VoluntEEr ProoFrEadErs m. bruce, J. camPbell, l hicKey, m magee, J mcclusKey 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, 416-397-1341
News
4
Hort Happenings year of soils, Feeding the earth and Fallscaping
Blogwatch #groundchat
5 From the tBg make our garden your garden tBgKids milkweed and monarchs
Yours, mine & ours: Volunteers tribute to sue burns
6
Expansion: size matters; Building Blocks Where does food come from?
7 Hort society aster awards and the season’s social calendar
Features
8 Conifers for winter landscapes
12
Perfectly imperfect veggies
15 How does our garden grow?
IN seasoN
17 good Bugs, Bad Bugs Woolly bear caterpillars garden gear ‘brooklyn’ tulips in our gardens meet ellie, the tbg shredder
18 Container Crazy turning summer into fall anna’s Plant Pick Raphanus sativus (daikon)
19 Paul’s Plant Picks multi-season perennials in Your garden Jobs to do
HappeNINgs
20 Who’s talking claudia West
21 tBg lectures mark Your Calendar
MeMbersHIp Matters
22 good news Where do your donations go?
Your Benefits share your benefits did you know? through the garden gate 2016 tBg Works hearts and Flowers kickoff Friends of the toronto Botanical garden
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.
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TBGNewsnews
hort happenings
—Compiled by Liz Hood, Director of Education
2015: international year oF soils
there are more organisms in a teaspoon of soil than there are people on this planet. We gardeners know that the soil is the most important ingredient in a vibrant, resilient and abundant garden. in this un-declared year of Soils, let’s focus on growing great soil. check out the moving documentary, Symphony of the Soil, by deborah Koons garcia at symphonyofthesoil.com for inspiration about the ground beneath our feet.
Feed the earth
Scratching your head over the best way to bring more nutrients and soil flora to your patch? good old mulch and compost, say bryant Scharenbroch and gary Watson, in their 2014 study on improving compacted urban soils. their research indicates that the microbial biomass of soils treated with wood chips and compost was 58 to 79 times greater than soils treated with commercial applications or even compost tea. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best ones, too.
cristina da silva is an avid advocate for healthy soil. she hosts a weekly tweetchat every Friday at 2 p.m. called #groundchat, an opportunity to dig deep into the roots of soil’s vital role. “our very existence depends on soil” says this soil crusader. “it’s time to stop relegating it to the background. a whopping 95 per cent of our food production depends on it and it’s the key to alleviating climate change.” the tbg’s nancy eaton director of horticulture paul Zammit talks about composting on the september 11 edition of #groundchat. Find a schedule of upcoming topics at therealgardener.com/groundchat-schedule.html.
Fallscaping:
ExtEnding your gardEn sEason into autumn, by nancy J. ondra and stephanie cohen take out a copy of Fallscaping from the Weston family library for some seasonal inspiration on bringing the textures and shades of autumn to your garden. the best plants for fall flower, form and foliage are paired with hard-working multiseason plants so the garden flows gracefully from summer to fall. beautiful images are grounded with handy how-tos and designs to help you make your dream fallscape a reality.
“Tall oaks grow from small acorns with no blue powders to feed them or nasty smelling sprays to protect them. Plants flourish nonetheless, thanks to bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes and the rest of the soil food web gang.”
—Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis in Teaming with Microbes.
From The TBG
harry Jongerden executive Director
make our garden your garden
All right, hands up! Who still has the room, the time, the interest and the energy to garden anymore? And who amongst us would just as soon do it vicariously—reading Trellis, gazing at images of horticultural perfection in magazines or on TV or listening to gardening phone-in shows?
We start our adult lives in apartments and often close them out in condos, leaving only a few decades in between for grass cutting, double digging and weed, weed, weeding. Is it any wonder that some of us get to a stage in life where, as that 1970s movie put it, “I like to watch”.
Friends of mine in Vancouver have a garden known to the horticultural cognoscenti as Vancouver’s third botanical garden. They are up and down the slope of their Deep Cove site on the North Shore like mountain sheep, Margaret having done so for about 75 years. Charlie, “the new guy,” has only been at it for 20 years or so. As if that isn’t enough, they’re also volunteers at the UBC Botanical Garden. Public horticulture affords them the opportunity to share their passion with the wider world.
I love how Paul Zammit exhorts people to garden on their balconies. Balconies, at any age or stage in life, afford us an opportunity to garden. Meanwhile, down at ground level, whether our hands are in the soil or we’re just strolling through, our botanic or public gardens keep us connected to the art and science of combining and growing plants.
Perhaps we don’t all have the room, the time and the energy of certain West Coast octogenarians, but a public garden can reach out and say to you, make our garden yours. I’m sure our current and future TBG will satisfy your passion for the wonder and beauty of nature. Stay close.
MilKWeed and Monarchs
if you drive doWn the don valley Parkway in late September, you’ll see a flutter of orange and black monarch butterflies crisscrossing the road, filling up on nectar from the goldenrod and asters sprinkled throughout the ravine. Planting milkweed, the monarch butterfly’s host plant, was a popular activity for schools and families last year as declining populations of these amazing butterflies galvanized communities into action. Milkweed is now popping up on front lawns and in schoolyards across the gta, connecting the milkweed habitats in the don valley to new habitats in residential areas.
Join tbgKids for Monarchs on the Move on Wednesday, September 16, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. to learn about the amazing monarch, and release a live butterfly to begin its migration south!
torontobotanicalgarden.ca/kids for information about tbgKids programs or to register.
Yours, Mine & Ours Volun T eers tribute to sue burns
We Are SADDeNeD by the loss of our dear friend SuSan BurnS. Sue was a volunteer extraordinaire. She played many roles: board member, active committee member, event organizer and major donor. We will miss her positive attitude, her sense of fun and her willingness to participate in every way. All of us who had the pleasure of knowing and working with Sue will not forget what a good friend she was to the TBG and to the TBG family.
