Trellis is published as a members’ newsletter by the toronto Botanical Garden at edwards Gardens 777 lawrence avenue east, toronto, ontario m3c 1P2, 416-397-1341
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to do Features News
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Welcome new Faces: rebecca, christine, John and sharon Blogwatch WellPreserved.ca
5 from the tBg Growing our Garden tBgKids Growing under Glass Volunteers Wendy lo
6 Just say no! to alluring invaders controlling plant thugs
9 Plan B-eautiful take stock of your garden
11 Barcoding nature creating a digital identification system
12 in our gardens Planting bulbs and harvesting the kitchen Garden Just ask expert gardening advice good Bugs, Bad Bugs Wasp or bee? garden gear happy bee mixture learning the lingo Vincetoxicum rossicum
13 Container Crazy Branching out around the garden with sandra Pella in Your garden Jobs to do anna’s Plant Pick Cladrastis kentukea
14 Who’s talking W. Gary smith tBg lecture series goings on around the tBG
TBGNewsnews
new fAces
As the tBG continues to grow and develop, we are pleased to have the opportunity to add new staff members. their exceptional skills, passion for gardening and broad range of experience are valuable assets to our small but dynamic team. over the past six months, the tBG has welcomed the following new staff members. please be sure to say “hi”: they would love to meet you.
rebecca lamb ∙ adult education Coordinator a small-town girl who grew up in a farming family, rebecca has a deep love and respect for nature. originally trained as a community service worker, her work experience includes managing people resources as well as facilitating, coordinating and executing large-scale events. in her most recent position at evergreen brick Works she provided oversight of toronto’s largest farmers’ market and helped develop the organization’s volunteer program. She is a zealous gardener and beekeeper as well as an avid volunteer with Slow food toronto, not far from the tree and leader of the Wild foragers Society. She undertakes all of her adventures by bicycle, 12 months of the year!
Christine lawrance ∙ special events Coordinator after 15 years in Vancouver, christine returned to toronto in 2010 to join the ontario crafts council as programming and events manager. Her professional background includes positions at various public galleries in curatorial, programming and events management. as many artists draw their inspiration from nature and the natural world, she is excited about her shift to the botanical world. christine has had a lifelong passion for gardening, getting hooked early on working in her family’s vegetable garden. currently her balcony overlooking High Park is home to an extensive container garden of edible plants and herbs.
John shewfelt ∙ library Manager
John has a Master of information Studies from the University of toronto, which he considers to be more practical and has paid more bills than his degree in philosophy. He comes to the tbg from a position as library Manager at Sir Sandford fleming college and brings a diversity of experience from his time in the Markham public library system, various University of toronto libraries and the United States air force academy library.
sharon rashid ∙ Development Officer
Sharon has a business diploma as well as an energy Systems engineering technician diploma from centennial college. She joins the tbg as a development officer after working as an administrative assistant for St. John’s rehab foundation. Her transferable skills, such as fundraising and working with the public, have helped her easily slip into her new role on the development team.
rebeCCa
JOHn
CHrisTine
sHarOn
From The TBG
HarrY JOnGerDen executive Director
Growing our Garden
Is one year enough time to get to know a garden? If you’re working in it every day—bent over, hands in the soil—no problem. If you’re like me though, stuck in an office with a beautiful garden just on the other side of the wall, getting to know your garden is difficult.
It’s been a year since I arrived at the TBG, and while our plants and pathways are sometimes frustratingly out of reach to a deskbound director, the “Garden”, with a capital “g”, comes by my office every day. In our world of botanical gardens, the Garden includes its staff, members, volunteers, visitors, donors and stakeholders. Our Garden is a community or an ecosystem of activity, bringing together talent, dedication, support, effort and aspiration. The ecosystem collapses if any of these elements is missing.
