Trellis is published as a members’ newsletter by the Toronto Botanical Garden at Edwards Gardens
777 Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto ontario, M3C 1P2, 416-397-1340
Trellis welcomes queries for story ideas, which should be submitted to the editor for consideration by the Trellis Committee at least four months in advance of publication dates.
opinions expressed in Trellis do not necessarily reflect those of the TBG. Submissions may be edited for style and clarity.
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.
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CoVER PhoTo: JAnET dAVIS
to do Features News
4 On the Go Town and country tour Who’s Talking wild about bees with Laurence Packer
8 Laws of Attraction The sensual world of pollinators
10 clematis cuties Easy to grow small-flowered vines
12 Just Ask Master Gardeners answer your questions my favourite plant Cup plant In Our Gardens we’re growing! Learning the Lingo nippon daisy
13 container crazy Colour themes In your Garden Jobs to do Around the Garden Sandra Pella Anna’s plant pick Clematis ‘Mrs Robert Brydon’
14 Events calendar what’s on: Edwards Summer Music Series; Edwards Lectures; Garden Tours
15 Thanks to our friends
Printed by harmony Printing
TBGNews
on the go
town and Country tour of six gardens in the creemore/mono township area with Frank Kershaw on thursday, June 16 includes lunch at mrs mitchell’s Restaurant in violet Hill. public $120/ members $100. For more information and to register: www. torontobotanicalgarden. ca/programs/ registration.htm or 416-397-1341
Who’s Ta Lk InG
LeCtUReR: LAURenCe PACKeR toPiC: WiLD ABoUt Bees! When: WeDnesDAY, JUne 1, 7:30 P.M.
“Asking me about honeybees,” says Laurence Packer, a professor of biology at York University since 1988, “is like asking an ornithologist about chickens.” Packer lavishes his attention and research on the 20,000 wild bee species around the world. During this lecture, he’ll talk about their diversity and the many roles they play. We’ll get an advance look into two Canadian-led initiatives using wild bees in environmental monitoring. Myths about bees will be debunked, and we’ll learn about the psychology of bee behaviour. Public $20, students (with valid ID) $15, TBG members free. Door sales only. Limited seating. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Newcomer
Paulina Cadena events & Facility Manager
A GooD ReAD
paulina joined the tBG in January 2011, bringing with her more than 15 years of experience in event management honed in both the private and not-forprofit sectors in the united states and in canada. commuting daily from pickering, she takes the long drive in stride, enjoying the seasonal hues of the landscape and, from time to time, preferring back roads to Highway 401. she is a passionate animal lover, a talented cook and an inspired baker — she even finds time to train for her first half-marathon, to be run later this year. Welcome to the tBG, paulina!
Get Growing by Frankie Flowers harperCollins Canada Ltd., 2011, 352 pages, $26.99 paper Also available as an e-Book
goings on
• Woman to Woman, the tbg’s inaugural spring luncheon Party in the garden takes place on thursday, June 2. to register, call 416-397-1483.
• edwards summer Music series: gardens of song Free music concerts in the garden take place thursday evenings from 7 to 8:30 p.m. details at www.torontobotanical garden.ca
• tools, Pizza and Beer is a boys’ night out that takes place on wednesday, June 22, 7 to 9 p.m., with hosts mark cullen and denis Flanagan.
• Lavender Fair and Lunch with Kate seaver, Friday, July 15, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• experience a taste of ireland, wednesday, July 13, 6 to 8 p.m. irish food and song with special guest John stuart campbell.
For more information and to register: www.torontobotanical garden.ca/programs/ registration.htm or 416-397-1341
as its subtitle suggests, this book offers us an everyday guide to high-impact, no-fuss gardening. seasonal chapters give concise instructions on procedures and timing to ensure a gorgeous garden, a healthy lawn and a productive vegetable garden. many of the photos were taken right here at the toronto botanical garden. in a word, Frankie maintains that gardening should be fun! — Madge Bruce, Weston Family Library
From The TBG
ALDonA sAtteRthWAite executive Director
All A-Buzz
It’s going to be a sweet summer.
Along with eight other staff members (that’s nearly half the staff), I’ll soon be a beekeeper-in-training. By the time you read this, two hives will have been set up in the TBG’s new Pollinator Garden, located just outside the Weston Family Library.
As a gardener, I’m used to bees buzzing around me while I work outdoors, and I take them in my stride. I’m not a swatter or a shoo-er. Much of my workday is spent hunched over a computer or presiding over meetings, so in my off hours I love to let out the wild child and hunch over a plant instead, with the companionable sounds of bees buzzing and birds singing and the sun warming my back.