TBGNews
news: expansion
Size matterS
harry Jongerden • executive Director
expanding our reach
When we talk about expansion, some people will think of it as physical enlargement only. Heck yes, we need to expand in that most basic of ways. Now that Houston, Texas, is getting a botanical garden (they know about size there), Toronto is the only major North American city lacking in what the rest of the world would identify as a botanical garden. Four acres, lovely though they are, doesn’t cut it.
Houston spent years deliberating on a site. In the end, it came down to one old golf course or the other old golf course. It wasn’t difficult to argue that it made sense to trade in a money-losing monoculture for the privileged few for an economic and environmental powerhouse for the benefit of all.
Here in Toronto, the site for a world-class garden couldn’t be more obvious. It’s here in the adjacent landscape of edwards Gardens. And the arguments for expanding the TBG are so compelling that there is no doubt it will come to pass. The economic benefits of expansion are enormous (see page 8 in the Super Summer issue of Trellis), but for those of us who work in the non-profit botanical garden sector, it’s our gardens’ outreach and impact that we seek to expand, beyond any other goal.
At the heart of our mandate is education. We understand that the way to reach people with our programs and much-needed messaging is to have a garden large enough to attract and wow. We have plans to create a Children’s Nature education Centre as well as a much-expanded Teaching Garden. The potential of these new attractions and improvements has us very excited. reaching that potential will depend on City approval of our plans, but I doubt we’ll need to keep our excitement bottled up for long.
“We understand that the way to reach people with our programs and much-needed messaging is to have a garden large enough to attract and wow them.”
b uilding
B l o c k s
liz HooD Director of education
Where does food come from?
Education iS thE hEart of the TBG’s mission as it has been since its inception in 1958. Before our beautiful gardens or LeeD-certified building existed, the Civic Garden Centre was offering classes to children and workshops for adults and hosting international speakers and compelling conferences that have advanced Toronto’s horticultural and environmental awareness.
Proud as we are of these achievements, an expanded Teaching Garden that includes agricultural crop demonstrations will open up exciting new opportunities and audiences. encouraging our visitors, especially children, to appreciate plants and understand where our food comes from is a vital element of our work.
The TBG’s Teaching Garden is a major component of educational programming that attracts over 7,000 children per year. New learning gardens will support development of programming for youth, expand our offerings in sustainable agriculture and promote early training in green careers. This is what can happen when a garden has sufficient land and resources.
news: hort society
Aster Awards the event
TSOCial Calendar
Garden Open:
private Garden tea, tour and container demonstration. September 17: noon to 2 p.m. or 3 to 5 p.m. Members $45; guests $50 (accompanied by a tbg member). tickets available online at torontobotanical garden.ca/gardenopen or 416-397-1321. Presented by revera living.
FriendS reCeptiOn
Meet lecturer claudia West. cocktail reception and launch of the 2015 Hearts & flowers campaign. September 24: cocktails 5:30 to 7:15 p.m.; lecture 7:30 p.m. free for friends of the tbg
aSter awardS
november 19, floral Hall, 6:30 to 9 p.m. tickets $150 each or $1,500 for a table of ten. tickets available online at torontobotanicalgarden.ca/ asterawards or 416-397-1321.
Garden Open:
he Aster Awards are the TBG’s fall shindig, celebrating extraordinary individuals whose work inspires us to embrace and defend nature. Just in its third year, these awards have already generated an impressive list of honourees, including landscape architect Janet rosenberg, fine arts photographer edward Burtynski, Canadian literary icon Margaret Atwood and biodiversity scientist Dr. Paul Hebert.
A special rising Star Award has been presented to emerging environmental heroes such as ecologist and bee expert Scott MacIvor as well as Kanaka Kulendran and Xuan-Yen Cao of The Stop.
On November 19, 2015, we will honour three more distinguished individuals: Geoff Cape, founder and CeO of evergreen, Dr roberta Bondar, astronaut, environmental interpreter, photographer, author and scientist and rising Star Award recipient Alene Throness, Coordinator of rye’s Homegrown rooftop Farm at ryerson University. We invite you to join us for a memorable and inspiring evening.
HigHligHts from tHe 2014
allan GardenS afternoon tea and tour of the victorian christmas flower Show. Mondays, december 7 and 14: noon to 2 p.m. or 3 to 5 p.m. Members $45; guests $50. tickets available online at torontobotanicalgarden.ca/ gardenopen or 416-397-1321.
hOliday Open hOuSe: memberS event this members-only event on december 3 in the floral Hall from 5:30 to 7 p.m. will be followed at 7:30 p.m. with an open house. free
tweet a pic at the aster awards using #tbgaster and you may find it on the hort society page of trellis! take a ShOt!
Jenny rhodenizer (left) and claudia Zuccato ria
From left, Mark bonham, Margaret atwood, Marjorie harris, charles pachter
elise lawton and nicholas smith
Kanaka Kulendran (left), harry Jongerden and Xuan-yen cao
dr. paul hebert (left) with paul Zammit
the Floral hall sparkles with colourful arrangements.
for winter landscapes Conifers
Lorraine Hunter talks to two experts for advice on choosing and growing conifers for urban spaces.
Conifers for
speCiaL Conditions
Heimbecker recommends these dwarf conifers for tricky conditions.
• For shady gardens, try yews (Taxus spp.), especially golden and variegated varieties, or a dwarf dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) such as ‘Miss Grace,’ a weeping variety.
• For dry, sunny areas, look for pines and spruces such as Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) ‘Mini Twist’ with curly needles, a hybrid called ‘Wiethorst’ from Germany that requires no pruning, dwarf Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora ‘Glauca Nana’) that grows from 2.4 to 3 metres high or ‘Pendula Bruns’ spruce (Picea omorika ‘Pendula Bruns’) that’s narrow and dramatic with hues of blue, silver and green.
