The Brilliant PLANTS OF FALL
Editor
lorraine FlaniGan
dEsign
June anderson
trEllis CommittEE
lorraine hunter (chair)
lorraine FlaniGan (editor)
carol Gardner
liz hood
marion maGee
zachary osBorne
Jenny rhodenizer
Paul zammit
VoluntEEr
Editorial assistant m maGee
VoluntEEr ProofrEadErs
m. Bruce, l hickey, m maGee, J. mccluskey, l. & s skinner and l uyeno
adVErtising
416-397-4145
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 Hort Happenings monarchs, pumpkins and dandelions
Welcome Pracheer saran Blogwatch 3 canadian bloggers
5 from the tBg a man for all gardens tBgKids harvest day and fun with monarchs
Volunteers Pablo hernandez green Community thanks td Friends of the environment Foundation
6 fiery fall finale discover the brilliant plants of fall in the tBG gardens
8 overlooked and underused Bulbs that add year-round zing
12 Just ask advice from the toronto master Gardeners in our gardens audio tours and donation stations my favourite Bug monarch butterflies learning the lingo Metasequoia glyptostroboides
13
Container Crazy spooky pumpkin pots garden gear ‘Graceful’ alliums in Your garden Jobs not to do around the garden with head Gardener sandra Pella anna’s Plant Pick Larix
14 Who’s talking alexis datta goings on on the go tBg lecture series
Printed by harmony Printing
TBGNewsnews
hort haPPeningS
— Compiled by Zachary Osborne, Head Librarian Weston Family Library
tracking the Monarch Migration
Most know that monarch butterflies migrate each year for up to two months across north america, a trip of nearly 4,900 kilometres. recently, the encyclopedia of life released the “Monarch butterflies Migration google earth tour” which reviews the migration and overwintering of monarch butterflies from eastern north america to the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico. Using google earth technology, the Youtube video discusses the vital role of milkweed and other butterfly-friendly plants throughout their journey, migration patterns and strategies and the fascinating story of their voyage. to watch, visit youtube.com/watch?v=uqdwvulerYc.
giant PuMPkin race this fall, the communities of Windsor and Falmouth, nova Scotia, will celebrate the 15th annual pumpkin regatta. this is truly a one-of-a-kind event where individuals paddle massive hollowed-out painted pumpkins across lake Pisiquid from Falmouth to Windsor. the tradition began in 1999 using Howard dill’s record-breaking giant pumpkins, and the event has grown in popularity ever since. in 2005, Martha Stewart was infamously scheduled to race in the pumpkin regatta but was denied entrance at the canadian border due to her criminal record. For more details, check out worldsbiggestpumpkins.com. Blogwatch
Welcome
Pracheer
Saran Publici St
in march, pracheer saran joined the tBG’s marketing & communications Department as publicist. pracheer is a seasoned public and media relations specialist who has worked for progressive organizations including tourism toronto, tiff and tourism Dubai. He is currently a member of the tourism Attractions council and has been working closely with tourism toronto and the ontario tourism marketing partnership corporation (otmpc) to promote the tBG, bringing national and international writers and photographers to our gardens this summer.
Fall leaF Mulch reduceS SPring dandelion growth a Kentucky research study deposited leaf mulch from a variety of tree species (red, silver, and sugar maple, and red oak) on residential lawns to determine its impact on the growth of common dandelion species. the study determined that “mulching leaves regardless of genus (oak or maple species) into established turfgrass as a leaf litter disposal method will increase spring green-up and contribute to a reduction in common dandelion population.” For details on the study, visit horttech.ashspublications.org/ content/19/2/297.short.
three canadian bloggerS oFFer Plenty oF inForMation.
dugald’S bulb oF the Month (torontobotanicalgarden.ca/bulb-of-the-month). this tbg blog is dedicated to a new bulb each month. heavy Petal (heavypetal.ca). a vancouver-based author/blogger writing about hot design ideas and plant trends from an organic perspective.
three dogS in a garden (threedogsinagarden.blogspot.ca). a toronto-area garden blog that features heaps of colourful and inspiring photographs.
— Compiled by Zachary Osborne, Head Librarian Weston Family Library
From The TBG
allan kling Co-Chair and President, TBG Board of Directors
A man for All Gardens
Harry Jongerden’s enthusiasm, vision and charm can now be felt throughout the TBG. From the gardens to the boardroom and virtually all points in between our new executive director has put down roots and good things are starting to grow.
Harry is a star in the world of Canadian public gardens. He has been involved in our biggest sites and he’s taken on just about every role imaginable. As garden director at Vancouver’s VanDusen Botanical Garden and Bloedel Conservatory Harry was instrumental in leading a revival that included a new $22-million Living Building visitor centre. He also devised a strategy to secure and revitalize Bloedel Conservatory as part of the VanDusen when the city of Vancouver threatened closure.