At a preliminary get-together, we were told the bees would prefer it if we wore white (they’re put off by dark colours) and projected a calm mellow vibe. Just like humans, they’re affected by mood. Who knew?
In fact, one of my oldest friends, who has kept bees for years, is completely fascinated by the curious ways of these industrious, almost magical, creatures. She also believes in the efficacy of bee propolis for maintaining good health and takes honey in her tea. Did you know that honey never spoils? (It does harden, but that doesn’t mean it’s “off.”)
Bees aren’t the only things we’re buzzing about, though. There’s a lot going on at the TBG, such as the launch of the Edwards Summer Music Series: Gardens of Song, the development of the Woodland Walk and Bird Habitat and, with a bit of luck, an exciting temporary installation on the site of the yet-to-be-established Children’s Garden, to name just three. To keep up to date, check our Web site and e-newsletter. Enjoy your garden!
Yours, Mine & Ours
Volun T eers
In response to the mounting plight of honeybees worldwide, the Toronto Botanical Garden is installing two hives in the newly renovated Pollinator Garden. Nine members of the TBG staff have jumped at the opportunity to form the TBG Bees volunteer beekeeping team. TBG Bees will ensure the colonies are healthy and thriving. The Toronto Beekeepers Co-operative will be mentoring the team and has donated one of the colonies that will be taking up residence. The TBG gratefully acknowledges the support of Home Depot Canada for their generous donation in making this project possible. — Liz Hood, Director of Education
summer Camps
worms are one of our favourite garden creatures, but what do we really know about them? at our new week-long science camp, kids will examine X-rays, observe animals and conduct science experiments like this one.
expeRiment: Do worms like moisture? materials
• 2 paper towels
• 1 live worm
• Water Directions
• Dampen one paper towel with water.
• Place the damp towel beside the dry one and place the worm in between.
• Put everything in a dark location like a cupboard.
• Wait for fifteen minutes. did the worm travel to the wet paper towel or the dry one? to learn why, sign up for science camp. camps are also offered on art, cooking and animals.
neW! extenDeD CARe hoURs this year, camps for kids aged 5 to 11 are available for a full day, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Green Community toronto beekeepers co-operative
The Toronto Beekeepers Co-operative (TBC) has been caring for urban bees and training beekeepers in downtown Toronto since 2002. From seven members tending three hives, the co-operative has grown to 40 members who maintain more than 30 hives at Parc Downsview Park, the Fairmont Royal York Hotel and, as of this summer, the Toronto Botanical Garden. The TBC is committed to education about bee culture, urban agriculture and urban ecology. To learn more visit www.torontobees.ca.
GardengoesdesiGnnative
inspired by recent tbg lecturers belinda g allagher and douglas tallamy, tony Spencer talks with local ecologist charles Kinsley to discover the ground rules of ecologically driven garden design.
a native garden in the annex in the upper annex neighbourhood of toronto, there is a native oasis with a prairie-style garden out front and a forested woodland in the typical 5.5 by 9 metre (18 by 30 feet) backyard — both designed by Charles kinsley. though i visited in the barrens of late winter, i nevertheless had the extraordinary feeling that i was not just seeing a garden, i was experiencing a true sense of place. — Tony Spencer
A new movement of native planting advocates is showing us how we can help sustain the matrix of biodiversity upon which all life depends — including our own. Douglas Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home, champions a gradual approach to going native. For example, he suggests reducing lawn in favour of wildlifefriendly habitat, digging out invasive species and embracing the free-flowing concept of an open border.
To delve deeper, Trellis spoke with local ecological designer and former wild plant nursery owner Charles Kinsley to learn how urban gardeners can create and sustain a native garden.
Make it beautiful
Charles Kinsley sets the design bar high: “It’s important that if you’re going to plant native gardens, that they be beautiful — because no one’s going to be convinced of their value if they’re not.”
Far from being messy or dull, the fusion of ecology and aesthetics can offer an ever-changing source of wonder — it’s
nature scaled down within a living framework of growth and change. The design challenge is to create an experience that immerses you in a strong sense of place that evokes what Kinsley calls “the value, occurrences and experiences” of the natural world.