• For wet areas, try bald cypress ‘Peve Minaret’ (Taxodium distichum ‘Peve Minaret’) which can be planted at the water’s edge and turns a beautiful russet in fall, ‘Blue Sparkler’ tamarack (Larix laricina ‘Blue Sparkler’) or Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Vokel’s Upright’ which prefers well-drained soil.
As the brilliant hues of autumn give way to the season when many plants go dormant, the careful placement of conifers in the winter landscape can ensure continuing beauty during the colder months.
For advice on choosing and planting the best conifers, I spoke to experts Darren Heimbecker, creator of Whistling Gardens in Wilsonville, Ontario, and gardening guru Marion Jarvie, both of whom advocate the use of dwarf varieties for city gardens. Do your homework before purchasing any conifer for your garden, Heimbecker cautions. “They are not cheap and the prices will never go down. Buying a conifer is an investment,” he says. “You can expect to pay $25 to $30 for a dwarf conifer in a one-gallon pot; more for something collectible.” Heimbecker recommends dwarf varieties because people are constantly asking for conifers that won’t get too big. “If the rate
of growth is one foot a year, that plant will become a big tree.” Dwarf conifers grow approximately 2.5 to 15 centimetres a year. Your choice also depends on your conditions: what soil you have and how much sun you get.
When it comes to siting conifers, Marion Jarvie could be considered the queen of layering, using conifers to best advantage in all seasons.
The popular TBG gardening instructor has a six-level formula for arranging centres of attention. Jarvie looks for grasses, flowers, shrubs, small trees, medium trees and tall trees. “I have levels one to five in my garden and the neighbours provide the tall trees for level six,” she explains. “From the centre of my patio I sit and look at focal points, examining them from the ground up, scene by scene, looking for a balance of colour, height, width and texture. If I see a hole, I must fill it,” she says. To achieve this balance in your garden, start with one conifer, something tall and narrow, such as an upright green
Photos: Marion Jarvie
yew, and plant a completely different one next to it, perhaps something spreading and yellow, like a golden Pinus mugo And, then something else, and move on.
“Start with three hardy conifers of different colours and shapes and use them to form a little scene,” Jarvie suggests. While not a fan of variegated conifers, she does like hemlocks such as Tsuga canadensis ‘Gentsch White’ which has snow-white tips that disappear after four to six weeks and can tolerate semi-shade. “In the foreground, pop in some woody plants such as dwarf red barberry (Berberis
thunbergii ‘Rose Glow’), lavender, butterfly bush or a low-growing daphne such as variegated ‘Lunar Eclipse’ or ‘Eternal Fragrance’. “Then think about a small tree, such as a weeping cypress, perhaps one of the new narrow forms like ‘Van den Akker’ (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Van den Akker’) that looks like a green waterfall. Or a hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa).” Add one or two hardy dwarf Japanese maples such as Acer palmatum ‘Geisha’ or A p. ‘Amber Ghost’ and a narrow beech like Fagus sylvatica ‘Purple Fountain’ which Jarvie keeps
pruned to no wider than 60 centimetres. Finish off with a flowering dogwood such as ‘Venus’ (Cornus ‘KN30 8’) “and, the scene comes alive,” she says.
Space conifers about 1.8 metres apart. It’s important to remember that plants will change, Jarvie emphasizes. They will expand and grow. And, they can be moved or given away.
“A plant has to perform or it’s out,” she says. “We are not planting for perpetuity.”
Lorraine Hunter is Chair of the Trellis Committee and a Master Gardener.
Conifer tips
DarrEn HEimbECkEr has amassed an amazing amount of knowledge about conifers while assembling canada’s newest botanical garden. here are his tips for selecting and growing them.
• look for a plant already six to 12 years old. begin with just one tree, an anchor, and start to work around it.
• fall is a good time to plant conifers, but if you buy a golden tree, wrap
it in burlap for at least the first winter. Unwrap it in spring once the frost is out of the ground, when it can start to take up water, and on a cloudy day. if you suddenly expose it to full sunlight, it could burn.
• to plant a conifer, dig a hole about four to five inches wider than the container it comes in; bigger if you are planting in clay soil. anything planted in clay takes an extra year to become established.
• give conifers space. it would be a shame to have to cut them down later. if you do plant conifers too close together, however, most can be transplanted.
• Put “anything biodegradable” on the soil. leaves and needles eventually become nutrition for the soil and thus the plants. You can mulch.
b ut don’t fertilize and don’t amend the soil. “ the roots will soon have grown well out of
whatever you might put in the area.”
• Water weekly until the end of september when there is more rain and less evaporation. Use a pail rather than a hose, so that you know exactly how much water the tree is getting. the size of the pot the tree came in is the key to the amount of water you give it once a week. so, if you buy a plant in a 10-gallon container give it 10 gallons of water.
Conifers for Winter interest
Both of our experts identify these as among the best for winter interest.
Thurs. November 19
Cocktail Reception: 6:30 to 9 p.m. Awards Ceremony: 7:30 p.m.
TICKETS: $150
(Reserved Table of 10: $1,500)
This year’s Aster Awards highlight three of Canada’s “green” stars: Dr. Roberta Bondar Astronaut, physician, scientific researcher, photographer & author Geoff Cape Founder and CEO of Evergreen, sustainability pioneer & urban visionary
TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN FLORAL HALL FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca/ asterawards or call 416-397-1321
Coordinator of Rye’s Homegrown Rooftop Farm at Ryerson University
‘Mini Twist’ dwarf Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus ‘Mini Twist’)
‘Cleary’ Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora ‘Cleary’)
416.971.4068
Choice – it’s what living at a Revera retirement community is all about.
