Vendors

• Agrarian Rhythm
• BioVisions Farm
• Cherryvale Organic Farm
• Country Meadows
• Eagleson Farms
• Hearty Catering
• McVean Incubator Farm
• Montforte Dairy
• P & H Farms
• Sausage Partners
• Southern Horizons Market Farm
• Toronto Beekeepers Co-operative
• Trillium Organic Farm

Celebrity Chef Appearances

• July 12 – Domenic  Colacci, Executive Chef, Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club
• July 26 – Kyle Deming, Chef and Owner, Sausage Partners
• August 9 – James Saunders, Executive Chef, St. George’s Golf and Country Club
• August 23 – Evelyn Gharibian, Hearty Catering

Our vendor list is full this year, but we’d still love to hear from you. If you are interested in participating, contact Shelly Candel, or Carrie Shibinsky at 416-397-1351.

Garden writers from far and wide flock to the eagerly anticipated Loblaw media event, which was held again at the TBG this year. Along with a host of well-respected growers, clematis guru Raymond Evison, seen above, was flown in from Guernsey to introduce a marvelous collection of several new cultivars now for sale under the President’s Choice label. For many of us, the correct pruning of clematis is a head-scratching mystery. Does it bloom on old wood or new wood? Is it Type 1 or Type 2? So it was a great relief to hear Mr. Evison casually suggest that several of these new cultivars benefit from a “ponytail cut” every year in early spring. “What’s that,” you ask? Simply grab the stems oh, about 18 inches from the ground, hold them in one hand, and whack off the top. The plant will bloom on new wood.

Why Are These People Smiling?

At the Loblaws event, we hear about exciting new plants and ideas (such as the tasty Haskap berry, developed in Saskatchewan and presented by Bob Bors), enjoy a delicious lunch, then stagger out with as many new plants that we can possibly grab. Here, Beckie and Michael Fox of GardenMaking magazine chat with Rob Howard of the Hamilton Spectator.

Right before leaping into the fray, Jennifer Reynolds of Canadian Family schmoozes with Charlie Dobbin and Denis Flanagan. The event was held the day before the parking lot reopened, so full marks to the Loblaw folks for their patience, and to the TBG staff who were out there in force helping garden writers get their myriad plants to their cars. Go, team!

A few days later, off I trotted to the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library for the opening of the exhibition of British and Canadian works on horticulture from its collections. Titled “How Does MY Garden Grow: the Education of a Gardener,” this marvelous exhibition is the brainchild and labour of love of its curator, Anne Dondertman, shown above, who is the Acting Director of the library. Anne was a much-valued volunteer at our own Weston Family Library and is still a trusted advisor. She has a real passion for plants, gardens, and garden history. The exhibition is free, and the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library is located on St. George Street. Find out more about it here.

Barbara Mayer Dedication Ceremony

Paul Mayer and one of his sons; the Nancy Eaton Director of Horticulture Paul Zammit; former Board chair Geoffrey Dyer.

Although I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting her personally, Barbara Mayer, who died last year, was legendary for her very active involvement in the life of Toronto Botanical Garden, as well as for her generosity in donating the funds that made possible the Westview Terrace. Recently, at a small unveiling ceremony held for family and close friends, the Westview Terrace was rededicated in honour of both Barbara and Bernard Mayer with a new plaque, and a commemorative shrub planted to mark the occasion.

Nicola Mayer with Alice Adelkind

Former Board chair Geoffrey Dyer with TBG patron Camilla Dalglish

Hooray for Moms!

On Mother’s Day, Sara Jamieson, owner/designer extraordinaire of Sweetpea’s, was on hand at our sold-out “Mother’s Day Champagne and Planters” event  to help some 40 moms and their loved ones create their own special spring planters.

Sara told the crowd that after a number of banks turned her down for a business loan to open her own shop, it was her mother who believed in Sara’s dream so much the she managed to scrape together the necessary start-up funds to lend to her daughter. Bolstered by her mom’s confidence, Sara went full steam ahead and since then has garnered numerous accolades and awards—and created a thriving business.

It’s Plant Sale Time!

Recently, the entire Floral Hall was perfumed by the sweet scent of Wisteria ‘Lawrence’, which many experts believe is the best wisteria, at the ORGS hardy plant sale at the TBG.  Speaking of plant sales, our own eagerly anticipated TBG plant sale takes place this week—Thursday is the members-only sale day, while Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday the TBG plant sale will be open to the public. Paul has been sourcing the choicest, most interesting plants he can find, and is often at the Food Terminal by 1:30 in the morning to see what’s what. You can be sure of top quality, interesting plants, and if you’re a TBG member, you’ll also save 10 per cent off the price. The money raised at the sale provides vital funds for the gardens and programs at the TBG, which is a registered charity. Please support us if you can.

More often in this online age of Google and Wikipedia, libraries seem to be an overlooked resource for information, wisdom, and inspiration. What many are forgetting is that libraries provide credible, reliable information, new and old ideas, and not to mention, a nice place to spend time. The above can also be said for the Weston Family Library. It’s definitely worth reiterating that the TBG’s own library is an enormous resource for all horticultural-related information, and of course this includes materials on spring planting.

