Toronto Botanical Garden Trellis magazine - Winter 2017

Volume 44 • Issue 1, 2017

The Magazine of the Toronto Botanical Garden

Winter/spring program guide inside!

The scents of a garden Page 12

2017 Gardening Trends Report Page 14

Watch for winter birds at the TBG Page 16

Visit a Montego Bay Garden Paradise Page 8

contents

Volume 44 • Issue 1, 2017

News

4 Tribute Walter Morassutti

Hort Happenings Flower shows; Gardening naturally; Robotic farming 5 From the TBG Defining moments

TBGKids Family nature walk

Volunteers Petra Kolenicova

Get Social Insta-pirational!

6 Expansion A world-class consulting team 7 Good News Corporate connections TBG Works Calling long distance members!

Let’s Talk Membership Program

Features 8

A Montego Bay Garden Paradise Ahhh…Ras Natango Gallery and Garden 12 Scents & Sensibility Create a garden for all

five senses 14 Gardening Gurus Let Us in on Trends for 2017 A preview of what’s new for the season

In Season

16 Good Bugs, Bad Bugs Mourning Cloak butterfly Garden Gear Biodegradable cups In Our Gardens Winter birds 17 Good Reads Garden Revolution; Gardening

for Butterflies

Anna’s Plant Pick Christmas berry 18 Paul’s Plant Picks Container plants worth overwintering Container Crazy Pussy willow support for paperwhites 19 Do It! Propagating scented geraniums

Happenings Photos (From Top): Farmbot.10, Lorraine Flanigan, Paul Zammit

20 Who’s Talking Kenton Seth TBG Lectures Plant-hunting in the American West; Clematis: The genus of diversity 21 Mark Your Calendar

22 The Event Get the Jump on Spring

Editor

Lorraine Flanigan

Design

June Anderson

Trellis Committee

Lorraine Hunter (chair) Lorraine Flanigan (editor) Colleen Cirillo Carol Gardner Sue Hills Harry Jongerden Christine Lawrance Marion Magee Jenny Rhodenizer Paul Zammit Claudia Zuccato Ria

Volunteer Editorial Assistant M. Magee

Horticultural Factcheckers Catherine Peer, Toni Vella

Volunteer Proofreaders

m. Bruce, J. Campbell, L. Hickey, M. Magee, J. McCluskey, M. a. Morrison 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 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.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.

Charitable registration number 119227486RR0001

Opinions expressed in Trellis do not necessarily reflect those of the TBG. Submissions may be edited for style and clarity.

Cover photo: Max skwarna

Canada Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #40013928 ISSN 0380-1470 Printed by Mi5 Print + Digital

Cert no. SW-COC-002063

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news TBGNews Developments

Tribute

hort happenings

Special Events

Walter Morassutti

1947–2016 The TBG family lost a beloved member with the passing of maintenance manager, Walter Morassutti, in July. Not everyone reading this may have known Walter, but if you have ever visited the Toronto Botanical Garden, you have benefited from his 39 years of rare dedication and service. For those of us who work here or meet here regularly, our sense of loss is profound, because we knew Walter as the bedrock of our organization—always helpful, resourceful, patient, gentlemanly and diplomatic. Many of us had a chance to meet Walter’s wife Julie, and their family, when Walter became ill this past year. Julie said they used to joke at home that the TBG was his other family. I can only say, thank you for sharing him with us, Julie. I’m glad he went home to another loving family every night.

In my office records, there’s a handwritten memo that Walter prepared for the Board of the Civic Garden Centre in 1995, with the subject line, “Brief History”. Let me quote: “I started working at the Civic Garden Centre 18 years ago…a year after the new building was built in 1976. I became the maintenance supervisor after approx. one year.

My supervisor was let go, so they asked me to fill in until they found another supervisor.

Well, I guess they stopped looking and decided to keep me.” Well, of course they decided to keep you Walter! And letting you go, emotionally, hasn’t been easy for us.

We have in mind a very fitting tribute to our friend Walter. However, there are “naming rights” policies that apply to our Cityowned facility, so we will need permission to establish this tribute. We’re sure you’ll like it, so please stay tuned. —Harry Jongerden

—Compiled by Mark Stewart, Weston Family Library

Flower shows offer inspiration Every gardener needs some inspiration now and then.

What better place to find it than at a flower show?

Here’s what’s lined up for 2017.

Canada Blooms: Canada’s largest flower show!

This year’s theme is “Oh! Canada” in celebration of our sesquicentennial. Drawing inspiration from Canada’s rich diversity of natural landscapes and cultures, landscape architects, garden designers and floral artists will showcase the country through horticulture. March 10 to 19, 2017, Enercare Centre, Toronto.

Canadian Tulip Festival • The world’s largest tulip festival will take place in Ottawa, May 12 to 22, 2017. This year the festival will also be celebrating Canada’s 150th.

Philadelphia Flower Show • Speaking of tulips, the Philadelphia Flower Show will be celebrating the wonders of the Netherlands. The show aims to share Dutch horticultural innovations, urban sustainability and eco-design. The Philadelphia Flower Show is the largest flower show in the United States. March 11 to 19, 2017, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia.

RHS Chatsworth Flower Show • Across the pond, the Royal Horticultural Society is launching a brand new flower show—the first in over a decade. This show at Chatsworth House will centre around cutting-edge design as well as “future heritage”, which adapts traditional techniques to contemporary designs.

The show runs June 7 to 11, 2017.

Learn how to garden, naturally The Toronto Master Gardeners will be holding their Technical Update on Saturday, January 7, 2017. This year, the theme is Gardening without Chemicals. For a long time, chemicals have been the go-to answer for many garden problems. Mark Cullen will deliver the keynote address on changing this mindset. Other speakers for the day include Lisa MacLean on dealing with invasive plants, Sean James on working with nature and the TBG’s Paul Zammit on feeding the garden from the garden.

Tickets for this day-long educational event are $50, available through torontomastergardeners.com.

Farming with R2D2?

For those who dream in sci-fi, there’s a new gardening tool on the market— a farming robot. The first version, Farmbot Genesis, runs on a track that fits a 1.5 x 3-metre raised bed. Users design their garden through a web interface by dragging and dropping plant icons into place. Farmbot then plants seeds according to the design and cares for seedlings as they grow. It keeps plants watered, calculating the correct amount based on the type of plant, current weather, soil moisture levels and even the plant’s age. A camera detects any plant outside of the original design (aka, a weed) and punches it back into the soil as it emerges. Read more at farmbot.io.

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PHOTOs (this Page): Paul Zammit, Courtesy Mark Cullen, Farmbot.I0 (opposite): Toronto Botanical Garden, TBG, TBG

Announcements

From the TBG HARRY JONGERDEN Executive Director

Celebrate the holidays with a Family Nature Walk

Defining moments

I

f you write a cheque to support a cause, or if you join an organization to support its mission, you’ll want to know what that cause or mission is. It’s why many nonprofits and cultural institutions like the TBG expend so much effort on getting those guiding words right—not just so that you’ll know what we stand for, but so that we who work here know what we stand for, too.