That’s why, Revera would like to invite you and a guest for your choice of a complimentary lunch or dinner and tour. Take the opportunity to explore our vibrate communities and speak with residents about what it’s like to live at Revera. See why they tell us they “should have done this years ago.”
Bradgate Arms 54 Foxbar Rd 416-968-1331
Donway Place 8 The Donway E 416-445-7555 Forest Hill Place 645 Castlefield Ave 416-785-1511
The Annex 123 Spadina Rd 416-961-6446
classifieds
GARDEN TOURS with Margaret Dailey-Plouffe. tours that exceed your expectations. 2015 tours: August newport ri Mansions and carriage tour; september agawa canyon/ Mackinac island; October is discovering frank lloYd Wright fallingwater. Please contact us for info on these tours and our 2016 tours: marCH Philadelphia flower show; aPriL: victoria; JULY: hudson river valley; AUGUST: chicago & frank lloyd Wright. contact: Margaret@hnatravels.com 416-746-7199.
Make use of vertical space in your garden with a 6-foot obelisk. Made in toronto exclusively for the toronto botanical garden, these obelisks are superb structures for showcasing and supporting vines and vegetables. black, powder-coated steel ensures that these towers remain rust-resistant and durable for many years to come. Available throughout the year at the Garden Shop, $89
perfectly imperfect
veggies
When I planted them, I wasn’t particularly proud of the gangly looking homegrown cardoons in the bed by the driveway. But a couple of months later, I received an unexpected telephone message from a neighbour.
“Mr. Biggs, you don’t know me, but I must know the name of those Promethean plants in your front yard!” began the message. Those cardoons, with their unusual arching grey leaves, standing like waist-high sentries along my driveway were no longer lanky. They were pretty weird—and they were getting noticed. The cardoons were the most memorable addition to my garden that year. It’s gratifying when people enjoy my garden, and what better way to engage people than by planting weird, ugly or unusual vegetables?
steven Biggs offers a taste of the wonders of weird and wacky vegetables.
Weird today, mainstream tomorroW
My late Grandpa Biggs grew large, red, round tomatoes. I like tomatoes but opt for colours and shapes that he would have considered weird. We’re the product of our times.
What’s weird today might be mainstream tomorrow.
Conrad Richter of Richters Herbs points to the Green Zebra tomato when talking about how what’s considered “normal” evolves. Not that long ago, he says, few people would have grown a tomato that is meant to be eaten green. “Now, thankfully, people appreciate a little diversity,” he says.
an ugly harvest is oK
After harvesting potatoes, my neighbour Bob showed me one that would have been discarded at a potato farm. He figured my kids would like it and he was right. The fist-sized potato had three smaller tubers growing from it, making it look like a face with two ears and a nose. The odd shape made it funny—but it was perfectly delicious.
Vicki Emlaw, who operates Vicki’s Veggies market garden, sells strangely shaped carrots as “wacky” carrots. “You know the ones that have three arms and one leg?” asks Emlaw. “I have to say that I like every weird-shaped veggie,” she adds.
Your guide to growing uglY vegetables
Plant Pros
Bitter melon (Momordica charantia)
Burr gherkin (Cucumis anguria)
Chufa (Cyperus esculentus)
malabar spinach (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris)
mangel beets (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris)
Pumpkin ‘Warty goblin’ (Cucubita maxima ‘Warty Goblin’)
‘long Black spanish’ radish (Raphinus sativus var. niper)
chris gark of martin farms, a producer of vegetable transplants, describes bitter melon as looking a bit like a grotesque bumpy cucumber. “in the trial garden, people seemed interested up until the point they laid eyes on the fruit!” while it’s an acquired taste, he says, it’s worth the effort to grow it and use it in stir-frys or sautéed on its own.
gark says the burr gherkin is a vigorous, vining plant. he explains that this cucumber relative has golf-ball-sized fruit covered in spines. “think very small sea urchin,” he says.
vicki emlaw says chufa look like beer nuts. “they are a root and grow up like grass and they taste like almonds,” she explains.
used in stir-fries in some cultures, this vining plant comes in a beautiful ,red variety.
linda crago of tree and twig heirloom vegetable farm says that mangels are often used by farmers as a forage crop, yet are delicious if pulled and eaten when small.
marilla czulo of stokes seeds says this is one of their more unusual vegetables. it has a dark orange skin with lots of green warts.
this storage vegetable is one of crago’s favourites. “when you cook it, it’s delicious and tastes like rutabaga.” being black on the outside and white inside, it can be peeled in spirals—making stripes—before cooking.
gark is a fan of the rat-tail radish, saying, “i highly, highly recommend this easy-togrow, extremely productive plant”. the seed pods, which taste like radish, are good in salads and stir-frys.
“this may be the one veggie i might consider ugly,” says richter. also known as shamrock or triangle squash, this blue-green, old australian variety has deep lobes.
for a weird tomato, czulo suggests ‘indigo rose’, which ripens to blue-black where exposed to sunlight.
cardoon
Colour can ratchet up the ugliness factor, too. I grow an unassuming, ping-pong-ball-sized tomato that never progresses past an uninspiring, dull pinky-orange hue. Hardly appetizing. Yet this variety stores extremely well. I pick the tomatoes before the last frost and store them in the cold room. This ugly duckling gives me “fresh” garden tomatoes during the winter months.
old CroP, neW Colour
While colour can make some crops look ugly, novel colours can make commonplace crops look exotic. My children like a variety of lima bean called ‘Christmas’, a white bean painted with splashes of red. I like purple wax and pole beans as a change from green or yellow ones. (Take note: they turn green when cooked, so serve them raw, as part of a veggie platter.) When it comes to carrots, there are white, yellow, red and purple varieties. And, there are red okra and purple peas.
unCommon CroPs
When garden space is limited, consider something that’s not easy to buy at the grocery store. Mexican sour gherkins (a.k.a. mouse melon or cucamelon) are a staple in our household. This thumbnail-sized cucumber relative looks like a miniature watermelon. It can be eaten fresh, pickled or used in stir-fries.
