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Coming Events of International Gardening and Floral Arts Interest
Until October 19, 1975
Bundesgartenschau, the bi-annual German federal garden show, staged this year in two parks in Mannheim (just south of Frankfurt), Germany. Several indoor shows throughout the period. Contact: the Civic Garden Centre.
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 Convention, at Barrie. Ontario. Contact: Russell F. Gomme (416) 965-1091.
June 27-29, 1975
International Lily Show, Liberty Junior High School, Ashland, Virginia. Contact: Mrs. A. Dugdale, Box 25, Ashland, Va., 23005.
June 29, 1975
Carnival of Roses, sponsored by Canadian Rose Society, Inn on the Park, Toronto. Contact: (416) 444-9126.
July 2-6, 1975
International Bonsai Convention, Deauville Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida. Contact: (416) 782-2403.
July 10-12, 1975
American Bonsai Society Annual Symposium, Crown Center, Kansas City, Missouri. Contact: Lynn Alstadt, 228 Rosemont Ave., Erie, Pa., 16505.
July 12-13, 1975
Ontario Regional Lily Society Show, Royal Botanical Gardens, Headquarters, Burlington. Contact: (416) 2334900.
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.
TO BROWSE"
Open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday to Saturday; 11:00 am to 5:00 pm Sundays.
This Month s Articles
Perennial Flowers provide Colour through Year 7 Construction ofRock Gardens and Cascades 12 Garden Shredders have many Uses 18 Plantainlilies: Colour, Texture& Fragrance 23
Editorial About StaffChanges at the Centre 30
Regular Features
Coming Events of International Interest, 3; Gardening Events Calendar, 16; School ofFloral Decoration, 26; Shop, 28; and Library, 29.
Other Items of Interest This Month
A list of the best Phlox cultivars, 9; and an amusing structure just to ship one plant, 27.
The Front Cover
Yellow and purple violas combine with Oriental poppies for a stunning display at C P Hotels Chateau Lake Louise. Photo by A. C. Drysdale.
Civic Garden Centre Board of Directors
Mrs. K. G. (Audrey) 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; Mrs. J. A. (Edna) Gardner; R. A. (Reé) Mackenzie; G. A. (Giz) Milne; Mrs. M. A. (Chris) Okawara; E. R. (Ernie) Pope; Mrs. E. (Flavia) Redelmeier (Chairman); Mrs. F. W. (Genevieve) Robertson; W. (Wilf) Sanders; L. C. (Larry) Sherk; Mrs. R. (Helen) Skinner; T. W. (Tom) Thompson; D. H. (Dave) Yerex; W. A. (Bill) Young.
Staff for Civic Garden Centre and Trellis
George Sinclair, Executive Director and Mrs. J. W. (Awdrey) Clarke, Executive Secretary. Art C. Drysdale, Editor and Advertising Director.
General Information
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 ($5 for 12 months). Opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the Centre. This is Volume 2, Number 5.
THE CIVIC GARDEN CENTRE Telephone 445-1552
What it is
o 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
» 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
o 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 atdifferent levels
« Teaches non-commercial flower arranging at various levels to over 300 persons annually and encourages their competition
o 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 ofan 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
« Free borrowing privileges from the 3,000-volume library
o 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 per year
T77 Lawrence Ave. East (in Edwards Gardens), Don Mills, Ontario M3C 1P2
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Ohne of the problems of many home gardeners with little space or time for gardening is how to have something in bloom at all seasons. Our short, dry, hot summers prevent us from having many varieties from which to choose. However, it is possible to select a basic list with a long season of bloom from those plants that are hardy in most ofCanada, are showy, and not too exacting in their soil and cultural requirements.
Plenty of bloom for summer months
There are very few early-flowering plants that will give a three-week blooming period, but the Siberian squill (Scilla sibirica) will do just that. These have small bright-blue flowers that open slowly and show colour as the spike emerges from the soil. They are spring-flowering bulbs and must be planted in the fall. The same applies to the February gold narcissus, that can be planted to give early April flowers, and the large and small-cupped narcissus, of which I prefer Louis de Coligny with its strong sweet scent, Duke of Windsor with its wide open cups, and Unsurpassable , which will produce a good display of long golden trumpets year after year.
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GREEN CROSS
For a display of bloom from April to the end of May, I should choose the lungwort (Pulmonaria saccharata) Mrs. Moon . This cultivar (variety) has not only a beautiful combination of lightpink and gentian-blue flowers but also boasts a striking white-spotted foliage that is attractive all summer. For diversity at about the same height, plant Dicentra Bountiful which flowers from May to August in full sun. For shade use Dicentra formosa Sweetheart , a variety that produces glistening white flowers from May to September. Both of these are often called bleeding heart. Another May-flowering perennial for the front of the border is the moss pink
(Phlox subulata). Use Autumn Rose , as this cultivar (variety) blooms again in September.
In June, a few bearded irises will give size and body to your planting. Although it responds to good gardening, this perennial will still make a faithful showing with a minimum of care. The same is true for the daylily (Hemerocallis). A few clumps spaced over the length of the border will give flowers from May to August. Choose such cultivars as the orange-coloured Earliana for the earliest blooms, Frances Fay , buff, for midseason, and Mabel Fuller , red, for late-August flowers.
Erigeron speciosus Double Beauty , with large double dark-blue flowers, gives a generous display of colour from June to early August. Others for the same period are the cottage pink (Dianthusplumarius), and its hybrids the garden pinks, such as John Ball, Ipswich Crimson and Mrs. Sinkins ; the blanket flower (Gaillardia) and the coral bells (Heuchera); all of which flower from June to August and September and need little care. The Scarlet Sentinel and Gaiety coral bells were the brightest and most floriferous of the many varieties growing under test two years ago in Ottawa.
The balloon flower (Platycodon) and the speedwell (Veronica) will give a display of pink, blue or white flowers from July to September, according to the variety. Platycodon *Bristol Bride is white, the common species blue, and Bristol Blush , pink. Veronica Blue Champion is a good blue speedwell, ideally used with Coreopsis verticillata, a golden, long-season plant, to bring out the best in both. Icicle is a new variety that grows 18 inches high and Minuet a
*Mr. Buckley retired as ornamental plant specialist with The Plant Research Institute, now Omamentals Research Service, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, nearly two years ago. He continues to write gardening information columns for various media.
Perennial Flowers provide Colour throughout the Seasons and without Re-Planting
Arthur R. Buckley*
new pink Veronica from England. Pleasing colour combinations with perennial phlox
The Herbaceous summer flowering
Above, bleeding heart is a popular herbaceous perennial, with cultivars suited to shady and sunny conditions. Below, a typical bearded iris. All photos by Agriculture Canada.
phlox (Phlox paniculata) is one of the most popular perennials for the flower border and an almost indispensable one, for no other perennial presents the same pictorial effect during July and August as this showy plant with its many brilliantly and diversely coloured cultivars. Its warm, sweet fragrance is the essence of summer. The uses of these plants are almost limitless. They are outstanding in the perennial and flower borders in summer and they are also brilliant enough to provide a bedding display of their own. By choosing a few kinds and planting them in irregular drifts an even more magnificent display can be achieved. Many cultivars will be in full bloom from mid-July until late August, followed by a few lateflowering trusses until the end of September.