There’s a pithy botanic garden definition that I like: a garden containing documented plant collections for the purposes of education, conservation, research and display. It sounds pretty impressive, but I don’t think we’d sell many memberships if we said that was our mission. Where’s the human element?

Where’s the compelling call to action?

The Toronto Botanical Garden is on the verge of significant change. We will soon be in a position to live up to that comprehensive botanic garden definition, and we’ll be able to proclaim a more inspiring mission. At our recent Board/Senior Staff Strategic Retreat, we approved the following new mission and vision statements: Mission: Toronto Botanical Garden connects people to plants, inspiring us to live in harmony with nature.

Vision: Toronto Botanical Garden will be renowned for its display of nature’s beauty and as a dynamic hub for plant-centred learning, conservation and research.

And to make sure that we get there responsibly and ethically, we also decided on some values that will guide us:

Values: • Innovation • Diversity, collaboration and inclusiveness • Sustainability

The mission, vision and values (MVV) of the TBG are intended to chart a course for the present and the future. They will guide our staff and give you, our stakeholders, a benchmark to measure us by. Other major cities have influential, even transformational, botanic gardens. With your support, Toronto will have one, too.

During the colder and shorter days of winter, many of us have a strong desire to hibernate. To counter that desire, TBGKids is hosting a Holiday Family Nature Walk on Sunday, December 11, from 1 to 3 p.m. Participants will enjoy a guided walk of the snow-covered garden and learn how Toronto’s wildlife survives the cold. Afterwards, we will warm ourselves inside the cozy TBG classroom with hot cocoa and winter-themed stories.

goTo

torontobotanicalgarden.ca/category/learn/kids/familyfun to register for this and other family-friendly events.

Yours, Mine & Ours Volunteers Throughout the spring, summer and fall, visitors to the TBG are welcomed by a wonderful team of Garden Ambassadors.

Out in the gardens in all weathers, they provide information, guidance and support delivered with tact, charm and a smile.

We thank them all for making a difference and would like to celebrate one representative of this great group: Petra Kolenicova. Petra joined the TBG volunteer family in February 2015 and became a member of the TBG in March 2016. Petra tells us she enjoys her role in helping run different TBG events. A graceful presence at many special events, Petra contributed more than 30 hours as a Garden Ambassador this year. Thank you, Petra. You continue to make a difference in all that you do for the TBG.

Get social Insta-pirational!

Cultivate and lift your spirits during the winter months by following these five flower-crazy shutterbugs on Instagram. @floral.forager Botanical artist, writer, nature lover. @C_colli Artist, photographer, flower lover and visual storyteller. @Gardenista_sourcebook Sourcebook for cultivated living, gardens and outdoor design. @idreaminflowers Photographer, everyday life infused with floral notes.

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@Antoniovalenteflowers Garden obsessed, flower junkie, Ontario organic cutflower grower, TBG Farmers’ Market vendor.

news:expansion TBGNews HARRY JONGERDEN • Executive Director

Announcing a world-class consulting team!

“Toronto can certainly be proud of its many lovely parks but the city needs a crown jewel — a botanic garden to be cherished for generations to come.” —Scott Torrance Scott Torrance

W. Gary Smith

T

Lord consulting team, from left: Veronica Blandon, Dov Goldstein and Sarah Hill.

he moment we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived. After a very competitive process, the City of Toronto has named a team of expert consultants to conduct a Master Plan and Management Plan Study on one of Toronto’s most beloved landscapes—ours! The Request for Proposals document called upon consultants “to think holistically about the long-term planning for the city parkland, the ravine system and the TBG complex within Edwards Gardens to elevate the TBG to the level of other globally acclaimed botanical gardens”. From our perspective, the outcome could not have been better.

The contract has been awarded to Scott Torrance Landscape Architect. As project lead, Scott Torrance will head an interdisciplinary team that includes W. Gary Smith Design, Lord Cultural Resources and Moriyama & Teshima Architects. Other local firms rounding out the team will provide expertise in water management and erosion control, ecosystem management and cost estimation. The planning process is expected to be completed by June 2017.

Award-winning landscape architect Scott Torrance has extensive professional experience on projects of diverse scales and budgets for residential, commercial, institutional and municipal clients. His work has been recognized with both local and national awards for design excellence.

Landscape architect W. Gary Smith is very well known to us. He has designed extensively for botanical gardens throughout North America, including the TBG and our recent Integrated Conceptual Proposals draft master plan. With Gary Smith on the team, we will have continuity that connects our thinking with the City’s new team of consultants. We’re still passionate about the bold thematic organizing principles for

an expanded botanical garden—City, Country and Wild— reflecting the experience of nature shared by so many of us.

Lord Cultural Resources, headquartered in Toronto, is the world’s largest cultural professional practice, with the successful completion of more than 2,200 projects in more than 56 countries. Lord’s projects cover a wide spectrum of some of the world’s great cultural institutions, including Guggenheim Bilbao, the Louvre, Tate Britain/Tate Modern, Vancouver’s Museum of Anthropology, Central Park Conservancy and the new National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York. They are currently working on master plans for Longwood Gardens and the new Houston Botanical Garden. I hope I offend no one by saying the Lord is on our side!

Scott Torrance states: “Our team is thrilled to be given such a rare opportunity. We’ve seen great public gardens around the world and master planning one for Toronto is both an honour and a responsibility. We are excited to have started our extensive stakeholder and public consultation. Toronto can certainly be proud of its many lovely parks but the city needs a crown jewel—a botanic garden to be cherished for generations to come. That’s our vision for the Toronto Botanical Garden and Edwards Gardens project.”

Please stay tuned for public consultation events. It will be your opportunity to offer support for our project and comments to Scott’s design team. We’re thrilled to see our long-held dreams for the TBG coming true. We have seen Toronto’s major cultural institutions all being renewed in recent years with first-rate facilities and leading-edge programming. The time has come for Toronto’s botanical garden.

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news: membership matters good news Claudia Zuccato Ria Director of Development

Corporate connections

Every year, employees of many organizations and businesses visit the Toronto Botanical Garden to participate in various organized activities. Whether performing horticultural work in team-building exercises or participating in guided tours while meeting at our facilities, corporations experience the TBG as a backdrop and playground for a variety of gatherings. Most often, our corporate visitors return to the TBG again and again, a clear sign of their appreciation for the beauty of our grounds and the excellence of the service they receive (hats off to the horticulture and rentals teams!).

To celebrate this spontaneous connection between the corporate world and the TBG, we’ve opened the door to a deeper level of engagement for our corporate visitors. We are now offering the TBG’s corporate aficionados the opportunity to become Corporate Members. Corporate Members commit to an annual fee in exchange for benefits such as free tours, discounts on rental rates and lunch & learn workshops.

tbg works

Calling long distance members!

Do you know of any garden lovers living 100 kilometres or more from Toronto?