Sorrel, while easy to grow, isn’t commonly found in stores. This perennial leafy green makes a great addition to salads or in sauces and soups. The insipid jarred sorrel available at European grocers simply doesn’t compare!
While touring a market garden one time, I saw a patch of dahlias. When I asked the farmer if he was growing cut flowers along with his vegetables, he explained that he sold the tubers to gourmet restaurants. The flavour, he said, combined the brightness of ginger and the earthiness of celery root.
memoraBle indeed
Getting back to the cardoon. I’ve read that the flavour is reminiscent of celery or asparagus—and I beg to differ. I cooked it one evening for my wife, Shelley. Having promised gourmet cardoon for some weeks, I poured us some wine and we sat down to cardoon with a béchamel sauce. We stared at each other in horror—it was quite revolting.
Not knowing how to cook this weird vegetable made the experience all the more memorable. (In fairness, I must add that on my second attempt at cooking it, the cardoon was quite good.) I planted it the following year. It’s weird, wonderful, and very rewarding.
Steven Biggs is the author of Grow Figs Where You Think You Can’t and co-author (with Emma Biggs) of Grow Gardeners: Kid-Tested Gardening with Children.
Harvest Day: Potatoes, potatoes, potatoes!
these amazing nightshade tubers grow like starchy gemstones beneath the soil, long after the vines above ground have died away. this spring, visiting kindergarten students planted yellow, white and purple potatoes in four beds in the teaching garden. Join tbgkids on harvest day (september 26, noon to 4 p.m.) to collect all the vegetables hanging, twining, vining, bursting and hiding in the garden. all produce will be donated to a local food bank.
“ Typically, the government half of a dualgovernance relationship manages the horticultural staff while the non-profit partner does the education, marketing, fundraising, special events and volunteer co-ordination.”
H w D eS uR GARDen GR w?
Carol Gardner looks to the structure of other botanical gardens as models for an expanded tbg.
As we tAlk About extending the TBG gardens beyond their present boundaries, it may be a good idea to look at how other botanical and public gardens have grown. Growing, not surprisingly, requires land, money and good governance. Land and money are pretty clear concepts, but governance can be tricky.
Canada’s Institute on Governance defines governance as “who has power, who makes decisions, how other players make their voice heard and how account is rendered.” And that’s where it gets complicated, because how well the partners work together is often dependent upon the way decision-making and responsibilities are set up in the first place.
If you’re fortunate enough to have both land and money, governance falls into place naturally. Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania is one of those gardens. In 1906, Pierre du Pont, a wealthy industrialist, bought a farm and started to create Longwood Gardens. Before his death in 1954, he set up a large endowment for the continuance of the garden, naming five trustees to oversee the finances. Members of the du Pont family still sit on the board. That funding, along with money from entrance fees, events, education and other activities has not only guaranteed the continuance of Longwood, but has also allowed it to grow and thrive. Try not to grit your teeth as you read this: envy is not a pretty thing.
If you can’t have both land and money, having land alone is nothing to sniff at. Both the Montreal Botanical Garden and the Royal Botanical Gardens began with a land settlement. The Montreal garden started as an idea promoted by Brother Marie-Victorin, a botanist, teacher and president of the Société de biologie de Montréal. After spending a number of years promoting the concept of a botanical garden, he approached a former student and then mayor of Montreal, Camillien Houde, with his idea. Houde agreed to set aside 75 hectares for the building of the garden—a brave move in the middle of the Great Depression. The garden began in 1936, under the direction of superintendent and chief
horticulturist Henry Teuscher. Its construction gave work to over 2,000 of Montreal’s unemployed. Today it continues to be a unique botanical garden—an entirely city-operated institution.
The land for Hamilton’s Royal Botanical Gardens began as a small parcel set aside for the creation of another Depression-era make-work project—the rock garden. Over time, RBG has grown to be one of the world’s largest botanical gardens with 1,090 hectares! Much of the impetus for creating this royally chartered garden came from Thomas Baker McQuesten, a conservationist who was appointed to Hamilton’s Board of Parks Management in 1922 and became chairman of the niagara Parks Commission in 1934. Governance is provided by a volunteer board of directors composed of community members and appointed representatives of four levels of government as well as the RBG Auxiliary (Volunteers) and McMaster university. In 2013, RBG received annual operating grants of over $4 million from the Province of Ontario, $599,000 from the City of Hamilton and $714,000 from the Region of Halton. As well it generated over $7 million through admissions, memberships, donations and other activities.
However, the majority of botanical gardens started out with neither land nor money. Many of them exist through dual governance—a partnership between a non-profit botanical society and a municipal government that owns the land. Many of these original
agreements between cities and non-profit botanical groups were set up with two different areas of responsibilities. Typically, the government half of a dual-governance relationship manages the horticultural staff while the non-profit partner does the education, marketing, fundraising, special events and volunteer co-ordination.
This dual governance system still exists in many botanical gardens, including Vancouver’s VanDusen Botanical Garden, which is owned by the City of Vancouver and jointly managed by the Vancouver Park Board and the VanDusen Botanical Garden Association, which is a registered charity.
As you may imagine, the success of this type of dual management system depends heavily on the goodwill and ability to compromise of the parties involved. Some botanical gardens, notably those in Los Angeles and San Antonio, have resolved this potential conflict by having a garden director who is director of both the government and the non-profit halves of the partnership.
Clearly, botanical gardens start out with different advantages and have a variety of growth patterns, but they all have at least one thing in common: they all started out with a dream. As that well-known philosopher, John Lennon, once said, “A dream you dream alone is just a dream; a dream you dream together is reality.”
Carol Gardner is an award-winning garden writer and member of the Trellis Committee.