Prior to his role at VanDusen, Harry held positions at Hamilton’s Royal Botanical Gardens, first as garden designer/ horticulturist and later as head of horticulture. While with the RBG, Harry distinguished himself as a master manager of all things horticultural, financial, political and visionary.
Make no mistake, though, Harry is a hands-in-the-dirt gardener! Before joining the RBG, he spent eight years with the Stratford Shakespeare Festival as head gardener. When he was with the Toronto Parks Department, he worked as head gardener at Toronto Island as well as the Canadian National Exhibition.
Harry’s impressive list of accomplishments doesn’t end there: he also won the Garden Tourism Canadian Botanical Garden of the Year award.
It’s this diverse talent (and an excellent sense of humour) that makes him our perfect leader.
I encourage you all to meet Harry. His smile and energy are contagious. How lucky we are to have him.
Green Community
Walkers along Leslie Street have good reason to do a double take: the Woodland Walk and Bird Habitat have never looked better. Work on this garden started in 2010 with the objective of transforming some 2,200 square metres of space covered with invasive plants into an interactive learning area. Among the project’s many champions is the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation who generously funded hand-held audio devices, a new way of touring the gardens with the enthusiastic guidance of a host of horticultural celebrities. Thank you TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for helping to make this happen. For details about taking the audio tour, see page 12.
harveSt day, SePteMber 28, noon to 4 P.M. the tbg’s free Harvest day event celebrates the 15th anniversary of the teaching garden. We’ll be harvesting vegetables for the north York Harvest Food bank, and discoverability will be on site with arts, crafts and music.
Fun with MonarchS
Fall is a great time for kids to engage with monarch butterflies. carol Pasternak, author of How to Raise Monarch Butterflies: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids, offers these activities:
• Gather milkweed pods and have a blast scattering the fluffy seeds in fields.
• Watch for migrating monarchs. Tommy Thompson Park is great for monarch-spotting.
• Take photos of milkweed pods every week. As they mature during the fall, they get more and more interesting.
• Examine the different kinds of bugs that you can find on milkweed plants.
How to Raise monarch Butterflies: A Step-byStep Guide for Kids is available in the Weston Family library.
Yours, Mine & Ours
Volun T eers
Pablo Hernandez is a graphic designer by profession, and he has been using these skills as a volunteer for the TBG since 2008. A key member of the Trellis team, Pablo creates media kits, annual reports and magazine ads that you see in Trellis. Pablo’s family background is farming and beekeeping, and he chose to volunteer at the TBG because he wanted to connect with “a community that felt the need to preserve the natural beauty that our city has to offer”. We are very grateful that he chose us. Thank you, Pablo!
A Fiery FAll FinAle
Janet Davis takes you on an autumn tour of the tbg gardens to highlight the brilliant plants of fall.
Photogra P hy by Janet Davis
Mornings dawn crisp and cool, twilight descends earlier each day and the rich earthy scent of fallen leaves permeates the air. It’s autumn at the Toronto Botanical Garden, and though many of us think of fall as the metaphorical curtain coming down on the garden stage, with the right choice of shrubs and trees it can be a flamboyant final scene that rivals the flowery beauty that came before it.
A walking tour of the TBG in autumn presents a harvest basket of visual delights. Textural perennial seed heads abound, from the fluffy columns of blazing star (Liatris Spicata) to the dark spiny cones of black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia spp. and cvs.) and purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) to the feathery plumes of maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis), switch grass (Panicum virgatum) and other ornamental grasses. Gem-coloured fruits cling to
bare branches—the shocking violet of ‘Early Amethyst’ beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma ‘Early Amethyst’), the ruby red of ‘Winter Red’ winterberry (Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Red’) and rock spray (Cotoneaster horizontalis) and the silver of Northern bayberry (Morella pensylvanica).
But the best gift in the autumn harvest basket is the one that nature presents each year as a simple end product of photosynthesis in many deciduous trees and shrubs: the sudden visibility of red, orange and yellow leaf pigments that were always present in the leaves but emerge as the green pigment chlorophyll begins to break down and disappear. Beginning in early October and lasting well into November, the intensity of the fall colour show can vary from year to year depending on a number of factors, including temperature, sunshine and rainfall. Provided there has been sufficient summer sunshine with adequate (but not excessive) rainfall, followed by a succession of sunny autumn days and
cool nights (below 13ºC), those plant species genetically inclined to change colour will do so in spectacular fashion. For gardeners, the key is to know which ones to choose, and that’s where the TBG can offer inspiration.