Our Garden is in excellent shape, with an ecosystem that’s been renewing itself over the past 18 months in a fashion most gratifying to staff, our board and to me. We’re leaning heavily towards aspiration now that we have plans to grow our little garden into a botanical garden befitting this great city and its multicultural citizenry. Elsewhere in the world, botanical gardens are prized as one of society’s ultimate expressions of culture and natureinspired artistry. The Toronto Botanical Garden now has an opportunity to create an experience that our citizens who hail from other lands would recognize as a great botanical garden. No more just a couple of acres of educational display. Instead, we are aspiring to create a Garden of significant cultural, educational and economic impact as well as a Garden that brings us all great pleasure.
Conceptual proposals for growth and the creation of a stunning new Garden will be revealed this fall. Stay tuned. I believe that members of the TBG and its wider community of supporters will be thrilled by what’s coming. I’m so looking forward to striding out into that new Garden someday. After all, we garden directors don’t get into this line of work because we like sitting at our desks!!
CelebraTinG 10 Years Of GrOWinG UnDer Glass
tbgKids is celebrating the 10th anniversary of growing Under glass at allan gardens children’s conservatory. growing Under glass is a fully funded plants and soils program for grade 3 classes from toronto’s high-priority neighbourhoods. Students participate in hands-on soil experiments, take home a tropical or desert plant and tour the lush greenhouses. the program is generously funded by the city of toronto. tbgKids is excited to grow with allan gardens into another great decade of botanical education!
Wendy Lo started volunteering at the TBG in 2008. You’d know her as the receptionist who works every other Sunday. Wendy enjoys her role because she witnesses lots of the happy events at the TBG, such as weddings, birthdays and family gatherings. Wendy adores tulips and she is excited to see so many varieties growing in the TBG gardens. Wendy has worked in non-profit organizations for more than 10 years, planning and running fundraising activities. She sings in a choir, plays drums and loves travelling and watching cooking shows.
Just say No! to Alluring Invaders
Garden bullies, thuGs, call them what you will, certain invasive plants are on a mission to take over, greedily appropriating more than their rightful share of light, air and space.
Many thugs are attractive, making them hard to resist. But descriptions such as “drought resistant,” “tolerates poor soils” and “low maintenance” can be tip-offs that a plant could be invasive. These warnings can be applied to several “gifted” plants in my garden that would happily take over if I let them.
I asked four gardening experts to define the term, “invasive plant” and to suggest how to control them. I am sorry to report that there is no magic solution. There are ways to lessen the problem, however, and these include a combination of hard work, vigilance and education.
An invasive plant is “any non-native plant that affects the biodiversity and creates its own monoculture, decreasing up to 90 per cent of existing plants around them,” says ecologist Stefan Weber, seed specialist at St. Williams Nursery and Ecology Centre. The best thing you can do to deal with invasive plants, says Weber, is to know them: “Learn how to identify weeds and invasives.”
If you are buying a plant you’re unfamiliar with, ask about it, echoes landscape designer Sara Katz of Wild at Heart Design, who describes an invasive plant as “one that grows rampantly and spreads, knows no bounds and keeps growing.” She says there’s a difference between a plant that spreads and an invasive, though. For example, sweet woodruff spreads but you can control it easily by pulling it out. Be wary when you see lots of pots
b eware of friends gifting plants, warns lorraine Hunter . You could inherit a garden thug or two. s he knows. i t ’s happened to her.
of anything, she warns, “especially at plant sales where there are often divisions from people’s gardens.”
Katz favours manual controls. “Some you pull and some you cut down. With dog-strangling vine for example, just cut, cut and cut. If there are no leaves left there is nothing to feed the roots and eventually it disappears.” But for goutweed, digging may be the only answer. “It’s best to dig down about a foot and a half to get out the roots,” says Katz.
She acknowledges that attractive invasives such as periwinkle can fool people “who think it is nice and pass it on to someone else who then plants it at a cottage—and then it strangles the Jack-in-the-pulpit!”
