Beauty finalists for The Great Toronto Tree Hunt

All trees are beautiful in their own way and have been an inspiration to artists for centuries. We asked people to show off their photography skills by capturing the beauty of their favourite Toronto tree in their own creative way. Here are the 10 finalists who did just that:

Bragging Rights - Edith George

This tree is approximately 125-years-old as per the two arborists that examined the tree.  In fact an arborist from Ohio, U.S.A. came up to Toronto to specifically examine this tree. This photo was taken on June 24, 2015 when the tree was in full bloom.  It took my breath away as it does everyone else’s when you walk on Davenport Road. When the Catalpa flowers the we know that spring has come!

Camperdown Elm - Mount Pleasant Group

It doesn’t get any more awesome than this... a Camperdown Elm in fall foliage.

Cedarvale’s Sakura - Alana

This stunning Sakura tree is one of twelve donated by the Japanese Consolate to my mother, Claire Rodger, founder of the Cedarvale Community Children’s Garden. This tree stands at the Garden’s entrance where, for fifteen years, the mission statement has been to teach cultural diversity through biodiversity.

Cherry Blossoms - Robert Elliot
High Park’s Cherry Blossoms bring people together to witness their beauty. Trips are made just to bask in the sun and enjoy the sights - something that happens far too rarely in a bustling city. Fluffy white flowers against a bright blue sky, perfect to lie under and watch the pollinators and birds whizzing by.

Cherry Tree in Little Italy - Rondi Adamson
Our tree is beautiful because he tells his own story: “I was born in Little Italy, in 2006, a more innocent time for our city. I knew from the start that I wanted to be an inspiration to the man who planted me, and later to his lady friend, as they looked down from their home office windows, searching for respite after hours of soul-crushing boredom in front of a computer screen. And while even in the dead of winter, I try to provide uplift -- reaching my blossom-free branches to the grey skies above -- it is in the springtime when I say the most. I mean, just take a look at me in this picture (taken by one of my humans from their attic window): all those blossoms on the front path say, ‘The folks who live here don’t do much yard work.’ And that orange pylon in front of me says, ‘The city hasn’t yet sent anyone to fix the part of the front path they wrecked while fixing the sidewalk.’ Mostly what this picture says is that a certain someone didn’t get her act together soon enough to photograph me in full bloom. Man, had she done that, I’d have this ‘beautiful tree’ contest won, branches down.”

Felicity - Pantea Beikzadeh
Tree blossoms only happen once a year and usually last for a very short amount of time. It is nice to capture their beauty and essence while they last. A beautiful reminder to experience and enjoy life to the fullest while it’s happening.

Great Willow of Fort York - Rui Felix
The wide open landscape of Fort York allows for an impressive dance between the branches of this large Willow and the wind to occur. Planted right beside the berm and wall of Fort York children love to run up and touch the tree and be amongst the weeping branches and leaves. Great for kids that might not be able to or have never climbed a tree to be able to get that close and personal.

Mario’s Oak Tree - Rose Tavelli
My brother Mario was tall, expansive and loved the sun, just like this oak tree. He was my playmate and buddy growing up and a warm and fearless soul. Mario never got to visit Canada before he passed away in Australia a couple of years ago so I scattered his ashes under this oak tree. I pass it on my daily walks and regard Mario and the tree as one - a beautiful timeless spirit.

Over the Edge - Assaf Weisz
 Toronto is a city defined by pushing edges. From amalgamation, to the blurring of the lines between cultures, to its transformation from a sleepy city to a hub of innovation and boundary breaking, we are increasingly a city that leans over to see what’s on the other side. This tree evokes our willingness to stand out in front, take risks, and peer just a little bit further.

The Beauty & Destruction of Ice - Michelle Williamson
One of our Christmas family traditions is to visit the Centennial Park Conservatory on Christmas Eve. The Ice Storm hit in 2013 and the entire city was encased in ice but we still fulfilled our tradition. As we were leaving, I caught sight of this tree completely covered in ice, with the sun setting behind it. Despite the bitter cold, I quickly took a few shots!

