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City Gardening
July 2002 

Garden Web * Horticultural Happenings * Garden News

The Garden Web

Tune Up the Gas Lawnmower
Briggs & Stratton, the ubiquitous gas small engine manufacturer, has collaborated with the U.S. National Wildlife Foundation to improve both gas lawn mowers and the environment. According to research by the manufacturer "a well-maintained mower could help reduce mower emissions by as much as 50 percent. In addition to improving air quality, tuned mowers consumer 30 percent less fuel than non-tuned ones, have stronger engines and longer lives, and save consumers money." It takes, they say, some 30 minutes with a maintenance kit and, as Jeremy Symons, manager of NWF's Climate Change and Wildlife Program, says: "By using energy more efficiently and cutting down on emissions, homeowners can help stretch limited resources, cut down on air pollution, slow global warming and protect wildlife habitat." Check out www.tuneupmonth.com

Name Your Poison
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hasn't exactly impressed President George W. Bush of late but then would he need to know how much of any particular pesticide is required to bump off a bullfrog? The EPA has established ECOTOX to answer such questions not only regarding pesticides but other potentially poisonous materials. Searches may be made by species of terrestrial and aquatic life, or by chemical. www.epa.gov/ecotox

Fussy Feeders
It is surprisingly difficult to find out just what caterpillars eat, despite renewed interest in butterfly gardens. And Lepidoptera larvae are fussy feeders indeed. Now London, England's venerable Natural History Museum has established HOSTS to cover what is nosh to some 22,000 species of butterfly and mother caterpillars. With rising concern that one finds what it is before fighting it, this should be an exceptional tool for professional horticulturists and home gardeners alike. www.nhm.ac.uk/entomology/hostplants 

PigeonRank by Google
We are a little late on this one, but the humour is so wonderful that it deserves to be presented to the widest and most appreciative audience possible - you. Many use Google, the well-known search engine, but how does it work? It depends, claims Google, on something called "PigeonRank." This is dependant "primarily on the superior trainability of the domestic pigeon (Columba livia) and its unique capacity to recognize objects regardless of spatial orientation. The common grey pigeon can easily distinguish between items displaying only the minutest differences, an ability that enables it to select relevant websites from among thousands of similar pages." Er . . . do we smell a rat or should that be pigeon? www.google.com/technology/pigeonrank.html 

Endangered Provincial Plant Species
"Act today so they have tomorrow" advises Ontario's park guide 2002 Nearby and Natural. Certainly an excellent thought that can be enlarged upon by learning about the provinces' species at risk, animals as well as plants, by visiting www.ontarioparks.com/sar.html

July Horticultural Happenings

Toronto Field Naturalist Outings
Free guided walks; children welcome but please no pets; all are TTC accessible; dress according to weather, bring beverage, camera, notebook and binoculars.
3 July Don Mills Garden Nature Ramble: meet 6:45 p.m. southeast corner Leslie Street & Lawrence Avenue East
4 July Etobicoke Valley Nature Walk: meet 10 a.m. bridge over Etobicoke Creek on Lake Shore Boulevard West, west of Browns Line; bring lunch
7 July Lower Don Valley Nature Walk: meet 10:30 a.m. at Broadview subway station; morning only
9 July Warden Woods Evening Ramble: meet 6:45 p.m at Warden subway station
10 July Morningside Park Insects: meet 10 a.m. at park entrance on Morningside Avenue north of Lawrence East; bring lunch, water, binoculars and a bug jar.
13 July Colonel Sam Smith Park Birds: meet 8 a.m. southwest corner Lakeshoer Boulevard West and Kipling Avenue; until noon
15 July Lower Don Valley Evening Ramble: meet 6:45 p.m at Broadview subway station
17 July Toronto Islands Nature Walk: meet 9:30 a.m. at ferry docks foot of Bay Street; bring lunch
21 July North Toronto Gardens Urban Ecology: meet 2 p.m. at garden on north side Eglinton Community Centre, north side of Eglinton just three short blocks west of Yonge Street)
24 July Windfields Park Nature Walk: meet 10 a.m. southeast corner York Mils Road & Bayview Avenue; bring lunch
25 July High Park Evening Ramble: meet 6:45 p.m at park entrance on south side Bloor Street West opposite High Park Avenue
28 July Gates Gully Nature Walk: meet 10:30 a.m. south side Kingston Road, opposite Bellamy Road; morning only
30 July Lost Tributaries of Burke Brook Urban Ecology: meet 2 p.m. at southwest corner Yonge Street & Lawrence Avenue
31 July Wychwood Park Evening Ramble: meet 6:45 p.m at northeast corner Bathurst Street and Davenport Road

High Park Tuesday Evening Walks
These commence at 6:45 p.m.; meet just south of the Grenadier Restaurant; a $2 donation is requested; for specific details, phone 416-392-1748 or 416-392-6916. This month, 9 and 23 July, but please note that the latter, 23 July, introduces moths and commences instead at 8:30 p.m. 

