Trellis magazine - Summer 2021 by Toronto Botanical Garden

Summer 2019 •• Vol 47 Summer 50 program2021 Guide Vol Inside

TRIAL GARDENS | WATERING OPTIONS | EDIBLE FLOWERS

torontobotanicalgarden.ca

summer 2021

Shamrock Rose Lantana See TBG Trial Gardens, page 20

inside

Cover photo: Dalaya Pink & Lemon Dahlia And opposite page: Ball Horticultural Company. This page: Pixel

S u m m e r 2 02 1 • Vo l 5 0

See Irrigation Systems, page 16

[4] FROM THE TBG

David McIsaac reflects on his time at the TBG [5] THE EXPANSION Inclusive vision for TBG’s future. Flexibility will be key [6] TBG NEWS New Staff, Photo Contest, Library Curbside Pickup [7] ALL THE DIRT Meet Sasan Beni, TBG Seasonal Gardener

[8] HARRY JONGERDEN

RETIRES But he is not saying good bye [12] INVASIVE PLANTS IN THE RAVINE Native alternatives to Dog-strangling Vine [16] IRRIGATION SYSTEMS Best options for your garden and your budget [18] SEASONAL TIPS Adjust your summer watering schedule

[20] TBG TRIAL GARDENS

Vote for your favourite blooms this summer [26] BOOK SHELF Four timely reads to inspire gardeners of all ages [29] HERB GARDEN Fragrant Indian Mint blooms from spring through summer [30] FOOD GARDEN Often used to decorate tables, many flowers are also edible

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[32] HOUSEPLANT PROFILE Prayer Plant perfect for a humid room [33] WILD IN THE CIITY Coyotes and Foxes—We have a role in their survival [36] TREAT YOURSELF New Bloom Café is open daily [38] PEOPLE, PLACES & PLANTS New TBG Board of Directors [40] CRAFT CORNER DIY Floral Bath Bombs

fro m t h e TB G

This marks my final Trellis message as CEO of TBG. Almost two and a half years ago I joined TBG as a consultant to help navigate through the financial difficulties that it was facing at that time. It soon became clear that there were extensive financial and operational issues that needed to be addressed, and so I was asked by the board to continue for a two-year term as CEO—ending in September 2021—to guide TBG through these challenges and to help position the organization for success ahead of the launch of the Garden Expansion. As we approach September, I look back at my time at TBG as a period of learning, growth and transition, both for myself and the organization. 2019 was a difficult year financially, as we worked together to eradicate the large deficit of 2018. We negotiated with suppliers and implemented more efficient processes, policies and financial controls and planning. Later in the year, as we were able to demonstrate our financial accountability and stability, we retained the trust of our donors, and received generous donations which helped TBG resolve our difficulties in 2019 and positioned us for financial health going into 2020. Unfortunately, our high hopes for 2020 were derailed by the pandemic early in the year, and we were required to reassess how we could continue to remain financially self-sufficient, with almost all of our revenue streams

shut down. This was a challenging time, but the changes that we’ve implemented, such as our increased online retail presence and IT upgrade project, generously funded by a grant, should serve TBG well into the future, allowing for an expanded online presence and diversified revenue streams with the technical resources needed to support them. We have also used the pandemic as an opportunity to bring the board and staff together to assess the strategic priorities of TBG and to establish a shared vision across the organization. During my time at TBG, I have had the pleasure of working with our volunteer board and I would like to thank the outgoing directors for the time they have given to TBG during their tenure. I would particularly like to acknowledge the contributions of Gino Scapillati and Cynthia Webb, and the energy and efforts they have given TBG. I have observed and experienced the passion of TBG’s members and the deep commitment that they have to the garden. I am confident that TBG will realize its great potential as a hub of plant-centred learning, conservation, and research for the people of Toronto. I wish the new board, and TBG staff and membership, all the best and the utmost success into the future.

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David McIsaac, CEO ceo@torontobotanicalgarden.ca

Summer 2021

Photo: Jenny Rhodenizer

CEO David McIsaac Reflects on his time at the TBG

Expansion Dynamic duo presents inclusive vision for TBG’s future By Lorraine Hunter

eople have changed the way they use outdoor spaces over the past year and this will be a major factor in the design for the TBG’s expansion into Edwards Gardens. The pandemic has influenced the use of public parks and gardens, say the principals of PMA Landscape Architects, the firm chosen to lead the project. Fung Lee and Leslie Morton are currently researching and incorporating the visions of various stakeholders including the TBG Board, staff, members, volunteers and donors, along with their own views to make it truly a unique, Torontocentric botanical garden. “We know it will attract people from a broader region beyond the TBG, but more importantly, it must generate repeat business from the local community,” says Lee. “It needs to be inclusive for everybody to explore and celebrate Toronto.” Both women stressed the need for a design that integrates an holistic approach without over designing everything. Flexibility will be key.

“People use parks for the day, not just for a single use like to play a game of tennis. Our public spaces are especially valued with the growing density of Toronto. Outdoor spaces are sought out,” emphasized Morton. “Public ownership of the parks is even more pronounced with the growth of groups like Parks People and Evergreen Brickworks,” said Lee. “We need to make it so that everyone can be in the garden but they can find their own private space within it.” And, especially important: “We want to affirm the TBG as the only publicly accessible botanical garden in Canada,” said Morton. Flexibility will be key. People use public gardens and parks later in the fall and earlier in the spring, she added. “They have become critical to our existence. Gardens are therapeutic, providing exposure to nature and sunlight. Biophilia—affinity with the natural world—is so important.” To incorporate all of this PMA has put together “a bucket of consultants” who make up specific sub-teams

The PMA team that will be working on the TBG expansion includes, from left: Alica Meza, Project Coordinator & Landscape Designer; Myles Mackenzie, Project Landscape Architect; and Principals Fung Lee and Leslie Morton.

to cover everything from the land’s Indigenous and farming heritage to appropriate plantings to the arts, the city’s growing and diverse population, way finding, story telling, food services, lighting and more. PMA headed the TBG’s revitalization project in 2005 and participated in the original 2014 proposal to expand the garden. Lee and Morton are “thrilled” to be heading the expansion. “The TBG has a special place in our hearts,” says Lee. Other PMA projects include St. James and Ramsden parks downtown, Colonel Sam Smith Skating Trail in Etobicoke, and a sculpture walk through the grounds of McMichael Gallery, in Kleinberg, incorporating art into the larger landscape. The pair foresees partnering with other organizations to produce revenuegenerating programming and events. “They draw people,” said Morton. “We have seen this happen at other botanical gardens such as New York where tickets sell out for public art events.” The garden expansion will be done in stages and the garden will stay open during construction. “We hope to start Phase One in the spring of 2022 and that it will be completed by late spring 2023,” said Morton.

TBG News

Welcome to New Staff Members

Doug Wilson

Julie Kent

Megan Blacquiere

Doug Wilson, newly hired Project Manager for the Expansion into Edward Gardens, comes to the TBG with an impressive background of design and construction management for several premier Canadian institutions. Doug’s engineering prowess began in high school when he won the top engineering and overall prize at a Canada-wide Science Fair for his concept of a world powered by carbohydrates made by ‘artificial leaves’ on flat roofed buildings and ‘tubular artificial leaves’ on skyscrapers. He spent five years designing and constructing more than 80 Canadian Tire stores, went on to become Facility Manager/Designer for the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, “working with some of the oldest buildings in Ontario to make them energy efficient and fully accessible” and spent over a dozen years designing buildings and managing various facilities for the federal government. This included reconstruction of the Whitby, Ontario Harbour. One of his favourite projects with the design firm Yabu Pushelberg was as Head Design and Construction Project Manager for the Holt Renfrew stores in Ste. Foy, Quebec and Yorkdale Shopping Centre, in Toronto.