A true invasive is a step above a weed, says TBG head gardener Sandra Pella. “It’s one that people find harder to get rid of, that can take over and dominate an existing ecosystem. You can rarely eradicate it entirely so you have to find a way to control it.” Pella also stresses the importance of plant education. “There are always alternative plants. As a botanical garden we demonstrate how many good choices you have.”
To Paul Zammit, the TBG’s Nancy Eaton Director of Horticulture, invasives are “non-native plants we have a difficult time controlling, that multiply quickly and become aggressive in the garden’s life cycle.” In his own garden, Zammit battles goutweed, Siberian elms and Norway maples. “From late spring until early fall I make a point of locating 25 seedlings every day and pulling them out,” he says.
Tips for conTrolling selfseeders and spreaders
• If you decide to grow an introduced plant, read the plant tag and if it seems invasive look for an alternative.
• Don’t dispose of invasives in compost or yard waste—when spread over the garden, plants will re-establish themselves.
• Watch for and weed out invasives when they’re young: once established, they’re more difficult to eradicate.
• Deadhead flowers before they set seed. Some can produce thousands of seeds in a season.
• Mow or cut back shallow-rooted plants right after flowering.
• Think twice before accepting a gift from a friend’s garden. If they have enough to give away, chances are, soon you will, too.
For more information, download the Ontario Invasive Plant Council’s Grow Me Instead guide at ontario invasiveplants.ca/files/GMI_Booklet_ spreads_2011_Final_web.pdf.
Lorraine Hunter is a Toronto Master Gardener and Chair of the Trellis Committee.
Photos: Paul Zammit
ribbon grass
dog-strangling vine
Unwanted! These are some of the most common invasive plants in the Toronto area, with suggestions for controlling them. Many, but not all, have well-behaved look-alikes.
planT pros cons conTrol alTernaTives
dogstrangling vine (Vincetoxicum rossicum)
norway maple (Acer platanoides)
garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)
european buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)
goutweed
a.k.a. bishop’s weed (Aegopodium podagraria)
originally grown as an ornamental.
adjusts to a wide range of growing conditions.
grows quickly; leaves used for flavouring sauces and salads.
Pretty; grows in poor conditions; flowers attract beneficial insects.
introduced as an ornamental; fruit for birds; seeds used in lubricating oil, printing ink, soap.
good for problem areas.
twines around and strangles other plants; gets into ravines.
cut, cut, cut to starve the roots. not applicable (n/a)
sprouts in hedges; threatens natural habitats. Pick out seedlings as soon as they appear.
spreads quickly into established plant communities.
Very difficult to eradicate; snakes along the ground and over fences, plants and anything in its path.
birds spread seeds which take root and prevent natural growth of native trees and shrubs.
highly invasive; reproduces by seed and spreads by underground stems.
Pull, pull, pull; at the least, remove seed heads.
constant cutting; pull out young vines; takes perseverance.
cut leaves to starve roots. dig out where possible.
cut, cut, cut to starve the roots, and then dig them out.
red maple (Acer rubrum), ‘bloodgood’ Japanese maple (Acer palmatum (amoenum group) ‘bloodgood’)
periwinkle (Vinca minor) reliable groundcover, attractive flowers and foliage.
Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) beautiful, soft foliage texture, pleasant fragrance.
spreads by shallow roots, smothering other plants; competes with natives for light, nutrients and moisture.
Will grow in cracks in walkways and can disrupt sewers and foundations.
This year’s Aster Awards celebrate three extraordinary individuals whose work has inspired us to embrace and defend the world of nature. We invite you to toast their remarkable achievements with us.
Margaret Atwood
Renowned Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and environmental activist
Dr. Paul Hebert
Scientific Director, International Barcode of Life project; Director, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario; Canada Research Chair in Molecular Biodiversity, University of Guelph ... and the recipient of the 2014 Rising Star Award
b-eautiful PLAn
fall’s the time to take stock of your garden, says helen battersby, who shares tips from two garden experts.