Summer perennial phlox are quite compatible with other flowers and many refreshing combinations may be obtained. For example, white cultivars with lavender and purple Japanese irises; red or purple colours with bright snapdragons or daylilies; tall blue veronicas with white phlox and bright red astilbes are some of the most effective arrangements. The brightly coloured cultivars are quite showy when flanked with a background of white mugwort (Artemisia lactiflora) and a foreground of the double dropwood (Filipendula hexapetala Flore Pleno ). This gives a good contrast of bloom and later covers up the basal foliage of the phlox which is not too becoming by late September. Soft blue spiky annual salvias (Salvia farinacea) blend nicely with the deeper pinks and reddish tones as do the perennial icicle veronica and summer Snow physostegia.
Be sure to remove seed heads
Purple or magenta phlox cultivars create the greatest problems when used in the border, for their colours are not always harmonious with other flowers.
In adjacent column, from the top: perennial summer phlox in full bloom; a flower stem of phlox badly infected with powdery mildew which may be controlled by application of Benlate systemic fungicide; and cushion chrysanthemums which provide brilliant hues all through late September and October.
Silver-foliaged Artemisia and Nepeta with a lacy veil of perennial baby s breath (Gyposophila paniculata) will help alleviate the basiccolour conflicts.
The cultivation of perennial phlox is quite simple. It needs a good, deep, rich soil and must be allowed plenty of air circulation. While it will withstand light shade, avoid planting in areas with little air circulation and overshadowed by large buildings. Powdery mildew, a fungus disease, can be a problem in such areas. Phlox need dividing every three years. Dig them out of the ground now and break off the outer shoots for replanting. The centerofthe clump is best discarded, for it seldom produces healthy flowers. Failure to divide plants regularly will result in greater susceptibility to rust and mildew diseases. If for some reason, dividing cannot be carried out, a good temporary measure is to thin the shoots to allow a better flow of air between the stems. Leave from seven to 15 shoots on each plant for a good show of bloom.
Although summer phlox need copious supplies of water, care must be exercised to prevent it from getting on the leaves. Most home gardeners destroy their plants by the use ofoverhead irrigation that encourages and spreads the disfiguring mildew and leafspot diseases.
Choosing your Phlox
A succession of bloom may be ensured by removing the main truss as it fades. Then the sideshoots will produce flowerheads, with many smaller florets to a truss. Do not allow seeds to form since when they drop they are likely to produce plants, which, if inadvertently left, will give rise to the objectionable magenta hues ofthe original wild plant.
New monkshood cultivars from England resemble delphiniums
Although many of the older cultivars are still indispensable in the garden, those introduced in the past decade are more vigorous and to some extent more disease resistant.
The most difficult period to have colour in the perennial border is from the time the summer phlox starts to fade in mid-August until September when the chrysanthemums and asters flower. The best common fall-flowering perennials are the rudbeckias, golden glow, goldquelle, loddon gold, Heliopsis Gypsy , Echinacea The King' and Coreopsis grandiflora.
More uncommon are the sea hollies (Eryngium), showy, blue and silver-blue perennials, that make an almost everlasting decoration if dried. They grow from two to four feet high in almost any kind of soil if planted in a sunny location.
The following cultivars of perennial phlox, arranged according to their average height, were rated as excellent at Ottawa.
The best ofthe dwarf types, those under 21 inches high, were: Marlborough , a very compact cultivar with dark green leaves and deep rose-pink flowers with a darker eye: Gnome , grew only 18 inches tall, had purple-red flowers with a deeper eye; Stirling , a fine compact cultivar with large trusses of deep rosy-red; and Vintage Wine', a glowing wine-red with a much darker centre.
Medium-sized cultivars from 21 inches to 30 inches were in the majority. and many splendid ones were under test. Here are those that were excellent on all counts: Barnwell , a large flowering deep pink with a dark eye; Caroline van den Berg , a soft lavender-purple that was the nearest to blue of yany; Elizabeth Arden , a soft pink with a darker eye; Flamboyant , a very large-flowered clean-coloured deep maroon; Gleneagles Glory', a vigorous orange-red: Joan , a vibrant, rich scarlet flower with reddish-purple or crimson eye; Mies Copijn , almost pure pink with a crimson eye; Pastorale , a very large, warm pink cultivar with a purple eye; San Antonio a dark blood-red star-shaped, openpetalled cultivar; Spatrot , a deep crimson-red; and B. Symons-Jeune , named after the late Capt. B. Symons-Jeune, who has been responsible for many superior cultivars in recent years.
In the group of taller-growing phlox (over 30 inches), the following fine cultivars all rated high: Annie Lauri¢ , a deep salmon-pink; Brigadier , bright orange-red with a deep crimson eye; Dodo Hanbury Forbes , a very large, pure pink cultivar with a reddish centre; Fairy s Petticoat , pale mulberry-purple with deeper centre; Firefly , peach pink; Gaiety", striking cherry-red, suffused orange; Graf Zeppelin , white with a carmine eye; Hampton Court , a bright carmine with especially good, rich foliage colour; Harewood , bright red-purple: Iceberg . the only good pure white. under test; July Glow. the highest rated cultivar of all because of its unusually long period of bloom and its large. brilliant, deep-rose flowers; Leo Schlageter . brilliant scarlet-crimson with a darker eye: Lord Lambourne , a red cultivar with a white zone in the middle of the flowers, surrounding a reddish-purple eye; Olive Symons-Jeune , deep pink with a darker centre: Tenor , an outstanding red variety: and Windsor , rosy-pink, with a purple centre.
The Japanese anemone (Anemone Jjaponica) is available in many different cultivars, both double and single. Growing from two to three feet high, it fits in nicely toward the front of the flower border. Whirlwind , semidouble white; Queen Charlotte , semidouble lilac rose; Profusion , single, deep rose-pink; and Honorine Joubert , a pure white single, are improved kinds.
Mentioned earlier, the stately white mugwort or ghost plant (Artemisia lactiflora), is a most useful perennial that grows to five or six feet with large pointed clusters of creamy-white flowers. Although not too showy individually, the flowers form a foamy-mass effect on the plant, and are a most useful background for larger flowers such as daisies, outdoor mums and gladiolus.
New cultivars of the prairie blanketflower (Gaillardia artistata) have made their appearance. Watch catalogues for Baby Cole , six inches high with red and yellow blooms all summer; Burgundy , deep red; Goblin; with eight-to ten-inch mounds of yellow flowers; Mandarin , orange; and Wirral
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Flame , dark crimson-brown, flecked with yellow at the tips.
An interesting and refined perennial is Spark s monkshood (Aconitum napellus Spark s Variety ). This stately perennial provides showy spikes of blue-hooded blooms in early September. The plant grows well in full sun or light shade. Another popular blue and white flowered species is the bi-coloured, common monkshood (Aconitum fischeri). Many new cultivars ofthis species are appearing from England with stiffer and stouter stems, making them look like tall delphiniums. Highly rated among these are Blue Sceptre and Bressingham Spire.