Work froM a living Model
Draw inspiration from wilderness itself. Kinsley confesses that some places he’s been to provides a model for each of the gardens he designs. For a backyard residential project in the Annex neighbourhood, for example, a particular forest setting at Silent Lake (near Bancroft) was the inspiration. “It became my model for how to structure the garden,” he explains, adding that the space itself also determines his approach. It’s a marrying of the two things, he says, that together drive the design.
go for a Walk
Search out the native in your neighbourhood. “Try to find natural areas close to your house,” says Kinsley.
tesy
c harles
Kinsley
“[This can be] difficult in some urban settings, because it’s hard to distinguish what’s truly natural from what’s been changed because of re-grading, backfill and landfill,” he explains. “We can’t go back 500 years.” In Toronto some areas are more unique and easier to find than others. In the west end and High Park, for example, it’s sandy oak savanna woodland. Elsewhere it’s oak and hickory.
fit to urban SCale
Scaling down the vast complexity of a natural environment to the confines of an urban garden setting is a design challenge, as is visualizing how the garden will sit within the greater landscape. Scale is extremely important, from both a sustainability and an aesthetic perspective. As Kinsley explains: “I think from the point of view of the metric scale and how everything will fit in. From 100 metres to 10 metres to 10 centimetres: everything has to make sense in all those scales.” In an urban setting with a limited lot size, establish some dominant elements and don’t go for too much.
be natural
Practicalities such as light, water and soil need to be considered, but they can be manipulated to advantage. For example, most gardens tend to be flat, so subtly mound the land to create a more natural effect; shape the landscape by digging down to make the conditions wetter. In this way, you can suit the landscape to your choice of plant material. Kinsley is highly sensitive to form, too. “People use triangles, circles and ellipses as standard shapes,” he explains. “In nature, things are more fractal, sinuous, all different shapes.” His advice is to find a compromise between these standard shapes and the more organic ones found in nature.
SourCe loCally
One of the best ways to make nature feel at home is to use locally sourced materials such as native wood and stone for walkways, ponds and other hardscaping elements of the design. To develop the planting plan, visualize
the design in layers, starting with the tree canopy and understorey of small trees and shrubs, and then working down to smaller-scale shrubs and vines and finally to naturalized plantings of perennials, grasses and sedges that mingle with ferns, groundcovers and mosses. The new-to-natives gardener may want to test the waters by creating a small native feature such as a butterfly habitat of milkweed or a specialized native microclimate such as an alvar (limestone steppe garden) within an existing garden scheme.
digging deeper
Ecologically aware designers anticipate maintenance issues within the design itself. For a natural garden, Kinsley recommends using the existing soil as the base whenever possible — assuming it is relatively undisturbed and not bare subsoil. He lays about 10 centimetres (four inches) of sand on the surface and then plants directly into the sand. This method helps to minimize weeding, create drainage and encourage the roots to grow downwards into the soil — and after a few years you’d never know the sand was there.
tiMe iS the beSt gardener
“There’s an old Japanese saying that it takes 300 years to make a garden,” Kinsley chuckles, “but we don’t have that much time.” He advises home gardeners to keep it simple at first and then patiently observe the results: “Start your design with a bare-bones plan,” he advises, and work from the plan over time. In this way, we can learn from the garden as we design. “It’s something that feeds both ways,” Kinsley explains. “It’s different than painting a wall. A wall can’t tell you its colour — but a garden can.”
nativeS vS. nativarS
There’s much debate about how native plant species fulfil their role in the ecosystem compared with growerdesigned cultivars or “nativars”. Entomologist Tallamy believes that insects treat the nativars exactly like the species — because the essential genotype of the plant remains unchanged. Belinda Gallagher, the former head
of horticulture at the Royal Botanical Gardens, is more skeptical: “We don’t know if they perform the same services as the parent.” Kinsley’s view is that “in our striving to select features we want, it’s quite possible there are things that might be imperceptible to us such as the amount of nectar or scent which get neglected or changed.”
nature findS nature
When you plant natives, they will attract native insects, which according to Tallamy has the result of encouraging biodiversity. Butterflies and moths, shield bugs and soldier beetles, for example, will discover your garden, and given the right conditions, go larval. The obstacle for many gardeners is to get over the hate/love affair we have with insects: to realize that from a bug-eyed perspective, plants are both nectar and salad bars.
the finer pointS
Kinsley might start with a planting plan but he never follows it to the letter, preferring to keep his options open based on plant availability and spontaneous creativity. His methodology is supported by a deep knowledge of how specific native plants behave in nature. “Placement is intuitive, based upon the topography, usually with respect to the angle of the light, and moisture runoff.” These directly affect the planting conditions. The plantings work with and against the general contours of the area in a variety of shapes: drifts, deformed circles, ellipses and repeated asymmetrical patterns. His last piece of advice: “If a human eye can tell a border or edge too easily, the design will fail” because it won’t look natural. Once established, Kinsley’s native gardens become remarkably self-sustainable. They require minimal weeding and watering and are nourished by the leaf layer left in place over the winter. Perhaps the greater beauty of the native garden is simply to let nature take its course — as sooner or later, it always will.
