INSIDE - Calgary Herald
Transcription
INSIDE - Calgary Herald
calgaryherald.com Gardening in Calgary Thursday, April 10, 2014 N11 A Calgary Herald Sponsor Content Publication in conjunction with CALGARY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 2014 GARDEN SHOW APRIL 12-13 SPRUCE MEADOWS for a healthy life INSIDE for every life Show highlights the pleasures of gardening Hot in 2014: Trends to watch for this year for sustainable life for what life throws you Families that garden together grow together The perks that blossom with a membership The benefits of planting your own food forest Why gardening is good for your health N12 GARDENING IN CALGARY Thursday, April 10, 2014 calgaryherald.com Show celebrates gardening lifestyle K E xpert speakers, chefs ing communications manager. preparing food fresh Topics range from identifying from the garden and and controlling weeds to creatVenus flytraps are just some of ing beauty in the garden on a the highlights at the Calgary budget. Horticultural Society’s Garden Keynote speakers are Donna Show April 12 and 13 at Balzer, Lyndon Penner, Spruce Meadows. Jane Reksten and Barb “This show brings garHazenveld. Session deners together to share speakers include Carole stories and ideas,” says Dobson, Janet Melrose, society executive director Kath Smyth, April Elizabeth Jolicoeur. Demes, Elaine Rude, Elizabeth “The whole show is Eliese Watson and Luke about educating Calgary Jolicoeur Kimmel. gardeners to be successAbout 100 exhibitors ful and to know that this is a will be in the Equi-Plex and the ‘can-garden’ city.” Blue Grass Garden Centre GarThe Garden Show offers two dening Lifestyle Gallery. full days of expert speaker preThis year, ATCO Blue Flame sentations in Congress Hall, says Kitchen chefs will show the Felicia Esposito, the HorticulEqui-Plex crowd how to whip tural Society’s event and marketup delicious food using the garden’s bounty. There will be three cooking demonstrations each day. Other highlights include the Eagle Lake Nurseries Display Garden Competition in the Equi-Plex and a new art-in-thegarden competition in Congress Hall. As well, the Horticultural Society will be selling memberships, signing people up for the year’s workshops and offering gardening information and resources in the Equi-Plex. Expert advice will be close at hand, with individual gardening questions answered in the Gardeners Helping Gardeners area. More help will be available in the Community Gardens Resource Network and YardSmart areas; just look for the folks wearing Ask Me badges. Wicker Wicker Land Land Patio Patio Calgary’s Largest Patio Furniture Selection Carrying the Best Names in Patio Furniture Ratana, Ebel, Homecrest, OWLee, Telescope 403-258-2506 6125 Centre Street South Spruce Meadows: 18011 Spruce Meadows Way S.W. Show Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: $15 at the door, $12 at greengate garden centres Members $10 with valid membership Free admission for children 12 and under FREE PARKING Hungry visitors can stop in at the Equi-Plex concession and on Sunday morning Let’s Talk Gardening, a radio program on CHQR News Talk 770, will broadcast live from the show. The Gardening Lifestyle Gallery will feature the Burpee Home Gardens Family Activity Zone, the Venturers Society pollination demonstration garden, exhibitors related to the gardening lifestyle and affiliate societies such as the Calgary Rose Society, Alberta Regional Lily Society, Canadian Peony Society and the Foothills Orchid Society. The activity zone features free hands-on activities for children and adults including wooden wind chimes and hanging birdseed wreaths with ribbons. An observation beehive will also be on site. Available for a fee are Venus flytrap and fairy garden (a miniature garden in a container) workshops for kids of all ages. Registration is required at calhort.org or at the show itself. What’s hot for 2014? New gardening trends this year Indigo Rose, a purple tomato are delicious, sweet and good for high in antioxidants; you, too. n Wall gardening and pallet “Anything that’s edible is algardening are big; ways huge,” says John Duncan, n Pollination gardens. They are greenhouse manager at designed for bees and greengate Garden Cenpollinators — “because tres, the presenting the pollinating populasponsor for the Calgary tion is dropping. Bees Horticultural Society are dying in massive Garden Show. numbers,” Duncan says; “People want to know John Duncan n More and more men where their food is comare getting into gardening from.” ing as a hobby, “as a way of Whether it’s growing kale for relaxation and also being more your smoothies, berries for your involved with their food,” says cocktails, or mint for mojitos — Duncan, noting men aged 18 to “it all comes back to knowing 34 are leading the way. where your food comes from.” ———— John Duncan speaks about Here are some of the hottest new trends for 2014 on new garden trends for 2014: Sunday, April 13 at 3:15 p.m. n Watch for a new super fruit, KEYNOTE SPEAKER DONNA BALZER Edible Landscaping for Cold Climates Sunday, April 13; 1:45 p.m. Any good landscape can be a great landscape. One way to take it up a notch is by adding edible plants, says Donna Balzer, garden consultant, author and radio and TV personality, whose mission in life is to help gardeners. Edible landscapes can be beautiful, they’re easy and can be made in any space. It can be as simple as a single pot of herbs on your front step —think mint for your mojitos — or as intensive as putting in an acre of sunchokes, says Balzer, whose most recent book is No Guff Vegetable Gardening, coauthored with Steven Biggs. The most valuable edibles people can grow for themselves are herbs, such as mint, sage and lemon verbena, says Balzer, who will discuss Edible Landscaping for Cold Climates on Sunday. Edibles for your garden can also include fruits, such as saskatoons, sour cherries and haskap, a new plant to Calgary that’s also known as honeyberry. Another highly recommended edible is garlic. “It’s a beautiful, small grassy plant. You can throw it among your petunias and pansies — it grows everywhere.” Gardening in Calgary is a sponsor-content publication of the Calgary Herald in partnership with the Calgary Horticultural Society and its 2014 Garden Show. This content was developed by the Calgary Herald’s Special Projects Department in collaboration with the Calgary Horticultural Society for commercial purposes. Publication date: Thursday, April 10, 2014. Co-ordinator: Darren Oleksyn; Manager: Barb Wilkinson, 780-429-5374, [email protected]; Writer: Jacqueline Louie www.WickerLand.ca Wicker Land Patio South 2014 Garden Show Wicker Land Patio North 403-258-2809 4625 Varsity Drive NW CALCH135003_1_1 GARDENING IN CALGARY calgaryherald.com Sow family fun by gardening together L ittle gardeners and their families can have fun planting a pizza garden or a salsa garden, or growing vegetables to make Grandma’s favourite soup. Gardening can offer a wide range of life lessons for youngsters, beyond eating healthy foods and being environmental stewards. For instance, children can learn about math and art through gardening, and they can learn about life by spending time outdoors. “It’s a great way for kids to learn a little patience, with a very high reward at the end,” says Katie Rotella, Burpee Home Gardens public relations, social media and web manager. At this weekend’s Garden Show, the retailer is sponsoring the Burpee Home Gardens Family Activity Zone, which offers a variety of activities for families. “We’re very excited to be the sponsor for the Family Activity Zone,” says Tim Duffin, Burpee Courtesy, Burpee Home Gardens Home Gardens brand manager. “Burpee, which has been selling in Canada for years. It’s a brand that has been trusted by consumers for over 100 years.” Burpee “encourages families to fall in love with gardening, get outside and have this wonderful activity where they can actually grow their own food and watch it happen as they nurture it along,” says Duffin. The City of Calgary and Calgary Horticultural Society offer composting workshops that are open to everyone. The next workshop is slated for June 21 at the Calgary Horticultural Society office, 208 50th Ave. S.W. Visit, calhort.org. Having a beautiful yard and being kind to the environment can go hand in hand, according to the City of Calgary and the Calgary Horticultural Society. They’re working together through educational workshops to help Calgarians