Welcome to Julie Kent, new Library Services Manager for the Weston Family Library. Julie’s librarian career has taken her across Canada, from coast to coast, contributing to academic and public libraries for more than ten years. Julie is committed to empowering people of all ages by providing them with access to information that helps them to pursue their interests or studies. She is an abstract artist, an avid mountain biker and a long-distance cross-country skier. Her 11-yearold German Shorthaired Pointer keeps her company on hikes through Ontario’s parks and trail systems.

Megan Blacquiere brings more than 10 years of practical work experience and a diploma in conservation and restoration ecology to the TBG seasonal gardening staff. She has worked with various institutions including Evergreen Brickworks and Archaeological Services Incorporated. Megan has honed her skills in plant identification, cultivating, invasive species management, soil preparation and transplanting. She is working closely with TBG Seasonal Gardeners Dean Ruhnke and Sasan Beni and the TBG’s dedicated team of garden volunteers.

Library Services Manager

Seasonal Gardener

TTGG Postponed Until 2022 I know that many of you were looking forward to the Through the Garden Gate video that was planned as a substitute for an in-person tour. Unfortunately, in the

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end, we could not meet the cost of doing this during a very challenging pandemic year. We are disappointed, of course, but we can now look forward to next year (June 2022) when we will be able to do the in-person tour of Wychwood that was originally imagined. I promise you that it will be worth the wait! Thanks to our sponsor Cullen’s Foods, which has signed on for next year. –Carol Gardner, TTGG Chair

Summer 2021

Photo: Andre Tardif

Expansion Project Manager

All the Dirt

BEST SUMMER IN THE GARDEN

Digital Photo Contest

Send us your “Best Summer in the Garden” photos for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to CF Shops at Don Mills! We are looking for striking digital images capturing the summer garden in two categories: • Summer images at the Toronto Botanical Garden or Edwards Gardens • Summer images of you/friends or family in the act of gardening or connecting with nature All photo submissions must be received by August 31, 2021 and all winners will be contacted by email. Please email photos to photocontest @torontobotanicalgarden.ca. For more details and contest rules visit www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca /photocontest Curbside pick up at the Weston Family Library

Toronto Botanical Garden and Book Lover members continue to have full access to the library’s online catalogue to place holds on materials for pickup. The service also includes the opportunity to return borrowed items. Find details about how you can place items on hold for curbside pickup and return borrowed materials on the Weston Family Library webpage. (www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca)

Meet Sasan Beni

Being in the garden everyday keeps him sane

t took TBG seasonal gardener Sasan Beni (known simply as Beni to his friends) longer to get into gardening, than most professional gardeners. Beni spent several years concentrating on writing and literature before deciding on a major career change. At 30 he went back to school to study Environmental Landscape Management at Seneca College. “My idea was to become a park ranger but I found work with soft scaping and plants which led to a job at the Metro Toronto Zoo. Last year I came to the TBG,” he said. Born in Iran, Beni came to Canada with his family at the age of nine and has lived in Ottawa and Toronto. He spends much of his spare time in the city’s parks and ravines and calls on his combined loves of nature and writing to pen stories on wildlife in the city for Trellis. Beni enjoys working with fellow seasonal gardeners Dean Ruhnke and Megan Blacquiere and the many TBG volunteers. “Most have been coming for years. They are like family with a great sense of belonging and pride. The job is extremely educational for me. There is so much to learn from Dean and the volunteers.

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I often have questions for them. Some have been gardening longer than I have been alive.” An instructor at Seneca fostered Beni’s interest in birdwatching and keeping track of them. He is very active on social media and constantly refers to books and computer apps about birds and animals in the gardens and the ravines. He would like to be involved with signage about wildlife in the TBG gardens. “I see people react to wildlife such as foxes and coyotes and would like to introduce them to the animals that live in the ravine and come into the gardens. If people can be educated about the different species, they won’t be so intimidated,” he says. Coming back to the gardens this spring was gratifying for Beni. “It was rewarding to see the fruits of our labour from last year including the areas we cleared and the thousand bulbs we planted last fall coming into flower.” Beni looks forward to coming to work in the garden each day. “The world is in such chaos,” he says. “Being in the garden every day, out in nature, is very cleansing. It keeps me sane.”

Summer 2021

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I expected to have mixed feelings. But, I didn’t. I felt great,” he recalls. “I was excited about joining the board and that I was not really saying goodbye.

Photo: paul Chmielowiec

”

h a r r y

Jongerden Retires But he’s not saying goodbye anytime soon By Lorraine Hunter After eight years—five as Executive Director and three as Garden Director in charge of the TBG’s Expansion into Edward Gardens—Harry was elected to the organization’s Board of Directors at the AGM in June. “When I went into the office to pack up, I expected to have mixed feelings. But, I didn’t. I felt great,” he recalls. “I was excited about joining the board and that I was not really saying good bye.” Harry is most proud of helping to develop the TBG vision to grow and become a significant botanical garden. It was Harry who saw the potential to expand the TBG’s four-acres into a botanical garden that would encompass the 35 acres comprising Edwards Gardens. During the many negotiations with the City of Toronto and other involved groups, Harry continued to oversee the everyday details of managing a botanical garden, until three years ago, when he became Garden Director, concentrating all his efforts on the successful implementation of his plan. The dream is now well on the way to becoming a reality, with Phase 1 construction scheduled to begin next year. torontobotanicalgarden.ca

Summer 2021

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When we have a larger footprint we will be able to do more wonderful events.

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Working with the City of Toronto has brought Harry back to his roots. He started his career with the Toronto Parks Department as Head Gardener at the Toronto Islands and the Canadian National Exhibition. He then spent eight years as Head Gardener at the Stratford Shakespearean Theatre before moving to the Royal Botanical Gardens, in Hamilton, first as Garden Designer/ Horticulturist and then as Head of Horticulture. His last post before joining the TBG was as Garden Director at VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver. In 2019, Harry received the Garden Person Award at the Canadian Garden Tourism Awards, for his work at the gardens he embraced. He is the author of This Other Eden: The Gardens of the Stratford Festival of Canada and is Chair of the Awards Committee, American Public Gardens Association as well as Chair of the Ontario Garden Council. Harry in the pumpkin patch.

the Aster Awards and the Toronto Life Garden Party. They all build revenue. Attendees visit the shop, they come back and rent space for their own events. The more people you attract to the place the more the word will spread.” Often asked why the TBG does not charge admission, he explains that it was a condition that came with the property. Rupert Edwards deeded Edwards Gardens to the city for $150,000 with the stipulation that it was for as long as it is a free park. At that time in 1955 the property was estimated to be worth $400,000. In a survey of some 30 botanical gardens across North America, Harry concluded that the average yearly income from admission fees was 14 per cent. And most had free parking. The TBG made about 10 per cent on parking fees which were instituted last year for non-members. Harry sees free entry to the park as a plus rather than a detriment. “We are the most inclusive garden because the entry fee is no barrier. We’re free.” He sees the need for the board to be “open and transparent with the membership and with the public. I am really is pleased with the makeup of the new slate which brings a broad range of skills and backgrounds to the board. It’s a good start. I am very optimistic.”