So come with me on a tour of autumn colour, beginning along Piet Oudolf’s Entry Garden Walk. See that bright scarlet vine arrayed over the entire south-facing stone wall of the building? That’s native Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), one of the best foliage vines for fall colour. In front of it are two pools of gold: to the right, clumps of switch grass (Panicum virgatum) now turning colour nicely; to the left, drifts of a fine-leafed perennial that blended anonymously with the other plants just last week but this week shimmer in a stunning yellow—that’s Arkansas bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii), one of a number of herbaceous plants (including Solomon’s seal and many perennial geraniums) whose foliage turns colour in autumn.
Larix
Keep walking towards the main entrance until you arrive on the outside of the glass walls surrounding the Floral Hall Courtyard. Here stand three small paperbark maples (Acer griseum) with peeling copper-coloured bark and elegant trifoliate leaves coloured a rich bronze-orange. Stroll around the corner toward the courtyard entrance and past the feathery Japanese larches (Larix kaempferi) on the westfacing glass wall—they are among the last species to turn colour in fall; their needles will turn gold in November before falling off. At the gate, you’ll notice the climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris) on the right, its aerial rootlets well fastened to the stone pillar and its fall leaves now a rich apricot-gold.
Now let’s walk around the building and explore the Westview Terrace. Throughout the terrace and the Garden Hall Courtyard, you’ll find a selection of Japanese maples (Acer palmatum), all of which change colour in the fall. From the tiny ‘Coonara Pygmy’ in the bed behind the gift shop, to the pair of ‘Crimson Queen’ flanking the water channel, to the aptly named ‘Waterfall’ tumbling over the wall beside the waterfall, to the ‘Linearilobum’ Japanese maple in the east-facing bank of the courtyard, jewel-like autumn colours transform these beautiful workhorses of the garden into spectacular focal points for several weeks in October and November. They’re especially striking when set in a framework of swishing ornamental grasses, such as the bed on the north side of the water channel where the witch hazel’s (Hamamelis spp.) newly gilded leaves shine.
Also along the water channel are dwarf fothergillas (Fothergilla gardenii), their creamy bottlebrush flowers long gone, but their foliage now a gorgeous
take an auDio tour
explore the gardens at your own pace with the tbg’s new audio tours, available Monday to saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at shoptbg. these private tours are narrated by Paul Zammit, sonia Day, Charlie Dobbin, Denis Flanagan, Marjorie harris and other garden celebrities. For 2013, tours are free for members (value $5).
mottled red-orange-gold. The oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) on the north side of the channel has taken on deep burgundy tones, while the ‘Diana’ Koreanspice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii ‘Diana’) has traded its sweet-scented spring blossoms for red fall leaves. In the corner near the children’s classroom, the little Korean abelia (Abelia mosanensis) has turned a spectacular scarlet.
Head towards the stone bridge spanning the water channel, and look up into the raised garden to your right. That graceful waterfall of foliage is a Lavender Twist weeping redbud (Cercis canadensis ‘Covey’). Back in May, it formed a cascade of magenta-pink pea flowers and now it’s a shower of luminous yellow-gold heart-shaped leaves.
Walk through the Garden Hall Courtyard and take a good look at that east-facing garden behind the low stone wall. If you’ve come at the right moment, usually in early November, you’ll understand why landscape architects are fond of using conifers in their designs. Not only do they provide year-round colour and texture, their chartreuses, silvers, blues and deep greens offer a striking contrast to the rich fall colour of trees such as the tall sweetgums (Liquidambar styraciflua) at the rear, with their star-shaped, ruby red leaves.
Let’s leave the courtyard by walking out past the Spiral Mound. The Beryl Ivey Knot Garden uses clipped evergreen boxwood and yew to create the swirls and lines of the parterres, but the ‘Rose Glow’ Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea ‘Rose Glow’) entrance hedge from the Arrival Courtyard will take on bright red tones in autumn before the tiny leaves fall. And don’t forget the beauty of bronze as in the burnished fall colour of the clipped copper beech trees ( Fagus sylvatica Atropurpurea Group) that screen both the Knot Garden and the Spiral Mound.
Our final stop on the autumn colour tour is at Nature’s Garden. Walk the path and you’ll pass a planting of two native trees chosen for their manageable size: more Eastern redbuds (Cercis canadensis) with lovely yellow heart-shaped leaves as well as Allegheny serviceberry trees (Amelanchier laevis) whose dainty leaves are among the first to turn colour, taking on mottled shades of gold, orange and red. There are many dogwoods here, too, and none is prettier in October than the pagoda or alternate-leafed dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) whose foliage turns a purplish red.
Though biologists take pains to remind us that autumn changes in leaf colour are a natural phenomenon associated with pigments and metabolites and the tree’s yearly progress towards abscission, or leaf fall, the wise gardener learns to capitalize on all the lovely design possibilities in that brief, but spectacular, fireworks display.