garden and landscape in a sustainable, cost-effective way. The pilot program offers workshops for both beginner and intermediate gardeners in a limited number of neighborhoods. “We’re testing it out and hoping to build it for future years,” says Michelle Mueller, City of Calgary Water Resources public program co-ordinator. The goal of the YardSmart Neighbours education workshops N13 Exclusive Membership ExclusiveMembership Draws Families can have fun planning and shopping for plants, watching them develop fruit or vegetables. They can pick it and then eat it. “It’s all a great family activity.” Studies show that when children grow food themselves and know where it comes from, they are more likely to eat it. “They will understand where food came from — not just from the store when mom goes shopping and food magically appears,” Rotella says. At the Garden Show, Burpee will provide plants for families to plant in the demonstration area of the family activity zone. They will also be able to take the plant home for their own garden. Even though it’s only midApril, plants can be started in a pot and then transplanted when the weather warms up. For more information about Burpee, visit burpeehome gardens.ca. Learning to be YardSmart Find out How to Be YardSmart at calgary.ca/ yardsmart. Kath Smyth, horticulturist with the Calgary Horticultural Society, explains what a YardSmart garden is and provides tips and tricks on how to create one. Thursday, April 10, 2014 is to help Calgarians garden while following sustainable and cost-effective practices. The Beauty on a Budget workshop offers basic guidelines for beginners, for example. There are also other opportunities to learn key steps for building or transforming a yard, with handson experience coming in the intermediate-level Digging In workshop. The City of Calgary and the horticultural society encourage Calgarians to take steps to compost, improve biodiversity, reduce water use and protect waterways — “all those kinds of sustainable measures that can make a big difference,” Mueller says. Draws WIN A BUTCHART GARDEN GET-A-WAY FOR TWO PLUS gift cards and baskets from The Calgary Horticultural Society is a registered charity, supporting gardening in Calgary. Members receive year round benefits. Join us today! Go to www.calhort.org for more information. Become a member today or at the Garden Show and you can enter to win this fabulous prize from the Butchart Gardens ALL CURRENT AND NEW MEMBERS CAN ENTER THE DRAW ONLY AT THE GARDEN SHOW The Grand Prize Butchart Gardens Package: Admission & Afternoon Tea at Butchart Gardens Membership benefits and price Budget Car Rental (pick up at the airport) 2 Nights' Accommodation at information here The Royal Scot Hotel & Suites Admission to: Royal BC Museum IMAX Theatre Shaw Ocean Discovery Victoria Butterfly Gardens Craigdarroch Castle Horticulture Centre of the Pacific Includes $800 for airfare can put Student/Senior together and delete Community Garden membership Thank you to our friends at Butchart Gardens and our Past-President, Scott Gedak for this fabulous prize. Draw Date: Wednesday, April 30th Gardening for Life! Gardening for Life! CALCH133815_1_1 N14 GARDENING IN CALGARY Thursday, April 10, 2014 calgaryherald.com sHOW AT A GlANCE April 12 & 13, 2014 spruce Meadows 18011 spruce Meadows Way s.W. EQUI-PLEX North N - Calgary Horticultural Society area - Garden display competition - ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen Stage - Live 770AM “Let’s Talk Gardening” show - Exhibitor demo stage - 50/50 draw - Concessions & beer garden x Equi-Ple Entrance Stairs from Parking Lot CLOSED BOOTH# Kwik Kerb Scenic Acres 24 Lakeland College 19 Herons Nest Landscape 1 The Landscape Artists Inc. 39 Greater Landscapes by Design 2 Larchwood Nurseries 46 Year Round Landscaping Inc. 3 Lee Valley Scottish Gardens Ltd. 4 Living Soil Solutions 504 More Than a Garden 21 My Garden Creations 17 EQUi-PlEX EXHiBiTOrs 12/13 Amazon Iron P6 Naiad Irrigation Apiaries and Bees for Communities 10 Natural Light Patio Covers The Arbourest Expert Tree Service 31 Olds College Continuing Education 505 18 Courtyard Arborcare Tree Service 231/232 Ornamental Landscape Maintainers Ltd. 36 The Awning Factory 219/220 