They can now connect with the TBG membership family through the Long Distance Membership program. A $35 one-year Long Distance Membership* provides the following benefits: • Free admission to TBG Lectures • Subscription to Trellis and the TBG Program Guide • Reciprocal privileges with botanical gardens, arboreta and conservatories throughout North America • Discounts at select nurseries (Plant World and Sheridan Nurseries) • 10 per cent Garden Shop discount • 10 per cent Garden Café discount • Member pricing for Through the Garden Gate tickets *Does not include Members Only events during the Holiday Open House or the Plant Sale Breakfast and Preview

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 and receipts, contact Sharon Rashid, Membership and Development Officer. For special events, see Christine Lawrance, Special Events Supervisor. For any other inquiries, contact Claudia Zuccato Ria, Director of Development.

See Staff Directory for contact details.

RBC employees volunteer at the TBG as part of the Blue Water Project.

This new offering achieves several reciprocal objectives.

It helps corporations institutionalize their support for the TBG mission and to highlight our shared values. It promotes their staff’s participation in green initiatives and in the culture of volunteerism. This partnership provides the TBG with greater opportunities to connect people with the natural world while gaining benefits such as volunteer support from corporate teams, repeat rental clients and the potential to further strengthen our partnerships with the corporate sector. The TBG doors are wide open to welcome our new corporate members to a special place to do business.

To learn more about how your corporate friends can become TBG members, check our website at toronto botanicalgarden.ca/membership or contact the Development Office at 416-397-1372.

goTo

torontobotanicalgarden.ca/join/ membership for details.

TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM

The Toronto Botanical Garden is deeply grateful to its loyal donors who provide continued and generous support through the membership program at all contribution levels. Their gifts enable the TBG to educate and inform the community on horticulture, gardening and environmental issues through lectures, courses and events. We thank the following individuals who contributed to the TBG through the membership program between June 24 and September 30, 2016.

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Sustaining Members Gwendolyn Rattle Contributing Members Elizabeth Bolton Geoffrey Dyer Susan Gustavison Nina Lapin Anna Leggatt Joan Wright

A Montego Bay garden paradise African tulip tree

look forward to discovering spellbinding, one-of-a-kind gardens, and recently I had that experience while visiting Ahhh...Ras Natango Gallery and Garden outside Montego Bay, Jamaica. The garden, gallery and gift shop occupy a prominent mountaintop location near the small town of Camrose. This remarkable undertaking is the brainchild and passion of its owners Ian Williams (better known as Ras) and his charming wife Tamika. As former teachers and accomplished artists, they shared a bold vision for this tropical paradise. The outcome, 25 years plus in the making, has won them the respect and admiration of locals, tourists and garden authorities.

Upon arriving at the garden, the tour starts at the relaxing Outpost Bar. This belvedere-like structure is cantilevered on the edge of the mountainside and offers spectacular views of

Montego Bay and the Caribbean Sea. These views are framed by magnificent African tulip trees (Spathodea campanulata) with their vibrant orange, tulip-shaped blooms, the equally spectacular royal poinciana (Delonix regia) with its flame-red blooms and pink powder puff trees (Calliandra spp.).

The garden unfolds gradually and magically as visitors amble along a series of winding switchback paths that connect four distinct terraces. These terraces are really raised beds of rich composted soil supported by local limestone rocks and boulders. Like a rockery, these rocks with their many crevices and hollows provide protective niches for many interesting plants.

While the garden is steep in places, Ras, Tamika and their son Ayale escort their visitors to ensure safe passage.

As the visitor penetrates deeper into the garden, the combination of plants, rocks, sculptures, waterfalls and pools paints a romantic, imaginative picture. Fortunately, there are pause

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Photos: Courtesy of Ras Natango

I

Horticulturist and garden tourist Frank Kershaw discovers an Ahhh-inspiring garden in Jamaica.

Where to see tropical plants

Acalypha wilkesiana with crotons.

Passiflora edulis

Ras and Tamika Williams

points with benches to rest and view the giant chess set, koi pool, stunning waterfall, an imaginative fairy garden and Ayale’s miniature dinosaur garden. A stone altar and its adjacent raked-sand area provide quiet reflection and an opportunity to etch a thought or remembrance in the sand.

Plants are everywhere, including many unusual orchids along with more than 50 species of ferns. The raised terrace beds spill over with wine-coloured bromeliads, violet-blue flowered plumbagos (Plumbago auriculata), giant begonias (Begonia Semperflorens Cultorum Group), chenille plant (Acalypha hispida) and rainbow-coloured coleus hybrids.

Punctuating the terraces as focal-point plants are spectacular shell and torch gingers (Alpinia zerumbet and Etlingera elatior), hibiscus, cordylines, colourful crown of thorns (Euphorbia milii) and lobster claw plants (Heliconia wagneriana).

Garden arches, bowers and pergolas provide framed subgarden entrances and perches for scrambling morning glory vines, chalice flower (Solandra spp.), bougainvillea hybrids, buttery yellow golden trumpet (Allamanda cathartica), blue

Greater Toronto and Niagara region greenhouses and conservatories feature many of the plants grown at Ahhh...Ras Natango. Here’s where to find them.

Allan Gardens Conservatory, located on the south side of Carlton Street between Jarvis and Sherbourne Streets in Toronto.

Group tours available through the Toronto Botanical Garden.

Centennial Park Conservatory, located west of Renforth Avenue and north of Rathburn Road.

Floral Show House in Niagara Falls.

Don’t miss their seasonal displays at Christmas, Easter and Mother’s Day.

thunbergias (Thunbergia grandiflora) and the fiery orange flowers of flame vines (Pyrostegia venusta).

The lowest terrace accommodates a collection of fruit trees including Jamaica’s national fruit, the ackee (Blighia sapida), along with sweetsop (Annona squamosa), guava, naseberry and mango.

Throughout the gardens, plants are layered and combined in artful exotic compositions emphasizing flower colour, form, texture and pattern, and they’re kept in top shape through a commitment to ecological garden practices. These practices include the use of on-site composting, rainwater storage, the recycling of snail shells for soil aeration and the total absence of pesticides. Native plants on the property have also been preserved and incorporated with great care and sensitivity.

Not surprisingly, the garden also serves as a bird sanctuary both for migratory species from September to March as well as for 18 of the island’s 28 endemic species, including Jamaica’s national bird, the swallow-tail hummingbird (aka doctor bird).

Butterflies, the flying flowers of the garden, dart through the

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Ayale Williams

terraces attracted to a wide assortment of rainbow-coloured lantana and pentas (Pentas lanceolata) flowers.

Art is not only on display at the gallery and gift shop but also throughout the gardens. For example, where boulders were too large to move, Ras painted them with portraits of a shark’s head and a lion’s head. Along the paths many smaller stones are painted with images of local flora and fauna. On display in the gallery are Ras’s acrylic paintings of local scenes, birds and flowers and Tamika’s unique, 3-D eggshell mosaics (Mozeggs). Ayale, a graduate of graphic and fine art, exhibits and sells his imaginative sea creatures made from local beach shells.