Plaintainlily blooms late, and in the shade too!
The showy stonecrop (Sedum spectabile) has large thick leaves and longlasting pink flowers. It may always be relied upon to produce a pink mist effect until at least the end of September. The cultivar Brilliant has larger and darker pink flowers.
Boltonias are quite rare. They grow to five feet high, have sleek greyish foliage and their white flowers, though not large, are produced in abundance. They have the appearance ofperennial asters, but distinctive foliage. Try these interplanted with a pink perennial aster, such as Harrington s Pink , which reaches the same height. The gayfeathers (Liatris pycnostachya) displays its long spikes of purple blooms early in September. Small florets start unfolding at the top of the spikes and work downwards. There are a few newer cultivars worth searching for, such as Sil-
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ver Tips , Alba , and September Glory'.
One does not think of the plantainlily (Hosta) as a flowering plant, but from mid to late September, the cultivar Honeybells produces exquisite medium-blue bell-shaped flowers in abundance. Furthermore, they have a fragrance much like the trailing arbutus, famous in British Columbia.
The more adventurous gardener might like to try some of the mallow marvels or perennial hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos). Some grow up to six feet high, with typical hibiscus blooms.
Southern Belle is a relatively new AllAmerican-Award-winning annual that produces huge red, white, pink and bicoloured blooms from September to the end of October. When treated as a perennial, which it really is, it blooms much too late for most areas except southern-most Ontario, and where protection from early frosts can be provided.
One of the most rugged of all garden perennials is the perennial statice (Limonium). It forms large globular mounds of bloom 24 to 30 inches high which look much like the perennial baby s breath or bridal wreath. These flowers, however, are stiff and almost indestructible if dried.
Mound perennial asters such as Romany Blue , the white Royal Pearl , Royal Sapphire , and Pink Bouquet will shine brightly through the first frost.
The smaller the garden, the greater the use that must be made of these long-blooming perennials, as there is simply not space enough for those of shorter duration. Although all the plants mentioned are easy to grow, an extended blooming period is best encouraged by the prompt removal of fading flowers.
In adjacent column, from the top: blanket flowers with yellow-tipped red petals bloom from June until frost; Coreopsis grandiflora which provides vivid golden yellow colour from late August through September; and purple cone flowers with deep carmine-red flowers from mid-August to late September.
The primary object in building a rock garden should be to provide a congenial home for the small perennials, known as alpines or rock plants. It should have informality of rock and general outline. It may have ruggedness if extent and immediate environment renders such a treatment in keeping with the general surroundings. It should please by reason of its naturalness, and should be both picturesque and suitable for the growth of a great variety of rock plants. Its charm is in its variety.
A little thought given to the conditions in the native habitat of alpine plants will help materially in the selection of a site, and method of construction. The home of the majority of rock plants is in the higher altitudes, exposed
The Construction of Rock Gardens and Cascades is a Gardening Art
Albert E. Brown* to the bright sunshine of a short and comparatively cool summer, with ample moisture at the roots (supplied by the melting snows on the higher levels), yet provided with good drainage.
Site
The site for the rock garden should be in the open away from trees. A position under or near trees is fatal to all true alpines, not only on account of the shade. The drip from branches plays havoc with the plants and the roots rob the soil of the needed moisture, and nu-
*The late Mr. Brown was horticulturist, and the vice-president of Sheridan Nurseries Ltd. While head of the company's landscape construction department, he supervised the construction of many well-known rock gardens. He died in 1967 at age 84 after 51 years of service with Sheridan,
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triment. Shelter from strong winds is advisable. This can be provided by a planting of evergreens or shrubs at a sufficient distance so that the roots do not encroach on thegarden. These shelter belts, or groups, should form the background or setting for the garden.
The ideal exposure is facing east or northeast, exposed to the morning sun, yet partially shaded from the hot afternoon sun. Long, hot, dry summers are harder on these small plants than the severity of Canadian winters. The ideal site is not always available, and many successful rock gardens have been built, regardless of exposure; the method of construction being such as to provide shade for those plants that demand it.
The one essential is a difference in grade, which can be found on many properties. It may be only a foot or so, or may be a steep slope or bank. Should none be available, it is possible to provide one by excavating, by building up, or by a combination of the two. Good drainage being essential should the latter method be adopted care must be taken to provide a run offfor the water from the melting snow ofspring and heavy rains of summer.
Stone
The selection of stone depends to some extent upon the locality; it being much more economical to use what is found in the district, rather than hauling from too great a distance. In Ontario we are fortunate in having an ample supply of weathered limestone which is ideal for the purpose. It is porous, yet retentive of moisture, is sympathetic to plant life, and is suitable for any form ofconstruction or any size rock garden. The natural outcrops are preferable to quarried stone, being already weathered and, in many cases, moss covered, giving a mellowed appearance from the beginning. It is available in any size, is irregular in shape, can be used for stratified rockwork, or be just irregular, with many holes in which such plants as sempervivums may be planted.
Size of stone to be used is controlled to a great extent by the size of the garden. An extensive garden constructed with small stones is very flat and uninte-
resting. Even in the smallest rock garden a few larger stones should be used to form bold points.
Sandstone is more suitable for a stratified form of rockwork as it is usually thin and of a uniform thickness. The width of the stone makes it difficult to provide soil pockets. Granite boulders are sometimes used where no other stone is available. Being hard, they do not absorb so much moisture, and being more or less round in shape it is not possible to place them to give anything like a natural appearance.
Construction
Having decided upon the site, the next step is to consider the general outline of the proposed garden. There should be a general informality of both outline and construction. The general principles of construction are the same whether the garden be large or small.
It may be that the garden is to perform a double function, to retain a steep
Above, rock garden during construction, showing informality of rock layout and individual pockets for plants. Location is James Gardens in west Toronto. Below, the same rock garden and cascade completed and planted. It is important to ensure that rapid growing varieties do not over-grow the slower developing types. Photos by the author.
bank, as well as to provide a home for plants. In this case, it is necessary to have the construction fairly steep, giving a clifflike, rather than a wall effect. In other cases the difference in grade may be only slight, so that the general grade would be much more gradual, but not necessarily flat and uninteresting. The introduction of a few bold points will relieve the monotony and provide surfaces over which plants of a trailing habit may be accommodated.
One method of construction is to build the soil in the general shape ofthe proposed garden before setting any stones in place. This assists in visualizing the completed picture as it can be seen where the bold points would be most effective and where the more level areas would be desirable. Changes in
Above, draba (Draba aizoides) is a typical rock garden plant that is covered in very early spring with bright yellow flowers. Height is approximately four inches. Below, an excellent example of a rock or alpine garden, this one at The Niagara Parks Commission School of Horticulture in Niagara Falls faces north-east and contains a small pool. Photos by A. C. Drysdale.
contour are much easier made with earth rather than moving stones.
