|
 Julie Moore Modern Landscape Design is one of more than 25 exciting gardens that will be featured at Canada Blooms 20th anniversary.
Julie Moore and Cooper and Sons Contracting are creating The Stingray Garden. This garden will promote a refreshing sense of  place for organic functionality with visual elements such as modern art focal points, lines, forms, textures and natural colours.
The Stingray Garden is about harmonizing form & function of thematic garden zones and creating unforgettable experiences in a distinctive luxurious outdoor space.
For more information, or to look at the other feature gardens, check out our website. Keep checking back for more updates. |
|
|
 Gardeners Fare is the feature of the Canada Blooms Festival that is dedicated to garden clubs, horticultural societies, and not-for-profit organizations which reflect our festival's commitment to cultivate gardeners and keep them informed.
Participants in Gardener's Fare are enthusiastic volunteers who are happy to share a wealth of information from each of their specialties to interested festival goers.
In the past, Canada Blooms has welcomed members from the African Violet Society, the Rose Society, the Ontario Horticultural Association, the Botanical Arts Society, Communities in Bloom, the Rhododendron Society, the Horticultural Societies of Parkdale and Toronto, and the North American Native Plant Society, just to name a few.
Please note that there are a limited number of spaces available. If your group is interested, please complete the application and return it to the Canada Blooms office by December 14th. Entrants who qualify and are chosen will be notified by January 4th.
If you require more information, please contact Lisa Pascoe. |
|
|
 The Toronto Flower Show is making plans to join the party at Canada Blooms 2016!
If you like to see what the experts do with flowers, then don't miss the Toronto Flower Show Competition presented by the Garden Club of Toronto at Canada Blooms. The Toronto Flower Show is one of the largest standard judged shows in Canada and sees hundreds of entries from local, national and international competitors.
The Competitors Schedule is posted on the Canada Blooms website. In it you’ll find details of the flower show competitions.
In Horticulture, many competitions are open to non-professional exhibitors and members of any garden club or horticultural society, who may enter a plant that they have nurtured for a minimum of three months. There are classes for orchids, for variegated and non-variegated plants, for ivies, and for other common and not-so-common houseplants. Pre-registration is encouraged.
In Floral Design, there are classes for the Garden Club of Toronto members, as well as 2 Open classes, which may be entered by any non-professional exhibitor who is a member of a garden club or horticultural society. ENTERTAIN is a class for an assemblage. LOOT BAG and HOSTESS GIFT ask for a design which fits into a 12” x 12” space. Pre-registration is required, and class sizes are limited.
International Floral Designers from around the world are invited to participate by creating exciting designs which are always popular with visitors to the show.
Both the Horticultural and Floral design competitions are judged by accredited Judges.
Take a look at the Photographic Competitions. There are four classes calling for your creative picture taking: Uninvited Guests, It’s A Gift, One Too Many, Visitors From Afar – a photo taken outside of Canada.
Schedule, Rules and Registration/Entry forms for Horticulture and Photography may be downloaded from the website.
We’re looking forward to celebrating our 20th year with a bountiful and beautiful Flower Show! |
|
 October is here, and it's time to get outside and prepare your garden for the onset of a Canadian winter.
There are a lot of little tasks that need to be completed to get your garden ready for winter, and fall is a great time to plant trees and shrubs, cut back perennials, remove annuals and get your lawn healthy for next spring.
Remember to keep watering. Trees and shrubs that are deprived of water now will be easily stressed in the winter.
Here is a handy guide for October:
• Transplant shrubs or young trees to new locations.
• Cut diseased areas out of perennials. Do not compost.
• Rake and compost any fallen leaves. 
• Clean up garden debris. Remove all vegetable plants and fallen fruit.
• Remove dead annuals from the garden, after a frost.
• Cut back perennial foliage to discourage overwintering pests.
• Leave flowers with seeds for the birds.
• Continue watering trees and shrubs until the ground freezes.
• Sharpen lawn mower blade and pruners.
• Trim tall grass away from trees and corners of your home to discourage small rodents from creating nests.
• Dig up tender bulbs such as dahlia, canna and gladiola. Wrap them in moist material and store in a cool, dark space. |
|
|
Canada Blooms celebrated its Volunteer Appreciation BBQ at the Unilock Outdoor Idea Centre on October 1st. Although the fall night was a little cool, the event was enjoyed by all who attended. We would like to thank Unilock for providing us with an innovative setting in which to hold our event, and to pickOntario and Aldershot Greenhouses for the donation of beautiful roses that were offered to our volunteers as door prizes.
A special thanks to all the voluteers who could and to those who were unable to attend. Canada Blooms is so greatful to you who really are the superstars of our festival. You are the dedicated ones who are the first to pitch in and help with garden building and decorating the festival, the first to welcome our many guests, the ones that help the visitors plan their trip and navigate the floor plans, and ones who sell the ice cream which helps raise monies that are then offered back to community projects.
We hope that you will join us at our 20th Anniversary celebration March 11-20.
For any youth who are interested in gaining volunteer hours, come out to the Volunteer Toronto Youth Expo on October 24th at the Toronto Reference Library at 789 Yonge Street (one block north of Yonge & Bloor) to get the scoop on Canada Blooms, or sign up online.
The volunteer sign up form will be ready in November.
Thanks again, we couldn't do it without you! |
|
|
  Toronto Botanical Garden is pleased to announce its third annual Aster Awards reception on Thursday, November 19 at 6:30 to 9 p.m. The award title of “Aster” is inspired by the Greek word for “star.” This year’s Aster Award honourees are Dr. Roberta Bondar, a multi-disciplinary thought-leader with groundbreaking achievements and leadership in the arts, sciences and environment and founder and CEO of Evergreen Geoff Cape, as well as "Rising Star" Arlene Throness, coordinator of Rye's Homegrown Rooftop garden at Ryerson University.
Tickets for the 2015 Aster Awards are $150 each ($1500 for 10), available online at torontobotanicalgarden.ca |
|
|
|
 The City of Toronto annual chrysanthemum shows are on from October 11 – November 8 at Allan Gardens Conservatory, and November 1 – 29 at Centennial Park Conservatory. These fabulous displays of chrysanthemums are grown in-house at High Park and Centennial Park Greenhouses by the City of Toronto growers. Admission is free.
Don't miss the floral poppy that will be on display at Centennial Park to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the writing of In Flanders Fields by Major John McRea. |
|
|
Does the thought of carving a pumpkin force you to break out in hives or have panic attacks?
Well, then think about a no carve option, it allows you to skip the muss and fuss of making a carving faux pas. There are a number a ways you can show your creative side. Have you considered bedazzling pumpkins, decopaging them, covering them with flowers or glitter, painting faces on them or covering them with a knitted coat?
Check out BuzzFeed for 37 fun DIY ideas that will get your creative juices flowing.
|
|
|
 Come Grow With Us!
The Master Gardeners of Ontario are proud to host the 2nd Canadian Master Gardener Conference
Friday, April 8th to Sunday, April 10th, 2016
Deerhurst Resort, Huntsville, ON
What you want to know:
REGISTRATION HAS BEGUN – conference.mgoi.ca
• The educational and entertaining conference, delicious food and a comfy place to lay your head will cost approximately $450 Cdn.
• Keynote speakers, breakout sessions, workshops, Awards of Excellence, silent auction, loads of activities and fun.
• Gardener tagalongs – spouses, neighbours, wealthy great aunts – are most welcome.
Sign up on the conference website for updates on speakers, contests and other late breaking news.
Register before December 1st and be entered in a draw for two free nights at Deerhurst Resort! |
|
,
,
,
, 
, 
