Master Gardeners of Ontario
Serving Ontario for Over 25 Years
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| Perennial Border at Les Quatre Vents in Quebec |
Canada's Anti Spam Legislation
As of July 1, Canada’s new anti-spam legislation will come into effect. We do not think that this will involve much of a change for us.
Just in case there is an issue that we overlooked, we will be sending email notices of the summer newsletter posting on our website out before the July 1 deadline.
In this Issue....
Designing for the Future
Edythe Falconer, Ottawa
Some things are meant to be. Our Saskatchewan Farm was “organic” before “organic” achieved a higher profile. Since then I’ve continued to be comfortable with the desirability of food independence, conservation of biological resources, and avoidance of chemical sprays and synthetic amendments. Read more...
Whose Garden is it Anyway – Garden Design Gone to the Dogs
Isabel Belanger - Etobicoke
..... Design takes chaos and gives form and function to a space. 'Form follows function' – and the function of my garden has been to accommodate a succession of dogs over the years, thus dictating the form. Read more...
Deliciously Beautiful Gardens
Mary Beerman, Durham
Gardens serve many purposes. We create gardens to mimic nature; recreating what nature can do but in our own kind. It has been said that we garden to feed our souls.
Ecological Design - the Macro and Micro Views
main goals - to have the garden invite: shelter (for both humans and wildlife – including insects – think biodiversity); view(s); and rest (think sanctuary/ entertainment). Read more...
Designing the Garden Room
Alexandra Wiens, Prince Edward County
I live in a “barefoot home”. That is, a space where the inside and the outside of the house run together. When I was designing this house I gave a lot of thought to the uses of the interior rooms and that of the adjacent exterior spaces; I wanted to create a harmonious living space. Read more...
Intergrating Native Plants into the Garden Design Makes it Hum
Diane Marchese, Guelph Wellington
It always surprises me when someone finds gardening an act of frustration. Or when they devise a plan for a garden consisting of one type of plant, thinking this will ultimately cut down on their work outside. I had someone once say to me as I stood in my front yard garden, “Image a front yard filled with nothing but hostas.” “What! I proclaimed, that’s asking for trouble.” Are these new landscape aesthetics really working for us? Read more...
Serenety Garden Design
Pam Love, Durham
When you think of a serenity garden, many things come to mind. You might imagine the soft sounds of a wind chime or of a bubbling fountain. You might picture yourself seated comfortably, surrounded by lush plants, sipping a cup of tea. A serenity garden might be a place you go to pray or meditate quietly. Read more...
Planning a Garden
Sandra Goranson, Prince Edward County
John Brookes, who is considered to be one of the most influential garden designers of our times, stated that “ The preservation of our landscapes, of which your garden is part, is vital – and to do this we have to find the essence of our own particular place and work with it.“ The simple version is to work with, rather than challenge, the environment when creating your garden. Look beyond your property to the larger surroundings be they urban or rural, and look at contributing to the whole as well as your own property when designing or redesigning gardens. This does not restrict creativity; rather it asks that creativity will focus on preserving the essence of the place rather than fighting with it. Read more...
President's Message
Jane Beck, President MGOI
In response to our members, local Master Gardener groups across the
province, the Ontario Master Gardener Board has established two task
forces, one on governance and one on vision for the organization.
Representatives, typically Coordinators or past Coordinators from
across the province populate these two task forces; our goal will be
to have progressive proposals/options to present to our Coordinators
at the October 18th , 2014 Coordinator’s Conference. These
proposals need to support delivery of what the Coordinators told us
last fall, was needed. Their focus was on policy, education,
communications, partnerships and fundraising, promotion and
membership, and events. The goal being that the Board may better
serve all its members.
The vision task force is re-writing our vision and establishing the
mission and actions to make this vision a reality. The governance
task force will be establishing the functions we need at the
provincial level as well as a reporting structure(s) for the
organization.
The Board and the two task forces have completed a beliefs and
assumptions exercise (the question being – are we thinking alike or
really quite differently?) and will begin reviewing the functions and
hours the Board members spend volunteering their time to the
provincial organization. Board members were asked to submit their
hours and activities and that report has been summarized and made
available to the two task forces.
This is new territory for us, discussions that we’re not used to
having and we are moving ahead thoughtfully and with attention to
detail.
Insect Art
Master Gardeners in Action
Halton
Proud to be a Master Gardener
Claudette Sims, Halton
Halton Master Gardeners are very fortunate to have Marie Clarke, who is a producer with CBC radio, as a member. Last year, Marie was a driving force behind CBC Radio Hamilton using our Master Gardeners to participate in a one hour online garden chat. When Marie asked me to participate I immediately said yes! Then I said, wait: There’s CBC radio in Hamilton? Then I scrambled to find out what an online chat was! Basically panelists sit at their home computer and sign in to the website at the arranged time; readers join in online; they send in questions and panelists type in the answer. Marie, Halton MG Donna Parker and I, partnered with Carlo Balistrieri, Head of Horticulture at the Royal Botanical Gardens, to frantically reply to the gardening questions sent in via social media.