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Summer 2021

Photos: This Page: paul Chmielowiec, Opposite Page Women to Women: Tom Sandler

Harry is also proud that in the five years he was Executive Director, “we were able to balance the budget— that went from $1.6 million to $2.4 million in that time— and maintain stability,” he says. Harry decided to join the board because he enjoyed the sense of freedom he felt working mainly from home during COVID. “That taste of freedom made me want more. Also, I turned 68 in May and it seemed like time to retire. But I still felt the need to be on hand to help guide the expansion process. I expect to be putting in lots of hours, but on my time.” Or, as his wife Verna might put it, “So now you’ll be just as involved with the TBG as ever, but for free!” Looking forward, Harry says that “it is very important that we move ahead positively and not deal in the recent past.” Keeping financially stable is still a challenge. “The COVID support money will soon be gone. Rental revenues are not back yet. We are not out of the woods.” The transition before the board, he says, is scary. “We have to work hard at rebuilding the organization. I have enough experience to know that you can’t just count on garden lovers to visit your garden. To attract a broader audience, you need events and creative programming such as holiday light shows to be successful. “We have had some wonderful events (prior to the pandemic) and when we have the larger foot print, we will be able to do more events like the Blossom Party, ZimSculpt,

Harry enjoyed many fundraisers including the TBG’s most floriferous annual garden party, Woman to Woman. The 2017 event was hosted by CBC News Reporter Tashauna Reid seen above with Harry.

“ ”

I am very optimistic.

Harry tests the new ‘Botanical Bike’ used at many events for carrying literature, plants and drinks.

TBG’s inaugural Aster Awards in 2013 celebrated three extraordinary individuals whose work inspired us to connect with nature—Scott MacIvor, Janet Rosenberg and Edward Burtynsky, here with Harry Jongerden.

Invasive Plants in the Ravine DSV seed pods.

Flower of pale swallowwort (Vincetoxicum rossicum)

Photos: Peter Heinz, Katherine Baird, Étienne Lacroix-Carignan, Glenn Berry, Suzanne Hale

Ecologist Katherine Baird proposes sustainable native alternatives to Dog-strangling Vine

Flower of Black swallowwort (Vincetoxicum nigrum)

Invasive dog-strangling vine invading forest edge in Wilket Creek Ravine.

ne of the most aggressive invasive plants in the Wilket Creek ravine is dogstrangling vine. During surveys of the ravine, 58 invasive non-native plants were identified, with an additional 38 on invasive watch lists. Often abbreviated to DSV, this invasive is also known as swallowwort, and includes two species: • Pale swallowwort (Vincetoxicum rossicum) • Black swallowwort (Vincetoxicum nigrum)

What are invasive plants? Invasive plants are non-native species that escape cultivation and invade natural areas, negatively impacting the environment. torontobotanicalgarden.ca

Summer 2021

What should I do if dogstrangling vine is in my garden?

How did they get in the ravine? DSV arrived in Toronto

from Eastern Europe and Asia in the 1800s as ornamental plants. Now a ‘restricted species’ in Ontario, it is illegal to import, deposit, release, breed/grow, buy, sell, lease or trade plants. Despite regulations, DSV continues to spread from established patches through wind dispersed seeds and root fragments. In fact, DSV can produce up to 28,000 seeds per square metre. What do they look like? DSV is

a perennial herbaceous twining vine in the milkweed family (Asclepiadaceae). It has opposite tear-drop or lance shaped leaves with smooth edges, pale to dark purplish five-part flowers late June to July, and slender seed pods that open in late summer to expose

DSV smothers other plants in Wilket Creek Ravine.

feathery tufted seeds dispersed by wind. DSV reaches up to 2 m long and is often seen twining (coiling) around trees, shrubs, ground flora or even itself to form a dense thicket. How do they differ from native milkweeds? As seedlings,

DSV may resemble native milkweeds, but they are only distantly related. Unlike DSV, native milkweed species grow upright and erect, and do not twine (coil) like DSV. Native milkweeds also play an important role in supporting native wildlife such as Monarchs that depend on native milkweeds as a host plant.

It is important to learn to identify DSV and ensure it is removed early on before it becomes established. Long distance spread of wind dispersed seeds, extensive roots and resprouting ability make DSV difficult to control. Removal can be done by digging (rather than pulling) to remove the entire root to prevent resprouting, or through solarization. If you are unable to remove the entire plant, repeated cutting to prevent seeding is essential to reduce spread. DSV material should be sealed in garbage bags and disposed of in the landfill – not composted. To learn more about controlling DSV, reference Ontario Invasive Plant Council best management practices: https:// www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/ resources/best-managementpractices/ Alternative options:

There are a number of beautiful native milkweeds, which we can plant to provide Monarchs with their host plant, rather than DSV. These include the following plants native to southern Ontario: • Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) – clumping • Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) – clumping • Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) • Whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata)

Footnotes: 1 Credit Valley Conservation. 2012. A Landowner’s Guide to Managing and Controlling Invasive Plants. Retrieved from https://cvc.ca/ wp-content/uploads/2012/09/cvc-appendix-landowners-guide-to-invasives.pdf 2 Anderson, Hayley. 2012. Invasive Dog-strangling Vine (Vincetoxicum rossicum) Best Management Practices in Ontario. Ontario Invasive Plant Council, Peterborough, ON. 3 Di Tommaso, A., F. Lawlor, and S.J. Darbyshire. 2004. The Biology of Invasive Alien Plants in Canada. 2. Cynanchum rossicum (Kleopow) Borhidi [=Vincetoxicum rossicum (Kleopow) Barbar.] and Cynanchum louiseae (L.) Kartesz & Gandhi [=Vincetoxicum nigrum (L.) Moench]. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, pages 243-263. 4 Casagrande, R.A., and Dacey, J.E. 2007. Monarch butterfly oviposition on swallow-worts (Vincetoxicum spp.). Environ. Entomol. 36: 631-636.

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Summer 2021

Photos: Katherine Baird, Peter Heinz, Glenn Berry, Suzanne Hale, Jacob Friend, Henggary Cui

What impacts do they have?

DSV is identified as a Category 1 invasive species, having serious negative impacts on natural areas by creating dense monocultures to the exclusion of native species (CVC 20121). DSV is allelopathic, meaning it releases chemicals to inhibit the growth of other plants (Anderson 20122). DSV also degrades wildlife habitat, inhibits native tree regeneration, and threatens species at risk (Anderson 20122); (DiTommaso et al. 20043). Monarch butterflies can mistakenly lay eggs on dog-strangling vine, instead of their true host plants (native milkweeds), killing larvae (Casagrande & Dacey 20074).

Native Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Native Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Native Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata)

Monarch caterpillar on native milkweed.

Native Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Irrigation Systems

How to choose the best options for your garden & your budget By Leanne Burkholder

Know your soil. In parts of Toronto, the soil is clay; it is sandy in other areas. If you overwater in clay soil, the water may pool, and the plant roots may choke. In sandy soils, you will have the opposite problem. Amending the soil as much as possible can help balance soil conditions and manage water needs. Using an organic mulch in your garden can help too—not only does it help prevent weeds; it can also help retain moisture. So, you’ve picked the right plants for your conditions, you’ve amended the soil as much as possible, and you’ve mulched. But because our summers are hotter and dryer, or you want to limit your maintenance, should you consider getting an irrigation system?

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The short answer is to decide what is right for you, your garden and your budget. (Note: There are landscape design firms that will not install plants without an irrigation system as part of their plant guarantee.)

The Options If your space is small or you have a low budget, using a portable sprinkler is a good choice. Installing a soaker hose for specific garden beds may also be an option. Both can be purchased with timers and you have the flexibility to determine the amount of watering depending on your garden needs. Rain barrels can help save money on water usage.

