Philadelphia Flower and Garden Show, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. at Civic Center. Philadelphia. Contact: the society at (215) 922-4801.
March 15-23, 1975
New England Spring Garden and Flower Show, sponsored by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. at Commonwealth Armory, Boston. Contact: the society at (617) 536-9280.
April 5-13. 1975
Chicago Flower and Garden Show, sponsored by the Chicago Horticultural Society and Botanic Garden. at McCormick Place. Chicago. Contact: Robert Wintz (312) 332-2868.
April 6-12. 1975
The Garden Symposium, sponsored by Colonial Williamsburg, at Williamsburg, Virginia. Contact: Mrs. J. S. Moyles (804) 229-1000.
May 20-23, 1975
Chelsea Flower Show, sponsored by the Royal Horticultural Society. at Chelsea Royal Hospital Grounds. London, England. And other shows held throughout the year at the society s halls. Contact: the Civic Garden Centre for information.
May 16-17. 1974
International Lilac Society Convention, Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois. Contact: the arboretum at (312) 968-0074.
June 8. 1975
Canadian Iris Society Show, sponsored by the society at Royal Botanical Gardens. Headquarters, Burlington. Contact: the gardens at (416) 527-1158.
June 20-22. 1975
Ontario Horticultural Association Con-
Coming Events of International Gardening and Floral Arts Interest
vention, at Barrie, Ontario. Contact: Russell F. Gomme (416) 965-1091.
October 8-13, 1975
American Horticultural Congress, sponsored by the American Horticultural Society at Honolulu, Hawaii, with tours to other islands. Contact: O. Keister Evans (703) 768-5700.
Work on your shade trees done by competent, professional men with years of experience. Call us early for an estimate.
1480 St. Clair Avenue West Toronto, Ont. M6E 1C7 (416) 654-7025
Don t you wish you could have flowers year round and start your own flowers and vegetables from seed? You CAN, with the Vary Hobby House which was designed for home gardeners. The hobby house %rovidcs year 'round enjoimem plus the possibility of growing a much wider variety of plants and the opportunity to experiment. My wife has a 10 by 12 ft. unit and has produced hundreds of plants such as orchids, pineapple, avocado, all our annuals, cactuses and ferns. This winter we are experimenting with tomatoes and lettuce besides an in-ground formal garden.
The hobby house incorporates many quality features found in the Vary commercial greenhouses. It's completely modular in construction and the frame can be assembled using only a few hand tools. The frame is strong galvanized steel tube and all the hardware supplied is galvanized to prevent rust a must in greenhouses where humidity is high. It is clad in weather-resistant corrugated fiberglas panels held in place with cedar purlins, and can be easily erected by the homeowner at no cost. The unit comescomplete with self-storing aluminum door and the standard size is 10 by 12 ft. with additional sections in multiples of 4 ft. lengths. All the necessary options, such as ventilation and heating, can be supplied. The basic house retails for $500. For further information, please write or call: G. W. Mann, Canadian Greenhouses, Inc.. Box 500, Beamsville, Ontario, (416) 945-4745.
This Month s Articles
the Prime Minister s New Year s Day Message 22 Regular Features
Coming Events of International Interest, 3; Highrise Gardeners of Toronto, 17; School of Floral Decoration, 17; Men s Garden Club, 17; Shop, 20; and Bookshop, 21.
Other Items of Interest This Month
Sex! And the Reproduction ofPlants, 8; and A Day s Sojourn to Kleinburg for Plants and Antiques, 9.
The Front Cover
One of many floriferous corners in the City of Toronto Parks and Recreation Department s Allan Gardens. Located at Carlton and Sherbourne Streets, and open daily, this conservatory is well worth a visit. Photo by A. C. Drysdale.
Civic Garden Centre Board of Directors
Mrs. K. G.(Audrc}y) Allman; R. H. (Roy) Bainard; Mrs. J. H. (Betty) Billes; J. (Jack) Blair; J. E.(John) Bradshaw; Mrs. D. P. (Elizabeth) Bryce; G. P. (Geoff) Clarkson; E. A. (Ed) Endersby; R. A. (Reg) Mackenzie; G. A. (Gib) Milne; E. R. (Ernie) Pope; Mrs. E. (Flavia) Redelmeier (Chairman); Mrs. F. W. (Genevieve) Robertson; W. (Wilf) Sanders; L. C. (Lar?:l Sherk; Mrs. R. (Helen) Skinner; T. W. (Tom) Thompson; D. H. (Dave) Yerex.
Staff for Civic Garden Centre and Trellis
George Sinclair, Executive Director; A. C. (Art) Drysdale, Associate Director and Editor; Mrs. J. W. (Awdrey) Clarke, Executive Secretary.
General Information
N Trellis is published monthly (except July and August) by the Civic Garden Centre, 777 Lawrence Avenue East, Don Mills, Ontario, M3C 1P2. The centre is located in Edwards Gardens, at Leslie Street and Lawrence Avenue East, the geographical centre of Metropolitan Toronto. It is a non-profit gardening and floral arts information organization with open membership. Subscriptions to Trellis are only available through Centre membership (85 for 12 months). Opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the Centre. This is Volume 2, Number 1.
Nl o Hits about gardening ask
Toronto s Civic Garden Centre
THE CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE Telephone 445-1552
What it is
» A non-profit gardening and floral arts centre for the dissemination of information to amateurgardeners and flower-arrangers
« An open membership body with over 3.000 keen gardener-members (from rank amateurs to advanced professionals) who pay only $5 for 12 months
o Home of six gardening clubs or groups with specific gardening interests
o Meeting place for specialized plant societies from Bonsai to Roses
o Home of some of the best flower arrangers in North America (quoted from U.S.A. author and editor, Helen Van PeltWilson)
What it does
e Operates Canada s most complete public horticultural library
« Responds to over3,000gardening questions annually
e Organizes, in both spring and autumn, garden talks and demonstrations on a wide variety of subjects and at different levels
Teaches non-commercial flower arranging at various levels to over 300 persons annually and encourages their competition
e Carries on an extensive flower-drying program to extend garden beauty through into the winter months economically
o Operates a Speakers Panel Bureau which brings panels of experts on various subjects to groups desirous of an informative program
o Publishes information booklets on various subjects; e.g. Preserving Beautiful Flowers
« Stages two flower shows each year and hosts numerous others
What members receive ($5 annual fee)
o Ten issues per year of Trellis
o Free borrowing privileges from the 3,000-volume library
e Ten per cent discount off all purchases of books and gardening and floral arts supplies bought from the Centre
« Opportunity to join one or more specialized member groups or clubs
« Discounts off all courses offered at the Centre
« Free admission to Members' Nights held at leasttwice peryear
177 Lawrence Ave. East (in Edwards Gardens), Don Mills, Ontario M3C 1P2
A annval tradition that affects about one of every: five North American households is'sweeping this country. On fences," trees,. posts. window sills- and porches. bird feeders of every descrip= tion are-appearing laden with a rich fare for our feathered friends. Why do $o many people feed wild birds? Basically the reason is iwo-fold: we derive personal pleasure from watching birds at= tracted (o feeders and we feel feeding in some way helps birds survive the winfer.