Ornamental Stone 44/45 ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen P8 Patioline Blue Grass (sponsor) P7 Pisces Exotica Pet Emporium Ltd. & Front of Gallery 221-224/217/218 P4 209/210 32 The Pottery Cupboard 229/230 Brassard Greenhouses Ltd. 23 Pressed Wishes Brothers Two Small Engine P10/P11 Butchart Gardens Bylands Calgary Herald Calgary Plants 16 1 503 27 Red Barn Mercantile Regency Irrigation Ltd Chinook Honey Company 509 Sud-Z Distribution Ltd. 14 30 40/41 201 Tom Boy Tools 11 P2 Top Spray 42 City of Calgary Water Services P1 Tractorland P5 CLS Landscape Supply P3 Two Foot Gardener 34 Countryside Garden Centre 20 203/204 Landscape Supply 3 White Owl Ceramic Studio Wickerland Patio Wild About Flowers 502 101-104 213/214 Wild Strawberry Gardens 37 225/226 Winged Weeder / Klipper Distributor Ltd. Eastern Slopes 22 25 Everything Concrete 26 Garden Retreat Garden Scents Garden Centre Garden West Magazine The Gardener for the Prairies 105-108 15 33 207/208 greengate Garden Centres Front of Holt Fine Art Incredigrow Garden Centre Kayben Farms 2 Your Tree Doctor P12 Ziegler Stone Designs 506 202 GR Distributors Inc. Helgor Marketing Inc. Worms at Work AFFiliATEs iN THE GArDENiNG liFEsTYlE GAllErY Alberta Invasive Species Council 415 Equi-plex Alberta Horticultural Society 417 43 Alberta Regional Lily Society 406 507 211/212 9 Botanical Gardens of Sliver Springs 413 Calgary Rock and Alpine (CRAGS) Calgary Rose Society 402 400 MAIN ENTRANCE BLUE GRASS GARDEN CENTRE GARDENING LIFESTYLE GALLERY #3 Hocker Tent #4 Natural Light Patio Covers Ticket Booth Main Entrance Ticket Booth - Demonstration garden display - Concessions - Burpee Home Gardens Family Activity Zone - Free activities - demo garden - workshops CONGRESS HALL Volunteer & Exhibitor Parking Lot Congress Hall EQUi-PlEX gardening for life OVERHEAD DOOR #2 EXIT - Speakers - keynote - how-to - Art in the Garden Competition - Concessions - tea garden food area EXIT EXIT KITCHEN DEMO STAGE P8 P7 036 037 040 041 044 045 035 038 039 042 043 046 P10 215 216 030 029 219 220 P11 214 213 031 028 218 217 P6 Door P5 414 401 500 510 413 402 501 415 412 403 502 416 411 503 417 410 404 504 418 409 405 505 419 408 Competition Garden 2 406 506 420 Demo Garden 1 Pollinating Garden By The Venturer’s Society 507 421 211 212 033 026 223 224 210 209 034 025 222 221 207 208 017 016 227 228 206 205 018 015 226 225 203 204 020 013 231 232 021 012 230 229 Competition Garden 4 10' Seating Area Competition Garden 1 019 014 10' 202 201 P4 508 509 P3 Burpee Home Gardens Family Activity Zone Competition Garden 3 032 027 10' 022 011 10' 50 / 50 Draw 103 102 023 010 107 106 104 101 024 009 108 105 10' Cappuccino Cart Society Greengate Registration for Booth Workshops P12 Gardeners Helping Gardeners & Yard Smart 001 002 003 P2 407 Gardening Lifestyle Gallery 10' Blue Grass Booths ATM Outdoor Demo Ring EXIT Eagle Lake Professional Western Canada Garden Soil 400 Power Supply Eagle Lake Nurseries Ltd. Hocker Tent #3 Concession Overhead Door Creative Iron Work and Design Ltd. 35/38 Western Canada Garden Soil #2 CONCESSION AREA 205/206 Door April 12 & 13, 2014 Spruce Meadows Outdoor Display DEMO STAGE and Recycling Services Cobblestone Garden Centre greengate Hocker Tent #2 BlUE GrAss GArDEN CENTrE GArDENiNG liFEsTYlE GAllErY 508 Soil Kings Inc. Spruce it up Garden Centre Canadian Peony Society 410 Common Digs 421 Foothills Orchid Society 405 Fort Calgary 414 Friends of Reader Rock 403 Green Calgary 418 ISA Prairie Chapter 420 Lougheed House Conservation Society 416 Master Gardener Association 404 Nature Calgary 401 Pincher Creek and District Historical Society 419 The Ranche at Fish Creek Restoration Society 408 Ten Thousand Villages 411/412 Stampede City African Violet Society 409 Venturers Society 407 227/228 Silver Solution / Bead Buzz 215 Hocker Tent #1 501 Sculpture Garden Calgary Zoo City of Calgary Waste 28/29 BOOTH# To Riding Hall Plantation Garden Centre Bow Point Nursery Limited COMPANY NAME 12'-11" 12'-11" Memberships & Workshop Sales 13' Fairy Garden Workshop Door Show Service Contractors 780.992.0404 Fort Saskatchewan,AB. www.superiorshow.com "Your success is our Reputation Venus Flytraps Workshop Food Area Door Garden Show April 12 & 13, 2014 Spruce Meadows Gallery on the Green P1 Bags & Guides Ballot Drums Greengate EXIT Legend: Single Booths Double Booths Perimeter Booths Quad Booths Floor plan is Show intended for the Contractors sole use of Service our Clients and is subject to change. 