Articles

Blooms and Roses Hort Coach Tour

Emieke Geldof — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 19:10:02 +0000

On Saturday June 22, 2012, we are off and rollin’ down the road, in our Deluxe Motor Coach. First we will visit Palatine Fruit & Roses. They are a grower of roses with lots to teach us and even more to show us. Eva and her husband will see that we have an instructive commentary on Roses and the chance to purchase some of the beautiful specimens that they grow.

Lunch is buffet style at the Best Western Beacon Inn. While we dine the glassed room we can view the marina and Lake Ontario. Our buffet will include a variety of salads, vegetables, Penne pasta, Roasted Chicken followed by an assortment of desserts and coffee or tea.

A Private garden is the next stop of the day. Wayne Rubel’s garden has been featured in more than one magazine and you will see why. A carpenter by trade, his arbors, ponds and plantings are sure to amaze. Better bring a camera!

Then we make our way to Magnotta Winery for a little sampling and tasting. Fruit of vine as they say. An award winning winery with lots of choose in their wines for sale.

When we arrive at our last stop you will be glad that we brought the big bus. There is lots of room for purchases in the luggage compartment! We are going to Northland Nurseries in Clapison Corners. Everything in the place is $5.99 for a 1 gal pot! I have never seen such a variety of plants, with colours available that are very hard to find. Make your wish list and bring it along. This is the stop that it is hard to get everyone to leave. From here we will make our way for home. We will have new ideas and new friends!!

Price of $70.00 per person
All transportation, stops as outlined, lunch, taxes included
Coach Departs Bloor & Keele Subway at the Indian Road Side
8 am departure with an estimated return of 6:45 pm
Wear comfortable shoes, bring a sun hat, sun screen, a rain coat, water and spending money if you like
Tour is on rain or shine
Sorry no refunds

Forward cheque payable to “Hort. Societies of Parkdale and Toronto” to Patrick Mulroney, 153 Westminster Ave., Toronto, ON M6R 1N8. Please write on the back of the cheque the names of each participant you are paying for. Questions? Please email bustour@parkdaletorontohort.com

President's Report November 2012

Emieke Geldof — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:48:30 +0000

As I prepare to hand over to the next President I’ve thought back to late 2010 – what I hoped to achieve, what we did achieve, and what remains to be done.

In 2010 I determined that moving the Hort into the web era was the most positive task and the one with the most potential for savings in the annual budget. I’m happy to report that two years later, we have largely completed the transition, have saved about 20% of our annual expenditures, and have lots of room for new material and ideas in our new newsletter and website. In fact, one of the win-win challenges for the Hort going forward will be to make more use, and more creative use, of the capabilities we now have for colour illustrations, for links, and for up-to-the-minute feedback to and from our members. Plus, we can do all this within our existing smaller production budget.

This success is largely due to the hard work of the Newsletter and Web committees, and I would like especially to thank Barbara Japp, Emieke Geldof, Michael Geldof, Kathy Andrechuk, Bill Cheng, and Judy Whalen for their efforts. Some change comes with losses. I would be the first to admit that our print-only newsletter had more elegant formatting, but its costs in both people time and $$ were higher than the new solution and we could not provide colour images. Most of membership have digital cameras – please send us some of your lovely garden or plant pictures.

In 2010 I thought we could increase the number of new younger members of the Hort. We have been only modestly successful, and I’d identify this as one of the most important priorities for us all going forward. Go meet those new neighbours who have a pot of basil or marigolds, chat with them, perhaps offer them a cutting from your garden, and invite them to a Hort meeting to enjoy a great speaker. And be sure to introduce them to other Hort members in your neighbourhood! This is how we grow.

I spent a significant amount of time in 2011 looking to find ways for us to tap into other sources of financing, such as charitable status. I reluctantly came to the conclusion that this is not feasible for us in the short term. However, there are many sources of plant and garden material, tools, and small grants which we can look at in the future. I think with a bit of focus on this, we could easily double our funding for community projects in the years to come.

It’s been an interesting two years! I thank the Board and all the volunteers in the Hort who have made it possible.

