Spring comes to the garden heralded by a parade of purple iris.
nial beds. Come summertime, the lawns are dotted with visitors exclaiming over the flowers. No wonder: a parade of spring bulbs is the first to appear — grape hyacinth, daffodils and tulips of innumerable shapes, sizes and colours — followed by the march of the peren- nials. Waves of iris, peonies, roses and chrysanthemums are well matched by the adjacent flowering shrubs and trees, including Preston’s lilacs and crabapples. While the former claim a fragrant (and,
this time, well-tagged) section, the latter line Prince of Wales Drive, which borders the arboretum to the east and the orna- mental gardens to the west. Before leav- ing the gardens, you’ll find plantings of
Dr. Felicitas Svejda’s hybridized Explorer roses. All are well-labelled so you can tell that Jens Monk is a pillar rose requir- ing staking, while other varieties such as ‘Henry Hudson’ form a dense bush. From here, winding pathways course
through the arboretum where rare black pines, Douglas fir, Miyabe maples, bur and red oaks, along with ginkgo trees can be found. Here, too, is a shaded woods, home to the Hosta Garden, where approximately 100 hosta species thrive. Walking south, you can continue by
strolling the Fletcher Wildlife Garden, named in memory of James Fletcher, first curator of the arboretum. Friends
of the Fletcher Wildlife Garden main- tain a native species garden here, so we can learn what types of Canadian plants resist drought or attract pollinators and birds. Find turtlehead, blue cohosh, yellow lady’s slipper — and while you wander, discover what habitats each requires. Not only is The Farm a picturesquely
landscaped research station and garden, it is an ongoing, living experiment gardeners can enjoy throughout the seasons. x Katharine Fletcher is a freelance writer based near Ottawa. Her book Capital Walks: Walking Tours of Ottawa features a chapter on the Central Experimental Farm.
Garden Centre & Landscaping An Ontario family business since 1948
Tel: 905.794.0555 or 416.798.8733 8386 Hwy. 50, Brampton, Ontario
gardencentre.com humber@gardencentre.com localgardener.net Fall 2016 • 29
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