Some persons, recently moved from inner city or farm, consider feeding an essential aspect of surburban life because it gives them a feeling ofcountryliving. Others want to increase their family s awareness and understanding of 'wild creatures and the natural environment. Many people attract birds so they can be photographed or just studied at close range. People'who consider the great service that birds render by reducing weed and insect pests often feed as repayment for services rendered: And, who does not enjoy the sight of a_ flock of birds feeding against a backdrop of new snow?
How does one feed birds properly? A novice should talk with neighbours who have fed birds, contact a centre such as
PEFFERLAW PEAT COMPOSTED MANURE/ PEAT MIX
The ideal: soil mix correctly:-balanced to:fill the needs of all. growing plants =indoors or -out:
G. T."STRAIN & SON
Cannington, Ont.
Phone (Toronto) 364-6068
The How, Why, When and Where of
Feeding the Birds
Roger Troutman*
the Civie. Garden Cenire, or consult literature in ailocal library. Several rules or suggestions shouldsbe. followed.
When do I start to feed?
Keep in mind thatbirds need appropriate feed, proper:shelter-and an adequate supply of water andgrit. Grit1s easily supplied in the form. of sand-or ground oyster shell. Most birds: can eat snow or otherwise find a supply ofwa: ter: A running water system or a heated bird. bath (small heaters are available from farm feed .outlets) ican be furs nished. Shelter-can be provided: by erectingwindbreaks, placing feedersout of the wind and snow," erecting bird hopse-like but' open structures with small roosts imside, and-by not cleaning up weed paiches and. brushy areas. If brush must be tidied up, leave it stacked in piles over the winter.
Simplicity should be the key word for bird feeders. They should be easily ¢leaned and filled. Feeders do not necessarily have to be attractive to humans as long as they satisfy the:birds. The ¢ost of an elaborate. design- would -bé better invested in-feed. It is also a good idea to obtain several small feeders rather than one large one. Unless all-the feedis utilized daily. fecders should: be reasonably -waterproof. Cover;' which will not conceal predators:such as cals and dogs, should be easily: accessiblesto the birds.
What about: natural *predators?s Do not:hawks-and owishave as'much night toxeat the small <burds: that- visit hyour feeding stations as:the small birds have et your feed? -Boithpredatorand preyeare: following: their basic instinots
ML T is list: at: Kb
d Center; Mansfield, Ohio, @ centre with Siniilar aims and objectives 10 that of the. Clyie Garden Cenfre. This article,inastightly modified-form, originally gppeared:in. Kingwood: Cenfre:Noies:
1o take advantage ofan easy lunch provided directly or indirectly by a human benefactor.
Start to feed whenever it-is desirable butdo not start until it is: possible to continue feeding at least through to the end of March. Birds become dependent upon a-definite food supply and often willinot seek food elsewhere. If feeding is:stopped even for a day or so'during cold: windy weather it could spell their doon;
Food alone may not increase bird populations
Keep different types of food segregated. Birds like certain foods and they willéwaste the undesirable types-trying to find" the preferred ones.
Sunflower seed 15 the best readily available feed for most seed-eating birds: Even very small birds will eat the secds if the hulls are pre-cracked in a kitchen blender. Wild bird seed mixes are cheaper; but much of it is often wasted. These mixes are usually preferred by -ground-feeding birds and are best put in small piles in snow-free areas on the ground.
Beef suet; raw of melted, is the preferred food of most insect-eating birds. Place it raw-in a net-type orange bag or similar, and attach to a limb or feeder. Suet'can-also be melted and poured over a-pine cone or limb, or into plastic forms or molds and attached to trees or special feeders with holes the same size the molds.
Whole:peanufs or peanut hearts arc a delicacy, but are -quite- expensive, if available, Feanut butteris a good food, if inixed with cornmeal to-avoid stickiness. Tablé scraps dre usually not reconmmended unless house sparrows, starlings-Or pigeons:are to_be encouraged.
One -aspect of winter bird féeding that meeds*much more_investigation-is the elect.of feeding upon: individval-or bird-populations as a'whole. Does feed= ing Zactually vimprovea pophulation s chance, of survival?. 'Fhe answer. to this and similap questions Jis. not readily availible but:Some interesting observas tons can'be made ifwelook-at feeding from: 4 scieatific Viewpoint, Since-birds have apparently survived
for thousands of years without benefit ofkuman handouts, we could easily decide that feeding 1s 2 waste oftime and effort from a strictly biological point of view. This decision should not'be readily taken. The compléte history of each bird species must be considered. Birds need certain minimum reéquirements fulfilled before they can survive, They need appropriate shelter or cover, sufficient food and water and enough suitable living space, especially during the nesting season. Any population will"increase its numbeérs until one factor becomes limiting. After'that an increase in any other factor. will not increase the number of birds.
It 1s on this basis thata winter feeding programme can or-eannot be justified for biological reasons. If food during the winter is in critically short supply, then wild bird feeding may ingrease the population size of the species involved. On the other_hand, if proper shelter, summer food or pesting space is the limiting factor, winter feeding will not, except on a seasonal basis, increase the bird s population. If winter feeding is not the hmiting-factor. the amount of water, shelter, nesting space or food (other than during winter) must be increased to 'build up-the population. Consequently little, if anything, can be doné to increase the number of birds that visit us only in winter unless their winter food is the critical factor.
Good landscaping or other habitat improvement could be more important, and in the long run; more: economical, than winter feeding especially. for our permanent bird residents. Landscaping, with the birds in mind. increases the total amount of suitable habitat.: Unlike winter: feeding, this/ may. possibly: increase the bird populations.