Janet Davis is a garden writer, photographer and Friend of the Toronto Botanical Garden.
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Fothergilla gardeniiCercis canadensis ‘Covey’ in foreground
Add yeAr-round zing with these overlooked And underused
Bul Bs
Helen Battersby asks three experts about bulbs that go beyond the same old tulips and daffs. h ere’s what they say.
off tHe Wall WitH ian Young: WedneSdaY, octoBer 30, 7:30 p.m.
Bulb aficionado and keen artist ian Young lets his two passions cross-pollinate for a stunning marriage of colour and form. in his tBg lecture Series talk, he will share how his work as an artist informs his gardening and how his gardening influences his art. co-presented with the ontario rock garden & Hardy plant Society
BulBs are more than spring things. The somewhat neglected bulbs that our experts have chosen can add zing to the garden in spring—and summer, and fall, and even in winter. Dugald Cameron operates mail-order catalogue extraordinaire Gardenimport. Caroline de Vries specializes in bulbs as president of wholesaler Tradewinds International and its consumer wing Flowerbulbsrus.com. And the Toronto Botanical Garden’s horticultural director Paul Zammit chimes in with his picks.
Spring into Summer
“They come up so early,” says Zammit, who raves about winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis), a diminutive buttercup relative with bright yellow flowers and a frilled collar of leaves. It blooms when the snowdrops (Galanthus spp.) are pushing through the last snows and will happily colonize even a shady corner that receives good spring light.
As spring revs up, Zammit and Cameron both recommend the many forms of Fritillaria. These lily family members, with their nodding bell-shaped flowers, range from miniature snake’s head or checkered lilies (F. meleagris) to massive crown imperials (F. imperialis). When pressed for a favourite, Zammit mentions the lesser known fox’s grape lily (F. uva-vulpis), a tall species whose brownish, yellowlipped bells offer the late-spring garden something different. Different doesn’t have to mean hard to grow. Cameron describes the greenish-yellow, crown-imperial-like F. raddeana as “dependable and very hardy”.
Both experts are also fans of summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum). Built like a snowdrop on steroids, and blooming a month or two later, summer snowflake offers single white, green-dotted flowers that bloom on tall stems in May.
Most bulbs in cultivation come from afar. For gardeners going native, Camassia is a bulb indigenous to North America that all three experts mention. Its tall blue flower spikes
Corydalis ‘purple Bird’
Camassia
Arum italicum seed pod
bloom in May, along with the late tulips. “I’ve had some Camassia leichtlinii [C. leichtlinii subsp. suksdorfii] in my garden for seven years now,” says de Vries. “I leave them undisturbed and let them die down. The flower size does get smaller, but they still put on a good show.”
This is worth remembering about any bulb—they might not last forever. De Vries comments on naturalizing bulbs, a term often found in plant catalogues. “I prefer to use the term perennializing,” she explains. “It is very hard to get bulbs to naturalize, and it only really happens with bulbs that self-seed, such as Scilla and Puschkinia.” So it isn’t just you. Many bulbs, especially hybrid tulips, can reduce in size or disappear in a year or two. Tulips that are more likely to perennialize, or return for three or more years, are the smaller species or botanical types.
turning up tHe Heat
The lily-leaf beetle may be decimating everyone’s favourite summer bulb, but there are alternatives. For Cameron, foxtail lily (Eremurus), which despite its name is not a lily, is sadly underused. Yet these towering wands that bloom in shades that range from cream to yellow and peach add longlasting impact to the June garden. “Sometimes they can be tricky to get going,” admits Cameron. One key to success is paying that little extra for a good-sized root. To thrive, Eremurus needs a well-drained, sun-warmed spot. Once established, though, few plants match them for drama.
Trav el Specif ics
HOSTED SMALL GROUP TOURS AND INDEPENDENT TRAVEL
LONDON, CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW & EDINBURGH with DAVID HOBSON, May 2013
NAPLES & THE AMALFI COAST with MARJORIE HARRIS, September 2013
GREAT DIXTER & PARIS featuring Fergus Garrett Exclusive Symposium and Marjorie Harris, April 2014
GARDENS OF SICILY with Marjorie Harris, October, 2014
IN THE WORKS:
GREAT GARDENS OF JAPAN, GARDENS OF TUSCANY AND LAZIO….