Casa Loma Gardens
The magnificent gardens are open and free every Tuesday evening from May through October from 4 p.m. until dusk. Access is through the side entrance at the southeast corner of the east (bus) parking area on Austin Terrace, Toronto. Please telephone 416-923-1171 for more information. The gardens are also open free all day on the second Monday of June, July and August, i.e. this month 8 July

Rouge Valley Conservation Centre
Monthly guided theme walks are free, commencing at 1 p.m. and last approximately 2 hours; details 416-466-9153
July walk: "Butterflies and Moths"

Spadina Quay Wetland
Organized by the Toronto & Region Conservation Authority, this program is free, lasting from 7 to 9 p.m.; confirm details from 416-661-6600 extension 5660
23 July All About Fish (rain date 24 July); south end of Spadina Avenue near the Music Garden

Toronto Entomologists' Association
June, July and August sees the association active on theme field trips. Since last minute changes are possible, confirm with Carol Sellers 416-421-7398; web site www.ontarioinsects.org
20 July Moths of Durham; meet 8 p.m. 172 Way Street, Brooklin, n. of junction of Hwy's 7 & 12, turn northwest onto Way from Baldwin )Hwy 12)

Kettleby Herb Farms
21 July "Photo" Synthesis 2 p.m. free lecture by John Bradbury of Bradbury's Photography, Schomberg, on how to get more out of your camera when photographing gardens. 
14 July Tea in the Herb Garden 12:30 or 2:30 p.m. relax in the gazebo while enjoying delicious and creative herbal fare and beverages; reservations are required with a cost of approximately $10; fax 905-727-1415
A ½ hour drive north of Toronto at 15495 Weston Road; more at www.kettlebyherbfarms.com

Garden Treasures Tour
2 July Credit Valley Horticultural Society's annual event; inforamtion 905-891-7803

Open Garden Nottawasaga Daylilies
7, 27, 28.July from 1 to 6 p.m. Chance to experience Julie and Tom Wilson's 450 different daylilies growing near the delightful Creemore on their commercial nursery. Located at 3757 - 3rd Concession, Nottawasaga west of Airport Road. Check their web site at www.wilsondaylilies.com  or the last page of the catalogue.

Victorian Tea & Garden Show
7 July at Meaford on Georgian Bay in the shadow of the Blue Mountains; details at www.greycounty.on.ca

Georgian Bay Tour of Summer Gardens
10 July based on Owen Sound, Ontario, at the foot of the Bruce Peninsular; details at www.greycounty.on.ca

Secret Gardens of Riverdale
13 July Toronto's Riverdale, south of the Danforth, east of the quiet-flowing Don hosts this annual event. $15 tickets from Woodgreen Community Services 416-469-5211 ext 1173

High Park Children's Garden: The Garden of Art Community Festival
14 July 1 to 5 p.m. at Colborne Lodge Dr, south end of High Park (416-392-1329) puppet shows, music, theatre, face painting, seed mosaics and other not-to-be-missed garden arts; all ages welcome a garden harvest lunch will be served while it lasts

Newfoundland with Quest
16 July Three tours can be taken separately or combined: East, Central and West Newfoundland with guide David Milsom; expect everything from birds to boreal bogs, wildflowers to whales; each tour about $1,800; more at 1-800-387-1483 or visit www.questnaturetours.com

St. George Lily Festival
20 July Joseph Smith Lily Gardens in St. George (on Hwy 5) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; admission free for more information 519-448-3388

Brian Bloye's Daylily Gardens
13, 20 & 27 July: 600 to 700 mostly registered hybrids along wiht hostas are featured in this open garden the last three Sundays in July only, at 48 Grovenest Dr., Scarborough 416-283-5485

Richters Workshop
28 July Herb Walk and Medicinal Preparations with Koidu Sulev of Richters; $40/person Sunday, 2 p.m. at 357 Highway 7, Goodwood, Ontario 1-800-668-HERB or website www.richters.com

Gardening on the Wild Side: Green Legacy Exhibition
Some define being sent to Ottawa as capital punishment, but here's a good reason: until September, the Canadian Museum of Nature offers an opportunity to explore the beauty, diversity and vulnerability of the nation's native plants. Learn how rare species are being protected and how you can grow wild plants in your garden. 240 McLeod Street (at Metcalfe), Ottawa 613-566-4700

