Canada Blooms November Newsletter

An exclusive peek at Canada Blooms the Flower & Garden Festival

March 16-25 2012

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Ever wonder how Canada Blooms chooses their Feature Gardens?
Landscape designers, builders and architects must apply to build a garden. Based on the 2012 theme, CityCulture, they must submit a rendering and a description of the garden. Their drawings are submitted anonymously to the Feature Garden Committee. Based on the particular garden size requested, the committee adjudicates the garden layouts, and makes a decision based on a set of criteria which includes, among other elements, innovation and theme. For 2012, Canada Blooms has received a record number of applications to fill only 20 available garden spots. We would like to thank all the Feature Garden Applicants for their exciting submissions, the Feature Garden Committee and Judges for choosing this year’s Feature Garden Builders and Designers as well as Horticultural Director, Charlie Dobbin and Artistic Director, Colomba Fuller for designing the Feature Garden foot print in Hall A. We all look forward to Canada Blooms 2012 and the magnificent CityCulture gardens.

Did you know….during move-in, in a 10 hour time frame, Canada Blooms brings in an average of 800 tons of sand, 420 cubic yards of mulch and 30 tractor trailer loads of stone and concrete products to help build the gardens.

Picture: Garden by Elite Environments Canada Blooms 2011, Picture by Tweaked Solutions

Garden Tip: Winter Colour
As we wrap up our gardens for the Winter perhaps it’s time to turn our thoughts to the indoors, an easy and rewarding way to bring some colour into our lives during the middle of Winter is to create a bulb planter.

How To: Choose a well drained container. Fill with a light potting mix. Plant tightly a mix of bulbs like crocus, chinodoxa and daffodils. Water well and store in a cool dark place for approx 6-8 weeks, simulating dormancy). Then place container in a warm well lit space, water and enjoy.
Hopefully this mid winter colour will keep you inspired until March when of course you can visit our spectacular display at the show. For more gardening advice from the professionals visit www.landscapeontario.com
Denis Flanagan: Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association.

ENTER TO WIN two premium tickets to the Shen Yun 2012 production at the Sony Centre. Shen Yun invites you to step into a world of beauty, majesty, and enchantment. Inspired by the rich spirit of an ancient culture, Shen Yun Performing Arts brings to life classical Chinese dance and music in a gloriously colourful and exhilarating show. Gorgeously costumed dancers move in stunning synchronized patterns, state-of-the-art backdrops conjure up celestial palaces and blossoming landscapes, while a live orchestra combines the best of Chinese and Western composition. This season, discover Shen Yun 2012, coming to Toronto’s Sony Centre on January 12-15 and Mississauga’s Living Arts Centre on January 19-22.

Enter before November 30; the winner will be announced by December 2nd.
Picture © 2012 Shen Yun Performing Arts

Canada Blooms & The Garden Club of Toronto Support the June Callwood Park

A new park in Toronto to honour the memory of June Callwood is scheduled for completion in 2013 and Canada Blooms along with The Garden Club of Toronto have chosen to make this worthwhile project the recipient of the proceeds of Canada Blooms 2012. The park will represent a significant addition to the public spaces of Toronto’s Central Waterfront and will have a central focus for local neighbourhood activities and community.
June Callwood died in 2007 leaving an extraordinary legacy of caring and accomplishment. She was an internationally acclaimed female journalist, author, television host, community activist, recipient of nearly 20 honorary degrees, and Companion of the Order of Canada.

To find out more about the park visit these links: City of Toronto, Canada Blooms Community Projects

If you wish to donate to the park please click here or contact Judy Lewis, Garden Club of Toronto

If you have an upcoming garden related event that is of interest to our readers let us know at info@canadablooms.com and we might include it in upcoming issues of our newsletter.

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