The functions of the stones are: to give a suggestion of natural environment, to assist in retaining the soil, and to play their part as retainers and receivers of moisture by conducting it to the roots ofthe plants. Stones should be placed so that about one-third of their bulk is buried, tilted slightly into the slope to give a natural appearance and to carry the moisture into the earth rather than permitting it to run off. Stone should be embedded in such a way that narrow or pointed ends are completely buried, with the portions remaining above the earth appearing ponderous, giving the impression ofgreater bulk beneath. Stones should be laid flat with the boldest face outwards. This is not only the natural way, but it also gives stability. Never place a stone on edge. It not only is liable to become loose, it is unnatural and detracts from the general appearance.
Start at base
The actual building is commenced by placing the lower level or strata first to form the general outline. This should be irregular, avoiding even or regular curved lines. Select rocks of various sizes, placing them in close contact to prevent the soil being washed away. In the small crevice between the stones pack soil firmly, and when planted, the roots will retain the earth. Here and there introduce a bold mass to add variation or to accentuate an angle.
When the first layer ofrock is in place bring the soil forward to the level of the stones at all points, packing soil firmly around the rocks until they are quite firm. This provides a base on which to proceed with the next tier. It is most important that each tier be continued as a number of irregular pockets, standing at different levels, and not a series of parallel terraces. Otherwise, the desired effect will not be obtained.
The second tier is placed in such a way as to leave bays and lesser depressions, alternating with protruding bluffs and rises. This can be done by placing a bulky stone immediately on one in the lower layer, preferably in the angle of a recess. Occasionally a stone can be
placed above a stone in the lower level to form a bold point, providing the two stones are similar in contour. If this is done, the upper stone should recede slightly, as an overhang robs the crevice between ofmoisture, making it unfit for vegetable life. Leave ample soil pockets connected with the mass ofearth below; alpines, as a class of plants, are very deep rooted.
Avoid continuous repetition and stone wall effect. Diversify in some form the higher rocks from those immediately below. This is one secret of a good rock garden.
Soil
While the majority of rock plants will thrive in any good garden soil providing it is porous and well drained, the ideal mixture is a compost consisting ofsandy loam with humus provided by well rotted leaf mould or granulated peat moss with sharp sand. The addition of limestone chips helps to break up the soil, improving its porosity. It also improves the colour of some plants, such as the encrusted saxifrages. Spread over the surface of the soil pockets, the chips help to retain moisture and prevent the soil from washing away with heavy rains.
Steps and walks in the rock garden should be irregular and winding. The walks, arranged to give access to the various parts ofa larger garden, must be of varying width, avoiding sweeping
The height of this rock garden was limited by its narrow width, but artistic arrangement of the rocks, and good maintenance of suited alpine plants have produced a fine example of rock garden beauty. Photo by the author.
curves, with any necessary turns made around a bold point of the garden.
Rocks and water are often associated in nature, and the introduction of a pool and cascade add interest and also permit the cultivation of a greater variety of plants. The moist margin of the pool provides an ideal spot in which to grow plants that thrive under moist conditions, such as many of the primulas, and certain iris. The pool should be informal in shape, and constructed in concrete, with an edging of fairly flat stones of a similar type to those used in the rock garden. These stones should be bedded in cement to prevent movement. The entire formed concrete pool should be covered with the stones to make it appear a natural pool. The stones forming the cascade should also have a concrete backing, with cement between, to prevent water from seeping behind and between the stones. The cement between the stones should be cut back so that it is not noticeable. Only a slight trickle of water should come down a wandering course on the rock cascade, ending up in one pool, which does not necessarily have to be at the ground level.
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EQUIPMENT CONSULTANTS AND SALES
@n Dunwin Dr., Mississauga, Ont. L5L 1A3 Phone 828-5925
Events in blue held at Civic Garden Centre; more data from the Centre (445-1552) unless a specific phone number given. All other events (in black) held elsewhere; for data call phone number given. All events begin at 8:00 pm unless otherwise stated
Abbreviationsused are asfollows: H. = Horticultural,S. = Society; and G.C. = Garden Club. Note: Civic Garden Centre Shop, Bookshop and Library open 10 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday, plus additional hours as indicated for dates below.
Sun Mon Tues Wed
Rhododendron 5. of Can- ] | Lecture on Drying Flow- 2 |Men's Garden Ciub 3
ada Toronto Group Show ers Mrs. C. P. Mentis of Blooms at 1 pm
Georgina Brock H.S. June Show va Southern Ontario Orchid S. at 1 (432-2592) 3 pm (759-1439)
Oshawa G.C. (782-8302)
Shops open 1 to 4 pm
Rhododendron S. of Can- 8 ada Annual Show, Burlington Senior Citizens Centre at noon (447-8046)
Shops open 1 to 4 pm
Batik Art Show at 1 pm (822-8935)
Shops open 1 to 4 pm
Ontario Horticultural Association Annual Convention, Barrie (965-1091)
15
Shops and Library open 7 to 9 pm
Agincourt G.C. Spring Show (491-4110)
9
Ajax G.C. Rose Show ]6 (942-0155)
East Toronto H.S. Rose Show (691-3665)
Kingsway-Sunnylea H.S. (2333849
Mount Albert H.S. Rose & Iris Show (473-2166)
Westway H.S. (241-7028)
Woodbridge H.S. (851-0300)
22
Shops open 1 to 4 pm
Carnival of Roses, Inn on the Park at 1 pm Shops
1 to
29
THIS IS THE FIRST DAY 23 OF SUMMER!
Markham H.S. Rose Show (2943267)
North York H.S. Rose Show (221-2158)
Scarborough H.S. Rose Show (282-8728)
Library & Shops open 7 to 9 p.m.
Highrise Gardeners of ]0 ¥orontoAurora H.S. Iris Show (7276232) Pickering H.S. Iris Show (8392037) Library& Shops open 7 to 9 pm
North Toronto H.S. Iris & ] 7 Rose Show (489-5543)
Thornhill H.S. (889-0231)
30
Brampton H.S. (450-0119) 24 Lake Simcoe (Sutton) H.S. (476-3087)
Pickering H.S. Rose Show (282- 2441)
Schomberg H.S. (939-2146)
Etobicoke H.S. 5255)
Unionville H.S. Iri 1178)
Uxbridge H.S. Iri 6959)
Library & Shops o
Cloverleaf G.C. 2
Brooklin H.S. Ro (655-3790)
Swansea H.S. (7
Thurs Fri
Rhododendron S. of Can- 7 ada Annual Show, Burlington Senior Citizens Centre at noon (447-8046)
Newmarket H.S. Spring Show at 2 pm (895-4145)
Library & Shops open 7 to 9 p.m.
Library& Shops open 10 am to 4 pm a2- 11
s Show (297-
s Show (852-
pen7 to 9 pm 12
8-u7) 18
Library & Shops open 7 to 9 p.m.