Ahhh...Ras Natango Gallery and Gardens also plays an important role in the betterment of the surrounding community. The Williams family, using their extensive teaching experience and community spirit, offer employment and the mentoring of artists and craftspeople whose works are for sale at the gift shop.

The couple also offers school groups classes in art, botany and ecology.

Ahhh...Ras Natango Gallery Gardens is a must-see Jamaican attraction that’s a work of art and certainly worthy of the many international awards it has received.

Frank Kershaw is a horticulturist who teaches at the Toronto Botanical Garden and at George Brown College. He conducts popular group tours to local private gardens.

If You Go

Ahhh...Ras Natango Gallery and Garden is located about 20 minutes from Montego Bay, Jamaica (shuttle service is available). For hours of operation and admission fees, visit rasnatango.com.

torontobotanicalgarden.ca/ farmersmarket

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Marjorie Mason

Scents & sensibility

With remembrances of the fragrances of her childhood, Lorraine Hunter shows how to incorporate scent—and other elements that appeal to our senses—into your garden.

Lamb’s ears

Tips for engaging all five senses Smell • Plant fragrant plants just outside your door or under a window.

• Be careful not to plant too many powerful smells in a small space.

• The trick is to find strong-scented plants with different blooming times so that you can enjoy fragrance in your garden throughout the growing season.

• Flowers generally release their scent in warmer weather or early in the evening.

Sight • Layer plants at different heights.

• Plant rows of the same plants for swaths of colour.

• Use water features, statues, an inviting bench and/or lighting as focal points to draw the eye.

• Plant flowers of varying colours, shapes, sizes and textures for visual appeal.

Touch • Use different surface treatments—a soft lawn, ground covers, tiles, crushed gravel or stone slabs.

• Plants with textured leaves, such as lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina), will feel soft, succulents will feel fleshy and creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) will be rough or prickly.

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Sound • Waving grasses and trickling or running water add a touch of tranquillity.

• Use birdattracting plants such as coneflowers (Echinacea spp. and cvs.), Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum) and berryproducing shrubs.

• Establish wellstocked bird feeders to attract songbirds.

• The sound of wind chimes can contribute to a soothing, relaxing atmosphere.

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Taste • Edible plants!

If you don’t want to look after rows of vegetables, a container of tomatoes, strawberries or herbs (especially basil or mint) will provide lots of “garden candy”.

• Plant annuals and perennials with edible flowers such as violets or nasturtiums and use them in salads, desserts and drinks.

Photos,(This FromPage Top:From k. steudal/flickr, Jans Hammershaug/flickr Photos: Top): MacInate/Flickr, stacey spencer, flickr Opposite: Andrey Zharkikh/Flickr (Opposite): Karlo Skarmattsson/flickr, Christopher Paquette/flickr, EllnB/flickr

The scent of lilacs instantly transports me back to the day my mother sat me down under a lilac tree in Calgary, Alberta, to tell me that I would soon have a little sister or brother.

My sister Janice recently told me that the scent of jasmine always takes her back to our adolescent years in Nassau, Bahamas. These are two examples of how the fragrance of flowers can bring back long-forgotten memories from different times, different places. As such, they can also add another dimension to your garden.

Sara Katz, owner of Wild at Heart Design in Toronto, says that while her clients don’t always initially think about perfumed plants, once they get a whiff of a lovely scent in a garden, they’ll ask, “what is that smell?” and then want to know how to incorporate fragrance into their outdoor space.

Sweet autumn clematis

Fragrance in the garden is not limited solely to flowers. “There is also a fragrant sumac, Rhus aromatica ‘Gro-Low’, that I use as a ground cover,” says Sara. “When you crush the leaves it creates a nice scent.” Sara also points out the magic of aromatic plants such as ornamental tobacco (Nicotiana alata) which is most ambrosial at night. “Some plants are fragrant at different times of the day or in different seasons which is important to think about when planning a garden,” she emphasizes.

Perfumed flowers certainly add another dimension to your outdoor space. In fact, fragrance can be one of the most powerful elements of the garden. But the best gardens are those appealing to all five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste and smell.

Gardening is a known stress reliever, so it is no surprise that connecting with nature through the senses is an important aspect of horticultural therapy. “In horticultural therapy we are trying to connect people with nature through their feelings,” says registered horticultural therapist, Margaret Nevett, who teaches the HT Certificate program at the TBG. “A pleasant scent can bring back memories long forgotten, open discussion and help establish a relationship with a client in a climate of safety.”

Nor is smell the only sense that can be beneficially triggered in the garden. “Viewing gardens can actually lower blood pressure,” says Margaret.

“Observation through a magnifying glass or camera lens can invoke a sense of geometry, pulling us into being in the moment, calming anxiety and stress and helping us to connect with all of life.”

“Sound can help a vision-impaired person find his or her way through the garden. For example, the rustle of grasses or the sound of a wind chime near a building can lead them back.”

Then there is touch. Margaret uses lavender to illustrate the combination of touch and smell. “Rubbing the stem releases the scent. Lavender is many people’s favourite fragrant plant and is used extensively in aromatherapy.

It brings back memories,” she says.

And, we mustn’t forget taste. The taste of garden-ripe tomatoes or peas can be like garden candy while watering the plants, Margaret says.

10 Favourite Fragrant Flowers Heliotrope (Heliotropium). Popular for containers, this annual enjoys filtered sun. It has soft green foliage and fragrant blue, white or purple flowers.

Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima). Fragrant honeysuckle is a shrub that grows with perfumed pink-and-white blossoms in spring. It displays a high tolerance for salt and alkali and has low water requirements.

Hyacinth (Hyacinthus). One of the earliest spring-flowering bulbs, hyacinth is available in shades of white, yellow, pink, red, purple and blue. Breeders have been hybridizing to produce bigger flowers and a wider range of colours. Fortunately, breeding efforts have not compromised the hyacinth’s fantastic floral perfume.

Lilac All lilacs have a heady perfume but the old-fashioned common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) is one of the most fragrant. Lilacs come in shades of white, blue, magenta, violet and pink. Easy to grow, they need a maximum of six hours of full sun to bloom their best.

Mock orange (Philadelphus ‘Virginal’). This perennial shrub has beautiful, extremely fragrant double white flowers in summer and its fountain-like form creates a striking focal point in the landscape.

It prefers full sun and is a fast grower.

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus). One of the easiest flowers to grow from seed, this old-fashioned annual is making a comeback. The flowers have a delicate perfume that many people remember from their grandparents’ gardens. Nasturtiums may be dwarf, semi-trailing or single-flower climbing.

Roses (Rosa spp. and cvs.). Fragrant varieties include the climbers ‘Coral Dawn,’ pale pink ‘New Dawn’ and dark red ‘Don Juan’ as well as the white damask rose ‘Mme Hardy’ and dark red ‘Champlain’ from the Explorer series.

Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima). Dense clusters of tiny honey-scented flowers will bloom continuously if the spent flowers are trimmed back. Although individual flowers are tiny, they are so numerous that they almost completely cover the foliage. These sweetly scented flowers in shades of white, pink and purple are good as edgers or fillers. They also look great in pots, troughs and baskets.

Sweet autumn clematis (Clematis paniculata). This handsome climbing vine displays billowy masses of fragrant creamy white flowers against leathery, dark green leaves in the fall. It’s great for growing on arbours or fences and for cut flowers. This quickgrowing, deciduous perennial vine requires full to partial sun.

Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus). Available in shades of pink, rose, cream and red, sweet peas can be in either bush or trailing form.

They need at least six hours of full sun per day. Deadhead spent flowers to keep them growing. Most of the hundreds of varieties that have been developed are very fragrant.

Lorraine Hunter is chair of the Trellis Committee and writes the Botanical Buzz blog at torontobotanicalgarden.ca.

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Gardening Gurus let us in on

trends for 2017

Jenny Rhodenizer and Carol Gardner have asked some of our favourite gardening people to give you a preview of some up-and-coming things to look for this season.

celosia

plants that keep on giving —Beckie Fox, editor-in-chief, Garden Making Magazine

When we were at AmericanHort’s Cultivate ’16 in Columbus, Ohio, this spring I noticed several new introductions of celosias. They are the cristata (crested) types with outrageously big, curvy, ridged domes on plants that like heat and drought. Many vivid colours, such as gold, maroon, vibrant pink— everyone was going gaga over them.

• Extreme plants, specifically extremes in size. Gardeners are looking for more drama.

• Plants that have added benefits. Is it native? Does it attract pollinators? Is it fragrant? Can I eat it? Gardeners want more than a pretty pink flower. They’re more interested in being a partner with Mother Nature than a controller of her.

• Increased interest in mini-hostas (sometimes called teacup hostas), fine-leaved ferns and dwarf conifers.

Hyssop

Plants that take the heat— and drought —Allan Kling and Holly Horne, Urban Garden

Dahlias—all kinds, all sizes, all colours. During a fall trip across

Garden Offices—whether an existing shed conversion or a complete customized unit that’s dropped by crane into your back garden, the possibilities are endless.

After this hot and dry summer a lot of clients are interested in drought-tolerant plants. Turf alternatives for small gardens go along with that.

Lawns of gold —Gardening expert Frank Ferragine, AKA Frankie Flowers

Epimedium

Self-help —Marjorie Harris, garden consultant and columnist, Globe and Mail

Brits are mad about dahlias —Sonia Day, The Real Dirt columnist, Toronto Star

Work with plants —Denis Flanagan, membership and public relations manager, Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association

People are fed up with the amount of work and water an annual garden takes and are looking for more self-sustaining solutions. Tough plants with beautiful foliage, such as epimediums, make light work and require less water than annuals.

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Dandelions are one of the first to flower in the landscape and offer an early pollen source for bees.

With the trend towards beekeeping, dandelions are no longer passé but cool. Dandelions are edible too—if you can’t beat them, eat them. From roots to leaves to flowers you can make dandelion wine and tea, and the leaves are an excellent source of iron. So if you have a dandelionridden lawn just tell your neighbour you are bee friendly.

Issue 1, 2017

Photos: (clockwise from top Left) Beckie Fox, Anna/Flickr, Lorraine Flanigan, Robert Meeks/Flickr, L.F., Sonia Day Opposite, From Top: Sean James, Lorraine Flanigan, L.F.

the pond, I saw dahlias planted everywhere: in historic public gardens, town squares, front yards and planters outside multi-million-dollar pads in London’s Mayfair. Dahlias are hotter than a chili pepper with the Brits.

And, trust me, isn’t the UK where gardening trends always start?

ORCHID SHOW & SALE

Rain gardening and rainwater harvesting. The fact that many homeowners have challenges with water pooling in their yards provides a great opportunity to create stunningly beautiful gardens to hold and infiltrate water.

Everything old is new —Jim Mosher, Landscape Plus Ltd.

The continued use of vintage architectural elements in the landscape as focal points.

Clearly, there were plenty of predictions, but one trend that everyone agrees upon is described succinctly by Beckie Fox: “There’s more desire to create a retreat or secluded meditative space, and less interest in gigantic entertainment pits with multi-burner barbecues and fully equipped kitchens. The appeal of a quiet, secluded, verdant spot to recharge and relax is becoming more valuable as our lives get more hectic and stressful.”

Who can disagree with that?

Jenny Rhodenizer is Director of Communications, Toronto Botanical Garden. Carol Gardner is an awardwinning garden writer and co-chair of the Through the Garden Gate Committee.

FEBRUARY 11 & 12, 2017

SAT & SUN 11- 5

General Admission: $12.00 cash only

supervised children under 12 are free NO large backpack or tripods permitted hand-held cameras only

Limited admission $20.00 Saturday 5:30 - 7:30 pm Sunday 9:00 - 11:00 am tripods permitted Toronto Botanical Garden 777 Lawrence Avenue East Toronto, Ontario M3C 1P2 (905) 640.5643

S.O.O.S is a not-for-profit organization proceeds support conservation

twitter.com/SOOSOrchid facebook.com/SOOSOrchid

Follow us on social media... visit www.soos.ca for $2 off coupon

Photograph by: Jay Norris

Let it rain!

—Sean James, Fern Ridge Landscaping and Eco-Consulting.

SOUTHERN ONTARIO ORCHID SOCIETY

To r o n t o B o t a n i c a l G a r d e n

in season Good Bugs, Bad Bugs Mourning Cloak butterfly Watch for these beautiful butterflies on warm winter days, says Jean Godawa.

Eco-friendly, biodegradable cups A new range of portable beverage cups made of eco-friendly rice husks is now available in the Garden Shop. Washable, reusable and sturdy, when you are ready to throw these cups away, they will biodegrade entirely within three to four years. $13.99 to $18.99

Adult

In our

To witness butterflies flitting about the garden on a warm winter day may seem absurd but it is absolutely possible.

While some migrate, most butterflies spend the winter in one of their other forms, either as a caterpillar sheltered in leaf litter, as an egg on a host food plant or as a resting chrysalis camouflaged from winter-feeding birds. The Mourning Cloak butterfly (Nymphalis antiopa) is one of the few butterflies that overwinters in its adult form. The fragile wings, tiny front legs and seeming vulnerability of this delicate creature contradict the resilience of the Mourning Cloak.

Named for their resemblance to the traditional mourning cloak worn as far back as the sixteenth century, Mourning Cloak butterflies have dark wings with yellow or cream-coloured edges, blue spots and a wing span of up to 10 centimetres.

The Mourning Cloak caterpillar is black with tiny white dots and red markings, along with several menacing spikes that deliver a sting if handled. These caterpillars feed in groups on a variety of trees and shrubs, particularly willows (Salix spp.).

Large numbers can become pests to younger plants.

A remarkable biochemical process goes on within the adult butterfly to allow it to survive the cold winter. As temperatures drop, the butterfly develops high concentrations of sugar alcohols, like glycerol and sorbitol, which act as antifreeze within its body. It then finds a resting spot, usually in tree bark, where it will be well camouflaged throughout the winter.

