronto botAnIcAl gArDen 416-397-1340 www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca Kitchen garden, courses and lectures.
Your guide to organizations offering help for living with nature and wildlife in the city. Compiled by gwen rattle, weston Family Library
toronto coMMUnIty gArDen netWork tcgn.ca. events, courses and workshops of practical use to home gardeners.
TOrOnTO urbAn FArm trca.on.ca/understand/near-urbanagriculture/toronto-urban-farm.dot adjacent to black Creek Pioneer Village, this community development initiative engages youth and the community in urban organic farming.
TOrOnTO urbAn grOWers urbangrowers.wordpress.com Collective pursuing urban agriculture in the gTa.
naturalist Organizations cHIrP 416-236-7234; projectchirp.com Promotes habitat revitalization for songbirds in Toronto area.
FAtAl lIgHt AWAreneSS ProgrAM (FlAP) 416-366-Flap; flap.org dedicated to the protection of wild birds in built environments.
ontArIo trAIlS coUncIl 613-396-3226; ontariotrails.on.ca
ontArIo FIelD ornItHologIStS ofo.ca
OnTArIO nATure 416-444-8419; ontarionature.org
toronto FIelD nAtUrAlIStS 416-593-2656; torontofieldnaturalists.org
toronto HIkIng reSoUrce centre torontohiking.com
TOrOnTO regIOnAl conServAtIon AUtHorIty 416-667-6295; trca.on.ca Places to visit; calendar of events
Mark Cullen
Shauna Dobbie
Gardener
Frank Kershaw Gardening Expert
Ed Lawrence CBC
Graves Floral Design Expert
