Appreciating George Mammoliti’s Landscaping

Gardening is nothing if not instructive and gardeners are a tough breed.  Take the Swedish gardener – no authority is quoted for this story – who, going to pull a neighbor out of the water, tumbled in himself.  The water was ice cold, and the gardener lay in it for 16 hours, at the end of which time he was taken out stiff and to all appearances dead; but, being carefully toasted before a gentle fire, with an abundance of blankets, came round quite nicely, and may be living still.  So reported the issue of Chamber’s Repository, 14 November 1856, in an anonymous article entitled “The Vampire of King”.

Reading of bloodsuckers reminded us of certain city councilors.  Toronto’s Economic Development and Parks Committee recommended planting 60,000 new trees last month.  Adopting a “clean and green” attitude, chairman Brain Ashton said it would mean “a new set of lungs” for the city.  Jeers came from George Mammoliti, however.  He said old trees were a problem for the residents in his ward of North York Humber.  “The roots are bursting the pipes, they’re ripping up driveways, sidewalks and grassed areas.  Even foundations are cracking.”  Mammoliti apparently has a NIMBY attitude.  (Not In My Back Yard)  Or front yard for that matter, always assuming the good councilor has a garden in the accepted meaning of the word.  Perhaps Mammoliti should heed the words of the late Mexican landscape architect, Luis Barragan, who said:  “The garden is the soul of the house.”  But then again do vampires have souls?

Vampires can be controlled, so folklore has it, with sharp implements.  Such tools are also a prerequisite of successful gardening.  As these tools and equipment are finished with for the season, service them before storing away in a dry clean place.  Remove all adhering mud and debris.  Old toothbrushes are useful for this.  Use a flat file to sharpen spades, hoes and lawn edgers.  Sandpaper down splinters or rough spots on wooden handles.  Wipe the same down with a cloth soaked in linseed oil.  Finally, wipe down the metal parts with a light mineral oil.  Vegetable oils tend to become sticky if left for several months on steel.

Fortunately, it is a very rare November in which the heavens unload unseasonable quantities of wet snow upon Toronto.  Unfortunately, it has happened. And it will happen again.  Upright conifers can suffer serious damage from the weight of such snows.  If the leader, or main growing shoot, is broken, the specimen is effectively ruined.  Covering with special mesh is the logical insurance.  Look for it at garden centres and similar retail outlets.  Burlap is sometimes used to achieve the same result.  This defeats the whole idea of coniferous shrubs.  They are evergreens.  In other words, they provide green to relieve an otherwise dreary winter landscape.  In that case why bundle them like brown cocoons?  True, for hedges near busy roads, burlap screens are required to protect against potential salt damage.  Rhododendrons and other broad-leaf evergreens will benefit from a windscreen of the same material, totally surrounding them.

Time now to come indoors and attend the needs of houseplants.  As mentioned in the last column, watch for spider mite, and fertilizing are two essentials.  Curb the urge to attempt repotting.  So long as they are not tipping over, most houseplants will not merely survive, but even flourish if somewhat under-potted.  Too large a container is the source of many problems, including the inability to absorb moisture from the mass of soil.  Besides, it is an inauspicious time for the operation.  Wait three or four months until early spring.

Finally, you have time to sit back and contemplate why Vancouver was declared the most floral city in Canada.  So judged the Communities in Bloom, who organize this annual event that was won by Markham a few years ago, but never Toronto.  Then again, with the deep appreciation of landscaping by those such as Councillor George Mammoliti, can one wonder?  Of course, there is the glorious example of the late and unlamented mayor, Barbara Hall, on Amelia Street.  As for Mayor Mel’s landscaping efforts, we will save that for a future column.

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