Cardinal Plants, Orange Jewelweed, Bioswale plants, New Rhodo Beds
While waiting for Spring at Brueckner Rhododendron Garden, we can enjoy these pictures of greenery and flowers from BRG Stewardship Committee member David Culham.
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Bioswale East Garden at BRG Port Credit Ontario |
The bioswale finished its first full year in lush greenery. See how the bioswale began
here. The bioswale is planted with native plants that don't mind 'wet feet'.
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| Red Cardinal Plant in Bloom at Brueckner Rhododendron Garden | |
Red Cardinal plant (
Lobelia cardinalis) is a native plant that is attractive to hummingbirds. It grows from 2 ft. to 5 ft. tall, and blooms from July to September. Look for Red Cardinal plant along the west bank of Tecumseh Creek east side of the Waterfront Trail as you enter the Garden from the Lakeshore parking area.
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| Orange Jewelweed ~ Touch-Me-Not ~ Impatiens capensis |
Orange jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) is another native plant in Brueckner Rhododendron Garden. Look for it to bloom in mid to late summer along the west bank of Tecumseh Creek. Another common name is Touch-Me-Not, named for the way its seed pods 'explode' when touched.
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| Brueckner Rhododendron Garden East Garden |
The East Garden at BRG is on the east side of Tecumseh Creek that roughly bisects the Garden and to the west of Godfreys Lane that marks the eastern boundary of the Garden. The picnic table (lower left) is immediately north of the bioswale and east of Tecumseh Creek. Before the installation of the bioswale, this area was prone to flooding.
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| New Rhododendron Bed BRG East Garden |
In this picture, Godfreys Lane is to the right, out of view, and the new rhodo bed can be seen to the left middle of the frame. All new rhodo beds were mulched in the fall (
pictures this post).
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| More New Rhododendron Gardens in BRG East Garden |
In 2010, the long-neglected BRG East Garden was cultivated and 7 new beds planted with rhododendrons and azaleas, along with new shade trees to filter the sunlight and provide protection from cold winter winds. Garden staff, volunteers and visitors alike are looking forward to Spring (late March to June) to see for the first time these new plantings in bloom.
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| White Pine and Rhododendron Beds East Garden |
Another view of one of the new rhododendron beds in the East Garden at BRG. This photo was taken looking towards Godfreys Lane that marks the eastern boundary.
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| East Garden BRG Picnic Tables |
Currently there are picnic tables set up throughout the meadow lands of the East Garden. The trees in the background line the east bank of Tecumseh Creek, and are part of the naturalization area. This photo was taken from one of the new rhodo beds in the north east area of the BRG.
2010 saw the addition of many new beds with new plantings throughout the Garden (
see details here). There are now more than a thousand rhododendrons alone, making the Brueckner Rhododendron Garden one of the largest collections in the country.
There is still more work to be done (with gardening, there's always more work to be done!) and volunteers are more than welcome to come help grow the garden.
Contact us if you and/or your group would like to volunteer.