As temperatures start to rise, and long before flowers bloom, Mourning Cloaks feed on tree sap for much needed energy. This generation mates in early spring and dies shortly after the females lay egg clusters on host plants.

On exceptionally warm winter days and in early spring, watch for the emergence of these first butterflies of the season.

torontobotanicalgarden.ca

Gardens

Winter birds On a breezy late September day, a flock of about 50 blue jays flew over the TBG, heading south. Scientists (and birders) will tell you that blue jays are fickle migrators. Some head south to avoid Canada’s cold winters while others remain all year. Individual birds may stay one year and migrate the next. Those that remain take advantage of fall-fruiting trees and shrubs (they love acorns!), seed heads and bird feeders.

Visit the TBG gardens for a day of birding and watch for blue jays, northern cardinals, downy woodpeckers and chickadees this winter.

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Issue 1, 2017

Photos (clockwise from Top): Ken Sproule, K.s., Paul Zammit, Max skwarna Opposite; Sunrise Greenhouses

Caterpillar

Garden Gear

Good Reads

—Reviewed by Mark Stewart, Weston Family Library

Garden Revolution: How our landscapes can be a source of environmental change

BY LARRY WEANER AND THOMAS CHRISTOPHER Timber Press 2016, $39.95 hardcover

Looking for a change? This book seeks to change your gardening paradigm by moving you from gardener to garden ecologist.

Reading it is a refreshing mental renovation which challenges established gardening assumptions from tilling to fertilizing and even weeding. The authors advocate that gardens be based on ecological realities. This means accepting that natural plant communities change, species come and go and the gardener has to play the long game. The argument boils down to working with nature rather than fighting it. This garden revolution requires gardeners to let go of preconceived plans for how the garden should look in favour of helping the garden shape itself. It asks a lot, but with compelling reason. While at first glance the premise may sound like a recipe for a weed patch, the authors show how to make an ecological garden work.

Gardening for Butterflies: How you can attract and protect beautiful, beneficial insects

BY THE XERCES SOCIETY Timber Press 2016, $24.95 paperback

This book describes major butterfly and moth families to watch for. Readers learn how butterflies use the garden through their entire life cycle from host plants for larvae and nectar plants for adults to places for shelter.

Eighty-six pages are devoted to butterfly plant profiles, each with an image along with information on its nectar value, larval host relationships, native range and basic cultural requirements. The profiles do lack some detail: for instance, light requirements. All in all, the book offers plenty of useful information. It’s written in accessible language and richly illustrated. With butterfly populations in obvious decline, this book is worth a read by any gardener.

Anna’s Plant Pick Pass up poinsettias for Christmas berry (Ardisia crenata Bospremium Red) Are you tired of holiday plants that drop leaves, take up too much space and need special care to keep until next year? Then, search out Ardisia crenata Bospremium Red or Christmas berry, a small tropical tree native to southern China and Indonesia. A member of the primrose family, it has shiny dark green leaves and, when it reaches two years old, it blooms with pink or white flowers in summer. It then produces a profusion of clusters of white berries in October which turn pink and then red in time for the holiday season. Pink- and whiteberried varieties are also available. Look for them in garden shops early in December.

At home, place the plant in medium to bright light. Water lightly every week, feeding every two months—with care, you could have healthy plants with bright red berries until the end of April. In the summer, place them outdoors in a shady bed in cool moist soil. If they flower, bring them indoors in October. Otherwise let them die—they won’t produce berries, just green, glossy leaves.

Goodbye poinsettias!

—Anna Leggatt is a Master Gardener

- TREE & SHRUB PRUNING -INSECT & DISEASE CONTROL - PLANTING & TRANSPLANTING - TREE & STUMP REMOVAL - DEEP ROOT FERTILIZING

AUTHENTIC

Derek W Welsh

TREE CARE INC.

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Issue 1, 2017

President

I.S.A. Certified Arborist #ON-0129A

in season plant it!

Paul’s Plant Picks

crazy

Stand tall

3 Favourite Container Plants Worth Overwintering

Club moss (Selaginella kraussiana)

Many forms and colour variations exist, including a selection called ‘Frosty Fern’, noted for its white-tipped branches.

Selaginellas have soft ferny and moss-like mounding foliage that gives them an appealing fluffy texture. Despite the common names, Selaginellas are neither mosses nor ferns, but these non-flowering and non-seed-producing plants belong to an ancient plant division, the Lycopods.

Selanginellas are very sensitive to moisture, so never let pots dry out between waterings.

Monterey cypress, Lemon cedar (Cupressus macrocarpa ‘Goldcrest’)

Awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit the columnar ‘Goldcrest’ has chartreuse foliage that emits a most delightful lemon fragrance.

Grown indoors over the winter, these small trees often become greener in colour but the characteristic golden appearance soon returns when plants are moved into the garden in the spring.

Prune to maintain shape and size.

This relatively recent introduction is an oddity with its wiry silver branches

Create your own natural pussy willow support for paperwhites, says Paul Zammit, by following these simple steps.

Monterey cypress

Cushion bush

Club moss

and tiny leaves that add an airy and irregular eye-catching form and irresistible texture. You can’t help but reach out and touch it to see if it’s real and alive. Indoors, these plants make wonderful stand-alone specimens or mixed combinations. Before moving them outdoors in late spring, give them a light pruning.

Indoors over the winter, grow all three plants in a sunny (or bright) location—a south or west window is best. Keep the soil moist. Check for water regularly. To increase humidity, cluster plants together or place plants in a watertight tray lined with a shallow layer of gravel. Fill the tray with water to just below the base of the pots. Top up as needed.

In the springtime after the danger of frost has passed, move the plants into the garden acclimatising them gradually to outdoor sunlight and temperatures. Once adjusted to the outdoors, place cushion bush and cypress in full sun. Selaginellas are sensitive to hot direct summer sunlight so a bright shaded north exposure is best for them.

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Issue 1, 2017

1 Plant five paperwhite bulbs in a 15-cm in diameter plastic pot.

(Option: place this pot into a decorative cachepot such as this faux bois planter.)

2 Add a handful of Spanish moss to disguise the plastic pot and the growing tips of the bulbs.

3 Collect relatively straight fresh pussy willow branches, at least 60 cm long, branched at the tips.

PHOTOS: Paul Zammit opposite, from Top: Paul Zammit, Dick Culbert/Flickr, Kirsty Hall/Flickr

While we discard some of the annual and tropical plants we grow in containers during the summer, others are worth saving for their texture, fragrance and form, says Paul Zammit.

Cushion bush Leucophyta brownii (syn.

Calocephalus brownii)

container

Do It! Scented Geraniums Dreaming of a glorious display of geraniums next season?

Promising to cut down on your plant spending?

Here’s how to do both.

The innumerable leaf shapes, textures and colours of scented geraniums (Pelargonium) make them the stars of every display. They are easy to grow and well worth saving and propagating year after year. The flowers and scented leaves, all edible, can be used to flavour salads, jellies and cakes.

