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Spring. It's time to colour your garden.
Sotaque Brasileiro, # 4, Spring 2004
Spring is always in some way associated with change. Especially in countries with well-defined seasons, this is the period when life seems to reappear out of nowhere. It is curious that the "spring" word translation into english, has several other meanings as well, all associated with a movement that occurs in a vertical direction: the same word can designate a water fountain or a spring as well as the verbs skip or jump. In common with all the meanings, is the movement, the change from one situation to another..
If this is your first spring in Canada, you will realize that the word could not have been chosen better - it does seem that everything that was quiet under the snow, jumped off the ground as fast as a spring (the evil tongues say that there is not too much time before the coming winter ...).
Sometimes it seems as if the plants and flowers grow in gardens and parks mysteriously from day to night, and sometimes from night to day as well.... In fact, this occurs as a result of much planning and work some months before.
The first plants to appear, even before all the snow melts are the bulbs. The majors are: crocus, tulips and the famous daffodils. In general they were planted in late fall or were recovering under the ground since the last time they flowered in the previous year. The bulbs return for several years in a row, if not discovered by hungry squirrels, always storing all the little balls that they can find.
Soon after the bulbs, the plants called perennials come into play. In fact, they are these "dry" trees and shrubs you see from the late fall and throughout the winter. What characterizes them is exactly the fact of resisting all the seasons, blossoming and blooming at specific times every year. This category includes almost all the trees like maples and oaks, most of the flowers and shrubs such as forsythia, iris, roses, rhododendrons, some types of hydrangeas and lilies. Trees that never lose their leaves are known as "evergreens" - junipers and pines in general.
The category of annual plants include geraniums, dahlias, petunias, begonias and coleus. They last a single season and come in many colors and types. They can be purchased at reasonable prices.
When planning your garden, some items must be observed:
Distribute perennials in the garden always considering the height that they can reach, the kind of roots that they have (to avoid problems with the plumbing and sewage system), and the time of flowering. Do not forget that they will grow and remain in the same place in the coming years.
Compose spaces with other bulbs and annuals. Different specimens can be placed every year, which will always bring new face to your garden.
Keep the soil fluffy and always use appropriate fertilizers to the types of plant you choose. Everything you put in the preparation and maintenance of the land will be used by plants in the coming seasons. Material information can be found in specialty stores ("nurseries"). Many of them have staff that can advise you and answer your questions. Always check the labels that accompany the plants you buy, as they often contain descriptions of their development and instructions for planting.
Pay attention to pests that may affect your garden. Remove weeds as they often hinder the development of other plants and spread quickly.
If you think all this is very pretty, but you're not the kind of person that calls gardening "leisure", do not despair ... Close to all major Canadian cities, there are places where you can observe nature in all its varieties and colours without doing any work.
Near Toronto you will find the Royal Botanical Gardens which covers a wide variety of gardens, nature reserves and an information centre. You can also visit a greenhouse with tropical plants. Each of the gardens and plants have specific features - Hendrie Park with over 2,500 varieties of roses; Rock Garden with its collection of more than 100,000 bulbs where the tulips stand out; Laking Garden with exotic irises and the Arboretum with a fantastic group of more than 500 types of lilacs.
Each of these gardens will reach its peak in different months during the spring and summer. This means that you can go back a few times during the year and will always have new things to see. The Botanical Garden is located on the border of Burlington and Hamilton, Ontario, at 680 Plains Road West. There is a free bus that connects the various gardens, from 9:00 am until sunset (the time changes, depending on season). There are many areas for walking and picnics. For further information on access and time of flowering of different species visit the site www.rbg.ca.
If you are in Vancouver you can visit the University of British Columbia Botanical Garden which spans 115 acres and offers plants from around the world. It is also divided into sections like the Asian Garden with flora and fauna of Japan, Taiwan, China and the Himalayas; the Alpine Garden with plants found in high altitudes such as edelweiss; the Physick Garden with plants cultivated by monks from the sixteenth century in their monasteries. Of course, it also has a native garden with local plants. The address is 6804 SW Marine Drive, Vancouver and for more information please visit: www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org
The Montreal Botanical Garden is the third largest in the world with a collection of more than 22,000 plant species, 10 greenhouses and 30 thematic gardens. Among them, the Chinese Garden stands out in particular, the largest of its kind built outside of China with plants more than 100 years old. There are quite unique gardens, as the garden of poisonous plants, a medieval garden and a peace garden decorated with floral tiles from the town of Iznik in Turkey. Be sure to visit the Japanese Garden which includes the tea pavilion, the bonsai garden with 31 elements between 25 and 350 years and a Zen garden, for moments of meditation. In any season, you'll find something interesting to be seen.
The Botanical Garden, which also includes a Insetarium, is located next to the Olympic stadium at 101 Sherbrooke East, Montreal. Detailed information on the site: http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin/en/menu.htm
Whether your choice is to work in your garden, or visit a botanical garden or any of the numerous city parks, the watchword is "fresh air" - exchange the coat for Bermuda shorts, the woolen hat for a cap and notice how the spring feels much better after a long, cold winter!
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