Summer 2021

Photos: Pixel, Landscape Ontario, Leanne Burkholder

s a landscape designer, I am often asked about watering by my clients—when? how much? how often? And, should I get an irrigation system? The challenges with watering are higher today. Our summers are hotter and drier. What may have worked in the past may not work now. At the same time, people are busy and want lower maintenance gardens. The right plants. Before you go to the expense of installing an irrigation system, first choose the right plants for the right place in your garden. If you have a hot, sunny south-facing garden—choose plants that love that type of location. Examples include lavender, coneflowers, succulents, most grasses. These plants prefer hot, dry conditions and have similar water needs. Mixing in an Annabelle hydrangea, which needs consistently moist soil, may not be the best choice in this type of garden. Consider the stage of your plants. Plants need consistent watering when they are establishing, typically during the first two months, depending on the plant. Watering should be done regularly at intervals so that the soil is consistently moist (it crumbles in your hand). If the plants prefer drier conditions, then less watering is needed. Remember: well-established plants don’t need as much watering except during long, hot dry periods. Note that it is best to water as early as possible in the day as it is cooler, and water won’t evaporate as quickly.

Pop-up sprinkler

Drip irrigation

Sprinkler heads: One of the first

Consult an Expert: If you want to

install an irrigation system, it is best to talk to irrigation experts, whether you are installing your own system, or having a professional install. Irrigation systems today are sophisticated and come with many different options, so it is important to do your research and get quotes for comparison purposes. Don’t forget to ask your installer about certifications, maintenance, warranties and insurance. And call before you dig! https://www.ontarioonecall.ca/ Key considerations in irrigation design are the amount of water pressure, water flow rate, frequency of watering, timing, type of soil and the geography of your lot (whether it is flat or sloped).

decisions to make is what type of sprinkler head to choose. The number, height and type of sprinkler heads is determined by the size of your space and type of garden. Working with a professional can help you determine the right number and type for you. Here are some examples: • Pop up – these are activated at the designated watering time • Fixed spray heads – the most common type, fans out water over a certain area • Rotary – typically used for lawns, these heads spray water in a circle pattern; these can be designed to fit certain spaces • Mist – these spray heads disperse a mist in the garden, the main purpose is to keep moisture levels even.

Drip irrigation: This is a system where tubing underneath the ground allows water to drip slowly at the root level which means less water is lost at the surface. The flow and level of water is calibrated. Drip irrigation is a good choice for perennial beds and plant containers. Tree bags, rings and diapers are essentially forms of drip irrigation; they are a great method to provide

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consistent watering to establishing trees and shrubs You can have more than one type of irrigation method. For instance, you may have rotating sprinkler heads for your lawns and a drip irrigation system in your shrub and perennial beds. Irrigation systems come with a control panel that allows you to set the watering program you need. You can set the time, day and length of watering. Of course, like everything these days many systems can be controlled through an app on your phone, giving you the flexibility to change your watering program when you are away. To avoid over or under watering, is important that your watering program is specifically calibrated for your particular garden needs. Costs of irrigation systems:

Factors include lot size, the number and type of sprinkler heads, whether you include drip irrigation, and how much water you use. As an example, in 2020 one of my clients installed an irrigation system. It covered 670 acres, included a control panel (programmable with a phone app), drip system for hedges and perennial beds as well as six sprinkler heads for the lawn. The total cost was $2,500. For more information on irrigation companies, check out Landscape Ontario https://horttrades.com/ Homestars https://homestars.com/ is also a good source to see customer reviews on installers. Leanne Burkholder, of outdoorspacesby lmb.com, is a self-employed residential landscape designer in North Toronto.

Summer 2021

Seasonal Tips Adjust your watering schedule as summer heats up By Dean Ruhnke TBG Seasonal Gardener

• Always check the soil before you think you may need to water. Wilting plants could be occurring due to stomata closing in heat, not lack of water. Check after watering to ensure enough is applied. A scratch test works with your index finger. You want saturated soil down to the big knuckle, about 2.5 centimetres (1 inch). • If you have an irrigation system installed, as the days of summer get warmer in July and August, it’s time to turn up the frequency of days watering and how long each area is watered.

• Transition from one day of watering in spring to three days in the summer for established gardens. Spring running time was probably 10 minutes or less. For summer increase it to 20 to 30 minutes per area. • Running time for individual zones varies depending on plant material and sun exposure. So, you may have to adjust zones individually to different running times. Full sun will need longer time than areas in shade cast by buildings. Shade by trees, which allow some sunlight, will require more water. • Depending on the weather in September,

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you can start decreasing zone running times and the number of watering days per week as the sun is getting lower in the sky, casting longer shadows and is not nearly as hot. • When using a hose and sprinkler, you may have to start watering in June once in while, but come July and August, once a week for 1.5 to two hours rotating or moving the sprinkler to new areas should be enough. Make sure you have complete coverage and no dry spots. Again, come mid September cut down on watering.

Summer 2021

Photo; Pixabay

As we move into the dog days of summer it’s time to start thinking about adjusting your irrigation system or pulling out the hose and sprinkler. Summer drought is the most stressful time of year for trees and turf grass, so make sure they receive their share of moisture. Irrigating for fewer days but longer time is the best way to help your plants become more drought and winter hardy by encouraging their roots deeper into the soil to go looking for water. Studies are showing that both turf grass and trees secrete carbon dioxide (CO2) almost equally; keeping them stress free and happy is the key. Lastly, and perhaps most important, you should notice a difference on your water bill by environmentally conserving water. Here are some irrigation tips to help keep your plants and gardens thriving and your enjoyment high while keeping unwanted growth away and lessening the chances of pests and diseases. This is roughly the irrigation schedule we follow at Toronto Botanical Garden:

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Summer 2021

Marvel 11 Gold African Marigold

TBG Trial Gardens

Photos: Flowers, Ball Horticultural Company; Gardens, Paul Gellatly

Vote for Your Favourite Blooms this Summer By Veronica Sliva

ouldn’t it be a treat if as a home gardener, you could visit a trial garden in a ‘real’ garden setting, and throughout the season check-in from time to time to see how these new introductions are coming along?

This season you will be able to do just that. And you can have your say and vote on your favourite plants too, thanks to a new and exciting partnership between the Toronto Botanical Garden and Ball Horticultural Company. torontobotanicalgarden.ca

Summer 2021

Wasabi Coleus

Beacon Rose Impatiens

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Over 65 plant varieties will be showcased in cuttingedge designs in the gardens.

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Plants go through years of breeding and testing before they end up for sale in garden centres. Before a plant variety goes to market breeders grow their introductions in trial gardens where information about a plant’s performance is gathered and analyzed to make sure it can thrive in our home gardens.

An Exciting New Partnership

rial gardens are usually located on the grounds of universities or at a plant breeder’s property. You typically see plants, not in a garden setting, but row on row grown either in the ground or in pots. The judges who evaluate the plants are usually industry personnel and not consumers. This summer, however, you will have a chance to register your preferences.

Spearheaded by Ball’s Tanya Carvalho, Territory Manager for Canada and Horticultural Specialist, A Blooms Story: From Breeder to Trial is an event that brings a trial garden like no other to the TBG. It involves a huge installation of recent plant introductions with some not even available yet. Over 65 plant varieties will be showcased in cutting-edge designs in the gardens. “We are looking forward to getting feedback from consumers and what they are looking for. By the end of June signage will be up and the voting mechanism for visitors to vote on their favourites will be in place,” says Carvalho. Three main areas near the greenhouse (in front of it and on both sides) have been chosen as the focus for the trials. Each garden area is designed to feature exciting new introductions in bold combinations of colour and texture. Some areas will showcase plants for shady or sunny conditions or to attract pollinators. Whatever style of gardening you favour, you are sure to be inspired by this very special event and will want to visit often to track your favourite ‘plants’ progress.

