"We Plant and Rant"

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”
~ Albert Camus

Conifers: Terrific Non-Seasonal Plants with James E. Eckenwalder (U of T) Toronto Botanical Garden Tuesday, November 30, 7:30 p.m. A tree-mendous event!

Dr. Eckenwalder is a conifer specialist extraordinaire whose passionate pursuits include the evolution and history of conifers and everything gardeners need to know about these all-season plants. After the lecture, he will be available to sign copies of his newly-released book: Conifers of the World: The Complete Reference. View contents of the book

Public $20, students (with valid ID) $15, TBG members free. Door sales only, limited seating. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Details

NANPS Project to be launched on Canada Day:

We would like to compile a "Do NOT Buy" list of potentially invasive species that are sold in garden centres and nurseries. We need your help to develop a comprehensive list and an alternative list, i.e., the best native plants to use instead.

Here is a draft list of invasive plants from the Invasive Plant Council which are sold by a major garden centre in Toronto. Please send your suggested native replacements to nanps@nanps.org.

Trees and shrubs
Norway maple Acer platanoides
Autumn Olive Elaeagnus umbellata and
Russian Olive E. angustifolia
Non-Native Bush Honeysuckle e.g. Lonicera tartarica, L. japonica
Ground Cover Plants
English Ivy Hedera helix
Goutweed Aegopodium podagraria
Periwinkle Vinca minor
Lily-of-the-valley Convallaria majalis
Aquatics
Flowering rush Butomus umbellatus
Yellow Floating Heart Nymphoides peltata
Grasses
Miscanthus e.g., M. sinensis, M sacchiflorus
Others
Yellow Iris Iris pseudacorus

1) A NANPS AGM centerpiece...but almost a month late...and not a native species.

2) The latest fashion for cars. The retro-look in wood paneling – the natural look (or wood paneling) on station wagons has made a comeback. We would have preferred native wood and not Norway maple. What colour do you call that? Lichen?

3) A new green project to increase the canopy cover in Toronto by covering the cars. It looks great in a satellite photo.

4) Camouflage for a 19 year-old car to confuse the yuppy neighbours. 5) Getting ready for Christmas be adorning the Scoopmobile with antlers. Looking ahead to Xmas and the latest trend for outdoor decorating (didn’t have time to put on the strings of Christmas lights).

Be careful what you wish for. The Scoop wanted more wood for the ZooWoods Restoration Project, but to be delivered in our car...not /on/ our car. The high winds that beset Toronto the night before the NANPS Prairie tour took its toll.

Merry Christmas Fern and A Happy New England Aster to you all

Two things to remember at this time of year – end-of-year donations and membership renewals. For "donations", the sky aster’s the limit (any amount is appreciated). http://www.nanps.org/index.php/home/donate.

The Scoop is going investigative reporting Down Under. Getting the Scoop on Native Aussie plants.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead

The views expressed are of The Scoop and do not necessarily reflect The Local Scoop, its parent company (NANPS), subsidiaries, affiliates, verticals, hangers-on or even those of the Spokesplant.

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