This year someone had the brainwave to do the online chat concurrently with Ed Lawrence’s popular call in show on CBC Radio’s Ontario Today. Our first chat was scheduled for June 16th. That morning the phone rang and it was CBC Radio wanting an interview. An audio clip of my interview as well as a blurb about Master Gardeners started off the Ed Lawrence garden call in. I was thrilled to hear Master Gardeners finally getting such great exposure! While Ed was busy answering questions on live radio, Marie and I, along with Jon Peter from the RBG, fielded questions via email, Twitter and the online program. What a success it was. We were overwhelmed with questions and Marie and I answered about 30 questions in 60 minutes. When you consider that you have to read the question, then formulate and type an answer all the while trying to make sure your spelling of Tradescantia or whatever plant your recommending is accurate, we did very well. The pace is exhilarating. Picture a race where you’re carrying 2 buckets of manure tea and have to run without spilling any. That’s kind of what it felt like to me.
This marriage of online chat and live radio call in proved to be such a hit that the CBC asked if we would be willing to do it on a weekly basis. I’m amazed at the exposure it’s given to Master Gardeners. That same evening my neighbour called out to me through the fence to tell me that she’d heard Master Gardeners mentioned on the radio and had said to her husband: Isn’t that the club that Claudette belongs to? When it was followed by my voice on the radio, she was so surprised.
You can actually view the online chat by following the following link:
Check out the wonderful blurb about Master Gardeners and join us Mondays at 12:30 to 1:30 for ongoing chats this summer.
North Bay
Northbay celebrates their service awards. Here is a photo of the event:
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| North Bay MGs - Ted Reed, Helen Tripp, Monica McLaren, Pam Hansen, Vickie Wiemer (Helen McCombie was not present that day) |
Toronto
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| Master Gardeners with Paul Zammit, Nancy Eaton Director of Horticulture at the Toronto Botanical Garden, at tree planting June 3rd |
On
Tuesday, June 3rd, 2014, to commemorate 25 years of community service
by the Toronto Master Gardeners, the current, the incoming and two
past Executive Coordinators presided at a ceremonial tree planting at
the Toronto Botanical Garden.
Several
Toronto members took a turn with the spade, backfilling the planting
hole in the west lawn south of Lawrence Avenue, where the new
Yellowwood tree (Cladrastis kentukea) will eventually reach between
30 and 50 feet in height. This seldom-used tree, which attracts
beneficial pollinators, makes a striking specimen, with smooth
grey-brown bark and beautiful 30 cm lon sprays of fragrant white
blossoms in early summer.
Peterborough
Ontario Volunteer Service Awards were awarded to:
Rachel Burrows – 20 years
Norma Evans – 25 years
Cathy Fraser – 5 years
Karen Hannisse – 10 years
Joan Harding – 5 years
Beryl Harris – 25 years
Milestones
New MGiTs
Halton –
Callie Cordoba, Lynn Courtney, Donna Fraser, Justin Godard, Dean
Hale, Patty Noonan, Momo Pino, Kate Sault, Bill Sommers, Harold
Stahl.
Mississauga
– Bev Campeau, Suzanne Moreau
Northumberland
– Shelley Fredericks, Brenda Harvey, Jim Henderson, Trisha Whitney
Stratford
– Robyn Gallimore, Anu MacIntosh-Murray. Shelly Meyers
New MGs
Haliburton
– Marg Chambers
Northumberland
– Christa Bisanz, Marg Lee Tolland
Toronto
– Linda
Attridge, Anne
Avery, Diana
Bavington, Joan
Bostock, Petra
Donnelly, Wendy
Halse, Adrienne
Hanbidge, Mary
LeQuoc, Laurie
Manoim, Patty
McKnight, Brigitte
Richter, Jacqueline Tilford, Paula Wolfson
5 Years
Simcoe
County – Louise Jackson, Catherine Waffle
Peterborough
– Suzanne Seryck, Cauleen Viscoff
Toronto
– Josee
Couture, Cathy Kozma, Alan Malcolmson, Christine March, Doryne Peace,
Sylvia Sarkus, Sheila Smith
10 Years
Halton –
Linda Brentnall, Cathy Kavassalis, Maureen Millar,
Claudette
Sims,
Haliburton
– Winnie Kasepchuk
North
Bay – Pam Hansen, Monica McLaren
Quinte
Tweed – Steve Airhart,
Peter
Hill,
Susan
Uddenberg
Toronto
– Barbara
Anderson, Jane Beck, Dawn Bell, Ellen Eyman, Georgie Kennedy
15 Years
Toronto
– Catherine
Park
20 Years
North
Bay – Ted Reed, Helen Tripp
Toronto
– Anne
Kotyk
25 Years
North
Bay – Helen McCombie, Vickie Wiemer
Toronto
– Ann
Johnson, Anna Leggatt, Alice Wikaruk
Transfers
Peterborough welcomes Emma
Murphy who recently transferred from Kitchener.