Since the cost of a single plant can sometimes be as much as a flat of other annuals, it makes sense to grow your own.

Find specialty starter plants at spring plant sales or herb nurseries. Choose from ginger, lemon, rose, peppermint and a host of other nostalgic or romantic fragrances. They will quickly grow big enough for you to take cuttings to start indoors.

First, watch one of the many how-to videos produced by knowledgeable organizations such as the Herb Society of America. Make sure all equipment is clean. You’ll need a sharp knife, seed-sowing compost (enriched potting mix) and small (7 to 10 centimetres) pots or propagation trays. A warming tray will maintain a steady temperature similar to the tropical home of the Pelargonium.

All supplies are available at nurseries and suggestions abound online.

How to do it 1. Fill the pots or

4 Cut each stem to a 40-cm length and set aside the lower portions of the branches for later use.

5 Carefully insert each branch around the inner edge of the pot, pushing each one carefully down into the bottom of the pot to ensure stability. Add one more stem at the centre of the pot.

propagation tray with potting mix and water lightly.

2. Cut a healthy piece of stem (about 8 to 10 centimetres long) above a leaf joint.

3. Pinch off any flower buds and all but the top two or three leaves.

4. To prevent rot, some experts advise exposing the cut to air for 24 hours; others recommend dipping the stem into rooting hormone.

5. Place cuttings into the mix, cut side down. Label each one with the name.

6. Keep cuttings in a warm, bright, airy location. If the room is cool, place on a warming tray.

7. Keep well watered. In a week to ten days, you will have healthy rooted cuttings.

They will survive outdoors when all danger of frost is past.

—Georgie Kennedy, Toronto Master Gardeners

6 Cut the remaining lower stems to approximately 20 cm in length.

Add the first horizontal support just above the lip of the pot and secure each cut end to one of the upright branches using a 5-cm length of rustic wire.

7 Continue to add lateral supports to the vertical stems up to about 2/3 of the height of the framework.

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Issue 1, 2017

happenings 5 Big Questions

What inspired you to explore wild plants?

I was drawn to the Indiana Jones appeal of visiting faraway places and by Janis Ruksans’ book, Buried Treasures, which documents his international bulb-hunting escapades.

What sustains my interest is the need for fresh wild material.

How is the role (and responsibility) of gardens and gardeners changing?

Most people live in artificial environments and are having less and less understanding and appreciation for the reality of the natural world.

Gardeners are a cultural bridge, teaching us why fruit is in season only once a year, the difference between a wasp and a bee, and so much more.

We are the connectors.

tbg lectures

What’s your most thrilling plant-hunting expedition?

Who’s Talking Kenton Seth

Formerly head of horticulture for Western Colorado Botanical Gardens, Kenton Seth travelled and fell in love with crevice gardens. His company, Paintbrush Gardens in Denver, installs non-irrigated and xeric landscapes that incorporate rock and crevice gardening. He blogs at kentonjseth.blogspot.ca.

Plant-hunting in the American West Thursday, February 16, 2017, 7:30 p.m.

Pre-lecture light dinner available from 5:30 p.m. Floral Hall doors open at 6:30 p.m.

TBG members FREE. Members bring a friend for $10. Public $15, students with valid ID $12.

My favourite memory is of spending an entire day searching for the elusive Utah Agave. Tired and giving up on my search, I was driving through the thick brush well past dark when the headlights of my truck suddenly disappeared into the black sky, and the shrubs appeared right in front of me. In the distance, a towering 4- to 5-metre tall seed stem came into view. After giving up my search, I was thrilled to stumble upon it.

What’s your proudest accomplishment?

Unirrigated landscapes. Paintbrush Gardens is the first company to offer this option in our dry climate. So many forward-thinking people had been desiring it, and this new offering has been a long time coming. It stands on the shoulders of generations of progressive-thinking horticulturists.

Plant-hunting in the American West Thursday, February 16, 2017, 7:30 p.m.

Kenton Seth Wildflower hunter Kenton Seth will explore the nature of plant-hunting and its role in horticulture. Learn how a wild plant growing next to a rock becomes a staple in nurseries and gardens.

What are the advantages of a crevice garden?

A fountain replicates a waterfall, a greenhouse replicates the tropics and a crevice garden replicates a mountain top. They’re the most rock-intensive style of rock gardens where plants are encouraged to grow in the tight cracks.

It’s novel and low maintenance.

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Issue 1, 2017

Clematis: The Genus of Diversity Thursday, March 9, 2017, 7:30 p.m.

Deborah Hardwick Deborah Hardwick has spent 15 years studying, collecting, growing and hybridizing clematis. In this lecture, she will highlight the vast diversity of clematis and dispense planting and cultural advice.

Mark your Calendar

Book Club Last Wednesday of every month, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Open to TBG and Book-Lovers members only. Discuss books with a gardening theme. To register, and for more information contact Jan Neuman at janneuman@ rogers.com or 416-656-8246. FREE. Library Story Time Mondays, 11:15 to 11:45 a.m.

Drop in for nature stories and songs.

January 23 through June 26. Ages 1 to 3. No registration required. FREE.

Seedy Saturday, February 25, is a great way to stock up on seeds.

Special Events

✄

PHOTO: Toronto Botanical GArden

Holiday Family Nature Walk Sunday, December 11, 2016 1 to 3 p.m. Enjoy a festive afternoon with the family strolling through the snow-covered gardens while looking for winter animals, then come inside for hot cocoa and winter stories.

Family of four: TBG Members $20, Public $30; Individual: TBG Members $5, Public $10. Register at torontobotanical garden.ca/learn/kids.

GET THE JUMP ON SPRING Saturday, February 18, 2017 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Open house with lectures, demonstrations and a floral design competition themed to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary.

30+ exhibits by horticultural societies and clubs! Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer your gardening questions. Sign up for a winter walking tour and visit the Farmers’ Market and Spring Book Sale.

Seedy Saturday Saturday, February 25, 2017 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Trade seeds with other gardeners in the seed exchange, stock up on seeds from local growers and attend seed-saving and gardening talks. FREE.

Earth Day Celebration Saturday, April 22, 2017 Noon to 4 p.m. Kick off the growing season with the TBG’s Family Earth Day Celebration.

Enjoy nature and garden-related crafting with DiscoverAbility, story time with the Toronto Public Library, planting and so much more! Stroller accessible.

No registration required.

FREE. ORGANIC FARMERS’ MARKET Thursdays, 2 to 7 p.m.

Fresh local veggies and greens all winter as well as meats, cheese, eggs, dried fruits and nuts, spices, syrup, jams, personal care products, snacks and more.

Weston Family Library Events

TBG Student Art Show January through April. An exhibition of works produced by students in TBG’s botanical art classes.

Spring Book Sale Saturday, February 18, 2017. during Get the Jump on Spring shop for pre-loved gardening books at great prices.