Eremurus himalaicus
Bloom time
VerY earlY Spring
Eranthis hyemalis Winter aconite
Galanthus elwesii and G. nivalis giant and common snowdrops
earlY Spring
Anemone blanda grecian windflower
Bulbocodium vernum Spring meadow saffron
mid- to late Spring
Camassia leichtlinii great quamash
Corydalis solida fumewort
earlY Summer
Leucojum aestivum Summer snowflake
Eremurus spp. foxtail lily
Nectaroscordum siculum
Sicilian honey garlic fall
Colchicum speciosum autumn crocus
Crocus sativus and C. speciosus autumn crocus
multi-SeaSon
Arum italicum
italian arum
7 to 15
White, pink, or blue
or white
pink or purple
White with green markings
White, yellow, pink or salmon
Cream with green and plum stripes
White, pink or mauve
White, pink, blue, mauve, often with deeper coloured veins
Red fall fruit spikes, persistent marbled leaves
noteS
sun to part shade. best in consistently moist, well-drained soil. deer and black walnut resistant.
sun to part shade. Plant as soon as bulbs arrive or transplant seedlings in leaf (“in the green”). deer and black walnut resistant.
Part shade to sun. beautiful when massed. Prefers moist, welldrained soil when in flower, but tolerates dryness during summer dormancy. deer and black walnut resistant.
sun to part shade. Well-drained soil. similar to crocus with strappy petals, vase-shaped rather than cup-shaped. Poisonous.
sun to part shade. Prefers moist, acidic, humus-rich soil, but will tolerate dryness once established. black walnut resistant.
sun to part shade. needs wet soil if planted in full sun. attractive lacy leaves. ephemeral (goes dormant after flowering).
sun to part shade. self-seeds. deer and black walnut resistant.
full sun. drought tolerant. needs excellent drainage; good choice for sandy soils.
sun to light shade. deer and rabbit resistant.
full sun to part shade. Well-drained soil.
full sun to part shade. moist, well-drained soil.
Part to full shade. Prefers consistently moist, humus-rich soil. tolerates dense shade and wet soils.
Zammit also likes an allium cousin called Sicilian honey garlic (Nectaroscordum siculum). Dangling tassels of striped thimble-sized bells top tall stems in late May.
rememBer tHe fall
Bulbs for fall? Why, yes. Cameron suggests autumn crocuses: both Crocus speciosus and Colchicum speciosum Their pastel flowers offer a respite from the typical autumnal colour palette, and Colchicum ‘Waterlily’ is a particularly luscious, pink double form that lives up to its name.[Plant in the fall for blooms the same season—Ed.]
ASTER AWARDS INAUGURAL
Aster: as-ter
Greek for star
Winter Wonderful
For de Vries, Arum italicum is a terrific addition to the fall garden. The arum’s flowers are somewhat insignificant, surpassed by the fruiting spike with its bright red “berries” above marbled arrowshaped leaves in autumn. Cameron also likes A. italicum, which he has grown for nearly seven years. “It’s so easy!” he enthuses. He calls the leaves that persist into winter his thermometer, wilting as temperatures drop and perking up whenever it warms up.
So, when the bulb catalogues arrive, remember: there’s a big, bulbous world beyond the same-old, same-old. Embrace it.
Helen Battersby is a Master Gardener and garden writer. Visit her blog at torontogardens.com.
garden tourS with margaret dailey-plouffe. tours that exceed your expectations. our last tour of 2013 is discovering franK lloyd Wright—an architectural adventure. Please contact us for information on this and our 2014 tours. marcH: Philadelphia flower show. maY: chelsea flower show; also american Peony show.
June: ireland—Wafa JulY: hudson river Valley. auguSt: chicago & frank lloyd Wright. SeptemBer: the cotswolds. contact margaret@ hnatravels.com 416-746-7199.
Celebrate “green stars” whose achievements inspire us to connect with the natural world.
SAVE THE DATE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21 6:30 to 9 p.m.
2013 ASTER AWARDS RECIPIENTS
Edward Burtynsky, Photographer
Janet Rosenberg, Landscape Architect
2013 RISING STAR AWARD RECIPIENT
Scott MacIvor, Ecologist
TICKETS $125
TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN
FLORAL HALL
777 Lawrence Avenue East Toronto, ON M3C 1P2
FOR TICKETS OR MORE INFORMATION
torontobotanicalgarden.ca or call 416-397-1483
in season To Do
Just Ask
in our Gardens
An eASy wAy TO SuPPOrT The TBG Looks like a parking meter, acts like a donation station. the tBg is part of a pilot program that enables “parking meters” to accept charitable donations. all proceeds will be directed to ongoing operations.
When is the best time to prune a ‘Nikko Blue’ hydrangea?