Source By: http://www.yourleaf.org/blog/jaclyn-corneil/2015-06-17/beauty-finalists-great-toronto-tree-hunt

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20 Trees for the Small Gardens

Even the smallest plot can accommodate a tree
Just because your garden is small, don’t think that you can’t have trees. One of the advantages of planting trees is that there is a species to fit every location, regardless of size. Many people with small gardens only have space for one tree so choosing the right one is important. When planting in small enclosed spaces, it is advisable to plant trees that have a small crown spread. Eventual height is an important factor too. Even small ornamental trees may, over time, reach a height of 6-7m or more. If you only have room for one tree ideally look for one with more than one feature or season of interest such as coloured bark or fruit or autumn colour following on from flowers.

20 Trees for the Small Gardens

Native Trees

Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) – Slow growing evergreen with shredding brown bark and dark green, leathery leaves. Clusters of pinkish white, pitcher-shaped flowers and red strawberry-like fruits are borne together in late autumn and winter. Height 5m.

Spindle (Euonymus europaeus) – Although inconspicuous for much of the year, this small tree is very showy in autumn and early winter when the leaves turn blazing scarlet and masses of rose-red capsules split open to reveal orange seeds. Height 4m.

Silver Birch (Betula pendula) – Distinctive silvery-white, peeling bark that becomes marked with black, rugged cracks as it gets older. In spring, yellow-brown male catkins appear and in late autumn the diamond-shaped, bright green foliage turns yellow before falling. Height 12m. Betula pendula ‘Youngii’ is a weeping form that develops a mushroom-headed habit with branches reaching to the ground.


Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) – Choose the fastigiate form. Leaves turn deep, fiery red and yellow in autumn. Sprays of white flowers cover the tree in late spring, followed by bunches of red berries in autumn. Height 8m.

Yew (Taxas baccata) – Choose the columnar or fastigiate form. Slow growing coniferous tree forming a dense, compact column. Height 3m.

Ornamental Trees

Snowy mespilus (Amelanchier lamarckii) – Stunning white, starry flowers in springtime followed by edible, purple black fruits. Leaves turn from bronze in spring to green in summer to brilliant red and orange during autumn. Height 8m.
Ornamental sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Brilliantissimum’) – Leaves open salmon-pink in spring turning yellow-green by summer. Clusters of yellow-green spring flowers. The tree has a lolly-pop, spreading form. Height 8m.

Crab (Malus ‘Evereste’) – White flowers in late April are followed in autumn by orange-yellow fruits. The fruits are ­inedible but will nourish local birdlife. Height 7m.

Paperbark maple (Acer griseum) – Cinnamon-coloured bark flakes and peels to reveal orange colouring underneath. Brilliant red and orange autumn colour. Height 6m.

Himalayan birch (Betula utilis ‘Jacquemontii’) – Trunk and branches are a luminous white. Glossy dark green leaves turn yellow in autumn and yellow-brown male catkins appear in early spring. Height 12m.

Weeping pear (Pyrus salicifolia ‘Pendula’) – Very elegant tree which forms a dense mound of weeping branches. These are clothed with downy, silvery grey, willow-like leaves. White flowers in April followed by small brown fruits in autumn. Height 7m.

Red-flowered hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata ‘Paul’s Scarlet’) – A thorny tree bearing clusters of dark pink, double flowers in May and June followed by small red (inedible) fruits in autumn. Height 8m.

Japanese flowering cherry (Prunus ‘Amanogawa’) – A narrow, upright tree ideal for restricted spaces. Young leaves are bronze-green, turning green in summer. The large semi-double, soft pink flowers, which are slightly fragrant, are borne in dense clusters in April or May. Height 8m.

Snake-bark maple (Acer pensylvanicum) – Trunk and branches streaked green and white and brilliant yellow autumn leaves. Height 6m.

Kashmir rowan (Sorbus cashmiriana) – Many fingered, green leaves turn russet and gold in autumn. In late spring, the tree is covered in clusters of pink or white flowers, followed by large white berries which last well in to winter. Height 6m.

Purple-leaved plum (Prunus cerasifera ‘Nigra’) – Dark red foliage changing to deep purple on purple stems, contrasting dramatically with masses of pink flowers in March and April. Height 10m.

Laburnum (Laburnum x watereri ‘Vossii’) – Masses of long, pendulous, lightly scented clusters of yellow flowers up to 30cm long smother the tree in late spring. Note – all plant parts are poisonous if ingested. Height 8m.