Why not plan ahead for futire: years? Landscape your property. with plants suitable for bird cover. and winter food sources::Many of our:best ornamental plants will. provide: some_of the bird s requirements, improve: - the - aesthetic beauty-of the property: and:possibly cut down:on future bird seed expenses:
TheCivic _GardeniCenfre library s well stocked with: books that:will give you many ideas for bird landscaping.
This article is about sex! However, I should like to clarify that statement now that I have your attention. I am going to deal with a man-made form of reproduction called asexual propagation of plants.
Asexual, or vegetative, propagation of plants is a term used to describe the production of new plants with exactly the same characteristics and habit as the parent plant which one desires to reproduce. Thanks to this process, mass production of many varieties of plants has lead to the spread of plants all over the world for economic and decorative purposes. There are several reasons for preferring vegetative reproduction.
1) The inability of some plants to reproduce themselves from seeds. In the case of some plants, particularly lower forms and those that are naturally sterile, vegetative reproduction has enabled plantsmen to reproduce them; plants such as Lombardy poplar, banana, pineapple, some peonies and carnations fall into this category. Though some such plants do reproduce themselves asexually, in order to maintain or spread some of them around the world, artificial propagation by several different means (to be discussed later) has been employed.
Indoor Light GardeningSpecialists
e Terrarium lamps e Hobby greenhouses
e Wall & table o Humex grhse. models accessories
e Build-up mini- e Stewart gardengardens ware Exotic, Miniature & Terrarium Plants at The Plant Room, Hornby, 878-4984
2) The inability of some plants to reproduce true to type from seed. Even though the genetic make-up of many plants is the same within any given type, reproduction by seed tends to yield a wide range of sizes, colours, hardiness, etc.
3) The production and perpetuation of a particular form of plant. For example, juvenile plants (foliage differing from mature) may be asexually propagated from juvenile foliage on a mature plant; and some plants, such as yews, grow horizontally from cuttings taken from a horizontal-growing branch, and vertical from a vertical-growing branch.
4) To speed up the propagation, and the total number of plants being propagated, ofany species. Plants grown from seeds usually take a long time to grow to the same state that may be achieved asexually in a short period.
'5) Due to the fact that a great many plants are immune or resistant to particular diseases and insects in a specific area of the world, their rootstocks are used in other parts of the world where the naturalized plants are not so resistant. Ornamental plants and some flowers are also rendered resistant to various pests by using cuttings, etc. from resistant plants growing in other areas.
In future issues of Trellis 1 intend to deal with the various forms of asexual propagation, such as division, separation, layering, cuttings, grafting and budding which are used on most ornamental trees, shrubs, perennials and vines. Next month look for an introduction to layering.
*Mr. Ray is the young gardener at the famous Windfields Farms, in North York.
In the last issue I assumed that not all who read Trellis are interested in the Milne House Garden Club scheduled meetings and monthly flower shows. As a follow-up to last month, I should like to take you a little further afield for one of my favourite jaunts. Being near the northern boundary of Metropolitan Toronto, I love to drive across Steeles Avenue to Bathurst, Dufferin or Keele Street, and head north to Highway 7. 1 turn west to Islington Avenue and then go further north. Now we are in the happy hunting ground so to speak.
Being a hobby ceramist I sometimes like to make a container to match a certain flower. (I guess we all do things backwards at one time or another.) If you know a ceramist maybe you will be able to buy a piece of greenware and convince her to match your favourite flowers. So, head for Mercedes Ceramics just south off the main street of Woodbridge at the corner where you see the New, Used, Almost New, Collectable and Antique store. It used to be called a second-hand store or junk shop now I think they call them antiques or collectables. You'll find all manner of interesting pieces of greenware upstairs, downstairs and in the basement. Who knows, you might end up with an instruction book and a new hobby before you leave.
Ifyou have resisted the temptation to browse at the corner store, go back across the bridge to Islington Avenue and drive north again. If you watch carefully, on the right-hand side of the road you will pick out an inconspicuous sign on the front lawn of a lovely white stucco house. The sign reads: McNeil s Antiques. Go up their drive and see if the shop at the back of the house is open. They have a delightful collection, charmingly displayed, of many beau-
A
Day s Sojourn to the quiet village of Kleinburg for
Plants and Antiques
Eleanor Weckman
tiful antiques and collectables. When you have seen enough memorabilia, how about a bit of nature s beauty?
Just a bit further north on your right again is a road with a sign that says Pinegrove , and another, Joy Valley Nurseries . Follow this road east, around the turn to the north, then another turn to the east and you will see some greenhouses. (It s really just a shortjaunt.) This is the property ofJoy Valley and they have a superb selection of African violets, gloxinias and mixed potted plants. When you have basked in the beauty of their plants and debated long enough over your choice, return again to Islington Avenue and proceed north. Up on a hill, not too far along you will see an unusual sculptural effect using poles. This forms the approach to Reeves Greenhouses where you will find an assortment of nursery supplies and seasonal plants. It s well worth a stop here.
By this time you should be in the mood for lunch. Ifyou have had time to plan ahead a week or so for this trip, and haven t already succumbed to the charms of The Doctor s House in Kleinburg, make a reservation for lunch there. Kleinburg itself is well worth a visit. It is a beautiful little village famed for its Binder Twine Festival in September each year, but quaint and interesting year round. I dropped into the post office one day for stamps and met the best public relations man ever!
Ifyour sojourn happens to be a spurof-the-moment trip, try the new restaurant at the McMichael Gallery. Then spend the afternoon touring the gallery. All ofCanada should be grateful to Mr. McMichael for his priceless gift. It is a rare collection of Canadian art in a breathtakingly beautiful setting. (Conclusion on page 20)
Cage growing is the latest technique in growing tomatoes for the home gardener and commercial grower alike. The idea was first developed by commercial growers both for the fresh and canning tomato trade. In Michigan, where commercial cage production now exceeds 250,000 plants, the three-year average, based.on recorded tests, shows production of top size fruits was 18 percent higher than for tomatoes grown in the conventional manner.
Cage-growing matches or exceeds the quality and quantity of staking with much less labour. I was quite impressed with an exhibit of this method in the horticultural building at the Canadian National Exhibition last August. It also
You
are invited . .
to visit our greenhouses (80,000 square feet) and see our quality tropical and foliage plants, cactus and succulents plus African violets. Have your house plant questions answered by experts!