Prune after the flowers have faded, in September or October. Make a cut on the stems that have flowered, about a centimetre above the first set of new buds. In exposed locations, cut the flowers off in the fall, and then prune just above the new buds in the spring. torontomastergardeners.ca for more tips on pruning. goTo
My Favourite Bug
monarch butterflies
As the summer heat diminishes and cottages are closed up for another season, monarch butterflies begin their migration to mountain forest habitats in Mexico. While this behaviour may be commendable in itself as a significant achievement for such a small creature, the journey also provides some very useful information about the health of our environment. Monarch butterflies begin their life as eggs on milkweed plants. When the tiny caterpillars emerge from the eggs, they start feeding on the foliage, unharmed by the plant’s noxious glycosides. they feed for about two weeks, building up toxic protection from predators. When mature, the caterpillars hang upside down from the plant and transform into pale green pupae, or chrysalises. Within about 14 days, the adult monarchs emerge. these
adults feed on nectar from a variety of flowers, building up energy for their long journey.
Monarchs are not an endangered species, they don’t make a significant contribution to pollination activities and, being poisonous, they’re not a good food source for other animals. So, why should we care about monarch butterflies? Monarchs alert us to issues such as climate change, the overuse of pesticides and the destruction of sensitive habitats. By tagging monarchs for decades, scientists and amateur butterfly enthusiasts have monitored their populations, which have been decreasing over the past 20 years, with numbers in 2012-2013 reaching record lows.
the best way to ensure that these beautiful creatures endure is to avoid the use of pesticides and herbicides and to provide the habitats they need. While growing the aggressive Asclepias syriaca in the garden may not be advisable, we can still grow other milkweed species and provide sunny areas with nectar-rich fall wildflowers for the adults heading south.
goTo torontobotanicalgarden.ca/monarchs and find out how to tell monarchs from viceroys.
Bug lady Jean Godawa offers some useful facts about monarch butterflies.
container crazy
SPOOky
PuMPkIn POTS
a collection of notso-perfect pumpkins, with all their lumps and bumps, adds colour and drama to a simple vintage container planting of bergenia, ivy and pansies. the metal spider web (available at shoptBg) is a reminder of the importance and the beauty of spiders in our gardens.
— Paul Zammit, Nancy Eaton Director of Horticulture
Anna’s Plant Pick
Larix spp. larch
evergreen trees are conifers that never drop their needles, right? no! an evergreen tree will have leaves that drop, but not all at once. For example, a white pine will lose about one-third of its leaves every fall. Coniferous trees usually grow in colder areas of the world because snow easily falls off their needles, preventing the branches from breaking during heavy snowstorms. also, the evergreen needles are ready to photosynthesize and make valuable food during a sudden warm spell.
Larches or tamaracks are unusual as they are deciduous conifers that shed their needles in winter. their delicate needles mean they can optimize photosynthesis during the summer. and leaf drop in autumn protects them against snow damage and winter desiccation, which allows them to grow farther north than other coniferous trees.
Spring needles are a delicate light green, turning darker in the summer and then golden yellow in the fall. Female cones are a beautiful rosy pink before fertilization. they turn brown as they mature, remaining on the tree for several years. there are many forms of larches: they may be prostrate, globose or cylindrical or grow in a narrow spire. Leaf colour varies from green to blue-green. Larix decidua ‘Pendula’ is a weeping form of the european larch. L. kaempferi ‘Diana’ is a contorted weeping Japanese larch. Larix decidua ‘Little Bogle’ is a dwarf form. L. k. ‘Blue rabbit’ is a slow-growing larch with blue needles.
— Anna Leggatt, Toronto Master Gardener Emerita
Garden Gear
‘GrAceful’ AllIuM
Long after most springblooming ornamental onions have finished flowering, Allium amplectens ‘graceful’ produces eye-catching white clusters of blossoms atop 20- to 30-centimetre stems. they’re groundhog and rabbit resistant too! Plant now for spring bloom. $8/10 bulbs. Members save 20% on three packages of mixand-match bulbs.
around the Garden with head
Gardener sandra Pella
Among the conifers that should nOT be pruned in fall are boxwood (Buxus spp.) and yew (Taxus spp.). The best time to prune these is during the summer months so that new growth spurred by pruning has a chance to harden off before winter sets in. Follow Sandra’s gardening escapades at toronto botanicalgarden.ca/ inbloom
in Your Garden
JOBS Not TO DO
fall is not the end of the gardening year; rather it provides an opportunity to plan and prepare for the other three gardening seasons. so, here’s what not to do this season.
do not put your hose away too early. Keep garden beds well watered until the ground freezes. conifers and broadleaf evergreens in particular benefit from a deep fall drink. do not believe it’s necessary to plant all spring-flowering bulbs on the same weekend. Narcissus and Galanthus can be planted in early fall but other bulbs such as tulips can be planted even as the ground begins to freeze. do not cut back herbaceous perennials with green foliage that persists into fall and winter, such as hellebores and bergenia. allow ornamental grasses to remain through the winter and leave the seed heads of perennials to be enjoyed by the birds. do not prune springflowering shrubs, especially roses, which are best pruned in the very late winter or early spring. do not rake, bag up and take your leaves to the curb for pickup. instead, shred and use them as mulch. do not step directly onto or into wet garden beds; this will cause soil compaction. do not stop gardening; enjoy all that this season has to offer!