Kilmarnock willow (Salix caprea ‘Pendula’) – A dwarf growing, dense-crowned, weeping willow with stiff, pendulous branches. Grey and yellow catkins are borne in spring. Height 2-3m

Crab (Malus ‘Royalty’) – Large deep pink flowers in spring followed by exceptionally bright red-purple fruits in autumn. Glistening, rich purple leaves. Height 6m.

Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Osakasuki’) – Grown mainly for its spectacular autumn colour, this is perhaps one of the best of all the maples. It has an open habit, and its large, seven-lobed, bright green leaves turn brilliant scarlet in autumn and last for several weeks. Height 6m.

Source By: http://treecouncil.ie/tree-advice/trees-smaller-gardens/

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Gardening ways and roof garden

1. The annual flowers

The rowing medium consists of crushed bricks and compost. Crushed bricks are very useful as a material for green roofs as the weight is rather low, it is a porous material and can hold plant available water.
Poppy (Papaver sp.), Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) and Candytuft (Iberis sp.) have been sown in here, amongst others. These are annual plants which means that they grow, blossom, seed itself and wither down during one growing season. Annuals hibernate only as seeds.

2. Straw based roof

This roof consists of a substrate based on, among other things, straws in the bottom. The roof was part of an EU project titled Green Clime Adapt with the aim of testing green roof using local materials.

 

3. Research site for mosses on green roofs

Nils Cronberg from SLU (Swedish University of Agriculture Sciences) is carrying out long term research on mosses that survives on extensive green roofs.

 

4. Biodiverse roof

Green roofs can be used as refuge for plant and animals when the urban environment becomes more and more densely exploited. This roof was designed replicate the habitat and biodiversity found in Limnhamns limestone quarry – a hotspot for biodiversity in the outskirts of Malmö.

 

5. Peter Stahre’s Memorial Garden

Peter Stahre was a driving spirit on sustainable drainage systems in Sweden and worldwide. Peter was very much involved in the Scandinavian Green Roof Association and due to his field of interest a flow form water feature was a natural choice for this garden.

 

6. The garden for native species

Several native species are well equipped for the harsh conditions  on a green roof. In this section of the roof garden our visitors can enjoy the beauty of several drought tolerant perennials that survive on extensive roofs with substrate depth of 10 cm.

 

7. The Grass Garden

The Grass Garden was constructed in 2009. The many different grass species forms the basis of the garden and it’s  designed in two different layers with a separating path of stone. Reaching up through the grass a bright colorful Echinacea purpureae and crispy white Allium tuberosum. Some of the grasses used are Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Overdam’, Imperata cylindrical ‘Red Baron’ and Sesleria heufleriana.

 

8. The Hills

Malmö is a city without many hills – so why not create them on the roofs? Unlikely as it seems, the hills are light-weighted due to use   of expanded polystyrene . The vegetation represents a dry meadow with a long flowering season.

 

9. The garden for urban food production

At the Augustenborg Botanical Roof Garden we show that also roofs can be used for urban farming. Sun-loving vegetables and berries such as tomatoes and strawberries are produced during the summer months and in this edible garden.

 

10. Test site with hemp and bio-char

Hemp and bio-char are two possible future green roof products. Especially the bio-char is very interesting due to it being lightweight, is biodegrade very slowly, holds accessible water for the plants and buffers nutrients. Also, bio-char is  classified as a carbon sink. On this test site, we compare substrate mixes with bio-char compared with compost.

 

11. Test of different substrate depths

Within the national project ‘Quality-assured solutions for green roof gardens’ the Scandinavian green roof institute and SLU (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) test different substrate depths with a range of 32 wildflower plants.

 

12. Sand based roof

In collaboration with Peter Korn, and with our Green roof summer course 2015 participants installed a ‘pilot-site’ with two sand based green roofs. Peter Korn’s starting point is always the nature. The knowledge of plants’ natural habitats is the key to his way of growing them. We awaits with excitement to see how the roofs will evolve in 2016.

 

13. The moss exhibition

In the summer of 2013 we planted 22 moss species here after they had been collected from different places in our region. Here are some of the most common mosses in Sweden but also some rare species.

 

14. Innovation exhibition

In the spring of 2014 this innovation exhibition opened  where members of the Scandinavian Green Roof Association exhibit their best green roof systems and sustainable solutions.