Open six days per week (closed Sundays) from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Just a few minutes off Highway 403 (Main St. West Exit).
No more Staking and yet, Improved Tomatoes with Round Cages
John Bradshaw*
works well for cucumbers. Apartment balcony gardeners can use it to good effect in growing both tomatoes and cucumbers.
How it s done with round cages
To make the cages you use widemesh fencing or reinforcing wire to form round cages or tubes 18 inches in diameter and 2' to 4'4 ft. high, depending on the type of tomato. For the patio type of plant the 2% ft. size would be fine whereas for Big Boy or beefsteak varieties you'd use the 4% ft. cage. In early June, when the plants have started
*Mr. Bradshaw is Canada s best-known garden broadcaster and writer. His broadcast is heard each Saturday morning at 10:07 am overCFRB, and his column appears twiceweekly in the Toronto Sun.
YEAR ROUND GARDENING
greenhouses
to grow vigorously and have recovered from transplanting shock, the cages are set in position over each plant in an upright position. They should be pushed firmly into the soil so that they won't topple over easily. The tomato plants or cucumbers will make a natural upright growth within the cage, with the foliage and fruits being readily supported by the surrounding wire.
In comparison to normal staked tomatoes, little or no pruning or pinching is required. The results are quite dramatic, there is maximum use of soil area or balcony space as the plants do not sprawl. Fruits are not injured by slugs or snails, and they are not attacked by soil-rot organisms. The fruits are firmer and cracking is reduced in wet growing seasons.
Since air circulation is greatly improved and there is less day/night fluctuation in temperatures, the quality of the fruits in the green and ripe stages is improved when cages are used. Tomato plants may be set in the ground earlier in May if the cages are covered on cold nights with plastic sheeting. Further, some small plants set out in early June will provide a fine fall crop and again the season may be extended for a month or more by covering the cages with plastic sheeting when frost is predicted. Use clothes pins for easy fastening, ventilation and quick removal in the morning.
One ofthe tomatoes you might like to try with this new method is the Stuffing variety. Stuffing is the actual name. The fruits are really luscious tomatoes but they grow and have the same shape as sweet peppers. The compact core is removed just as easily as that ofa pepper and then the big solidfleshed bright red fruits are ready to stuff. They average three inches in length and width and are distinctly three-lobed like many varieties ofsweet peppers. These tomatoes are excellent for stuffing with chicken, tuna, shrimp, cottage cheese, cooked rice, mushrooms, and so on. They may also be filled for baking with meat, macaroni, cheese, fish-rice, egg plant, bean sprouts
The stuffing tomato one of many varieties suited to growing with the cage method.
or any stuffing recipes that you might use with green peppers. The bushy plants are large and will do well in cages.
For extra color you could grow Morden Yellow , a tomato bred and introduced by the famous Dr. Charles Walkof the federal research station at Morden, Manitoba. The new variety is early and the fruits ripen to a beautiful golden yellow. They average three inches across and are highly prized for their mild flavour and low acid content. Morden Yellow can be used in all the regular ways you use red tomatoes and its unusual clear yellow colour makes it most exciting and decorative for salads.
The new cage method of growing tomatoes will be especially useful in growing the Hybrid Beefsteak tomato whose fruits are extra large, solid and unbelievably mild. Here we have a completely new variety that far surpasses the regular beefsteak. It s earlier, heavier yielding, and the fruits are magnificent for slicing, canning, cooking or juice.
Climbing is a fine cucumber variety from China that will be ideal for growing in cages. Cucumbers ofChinese origin are renowned for their quality, crispness and flavour. Climbing has a superlative eating quality and mildness. Fruits are large, have a nice green colour and the flesh is pure white and crisp. Vines are extra strong, vigorous and great climbers. Three times the usual crop from a given area can be grown with this variety.
Trellis
{fom the Centre (445-1552) unless a speci c phone number given. All other events (in black) held else- where; for data call phone number given. All events be~ gin at 8:00 pm unless otherwise stated.
Mon
23
Abbreviations used as follows: H. = Ho J Society; and G.C. = Garden Club. Note: Ci Centre Shop and Library open 9:00 am to 5: Monday to Friday, plus additional hours listed b
Tues
GARDENING COURSE at 24 1:30 and 8:00 pm; see page 19
North York H.S. (221-2158) Roseland H.S. (893-1288)
Canadian Chrysanthe- 27 mum & Dahlia S. (2232964) Library & Shop open 7 to 9 pm
Library & Shop open 7 to 9 pm
East York G.C. (425-7496)
Canadian Chrysanthe- 27 mum & Dahlia S. (2232964)
lfyou haven t received at least one seed catalogue by now better write away for one or more immediately! The two best Canadian ones, according to most gardeners are those of the Dominion Seed House, Georgetown, Ontario, and Stokes Seeds Ltd., St. Catharines, Ontario. For something a little different .you may also wish to obtain a copy of the catalogue of the most famous English seed firm, Thompson & Morgan. They now have a North American office at P.O. Box 24, Somerdale, New Jersey 08083, U.S.A.
As the title indicates, this article deals solely with some of the new flower introductions. Those readers who are vegetable fans only, will have to wait until our February issue for a similar treatment of what s new in vegetable varieties for 1975 except for one or two with which John Bradshaw deals in his article on page 10 of this issue.
Once you have your seed catalogue(s) spend several evenings reading through
Grande impatiens is a large-flowered, elfin type in many colours available for the first time this year. Note compact habit of plant.
Some of the New Flower Varieties for 1975 are Real Winners
Art C. Drysdale, Editor
them there is nothing more informative. Pick out the varieties you want to grow, and get your order off as soon as possible. Our February issue should arrive at least by the third week of February and you should not delay later than that to place your seed order.
In addition to the now well-known All American Selection flower winners, similar judging is carried on amongst about-to-be-introduced varieties in Britain (All Britain Trials) and Europe (European Fleuroselect). It is not too often that a new variety is a big winner in all three trials but such is the case with a new dwarf dahlia Redskin . This new variety is so named because of its reddish foliage that itself contrasts well with the flowers and foliage ofother annuals such as yellow marigolds. The flowers of Redskin are double, 2'; to 3 inches in diameter and produced in great abundance in colours ofred, pink, yellow, lavender, orange, rose and white. All the seed companies are offering this one, and it s bound to be popular with home gardeners, as well as balcony gardeners. Since it is new, it will be in short supply as grown plants when they go on sale in mid-May, so better get some seed and start it off yourself. Do this either indoors after the beginning of March, or outdoors where they are to grow about mid-May.
