Upcoming Events
To post your notice, please email us: contact@torontobalconiesbloom.ca
TORONTO BOTANICAL GARDEN
ADULT COURSES
Toronto Botanical Garden offers year-round programs for adults. Click here for a selection that might be of interest to balcony gardeners. To register, call George Brown College at 416-415-5000 x2092, or register online at www.coned.georgebrown.ca/index.html
Email: info@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
East York Garden Club Meetings
Meetings are held on the third Thursday of every month at the Stan Wadlow Clubhouse. Visitors are welcome (free admission).
Starting time is 7:30 p.m. (refreshments are served at 7:00 p.m.).
For information: Veronica 416-750-9758 or Susan 416-467-4945www.eygc.ca www.eygc.ca
2010 Meetings:
March 18 – City Gardening”, with speaker Gayla Trail
Plus, People’s Choice Photo Contest: “Ugly”
April 15 – “The ABC of Containers”, with speaker Paul Zammit
Plus, People’s Choice Photo Contest: “Spring”
May 20 – “Wildflower Stories”, with speaker Allan Foster
Plus, Flower Show and Members' PLANT SALE
June 17 – “Iris, the Rainbow Flower”, with speakers Ann & Bob Granatier
July 15 – Pot-luck supper in a member's garden
August 21 (Saturday) – Annual Flower Show and Tea
September 16 – “All About Bulbs”, with speaker Ken Brown
Plus, September Flower Show
October 21 – “Black Gold: Peels & Castings into Soil Treasure”,
with speaker Karen Widmer
Plus, Seed Exchange
Leaside Garden Society
Do you want to learn more about gardening? Join the members of the Leaside Garden Society at the Leaside Library, 165 McRae Drive, and learn more about gardening from the members and experts.
Starting time is 7:30 p.m. (Come at 7:00 for refreshments and social time.)
Annual memberships for the garden society are $25 for a single membership and $30 for families. Guests are always welcome.
For further information: www.leasidegardensociety.org or Lgarden1@hotmail.com
2010 Schedule:
April 8 - Vertical Vegetables - Garden and Container Growing, with speaker Ken Brown
May 13 - Irises, with speakers Ann and Bob Granatier. Plus, Spring Mini-Show
Saturday, May 15 Leaside Garden Society's Annual PLANT SALE at Trace Manes Community Centre (Millwood Road and McRae Drive) from 9 a.m. to Noon. This event is very popular with gardeners and offers an interesting variety of annuals and perennials. Arrive early. This plant sale is well-attended and gardeners line up in advance.
June 10 - The Joys and Hazards of a Large Country Garden, with speaker Trish Symons. Plus, Summer Show. Note: This meeting will be held at Trace Manes Community Centre, 110 Rumsey Road.
Saturday, June 26 - GARDENS OF LEASIDE TOUR
11 a.m. – 4 p.m. This year’s tour includes nine special and varied gardens and an opportunity to chat with the homeowner gardeners. The tour will proceed rain or shine and is easily accessible by Toronto Transit, car or on foot.
Passports, which include garden addresses and a tour map, are available for $10 each from the Garden Society and, as of May 22, from the following local merchants:
Coldwell Banker - 874 Eglinton Avenue East
Gentry Clothiers - Sunnybrook Plaza
Royal LePage - 1391 Bayview Avenue
Stars - 900 Millwood Road
Write Impressions - 1515 Bayview Avenue
Further information: www.gardenontario.org/site.php/leaside or call 416-429-5131
September 9 - Ground Covers Unlimited, with speaker Ted Spring
Saturday, September 11 - Annual Flower Show
1:00 – 3:30 p.m.
The show will include cultural exhibits, houseplants, fruits and vegetables grown by Leaside Garden Club members. Floral designs will be based on the theme: Caring for the Environment. Show entries will be judged by an accredited judge from the Ontario Horticultural Association.
Location: Leaside Library, 165 McRae Drive.
Admission is free.
Further information: Lgardens1@hotmail.com, www.leasidegardensociety.org
October 14 - To be announced, speaker Kate Seaver
EDIBLE SUMMER
Toronto Botanical Garden celebrates local food
EDIBLE SUMMER 2010 is Toronto Botanical Garden’s summer-long exhibition about local food and how to grow your own. Admission is FREE
The event will include: a children’s Teaching Garden with organic vegetables; a culinary series with chef Simon Kattar; a series on urban vegetable gardening; an Italian Kitchen Garden designed by City TV's Frankie Flower; demo edible herb containers; and much more.
June through September
Location: Toronto Botanical Garden (Lawrence & Leslie)
TBG offers free guided tours on Tuesday mornings and Wednesday evenings. Pre-booked private group tours are also available, at $5 per person for a minimum $25 rate.