 

 

15. The sedum exhibition

Here you can find not only Sedumspecies but also some plants from the Phedimus genus which are common on green roofs. Both genera belong in the family Crassulaceae. Many Crassulaceae plants are often called succulents, but this is only an umbrella name for drought tolerant plants with fleshy leaves or stems.

Augustenborg Botanical Roof Garden

The Augustenborg Botanical Roof Garden is a place for inspiration, research and education. The green roofs was installed in 1999 with support from the EU-LIFE fund, the Swedish Ministry of the Environment and the City of Malmö. The guided tours and the development-, educational- and project activities at the roofgarden is managed by Scandinavian Green Roof Institute in collaboration with the City of Malmö, VA SYD, E.ON, MKB, and several of the members within the Scandinavian Green Roof Association.
Today, Augustenborg Botanical Roof Garden is at the forefront of demonstrating some of the most innovative systems available on the market and a range of possibilities with green roofs. The Roofgarden contains more than 20 variated areas with different systems, different build up and inspiration gardens for urban farming and biodiversity. The roofs cover 9500 square meters and is on top of buildings where the Department of Internal Services, Malmö City, operates. Augustenborg Botanical Roof Garden can be visited by booked tours all year round and is open to the public in the summer season.

Source By: http://greenroof.se/en/augustenborg-botanical-roof-garden/

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Sky Garden

The Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street is a unique public space that spans three storeys and offers 360 degree uninterrupted views across the City of London. Visitors can wander around the exquisitely landscaped gardens, observation decks and an open air terrace of what is London’s highest public garden.
The Sky Garden has been designed to create an open and vibrant place of leisure, offering visitors a rare chance to experience London from a different viewpoint. Entry to the Sky Garden is free, but please note space is strictly limited and visits must be booked online in advance through this site.

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BOOKING INFORMATION
 

Access to the Sky Garden is free of charge. A limited number of tickets are available each day, please book them through our booking system. Tickets are released three weeks in advance and can be booked up to one hour in advance. Tickets are only valid for the date and time stated on the ticket and have a time limit of 1.0 hrs from time of entry.
Access to the ‘Francis Golding Terrace’ is obtained from level 35 South Terrace. The terrace is open to the public between 10am - 6pm and 11am - 9pm on Saturday and Sunday.

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HORTICULTURE

The landscape designer behind Sky Garden is award-winning landscape architecture practice Gillespies. The designers opted for a series of richly planted terraces for Sky Garden and the planting is dominated by drought resistant Mediterranean and South African species. Individual plants have been chosen to work in harmony with the particular quality of light found under the roof canopy. Colour and flowers flourish all year round in the Sky Garden. Amongst the flowering plants are African Lily (Agapanthus), Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia) and Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) interspersed with fragrant herbs including French Lavender and Rosemary.

Source By: http://skygarden.london/sky-garden

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The 10 Most Breathtaking Gardens in the World

The gardens more beautiful and fascinating the world are also attractions in them you can see the silver most beautiful and spectacular designs.

1. – The Keukenhof Garden – Netherlands
An unprecedented wealth of spectacular shows flowers planted in endless varieties, alternated with beautiful works of art. Keukenhof is unique, world famous and has been one of the most popular destinations in Netherlands . The garden is home to 7 million tulips, which includes special hybrids that have been or are being developed. In fact, the pride and joy ofKeukenhof is the true inspiring Russian black tulip Baba Yaga.

2. – The Garden of Cosmic Speculation – Scotland
Open to the public only one day a year, the Garden of Speculation Cosmic takes science and maths as its inspiration. There simply is not another garden like it in the world . The garden was created by Charles Jencks , together with his late wife Maggie Keswick and is located at Portrack House near Dumfries. That’s in Scotland . It was created in 1989 , with the ideas in mind to provoke thoughts about nature .

3. – The Garden Suan Nong Nooch – Thailand
This amazing park is situated in Pattaya, Thailand . It is popular with tourists because of its stunningly beautiful landscapes and marvelous views . Everything seems to be in a fairy tale, full of Thai style houses, villas, banquet halls, restaurants and swimming pools. A huge area of 600 acres, was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Nongnooch Pisit in 1954 , these lands were scheduled for planting fruits , but Mrs. Nongnooch made ​​a trip abroad and returned with a firm decision to create there for a garden tropical of ornamental plants and flowers.