List
Happenings
Who’s Ta Lk InG
LeCtUReR: aLexis Datta
topiC: sissingHURst: poRtRait of a gaRDen
WHen: WeDnesDay, oCtobeR 16, 7:30 p.m.
pRe-LeCtURe LigHt DinneR
avaiLabLe fRom 5:30 p.m.
Alexis Datta, head gardener emeritus of the National Trust’s Sissinghurst Castle, is making a rare Canadian appearance to provide a virtual tour of one of England’s premier gardens. The gardens at Sissinghurst were conceived in 1930 by Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson. Famous for its colour-themed garden rooms, this iconic castle and grounds have come to characterize the essence of English gardening and memorialize the eccentric lives of its creators.
Public $25, students (with valid ID) $15, TBG members free. Door sales only. Limited seating. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
TBG LECTURE S ER i ES
goings on
• Harvest Day, Saturday, September 28, noon to 4 p.m. Free tours and hourly demos. Harvest veggies for the North York Harvest Food Bank to help celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Teaching Garden.
• Organic Farmers’ Market continues, Thursdays through October 10, 3 to 7 p.m.
• Holiday Open House, Thursday, December 5, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Holiday display and sale of conifers, learn why fresh trees are better for the planet. Check out shopTBG for outdoor greens, winter container arrangements and holiday gifts. Cider, shortbread and light dinners available. TBG holiday lecture and demo follows.
— Generously supported by The W. Garfield Weston Foundation and The S. Schulich Foundation
September 24 • LiSa rapoport • public spaces + private places
Founding partner of PLANT Architect Inc. explores the making of place in public and private projects. TBG Art Gallery Exhibit Opening: Forests and Flowers, photographs by Mark Trusz; 6 to 7:15 p.m.
october 16 • aLexiS Datta • Sissinghurst: portrait of a Garden Harold Nicolson’s formal design makes room for Vita Sackville-West’s informal and abundant plantings.
october 30 • ian YounG • off the Wall Co-presented with Ontario Rock Garden & Hardy Plant Society. Ian Young of Aberdeen in Scotland shares how his work as an artist informs his gardening, and how his gardening influences his art.
December 5 • 100 Years of inspirational Garden Design
In honour of Sheridan Nurseries’ 100th anniversary, join Sheridan designers for a talk and demo on how to implement holiday décor strategies for both indoors and out.
Pre-lecture light dinners available from 5:30 p.m.
Public $25, students (with valid iD) $15, TBG members free. Door sales only. Limited seating. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Lectures begin at 7:30 p.m.
classifieds
tHe toRonto botaniCaL gaRDen produces two avidly read magazines: Trellis and the Through the Garden Gate Garden Guide. Take advantage of special bulk rates by advertising in both of these outstanding magazines or save 15 to 20 per cent on a four-season Trellis package. Advertisers in these magazines receive additional discounts on ads on the TBG website. That’s real value for money! Space is limited. Priority given to previous advertisers. Secure your booking now by contacting Sue Hills, 416-397-4145 or tourguides@ torontobotanicalgarden.ca
on tHe go
• Word on the Street, Sunday, September 22, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit the TBG’s booth at this free outdoor event, Queen’s Park Circle.
• TBG members, Friends and guests are invited to the final Garden Open of the season at Wychwood Park, Wednesday, September 25. Afternoon Tea and Container Gardening Demonstration, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. (Members $35, Guests $45); Cocktails and Tour, 5:30 to 8 p.m. (Members $60, Guests $80) with Optional Plant Dash — your chance to take home a themed selection of rare plants, hand picked by Paul Zammit ($200 for a fun-filled evening!). Contact annualgiving@toronto botanicalgarden.ca or 416-397-1483.
• Nuit Blanche, Saturday, October 5, 7 p.m. The Art Gallery of Ontario hosts TBG beekeeping staff, students and alumni plus a swarm of 100 beekeepers for a live performance, entitled Your Temper, My Weather by artist Diane Borsato, which explores the effects of collective meditation.
A B out tHE toro N to BotAN ic A l gA r DEN
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 more than 95 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. Charitable business number 119227486RR001.
g ENE r A l H our S AND ADM i S S io N
gA r DENS : Free admission, dawn to dusk
A DM i N i StrAtiv E oFF ic ES : Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
W ESto N FAM ily l i B rA ry: Call 416-397-1343 or check www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca for hours of operation.
shop t B g : Call 416-397-1357 • shop@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
M ASt E r gA r DENE r S’ iNFo l i NE : 416-397-1345, noon to 3 p.m.