Canadian Grown ll the plants are Canadian grown with the seed beginning its journey at George Sant and Sons Greenhouses in Bolton, Ontario. Occupying eight acres of heated greenhouses on 85 acres of farmland, this fourth-generation farm is one of the largest suppliers of annual plugs and cuttings in Canada. The TBG’s gardeners began planting the installations in late May.

The Plants on Trial The installations are comprised of over 65 carefully selected varieties to be located in three main areas near the greenhouse. Here’s a sneak preview of what you can expect to find:

1 Flame Thrower Salsa Verde Coleus

Salvia: Black & Bloom

2 3

Limewire Coleus

Archangel White Angelonia

1. First garden on the left as you enter the trial area

• Salvia: Black & Bloom • Coleus: LimeWire, Copperhead, Vulcan, Spitfire

2. Second garden on left across from the greenhouse Bee’s Knees Petunia

• Salvia: Roman Red, Orange Flare, Peach, Rose, White • Petunia: Bee’s Knees • Coleus: Flame Thrower Salsa Verde

Main Stage Glacier Sky Petunia

3. Third garden on the left across from the greenhouse

• Angelonia: Archangel, Blue Bicolour, Dark Purple, White • Petunia: Main Stage Glacier Sky • Verbena: Beats White

4. Fourth garden on the left: (shade garden) Roman Red Salvia

• Impatiens: Beacon Rose, White, Salmon torontobotanicalgarden.ca

Beats White Verbena Summer 2021

8 7

5 5. Fifth garden in front of the greenhouse Dahlias All-Day

6. Sixth Garden near the entrance to Victory Garden area: • Marigolds

• Venti™ Dahlias: Tequila Sunrise, Passion Fruit, Light Rose, Royal Purple, Pink + White Eye • Dalaya® Dahlias: Purple + White, Pink + Lemon, Yellow + Red Eye, Pink + Yellow Eye, Raspberry • City Lights™ Dahlias: Neon, Orange • Dahlietta® Dahlias: Louise, Patty

7. Victory Garden Area Each metal ring is filed with a single variety of coleus.

• Coleus: French Quarter, Trusty Rusty, RedHead, Vino, Wasabi, Campfire, Coleosaurus, Dragon Heart, Electric Lime, Henna, Indian Summer, Inferno, Pinkplosion, Heartbreaker, Ruby Punch, Ruby Slipper, Vulcan

8. Raised Beds:

• Ipomoea: Solar Tower, Black and Lime • Thunbergia: Sunny Orange Wonder, Sunny Yellow Lemon Star • Calibrachoa Cha Cha: Deep Blue, Diva Apricot, Diva Hot Pink, Frosty Lemon • Impatiens Big Bounce: Cherry and Lavender, White and Lilac

Dalaya White & Purple Dahlia

City Lights Orange Dahlia

Marigold 11 Gold African Marigold

Dalaya Pink & Lemon Dahlia

Dahlietta Louise Dahlia

Solar Tower Black & Lime Impomoea

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Sunny Lemon Star Thunbergia

Cha-cha Diva Apricot Calibrachoa

Big Bounce Cherry Interspecific Impatiens torontobotanicalgarden.ca

Campfire Coleus

Summer 2021

Book shelf

Four timely reads to inspire gardeners of all ages

Reviewed by Lorraine Hunter

“A garden filled with fragrant plants creates a complex aromatic blend that becomes the garden’s own signature perfume.” What gardener could resist such a promise? The Aromatherapy Garden – Growing Fragrant Plants for Happiness and Well-Being tells you just about everything you ever wanted to know about fragrance in the garden. Author Kathi Keville, an aromatherapist and herbalist, grows nearly 500 species of medicinal herbs and fragrant plants at her Green Medicine Herb School in Nevada City, California. Keville goes into detail about which plant fragrances evoke specific feelings and emotions. Peonies and roses, for example, are mood boosters and can even increase innovative thinking and productivity in the workplace. Herb-like scents help protect the body from the negative impact of stress. The ‘green’ scents of fennel, oregano and marjoram improve feelings of general well-being. German chamomile, gardenia and lemon grass are calming and encourage relaxation and sleep. The fragrance of lilac makes one happy and reminiscent but can also be associated with melancholy memories and loss.

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Photos: Timber Press, Friesen Press

The Aromatherapy Garden

Growing Fragrant Plants for Happiness and Well-Being

The author touches on fragrant aphrodisiacs noting that men and women are often attracted to different scents— women to cucumber and chocolate (think chocolatescented clematis, geranium and peppermint) and men to anise, hyssop, fennel and pumpkin pie spice! We all, it seems, like the scents of licorice and lavender. Keville suggests planting several of these in the same area to create an aphrodisiac-themed garden. She describes a number of plant combinations. For example, you can create a succession of blooms that drench the shade garden with scent for months – wintersweet, daphne and violets in early spring followed by primrose, lily-of-the-valley, sweet woodruff, wintergreen and finally gardenia in early summer.

Summer 2021

The Aromatherapy Garden touches on design and cultivation ideas and includes some of the author’s favourite scented plants. It tells you how to make your own aromatherapy body oils, sachets, dream pillows, potpourri, herbal vinegar, herbal teas and even how to capture the garden’s fragrance in a bottle. The Aromatherapy Garden – Growing Fragrant Plants for Happiness and Well-Being, Timber Press. Lorraine Hunter is a freelance writer, editor of Trellis, the magazine of Toronto Botanical Garden and a Toronto Master Gardener.

Minding The Garden, Lilactree Farm

Encourages a critical glance at one’s own garden

Reviewed by Helen Skinner

his is an intriguing story about a garden created over many years by Brian and Maureen Bixley at their Lilactree Farm in the township of Mulmur Ontario. The farm is 120 km north of Toronto, in the somewhat challenging Hardiness Zone 4b. Brian Bixley was President of the Civic Garden Centre, now the Toronto Botanical Gardens (where he is a patron), in the late 1980s and the moving force in the Centre’s three Great Gardening Conferences (1985, 1987, 1989), that gave the Centre an international profile. In the garden’s early years, the Bixleys’ professional lives in Toronto meant that gardening was confined to weekends and summer holidays but retirement brought endless weeks to plan, plant and broaden the outlines of their garden. But this is not just a story of lawns, paths, flower beds and rockeries although they are part of it. Nor is it just a story of flowers, shrubs and trees, many of which, including trees, were grown from seed, although they are a major part of it. It is more, much more. It is stories of some of the plants themselves, their shapes, colours, fragrances, their success or not, and their fascinating, sometimes legendary histories. It is stories of other gardens and their interesting, and occasionally, eccentric gardeners. It is garden books and their authors, stories of events and travel that brought new dimensions to the garden, comments and discussion. And all the time, the garden’s story moves through the seasons and the years. Gardeners have time to think while performing the somewhat mundane but necessary tasks of digging, weeding, pruning and mowing; to let their minds wander over a multitude of subjects. Minding The Garden challenges the reader to think too, about various types of garden design, native plants, the environment, landscapes, gardens and

the arts (What can a gardener learn from Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony?) and about motives behind garden creation. It evokes smiles, further thinking, questions, argument, research and frequently complete agreement. It also encourages a critical glance at one’s own garden. The book is not divided into confining chapters but in numbered sections, some quite short, others longer. Although the sections are untitled each has an obvious motif and the story moves seamlessly through early spring to summer and late fall. The photography by Des Townshend adds beauty to the words. The pictures are appropriately framed and many add a third dimension to the graphic black and white maps that record additions and changes over the years. I have one caveat. There is no index. Sometimes I want to refer back to a certain plant or personage and I cannot look up the page number so I have to look back to where I think it is and re-read until I find the reference. This, I discovered, is not such a bad thing. Minding The Garden is eminently rereadable. Minding the Garden, Lilactree Farm by Brian Bixley, with photography by Des Townshend, FriesenPress, 2020. Available at Friesen Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble. Helen Skinner is a keen city gardener (once featured on a Civic Garden Centre Garden tour) and a past President of the Garden Club of Toronto. She was the Garden Editor for Century Home Magazine for its 22-year history.