A gArden is A living entity. There’s no such thing as finished. Even the experts constantly revise. Horticulturist Frank Kershaw and garden designer Marion Jarvie are both masters of the art of change. Hosting tour groups and open garden days constantly inspires Jarvie to renew and refresh her beds. “My garden is a test plot for every plant that interests me—at that time,” she says with a smile. “Therefore, changes in my garden are frequent.” So, where do you begin? Ask yourself these probing questions.
is your spAce still whAt you need?
Ideally, your garden is an extension of your living space. But its function can change over time. Ask yourself if it’s still serving you well. Have the children outgrown their play space? Or perhaps they now have kids of their own and family gatherings are larger than ever? Do you have mobility issues to consider? Have you adopted a puppy?
Asking questions about how your garden should work, says Frank Kershaw, can help you repurpose the space, which is the first step in reassessing your garden.
Are you putting on A good front (yArd)?
If your front garden hasn’t been revisited in decades, it’s probably time to update. Kershaw suggests you look around. The streetscape may reflect changes in ownership or attitude that have begun to refresh your neighbours’ yards. Perhaps
you can give yours a contemporary look that’s still in keeping with your style. It needn’t be all about plants. Consider details like awnings, door hardware, railings and mailboxes that can give a quick lift to outdoor decor.
Are you tAking AdvAntAge of new technology?
Advances in technology are increasingly affordable. Take advantage of their convenience, energy-saving and safety features. Auto-on sensors, solar or LED lighting and water-capture or irrigation systems are a few possible improvements.
At the same time, use them to enhance the design of your garden. Backlighting a feature tree, for instance, easily adds drama.
cAn new ideAs solve problem AreAs?
Because change can feel disruptive, we tend to live with garden curses such as
an awkward slope or a drainage problem. Yet, new techniques in what Kershaw calls “landscape engineering” can be readily incorporated into your garden evolution. One example is to create a rain garden to capture water from a disconnected downspout. Therefore, be sure to note your garden peeves as well as your wishes—there might be a new solution.
Are you giving your plAnts A good foundAtion?
To Jarvie, the most important factor in a garden’s success is soil. She recommends that her clients invest in new soil such as triple mix. Jarvie also makes her own compost, using garden waste, except for the largest branches. She separately composts leaves to make leaf mould which she calls “wonderful stuff, and never enough.” In July and August, Jarvie protects all of her beds except the rock garden with a 7.5- to
rain gardens capture excess water and look attractive
dwarf shrubs such as ‘tiny wine’ ninebark help you keep plants in scale.
simplify and de-clutter with low-maintenance shrubs.
10-centimetre layer of cedar mulch. For acid-loving plants she uses pine bark mulch. Jarvie assesses her own beds yearly and refreshes the soil every two years. One look at her garden is proof it works.
Are your plAnts mAking you work too hArd?
Whether you’re starting a family or about to retire, a garden can demand more time and energy than you have to give. If so, says Kershaw, it’s time to simplify, de-clutter and make your garden easier to maintain. Choose masses of long-lived perennials, for example, rather than daubs of annuals. Select low-maintenance plants rather than fussier ones such as tea roses. Better yet, opt for dwarf flowering shrubs and get rid of oversized monsters that need constant pruning.
Are shrubs And trees in scAle?
Choosing trees and shrubs that quickly become too large is a common mistake that Jarvie sees new gardeners make. In her own garden, she edits and discards any plant that’s out of scale
with its space each spring. Then, she fills the spot with newer varieties. Old varieties of forsythia and mock orange, for example, tend to sprawl. Take them out. If you must have them, go for dwarf or compact versions. Jarvie’s most-hated giants include ‘Crimson King’ norway maple and full-size blue spruce trees. If your garden is tiny, resist these large forms.
is your gArden too green?
When Jarvie sees nothing but a sea of green, she sees red. “To me, it looks boring. I make sure that trees, shrubs, conifers and perennials have two, if not three, seasons of interest: flowers, coloured foliage, interesting bark and fall colour.”