- Clement Kent

Ten Tips for Dividing Perennials

The Hort Admin — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Start as early as possible—early April is good. Even if shoots are up only an inch or two, you can dig or divide it. (This presupposes you remember which plants are which in your garden.) It is better to pot up smaller, younger plants as, with less top growth, there is less set-back to the plant. Roots, once out of the ground, warm up faster. The main benefit of early digging is that the plant has time to overcome transplant shock and become established, resulting in a happier, better-looking plant in time for the sale.
You can dig up the whole plant and divide it or chop pieces from the edges of a clump using a spade. If you decide to dig up the whole plant there are various ways of dividing it. You may be able to tease the root apart by hand (e.g. day lilies). A large woody or dense fibrous root will need to be chopped or cut apart using a spade, sharp knife, secateurs or small tree saw.
Larger divisions are preferable to very small ones, however this is relative. Try to avoid potting up very large ones (or large whole plants); these can be difficult for people to carry home. Besides, if you can create two or more divisions from one plant, we will have more plants to sell. (Share the wealth.)
You may need to trim the root ball to fit the pot. I use my secateurs for this but sharp scissors may also work. Ideally, there should be a minimum ½ inch space around the root ball, to be filled with potting soil.
Please try to avoid having roots showing or hanging over the top of the pot. This causes the plant to dry out, and just looks bad. If the plant ends up sitting a little high in the pot, remove it and trim some of the root off the bottom! Or use a larger pot.
Each new division should have some foliage (or shoots) and lots of roots. If the plant appears too top heavy trim some of the growth off! (Don’t be afraid, it will grow back.)
When dividing iris or other rhizomatous plants, use a sharp, clean knife to cut the rhizomes into pieces, each containing two or three bud eyes. Allow them to air dry for about an hour to heal wounds before potting them up. If dividing peonies, a larger piece of root with more eyes is better, as they take longer to recover. Ideally, peonies should be divided in the fall. If you plan to donate a peony, consider potting it up whole, unless it is very large.
Please, just donate your plants and not your garden soil. By using a light weight potting soil, compost or a mixture of these, you will end up with a lighter pot, while retaining your own good garden soil. Fill the space around the root ball with soil mix and tamp down with your fingers to eliminate air pockets and to firmly settle the division into the pot.
Once potted up, water your divisions thoroughly and place in a sheltered spot, out of sun and wind which can quickly dry out newly dug plants. Water as required, especially if the weather turns hot. After a couple of weeks, you can move the pots into sun for part of the day (early morning sun is best) to harden them off.
It is not necessary to fertilize your new divisions; in fact it is probably better if you don’t. It’s best to fertilize after they have been planted in their new home.

There you have it—in 10 easy steps! Think of the benefits: you will have finally got out into the garden to enjoy a lovely spring day; you will have thinned out your plants; and your Hort will benefit from receiving your divisions. I call this a win-win situation. Happy digging.

Vegetable Garden Tour 2011

Emieke Geldof — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 02:00:00 +0000

One sunny Saturday in September 2011 the Hort took patrons on a tour of many productive vegetable and herb gardens in the Parkdale-High Park area. Well known Toronto garden writer Lorraine Johnson gave a talk and signed copies of her book, City Farmer: Adventures in Urban Gardening. There were also speakers in some of the gardens, including Carolin Taron who has helped create several public gardens in West Toronto.

The inaugural 2011 tour was a great success, due no doubt to the fine weather ordered in advance by Beth Kapusta. (You don’t have to take my word, she told me she did it!) We saw great gardens, ranging from the 19th century heritage vegetables at Colborne Lodge to a thoroughly 21st century garage-top planting.

For more Vegetable Garden Tour photos click here.