Tony Spencer is a Toronto-based freelance writer with his company Body English. A former landscaper with a fascination for planting design, he’s often found working in his garden at his cottage in the Kawarthas.
to a pollinating insect, says Jean Godawa, a garden can be a restaurant, an art gallery or even a singles’ bar.
L AWS oF ATTr AcT IoN
We live in a sensual world. The aroma of warm bread drifting from a bakery entices passersby to walk inside, and the sight of a tall blonde woman in a bright red dress turns heads. Like us, insects are sensual creatures. Things that catch our attention are often the same things that draw pollinators. If we want to attract them to our gardens, we need to grow plants that will make a beetle walk into the flower bed or a honeybee turn its head at the sight of a striking source of nectar.
Insects provide a vital service that enables flowering plants to produce fruit and seeds. To pay for that service, plants offer food in the form of nectar or pollen. To attract pollinators, plants have developed several alluring adaptations. Their scent, colour and design all factor into an insect’s decision to visit a garden.
The scents produced by flowers vary according to the type of pollinator they want to attract. Some flowers advertise to insects whose dietary staple is sugar. Like the smell of cotton candy to children at a carnival, bees, butterflies, moths and some flies are attracted to the sweet smells produced by such flowers as rose, lavender, lilac, jasmine and sweet pea. The flowers of August lily, four o’clock and moonflower release their sweet scent at dusk or late evening, saving it to attract nocturnal pollinators such as moths.
Be BuGwise!
what’s eating your parsley and carrots? Parsleyworm, the attractive green caterpillar with black stripes and yellow spots may seem like a pest to you, but if you allow just a few to stay in your garden, your plants will be safe and you will soon be treated to the striking beauty of the black swallowtail butterfly (Papilio polyxenes), an important pollinator. Parsleyworm
Not all flowers have a sweet scent. Anyone who has walked past a flowering pear tree (Pyrus calleryana) in early spring might agree. Flowers that produce a malodorous scent attract different pollinators than their sweet-smelling counterparts. Flies and beetles that feed on carrion and dung will visit fetid flowers in search of their favourite meal. Several orchid species have more deceptive methods to entice pollinators: they produce the odour of female insects trying to attract male mates. When the males discover the flower, they are tricked into pollinating it — without a reward for their efforts.
To many other insects, the garden is a painted canvas. Flowers employ visual cues such as colour, pattern and shape to attract these pollinators. Although there are always exceptions, in general, bright yellow and blue flowers are particularly appealing to bees, while bright red flowers attract butterflies. And white flowers that are easily visible at night, such as white ginger (Hedychium coronarium) and white rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) attract moths.
Like arrows directing diners to an all-you-can-eat buffet, some flowers have nectar guides that lead pollinators to the food source. These guides may take the form of lines on petals, as found on blue flag iris ( Iris versicolor ) for example, or bull’s-eye targets like the ones on rudbeckia that are visible only under ultraviolet light.
The shape of flowers also determines the type of insects that can pollinate them. Large, strong, bowl-shaped flowers, such as those found on the hardy magnolia cultivars, make easy landing pads for heavy or clumsy beetles. Tubular flowers such as red-flowered currant (Ribes sanguineum) are perfect for the long, nectar-sucking proboscis of a butterfly.
The sensory signals provided by plants are abundant and diverse. Understanding just what it is that attracts pollinating insects can help in the selection of appropriate plants for our outdoor spaces. We have all become aware of the decline in populations of pollinating insects, particularly the dwindling number of bees. If we plant with pollinators in mind, we can help to stop the loss of these essential creatures.
With a biology degree focussed on entomology, and insect research experience in Southeast Asia and South America, Jean Godawa has spent the last 10 years conducting workshops to educate adults and children on insect ecology.
Rudbeckia hirta ‘Rustic Mix’
Hibiscus Chiffon white
Making a beeline
in ontario, there are more than 400 bee species and countless other pollinating insects. this makes planning your garden to attract pollinators daunting. Pollination guelph, has developed some helpful plant lists. the following chart, outlining what makes plants attractive to bees, is based on one of these lists. for more information visit pollinator.ca/guelph.