Nature Conservancy Travel Trips
For more information, call 703-841-7413, visit www.nature.org/magazine/spring2002/jounreys or e-mail jcadams@tnc.org
14-21 Alaska: Exploring Coastal Wilderness
19-21 July Arizona Hart Prairie Preserve at Flagstaff
19-28 July Costa Rica Family Trip: Caribbean and Pacific Coasts
20-28 July Peru Amazon Voyage aboard a 28-passenger riverboat

Quest Nature Tours
Magdalen Islands, Gulf of St. Lawrence; 28 July to 4 August with Alan Watson, director of the University of Guelph Arboretum. Delicate sand dune plants, those of bogs, fens and salt marshes, including rare orchids and insectivorous plants, along with extensive bird and marine life. Tour commences at Charlottetown, P.E.I.
More: 416-633-5666 or 1-800-387-1483; or visit www.questnaturetours.com

Horticulture Magazine Garden Program
July: Private Gardens of Eastern England also Gardens of Belgium and Holland
Details and free brochure from 1-800-395-1901 or write Horticulture, 98 North Washington St., Boston, MA 02114

Environment Days with Toronto's Councillors
Toronto resident? Need a blue, grey box or yard waste bin, even a composter? Could your garden do with free leaf compost? Do you want to donate computer equipment, small appliances, bicycles, eyeglasses and similar items? How about recycling telephones, fax machines, radios, household hazardous waste, tires? You can do all of these and have the thrill of meeting your ward councilor at the same time this spring and summer on Toronto Environment Days. Most councilors choose certain Saturdays. 10 a.m. to 2 .p.m.; a few prefer Sundays or Thursday evenings 4 to 8 p.m. 
1 July Jack Layton Riverdale Park, Broadview Avenue
1 July Frank Di Giorgio Amesbury Arena
4 July Irene Jones Colonel Sam Smith Park, Kipling Avenue at Lakeshore Boulevard West
13 July Michael Walker North Toronto Memorial Arena, 174 Orchardview Boulevard
13 July Anne Johnston North Toronto Memorial Arena, 174 Orchardview Boulevard 
28 July Kyle Rae Ramsden Yard, 1008 Yonge Street
28 July Mario Silva Dufferin Mall, 900 Dufferin Street
Further information from the Events Line at 416-392-9585

Farmer's Markets in Toronto 
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto City Hall: Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
East York Civic Centre: Mondays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Etobicoke Civic Centre: Saturdays 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Mel Lastman Square, North York Civic Centre: Thursdays 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Music Garden
Located at foot of Toronto's Spadina Avenue on Queen's Quay, this innovative new garden was suggested by the world-famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma, designed by landscape architect Julie Messervy and inspired by Bach's Suite No. 1 for - what else but - Unaccompanied Cello. Free guided tours Wednesdays June through September, meeting 11 a.m. at the west entrance to the garden, and also at 6 p.m. during this month and August

Allan Gardens
South side Carleton Street between Jarvis and Sherbourne Streets; open Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekends and holidays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; further information 416-392-7288 or www.allangardens.com
Spring Preview Show: late January to end of April. Thousands of forced spring bulbs plus jasmine, cineraria, calceolaria, primula, genista, schizanthus and more. 
palms, banana and pandanus trees; also featured are plant sculpture from Alice in Wonderland.

Centennial Park Conservatory
Three greenhouses with a total of more than 12,000 square feet of interesting and changing plant collections. 151 Elmcrest Road. Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information at 416-392-8543
Summer Show: 1 June to September
The flower show features plant sculptures from the fable The Hare and the Tortoise.

Cloud Garden Conservatory
A walk-through greenhouse that recreates the lush tropical foliage of a Costa Rican cloud forest. South side of Richmond Street, between Yonge and Bay Streets. Open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (closed on holidays). More information from 416-392-7288

Golf Courses
"A good walk ruined," claimed Mark Twain. But too many of City Gardener's friends are enthusiasts and since Toronto has the world's only golf courses accessible from a subway, plus four others, why not? Advance bookings essential, call in advance; all operated by the city.
Dentonia Park Golf Course: par 54; this is the one you can reach right from the Victoria Park Subway Station. East side of Victroia Park just north of Danforth Avenue, 416-392-2558
Don Valley Golf Course: par 71 Yonge Street one stop light south of Highway 401, 416-392-2465
Humber Valley Golf Course: par 70 Albion Road and Beattie Avenue, just north of Highway 401 416-392-2488
Scarlett Woods Golf Course: par 62 southwest corner Jane Street and Eglinton Avenue West 416-392-2484
Tam O'Shanter Golf Course: par 71 Birchmount Avenue north of Sheppard Avenue East 416-392-2547


 

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