Escape to Reality

How the World is Changing Gardening and Gardening is Changing the World Reviewed by Veronica Sliva

hough Canadian gardening icon Mark Cullen’s Escape to Reality was published in 2018 before the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything, much of the content is perhaps more relevant today in these difficult times as we all try to navigate challenging restrictions. The focus of the book, written with Mark’s son Ben Cullen, as described by the author is “How the World is Changing Gardening, and Gardening is Changing the World”. Gardening on every possible level has become a ‘thing’ during this pandemic. Whether you have a windowsill, a balcony, an urban backyard or an acreage, it seems we are all seeking refuge from stress near things that grow. Escape to Reality is not a ‘how-to’ gardening book, though there are ideas within its pages that inspire us

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to observe nature in our outdoor spaces. For example, Cullen tells us how to build an insect hotel and how to attract hummingbirds. The book confirms that Cullen is a steward of the environment. He tells us about his many initiatives including the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign (see https:// www.hohtribute.ca/), Foodshare, Bees for Life, and others. This book is very personal, as Cullen reflects on his experience with cancer and the journey involved in his treatment and recovery, and how his garden helped with that. The Chapter names in the book reveal what matters to Mark Cullen…Embracing Nature, Food Prosperity and Building Community, The Value of the Gardening Experience and Sowing a Vision. I read this book when it was first published in 2018 and again more recently for this review. I found it more meaningful this time around. In my favourite section, Lessons My Garden has Taught Me, Cullen provides a list with anecdotes of what his garden has taught him. His words caused me to reflect on my own experiences and I found myself nodding knowingly. This is a book that inspires. It encourages us to slow down and reflect in nature, and perhaps reconsider what is important in life. As for learning about the technical aspects of gardening, well, Cullen has other books for that. Escape to Reality is decidedly philosophical. Escape to Reality: How the World is Changing Gardening and Gardening is Changing the World by Mark and Ben Cullen, Nimbus Publishing, 2018. Veronica Sliva is a Toronto Master Gardener and garden writer with many years of experience writing for magazines, newspapers and online gardening resources.

The Lifelong Gardener Garden with Ease & Joy at Any Age

Reviewed by Georgie Kennedy

uring WW2, my father served in the Canadian Army and my mother in the US Navy, making me a classic, trendy North American Baby Boomer. Suddenly, all my friends and I are being targeted for condos and retirement homes. To passionate gardeners, this can

come as a disheartening shock. Toni Gattone’s The Lifelong Gardener made me realize that growing older does not necessarily mean relinquishing the pleasures of tending and growing plants. This beautifully laid-out book provides practical ways to foster mental and physical resilience while adapting to a changing body: • Stretching exercises for flexibility • Specific tools to prevent pains associated with repetitive tasks • Techniques to deal with neck, back, hand, skin, balance and heat sensitivity problems • Workarounds for memory and vision loss.

Proper outfitting can prevent bruises, scrapes, falls and sunburns. I discovered garden gloves that allow scrolling a device’s screen and why I should not wear open-toe Crocs. I learned about radius grip tools, cushioned handles, step ladders, proper seating and how to choose containers. The author, an experienced Master Gardener, is familiar with the ergonomics of every garden task, so I appreciate her brand endorsement as well as the convenient note pages for jotting down sensible ideas and items for my birthday wish list. Gattone helps re-envision a “Garden of Ease” that may include raised beds, dwarf trees, visible hardscape transition points and drip irrigation. She encourages the exploration of simpler organic methods and native plants that harbour wildlife, and she reminds us that an essential aspect of wellbeing is social connection with other enthusiasts, whether online, through formal groups, or in community gardens. You’ll make lots of plans after reading this book. By understanding the body’s physical constraints, you’ll know when to hire an expert or organize an old-fashioned work party of friends. Every step will be worthy of celebration. Just remember her expression: “Done is better than perfect.” For anyone with dreams of long years of joy with plants, The Lifelong Gardener is the perfect guide, not just for seniors! The Lifelong Gardener – Garden with Ease & Joy at Any Age (Timber Press, 2019) Georgie Kennedy is a Toronto Master Gardener, a garden writer amd an avid caretaker of her gardens in Toronto and Jamaica.

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Herb Garden Highly fragrant Indian Mint blooms from spring to summer By Veronica Sliva

Photos: Veronica Sliva

I nd i a n M i nt Te a

As I was browsing the plant racks outside a little convenience store in my neighbourhood, my eye caught a plant new to me. It looked a little like mint, but with shiny, slightly fleshier leaves and small white flowers along the length of a trailing stem…attractive enough for a second look. When I brushed a leaf, the fragrance was captivating…minty for sure, but sweeter somehow. The plant tag said Indian Mint but had no further details. I just had to buy it of course (a bargain at $2.49 for a 10 cm (4 inch) pot) and off I went to find out more. It turns out that the plant’s current botanical name is Clinopodium douglasii, though in the not-too-distant past it was called Satureja douglasii and will also be found under that name. In the 1770s Spanish missionaries called this California native Yerba Buena meaning “good herb”. It was so abundant they named the town of Yerba Buena after it. Apparently, Spanish senoritas in Old California draped the hems of their ball gowns with swags of Yerba Buena to create a fetching fragrance for an evening of dancing.

The best way to enjoy Indian Mint’s bright citrusy/minty flavour is in a simple tea.

Also known as Oregon Tea, the plant overwinters as far north as British Columbia, but in our climate, it is an annual. Plant Characteristics • Scalloped bright green leaves appear oppositely on trailing stems that grow to 10 cm (4 inch) high • Produces small tubular white flowers along the stem • Creeping habit makes it a good ground cover under trees — a single plant may cover up to 2 metres (6 feet) •Trailing stems are excellent in hanging baskets, window boxes, or cascading over walls • Highly fragrant • Blooms from spring to summer. Cultivation • Prefers moist conditions in part shade but can take some sun • Once established is drought tolerant • Easily controlled by pinching it back. Propagation • Roots along the stems, not by rhizomes and also by seed. Uses • Can be used the way you would use any mint

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1 cup of Indian mint leaves (chamomile or lemon balm can be added). The flowers can be used, too. 6 cups boiling water Bruise or lightly crush the leaves and place them in a teapot. Pour boiling water over the leaves and steep for several minutes. The longer you allow the tea to steep, the stronger the taste will be. Sweeten if desired. In summer, for a refreshing beverage, chill the tea with ice cubes or refrigerate. To serve, garnish with a sprig of the Indian Mint. For an extra kick add a splash of your favourite spirit such as bourbon, rum or vodka.

• • •

Leaves make a lovely citrusy, minty tea – sweeten to taste – enjoy hot or cold Native Americans used it as a remedy for indigestion, colds and arthritic pain Said to alleviate headaches and the pain of childbirth.