Aurora H.S. Peony Show l 9 (727-6232)
Beaverton H.S. (426-7878)
East York G.C. Rose Show (4257496)
Riverdale H.S. Iris Show 13 (466-4235)
Canadian Iris S. Show at ] 4 3 pm (889-0231)
Scarborough Centre Flower Show, Scarborough Civic Centre at 2:30 pm
Oshawa H.S. Iris Show (7288302)
Southern Ontario Unit of Herb S. of America Herb Fair, Kettleby at 11 am (923-5915)
Library & Shops open 1 to 4 pm
F Show 25 rmm)
Canadian Chrysanthe- 26 mum & Dahlia S. (2232964)
Ontario Horticultural As- 20 sociation Annual Convention, Barrie (965-1091)
Library & Shops open 7 to 9 pm
Beaverton H.S. Flower 27 Show (426-7878)
Ontario Horticultural As- 2 ] sociation Annual Convention, Barrie (965-1091)
Cannington H.S. Flower Show at 2 pm (432-2272)
Newmarket H.S. Peony Show at 2 pm (895-4145)
Stouffville H.S. Rose & Iris Show (640-1922)
Library & Shops open 1 to 4 pm
Georgina Brock H.S. 28 Flower Show at 2:30 pm Oshawa G.C. Rose Show & Tea (728-8302)
Stratford H.S. Flower Show at 1 pm (271-6679)
Library& Shops open 1 to 4 pm
Boarren soil gardening as practised in the 1950s and 1960s, with its dependance on chemical fertilizers, insecticides and starkly clean flower and vegetable beds is on the decline with the rediscovery of the value of mulching.
In the natural environment from which all garden plants originally came, the soil was covered with the accumulation ofyears ofdead plant matter, while the plant was surrounded by a multitude of other plant varieties helping to shade the ground and lower soil temperatures. The accumulation of dead organic matter served several purposes for the plant, returning nutrient value to the soil as it decayed, holding water like a sponge in its cellular matter, shading the soil and insulating the plant roots from wide temperature fluctuations and protecting the soil from drying winds.
Shredded newspaper mulch will forestall seed setting by lettuce
Many of to-day s gardens are depleted in organic matter through years
Lettuce is less likely to bolt to seed heads if the plants are mulched, since the mulch keeps the soil cool, and also keeps down the weeds. All photos by Kemp Shredder Co., Downsview, Ontario.
Garden Shredders those not-so-new Gardening Machines with Many Uses
James B. Nelson*
ofsterile gardening techniques in which gardens and flower beds were raked clean of vegetable and flower residue which was either burned on the spot, or carted away by the garbage collector. Plant performance can be improved in these gardens by using a mulch to protect against summer s drying heat. And, the tilth or quality ofthe soil will be improved as the mulch decays. Leaves, grass clippings, wood chips, sawdust, pine needles, newspapers and other organic matter all make first class mulching material.
Leaves add valuable nutrients brought up from the subsoil by tree roots. They will do their best as a drought- and heat-beating mulch when they are shredded in a garden shredder. Shredded leaves do not mat as do unshredded leaves, but allow moisture to penetrate easily down to the soil without endangering roots from smothering.
Shredded newspapers also make an effective moisture saving mulch that is not unattractive when mixed with moderate amounts ofshredded leaves, sticks or stalks. You'll need something bigger than the small shredder/baggers that have become popular recently, as they usually can handle only dry leaves effectively.
Larger garden shredders such as illustrated in the accompanying photographs, have been in use for more than 50 years. They will shred branches, bone and newspapers for use as mulch or fertilizer. When shredding newspapers, wet them completely before dropping them into the shredder hopper or your neighbours will be hit by a confetti storm! Paper usually needs to be run through the shredder three times
*Mr. Nelson is an amateur gardener, and garden writer for the Buffalo Courrier-Express. As an advertising and public relations executive, he combines his hobby with his work on such accounts as Stokes Seeds Ltd. in St. Catharines, Ontario.
with the discharge door set at the opening for wet leaves. Your shredded newspaper mulch will rapidly brown from exposure to the sun s rays. In no time this will eliminate the appearance of a newsboy s disaster area. Or, you may want to mix with shredded garden waste to tone down the colour immediately. Mulches such as these, when spread three to four inches thick, will keep your garden soil cool and moist, preventing or forestalling bolting to seed by lettuce, cabbage and other cool weather crops which are affected by hot weather.
Still another use for discarded newspapers also involves use of a garden shredder, but in this case, the newspapers need not be shredded. If you have a long hedge, or rows of asparagus, or a shrub border, that have to be continually weeded, or on which you apply a costly chemical to control weeds, there is an alternative solution to weekly hoeing. If your weeds are well advanced in growth, you'll have to go through one more task of pulling them out or cutting them off at ground level with a trimmer. Rake or smooth the area you have weeded and then spread newspapers flat at least ten sheets thick everywhere you wish to eliminate weeds. Place the newspapers so that they overlap 10 to 12 inches to eliminate the possibility of weeds escaping this smothering cover.
Peat moss is not a good mulch
Completely encircle shrubs, trees and other desirable plants, pressing the newspaper right up to the base of the trunk or stem. Water the paper thoroughly until it is soaked through to the bottom sheet. Wet newspapers form an impenetrable mat that eventually kills weeds which are already growing and prevents the germination of weed seeds In adjacent column, from the top: hedges and weeds seem to go together naturally, so if your hedge looks like this there is a simple solution; the first step entails one last weeding or shearing off of the weeds, then spread newspapers, ten sheets thick, over the ground, pressing them tightly around the base of the plants, then soak the paper thoroughly; finally, cover the soacked paper with shredded leaves and/or sticks, spent vegetable and flower material or other mulch, to a depth of four inches.
still in the ground. Unlike plastic, newspaper is porous enough to allow moisture penetration and will usually decompose completely by the following spring. Annual reapplication of your newspaper mulch will eventually build a layer of topsoil free of weed seeds.
Newspaper mulches are no more attractive than plastic mulches and should be covered by shredded organic matter to keep them moist and to prevent the papers from blowing away during high winds. The cheapest, most available mulch for covering your newspapers can be made from all types ofshredded yard and garden wastes including spent vegetables and flowers, tree and brush trimmings, Christmas trees and leaves. These are all valuable soil conditioners which most homeowners dispose of as fast as they can bag them.
Leaves are particularly attractive after they have been shredded in a garden shredder. Although many gardeners feel a shredder is a specialized tool for the organic gardener, it is capable of producing copious quantities ofdecorative mulching materials. With a garden
shredder, such as illustrated, you also canshred: sod,manure,phosphaterock, sewage sludge and other heavier materials to make your own shredded top soil or organic fertilizer. Once you have used a shredder you ll wonder how you ever got along without one and with the high price of commercial fertilizer the shredder will soon pay tor itself.
The best materials for covering newspaper mulches in open areas or around large trees and shrubs are shredded bark, branches, or wood chips. Their coarse texture is appropriate to the larger scale of the plants and they are not as subject to displacement by the wind as are the finer, lighter mulches. Peat moss is ineffective as a mulch as it blows away quite readily and forms an impervious shield to water after it has been soaked once and then dried.
Useable compost in just 14 days
Shredded leaves, flowers and vegetables are ideal for rose and asparagus beds and shredded pine boughs and oak leaves are great for mulching foundation plantings. The latter two mulches
FOUR STEPSTO A 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.