Thursday, September 17, 2015
TWO SEATINGS
Noon to 2 p.m. or 3 to 5 p.m. Members $45 | Guest $50* * This is a TBG Members only event. Guests may attend if accompanied
This garden is home to a passionate family of gardeners whose enthusiastic and inspiring love of plants has created a spectacular ravine-side oasis in the city. Guests will enjoy an afternoon tea in the garden and light discussion focused on the joys and benefits of connecting with plants. This garden is wheelchair accessible.
For more information call 416-397-1321
Book today www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca/ gardenopen
in season To Do Good BuGs, Bad BuGs
woolly bear caterpillars
By Bug Lady Jean Godawa
Chan G in G leaves, falling temperatures and back-to-school sales are not the only signs that fall has arrived. If you spend time outdoors at this time of year, you are likely to encounter a caterpillar that looks as if it is dressed for the coming winter. The woolly bear caterpillar has black bands of hair at either end, with a central band of orange-brown hair. while it may look soft and fluffy, the hairs are stiff and bristly to the touch. woolly bears are the larvae of the Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia isabella), a medium-sized, yellow-brown moth common across north america. In autumn, these caterpillars start looking for protected areas to spend the winter and will often cross sidewalks and paved areas to find a suitable overwintering habitat. when spring arrives, the caterpillar feeds briefly on new plant growth, including weeds and grasses, before it forms a hairy cocoon and
pupates. The adult moth emerges from the pupa to mate and lay eggs, with two generations passing per year. during summer, woolly bears may feed on lowlying weeds, sunflowers, maples, birches and other woody vegetation, but they are not a pest species.
Folklore says that the width of the coloured bands on the woolly bear predicts the severity of the coming winter. wide black bands are said to indicate a harsh winter while a wide orange band indicates the opposite. as helpful as it would be to foretell the weather, there is no scientific basis for this legend. It is age and moisture levels that influence the caterpillar’s appearance. The orange band of bristles becomes wider as the caterpillar grows and the black bands tend to be wider in wet summers. on your next autumn walk, watch where you step so that any crawling woolly bears can make it safely to their winter home.
in our Gardens
Meet
ellie, the tBG shredder
The newesT member of the TBG horticultural team is ellie (a.k.a. eliet Major 45), a portable shredder ellie will make it possible to chop and shred the massive amount of garden debris that the TBG accumulates through garden maintenance. a shredder has been on our wish list for several years, and it’s now a reality thanks to funds raised during Get the Jump on spring and the sale of gently used garden tools and accessories at the spring plant sale. a very special thank you goes to all of the volunteers who made these events possible!
Garden Gear
What is this crazy tulip?
one of the most asked-about bulbs in the TBG gardens this past spring is this double late-flowering tulip called ‘Brooklyn’. while some loved it, others thought something was wrong with it—definitely out of the ordinary! ‘Brooklyn’ bulbs are now available in the TBG shop: $11.99/package of six while supplies last. also, members can buy three or more packs of any bulbs (mix and match or three of a kind) and save 20 per cent!
in season: plant it!
container crazy
season to season
as summer turns into fall it’s time to refresh planters, says Paul Zammit. here’s how to transform a summer planter of water-wise succulents into a monochromatic combination of foliage plants for fall.
summer Planter
Breathe new life into this simple combination of hardy stonecrop (Sedum sieboldii) and tropical Echeveria ‘afterglow’. In late september or early october, remove and transplant the sedum to overwinter in a sunny well-drained garden bed.
save the Echeveria by carefully cutting out the centre rosette just above the soil surface.
Then, carefully remove some of the lower leaves to expose about 2.5 centimetres of the main stem. allow the cut on the stem to callus for three to five days by laying it on a tray
Anna’s plant pick
Raphanus sativus (daikon) an easy radish for the fall
a Daikon is also known as winter or long white radish. It is somewhat like a white carrot, but measures up to 30 centimetres in length. It is easy to grow, except in hot weather (above 27°C) when it will bolt (that is, use its energy to form flowers instead of a root).
It is rich in vitamin C and contains some fibre and potassium. The mild-tasting crisp roots are usually eaten raw in salads, either sliced or grated, although they may be roasted or added to stews—or try daikon mocha, a radish cake!
The leaves are more pungent and taste better cooked. store leaves and root separately in the fridge. The root will last several weeks but must be wrapped after cutting because it has a strong radish smell.
of sand in a bright location (avoid direct sunlight) and do not water. Then, pot up the cutting in a container of quick-draining pre-moistened potting mix. water and place the cutting in a bright location indoors. once roots have grown, overwinter the Echeveria in a cool and brightly lit location.
fall foliage
Colour echoes abound in this simple combination of silver bush (Calocephalus brownii), variegated boxwood (Buxus sempervirens ‘Variegata’), english ivy (Hedera helix) and ornamental cabbage (Brassica oleracea), complementing the beautiful shape and colour of this vintage container.
Grow some with children—it is splendidly quick and large.
Plant the seeds in mid- to late august, about 60 days before the first frost date, in well-drained, loose soil, enriched by compost. The seeds should be set about 1.5 centimetres deep and 2.5 centimetres apart. Thin to 10 cm apart when the seedlings are big enough to chop into salads. hill up seedlings, like you would for potatoes, and avoid walking on the soil as that compacts the soil and prevents the roots from growing straight. Most varieties take from 50 to 60 days to mature. —Anna Leggatt is a retired Master Gardener.
cut out the rosette
allow stem to callus
plant picks Paul’s
1
3 Multi-season Perennials
the autumn garden has its shining stars, says paul zammit, but some early and mid-season perennials last well into the fall.
crimson scabious (Knautia macedonica)
This drought-tolerant, moderately self-seeding perennial prefers well-drained, lean, sandy soils. The first crimson blooms appear on long stems in mid-June and continue to flower until november. They are much loved by many pollinators. although deadheading will promote more flowers, be sure to allow some to go to seed—the goldfinches will thank you—and this will ensure self-seeding. In late spring, pluck out unwanted seedlings. You can see Knautia macedonica in bloom on the southwest side of the entry walk Garden.