Are plAnts struggling?
Underperforming plants might be trying to tell you something. If they’re
leggy, they may need more sun. Sunburnt leaves say the opposite. A borderline hardy plant might perform better if sheltered from winter wind. If you can move the plant to give it what it’s asking for, do so. (If you can’t, gift it to a friend who can.) Jarvie does this in early spring when the plant is dormant. As she digs it up, she’ll inspect the roots to see whether or not they’re healthy.
Wherever you begin or end, Kershaw reassures you: the key to any successful garden renovation is patience. “It takes time. Don’t try to do it all at once. Rather than expecting an instant garden, enjoy the process.”
Helen Battersby is a Toronto Master Gardener and a garden coach who operates Gardenfix. She and her sister Sarah write at TorontoGardens.com. torontobotanicalgarden.ca/learn/adult
Learn from the experts: marion Jarvie and frank kershaw teach gardening techniques and design at the toronto botanical garden. for descriptions of upcoming courses, see the fall program guide or
Barcoding nature
Work is underway, says c arol g ardner , to create a digital identification system for all multicellular life forms on e arth.
Imagine walking through the forest with your grandchildren and using a small handheld device to connect wirelessly to a digital library to read the DNA sequence of every plant you see and thus identify them. Science fiction? Apparently not. According to Dr. Paul Hebert, one of the TBG’s 2014 Aster Award honourees, such a device may be less than ten years away.
Hebert, a University of Guelph professor, is the lead scientist in an international project called DNA Barcoding. The project started in 2003 when researchers at Guelph released a paper proposing a new system of species identification for all multicellular life. By 2010, 25 countries had become involved, and a new organization, The International Barcode Of Life (IBOL), was formed.
At present, more than 250 researchers from 25 countries are contributing to the project. By 2015, they expect to barcode five million specimens representing 500,000 species. This
isn’t a short-term project: the Earth is thought to be home to anywhere between 10 and 100 million species. The IBOL project is the largest, most comprehensive biodiversity genomics program ever undertaken. Information gathered by 26 working groups will be fed into something called BOLD (Barcode Of Life Data Systems)—a digital reference library that will be available to researchers as well as to a wide variety of private and public organizations.
Much of their research will be of special interest to gardeners.
Plant IdentIfIcatIon
Over the next five years, researchers hope to barcode 100,000 land plant species, which is one-fifth of the land plant species in the world.
Natural history museums and botanical gardens will play a major role in this research as the source of many native plants. Wales is hoping to be the first country to barcode its 1,143 species of native flowering plants.
In preparation, the International Botanical
Conference has decided that plants could be named in Latin or in English— Linnaeus must be turning over in his grave! Dr. Hebert says that he imagines people will continue to refer to plants by their Latin name, but whether we continue to name new species in Latin is up for argument.
the InvasIon of alIen sPecIes
The spread of invasives has become a worldwide problem. With barcode tracking, scientists hope both to block alien species from travelling to where they aren’t wanted and also to find control strategies for invasives and predators that are already here. Agriculture Canada and Natural Resources Canada are already using some early information to increase the level of biosecurity.
controllIng dIsease and InfestatIon
Disease control strategies will become more effective once we understand the DNA of the predator, whether fungus or insect, because we will be able to
quickly produce a targeted response instead of relying on the broad spectrum controls used in the past. Because of this, Dr. Hebert, who is also a gardener, says we should never again have to lose trees such as the American chestnut, the Dutch elm and the ash.
PollInator declIne
The global value of pollinators is estimated at about $400 billion per year. The difficulty of identifying pollinators makes them hard to track. IBOL is assembling barcode libraries for 55,000 species of pollinators, including 20,000 to 30,000 bees. Similar research is being done with birds, monarch butterflies and moths.
How did all this come about?
Dr. Hebert says, simply, “I thought that if we understood more about nature, we’d feel a closer affinity to it and perhaps be kinder about how we treat it.”