STEP2:APRIL MAY JUNE.
During these months use So-Green All Purpose 14-7-7 containing Milorganite and Iron. The Milorganite ensures a long lasting organic feeding and the Iron guarantees a deep green lawn.
If you are plagued with ants, June Bugs or other soil insects, use So-Green Bug Killer plus 10-5-10 fertilizer for your second feeding.
Super All Purpose: available in 33-1/3 Ib. plastic bags. Apply at rate of 7 Ibs. per 1000 sq. ft.
So-Green Bug Killer available in 20 Ib. bags. Apply at the rate of 8 Ibs. per 1000 sq. ft.
For a free copy of the complete So-Green Four Step Program write to the address below.
So-Green Distribution Centre 20 Goodrich Road Etobicoke, Ontario
decompose very slowly while neutralizing lime which sometimes leaches from foundation walls. Spread a layer of the shredded mulch three to four inches thick over the soaked newspapers, then water it to promote settling. This double layer of mulch eliminates weeds, keeps plant roots moist and soil temperatures moderate while recycling newspapers and garden waste which would otherwise be burned in your municipal incinerator, contributing to additional air pollution.
Though it is not essential to have a garden shredder in order to make compost, the operation is considerably easier and faster through the use of a shredder.
Many gardeners are under the impression that a pile of leaves and spent annuals is a compost pile and this misconception may very well be their undoing. The object ofacompost pile is to accelerate the rate of normal decomposition of vegetative matter to conserve the maximum amount of nutrients while producing useable compost as quickly as possible. A simple pile of leaves will take more than a year to decompose, while a properly made compost pile will do the same job in 14 days, destroying those pesky insects and disease organisms at the same time.
Developed by an agricultural research team at the University of California, the 14-day composting method requires one basic tool and an organized construction of your compost pile. A hammermill type shredder-chipper, is a must ifyou are to produce the highest quality compost in the shortest possible time. Shred all the leaves, stalks, branches, weeds and other matter you are going to add to your pile first. Wood chips decompose slowly, but add a good granular texture to compost when added in moderate amounts. Mix manure, commercial lawn fertilizer, blood meal, cottonseed meal or other materials containing nitrogen with your shredded leaves and sticks to supply the composting bacteria with their primary element for breaking down vegetative matter into compost.
The ideal compost for mulching annual flowers and vegetables
There are two basic concepts for con-
structing a compost pile: the University of California recommends mixing all the ingredients together in a shredder, while the older system is to layer ingredients in about six-inch increments. Both systems work better if the materials are shredded as this produces a larger surface-area-to-volume ratio, giving the bacteria a chance to work faster and produce a fluffier, easy to work compost pile.
Using either method, build your pile in six-inch layers, wetting down each layer as it is applied, to a total height of about four feet. By the third day your compost heap should begin to heat up.
Above, even big branches can be chipped for use as mulch or compost with a garden shredder. Below, the resulting fingernailsized wood chips are an ideal mulch for foundation plantings, or for use on natural walkways in the garden.
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Insert a thermometer into the centre of the pile to check its temperature and add more nitrogenous material if it is not heating properly. The interior ofthe pile should initially heat up to 65°C (150°F), then gradually come down to 54°C (130°F). This heat level is usually sufficient to kill all weed seeds and most disease organisms, although it is best to discard any materials known to have been diseased, rather than placing in the pile.
Keep the compost pile moist, but not soggy, and turn or mix it on the fourth, seventh and tenth days. By the 14th day your compost should be cooled down and ready for use. It will be relatively coarse in texture, with a dark brown or black colour. Coarse materials such as wood chips and twigs will have blackened and decomposed very little, but leaves, straw, shredded stalks and sawdust will be almost totally decomposed. Your 14-day compost is ideal for spreading on vegetable and flower beds, as its continual slow decomposition will tie-up additional soil minerals in useable forms for feeding your plants at a later date, without usurping any currently needed nutrients.
A free pamphlet on composting and one on garden shredders is available from Trellis, 777 Lawrence Avenue East, Don Mills, Ontario.
EXECUTIVE HOME GARDENER' S PARADISE
Custom ranch home at Brimley & Steeles, 3/5 acre of gardens and lawn. Attached Lord & Burnham greenhouse (20 x 14 ft.) Two-car garage. Call Murray Fulcher, 266-3181, United Trust.
One of 61 problemsolving products from Green Cross.
GREEN CROSS
The lawn and garden problem solvers.
If it s about Gardening. . . ask Toronto s Civiec Garden Centre. Membership, including ten issues per year of TRELLIS only $5 for 12 months.
The Hosta, commonly called plantainlily is a long-lived hardy perennial with subtle, but very valuable landscape effects. An unusual aspect ofthe history of this group of plants is the variety of generic names that were used to represent them. Botanists and horticulturists seemed to agree that Hosta belonged to the lily family, but several different genus names were used with the various species. Funkia was the most widely accepted name prior to the establishment of Hosta as the correct name for the genus. Niobe was another name frequently used. It is interesting to note that several hostas were considered to be Hemerocallis or day-lilies.
Hostas, introduced to the Western World from Japan in the late 17th century, are most highly prized by gardeners for their lush green foliage and ability to grow well in shaded areas. They thrive in the cool, moist, partially shaded areas of the garden providing interesting textural qualities that are similar to understory plantings found in the tropics. The many species and varietes of Hosta range in height from five or six inches to four or five feet. They generally have a mounding form, although there are a few upright forms and several that are low and spreading like a groundcover. They grow in all shades of green from light lime to a deep green with variegated forms of white, yellow and contrasting shades. The deep distinct vein pattern of the leaves intensifies their textural value.
Ideal plant for shade unaffected by insects
The flowering habit of hostas adds measurably to their value in the garden, although the flowers are not as showy or
Plantainlilies provide Colour, Texture and Fragrance in Shade and Sun
Frederick E. Roberts*
conspicuous in most varieties as the foliage, and blooms are of much shorter duration. The flowers are tubular to trumpet-like in shape with several attached along the upper part of the leafless stalks growing out from the centre of the plants. In some cultivars, the flowers are held well above the foliage while others barely surmount the leaves. Flowering time varies with variety from June through September in shades of white, lilac, or blue.
While hostas do prefer some shade and adequate moisture, they will tolerate a wide range of soil types and will perform well in soils of limited fertility. They do prefer a slightly acid soil. Hostas will tolerate dryness with some affects in appearance mainly the browning of the edges and tips of leaves.
It is best to plant hostas in the early spring before the leaves unfurl. During this time they are easily propagated by division. An added feature of hostas that is comforting as one makes the ef-
Plantainlily (Hosta) provides beauty of foliage colour, foliage texture, and with many cultivars, flower colour and fragrance. Agriculture Canada photo.