Another new variety being handled by most seed houses is Cinnabar marigold also known as the Chameleon marigold. This latter name is ascribed due to the variety s habit of bearing long-lasting single flowers of a red colour, which after more than a week begin to change to an orange colour, and still later turn to a yellow tone. The plants bloom at a very young age just 45 days after seeding which means you ll have flowers on your plants by the end ofJune if you sow the seed directly outdoors about mid-May. Alter-
natively, you may seed them indoors, but not before April 15.
Nasturtiums have been with us for as many years as anyone cares to recall. However, a great many gardeners have not grown them because of two problems the main one being that the plants do not like too much fertilizer, and if they receive an excess there is an abundance offoliage and precious little in the way of flowers. The second problem was the spurs on the flowers which tended to get caught up on the foliage holding the blooms down almost hidden in the abundant foliage. For 1975 there is a whole new class of nasturtiums known as Whirly-Bird! These lack the usual black spur that all other varieties have, and the flowers thus sit upright, above the foliage. This new class is excellent for hanging baskets or even for rock gardens, in addition to their use in annual flower borders.
Some seedhouses are listing only a mixture ofcolours in this new class, others are listing separate varieties. Colours range from scarlet and rose through gold and orange to mahogany. The seed should only be sown outdoors as soon as the soil has begun to warm up.
In the traditional pentunias there are, as usual, many new varieties offered by the various seedhouses. Perhaps one of the more interesting is the super grandiflora Titan series which are claimed to produce the largest flowers up to 5% inches in diameter early, on small plants. The class comes only as a mixture. Also new this year, and of interest to gardeners who have had problems with disease on their petunias (usually botrytis disease tiny circular white marks that sometimes cover most of the flowers), is the variety Champagne . Also a grandiflora type (which means it has large flowers as compared with the multiflora type which bear a larger number of slightly smaller flowers) Champagne grows 15 inches tall, produces flowers about four inches in diameter and holds up very well even in rainy weather the bane of many petunias.
For apartment gardeners who have tried the earlier variety Calypso , there is an improved grandiflora this year known as Viva . It has three-inch
fringed red and white blooms but with a better balance of the colour pattern than Calypso . The plants branch well from the base and grow only to ten inches, making them well-suited to container growth.
Petunias started from seeds (which are extremely tiny) are slow to grow, and should therefore be started by midFebruary. Seed should be germinated at very hot (86°F.) temperatures, in light, and then grown on cooler (say at 6570°F.) Complete instructions are given on seed packages.
In early promotions from some seedhouses last year, gardeners may have been enthused by a new type of sweet peas Jet Set . Unfortunately, the introduction of these had to be delayed until this year due to a crop failure in 1973 for the original 1974 introduction. Jet Set is a bush-type sweet pea that grows just under 30 inches in height. It produces many long stems that are sturdy, and make the flowers ideal for flower arrangement use. Planted in semi-shaded areas, plants will achieve a slightly greater height.
As with all sweet peas, they are best started outdoors, in very early May. The seed should be treated with a coating of captan fungicide to protect it from disease, and planting should be done in hills, of good loam or clay soil.
Those who love the dwarf zinnias such as Thumbelina , Cupid and Tom Thumb introduced over the past few years will welcome a new series Button Box. There are individual colours of cherry, pink, red and white. The bushy plants grow a foot high and produce fully double 1%-inch blooms. Zinnias are a hot climate plant explaining their tolerance of extremely hot environments on west- and south-facing concrete balconies. Therefore, when starting the seed, wait until the soil where they are to grow outside is warm probably after the first of June.
For those gardeners plagued by shade, there are at least two new varieties of impatiens available this year. Impatiens the petunias of the shade are delightfully easy to grow from cuttings taken from a few plants (Conclusion on page 17)
Official Publication of THE CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE, 777 Lawrence Avenue East, Don Mills, Ontario M3C 1P2. Telephone (416) 445-1552
ADVERTISING RATES AND MECHANICAL REQUIREMENTS (January 1, 1975)
Printed Offset, Black: 1-5 times 6-9 times 10times Width x Depth
page...................
Bleed: 15 per cent extra.
Colour: Standard process blue, magenta or yellow, $25; Gardening green , $35; any other colour, $80; Four-colour process, $90.
Special positions: 25 per cent extra for back cover; 10 per cent extra for inside front and inside back covers (non-cancellable).
Material requirements: Final artwork, repro proofs and glossy photos only are required; or copy can be set from typewritten material submitted. Commission and Discount: 15% agency comm. and 2% c.d. to agencies.
Trim Size: Magazine is 5% wide x 9" deep.
Issuance and Closing Dates: Issued ten times per year, on or about the first of January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October, November and December. Closing date for each issue the 1st of the previous month.
BEAUTIFUL LAWN.
So-Green has developed an easy-to-follow, four step program that will guarantee you a beautiful lawn. Each step will be outlined in this publication during the coming months.
STEP1:MARCH/APRIL.
To get your lawn off to a fast Premium is available in 50, 25 healthy start, apply So-Green and 127 Ib. bags. Apply at the rate Premium 21-7-7. This formula of 5 Ibs. per 1000 sq. ft contains all the nutrients a lawn . Cfgb?gor?gsb"; 'gf 'ida; gagfxgs an a C gi RAE N App1|1y at the rategof 8 Ibs. per 1000 s
If you were troubled with . For a free copy of the complete crabgrass last year, apply So- go-Green Four Step Program write Green Crabgrass Killer plus to the address below 10-5-10 fertilizer now. It will kill your crabgrass and feed your lawn at the same time.
y So-Green Division, F. Manley Corporation,25Lesmill Road, Don Mills, § Ontario
Highrise Gardeners of Toronto meet together
On January 14, the Highrise Gardeners of Toronto met at the Centre to view members slides and prints of balcony gardens in 1974. There were some interesting ideas to be shared by all in attendance. George Sinclair, executive director of the Centre was also in attendance and talked to the club about the projected expansion of the Centre, and what it could mean to Highrisers.