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Authors of Soul Garden Chapter Poetry Group Last Monday of each month, 6:30 to 8 p.m. A friendly group to share your poetry, get inspired and meet other writers. FREE. For more information and to register for your first meeting, contact Kirk Davis at kirk.davis@hotmail.com.

Garden Tours with Frank Kershaw

Great Gardens in Our Own Backyard Thursday May 25, 2017. From small and intimate to large estate properties, this day trip features unique gardens owned by experienced gardeners. Public $145; TBG Members $135.

Stouffville, Claremont and Uxbridge Area Thursday July 6, 2017. Experience this beautiful area with its long tradition of great gardens and artists’ studios. Public $140; TBG Members $130.

Bus transportation to and from the TBG and lunch are included. Book early at torontobotanicalgarden.ca/ explore/tours/garden-day-trips.

Issue 1, 2017

happenings: the event Get the Jump on Spring

classifieds

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

I LOVE GARDENS & TREES Since 1973

Certified Arborist, Horticulturist & Designer Arborist Reports. Landscape Assessments

Call or text Wesley:

(416)287-TREE(8733)

www.ilovegardens.ca Email: wesley@ilovegardens.ca Consulting, Design, Restoration, Planting Landscape Creations, Pruning Specialist

HNA Travels have your must-see gardens and shows for 2017: MARCH: Philadelphia Flower Show; APRIL: Gardens of Victoria and Vancouver Island; MAY: Philadelphia & the Dupont Gardens; Ottawa Tulip Festival; Discover CROATIA; JUNE: WAFA in Barbados; JULY: Quatre Vents & Reford, Quebec Garden Tour; AUGUST: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Chicago/Wisconsin; Contact: Margaret@hnatravels.com 416-746-7199 www.hnatravels.com

“I know where all the great neighbourhoods are.”

(O) 416.461.9900 (C) 416.540.2456 (F) 416.461.9270 www.ksummers.ca ROYAL LEPAGE URBAN REALTY* 840 PAPE AVENUE TORONTO, ON M4K 3T6

Urban Realty

Photos: Malcolm Geast

O

n Saturday, February 18, 2017, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., volunteers from the TBG and the Ontario Horticultural Association will present 30+ exhibits by horticultural societies, garden clubs and environmental organizations; 10 demonstrations and talks on a rich array of gardening topics; and a beautiful display of Floral Design Competition entries celebrating Canada’s 150th anniversary. Toronto Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions, and Head Gardener Sandra Pella will lead winter garden tours. Shopping is always an enjoyable part of this event: the Garden Shop will offer specials; home-and-garden vendors will fill the lobby; the Farmers’ Market will provide top-quality local products and the Weston Family Library will be running its spring book sale. The Jump Café and Coffee Bar will offer delicious treats and lunch.

Parking and admission are free. A donation of $2 secures an entry for hourly door-prize draws.

PATRONS

Honorary Patron: Adrienne Clarkson

Brian Bixley, Mark Cullen, Camilla Dalglish, Sondra Gotlieb, Marjorie Harris, Lorraine Johnson, Michele Landsberg, Susan Macaulay, Helen Skinner

BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Vaughn Miller. Tim Bermingham, Margaret Betts, Mark Bonham, Sara D’Elia, Paula Dill, Paul Dowsett, Denis Flanagan, Kaitlyn Furse, Ryan Glenn, Rebecca Golding, Allan Kling, Cathy Kozma, Michael McClelland, Penny Richards, Alexandra Risen, Gino Scapillati, Judy Shirriff, Irene Stokes, Cynthia Webb, Barbara Yager

About The Toronto Botanical Garden The Toronto Botanical Garden (TBG) is a volunteer-based, charitable organization whose purpose is to inspire passion, respect and understanding of gardening, horticulture, the natural landscape and a healthy environment. The TBG raises 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.

SIGN UP FOR GARDEN ENEWS!

Receive the latest horticultural news and information on events, workshops, lectures and other horticultural happenings. Free registration at torontobotanicalgarden.ca

GENERAL HOURS AND ADMISSION

Gardens: Free admission, dawn to dusk Administrative Offices: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Weston Family Library: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday & Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Open on TBG Lecture nights Garden Shop: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily CafÉ: 9 a.m. to dusk, May to October 31.

Master Gardeners: Visit torontomastergardeners.ca for information and to Ask A Master Gardener; Advice Clinics at the TBG Farmers’ Market, Thursdays 2 to 4:30 p.m. (Winter) and 2 to 7 p.m. (Spring through Fall) Info Line 416-397-1357 Membership: $45 single, $65 family. Call 416-397-1483 or sign up online at torontobotanicalgarden.ca/join

STAFF DIRECTORY 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 Accountant, Nadesu Manikkavasagam accounting@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1352 Database & Technology Administrator Paul Galvez database@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1371 Market Coordinator, Simon Bedford-James 416-397-1354/1359 Marketing & Communications Department Marketing & Communications Director Jenny Rhodenizer communication@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1351 Trellis Editor editor@torontobotanicalgarden.ca Development Department Director of Development, Claudia Zuccato Ria development@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1372 Membership & Development Officer, Sharon Rashid annualgiving@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1483 Special Events Supervisor, Christine Lawrance spevents@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1321 Rentals & Events Department Rentals Supervisor, Patricia Chevers rentals@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1324 Rental Sales Coordinator, Katie Pfisterer rentalsales@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1349 Rentals Accountant, Jody Hitchcock rentalaccounting@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1359 Rentals Assistant, Warda Jahazi

goTo

Horticulture Department Nancy Eaton Director of Horticulture Paul Zammit horticulture@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1358 Head Gardener, Sandra Pella gardener@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1316 Taxonomic Assistant, Toni Vella taxonomy@torontobotanicalgarden.ca Garden Shop Brenda Neczhar, Martha McKee, Joanna Joyet shop@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1357 Head, Volunteer Services Sue Hills tourguides@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-4145 Maintenance Maintenance Manager, André Hinds Maintenance Officers: Alvin Allen, Renata Farkas, Jonas Kweku-Teye maintenance@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1344

to learn about the TBG!

By TTC: From Eglinton subway station take the 51, 54 or 54A bus to Lawrence Avenue East and Leslie Street. The TBG is on the southwest corner.

Find us on...

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Weston Family Library Knowledge Resources Manager, Mark Stewart librarian@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1375

torontobotanicalgarden.ca

777 Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario M3C 1P2, Canada 416-397-1341; fax: 416-397-1354 • info@torontobotanicalgarden.ca torontobotanicalgarden.ca • @TBG_Canada

torontobotanicalgarden.ca

Education Department Director of Education, Colleen Cirillo education@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1355 Children’s Education Supervisor, Community Programs, Broti Kar tbgkids@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-5209 Children’s Education Supervisor, School Programs, Rebecca Niblett childrensed@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1288 Adult Education Coordinator, Maggie Janik adulted@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-1362 Tour Guide Coordinator, Sue Hills tourguides@torontobotanicalgarden.ca 416-397-4145

Issue 1, 2017

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