Carol Gardner is an awardwinning garden writer and member of the Trellis Committee.
aster awards celeBratIons: novemBer 20, 6:30 to 9 P.m. the toronto Botanical garden’s annual aster awards celebrate three extraordinary individuals in the disciplines of arts and science whose work inspires us to connect with nature and to appreciate both its immense power and its surprising vulnerability. the 2014 recipients are dr. Paul hebert, margaret atwood and a surprise rising star honouree
in season To Do
Garden Gear in our Gardens
This fall, we will be planting more bulbs, bulbs, bulbs! Paul and sandra will choose their personal favourites, so watch for the labels on these new plantings. In the Kitchen Garden, we’ll be harvesting beets, kale, swiss chard, tomatoes and beans from the designer gardens created in the spring based on Niki Jabbour’s Groundbreaking Food Gardens. Produce will be donated to the North York Harvest Food bank.
Just Ask
Where can i find expert gardening advice?
The Toronto Master Gardeners’ Ask A Master Gardener service offers FREE gardening advice. To date, this dedicated volunteer organization has solved more than 1,010 gardening quandaries. Post your questions online at torontomastergardeners.ca, call 416-397-1345 or stop by the Toronto Master Gardeners booth at the weekly Farmers’ Market every Thursday at the Toronto Botanical Garden.
Good
buGs, bad buGs
Wasp or bee?
HAPPy BEE MixTuRE
We are pleased to offer an assortment of pre-packaged flower bulbs specifically selected to add colour and beauty to your spring garden while providing a valuable source of nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinators. bulbs are packaged in a re-usable canvas bag. $19.99 per package. Members save 20 per cent off all packaged bulbs when purchasing three or more assorted packages.
Mosquitoes are no longer biting, aphids have disappeared from your plants and you haven’t seen a hungry caterpillar in weeks. Just when you thought you were rid of all the season’s pests and could enjoy the pleasant temperatures of autumn, more unwelcome visitors arrive. bees and wasps are very busy in late summer and early fall. bees are collecting nectar from late-blooming flowers to keep their colony fed throughout the winter. but at this time of year, it’s wasps that are landing in your drinks and buzzing around your garbage and recycling bins by the dozens. distinguishing between the two is easy—bees tend to be hairy and wasps are hairless. Paper wasps, hornets and yellow jackets (Vespidae) are social wasps. While they make our autumn al fresco activities difficult, they are still beneficial insects. Throughout the spring and summer they collect a variety of insects, including many plant pests, to provide a protein-rich distinguishing between these two pollinators is easy, says bug Lady Jean Godawa but keeping them away from your outdoor buffet requires a few precautions.
food for their immature colony members. once the brood has matured, the workers’ responsibilities are complete. They disperse from their nest and throw a sortof wasp retirement party. They won’t live much longer so they spend their last several days eating all the food they can find, usually at your expense—sweet carbohydrates are particular favourites. some wasps display swarming activity in the fall. This is associated with mating behaviour. Males die, usually with the first frost, and select mated females survive the winter to begin a new colony in the spring. To prevent wasps from ruining your autumn outdoor dining, be sure to clean up any fallen fruit from nearby trees. Keep food well covered or indoors until you are ready to serve it, and remove dishes immediately after eating. Tolerating the increased activity of bees and wasps in the fall is important for ensuring a strong presence of these pollinators and predators in your garden next year.
Paper wasp
Bumble bee
container crazy
BRANcHiNG ouT
Three sturdy grape vine stems have been wired together to form a base for a harvest-time arrangement featuring edible dinosaur kale (Brassica oleracea (acephala Group) ‘Lacinato’), ornamental cabbage and trailing ivy. a cornucopia of edible squash and pumpkins completes the design. — Paul Zammit, Nancy Eaton Director of Horticulture
Anna’s Plant Pick
around the Garden with head Gardener sandra Pella
you can plant perennials at any time of the year from spring through November. But fall planting offers a particular advantage: while air temperatures are cooler, the ground is still warm enough for perennials to develop a strong root system. And because they aren’t putting energy into producing flowers and seed, you’ll have a more mature plant come spring.
one of the RARest native trees of the southeastern united states, yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea) is an excellent small- to medium-sized deciduous tree for southern ontario gardens, growing from 10 to 15 metres tall.