780.992.0404 Fort Saskatchewan,AB. Revised By E. O. Rvsd; Mar 31/14 ATM ATM EXIT OFFICE DisPlAY GArDEN COMPETiTOrs Display COMPANY NAME EXIT BOOTH# OVERHEAD DOOR 1 COMPANY NAME 2014 Garden Show Presented by greengate Garden Centres MAIN ENTRANCE TO UPSTAIRS LOUNGE Garden Show April 12 & 13, 2014 CGRN Legend: Single B Double Perimet Quad B Floor plan is intended for the our Clients and is subject to GARDENING IN CALGARY calgaryherald.com 2014 GARDEN SHOW KEYNOTE SPEAKERS — CONGRESS HALL Thursday, April 10, 2014 N15 Generously sponsored by SATuRDAY, APRiL 12 Time 9:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. Speaker Lyndon Penner Jane Reksten Presentation The Sisters of Lilies: Mysterious and Unusual Bulbs for your Garden Growing Pains: Lessons from the Botanic Gardens at Olds College Time 10 a.m. 1:45 p.m. Speaker Barb Hazenveld Donna Balzer Presentation Integrating Permaculture within your Existing Landscape Edible Landscaping for Cold Climates SuNDAY, APRiL 13 HOW-TO SPEAKERS — CONGRESS HALL SATuRDAY, APRiL 12 Time 11 a.m. 11:45 a.m. 12:30 p.m. 3 p.m. 3:45 p.m. Speaker Eliese Watson April Demes Janet Melrose Elaine Rude Kath Smyth Presentation How to Attract Pollinators to Your Garden How to Identify and Control Weeds in Your Garden How to Control Pests in Your Garden How to Create a Beautiful Garden Using Tough Love How to Create Beauty on a Budget SuNDAY, APRiL 13 Time noon 12:45 p.m. 3:15 p.m. Speaker Luke Kimmel Carole Dobson John Duncan Presentation How to Plant a Food Forest How to Create a Green Roof in Your Garden What’s New in 2014 ATCO BLuE FLAME KiTCHEN DEMONSTRATiONS — EQui-PLEX SATuRDAY, APRiL 12 Time 11 a.m. 1 p.m. 3 p.m. SuNDAY, APRiL 13 Topic Rhubarb Garden Fresh Herbs Versatile Tomato Recipes Time 12:15 p.m. 1:45 p.m. 3:15 p.m. Topic Squash Working with Tomatoes Quick Pickles CHiLDREN’S WORKSHOPS — GARDENiNG LiFESTYLE GALLERY SATuRDAY, APRiL 12 Times Topic Host Price 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. Venus Flytrap Workshop greengate Garden Centres $15 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m.. Fairy/Gnome Garden Workshop Blue Grass Garden Centre $35 SuNDAY, APRiL 13 Times Topic Host Price 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. Venus Flytrap Workshop greengate Garden Centres $15 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m.. Fairy/Gnome Garden Workshop Blue Grass Garden Centre $35 FREE CHiLDREN’S ACTiViTiES — GARDENiNG LiFESTYLE GALLERY SATuRDAY, APRiL 12 Time 10 a.m. - noon 1 - 3 p.m. Topic Hanging a Bird Seed Wreath with Ribbon An Observation Hive and Bee Colouring Poster Time 10 a.m. - noon 1 - 3 p.m. Topic Natural Dye Painting Wood Wind Chimes and Planting Sticks Sponsor Alberta Children’s Hospital Chinook Honey SuNDAY, APRiL 13 The Perennial of the Year Veronica whitleyi Common name: Whitley’s speedwell Family: Plantaginaceae Zone: 3 Exposure: Full sun Height: 5 to 10 cm Spread: 30 to 60 cm Whitley’s speedwell is a beautiful mat-forming perennial for the sunny garden. Masses of sapphire blue flowers with white centres cover the soft grey-green foliage in late spring and then bloom sporadically until fall. Excellent as a ground cover or low edging, it is an undemanding, drought-tolerant, deer- and rabbit-resistant plant. Sponsor Perennial Green CalgaryPlant of the Year Lougheed House 2014 Perks of membership B uying a Calgary Horticultural Society membership supports a charitable organization that promotes gardening and brings many benefits, says executive director Elizabeth Jolicoeur. “Our mission is to encourage gardening, for the enhancement of our environment and quality of life,” Jolicoeur says. The best way to promote that message, she notes, is to have people working in a garden, learning in a hands-on way. “It promotes good health and it promotes good gardening.” The perks of membership include: n Eight issues per year of a gardening newsletter — Calgary Gardening — filled with content written by local gardeners; n Open Gardens, where