CoMMon naMe BotaniCal naMe PollinatoR attRaCtion ChaRaCteRistiCs
aster Aster spp.
many species have a strong bull’s eye pattern under ultraviolet light. Beggar-ticks Bidens ferulifolia bright yellow flowers; large bull’s eye under ultraviolet light
Black-eyed susan Rudbeckia spp. Prominent ultraviolet-light marking in the centre of the flower
Blanket flower Gaillardia bright colour with central disc pattern
Cosmos Cosmos bipinnatus sweet-smelling
english lavender Lavandula angustifolia sweet-smelling
Goldenrod Solidago spp. yellow flowers
huckleberry Vaccinium spp. yellow flowers
lupine Lupinus spp. sweet-smelling
Purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea central disc pattern
stonecrop Sedum spp. strong central target under ultraviolet light
sunflower Helianthus spp. bull’s eye under ultraviolet light
tickseed Coreopsis bright yellow with central disc pattern
wallflower Erysimum rich perfume
wild buckwheat Eriogonum sweet scent
1. Rudbeckia hirta
2. Echinacea ‘Vintage wine’ 3. Solidago ‘Crown of Rays’
Helenium
Small-flowered
clematis cuties
let ’s face it, says g ardenimport’s Dugald Cameron, gardening and fashion are fickle passions.
EvEryonE at our company is a plant, bulb or seed nut. We like to trial new plants, photographing them and learning their habits to see how easily they grow before offering them to our customers. For our tests, we looked for someone who could lavish neglect but take notes. I’m embarrassed to say the vote among staff and my family was unanimous: “If Dugald can grow it ... anybody can.” A proper trial can be brief (it didn’t even grow) or last for several years (it sat for years, then suddenly took off), but the goal is the same — to find out if anyone could grow it.
My garden is small, but with a blessedly sunny, deep and narrow 6- by 8-metre (20- by 25-foot) backyard. It may be a design challenge for some, but with a total of 28 metres (92 feet) of wall or fence, it’s a perfect spot for collecting clematis.
Like most gardeners, at first I was drawn to the largeflowered varieties that I saw in bloom at the garden centres in May. They were spectacular but flowered for only a few weeks. Fortunately, Christopher Andrew joined our staff and introduced me to the universe of small-flowered clematis.
The test plants loved my trellis and fences and climbed through the trees in my city arboretum, happily flowering with little care other than spring pruning, watering and feeding with well-aged manure and compost. I was amazed at how many fit into my small garden — they seemed to like company and tolerated quite a bit of shade.
I now have a prolonged display: C. alpina and C. macropetala produce April flowers while the early, large-flowered varieties bloom from May to June. In June, July and August, I have flowers from C. viticella, C. diversifolia, C. jackmanii, C. mandshurica and C. texensis species. Aside from the repeat flowers from some of the above, late summer is filled with C. tubularosa, C. heracleifolia and C. terniflora . Of course, I also have the indispensable, non-stop flowering of C. durandii . All of these are easy to grow — even for me — but some are better than others. See the chart (page 11) for a list of my favourites.
Dugald Cameron operates Gardenimport and is a former member of the TBG board of directors.
Clematis ‘Arabella’
Dugald’s “If I can grow it, you can grow it” list
‘Alba
C. ‘Betty Corning’
one of the few whiteflowering viticella cultivars and the only one with elegant green and white flowers.
C. ‘Etoile Violette’
C. ‘John Howells’
a viticella that blooms for months with loads of fragrant, silver-lilac flowers.
even people who hate purple like this plant.
a new viticella that everyone is clamouring for with incredible 6-to 8-centimetre (2 to 3 inches)-wide, brilliant scarlet flowers.
thrives in the “thuggish” section of my climbing menagerie. (although, i’m tempted to replace it by a new white variety, cornelia’, fr and clematis breeder, snoeijer.)
a “must-have” variety.
Woman to Woman Luncheon Party in the Garden
A moveable feast to celebrate and share your passion for gardening with mothers, daughters, sisters and friends.
indestructible, indispensable; anyone can grow this and everyone should.
Thursday, June 2, 2011, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Toronto Botanical Garden
C. texensis ‘Gravetye Beauty’
C. ‘Wallenburg’
C. ‘Prince Charles’
C. ‘Arabella’
C. heracleifolia ‘Cassandra’
a scarlet wonder
an abundance of white flowers edged and veined with purple.
charlie is covered with medium-sized, light blue flowers in midsummer.
blooms for two months
a robust, augustflowering, deep blue, hyacinth-scented wonder
a classic bred in the 1920s Flowering goes on and on with a second flush in late summer.
one of the first of its kind that i grew; it grows through my herbaceous peonies. Purple-blue looks and beha like a shrub than a clematis; regrettably, it has never been popular and is no longer in our collection.
