Your kids will think it’s a hoot to join in on this guided winter hike to explore the owl’s forest home. $10 ($7, TBG members). Call 416-397-1341 to register.

The Stooks and Punes installation at the TBG is the first Canadian project by renowned landscape designer W. Gary Smith who celebrates plants and their connections between people and nature. Now a resident of Toronto, Smith has worked extensively in the USA and is currently master planning a garden design for the new Santa Fe Botanical Garden; the Children’s Garden at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas; new children’s features in Bryant Park in New York City; the Discovery Garden at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden; a therapeutic garden for the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Alabama; and the John C. Wister Rhododendron Garden at Tyler Arboretum in Media, Pennsylvania. He is the ongoing restoration landscape architect for Winterthur Museum and Country Estate in Delaware.

For the sake of child’s play, we can only hope this is the first of many of Smith’s projects in Toronto.

Woman To Woman is a fundraising event for Toronto Botanical Garden, in support of its valuable programming, among which environmental education for over 6000 children a year, many of whom from high-priority neighbourhoods; the highly regarded Edwards Lecture series, bringing world-renowned gardeners and environmentalists to our own backyard; and special projects, such as the upcoming natural playground, the Children’s Garden.

I was glad to learn that some of my favourite gardens won top awards. Here’s the rundown, straight from the Canada Blooms Show Officials: 

 Sheridan Nurseries Award for Outstanding Garden, Small Size:  BEN HEPPNER GARDEN Premier Landscaping & Design Ltd

S.G. Ulbright Award for Outstanding Garden,  Medium Size: ‘A Taste of Zen’ Humber College 

Humber College, "A Taste of Zen"

 Gordon A. MacEachern Award for Outstanding Garden, Large Size: ‘Earth Tones’ Parklane Nurseries Ltd.

Parklane's award-winning garden, "Earthtones"

Outstanding Interpretation of the Show Theme  “Rhythms” Presented by Mark Cullen: ‘Nurture Urban Nature’ Toronto Botanical Gardens & the ROM

Nurture Urban Nature by Royal Ontario Museum and Toronto Botanical Garden

Native bloodroot growing in my garden.

Belinda Gallagher tells it like it is. And backed by an impressive career as a nursery-owner and most recently, as Head of Horticulture at the Royal Botanical Gardens, her words reflect her experience and pragmatism. Although I missed her lecture on January 27, 2011 at the Toronto Botanical Garden, my good friend (and note-taker extraordinaire) Lorraine Hunter was there. Here are the points that she took away from the lecture: 

Native plants are not always the answer for gardening problems ranging from drought conditions to flooding Belinda Gallagher told a full house at the Toronto Botanical Garden Edwards lecture on January 27.

“I’m a huge fan of native plants but they are not the be all and end all for every situation, she said.

First of all, there is no definitive definition of a native plant. While generally considered to be plants here at the time of the European settlers, that’s not always true.

Then there is the issue of natives versus the ‘nativars’, which are cultivars of native plants bred for specific things which may carry little or no pollen. “We don’t know if they perform the same services as the parent.”

She cited purple coneflower (Echinacea) which has some naturally occurring cultivars and some selective. “Orange purple coneflower sounds like an oxymoron to me.”

Plant identification, Gallagher said, is a big problem. While breeders and some growers know where their plants originated, big box stores generally do not.

“Is a plant produced in Ecuador or Holland really a North American native?

Ecological diversity is important, she said, “Lots of different things in the garden will protect our insects and birds.

She also noted that some species plants, such as Solomon’s Seal have cultivars bred in North America and Asia that look very similar and that both native and imported varieties of cimicifuga  are often grouped together in nurseries.

“It doesn’t matter in an isolated backyard if your native plant is from Ontario but if you back onto a native ravine, it does,” because imported versions could be extremely invasive.

The demand for native plants, driven by media and marketers, is huge, says Gallagher., “and far exceeds the capability of local growers. There is not enough supply for the market.”

Plants come onto the market too soon, she said. “I have an unease about the short supply. Not everyone knows where to plant or how to care for them. We’re putting natives on boulevards and they’re getting salt dumped on them. These plants came from oak savannahs not the 407.”

When not to plant natives, she said, is “when it’s not the right plant for the right place.”

Thanks Lorraine for a great overview of the lecture.

Now, what do you City Gardening readers think about using native plants? Do you agree with Belinda, or not?

Leave a comment and let the discussion begin!

 I should know by now that gardening life rarely leads us down a straight and narrow path. But a cooking show, and a healthy one at that? But that’s exactly where  my gardening friends, Carol Cowan, Carol Gardner and Lorraine Hunter and I wound up. Last week, W Network’s Healthy Gourmet, televised on the VIVA  channel, taped its finale segment on the grounds of the Toronto Botanical Garden. The four of us were featured guests of hosts Julie Daniluk, a nutritionist, and chef Ezra Title. The premise of the show is to demonstrate how we can eat healthier food without compromising on flavour.

Carol Cowan was the designated cook for the Gardening Gals because we all love her food — not to mention that in all of our households except Carol’s, our husbands do most of the cooking (bless their hearts).  Carol’s task was to cook a meal that we would all enjoy and then the hosts would show us how to make the meal healthier but just as tasty.

Of course, this being television, it was a set-up job. Carol was encouraged to make an artery-clogging, high-calorie meal that featured pork schnitzel, pan fried potatoes and her mum’s spinach casserole, which was loaded with high-fat, salty cheeses instead of the healthier ones she usually incorporates into the recipe. (Did I mention this is television?) When we sat down to eat, Julie and Ezra joined us, but I can’t say they enjoyed it as much as we did (well, Ezra did have two helpings of the spinach casserole). But I think Julie would have eaten dirt before trying the schnitzel (on screen or off). Ironically, when the scene ended, the crew were quick to gobble up the leftover schnitzel! (Where was my camera?!)

The episode took two days to shoot and the interminable behind-the-scenes waiting was thankfully relieved by sessions with Ann, the makeup artist, lessons on floral arrangements with  second assistant director Jason and walking and sitting in the beautiful grounds of the Toronto Botanical Garden where we watched the friendly crew set up lighting, sound and cameras.

Was it worth it? You be the judge. The show airs on VIVA on September 26. Watch it and tell me what you think. (Be kind, okay? It’s our first shot at celebrity.)

Get your tickets online before they sell out!

1. Canadian Gardening Online
2. Better Homes & Gardens Gardening Newsletter
3. Toronto Botanical Garden
4. Backyard Gardener
5. Doug Green’s Simple Gifts Newsletter
6. BBC Gardening

How do you get through the winter? Post your favourite passtimes.