(April & July, Monday to Thursday, Saturday; May & June, daily; August through March, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday). Visit torontomastergardeners.ca and Ask a Master Gardener
MEMBErSHip: $45 single, $65 family. call 416-397-1483 or sign up on line at torontobotanicalgarden.ca/join
SigN up For BiWEEkly gArDEN ENEWS!
Receive the latest horticultural news and information on events, workshops, lectures and other horticultural happenings. Free registration at torontobotanicalgarden.ca
F ri ENDS o F t HE toro N to B otAN ic A l g A r DEN
toronto Botanical Garden (tBG) 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 their contribution to the Friends program between March 30 and July 18, 2013.
BEnEfaCToRS
Elaine & Andrew Le Feuvre
SUSTaininG MEMBERS
Joan & Alan Lenczner
Barbara Young
fRiEnDS
Majda Ambrozic
Alexander & Irene
Armstrong
Joan Avery
Tim Bermingham
Linda Boyko & Jens Carl
Michele Bussieres
Veronica Callinan
John & Dorothy Cartmell
Midge Cooper
Heather Craigie
Susan & James Eckenwalder
Mary & Jim Fisher
Carol & Paul Gardner
Ayako Kawai
Brenda Kisic
Nina Lapin
Nicole Leaper
Francis Lee
Marion E. Magee
Ann Martin
Jane McCulloch & John Hunter
Mary McDougall Maude & Philip O. Maude
Mundy McLaughlin
June Murdoch
Ellen Novack
Ellen Reid
Lois Rowland
Maureen Simpson
Loretta & Stanley
Skinner
Valerie & Brian Story
Patricia Thompson
Betty-Jane Weckerle
E. Joan Williams
Joan M. Wright
Barbara Yager & Darrell Cheung
pAtro NS
Ho N orA ry pAtro N : ADriENNE clArkSoN
Brian Bixley, Mark cullen, camilla Dalglish, Sondra gotlieb, Marjorie Harris, lorraine Johnson, Michele landsberg, Susan Macaulay, Helen Skinner
B oA r D o F D ir Ector S
President: Allan Kling. Co-Chairs: Allan Kling and Rebecca Golding. Tim Bermingham, Mark Bonham, Ellen Carr, Heather Cullen, Beth Edney, Colomba B. Fuller, Ryan Glenn, Cathy Kozma, Elaine Le Feuvre, Shelagh Meagher, penny richards, Judy Shirriff, Nancy tong, Barbara yager
StAFF D ir Ectory
ExEcutivE DirEctor
Harry Jongerden director@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1346
BuSiNESS AND FiNANcE Director of Business initiatives and Finance
Margaret chasins business@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1484
Accounting, Nadesu Manikkavasagam accounting@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1352
Database & technology Administrator & Social Media Specialist, trish cassling database@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1371
MArkEtiNg & coMMuNicAtioNS DEpArtMENt
Marketing & communications Director Jenny rhodenizer communication@torontobotanicalgarden.ca publicist, pracheer Saran media@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1351
trellis Editor editor@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
DEvElopMENt DEpArtMENt Director of Development claudia Zuccato ria development@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1372
Development officer, Andrew Mckay annualgiving@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1483
rENtAlS & EvENtS DEpArtMENt
Events & Facility Manager, paulina cadena events@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1324
Events & Facility coordinator, rachel kay rentals@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1349
EDucAtioN DEpArtMENt Director of Education, liz Hood education@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1355
children’s Education Supervisor
Natalie Harder childrensed@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1288
children’s Education coordinator
Diana Wilson
tbgkids@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-5209
Adult Education coordinator adulted@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1362
tour guide coordinator
Sue Hills
tourguides@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-4145
WEStoN FAMily liBrAry
Head librarian, Zachary osborne librarian@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1375
HorticulturAl DEpArtMENt
Nancy Eaton Director of Horticulture paul Zammit horticulture@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1358
Head gardener, Sandra pella gardener@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1316
taxonomic Assistant, toni vella taxonomy@torontobotanicalgarden.ca shoptBg
Supervisor, Heidi Hobday shop@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1357
MAiNtENANcE
Maintenance Manager, Walter Morassutti Maintenance officers, Alvin Allen, Jonas kweko-teye, Marcos tawfik maintenance@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1344
HEAD, voluNtEEr SErvicES
Sue Hills
volunteers@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-4145 777 l awrence Avenue East, toron to, o n tario M3 c 1 p 2 , c anada 4 16-397-1340; fax: 416-397-1354 • info@torontobotanicalgarden.ca torontobotanicalgarden.ca • @TBG_Canada
By ttc : From Eglinton subway station take the 51, 54 or 54A bus to Lawr ence Avenue East and Leslie Street. The TBG is on the southwest corner.