Summer Island Garden Tour 2011 saturday and sunday, June 25 and 26, 1 to 5 p.m. sixteen or more private gardens will be open to the public and the gardeners will be on hand to answer your questions. the ward’s island ferry departs from the foot of bay street on the hour and half hour. at the ward’s island ferry dock tickets and maps will be available in the white gazebo. adults $10, seniors $8 and children $2. this is the ninth island garden tour and the funds raised are used for public landscaping projects on the island. info: 416-203-0216, www.torontoisland.org, anne kotyk@yahoo.ca or dpeace0968@rogers.com. Leaside Garden Society is excited to announce its annual garden tour to be held on saturday, June 25, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. mark this date on your calendar. this year’s tour again promises to be an exciting mix of garden styles and plants. check the website www.leasidegardensociety.org for further information.
$100 each • 2 for $175 • Table of 4 $340 • Table of 8 $680 • Tickets: For tickets, please call 416.123.4567 or visit our website at www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca
A tax receipt for the maximum allowable amount will be issue with the purchase of each ticket. Charitable Registration: BN 119227486
C. ‘John Howells’ C. ‘Maria Cornelia’
C. ‘Prince Charles’
Clematis
Luxurians’
in season To Do
JuSt aSK
my Clematis montana ‘Freda’ has bloomed only once in four years. is there another variety better suited to our cold toronto climate?
clematis montana ‘Freda’ can freeze during harsh winters which prevents it from flowering the following spring. The flowers are borne on last year’s shoots so be sure that you are not pruning in the spring. see how it does this year and perhaps add
another to complement it, such as one of the group 2 (also called Class B) varieties that bloom on old and new growth. These varieties are hardy for our area: arctic Queen (c ‘evitwo’), c ‘guernsey Cream’, c. ‘niobe’, c. ‘Lord nevill’.
Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum)
as former children’s Programs supervisor, director of education Liz Hood knows how plants fascinate the child in all of us.
My Favourite PLant in our Gardens
We’re groWing!
this summer you’ll see a new perennial island of drought-tolerant plants in the lawns north of the building. this bed will provide year-round interest for our visitors as well as the many commuters that travel along Lawrence avenue. the initiation of this new garden has been made possible by the generous support of Milne house garden Club. With a kind donation from the toronto herb Society, we’ll be adding many new and fragrant plants to the herb garden and to the Demonstration Courtyard, where a variety of raised beds and containers will be used to grow an assortment of herbs and vegetables to support the taste of the garden series. this season, the Kitchen garden will be planted with a variety of vegetables and herbs with an irish theme.
a great plant for a sunny location, the cup plant makes a statement that cannot be ignored. growing up to three metres (10 feet) tall, its sturdy square stem is clasped by leaves that form a cup that holds a reservoir of water well after the rain has passed. as habitat for urban wildlife, this plant has it all in one package: birds sometimes nest in the cup areas; insects hang out under the leaves and in the flowers; and mason bees and other bugs overwinter in its stems.
Why i like it in…
Spring: Large, arrowhead-shaped, sandpapery leaves quickly fill its spot in the garden.
Summer: this sunflower-like, yellowflowering plant provides four to six weeks of continuous bloom.
Fall: Keep an eye out for garden birds and insects that drink from its leafy cups.
Winter: its square stems, windblown leaves and sheer height make a regal statement in the winter garden.
an indicator species for the tallgrass prairie, cup plant, once established, will take all kinds of abuse that would make other garden plants shrivel. ensure it has at least six hours of sun each day and don’t fuss with compost or fertilizer. naturally occurring in damp areas, this species of the Silphium genus, commonly known as rosinweeds, will nonetheless happily grow in average to dry conditions. [note: cup plants can be very aggressive, even on dry sites. — Ed.]
container crazy
CoLour
THeMes
When choosing plant material, consider more than sun and wind exposure. take into account the shades and hues of the planter’s surroundings. For this design that i created for a container garden fashion show in Switzerland last July, i selected the colourful and texturally rich mix of peacock plant (Calathea makoyana), shamrock (Oxalis), maidenhair fern (Adiantum), creeping fig (Ficus pumila) and baby rubber plant (Peperomia spp.) to echo the fabric used to decorate the outdoor living space.
— Paul Zammit, The Nancy Eaton Director of Horticulture
Anna’s plant pick
Clematis ‘mrs. robert Brydon’
‘Mrs. robert Brydon’ is a herbaceous, non-climbing clematis, which covers itself from midsummer to fall with a foam of sweetly scented, blue and white, starry flowers that hide the somewhat coarse green leaves. Buy it in flower if possible as there are reports of a paler clone in england.
