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 Oh! Canada – The Toronto Flower Show, at Canada Blooms, is gearing up for Canada’s sesquicentennial with a celebration of all things Canadian. The TFS schedule writers are hard at work in typical Canadian fashion, thinking about maple leaves, and railways from coast to coast, and iconic Canadian songs. The Photography competition wants your photos of Canadian themes and seasons. The Horticultural and Floral Design schedules will provide opportunities for members of Garden Clubs and Horticultural societies to show their skills and participate in the celebration, so watch this website for details!
Schedules and entry forms will be available by mid-October. |
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 The Canada Blooms Volunteer Appreciation BBQ took place at the Canada Blooms and Landscape Ontario offices in Milton on August 18th.
We would like to thank all the volunteers who were able to join us, and those who were unable to come out, for all the hard work and dedication that they have shown Canada Blooms over the years. We have a large number of volunteers who have been with us from the very first Canada Blooms and some who just joined us last year, and to all we have to say that there would not be a Canada Blooms if not for you.
We would like to invite all volunteers seasoned and novice to join us for a Gardener’s Getaway at Canada Blooms 2017 as we celebrate Canada's sesquicentennial. Work a little, play a little and share in the excitement.
This is a great way to put your skill to use or learn new skills, meet people and just have fun. As our thank you to you every volunteer will receive a ticket to the festival (Canada Blooms/Home Show)
Visit our website in early November to sign up. If you have any questions please contact Volunteer Coordinator at volunteers@canadablooms.com or call the main office 416-447-8655 x 7721.
Come volunteer, Canada Blooms needs you to flourish.
Please note that both the TTC and GO Train have stops near the Enercare Centre, and from Monday – Friday Parking will be FREE after 4:00 pm.
Note: Winners of the Contests, with perfect scores, at the BBQ are - Jelly Bean Guess - Maneck Sattha, Emoji Flower Challenge - Dyann Sheppard and Susan Bowles and Bee Bee Quiz - Joanna Oh. Please contact the office to make arrangements to pick up your copy of Mark Cullen's "The New Canadian Garden" from Dundurn Press. For all others try the Emoji Flower Challenge again below in the contest section. |
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  Just because fall is around the corner doesn’t mean that those beautiful pots and planters have to go back in the garage for the winter. We have some plant suggestions on how to spice up your containers to get a fresh and seasonally appropriate look with bold colours and exciting textures.
Just remember that potted plants don’t have the same insulation in-ground plants have and their roots may freeze, making your perennials annuals. Speak to your local garden centre professional to find the best perennials to plant and special care needed in order to have them return next year.
Consider:
Fall Pansies: they are hardy, at least for a frost or two and have a great variety of colours. They work well as filler.
Sunflowers: these bright native American plants say “summer isn’t over” like no other. They are tough and easy to grow as long as the soil is not waterlogged.
Asters: they display vibrant fall colours in shades of blue, purple pink and white and also offer a great feeding opportunity for pollinators.
Coneflowers/Echinacea: offer beautiful sunset-like colours and can grow rather tall in your container.
Sedum: is a late foliage that can last past a couple of frosts. They can range from icy blue-green to dark burgundy, offering some great texture to your display.
Ornamental Peppers: have glossy purple leaves and fruit which can make this plant a late-season sight to see.
Chrysanthemums: these are a fall favourite that come in a wide variety of shapes and colours.
Looking for a neat tool to help you create those holes for planting? Consider the Garden Tazzy, it is a must have for every gardener. This little gem does the spacing for you so there is no guess work: creating 3 simultaneous, perfectly spaced holes. It also tampers the soil next to plants so you don’t have to use your hands.
Find out more about the Tazzy by visiting: www.gardeningtazzy.com or drop by the Makaprin Company booth, #H349, in the Garden Marketplace at Canada Blooms in March.  |
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 Shape Your Space!