Spirit of '68 at the Spring Flower Show

The Hort Admin — Mon, 26 May 2008 16:00:00 +0000

Can it be true? Yes, 40 years have sped by since Prague Spring, the Paris Student Riots, and Monterey Pop. Now we’re all so sedate, swaning around all in black with our opera tickets and yoga mats. Well, I say let’s get back the esprit of that exciting, anything could happen era. Only this time around, instead of Sex, Drugs and Rock’n’Roll, we’ll say it with flowers (well, maybe a bit of Advil….). So, get in touch with your inner soixante-huitarde/’Flower Child’ and, using (legal) plant material from your own spring garden, create an arrangement that revisits the Sixties, riotous colour, rules made to be broken, Jimi and Janis and the Age of Aquarius. Have your creation ready for admiration and judging by 6:45 PM. Peace, brothers and sisters.

Joni Boyer

Hindsight is 20/20 at the Spring Flower Show

The Hort Admin — Mon, 28 May 2007 16:00:00 +0000

Yes, the Hort (Toronto & Parkdale together) is now (gasp!) 20 years old. Will it have to cut its hair and get a job? Or will it simply carry on in its charming and idiosyncratic way, offering a warm welcome and wide range of ‘growth’ opportunities to any and all who enjoy the delights of the garden? We can only hope… In this year’s spring Flower Show we pay tribute to ourselves and this thing we call the “HORT”.

1. WE BRANCH OUT

An exquisite flowering branch or vine as an expression of our history when (deep breath), The Horticultural Societies of Parkdale and Toronto were finally entwined. Note: therein lies, I think, the origin of the term ‘Hort’ as our common name, with the other more unwieldy title representing the true botanical nomenclature, as it were.

2. A MATTER OF TASTE

A flavourful gathering of herbs and edible flowers to give honour to Kathy Andrachuk and Bill Cheng for their thoroughly enjoyable annual BBQ at St Christopher House (not to mention every thing else they do).

3. SIZE DOESN’T MATTER

Your carefully thought out miniature arrangement is the perfect metaphor for our celebrated Newsletter, an artful giant-killer in annual competition! Bravo to Editors past and present and to all contributors.

4. GARDEN VARIETY

A big, boisterous gathering of perennials, annuals, roses, bulb flowers and foliage. It’s May in the garden and thus we are able to offer a reflection of our wonderfully varied and always scintillating lecture series. Always something for everyone. Thank-you to Mari-Lise Stonehouse and Barry Parker.

5. IN OUR THOUGHTS

For those who cherish the memory of Barbara Bell and Connie Maurice, an opportunity to express their particular grace in floral tribute. And, if you include a bloom from a plant they gave you, why, so much the better.

As usual, the plant material used must be from your own garden. Please enter any and all categories to ensure the acclaim you so richly deserve. Have it all ready for judging by 6:45 pm.

VIVE LA HORT!

Joni Boyer

Dirty Dancing at the Spring Flower Show

The Hort Admin — Mon, 29 May 2006 16:00:00 +0000

Come on everybody, let’s dance! And I don’t mean the hokey pokey (as much fun as that may be). Back in the sixties, when New York’s Village Voice was probably the only newspaper I ever so much as glanced at, Jules Feiffer’s lanky, seemingly boneless beatnik performing her annual “Dance to Spring” bore witness to winter’s last gasp (among other things). In our Spring Flower Show, we pay floral tribute to her gazelle-like grace and the endearing habit she had of collapsing suddenly in a little pile of limbs. Because spring is like that: all surging energy and growth in the garden with the gardener a spent force at the end of the day from just trying to cope with it all.

So, come on let’s dance! We’ll improve by leaps and bounds…

Bring your entries early so we can have more time to take in the nuances of your creations.

1. PAS DE DEUX

Two achingly lovely bulb flowers in effortless and graceful contrast to each other.

2. LET’S TWIST (AGAIN)

Lavishly flowering vines and/or curvy blossoming branches will have us humming “Love me tendrils…”

3. (EVERYBODY) SALSA!

A gourmet gathering offers spicy colour and lively flavours that dance on the palate.

4. (SAVE ME) THE WALTZ

A ravishing confection of sumptuous spring flowers inspired by the elaborate gowns and elegance of the ballrooms of Vienna.

5. MODERN MOVEMENT

A dramatic and mystifying construct whose meaning, while not immediately apparent is nonetheless thought-provoking…

Joni Boyer