Fluffy seed heads extend the plant’s interest into the fall. (Because it’s a hybrid, any seeds that germinate may not produce identical offspring.) While there is some confusion about its origin, the royal horticultural Society indicates its parentage as C. tubulosa x C. virginiana the stems are woody at the base and grow from 1.5 to more than two metres (four to five feet) long. growth is slow at first, followed by a spurt in summer. the plant more or less dies down to the ground in the winter. Prune it back to 10 to 15 centimetres (four to six inches) in the spring unless you wish to propagate new plants by layering.
Because this clematis cannot climb, let it sprawl over a fence, tie it to a post to create a flowery pillar or allow it to form a billowing ground cover. grow ‘Mrs. robert Brydon’ in full sun to partial shade. (the blue colour shows up best in full sun.) it grows in most moist soils but does not do well in sandy, fast-draining areas. hardy to Zone 4, this vigorous perennial should be watched so that it does not swamp other plants. — Anna Leggatt, Toronto Master Gardener
around the garden
With head gardener sandra Pella
i will never forget being told to use a tool whereever possible. Why wreck your back, hands and fingers when there’s a proper tool to lighten the work? My most important tools are:
• Boots: I prefer boots over runners or open-toed shoes. select a pair with a sturdy sole for pushing on a spade or fork. There are plenty of fashionable styles: short to the ankle, above the ankle etc., but i say “no” to laces.
• Gloves (why is it so hard to find a good pair?)
• Secateurs: For me there is only one secateur. Can i name names? red handle. They fit snugly into a holster or sheath which can be secured to your belt, pant or pocket.
• Pockets! In jackets, pants and shirts, they hold all the little things you didn’t think you’d need, but do.
• Spade & fork (these go hand in hand)
• Trowel
• OK, maybe a hat see you in the garden!
— Sandra pella head Gardener
in Your Garden
JoBs To do
suMMer
remove weeds that develop in beds and turf while they’re young.
collect design ideas by taking a garden tour or walking through neighbourhoods.
cut back yellowing and browning foliage of bulbs such as daffodils.
deadhead annuals and roses to promote more blooms.
train climbing vines such as clematis and honeysuckle. cut back the tips of quick-growing vines such as wisteria and hops.
Freshen planters by adding pollinator-friendly favourites such as zinnias and heliotrope.
monitor for insect pests and disease, especially Japanese beetles, and act quickly to control them early.
Plant a late summer crop of spinach, beets or arugula.
Harvest fast-growing herbs such as basil and preserve chopped leaves by drying or by freezing them in ice cube trays.
water the garden and containers responsibly: draw rainwater regularly from rain barrels.
— Paul Zammit
events What’s on at the t oront o Botanical Garden
June
2
Woman to Woman
Inaugural spring luncheon torontobotanicalgarden.ca/416-397-1483
4
Toronto Judging Centre of the American Orchid Society
Studio 1, 10 a.m.; soos.ca/AOS
5
Southern Ontario Orchid Society Floral Hall, noon soos.ca
Ontario Water Garden Society Plant sale
Garden Hall, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. onwatergarden.com
Greater Toronto Rose & Garden Horticultural Society
Toronto Judging Centre of the American Orchid Society
Studio 1, 10 a.m.; soos.ca/AOS
4
Southern Ontario Orchid Society Garden Hall, noon; soos.ca
EDWARDS SUMMER MUSIC SERIES Gardens of Song
From June 30 throughout the summer, enjoy free concerts in the gardens on thursday evenings from 7 to 8:30 p.m., thanks to the generous support of the edwards charitable Foundation. the edwards summer music series: gardens of song features performers from across the musical spectrum, including maza mezé, an ensemble that plays original compositions based on traditional greek and middle eastern music, samba squad, a group that performs on brazilian bateria drums and percussion and the national band of the naval reserve. Your hosts are murray Foster (moxy Früvous and great big sea) and errol nazareth (cbc radio one’s “metro morning” and the Toronto Sun). light suppers are available for purchase. complete details at www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca
EDWARDS LECTURES
June 1 • Laurence Packer Wild About Bees! Laurence Packer will talk about the diversity of wild bees and the many roles they play.