Summer 2021

Food Garden

Photo: Nasturtium Salad, Pixabay, Cake and Chart, www.provenwinners.com

Most often used to decorate the table, many flowers are also edible

Harvesting Tips • Only harvest flowers you are 100 per cent positive are edible. • Choose flowers that are grown organically. • Gather them early in the morning when their essential oils are most intense. • Remove the stamens and pistil before eating. • Consume edible flowers in moderation.

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Interesting Ways to Use Edible Flowers Flower Petal Ice Cubes: Add petals to your ice cube tray to give drinks a flowery flare! Decorate a Cake: Either fresh or dried, a mix of blooms and buds can turn the simplest cake into a stunning centrepiece. Sprinkle into Salads & More: In small amounts, adding petals to salads, breads, dips and appetizers can add a vibrant pop of colour to your culinary creations. Stir Fry or Stuff: Large blooms like daylilies and squash blossoms can be stuffed with cheese or other fillings or thrown into a stir fry for a flowery twist. Infusions: Fragrant flowers like lavender and chamomile can be used to infuse oil, simple syrup or honey. Preserve Flowers: Dry, candy or press low-moisture blooms for later use. Floral Teas: Hibiscus or rose petals, lavender, chamomile or mint flowers can all be steeped in boiling water for several minutes to make a fragrant floral tea. With information from www.provenwinners.com

Did You Know These Are Edible?

ou may not realize it, but you could already have a veritable feast of edible flowers growing in your garden. Many familiar flowers are edible, and can grace the side of your dinner plate as well as being the centrepiece of your table. The often-overlooked flowers of many herbs and vegetables are also edible. Fresh garden squash is great, but have you tried stuffed squash blossoms? Or how about chive blossoms to flavour your butter? With a bit of creativity and a new perspective, you can get the most out of the many phases of the plants in your garden. You can serve edible flowers raw, cooked with vegetables or sprinkled on cakes and other desserts. Adding flavour, texture and beauty to your dish, many also come with health benefits such as antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. One thing to remember is that most flowers bought in garden centres were not intended to be food. You’ll want to allow your plants to grow long enough that new flowers are blooming, before harvesting and eating them.

Begonia

Mint

Chive

Nasturtium

Marigold

Hibiscus

Pansy

Squash Rose Daylilies

Echinacea (Coneflower)

Calendula Dill & Fennel

Dianthus (Carnation)

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Thyme

Houseplant Profile

Prayer Plant Beautiful, affordable, perfect for a warm, humid room By Georgie Kennedy

ouseplants are hot. Prices are through the roof for tiny cuttings of exotic tropical vegetation. It’s no wonder: they’re nonjudgmental companions, distractions from our desperate yearning to be with the ones we love. At any price point, they’re cheaper than impulsepurchase puppies. If you have room in your heart for one more, why not experiment with prayer plant

(Maranta or Calathea), a beautiful attention-seeker? It’s still available for a reasonable sum. New prayer plant leaves emerge from the centre stalk fully formed, like rolled wafer cookies, and open to reveal fascinating designs on the top surface. Maranta leuconeura kerchoveana foliage is elliptical with dark green blotches. Leaves lie flat during the day and fold up at night like a pair of praying hands. Fast-growing

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prayer plant flourishes in an environment similar to its home in the rainforests of South America. Container: The thin roots are comfortable in shallow, well-drained containers. Use soil based potting mix. Light: Place it near a north or east facing window. Prolonged exposure to sunlight beaming in a south or west window can burn its delicate leaves. Water and Humidity: During the growing period, keep the soil moist using room temperature water. In the winter, allow the soil surface to dry slightly. Some growers say the brown crisping of leaf edges is caused by chemicals in treated water and recommend using filtered water. If you’d rather not go to that expense, try letting tap water sit out for 24 hours. Keep the humidity level high with regular misting and an occasional shower. Feeding: Add liquid plant food to the water every two weeks in the active season, less often in winter. Propagation: Invest in a small plant and observe it carefully. If it gets unwieldy, simply divide into two or three parent plants that can be repotted together or separately. Any cuttings with nodes attached can go directly into the soil. Within two or three months, your plants will be lush. Pests: The rolled leaves provide perfect hiding places for spider mites or mealy bugs. If you detect an infestation, get rid of the plant and start again. You won’t be sad over this loss, because you spent very little in the first place. If you have some rooted cuttings, all the better. Good luck with your prayer plant. It’s an ideal substitute for that puppy or kitten you were considering.

summer 2021

Coyotes and Foxes–we have a role in their survival By Sasan Beni

Wild City TBG Seasonal Gardener

Photos: Howling Coyote, Peter Shutt: Top photo,Sasan Beni. Illustrations: June Anderson

in the

ur city is a forest. I’ve known this for quite some time. Toronto parks and ravines are home to a wide array of animals—some year-round residents, some migratory—all of whom have to traverse our ever-growing canopy of concrete and glass, our roadways of exhausted commuters, our pollution and pets. I have always enjoyed catching glimpses of our wild neighbours, studying their movements. Like us, they have their routines and daily chores, their favourite spots and meals, but they have to contend with more threats than we do on a daily basis. I am no longer surprised by the abundance of wildlife that I find, the close proximity of their homes to ours, or their growing level of comfort. What surprises me these days is that many Torontonians have no idea that these creatures are there, right ‘next door’—in the mound of dirt behind the back fence, or the hole in the retaining wall—and I very much enjoy making the introductions, when and where I can.

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Mangy coyote in the undergrowth

Working at TBG gives me the opportunity to introduce visitors to these animals, whenever they show up in the garden or wander through the grounds, looking for food. I have always been a fan of watching them, tracking them, learning about them, but nowadays, I find myself constantly striving to show others. I want everyone to experience the wildness of our city, to witness these animals, and to know that we have a role to play in their survival. There is no coyote problem

et’s talk about coyotes, probably one of the more misunderstood and feared of our urban wildlife. Like us, animals have their baggage, too, including reputations that have taken years to form. Predators like coyotes and foxes play a vital role in any ecosystem. Without them, rodent populations would increase drastically. I have heard in recent years, especially in my Toronto Beaches neighborhood, about our city’s “coyote problem”. There is no such thing. People often dislike them, because they pose a threat to their pets. Of course, a hungry coyote will not differentiate between a rat and a house cat, or small dog. Letting your pets wander outside puts them in danger. This is why, simply being aware of the forest we inhabit, makes us all safer. I have had many run-ins with coyotes over the years, some in highly populated areas. Most often they have been in need of help. I’m sure many of us have heard the term: “mangy coyote”. Mange is a common affliction for canines, a skin disease brought on by parasitic mites. Tell-tale signs of the disease are missing patches of fur on the animal’s face and body. Mangy coyotes will be much thinner than their healthy counterparts, as they struggle to find food. In their diseased desperation, coyotes may approach humans, when normally they would avoid us at all cost. Feeding them is a mistake. Witnessing a mangy coyote reduced to skin and bone is a heartbreaking sight, but I want to tell you all that the condition is totally treatable, that we can help them overcome it. Without our help, they will surely starve to death. Our city is a forest, and the Toronto Wildlife Centre is one organization that knows this well and strives to keep it that way. They take in and rehabilitate hundreds of sick, injured and orphaned animals, with the eventual goal of releasing them back where they were found. I have reported a few mangy coyote sightings and encourage you to do the same, not just with coyotes, but any animal that needs our attention. A quick visit to the TWC website at www.torontowildlifecentre.com is all the proof one needs regarding the vast biodiversity of our beloved metropolis. Their homepage declares: “280 patients currently in care, 48 species currently in care, 1,093 patients admitted so far this year.” I am always proud of the work they do.