Society members tour private gardens around the city; n Two Society plant-share events each year to help members build their gardens; n Shopping discounts of 10 per cent and up at a variety of garden centres and gardening-related stores around the city; n A new online discussion forum, which Jolicoeur calls “another way for members to engage with other members;” n Volunteer opportunities year-round; n Calgary-specific programming for beginner, intermediate and advanced gardeners, with plenty of opportunities to connect with and learn from others; n Outdoor workshops focusing on edibles, water-wise gardening and other topics. Horticultural Society memberships start at $25 per year for seniors and students. Adult and affiliate memberships are $45 while family memberships are $55. “It’s very affordable. You get a lot of benefit for the money that you pay.” Volunteer spotlight For Calgary Horticultural Society volFort Calgary, where she is head gardener. unteer Carole Moore, planning for the “Working with other people and creatGarden Show starts in the fall. ing something beautiful is very “This show is in my head satisfying.” year-round,” says Moore, who A member of the Garden Show’s has helped design the Calgary core committee, Moore handles Horticultural Society Garden venue decoration for the show floor, Show booth for the past dozen including the years. society’s booth and several stages. Carole Moore “It intrigues me, and it’s a creAt this year’s show, the Society’s ative outlet for me,” adds Moore, who also booth will include an orchard with fruit volunteers at the Deane House at trees in full blossom and a fruit stand. N16 K Thursday, April 10, 2014 GARDENING IN CALGARY Plant your own food forest K W KEYNOTE SPEAKER BarB Hazenveld Integrating Permaculture Into Your Existing Landscape Sunday, April 13; 10 a.m. Horticulturalist Barb Hazenveld talks about the benefits of permaculture — a design system that integrates people and the landscape in a better way. “It’s about growing the maximum amount of food in any given area. It has to do with green buildings and technology, as well as sustainability,” says Hazenveld, a garden consultant, designer and teacher. “Permaculture gives some of the answers to the pressing questions of the day, such as how to become more self-sufficient in your own yard, whatever the size.” Permaculture is “smart design for sustainability,” adds Hazenveld, who holds a horticulture diploma, has worked with permaculture movement co-founder Bill Mollison and taught the subject internationally. Hazenfeld will discuss how Calgarians can practise permaculture. ant a yard that built around more than grass? Maybe it’s time to create a food forest. Food forests, low-maintenance perennial gardening systems based on woodland ecosystems, will be the topic of a presentation by Luke Kimmel, co-founder and designer with Calgary-based Leaf Ninjas. Kimmel will discuss design and goal setting, plant selection, spacing and other landscaping elements such as pathways, rockwork, retaining walls and social spaces for food forests, which can include fruit trees, berry shrubs, herbs and vines and perennial vegetables such as sunchoke, rhubarb, horseradish and edible ferns. “The food forest is one way for people to not feel guilty about living on planet Earth; you can have one anywhere there is land,” says Kimmel, who runs an urban farm and does edible landscaping. “It all comes together to create the feeling that people want to cultivate in their yards,” says the entrepreneur who is deeply moved by the idea of helping people connect with nature. A food forest offers a diversity of fresh, locally grown, quality organic food grown in a lowmaintenance way. The presentation is for people “interested in figuring out what to do with their yards beyond just grass — whether they are a new gardener, an experienced gardener, a commercial developer or on an acreage,” Kimmel says. “I think that having a strong sense of place and grounding is something we can gain in a food forest.” “It is an example of human design that has a positive impact on ecological health, and that translates into human health. It’s also inspiring — it’s nice to have something we can do that’s practical.” ———— luke