*Mr. Roberts is director of Kingwood Center, Mansfield, Ohio, a centre with similar aims and objectives to those of the Civic Garden Centre. This article, in a slightly modified form, originally appeared in Kingwood Center Notes.
fort to select and plant varieties ofone s choice, is that in addition to requiring no special care, they are virtually unaffected by serious pests. They work well in the landscape when planted with ferns in mass or individual clumps and are particularly adapted to naturalistic plantings. The medium to coarse texture ofthe hostas contrasts well with the delicate fine texture of ferns. Hostas may be used effectively to cover up the dying foliage of spring flowering bulbs. Larger members of the genus may be used in foundation plantings, along walls, fences, or walks. Smaller members of the group are useful as groundcovers and are excellent for borders or edgings.
There are over 200 known forms of Hosta that are being used in cultivation and breeding work. A tremendous effort is now under way to produce new desirable forms through hybridization and we can expect to see some interesting results from this work. Many of the better forms may be found in the plantings within public gardens in most cities. For example, in Edwards Gar-
Tdens, site of the Civic Garden Centre, several varying types will be found.
Visit a reliable local nursery to make your selection
Brief descriptions of a few of the better species, generally available from reputable nurseries, are given in the following paragraphs.
Fragrant plantainlily (Hosta plantaginea) bears white trumpet-like, fourinch blooms in August. The leaves of this species average six inches across and are eight to ten inches long, borne on petioles (leaf stems) eight inches long. This species is unique in that it has a distinct and abundant fragrance. Another fragrant Hosta is Royal Standard which has an upright habit of growth with light green leaves seven to eight inches long and five inches wide. The fragrant, pure white flowers are produced on 18-to 20-inch stalks in late summer.
Bluntleaved plantainlily (H. decorata) grows to about 18 inches in height, has blunt tipped leaves about five to seven inches long and three to four inches
White Rose @y Q
CRAFTS & NURSERY
HARDY, LOCALLY-GROWN ROSES
New Canadian introductions: Sir John A. MacDonald (red grandiflora); Jacques Cartier (orange-red grandiflora); Northern Lights (salmon-orange hybrid tea); and Velveteen (red floribunda).
wide with a white margin fading to mottled green and then to medium green in the centre of the leaf. It produces small dark lilac flowers in August. This is a good groundcover type because of its stoloniferous growth habit.
Blue-leaved plantainlily (H. sieboldiana) is one of the largest of all the hostas. The immense leaf blades are 15 inches long, 12 inches wide, and borne on petioles as much as a foot in length. This great size and bluish colour of the foliage makes it an outstanding plant for special accents in the garden. The flowers are light lavender and are borne on stalks that hardly surmount the leaves.
Narrow-leaved plantainlily (H. lanciJolia) is a species with numerous forms. It typically has long, narrow leaves about seven inches long and three inches wide which are long stalked and a glossy, dark green. The flowers are violet with white streaks 12 inches long, bell shaped and borne on stalks often 30, inches high. Bloom period is late August and September. Big Jap plantainlily (H. lancifoliafortis) has broader,
larger leaves, slightly glaucous with a grayish bloom on the surface. Flowering period is mid-July and they are white with a violet cast. Autumn plantainlily (H. lancifolia tardiflora) is distinguished mainly by its late flowering date which is late September and October. Whiterim plantainlily (H. lancifolia albo marginata) has a distinct white margin on the leaf edges.
Tallcluster plantainlily (H. fortunei) bears light lavender blooms 1% inches long on two to three ft. spikes in late June and July. Leaves are a medium green, somewhat glaucous at first, five inches long and three inches across. Giant tallcluster plantainlily (H. fortunei gigantea) develops huge 12-inch leaves eventually forming a clump five feet across; white-margin tallcluster plantainlily (H. fortunei marginato alba) has white margined leaves up to ten inches long and six inches wide; greenrim tallcluster plantainlily (H. fortunei virdis marginata) has light green leaves with a deep green margin. It fades to a solid medium green by midsummer.
Blue plantainlily (H. ventricosa) is
Flower Arranging Reserve for September
Now that spring has burst upon us and the shrubs are coming into bloom with all the tulips and daffodils colouring the garden, are you not wishing that you could do more with this wealth of beauty?
The last series of flower arranging courses for this spring began at the Centre on May 8 and 14. However, now is the time to think about next September. Flowers will be plentiful and there will be lots of scope for experiments with colour and design. The September classes begin after Labour Day, so why not register now and be ready to Go . Just telephone 445-1552.
Later in the autumn, a special series of five weeks is planned. Specialists will guide you through the fine points of corsages, miniature designs and glamorous table settings. The dates for this exciting series will be in the September Trellis.
Our special workshop days in the past
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!
year have been so successful that we are wondering ifflower arrangers prefer the three successive days ofworkshops from 10 am to 3 pm, rather than the six successive days or nights of shorter sessions. Does the former fit in better? Let us know. Your opinion will be our guideline. Genevieve Robertson, Coordinator.
Plantainlilies
(Conclusion from page 25)
distinct from other species and forms found in gardens. The flowers are dark violet, quite close to blue, and are the darkest of any of the hostas. They are over two inches long, urn-shaped and are borne on 30-inch stalks in June and early July. Leafblades are ten inches: long, eight inches wide and a deep glossy green.
Betsy King plantainlily has dark purple flowers with a few white stripes inside which are borne on 20-inch stalks. Leaves are similar to Hosta decorata, but are solid green. Bloom time is early August.
You are
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).
BEN VELDHUIS LTD.
(416) 628-2632
No, it's not an oversize telephone booth! It is an oversize plant box, being especially constructed by two Sheridan Nurseries employees so that this large Colorado fir will reach its destination safely and undamaged. Note the polyethylene wrapping around the soil ball to retain the moisture. Photo by Joerg Leiss.
Trellis /
Besl wishes to Doris Streeter who leaves our shop this month to better look after herself, to say nothing of her husband Roy! We'll always welcome her back as a volunteer and | know our regular members and visitors will.
Important to those who visit the shop on a regular basis are the new daily hours. Effective now, the garden shop is open only from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday to Saturday, and 1:00 to 4:00 pm on Sunday. These new hours have been instituted in order better to serve our customers with a full complement of staff and volunteers. In addition to these hours, the shop is also open evenings as indicated in the centre-spread calendar in each issue of Trellis.
Gardening is in full swing, and your shop has been well-stocked with seeds, bulbs, fertilizers, planting aids and supplies for several months. Remember that the Centre s shop offers a ten per cent discount off of all purchases (over $2) made by members. The garden shop is a good place from which to obtain all of the often difficult-to-get gardening items. If we do not have it, just leave a note, or talk to the volunteer on duty, and we ll do our best to get it for you quickly.
One item that is always popular at this season of the year is the vine sup-
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
New Hours at the Centre s Shop and a Supply of Gardening Aids
Betty Billes, Shop Chairman
ports. These disc-like coloured worksavers are designed for easy attachment to any surface brick, concrete or stone. Once attached outdoors (or in) they will last indefinitely. They simplify the training of shrubs and vines against walls, and are virtually invisible once installed. Pick up several packages soon. Of course, we have an ample supply of plant labels, and we still have quality seeds left, but you should hurry to get them in the ground.