Moving On
Etobicoke
Following
10 years of devoted service to Etobicoke Master Gardeners; we
wish to thank now Past Coordinator Diane Pettet for her work at the
helm of EMG. Diane led our group as it grew to where it is today, an
enthusiastic group of individuals, with its Annual Plant Sale,
Community activities, many Advice Clinics, not to mention
presiding over our monthly meetings at our new, special meeting space
at Montgomery's Inn. As she passes the baton to incoming
Coordinator Suzanne Zacharczyk, we can all wish Diane well and hope
she enjoys the extra time to spend in her own garden, while she
continues to enjoy her participation in the EMGs from a new
perspective. Well done, Diane!
Toronto
Elizabeth
Stewart has been Communications Coordinator for the Toronto Master
Gardeners for close to a decade. She has guided us through new ideas,
new projects and made us all the best we can be. Thank you,
Elizabeth.
In
Memoriam:
Kevin
Bergevin passed away on May 31, 2104 at the age of 58. Kevin
joined Rideau 1000 Islands Master Gardeners on November 11, 2010.
He enrolled in the Master Gardener course at Guelph University
and completed the program in 13 months. In
January 2012, while still a Master Gardener in Training, Kevin took
on the role of secretary to the group and continued in this
role until his illness finally forced him to go on sick
leave in mid- March of 2014. Kevin displayed a vast
horticultural knowledge as well as organizational skills, a
willingness to support others and an ability to share
freely without any sense of superiority. Our friend Kevin was a kind,
generous, talented and humble man. Many of our members have his
daylilies in our gardens to remind us of his generosity. He
will be sadly missed by all who came in contact with him.
Events
July 13, 2014, 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. Rideau 1000 Islands Master Gardeners Garden Tour in Kingston – ‘Gardens to inspire the home gardener’ 12 gardens with unusual designs and inspiring ideas. A Master Gardener will be available at each garden to answer questions. Tickets $10.00 Check our website www.rideau1000islands.mgoi.ca for ticket sales locations or call Jeanne Stoness 613-767-7175
July 19 and 20, 2014 – The International Herb Association presents the Herbal event of the decade: ‘Savory Sagas~Herbs for Life’, a two-day, herbalicious conference, at the Eaton Chelsea Hotel in Toronto, with Niagara Herb bus tour July 18th and optional trip to Richters Herbs July 21st. Join herbalists, gardeners, chefs, cooks, and environmentalists to learn from more than 22 teachers sharing sagas on a wide range of herbal topics and shop for natural products at the free Herbal Marketplace (open to the public). Register at www.herbsforlife2014.com Conference is open to non-members; one- or two-day options available. Visit the website for conference fees, speaker and program details and to register. Don’t miss out on this rare chance to learn, share and meet others interested in herbs, natural medicine, natural skin care and gardens.
September 6, 2014 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. North York Garden Club Annual Flower Show and Café at the Edithvale Community Centre, 131 Finch Ave W, Toronto
October 18, 2014 – 8:30 - 1:00 p.m. at Harmony Centre Owen Sound, 890 4th Avenue East, Owen Sound. Grey County Master Gardeners will host their annual FREE Fall Gardening Seminars.
Topics and Speakers:
1) "Pollinator-friendly Gardening" - Ursula Karalus, MG
2) "The Secret Life of Plants" - Shannon Wood, Saugeen Conservation Authority
3) " Twiners, Stickers, Clingers, Hookers, and Espaliers" - Brenda Sutherland-Close, Earthbound Gardens. For more information, or to reserve a seat, please contact the GCMG co-coordinators, Rebecca Baker at rbmunster@hotmail.com or Margaret-Ann Brennan at brennanmargaretann@gmail.com
October 19, 2014 - all day Technical Update at Civic Garden Complex, 625 Springbank Drive, London, ON. Exposed! Dirty Little Secrets and Plant Enemies
Cost: $50.00 for 4 academic speakers, 6 CEUs, lunch, snacks and networking
Contact: questions lonmidmastergardeners@gmail.com or register on line at www.londonmiddlesexmastergardeners.com
October 27, 2014 – 8:00 p.m. at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 3200 Bayview Avenue, Toronto. Forests of the Future: Climate Change and Your Backyard Trees – Alice Casselman - founder of ACER
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