As I mentioned in my first From the Stacks post, I’m continuously impressed and pleased with the things I’ll find in this library. Recently I came across Death at the Spring Plant Sale, a gardening mystery written by Ann Ripley, an organic gardener and former newspaperwoman. Here’s a short teaser: “When Louise Eldridge covers the spring plant sale of the venerable Bethesda Garden Club for her television show, she finds blue-blooded traditions, deeply rooted resentments, and fertile ground for murder… ” Death at the Spring Plant Sale’s matter-of-fact but flippant tone is endearing and fun to dig into. Gardeners, members of horticultural groups, and bookworms alike will enjoy this book for its tongue-in-cheek portrayal of garden club culture. Ripley’s other titles include The Christmas Garden Affair, and Harvest of Murder.

Other more practical resources for spring planting can be found in the reference section, such as:

• The Encyclopedia of Planting Combinations: the Ultimate Guide to Successful Plant Harmony (2002)
  635 L59 (Reference Collection)
• The 400 Best Garden Plants: a Practical Encyclopedia of Annuals, Perennials, Bulbs, Trees and Shrubs (1995)
  635.20 M17 (Reference Collection)
• Canadian Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers (2001)
  635.903 Can 2001 (Reference Collection)
• What Plant Where: The Creative Guide to Choosing the Best Plants for Every Area of Your Garden (1995)
  635 L125.1 (Reference Collection)

Additionally, the main collection is rife with titles on spring bulbs, different plant types, and gardening practices specific to our hardiness zones in southern Ontario. Some of our newest titles include Gardening from a Hammock: Low-Maintenance Gardening (2012), and Marjorie Harris’s Thrifty Gardening: From the Ground Up (2012).

The Weston Family Library is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and weekends 12 noon to 4 p.m., so spring into the library after the Plant Sale and check out what we’ve got!

• Flowers that produce seed pods containing many seeds are best collected when the pods turn brown and start to split open. Cut them from the stems and put them in a paper bag and store in a cool, dry place until the seeds fall out. Then, sieve them to remove debris.

• Seed pods of plants such as Clematis contain only one seed. To catch them before they fall, wait until they start to change colour, then give them a gentle tap, catching them below in your hand or in an envelope.

• Pods that explode, such as those of hardy geraniums, can be cut off just as they turn brown and placed in a paper bag.

• Store seeds in labelled paper envelopes, not in plastic bags.

Leucojum aestivum ‘Gravetye Giant’ (Snowflake); The flowers of Leucojum get as much attention as any narcissus this year!  The bulbs have multiplied nicely into a mass drift in the Demonstration Courtyard.

We’ve got more than flowers busy in the garden this spring – take for example Toad Prince, found in the Woodland Walk by TBG Gardener, Anastasia.  I couldn’t resist picking him up – he’s very squishy & full of bugs!!

Pulsatilla vulgaris (Pasque flower); This early spring-flowering perennial is right on time this year!  Recognized for its silky thick flower stems and buds, flowers open to a range of purples.  As flowers fade, fern-like foliage develops.

Iris pumila (Dwarf bearded iris); In the Terrace Garden, both Iris pumila and Iris germanica are in bud and flower – very early season for these irises as they were such in April!

Anemone blanda ‘White Splendour’(Grecian windflower) with Tulipa tarda (Species tulip); Planted just last fall, windflowers are coming up everywhere at the TBG!  They come in a multitude of colours from red, white, blue, & pink.  You will find ‘White Splendour’ and ‘Blue Shades’ throughout the TBG gardens.  Here, they are planted in combination with species tulips in the Entry Garden.

Cercis canadensis Collection (Eastern redbud); How can I not get on the Cercis bandwagon??  Our collection here at the TBG is the BEST it’s ever been!  There are actually two terrific views of the scene pictured above – from the limestone bridge in the Westview Terrace & Garden Hall, as well as from within the building in the Moriyama Foyer.

Cercis canadensis [Lavender Twist] = ‘Covey’ (Weeping eastern redbud); Covey is perfectly positioned to ‘weep’ over the wall.  Each flower literally pops off the stems, which are incredibly loaded this year!

Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ (Eastern redbud); Forest Pansy is a purple-leaved cultivar of the ever-popular eastern redbud.

View from the top!  There are some advantages to being Head Gardener.  One is having access to areas for picture taking.  Here is the redbud collection from the top of the waterfall.

Cercis canadensis forma alba (Eastern redbud, white redbud); Hidden atop the waterfall of the Garden Hall Courtyard is the white form of the eastern redbud.  Young seedling leaves do not have the usual purplish hue.

Yes, this Canada Goose family has nested atop our garden shed for the past three years – guess they know a good thing when they find it!!

Click here for the Spring Program Guide 2012 (pdf)

TBG is one of the best places to learn about plants, gardening and horticulture. Join the hundreds of adults who share your interest and learn from experts in the field. Day, evening, and weekend classes are designed to fit any schedule. Choose from more than 100 classes offerings each year. There are programs to suit every level of experience and area of interest.

[PG12S77] Kate Seaver
Friday, July 13, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Public $45; Members $40

[PG12S86] George Gao and Paul Zammit
Thursday, August 16, 5:30 to 9 p.m.
Public $55; Members $50

Wednesday, June 20, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. [PG12S84]
Wednesday, August 15, 10 a.m. to1 p.m. [PG12S85]
Each session: Public $135; Members $120

Photo: Metaphoricalplatypus/Flickr