The Etobicoke Horticultural Society
The Etobicoke Horticultural Society
Wishing you a happy fall season
September 2008
Contents
1 / Next Meeting
1 / Show Results
1 / Special Notes
2 / EHS Workshops
2 / Flower Show Information
2 / Great Gardens Contest 2008
3 / In Memoriam
3 / This month in the Garden/Go Natural
3 / Toronto Balconies Bloom
4 / Events
4 / Social Roots
EHS WORKSHOPS
Thank you for your support
of the 2008 workshops!
The fully subscribed Pruning workshop, received an overwhelming satisfaction rating of 94%. The Digital Photography in the Garden hands-on event is already fully subscribed. However, a second Digital Photography workshop is being offered on the afternoon of September 20th. We have a small number of openings.
The Hypertufa Workshop is fully subscribed! An additional afternoon workshop will be offered, if there is sufficient interest.
The Decorative Outdoor Container workshop, later in the season on November 20th still has a small number of openings.
The interest in the workshops has been astounding! We appreciate and applaud your enthusiasm and support!
If you have questions, please call Margaret Simmons at 416-234-9620 or email her at .
CALLING ALL FLOWER SHOW EXHIBITORS
Check out pages 36 – 39 in the EHS Yearbook for the cultural categories. With all the rain we had in the spring we are expecting a wonderful harvest of floral and vegetable entries.
For the talented flower arrangers in our society the theme in the Decorative Design section is “Home Sweet Home”. The Hi-Rise Condo design suggests something tall, linear and modern in tone. The Townhouse would use shorter branches and flowers and be more horizontal. For the Lakefront property, which is a water-viewing design, use a container where the water will show, perhaps with a branch hanging over it from a small island of flowers. The Rural Route design is quite subjective so let your imagination run wild-perhaps add a piece of wood suggesting a farmer’s fence or use materials that are wilder rather than
cultivated. The Bachelor Pad is a miniature design both fresh and dried. You could have fun with these by using tiny containers like a beer cap or wine cork to hold the materials.
See you on September 10th
Contributed by
Nancy Dattrino
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CONGRATULATIONS!
GREAT GARDENS CONTEST 2008
Our President, Diane Pettet’s garden placed 2nd in Ward 5 in the Alternative /Environment category.
Bev Dawson, a recent new EHS member placed 1st in the Best Traditional Garden category.
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Please check this site out.
www.insidetoronto.com
On this site a short video of the gardens in Ward 2 can be seen. The video was made by Ian Kelso of the Etobicoke Guardian who went out with Alice Wikaruk, Joyce Bateman and Velma Johnson who were judging this area.
Contributed by
Barbara Clarke
PETER AND DAPHNE WILSON
Many of you will have known Peter and Daphne. They gave generously of their time to the society formore than 30 years. Peter‘s most recent role was as president from 1997-1999.
We regret to advise Peter passed away July 27, just 5 months after Daphne passed away.
Peter’s career as a pharmacist brought him to Canada after the war, where he met and married Daphne in Montreal. He was an avid golfer, an enthusiastic rugby fan, and grew beautiful roses. Peter had a dry, gentle sense of humour, and approached life in a calm, logical, philosophical manner.
Peter and Daphne were devoted to each other. In recent years he cared for Daphne as her health slowly deteriorated, even though his own health was also failing. They are survived by their daughter Jennifer and son-in-law Matthew.
This tribute was contributed by Barbara Pomfret
THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN
A list of things to do in September
· Trim and divide perennials as growth slows.
· Plant spring flowering bulbs, also perennials and biennials.
· Plant evergreens.
· Bring houseplants before it gets too cold.
· Fertilise and aerate lawns as required.
· Keep evergreens and shrubs adequately watered.
· Set out slug traps or bait
Happy Gardening to all!
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GO NATURAL
TEN TIPS FOR SUCCESS
1. Spread grass seed every spring or fall.
2. Use a lawn aerator to help soil breathe.
3. Leave grass clippings on your lawn.
4. Raise your lawn mower to a height of 7.5 cm or 3 inches.
5. Water your lawn once a week with 2.5 cm or 1 inch of water unless it has rained. Use a soaker hose for garden beds.
6. Pull weeds by hand when the soil is moist
7. Spread organic material such as compost on your lawn each year.
8. Apply natural fertilizer in late spring or fall.
9. Spread mulch [e.g. Leave, bark chips] in garden beds and around trees.
10. Match plants and grasses to your property conditions.
Notes from the
City of Toronto
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TORONTO BALCONIES BLOOM
[A project to promote balcony gardening in Toronto]
Toronto Balconies Bloom was conceived as an umbrella for many possible activities and future directions. It is a way to get helpful information on balcony gardening and
supplies into people's hands and inspire increased gardening activity by
residents of different types of buildings. It’s a concept to strengthen the links among the various interests in Toronto's balcony gardening world.
Fern Mosoff is a novice but
enthusiastic gardener with an academic background in urban planning and many years of government experience developing projects.
It is an exciting prospect to green Toronto’s balconies by tapping the energy of
gardeners across income, age and ethno-cultural groups. We hope that the
concept will capture the imagination and interest of fellow condo owners.
The Toronto Balconies Bloom website is designed to nurture your horticultural
instincts. Photos and stories of local balcony gardens include helpful information,
such as the direction the balcony faces and the growing conditions on it so you can compare
them with your own.
The website is also a hub, providing helpful links and contact info to the greenest thumbs in Toronto.
For more information, contact:
Fern Mosoff
Check out the Toronto Balconies Bloom website at
www.torontobalconiesbloom
.ca
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Check out these web sites
http://www.snapbloorwest.com/display/39797/385/
This site has photos of our plant sale held in June.
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Events around Toronto
Topic: ‘Passion for Perennials’
Come and swap old favourites with new perennial varieties from other perennial gardeners!
Location: Sheridan Nurseries [As above]
Date: Saturday, September 13th
Time: 12.00-2.00 PM
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Topic: ’Fantastic Fall Containers’
Come and see how to put together your fall containers.
Location: Sheridan Nurseries
[As above]
Date: Saturday, September 13th at 1.45PM
Cost: FREE!
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SOCIAL ROOTS
The National Council of Women of Canada [NCWC] lobbied for wide ranging reforms that helped build this country’s social safety net. This large network of local, provincial and federal councils had its beginnings in 1893 at a meeting held in the original horticultural pavilion near the site of the present day Allan Gardens. At a time when only a few women could vote, and then only in Municipal elections, women learned political skills and found a political voice through the NCWC. They made their presence felt, campaigning for legal equality between men and women, protection for their children, and other programs of benefit to Canadian families.
The roots so to speak, of the women’s liberation movement in Canada, were planted in the Horticultural pavilion in downtown Toronto in 1893!
Source “Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada”
Contributed by Dave Tovell, Past President Etobicoke Horticultural Society.
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