The next meeting of Highrise Gardeners, open to non-members on payment of a nominal fee, is at 8:00 pm on Tuesday, February I1. This will be a third anniversary party for the club, and the special speaker for the evening will be Mr. Ken Brown, horticulturist at the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo. Mr. Brown will show colour pictures of the over 1,000 species of plants growing at the z0o. Special refreshments will be provided by the hospitality chairmen, Mrs. Margaret Kerr and Miss Catherine Pickett.
New Flower Varieties
(Conclusionfrom page 15) brought in the previous fall. But, if you didn t have the foresight, then you ll either have to start from seeds, or buy started plants in mid-May. If starting from seed, remember that impatiens, as do petunias, need light in order to germinate, and also they like it warm a soil temperature of 70°F. (Best obtained through the use ofbottom heat.)
The new Grande impatiens is a beautiful large-flowered, elfin type which grows to a height of only six inches. Flower colours are mixed and range from pink, rose and crimson to orchid, scarlet, salmon, orange and white. For those desiring a taller growing impatiens Tangeglow may be for you. Its two-inch blooms are produced on 18-inch plants that are extremely vigorous. Flower colour is burnt-orange which contrasts well with the uniquely pointed dark, glossy green foliage.
Finally, something new this year in salvias. Traditionally red, but with a few varieties varying (such as the blue, pink, and purple varieties), a new salvia this
year is actually a bi-colour! Snowkist salvia is a crimson-red with a contrast of white on the tips of the petals. The calyx, or base of the flower, is also striped scarlet and white. Salvia is not an easy annual to start from seed indoors, but will grow well if started outdoors at the end,of May, and transplanted to various parts of the garden two weeks later.
Flower Arranging Courses are Booking Now
Now is the time to telephone the Centre and reserve a spot in either Course 1 or Course 2. Course 1 (the basic one) will be held on six successive Wednesdays beginning March 12, both in the afternoon at 1:30 pm with Doris Spafford instructing, and in the evening at 8:00 pm with Beth Frost instructing. Course 2 will be conducted on six successive Thursdays beginning on March 13, also both in the afternoon with Margaret Dove instructing, and in the evening with Kathy Cantlon instructing. Times are the same as for Course 1.
All instructors are graduates ofan intensive judging school and most are famous for their prize-winning floral displays at flower shows throughout Ontario.
Men s Garden Club Meetings Planned
The Men s Garden Club of the Civic Garden Centre is open to all male members of the Centre (chauvinistic aren t they!). Their meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month, and at their meeting on February 4, George Sinclair, the Centre s executive director is addressing the club.
For the meeting on March 4, the club has something special planned. Professor Leonard Butler of the University of Toronto will tell the group about his research in breeding diversified types of tomato varieties. The talk will be illustrated and, weather permitting, actual specimens will also be shown.
New members or visitors are welcome to the meetings. Just come to the Civic Garden Centre at 8:00 pm on the first Tuesday of the month.
Many people are not aware of the beautiful displays that can be obtained by the use of various designs and combinations of plants in window boxes. Well planned and planted window boxes not only provide enjoyment to apartment dwellers or other plant lovers having no garden, but also serve as an over-all embellishment of the community.
Service stations, offices and business establishments could make use of window boxes or hanging baskets, not only to help beautify their premises but also to improve customer relations.
Right now, when outdoor garden work is at a standstill, is a good time to build a window box. While construction is quite simple, there are a few guidelines that you should consider before starting thejob. The size of the window box is usually governed by the dimensions of its final location. It must, though, be deep enough and wide
This well-constructed window box may be outfitted for self-watering or to contain excess water from dripping to lower balconies. Agriculture Canada photo.
Make a Window Box Now for Summer-long Beauty later
Arthur R. Buckley*
enough to accommodate plants. It should be a minimum of ten inches wide at the top, eight inches at the bottom and at least six to eight inches deep. Wider and deeper boxes are better but they may be too cumbersome and heavy if they are longer than three feet.
Fresh paint is harmful to plant roots
Use dried lumber or waterproof plywood not less than three-quarters of an inch thick. Thinner boards are apt to warp and do not keep out the heat of the sun a factor to consider if the window box is to be placed in full sunlight.
Half-inch holes spaced six to nine inches apart in two rows should be drilled in the bottom of the box to provide drainage. Apply a wood preservative to the interior of the box but be sure to use one that will not harm plants; some preservatives such as creosote can be harmful if used just prior to planting. The box may be painted on the outside, but inside painting should be avoided unless it is done well in advance ofplanting. Fresh paint is harmful to plant roots.
Boxes may have a metal liner but should never be built entirely of metal because in midsummer they become so hot that the plants may be literally cooked. Conversely, a wooden window box may be placed inside a metal outer cover which contains a shallow layer of gravel to provide adequate drainage.
Window boxes filled with soil are very heavy. When they are to be attached to a building, supports must be adequate to avoid any chance of collapse.
*Mr. Buckley retired as ornamental plant specialist with the The Plant Research Institute, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, over a year ago. He continues to write gardening inf i Iy for papers across Canada.
One might also consider the self-watering type of window box. In most cases it might be better to purchase such containers rather than try to make them at home. They require special drainage tiles and wicks, and the plans are sometimes quite complicated. In the illustration is a window box made a few years ago at the Agriculture Canada Plant Research Institute. It is four feet long, 15 inches wide at the top and 12 inches wide at the bottom. Over-all depth is nine inches; depth to the false bottom (the planting area) is five inches. This gives ample room for three rows of plants; trailers in the front, medium sized plants in the middle and tall plants at the back.
There is a hinged door at the base of the box through which the metal tray may be removed. The tray prevents dripping if the box is top watered, or
fiberglass wicks may be threaded through the centre holes of the false bottom to a nutrient solution or water in the tray beneath. The false bottom is a separate board which rests on a oneinch ledge on either side. Most cotton or nylon materials may be used for wicks which should extend one-third of the way up into the soil area.
Planters or window boxes designed and built into the house superstructure present special problems. They are often constructed without provision for proper drainage and consequently, after a relatively short period, the growing medium may become unsuitable for plant growth due to a build-up of salts. In such instances a layer of coarse gravel, stones or brick, must be placed in the bottom of the planter after it has been completely emptied. Then one can fill the container with a suitable soil mixture.