If you’re into small space living, style, tech, & green technology, you’re going to love the Toronto Fall Home Show September 23-25 at the Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place. We’ve brought together top notch designers, renovators, & small space experts, including Frank Ferragine, Kimberley Seldon, Damon Bennett, Kate Campbell and more! Join us to get pro tips, products, & great deals with 300+ retailers.
Here is a Special Offer for our Canada Blooms friends, get 2 for 1 Savings (on Adult tickets only) when you buy your tickets online – enter promo code “BLOOMS”.
Visit www.fallhomeshow.com for more details. |
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Enter for a chance to win a 4 pack of tickets to the Fall Home Show.
Visit our contest page for details.
Contest ends September 19. |
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 Plenty to look forward to in the 2017's Harrowsmith's Almanac
A sure sign of fall are the Harrowsmith's annual Almanac issues that are apprearing on newsstands across Canada this week, providing Canadians from all walks of life with 320 pages of fun and useful information on country living and treading a little more lightly upon the earth.
Along with Harrowsmith's own 40th anniversary, this year's Almanac issue looks ahead at some of the many anniversaries being celebrated in 2017, including this country's 150th. A reflection of a changing world, Harrowsmith's 2017 Almanac puts the spotlight on how high tech is changing the way we farm on one hand, while on the other work horses are still proving their relevance on a modern organic farm. In the only 100% Canadian made almanac on the market there is plenty to look forward, including:
• Weather specialist Mark Sirois' advice to prepare for a cold and stormy winter due to the La Nina effect.
• Gardening Editor, Mark Cullen provides tips to reduce weeds, and benefits of container gardening.
• Filled with anniversaries: Canada's 150th, 100th anniversary of the Halifax Explosion and battle of Vimy Ridge, 125th anniversary of the Stanley Cup, the 100th of the NHL to name a few.
... And much, much more. 
"Harrowsmith has been a way for those who love sustainable living to exchange ideas and learn new ways of doing things," says Harrowsmith Editor Maurice Crossfield. "We like to take the best of the past and the present to find the inspiration to build a better tomorrow.
Harrowsmith's Almanac issue is the only publication of its kind that can honestly call itself "Made in Canada." Pick up your copy on newsstands today. ($6.99 + taxes, Moongate Publishing) |
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 Enter our Emoji Flower Challenge
for a chance to Win 2 Garden Tour Tickets
Second Prize: 1 or 10 pairs of
General Admission Tickets to Canada Blooms
Enter Now! |
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  We are excited to announce the start of our fall planting campaign. New planting events are coming online regularly. We have potential plantings coming to Ajax, Oshawa, Clarington, Port Hope, Cobourg, Grafton, and Trenton. Keep visiting our website and our FaceBook page for your opportunity to register and volunteer.
Be sure to set aside November 4th, 2016 for important Remembrance Day plantings in Toronto, Cobourg and Trenton.
— Highway of Heroes
To stay up to date with the Highway of Heroes or to see how you can help, sign up for the newsletter or visit their website. |
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As we gear up to Canada's 150th Anniversary of Confederation we thought we  would look at a few things that make us different from the rest of the world.
Here are
10 things you probably won't hear an American say:
 Chesterfield: couch or sofa
Double-Double: type of coffee from Tim Hortons (2 creams and 2 sugars)
Give'r: to exert as much effort as possible, usually used in association with sports
Keener: a person who is extremely eager or keen (a "brownnoser" or overachiever)
Loonie/Toonie: $1 and $2 Canadian monetary coins
Runners: Running shoes, tennis shoes or athletic footwear
Stag/Stagette party: bachelor or bachelorette party
Toque: winter hat or knit cap, like a beanie that rolls up
Tourtière: a French-Canadian meat pie served at Christmas or New Years
Two-Four: a case of 24 beers |
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The Nursery Growers of Ontario are working together to create a showcase at Canada Blooms that is designed to educate visitors on and promote the many benefits of “Buying Local” nursery plants. 
North Toronto Floral Market
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