Lecture takes place in the Floral Hall at 7:30 p.m. Public $20, students (with valid ID) $15, TBG members free. Door sales only, limited seating. 416-397-1340. Generously sponsored by the Edwards Charitable Foundation
G ARDEN TOURS
Plan a grouP tour of one of five toronto gardens
New this season! Our regular summer tours of the Toronto Botanical Garden, Edwards Gardens, Allan Gardens or the Toronto Music Garden can be tailored to suit your group: for example, to explore our LEED building, to accommodate ESL groups or any for combination of specialized experiences.
And this year we are thrilled to be able to offer tours of the Gardens of Casa Loma. Enjoy high tea on the castle terrace or a box lunch en route.
To book a special group tour, call 416-397-1366 or e-mail tourguides@torontobotanicalgarden.ca.
aB out t he toronto Botanical Garden
the toronto Botanical Garden (tBG) is a volunteer-based, charitable organization whose purpose is to inspire passion, respect and understanding of gardening, horticulture, the natural landscape and a healthy environment. the tBG raises over 90 per cent of its operating funds through membership, facility rentals, retail enterprises, program fees and donations. the organization relies on the generosity and financial commitment of individuals, foundations and corporations to help maintain the gardens and support the many horticultural and environmental services we provide to our community.
G eneral hours and 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 a F e: Call 416-397-6190 • For hours check www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca
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) www.questions.torontomastergardeners.ca
GiFt MeMBershiP: $45 single, $65 family. call 416-397-1483 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
The Toronto Botanical Garden is deeply grateful to its Friends for providing continued and generous support towards programs and services. Our Friends enable the TBG to educate and provide the community with information on horticulture, gardening and environmental issues through lectures, courses and events. The following individuals made contributions to the Friends program between January 5 and March 22, 2011.
BENEFACTORS
Rose Feikes
Mary & Robert Gore
Susan Loube
Frances & Timothy Price
John & Helen Shaw
SUSTAINING MEMBERS
Shari & John Ezyk
Mr & Mrs Michael Koerner
Tony DiGiovanni & Landscape Ontario
Horticultural Trades Association
Robert Nowe
Penny & Robert Richards
Dawn Scott & Michael Harris
FRIENDS
Anonymous
Alice & Alan Adelkind
Carol Ainsworth
Mickey Alexander
Katy Anderson & Ian MacLeod Anderson
Alexander R. Armstrong
Rena Bedard
Daryl Bessell
Sadie Blain
Janeen Bowes
Ron & Nancy Dengler
Jennifer Ferguson
Ruth Gold
Valerie M. Grant
William & Patricia Harris
Judy Holmes
Jane Jeffrey
Vivien Jenkinson
Mary Margaret & John Kot
Mary Lee & Warren Laing
Barbara & Edgar Lea
Alessandra Leopardi
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
tom sparling, Mary Fisher (co-chairs); suzanne drinkwater, Geoffrey dyer, James eckenwalder, colomba Fuller, Jim Gardhouse, steven heuchert, Janet kennish, allan kling, Joan lenczner, Penny richards, dawn scott, Judy shirriff, Pat Ware, Barbara yager
sta FF directory
executive director aldona satterthwaite director@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1346
John Bertram tourguides@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1366
horticultural dePartMent director of horticulture, Paul Zammit horticulture@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1358
Nancy Lockhart & Murray Frum
Joanne Miko
Alan & Margaret Millikin
Marion Moore
Otto Muller
Barbara Murchie
Catherine Park
Gisele Quesnel-Oke
Lois Rowland
Mr & Mrs J.W.F. Rowley
Virginia Sawyer
Rachel Arlene Singh
Sally Somers
Ruthanne Stiles
Barbara Thurber Keilhauer
Tena van Andel
Frank Watts & Marcel Vaillancourt
Brenda Wong
correction notice: regrettably, photos 1, 2, 4 and 5 on page 9 of Urbanscapes were attributed in error. our apologies to photographer Vince Pietropaolo.
creative director, Jenny rhodenizer communication@torontobotanicalgarden.ca trellis editor editor@torontobotanicalgarden.ca develoPMent dePartMent director of development claudia Zuccato ria development@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1372
development officer Jessica reese annualgiving@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1483
head Gardener, sandra Pella gardener@torontobotanicalgarden.ca taxonomic assistant, toni vella taxonomy@torontobotanicalgarden.ca shoptBG shop@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1357
Weston FaMily liBrary librarydesk@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1343
Maintenance suPervisor Walter Morassutti maintenance@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1344
777 l awrence a v enue e ast, tor onto, o ntario M3 c 1P2, c anada 416-397-1340; fax: 416-397-1354 info@torontobotanicalgarden.ca torontobotanicalgarden.ca