SPRING GARDENING COURSE
Again this year, The Civic Garden Centre 's six-week Gardening Course = the Toronto area 's most compres hensive, educational and enjoyable is offered to mems bers and non-members alike. There will also be an Ads vanced coursé commencing March 17, detajis ater
THe basic caodrse begins oh Monday, February 3§and runs forisix weeks at-1:30 and 8:00 pm at-the Céntre in Edwards Gardens, Don Mills (Lawrence and Leslie). This year oo, the famous Roval Bo, tanical'Gardens' Hamiltoh is ipvolved: throudhLits "OutieachiPro; gramme findecinwtne Caltura AffairsyRivision of thes@gtario Ministry of Colleges.and Univarsities:
February 8 = Herbace@us Plant§ior Foronto-Area.Gardens
by Dr.leslie Laki§ay DirectdfiiRqyal BotdficaliGardens
February 10 Plant/Propagationfor Home Gardeners
By 8lll White, Clargreen Gaidens Ltd., MisSiSSatiga; Ontatio February. 17 Woody Q@rnamentals for foronto Aréa Gardens' by HayENH&\ward, Propagator, Royal Botanical Gadens
FebMIBN 24 ==¥Dlant Clinic =Bring Your Problems®
By D PSIERERRIES Plant PatholdgistiReyaliBetanical Gardens
Mareh 8 ="Halcony and Patio Contaipés Gardening
DY CEorgeRPageWSki, Horticulturist, Royal Botamigal Gardens
MErSh 10"egetable Gardening for Alltments& Back Yards
By George Sinclairt Exeoutive Director@IVic Garden Centre
CosStSaior each talk ior nonsmembers of the Centre; $2.50 for members-Membersmay register forallsix talks at a fee of only $11. Call and Register NOW, 445-1552!
Flower Arranging Materials and Mechanics featured in Centre s
Shop
Doris Weir, Shop Director
Though some may consider the price of cut flowers purchased from a local flower shop to be expensive if one considers thejoy and enjoyment a small number of carefully chosen cut blooms may bring, the expense may be easily rationalized. As flower arranging classes here at the Centre are in full swing, I thought it would be timely to emphasize the wonderfully wide range of materials for flower arranging that we have. The photo accompanying this article shows just some ofthe pin holders and pin cup holders that we try to have in stock at all times. Those shown represent the best of two well-known manufacturers one in England, and one in California. Next month in this space, I'll again be showing you some ofour many lines of mechanics for flower arrangers things other than pin holders!
As one of the articles in this issue of Trellis so adequately tells you, and as I reminded you last month, it is feed the birds time , and ifyou make a habit of supplying feed you ll attract a flock of your very own . Our Distlefink feeders have been selling well primarily because they completely prevent waste of bird feed. We also have a good stock of the satellite bird feeders designed to prevent other than the birds getting at the feed. And, our birch log feeders, in
£-BONSAI For Indoor Growing
No. 6 Highway, off No. 403, Hamilton Telephone: (416) 529-1946
Some of the range of pin holders, pin cup holders and other flower arranging mechanics available at the Centre's shop.
which you may put your own homemade suet-based feed are an economical bird feeder that will blend with your winter garden.
If the dry atmosphere ofyour home is causing the soil in your houseplant containers to dry out abnormally fast, we have something to add to your potting soil that will enable you to put many more days between your waterings and your plants will not suffer. The substance is called Hydrogel it s a new soil amendment that holds 20 times its dry weight in water, and gradually releases it to the plants roots as they need it. Though expensive, one two-pound jar will be sufficient to mix with the soil in four large indoor plant containers. Come in a get a jar soon.
And finally, for our new members, (I hardly need to remind our long-time members) there is a ten percent discount off all purchases (over $2) made at our garden shop, Ifthere is a big purchase you are contemplating with that money you got for Christmas, why not ask us about it. We may be able to save you money!
Kleinburg Sojourn
(Conclusion from page 9)
I hope you enjoy your day in the area north-west of Toronto as I know members of the Milne House Garden Club will enjoy the February 18 meeting of their club. The topic will be Rhododendrons , and the theme for the flower show will be Consider the Container . Members consulting their yearbooks will find such classes in the decorative section as: Metal , Plastic , Recycled Material , China (using cup and saucer), Nature s Own , and Pottery .
Centre s Bookshop Welcomes you to Browse in its own new Home
Marilyn Waugh, Director
Our big news this month is that your bookshop has a spot of its own. Our new location, adjacent to the library, is small, but our selection of books is greater than ever. In addition, our facilities for displaying our material are much improved. Do come to see us soon.
There seems to be an increased interest in greenhouse gardening and there are a number of excellent books on thesubject. Greenhouse Gardeningfor Fun, Blake, C. (82.95) and the Greenhouse Handbookfor the Amateur, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens series ($1.50) would provide a start in this area. In Your Greenhouse with Percy Thrower, Thrower, P. ($7.95); Garden Rooms and Greenhouses, Kramer, J. ($12.60); TheAmateur s Greenhouse, Mac Self, A. J. ($12.95); and Gardening Under Glass, Eaton, J. (§9.95) give additional details. The Complete Book ofthe Greenhouse, Walls, 1. ($22.00) leaves nothing to chance.
In addition to our gardening books we are now carrying some titles of related interest. We have stock of: Rivers ofCanada, MacLennan, H. (826.95); Seasons, Borland, H. ($11.95); Colour of Canada, MacLennan, H. ($5.95): Collecting Canada s Past, Smith, E. J. (829.95); The Book of Canadian Antiques, Webster, D. ($27.50); and Ontario Towns, Greenhill, R. et al ($25.00).
Flower arranging classes are under way again, and whether you are beginning, or adding to, a collection on the subject, the following should be interesting: FlowerArranging Week by Week, Hendrichs, K. (86.95); Practical Flower Arranging, Taylor, J. (87.95): Step by Step Guide to Flower Arranging, Pearce, B. (83.95); Flower Arranging, Better Homes and Gardens ($4.95); Constance Spry Encyclopedia ofFlower Arranging, Spry, C. (811.50); Teach Yourself FlowerArranging, Roberts, E. (§1.50); and Creative FlowerArrangement, Taylor, J. (86.75). Two recent publications are: Zen in the Art of Flower Arrangement, Herrigel, G. ($4.50) and The Complete Flower Arranger, Ascher, A. ($11.50).