“

We have a responsibility to preserve the wildness that makes Toronto so special. Sleeping fox

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”

Let’s talk about foxes

hen I was a kid, I used to see foxes in the city quite frequently, and then, for several years, their numbers plummeted, which was related in great part to our rising urban coyote population. Coyotes will prey on fox dens. It comes as no surprise that the clever foxes have found an interesting way to adapt to this growing danger. In recent years, they have been building their dens in highly populated areas, popping up in people’s backyards, or on walking paths that humans have overrun. We are the lesser of two evils for them, and they know that coyotes won’t frequent these locations as much.

Last year, a fox family moved in under the busy Woodbine Beach boardwalk, near my home. They quickly became a tourist attraction. People were already flocking to the beach in great numbers, during the first wave and lockdown of the pandemic that we are still grappling with, and once word got out about the foxes, more and more people went to catch a glimpse. People were seen peering into the den, trying to lure the foxes out for the sake of photographs. Soon enough, barricades were set up around the area to keep people away, to give the fox family some space and help them remain wild. When animals build their homes so close to us, it doesn’t mean they wish to be domesticated. Organizations like TWC and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority do a great job of educating the public. There are posters and signs, indicating the presence of wildlife, letting people know that they are in a nature preserve, like Tommy Thompson Park, filled with numerous species. Sadly, people still bring their dogs, letting them run off-leash. Last year, one fox kit was killed by an off-leash dog at Woodbine Beach. I tell myself that these people just don’t know, they aren’t aware, and if they were, I am sure they would change their ways. This year, the mother fox has returned to the same location and activists are once again pleading with the public to give them space. Nobody likes a close wildlife encounter more than I do, believe me, but we have a responsibility to preserve the wildness that makes Toronto so special. If that means avoiding the boardwalk all summer, I will do just that. A couple weeks ago, after running a few errands, I stopped at a tiny dead-end ravine by my home, surrounded by houses on all sides, a place that often looks more like a large trash receptacle than a safe-haven for animals. Less than 50 metres away from me, off the litter-filled trail, a fox was sleeping in the open, completely visible. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. I could hear children playing in a backyard; construction in a house down the street. People passed on the road above us, as I sat there for about an hour, watching the sleeping beauty. It was quite the sighting—a kind I’ve never had before. I think, at one point, I even spoke to the fox, whispering things like: “I’m glad you’re here,” and “ sorry about all the trash”. I will go back to clean it up as best I can. Any and all help is appreciated... Our city is a forest. I’ve known this for quite some time. Enjoying our parks, means ensuring their health. Keep an eye out, friends.

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om Café is o o l pe B n

and the food i ily sy da

treat yourself um

The ‘new’ Bloom Café The ‘new’ Bloom Café opened this spring under the auspices of talented manager Maria Nikas. Maria has been in the food service business all her adult life, and it shows. Over the winter, she revitalized the interior with dove grey paint, artistic touches, and great enthusiasm. The food, a large variety of very fresh pastries, wraps, sandwiches and ice cream is lust-worthy. The almond croissants are my favourite, but I’m planning to give the other baked goods a fighting chance in the competition. The café is open daily from 9 a.m., and is located in the old barn in the Edwards Gardens courtyard. Check it out on instagram at @tbgbloomcafe. TBG members receive a 10 per cent discount! —Carol Gardner

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS • 2021-2022

Janice Winton

Michael Schreiner

Treasurer

Melanie Sifton

Marg Wilkinson

Expansion Committee Chair

Mission Committee Chair

Ex Officio (Garden Club of Toronto)

Tony Di Giovanni

Harry Jongerden

Lisa Ellis

Barb Anie

Nicole Leaper

Michele Chandler

Abdullah Hamadi

Margareth Lobo Gault

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Sales Representative, ABR, SRES HALL OF FAME AWARD LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD TORONTO MASTER GARDENER RE/MAX HALLMARK REALTY LTD., BROKERAGE

Gordon Ashworth Interim Board Chair

Direct 416.564.9450 @JoseeCoutureTorontoRealEstate

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

Ingrid Smith

Ex Officio (Milne House Garden Club)

Christina iacovino Ex Officio (City of Toronto)

Adeline Cheng

President

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

AUTHENTIC

TREE CARE INC.

•

Ben Cullen

Derek W Welsh

classified

•

Dianne Azzarello

Evita Walton

For more information see Board of Directors 2021-2022 Toronto Botanical Garden

Garden Obelisks Make use of vertical space in your garden with a 4 or 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, powdercoated steel ensures that these towers remain rust-resistant and durable for many years to come. Available throughout the year at the Garden Shop. Available in two sizes: 4 ft $99.99; 6 ft $124.99.

DYI Craft Corner D I Y F lo r a l Bat h B o m bs Makes 6-8 medium size floral bath bombs You will need:

Easy-to-make Floral Bath Bombs make great gifts By Jenny Rhodenizer Director of Marketing & Communications

Bath bombs are easy to make, and you can even involve your kids or grandkids in the fun. You will need just a few natural ingredients including flowers from your own garden. Grow, gather and dry flowers like roses, lavender or calendula to use in this project. I store my dried flower petals in mason jars, so I always have some on hand for crafting and culinary purposes. Using flower-shaped molds will make your bath bombs perfect to display in your home, or package in a reusable bag or jars to give away as ‘feel good’ gifts. torontobotanicalgarden.ca

Summer 2021

How to: 1. In a large bowl combine the baking soda, citric acid and a handful of dried flowers. Mix well. 2. Add 20-30 drops of essential oils. Mix well. 3. Fill a spray bottle with witch hazel, and spray the entire surface of the mixture and combine with your hands. Keep spraying and mixing rapidly until the mixture holds together when scrunched with your hand. 4. Working quickly, firmly press the mixture into the floral molds making sure to push the mixture into the small corners to capture all the floral detailing. 5. Let bath bombs harden in molds for several hours. 6. Gently turn over and release the bath bomb from the mold. Carefully lay on a towel to dry for 30 minutes or until they are firm. This recipe is inspired by Stephanie Rose from Garden Therapy. https://gardentherapy.ca/ diy-bath-bombs/

Photo: Jenny Rhodenizer

2 cups baking soda 1 cup citric acid • 100% pure witch hazel • spray bottle • 10-20 drops of 100 per cent pure essential oils (chose your favourite scent like lavender, orange, tea tree, or peppermint) • Dried flower petals (roses, lavender, calendula, or any therapeutic flowers) • Floral mold (plastic or metal molds for soap or chocolate will all work)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Interim Board Chair: Gordon Ashworth. Members: Barb Anie, Dianne Azzarello, Michele Chandler, Adeline Cheng, Ben Cullen, Tony Di Giovanni, Lisa Ellis, Margareth Lobo Gault, Abdullah Hamadi, Harry Jongerden, Nicole Leaper, Michael Schreiner, Melanie Sifton, Evita Walton, Janice Winton. Ex Officiate: Christina Iacovino (City of Toronto), Marg Wilkinson (Garden Club of Toronto), Ingrid Smith (Milne House Garden Club).

About The Toronto Botanical Garden The Toronto Botanical Garden (TBG) is a volunteer-based, charitable organization that raises more than 95 per cent of its operating funds through membership, facility rentals, retail operations, program fees and donations. The organization relies on its partnership with the City of Toronto and on the generosity and financial commitment of individuals, foundations and corporations to support the many beneficial services we provide to the community. Our mission: Toronto Botanical Garden connects people to plants, inspiring us to live in harmony with nature. Our 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.

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Trellis magazine - Summer 2021

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DIY CRAFT CORNER

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