Kimmel speaks about How to Plant a Food Forest on Sunday, April 13 at noon. Excess snow does have benefits While a heavy snow year brings a lot of shovelling, it can also give the garden a boost come spring. “We’ve got to conserve that moisture. If I’ve got extra snow, I’m going to throw it under the trees to get the added benefit of the extra moisture,” says Kath Smyth, horticulturist with the Calgary Horticultural Society. If there is an area in your garden you want to cultivate, or if you’re planning to put in new perennials, “you want to get that soil nice and moist and full of nutrition.” “All sorts of extra action will be going on because of the added moisture,” she adds. One note of caution: Because Calgary has seen a lot of snow this past winter and is getting a lot of sunlight now, Smyth warns of snow mould, a long and stringy fungus that forms circles with a pinkish-white tone. If you see snow mould on your lawn, Smyth advises letting it dry out for a couple days and then sweeping it away with a broom. “Don’t get panic-stricken and let someone talk you into spraying something on the lawn,” she says. “It’s a dust pan job.” In her garden show presentation — How to Create Beauty on a Budget — Smyth will explain how to design a beautiful border, front garden or an entire yard as inexpensively as possible. One suggestion she offers is sharing costs with friends and neighbours by buying in bulk. Smyth will show gardeners how to produce a plan, no matter the size of their yard, and how to create a good plant list “so when you go shopping you know what you’re looking for; then you go in with a purpose.” ———— Kath Smyth speaks about How to Create Beauty on a Budget on Saturday, April 12 at 3:45 p.m. calgaryherald.com KEYNOTE SPEAKER Jane reKSTen Growing Pains: Lessons from the Botanic Gardens at Olds College Saturday, April 12; 1:30 p.m. The Olds College Botanic Gardens and Treatment Wetlands are a hidden southern Alberta gem, says the woman who manages them. Covering approximately six hectares, the gardens include more than 20 specialty plots and collections. The wetlands — featuring a series of ponds and hundreds of trees, shrubs, native plants, perennials and wetland plants — treat runoff water from the college campus and provide wastewater treatment research opportunities. “These gardens serve a multitude of purposes, as do our home gardens,” says writer and speaker Jane Reksten, who manages the Olds gardens. In Reksten’s garden show presentation she will share lessons the college has learned. “It’s applicable to anyone who gardens,” she says. “They are gardens that share the same successes and challenges that lots of prairie gardens would face.” 403.452.LOAM (5626) QUALITY LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES -- BUY IN BULK AND SAVE! screened topsoil - garden mixes - mulch - aggregates Visit our booth at the GARDEN SHOW at Spruce Meadows CALCH132580_1_1 (403) 816-5508 www.yourtreedoctor.ca CALCH132592_1_1 GARDENING IN CALGARY Landscapers go shovel to shovel COOKING TIPS ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen chefs will be offering helpful tips at the garden show on what to do with the garden’s bounty. The chefs will be doing three half-hour cooking demonstrations each day. Sessions will cover quick pickling, tomatoes, herbs and rhubarb. “You can use it in a lot of ways,” J.P. Gerritsen, culinary programs team lead at ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen, says of rhubarb. Courtesy, Blue Grass Nursery & Garden Centre Fairy gardens come in many shapes and sizes. ———— Blue Grass Nursery & Garden Centre presents a workshop on Fairy Gardening for children of all ages at this weekend’s Garden Show. Registration for the workshop, which costs $35, is at the workshop location in the Gardening Lifestyle Gallery. such as a club. There are about 140 public and private community gardens in Calgary. The Community Gardens Resource Network, a project of the Calgary Horticultural Society, is supported by the Alberta Real Estate Foundation, TD Friends of the Environment and The Calgary Foundation. This year, the resource network is working with 20 neighbourhoods looking to start new community gardens. ———— The Community Gardens Resource