/ May 1975
The photo shows a line of Stewart pot covers for use indoors or outdoors. While covering the ugly exterior of clay pots, these decorative covers will prevent water damage to the surface on which they sit, and add an attractive touch. They are heavy and durable, and will last for years.
To conclude this month, a large thank you to all the Centre s volunteers who worked at the display at this year s National Home Show, and the earlier Pool and Patio Show. Results, particularly at the Home Show, were excellent and almost entirely through the efforts of our many volunteers. Thank you.
Summer Borrowing Privileges at Centre s Library encourages Reading
Pamela MacKenzie, Librarian
COmmcncing June 16, the Centre s library will begin its summer loan programme. Due date for all books loaned during the summer will be September 8. A maximum ofsix books per member will be allowed, two books per subject. Here are a few suggestions you may wish to consider.
Attracting Birds to Your Garden, one of the Sunset series, tells you how to increase your gardening pleasure by taking advantage of the many benefits that birds bring. B. C. Harris Ear The Weeds is a fascinatingguide to sources offree, flavourful and delicious food; while Exploring Nature with Your Child, by D. E. Shuttlesworth, is an introduction to the enjoyment and understanding ofnature for all. It is a unique guide for parents and children.
For those who must garden on an apartment balcony, or on a very small piece of land, or for other reasons in containers, three books should be on your must list. Gardening ofthe Groundby our own Art Drysdale, is a new book written forour particular climate especially for those with balconies. It is well illustrated with original sketches. Flowerpot Ecology, by Anna B. Gesmer, provides an abundance of greenthumb notions for transforming windowsills into woodlands, old dishes into flowering deserts and discarded seeds into citrus groves and salad trees . Finally, of the three, also new, Plants in Tubs, Pots, Boxes and Baskets by L. Johns, is also for apartment gardeners or those who must content themselves with onlya strip ofland. It too has good illustrations.
Almost everyone has a shady place in the garden, and well-known author, Helen Van Pelt Wilson has a book on just that subject: Successful Gardening in the Shade. IU s described as the bright side ofgardening in the shade . And too, almost everyone is once again interested in vegetable gardening. You can join the revolution by reading the New York Times Book of Vegetable Gardening by Joan L. Faust.
A reliable and popular outdoor book is H. E. Bigelow s Mushroom Pocket Field Guide. 1t is well illustrated with 64 colour photographs. Ifyou are looking to re-discover old uses for familiar wild plants, A Sampler of Wayside Herbs by B. Pond will be of interest.
For the children, Busy Seeds, by 1. S. Black, is an imaginative introduction to the world ofgrowing things. It explains simply how trees, vines, flowers and weeds grow from seeds. Fun with Nature Hobbies, by William H. Hillcourt, presents a number of activities that allow the hobbyist to get the most out of his or her hobbies, by bringing various things home from the out-of-doors. Finally, Out ofDoors in Summer, by C. H. Hylander, is a book ofpleasant study ofthe characteristics and life cycles of the plants and animals of the world.
Member, Mary Bailey, has kindly supplied us with the following review ofViolet Stevenson s book, Giftsfrom Your Garden ($10.75). Crammed with useful information on how to get the utmost use and pleasure from your garden, this book will probably prove more useful to the amateur floral designer interested in producing delightful bazaar items, or home decorating with dried flowers, rather than for flower show classes. Gifts to see, to taste, to smell and to present for special occasions are discussed and the text is augmented by a few good black and white pictures to illustrate the ideas. There is an excellent chapter on Pot et Fleur which Violet Stevenson introduced. The book would make a charming thank-you gift forone s hostess.
Most members of the Centre who attend the various events will be aware of my resignation in mid-March from the position of associate director. I am continuing, however, in the capacities of editor and advertising director of Trellis which is meeting ever wider acceptance. Work on Trellis will be done from my own office rather than from the Centre, due, among other reasons, to the overcrowded conditions. I certainly retain my interest in and enthusiasm for the Centre and its mandate for gardening information dissemination. Trellis will function under the guidance of a committee chaired by board member, Lawrence C. Sherk. Members will include Mrs. J. R. M. (Lois) Wilson and board members Gilbert Milne and Ernie Pope. Your input is requested and will be welcomed. Would you like to join the committee?
Alsoduring March,a furtherlossfrom the paid staff became known. Centre president, Mrs. Ernest Redelmeier, in her usual excellent prose, put it this way: It was with great regret that the board of directors of the Centre received the resignation of Mr. George Sinclair, who advised the board that he does not wish to continue as executive director beyond his initial year of employment, which ends in May. Mr. Sinclair has brought not only a wealth of horticultural know-how to the Centre, but a happy gift of cheerfulness and empathy for all who meet him. The Centre will certainly miss his soft Scottish burr and twinkle behind the shellrimmed specs . We all envy Mr. & Mrs. Sinclair as they embark on a retirement dream of winters in Florida, summers power-boating on the Trent waterways, and a stint at the Canadian National Exhibition to keep Sinclair s hand in!
The Centre is promised his continued interest and support, particularly at CNE show time and we look forward to a further happy association. As the Sin30 / May 1975
And, may the Editor have the Last Word this month on Staff
Changes at Centre
clairs pay a longed-for visit to the Chelsea Flower Show in London, may | say for all our members, will ye no come back again!
As this May issue goes to press, a committee of the board of directors is completing its task of choosing a new executive director from the over 60 applicants. Official announcement will appear in the June issue. With all of the departures, it is pleasing to advise of a new addition to the staff. Mrs. D. P. Bryce, library committee chairman, has announced the appointment ofMrs. Pamela MacKenzie as librarian. She is present in the library two days per week. Ifyou have a book problem, or a suggestion, I know Mrs. MacKenzie would appreciate hearing from you. Do make her welcome.
Two other recent departures from the staff are Doris Streeter, garden shop manager, and Susan Brisby, library assistant. Doris is leaving the staff for health reasons, but will be back periodically as a volunteer. I know those of you who visit the Centre regularly will look forward, with me, to seeing her friendly smile! Susan, the always efficient and courteous gal in the library is now in library work with the Ontario government at Queen s Park. Many of us at the Centre on evenings were ever awed at Susan who could sell from the garden and book shops simultaneous with operating the library and answering the telephone!
And, since this month s column has been devoted to news about staff, I should tell you members who came to know Deiter (Dick) Meier, the foreman in charge of Metro Parks beautiful Edwards Gardens, that he is now in a similar position at the department s James Gardens in west Metro Toronto. But, he will be back for one of the evening gardening talks this fall.
Next month, it s back to gardening about the fly-by-night operators! Art C. Drysdale, Editor.
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Start a growing friendship soon at a Sheridan Garden Centre
At your closest Sheridan Garden Centre you will find the most (and best) of everything to start growing friendships .
You will find the finest selection of nursery stock in Canada . . . more than 1200 types of plarnts and trees locally raised, fresh from the soil and ' Guaranteed to Grow'.
And at your Sheridan Garden Centre you will also find expert nurserymen who are pleased to assist you in every way possible. They will help you select whatever you need and will answer any questions you may have.
Let's start a growing friendship soon.