Beardtongue is a choice perennial that begins its main display in June and continues to add interest well into the fall and early winter. In spring the intense burgundy foliage begins to emerge from the ground and is topped by a display of tubular white, pink and violet blooms that causes a feeding frenzy among several bee species. The greatest display of blooms takes place in mid-June with a lesser show in the summer. when not deadheaded, the seed heads provide structural interest in the fall and early winter. You can see Penstemon ‘dark Towers’ throughout the entry walk Garden.
3
Many years ago I discovered a small specimen of the solid green-coloured species Japanese forest grass. after two seasons of growing it in a partially shaded location, I quickly became fond of the form, texture, movement and multiple seasons of appeal. In the fall, the foliage turns golden and sways in the garden breeze. Later, the foliage fades to tan and persists into winter until covered with snow. Japanese forest grasses are often recommended for shade to partial shade, but where the soil is rich in loam and c ontains some clay, these perennials can be planted in full sun. an excellent specimen grows in the arrival Courtyard.
strong plants are better able to resist pests and disease. the secret to plant health lies hidden in the soil. fall is the time to build a treasure chest in your garden. here’s how. spread 5 to 8 centimetres of compost over your garden beds, being careful not to cover the crowns of perennials. leaves are the best soil conditioner. use fallen leaves as an insulating winter mulch, applying them to a depth of about 10 to 15 centimetres. keep worms and soil micro-organisms healthy and alive: disturb the soil as little as possible and use organic fertilizers with levels of nPk equal to or lower than 10-10-10. higher levels may jeopardize microbial soil life.
Veggie growers and adventurers can enhance soil with winter cover crops such as rye, clover or oats. sow seeds in fall and turn over in spring to create a green manure that releases nutrients and promotes beneficial microbial activity. –Toronto Master Gardeners goto torontomaster gardeners.ca for more tips on fall gardening.
5 Questions happenings
Who’s
Talking
claudia WeST
Ecological consultant and landscape designer with North Creek Nurseries, Landenberg, Pennsylvania, Claudia West is co-author of the upcoming book, Planting in a Post-Wild World.
Stunning
Plant Communities That Stand The Test Of Time
Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015 7:30 p.m.
Pre-lecture light dinner from 5:30 p.m. Floral Hall doors open at 6:30 p.m. Public $25, students (with valid ID) $15, TBG members FREE (bring a friend for $10).
TBG Lectures are generously supported by The W. Garfield Weston Foundation and The J.P. Bickell Foundation
How did North Creek Nurseries’ philosophy of developing a relationship between people and sustainable environments evolve?
The times where it was enough for garden plants to just look beautiful are over. Today’s plants must feed wildlife, clean polluted storm water runoff and survive in low-maintenance environments. Nurseries are responsible for bringing the right plants to market—what we grow and how we grow these plants matters more than ever before.
Who or what have been your key influencers?
Much of my work is inspired by the plants of natural landscapes. Wolfgang Oehme, Karl Foerster, Piet Oudolf, Cassian Schmidt and Hermann Müssel encourage translating wild landscapes into powerful designs on a garden scale.
What is the single most important element in any garden?
A healthy garden must have a thick layer of ecologically valuable and stunning plants. In today’s world, many gardens are undervegetated. Some of my favourite gardens are thick as a jungle and humming with life.
What is your favourite public garden?
I have a long list of favourite gardens. Some of the most botanically interesting ones are Chanticleer and Mount Cuba Center in Pennsylvania and Weihenstephaner Gärten in Germany. I can’t wait to add Toronto to my list!
What’s the message of your talk?
Plants are social—they thrive when mingling with suitable companions. Great planting layers plants in designed plant communities instead of arranging them individually in mulched beds.
Mulch and river rock
American native plants and their cultivars
TBG leCTureS
STuNNiNG PlaNT
COMMuNiTieS THaT
STaNd THe TeST OF TiMe
Thursday, September 24, 7:30 p.m.
Claudia West
claudia West, from north creek nurseries in Pennsylvania, will share her insights on spectacular perennials and grasses and how to use them in stable, layered, natural combinations.
irreSiSTiBle WOOdy PlaNTS
Wednesday, October 21, 7:30 p.m.
Marion Jarvie
Join Marion Jarvie for a look at the planning, planting and resilience of some of our best ornamental woody plants. Marion will share the very best selections for colour and hardiness.
THe POWer OF POlliNaTOrS
Thursday, November 5, 7:30 p.m.
dr. ari novy
executive director of the united States botanic garden, dr ari novy explores the biological underpinnings of how using key plants in designed landscapes can be a successful strategy for pollinator conservation and urban renewal.
Mark yOur CaleNdar
Special events
GardeN OPeN
Thursday, September 17. afternoon tea, tour of a private garden and container demonstration, presented by revera living. two seatings: noon to 2 p.m. or 3 to 5 p.m. Members $45; guests $50 (guests must be accompanied by a tbg member).
COMPOST day
Tuesday, September 22, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join us as we feed the garden from the garden, thanks to our new shredder, ellie. come out and meet her!
FrieNdS reCePTiON
Thursday, September 24, 5:30 to 7:15 p.m. Private cocktail reception to meet guest lecturer claudia West and to launch the 2015 Hearts & flowers campaign 7:30 p.m. in the floral Hall.
HarveST day
Saturday, September 26, noon to 4 p.m.
Join tbgKids, Myseum of toronto and discoverability for a festive fall celebration at the tbg and teaching garden. free
aSTer aWardS
Thursday, November 19, 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., Floral Hall. tickets: $150 each or $1,500 for a table of 10 available online at torontobotanicalgarden.ca/ asterawards or call 416-397-1321.