Member, Mrs. Joan McMullen, has supplied us with the following review of The Complete Flower Arranger by Amalie Adler Ascher, which sells in our bookshop for $11.50.
Amalie Ascher has written a book that is most stimulating, since it interests both the novice and advanced flower arranger. Not only does the book take the reader through the basic principles and elements of design, but also covers traditional and period arrangements, miniatures, Japanese styles, ways with wood, fruit and vegetables and modern arrangements. There is an excellent chapter on mechanics and conditioning. Some fascinating ideas on lighting and colour are presented as well as the collecting and making of containers. Mrs. Ascher concludes her book by discussing flower show competitions, staging and judging. The Complete Flower Arranger is well illustrated with the author s own arrangements in both colour and black and white. It is a thoroughly enjoyable and comprehensive book.
Did you hear Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau s New Year's Day message? | thought his theme of sharing was an admirable one, but the way in which it was developed seemed open to question.
Taken to its extremity, his comparison presents an unusual situation for gardeners.
The presents we exchange with one another . . . are a symbol of a universal sharing. They are also a reminder of a basic necessity to all forms of life. In effect, no living thing can survive without sharing. This is true of nature; it s true of human society. Trees, bushes, grass and moss, forests and fields share space, light, moisture and the nutrients of the soil. All creatures ofwater, air and earth are obliged to share with each other and with all growing things. All forms oflife have an indispensable ability to give or to receive. What's ecology, ifnot the science of natural sharing. And what is ecological balance if not the result ofan equitable sharing among all elements of our environment including human beings. To live is to share.
Well, I'm not sure ifbotanists and scientists would agree that all living plants must share in order to live. Given an open patch of ground, most gardeners would agree that their bluegrass certainly grows better when it is not sharing the fertilized soil with crabgrass. And, the greenhouse growers would loudly disagree if told that their crops would grow better if the plants were to share the greenhouse with increasing numbers of white fly.
Many might also disagree about ecology being the science of natural sharing. Most dictionaries define ecology as a branch ofbiology dealing with relations of living organisms to their surroundings (environments) and to one another. No mention of sharing is 22 / Janvary 1975
And, may | now have the Last Word"?
Art C. Drysdale, Editor
given. And, if there is a sharing who is the arbiter? The Supreme Being?
All of this is not to take away from the Right Honourable Pierre Trudeau s overall theme that sharing must become, for Canadians, more of a way of life. Whether it be Alberta s oil, Ontario s uranium or the country s wealth in general, we must learn to share an ever increasing portion ofit with others. -
But isn t it odd that the Prime Minister should hit upon trees, bushes, grass and moss, forests and fields to illustrate his sharing concept? He could have chosen any one of many other examples even in nature. But, he chose to mention trees and bushes first! Perhaps it s timely, in that in North America, we are experiencing probably the biggest ever expansion of gardening in all its aspects. Perhaps it is that official recognition ofgardening for which the horticultural trade have been searching for years. If it was, it doubtless went unnoticed by our moribund gardening trade!
You do see gardening in all the oddest ofplaces these days. I see it as no coincidence that Canada s largest newspaper now frequently has its main editorial cartoon based around some phase of gardening. Or, that a bank with branches all across Canada produces a series ofadvertising posters featuring Canada s provincial flowers, and has more demands for reprints than anything else they have ever done. Or, that a Canadian distillery uses a photograph of a couple engaged in planting a terrarium to promote a line of whisky. Or, well, we've all seen them countless examples.
We must be on the track with gardening if Pierre Trudeau sees it as the way ofthe future for our national activities something must be right. Now, where is the line-up of advertisers for Trellis?
GARDEN ALL YEAR
A hobby without peer - for leisure, home beauty and livability - a garden that blooms all year with only a few hours care each week.
Our catalogue contains dozens of full colour photos of prefabricated greenhouses in lifetime aluminum. With it you can choose a greenhouse that is sure to harmonize with your home.
Write for your copy today!
Select from 1300 varieties. Many exotic exclusives from Europe, England and LURD & BURNHAM CU LIMITED South America. Send for it today. 1% STOKES SEEDS Dept. T, 325 Welland Ave., St, Catharines, Ontario
If it s about Gardening . . . ask Toronto s Civiec Garden Centre. Membership, including 4 ten issues per year of TRELLIS only $5 for 12 months.
AVAILABLE FEB.
Canada s Most Comprehensive Gardening Catalogue
The Sheridan Nurseries Garden Catalogue for 1975 contains 136 pages, alive with ideas for your garden.
Over a Thousand Listings
The new '75 Catalogue describes more than 1200 hardy plants and trees that can bring your home and neighbourhood to life this year. Listed page by page . . . picture by picture . . . Evergreens .. Trees. . Vines. .. Roses. .. Hedges. .. Fruit ... Ferns and Flowers. In addition to all the common varieties of nursery stock, there are at least a dozen new and unique Sheridan developments, released only this year.
Also, for the first time herbs are being featured!
More than 300 Colour lllustrations
So beautiful to look at . . . so practical to use. Your new '75 Sheridan Garden Catalogue not only describes hundreds of vibrant selections for your home, but shows exactly how they can enhance your lawn or garden with more than 300 full colour photographs. You'll want to keep this Catalogue on hand all year as a constant reference on every aspect of gardening.
Hints for Gardening, Landscaping
In the new Sheridan Garden Catalogue you'll find many useful sug-
gestions from the experts to help improve your garden this year. Suggestions about planting, pruning and pesticides. Maintenance hints for hedges and shrubs. Gardening tips on soils, fertiizers and garden accessories. There are 6 pages of landscape sketches and plans as well as a hardiness zone map to show you which ideas would be best for your home or cottage. You'll find a garden calendar, information on soil conditioners, lawn care and growing with fluorescent lights along with some great ideas for patio decoration. There are quite a few addresses included, too, so you can write away to join interesting clubs or to get free booklets and detailed information on specific plants and trees. The 1975. Sheridan Garden Catalogue, now, more than ever before, is a gardening information book you won't want to be without this spring.
To obtain your 1975 Sheridan Nurseries Garden Catalogue write enclosing $1.00 deposit or visit your closest Sheridan Garden Centre. Your new Catalogue will contain a $1.00 coupon redeemable on your first purchase from Sheridan.