Yellowwood can flower spectacularly every two or three years. The white, wisterialike drooping clusters of pea-shaped flowers look as if an enormous veil covers the tree. Flowers have a slight fragrance and are followed by brown seed pods. The 20- to 30-centimetre-long leaves are compound pinnate with seven or more
mid-green, acute tipped, oval leaflets. These turn a clear yellowy orange in the fall, complementing the smooth grey bark of the trunk. Yellowwood grows in most soils, preferring good drainage in full sun.
My tree suffered damage in the 2013 ice storm. The long branches break easily, so keep your tree well pruned.
Look for a young yellowwood tree in the gardens of the TbG. one was donated and planted this past spring by the Toronto Master Gardeners in honour of the volunteer organization’s 25th anniversary. — Anna Leggatt, Toronto Master Gardener
in your Garden
JoBs To Do
the cooler days of fall are ideal for working outdoors, whether you are cleaning up the garden or giving it a complete landscape makeover.
you’ve had all spring and summer to think about the plants to change or add. make a shopping list to avoid the impulse to take home only the plants in bloom at the nurseries.
Plant now! many trees, shrubs and perennials establish stronger root systems when planted this time of year.
Water deeply and keep watering trees to the drip line and beyond, right up until the ground freezes.
inspect all shrubs and trees. Prune any diseased, dead or damaged branches.
spread a layer of organic material such as compost onto your garden beds and let worms do the work of digging it into the soil.
take regular breaks from sweeping, digging and raking to prevent the pain that might result from repetitive motion.
arrange for spring work by pool experts, landscapers and arborists.
—Toronto Master Gardeners
Who’s Ta Lk InG
lECTurEr: W. GAry SmiTH
TOpiC: THE BiG rEvEAl
WHEN: WEDNESDAy, NOvEmBEr 5, 7:30 p.m.
prE-lECTurE
DiNNEr AvAilABlE
FrOm 5:30 p.m.
As many of you now know, the TBG has been working on plans to create a new botanical garden that includes the topography of Edwards Gardens. W. Gary Smith, the TBG’s lead consultant on the project, has more than 25 years in public garden design and master planning. Join Gary to learn more about the project’s development.
W. Gary Smith has received numerous awards and is author of From Art to Landscape; Unleashing Creativity in Garden Design Public $25, Students (with valid ID) $15, TBG members free (Bring a friend for $10). Door sales only. Doors open: 6:30 p.m. Lecture 7:30 p.m.
TBG LECTURE S ER i ES
WEDNESDAy, NOvEmBEr 5
— Generously supported by The W. Garfield Weston Foundation and The S. Schulich Foundation
W. GAry SmiTH • The Big reveal W. gary Smith, lead consultant in plans to create a sweeping new botanical garden, reveals the tbg’s vision of a botanical garden worthy of a great city’s public support.
THurSDAy, DECEmBEr 4
pAul KNOWlES • lost in The Garden as the finale to the tbg’s Holiday open House, author, storyteller and Queen’s diamond Jubilee Medal winner Paul Knowles shares true confessions of his gardening mistakes and mishaps.
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.
GOiNGS ON
• TBG Art Gallery Exhibit: Stark Contrast. Patricia cramb’s graphite drawings capture the mood of the garden, complementing bill glover’s floral portraits in sepia ink on cold-pressed ivory paper. exhibition runs in the Weston family library from october 10, 2014 to January 30, 2015. free
• Aster Awards, Thursday, November 20, 6:30 to 9 p.m. Join us for an elegant cocktail reception to toast the honourees of the 2014 aster awards. tickets $125 each.
