The Horticultural Societies of Parkdale & Toronto upcoming events

April Meeting (ZOOM): Building The Urban Canopy Using The Miyawaki Method (Green Communities Canada) (2026-04-27)

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Green Communities Canada (GCC) is a national non-profit association of community-based environmental organizations working together for a vibrant, equitable, and sustainable future. For this April, we welcome their team - JENN MCCALUM & TIANNA MIGHTY - for a presentation on Mini Forests, "Building The Urban Canopy Using The Miyawaki Method".

Mini Forests, also known as Tiny Forests or Miyawaki Forests, are small-scale, densely planted, native forests consisting of trees, shrubs, and herbs. The key components of the method involve: 1) robust soil amendments, and 2) dense tree and shrub planting of locally native, climax species.

In Canada, the earliest Miyawaki (or mini) forests to be installed were in 2021. In 2022-2023, GCC in partnership with the Network of Nature initiated the National Mini Forest Pilot, and has supported 45 Miyawaki forests between Vancouver Island and St. John, NB. This presentation will (a) provide an overview of the Miyawaki method and its ecological restoration principles, (b) identify preliminary soil carbon research findings, and (c) highlight opportunities for further learning and research across Canada. These include the Mini Forest Training course, funding for mini forests through the Living Cities Canada Fund, the national mini forest community of practice meetings, and GCC’s partnership with UBC to create the 2025 report Seeds of Change: Cultivating mini forests across Canada.

ABOUT THIS MONTH'S SPEAKERS:

JENN MCCALUM, B.Sc., G. Dipl., M.A. is the Manager of Green Infrastructure at GCC. Jenn has a background in biology, science communication, and sustainability studies. She has previously led environmental programming with Parks Canada, at the Science North Science Centre in Sudbury, ON, at two conservation authorities, and with GCC member organization GreenUP. Jenn is grateful to live on the Treaty 20 Homelands of the Michi Saagiig and Chippewa Nations in Nogojiwanong (Peterborough, ON) where she enjoys cycling the trails and roadways, and canoeing the waterways.

TIANNA MIGHTY is the Green Infrastructure Lead at GCC. Tianna holds a B.A. in Environmental Science from the University of Manitoba, and has worked as the Climate Change Adaptation Assistant for the Rural Municipality of East St. Paul, and as a Biodiversity Researcher at Nature Canada. In her spare time, Tianna is active in her local basketball community. A veteran of the University of Manitoba’s Bison Basketball team, Tianna now coaches the varsity girls’ basketball at her former high school.

MEETING LOCATION & TIME:

We will be meeting in person at Bonar Parkdale Presbyterian Church, 250 Dunn Ave, just South of Queen Street West.
We will also be holding the meeting online through Zoom. Members will be sent the link in the newsletter in the week leading up to the meeting.
Arrive after 6:30 PM for refreshments and socializing, the meeting starts at 7:30PM.

Not A Hort Member Yet?

Non-Hort members are welcome to attend in-person for a suggested donation of $5 or Pay-What-You-Can. To join the meeting online, please contact info@parkdaletorontohort.com.

Plant Fair 2026 (2026-05-23)

Sat, 23 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Saturday May 23, 2026
10AM - 1PM (free admission)

Mark your calendars for our most important fundraising event of the year, in support of community garden projects.

For the most up-to-date info & teasers related to this event, please check our Facebook Event listing.

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WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE FAIR

***Featuring***
Natives, pollinators, organic herbs & veggies, shade lovers & hard-to-find plants. Plus, a garden flea market, free gardening advice, & groovy giveaways!

***NOT Featuring***
Anything invasive. Shop with ease knowing that nothing invasive will be on offer, including unregulated invasive plants (like English Ivy, Lily of the valley, Daylily, Periwinkle, Goutweed, etc.) that sadly can still be found at many garden centres. Speak up, voice your concern! These pests are taking over Ontario's woodlands.

***Jumping Worms?***
We've got you covered! Whether you know about invasive jumping worms or not, don't fret when shopping our fair. All donated plants have been thoroughly root-washed, repotted in clean pots with commercial potting soil, and stored off the ground. Donated plants are collected two weeks prior to the sale to ensure viability after root-washing. It's the third year that we are doing this. It's a lot... but it matters!

***Gardening Advice***
Having trouble knowing what plants to put where? Have a pesky problem with something in your garden? Ask one of our garden experts to weigh in, FREE of charge.

***Mobility & Accessibility***
Hosted, once again, in Roncy United Church, this accessible space (with ramp access) can accommodate people with mobility devices as well as those bringing wagons and strollers.

***Payment***
Cash, debit, and all major credit cards on purchases of $50 or more.

See you there!

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Our horticultural society is a recognized not-for-profit committed to sharing the joys of plant-growing through encouraging school gardens, outreach that makes gardening accessible to those of all physical and mental abilities, hosting horticultural talks, and funding greening initiatives that make for a more livable city.

Questions? Please email plantfair@parkdaletorontohort.com

See you at the fair!

Merry May Meeting - Member Slides and Talks (2026-05-25)

Mon, 25 May 2026 23:00:00 GMT

It's the Merry May meeting!
This means we'll have a bunch of speakers
with short presentations and slideshows.

Interested In Participating? Sign up and share your photos! Contact info@parkdaletorontohort.com.