Further information: www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca/edible/index.htm
Celebrate INTERNATIONAL POLLINATOR WEEK in Toronto
Bees, butterflies, birds and bats are essential in our gardens, farms and wild areas. They help produce fruit, vegetables, seeds and flowers. Come celebrate these amazing creatures and learn what you can to do provide a haven for them in the city.
June 21-27: Urban Buzz, a Tale of Three Cities photo exhibit at the Gladstone Hotel
June 24: The Pollinators Cabaret at the Gladstone Hotel
June 27: The Pollinators Festival at the Evergreen Brickworks
For details: www.pollinator.org/pollinator_week_2010.htm#can or email sabrinamalach@gmail.com
Ontario Cactus & Succulent Show
June 26 & 27, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Learn how to make cacti and succulents part of your balcony garden. Hundreds of rare, unusual and expertly grown plants will be on display and judged at this show, with expert growers on-site to impart their horticultural knowledge.
Hosted by the Ontario Cactus and Succulent Society
Location: Sherway Gardens, 25 The West Mall (Hwy 427 & QEW)
Further information: (416) 621-1070 or www.sherwaygardens.ca
or The-Ontario-Cactus-and-Succulent-Show/Sherway-Gardens
Through the Garden Gate: The Beach
June 19 & June 20, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Headquarters: Neil McNeil High School, 127 Victoria Park Ave. (Kingston Rd. & Victoria Park)
Through the Garden Gate is an annual garden tour organized by the Toronto Botanical Garden, each year highlighting a different Toronto neighbourhood. This year, 26 private gardens in THE BEACH will be showcased.
A comprehensive garden guide outlining the unique features of each garden is provided and Toronto Master Gardeners will be located in each garden to answer questions and identify plant material. Complimentary shuttle buses continuously drive the route, giving participants the option to "hop on and hop off" at each of the gardens.
Buy tickets online: www.gifttool.com
Or, at participating retailers. For further information: 416-551-0241
or ttgg@torontobotanicalgarden.ca
Project CHIRP!
(Creating Habitat In Residential areas and Parkland)
June Songbird Garden Tour in Etobicoke
Saturday June 5, 12 and 19 - 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Thursday June 3, 10, and 17 - 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Cost: $12 includes Canadian Wildlife Federation guide (pre-payment is required)
Enjoy a cup of certified Bird Friendly® coffee ($1), too!
Further information: www.projectchirp.com 416-236-7234
THE OPEN GARDENS PROGRAM
This year Open Gardens Toronto features 26 private gardens in different areas of the city open to the public on the long evenings of spring and summer and on weekend afternoons in the fall. The gardener will be present to answer visitors’ questions.
Entrance fees, payable at any garden, go to the Canadian Women’s Foundation. Fees are: $4.00 for each garden visit or $25.00 for unlimited visits to all gardens on the program. The $25.00 passport can be purchased in any of the gardens by cash or cheque only.
Further information: www.opengardenstoronto.com or info@opengardenstoronto.com
EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS
for green thumbs and the eco-curious, check out What’s On at Evergreen Brick Works: ebw.evergreen.ca
VERMICOMPOSTING
Swansea Horticultural Society
Elizabeth Broxterman will talk about composting with worms. If you live in an apartment or condo, this would be of interest to you. It's also the date of the SHS Strawberry Social - all welcome.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010 – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Swansea Town Hall, 95 Lavinia Ave. (Runnymede Subway)
Further information: swansea@gardenontario.org
IMPORTANCE OF BEEING
North York Garden Club
Cathy Kozma, Toronto Bee Keepers Co-op, will speak on the “Importance of Beeing”. Flower show and competition to be viewed after the meeting. All welcome!
Monday, June 28, 2010 – 8 p.m.
Location: St. Luke’s Lutheran Church at 3200 Bayview Avenue, the northwest corner of Finch and Bayview
Further information: 647-296-0402
GARDEN EDIBLES
Roselands Horticultural Society
The amazing and enthusiastic Paul Zammit will present “Garden Edibles: Yummy and Beautiful Additions to the Garden”. Guaranteed to be an informative and fun evening - everyone is welcome!
September 27, 2010 – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Church of the Good Shepherd 1149 Weston Road SE corner of Eglinton & Weston Roads
Further information: jenwunsch@hotmail.com
Green Roofs Eco Fair
Saturday, June 19, 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Toronto's first fair on this topic – all you ever wanted to know about green roofs!
FREE event with:
- Displays by architects, green roof designers and suppliers
- Showcase of green roofs and design plans of community groups and businesses
- Information on Toronto’s new Green Roof Bylaw for certain sectors
- Presentation (at 12:30 p.m.) by Monica E. Kuhn, Architect Inc., with an overview on the types of green roofs, permit & structural requirements, cost, and energy, environmental, and social benefits; and
- A raffle or two for some surprise items!
Location: Trinity-St. Paul’s Church, 427 Bloor St. West (south-west of Spadina)
Further information: Martina Rowley, martina@ecospark.ca or phone 647-208-1810