Network presents Plot Your Success: Getting the Most Out of Your Community Garden Bed at this weekend’s Garden Show. Stampede City African Violet Society Society 36th Annual Show & Sale Friday May 9th - 10:00 am - 9:00 pm Saturday May 10th - 9:30 am - 4:00 pm Northland Village Mall 5111 Northland Drive N.W. Information on Membership, Meetings & Events is available on our website: http://www3.telus.net/scavs E-mail your questions to: [email protected] | Telephone: (403) 241-8300 CALCH132871_1_1 Trees • Shrubs • Perennials • Annuals • Hanging Baskets • Garden Accessories Phone: (403) 234-9190 E-mail: [email protected] 234011 RR 284, Rocky View, AB On the corner of Glenmore Trail & Range Road 284 (116 Street SE) 3.2km East of Stoney Trail on Glenmore CALCH133833_1_1 ➡ Calgary HeatherGlen Golf Course Glenmore Trail Langdon ➡ Professional landscapers will faceoff this weekend in a display garden showdown in the Equi-Plex. Under the theme Gardening for Life, they’ve been asked to show how to use their favourite recyclable materials to create focal points in a garden, and to create an outdoor living space that a family might use. “We’re looking for something that will add to the garden besides the flowers, the trees and the edibles,” says Janice Bakal, Garden Show program co-chair. Community gardening offers a great way to get to know your neighbours while enjoying nature and growing healthy food, says Gael Blackhall, the co-ordinator the Community Gardens Resource Network. “Community gardens are becoming hubs where people can enjoy the outdoors, learn how to garden and have fun with people of all ages,” says Blackhall. “You can learn something relaxing and good for your health. You can taste something fresh and feel the accomplishment of growing it yourself.” Public community gardens are open to everyone while private community gardens typically serve a defined group Chestermere Author and CBC Radio gardening columnist Lyndon Penner will discuss some special lilies at the Garden Show on Saturday. The discussion centres on small bulbs in the lily family — known as fritillaria — that are perfectly suited to our climate. “A lot of things in that family are spring bloomers,” explains Penner, whose first gardening book — The Chinook Short Season Yard: Quick and Beautiful in the Calgary Region — is on sale. Fritillaria flower quickly, then go dormant and disappear, he says. “A lot of them have really elaborate patterns. Winters are long in Canada and we are very hungry for flowers in the spring, so it’s nice to have things like that,” says Penner, a lily fan who has been growing fritillaria since he was a teenager. “There is nothing not to love about lilies — they are wonderful.” “It’s a great show,” she says. “It’s a fantastic venue. There are neat things to see, and new plant material to look at. And it’s fantastic for the kids.” A new gardening trend youngsters can enjoy is fairy gardening. It involves creating a miniature garden in a container. “It’s a way to enjoy plants inside your home,” Pieper says. “For the little people, I think it’s fantastic. They can do benches, arbours, pathways, gnomes and mushrooms, and put real plants in to create their own little gardens,” Pieper says. “Fairy gardening allows them the opportunity to get in there and get their fingers in the dirt.” Range Road 283 (Rainbow Road) The Sisters of Lilies: Mysterious and Unusual Bulbs for Your Garden Saturday, April 12; 9:30 a.m. G ardening is good for people of all ages and stages. “Gardening is always great for health or for enjoying the outdoors in any form,” says Linda Pieper, buyer and garden centre manager for Blue Grass Nursery & Garden Centre, the sponsor of the Gardening Lifestyle Gallery at this weekend’s Garden Show. “It’s calming. It can be such a great relaxant,” she says. “Nature always has a calming effect on your health.” Pieper encourages all gardeners and would-be gardeners to come out to this weekend’s event. N17 Communities form around the plants Range Road 284 (116 Street SE) KEYNOTE SPEAKER LYNdON PeNNeR Build a garden in miniature 100 Street SE K Thursday, April 10, 2014 Stoney Trail (Fall 2013) calgaryherald.com ➡ CALCH133832_1_1 N18 Thursday, April 10, 2014 calgaryherald.com CALCH133687_1_1