• Holiday Open House, Thursday, December 4, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. our annual open House will be transformed this year to include the garden club of toronto and
goTo
others who share our premises. fulfil your holiday shopping needs and then stay for treats and catch a lecture with the ever entertaining author and storyteller Paul Knowles. (tbg lecture starts at 7:30 p.m. tbg members free; Public $25 / Students (with valid id) $15)
• Get the Jump on Spring, Saturday, February 21, 2015, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. tbg’s annual horticultural society’s open house features live displays, free gardening advice, talks, demonstrations and floral design competition entries. enjoy lunch in the Jump café and browse specialty vendors, artisans and the garden Shop free
torontobotanicalgarden.ca/category/ enjoy/special-events for details and to register.
mASON HOuSE GArDENS TOurS: pHilADElpHiA aug 2015 with Jeff MaSon. Visit world famous longwood, chanticleer, bartram’s, Morris arboretum, Shofuso Japanese g arden and much more! SCOTlAND Aug 2015 with MarJorie MaSon. Marvel at the “heather on the hills” and enjoy the gardens, castles and history— including the islands of arran, bute, Skye and Seil. experience the majesty of the glencoe area and the renowned edinburgh tattoo! ENGlAND and WAlES July 2016 with MarJorie and Jeff MaSon a “once in a lifetime tour” of the best of british gardens highlighted by the Hampton court flower Show. www.stewartcaledoniatours.com 905-985-6573 in association with denure tours.
GArDEN TOurS with margaret Dailey-plouffe. tours that exceed your expectations. JuNE: ireland – Wafa; July: Hudson Valley; aUgUSt: chicago & frank lloyd Wright; SEpTEmBEr: Provence and bordeaux. contact: Margaret@ hnatravels.com 416-746-7199 www.hnatravels.com
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.
GENE r A l H our S AND ADM i S S io N
G A 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 torontobotanicalgarden.ca for hours of operation.
G A r DEN S H o P : Call 416-397-1357 • shop@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
M ASt E r G A 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 online 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
A B out tHE toro N to BotAN ic A l G A r DEN F ri ENDS o F t HE toro N to B otAN ic A l GA 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 1 and July 7, 2014.
BENEFACTORS
Sue Burns
Elaine M. Le Feuvre
FRiENdS
Jeanne Banka & Bill
Kamula
Donald Beard
Tim Bermingham
Brian Bixley
Joanne Campbell
John Cartmell
Barbara Foster
Susan Gustavison
Elaine Johnson
Brenda Kisic
Joan Lenczner
Maria Maingot-Douketis
Doryne Peace
Susan Pielsticker
Gisele Quesnel-Oke
Gwen Rattle
Shirley I. Taylor
Patricia Thompson
Tanny Wells
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 M. Le Feuvre, Shelagh Meagher, Penny richards, Judy Shirriff, Nancy tong, Barbara yager
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
tour Guide coordinator, Sue Hills tourguides@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-4145
WEStoN FAMily liBrAry
Head librarian, John Shewfelt 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
Seasonal Gardener, Fabio Dos Santos taxonomic Assistant, toni vella taxonomy@torontobotanicalgarden.ca GArDEN SHoP Supervisor, Heidi Hobday shop@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1357
HEAD, voluNtEEr SErvicES Sue Hills volunteers@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-4145
MAiNtENANcE
Maintenance Manager, Walter Morassutti
Maintenance officers, Alvin Allen, Jonas kweko-teye, Marcos tawfik maintenance@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1344 777 l awrence Avenue East, toron to, o n tario M3 c 1P2 , c anada 4 16-397-1340; fax: 416-397-1354 • info@torontobotanicalgarden.ca torontobotanicalgarden.ca • @TBG_Canada
StAFF D ir Ectory By ttc : From Eglinton subway station take the 51, 54 or 54A bus to Lawr ence
