Showing posts with label rhodos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rhodos. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Rhododendrons, Magnolias, Forsythia in Bloom, Rhodos in Bud, Rose Garden, Gardens Tour, and Volunteers Needed!

Spring has Sprung at the BRG in Port Credit, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada! Here's what's new at the BRG this week:
  • Rhododendrons, Magnolias, Forsythia in bloom
  • Rhododendrons in bud
  • Rose Garden Layout
  • 2010 Garden Tour May 2010
  • Spring bulbs in bloom and bud 
  • Volunteers Needed Now, and June 3, 2010
Magnolias Starting to Bloom
Most of the magnolias are still in fuzzy buds, but with a few days of warm weather, they'll be in full flower  soon.
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Magnolia Tree - Brueckner Plaque at Base
The Brueckner memorial magnolia tree is first to bloom (see pictures from last year). Note the white magnolias near here, just south of main parking lot Lakeshore Road west and Shawnmarr Road.
Rhododendron Early Bloomers at the BRG
Mauve Rhododendrons in the Heritage Garden area are in flower behind the split rail fence added last fall to deter dogs from harming the rhodos.

Many dog owners seem to be under the impression that the BRG is a park, and an off-leash one at that. It is not. Nor is the BRG a soccer pitch, a ball park, or any kind of sports field. It is a Garden.

Rhododendron with Forsythia Overlooking Lake Ontario
The early blooming rhodos in the Gardens are a sure sign of spring, and the booming period depends on the temperatures. If the weather stays warm, or gets warmer, then the rhodos (and much else) will bloom earlier; If there is a cold spell over the next few weeks, the blooming will slow down.

Mauve Rhododendrons
More Rhododendrons are in the beds overlooking Lake Ontario. Early blooming rhododendrons are Doricum and Isola Bella.

Rhododendrons the Star Attraction ~ Garden Tour May 30, 2010
Many of the rhodos are in bud now, and seemed to have enjoyed the mild winter. With the garden tour set for May 8 or 9, and if the weather cooperates, there should be many rhodos still in bloom, as well as azaleas. Update: the weather is not cooperating as expected and the shrubs and trees are coming into bloom several weeks ahead of schedule: thus, the rhodo garden tour date has been advanced several weeks.

The View From The Hill ~ Rose Garden Layout Design
The Layout and Design of the Rose Garden is best appreciated before the roses begin to grow and flower. Volunteers will edge the rose beds to delineate paths between beds, and keep the bark mulch away from the plants.

Spring Bulbs in Bloom Throughout Rhododendron Gardens
Look for all the usual spring bulb suspects:  daffodils, tulips, crocuses, snow drops and more throughout the gardens. Stay on the paths and trails, as you might not notice you've crushed a plant until it's too late!

Call for Volunteers at the Gardens June 3 2010
Volunteers -- 9 will do, but more would be nice -- are needed to help plant 1,000 plants and shrubs in the ecoswale in the East Gardens on Thursday, June 3, 2010 (See this post).

If you want to help make Mississauga beautiful, call David 'Sweat Equity' Culham at 905-608-2886 to let him know you are ready to dig in and help out!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Rhododendron Garden Tour, New Rhodos Bed in Port Credit Ontario

2011 Annual Garden Tour Sunday May 29, 1p.m. to 4 p.m. FREE!

What's new? A large new rhodo bed and the annual Rhododendron Gardens tour in Port Credit (Mississauga, Ontario). Sunday, May 24, 2009, 2-4 p.m., drop by BRG (Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens) and volunteers will conduct tours and answer your questions.

New Rhododendron bed at BRG
Last week, the garden's head gardener and crew were working to plant the new rhodos in a large bed on the slope just southwest of the main parking lot off Lakeshore Road West at Shawnmarr.

Scrub brush and weeds were hauled away, and fresh topsoil laid in preparation for bringing in the large rhodos from their former home in a private garden in Mississauga.

Rhododendrons in New Garden Bed
The evergreens, fencing and new leaves on the deciduous trees combine to provide shade for the sun-shy rhodos. Para is optimistic that these large plants will handle the move to their new location in the Gardens.

Soil has been placed in such a way around each plant to collect and hold rain water to keep the plants happy.

Top Soil Around Transplanted Rhododendrons

Closer look in the picture above shows the soft, fluffy topsoil and the hilly contours of the new rhodos bed. Most of these rhodos are already blooming, which brings us to the Garden Tour scheduled for next weekend: May 24.

Gardeners will know that plants don't bloom on schedule, but do follow a general time line. So it is with our garden's rhodos.

Last year, the tour took place on nearly the same date (see my blog post rhodo garden tour), and the rhodos were at about the same stage of blooming, and continued to so do for several weeks well into June, thanks to a cool, rainy spring.

The cherry and apple trees, too, should be in full bloom by then. A few hot days this week could pop them out earlier, but there should still be an amazing show.

Many apples along the creek bordering the Waterfront Trail have been in full bloom for a week now, but other varieties are still opening.


Update June 2, 2009
The annuals are being planted this week in the beds along Lakeshore Road and the ones near the parking lot. The cool stormy weather has taken its toll this spring.

On the past weekend, a few bridal parties looked decidedly chilly and windblown, but at least the sun was shining for them.

That's the thing about a garden: Each season, each year, each day it is different. Makes you appreaciate a glorious show when you see one!