HOliday OPeN HOuSe
Thursday, december 3, Floral Hall. our open House will be transformed this year with the garden club of toronto and others who share our premises. Members event: 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. festive florals face-off: floral Hall, 7:30 p.m.; members and the public. free
GardeN OPeN
Mondays, december 7 and 14. afternoon tea and tour of the Victorian christmas flower Show at the allan gardens conservatory two seatings: noon to 2 p.m. or 3 to 5 p.m. Members $45; Public $50. tickets available online at torontobotanicalgarden.ca/ gardenopen or call 416-397-1321.
TBG Clubs & Groups
BOOk CluB: last Wednesday of every month, 7 to 8:30 p.m., in the Weston family library. open to tbg and book-lovers Members only. to register, and for more information, contact Jan neuman: janneuman@ rogers.com or 416-656-8246. free
liBrary STOry TiMe:
Weekly nature stories and songs for children, ages 1 to 3. Mondays, 11:20 to 11:40 a.m. free
POeTry GrOuP: Monthly meetings in the Weston family library. for more information and to register, contact Joanne Sedlacek at j.sedlacek@rogers.com or Kirk davis at kirk.davis@hotmail.com. free
Joy reddy (left) and Jean Gardiner serve up shortbread at last year’s Holiday Open House.
membership matters
good news
Claudia ZuCCaTO ria Director of Development
Where do your donations go?
YOu MAY KNOW that the TBG raises about half of its annual operating budget through fundraising. That means that more than $800,000 of the $2+ million needed to operate the TBG and all of its programs comes from gifts from individual donors, corporate partners and foundations. But how are your gifted dollars used?
If you choose to designate your donation for a specific project, equipment or program, your support goes towards the cost of purchasing that item or delivering that project.
But what about gifts that are not designated? Like all charities, the TBG needs funds to run programs, pay its employees and keep the lights on and the doors open as well as ensuring that all funds, including your generous donation, are used and accounted for appropriately. From time to time, areas of more immediate needs are identified, and undesignated gifts help support those too. These include programs that are not fully funded but that are fundamental to fulfilling the mandate of our organization, such as garden maintenance or TBGKids programs that are offered free of charge to under-resourced communities.
Your gifts, in whatever way you choose to make them, have a tremendous impact on the sustainability of the TBG. Your donations help to create new revenue-generating initiatives that add to the stability of our organization that in turn support new initiatives and plans for the future. This is what makes your gifts fundamental to sustaining the TBG as it is and truly transformative as we work to create the TBG of the future.
FRIENDS OF THE TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN
The 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
BENEFACTORS
Myint and Jay Gillespie
Joan Lenczer
Marjorie Lenz
SUSTAINING MEMBERS
Carol Gardner
Brenda Kisic FRIENDS
Sarah Arliss
Alexander Armstrong
Margaret Bennet-Alder
Lisa Bennett
Susan Biensch
Linda Brown
Veronica Callinan
Dorothy Cartmell
Ethel Freeman
Naneve Hawke
bring a friend to the next tbg lecture and, thanks to your membership status, your friend will enjoy a $15 discount on the $25 admission. you may become best friends forever!
Mark your calendar! for those of you already dreaming of the next gardening season, here is something to sink your trowel into: next year’s through the garden gate tour on June 11 and 12, 2016 will showcase the Kingsway neighbourhood. garden scouts have been on the loose since May, and they have now completed their selection of the most spectacular gardens of the west end. See you there!
HearTS aNd FlOWerS kiCkOFF! the 2015 Hearts and flowers annual campaign launches on September 24. the tbg relies on the generosity of individual donors, corporate partners and charitable foundations to raise more than 40 per cent of its annual operating budget. at the end of the year, when the gap between funds raised during the year and financial commitments calls for action, the Hearts and flowers campaign offers an effective way for you to make a difference. We’ll be keeping you informed as the campaign progresses.
and provide the community with information on horticulture, gardening and environmental issues through lectures, courses and events. The following individuals made a contribution to the Friends program between January 22 and June 3, 2015.
Anna Leggatt
Gloria Lockyer
Linda J. Lynott
Patricia Markle
Patricia Martin
Alan Millikin
Ellen Novack
Helen Ohorodnyk
Melanie Parker
Catherine Peer Gisele Quesnel-Oke
Gwendolyn Rattle
Joy Reddy
Dawn Scott
Carol Ann Slipetz
Beverly Stager
Ruthanne Stiles
Ann Stirling
Valerie Story
Arden Vaughan
Rosemary West
leT’S Talk
the friendly staff in the development and Membership department are happy to answer your questions and hear your suggestions. to talk about membership, donations, including friends donations and receipts, contact Sharon rashid, development officer. for special events, see christine lawrance, Special events coordinator. for any other inquiry, contact claudia Zuccato ria, director of development. See Staff directory for contact details.
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 registration number 119227486rr001.
GENERAL HOURS AND ADMISSION
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
M EMBE r SH i P : $45 single, $65 family. c all 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
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, Heather cullen, kaitlyn Dodge, Denis Flanagan, colomba B. Fuller, Patrisha Galiana, ryan Glenn, Joyce Johnson, cathy kozma, Elaine M. le Feuvre, Shelagh Meagher, vaughn Miller, Penny richards, Alexandra risen, Gino Scapillati, Judy Shirriff, Barbara yager
StAFF D ir Ectory
ExEcutivE DirEctor
Harry Jongerden director@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1346
BuSiNESS AND FiNANcE Director of Business and Finance
Margaret chasins business@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1484
rentals Accounting, Jane Huang rentalaccounting@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
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
416-397-1359
EDucAtioN DEPArtMENt education@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1355
children’s Education Supervisor, Diana Wilson childrensed@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1288