4. – The Garden of Versailles – France
Probably the world’s most famous garden, was built by Louis XIV and designed by Andre Le Notre. The layout of the gardens required a tremendous job, huge amounts of earth had to be shifted to design the massifs of flowers , the Orangerie, the fountains and the Canal. The earth was transported in wheelbarrows, the trees were transported by truck from all the provinces of France and thousands of men, sometimes whole regiments, took part in this vast enterprise.

5. – The Botanical Garden of Curitiba – Brazil

Also known as the “Botanical Garden Fanchette Rischbieter” , the Botanical Garden of Curitiba is a garden located in the city of Curitiba, capital of Paraná, and the biggest city in the south of Brazil . It is the major tourist attraction of the city and houses part of the campus of the Federal University of Paraná. Opened in 1991, Curitiba Botanical Garden was created in the style of French gardens. Once on the gateway shows French style gardens in the middle of sources and waterfalls and lakes , and the main greenhouse of 458 square meters, which houses inside, copies of characteristic plants from tropical regions . It deploys its flower carpet to the visitors right at the entrance. This garden occupies 240.000 m² . The main greenhouse gases, in an Art Nouveau style with a modern metallic structure, resembles the mid-19th century Crystal Palace in London. Botanic Museum , which provides a national reference collection of native flora, attracts researchers from all the world. Includes many botanical species of moisture from the Atlantic forest of eastern Brazil.

6 . – The Butchart Gardens – Canada 

Butchart Gardens is one of the most famous in the world that is among the best of the best, The breathtaking views will keep you stunned for some time when you first visit the Butchart Gardens . Extending over an area of 50 hectares. There is never a dull season at Butchart Gardens , remains vibrant throughout the year from the summers alos cold winters.

7. – Yuyuan Garden – China

Yuyuan is believed to be built in the dynasty Ming , more than 400 years. Built in traditional Chinese style with numerous rocks, trees, ponds, dragon-lined walls and numerous gates and bridges zigzag separates the gardens and several pavilions. In the past 400 years Yuyuan was restored and reopened several times. The garden was renovated by the local rich, following several civil wars in the nineteenth century caused huge damage. In 1956, after the liberation of Shanghai, the city government rebuilt the garden and recovered its elegance and beauty . Yuyuan Garden finally reopened to the public in 1961.

8. – The Shalimar Garden – Pakistan 

Shalimar is a Persian garden and it was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in Lahore, Pakistan. Construction began in 1641 Year of Christ. (1051 AH) was completed the following year. The project management was carried out under the supervision of Khalilullah Khan , a noble of Shah Jahan’s court, in cooperation with Ali Mardan Khan and Mulla Alaul Maulk Tuni. ‘s garden Shalimar s and presented in the form of a rectangular parallelogram, surrounded by a high brick wall. The gardens measure 658 meters north east south and west 258 meters. In 1981, Shalimar Gardens was included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

9. – The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden – EUA

The Sculpture Garden Minneapoli s is one of the jewels in the crown of Minnesota and the center of the table, the Spoonbridge and Cherry, has become an icon of Minnesota . Claes Oldenburg best known for her witty interpretations, large size of ordinary objects, and Coosje van Bruggen, his wife and collaborator, had already created a number of large-scale public sculptures, including the Batcolumn in Chicago, when asked to design a source for sculpture Garden Sculpture planned Minneapolis . The spoon had appeared as a subject in a series of drawings of Oldenburg and projects over the years, had been inspired by a novelty item (a spoon resting on a glob of fake chocolate) he had acquired in 1962. Eventually the utensil emerged.
10. – The Garden Ryoan-ji – Japan

The temple Ryoan-ji in Kyoto is famous for its Zen garden. Ryoan-ji is considered one of the most notable examples of “dry landscape” . Some say the garden of Temple Ryoan-ji is the quintessence of Zen art, and perhaps the single greatest masterpiece of Japanese culture. This temple Japanese is surrounded by low walls, austere agreement of the fifteen rocks sits on a bed of white gravel. Nobody knows who presented this simple garden, or precisely when, but it is today as it was yesterday, and tomorrow will be like today. Tsukubai said to have been contributed by Tokugawa Mitsukuni in the seventeenth century. It bears an inscription of four characters simple but profound: “I learn only to be contented.”

Source By: http://moripa.com/the-10-most-breathtaking-gardens-in-the-world/

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