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May 2014 - News & Events

"It is good to be without vices, but it is not good to be without temptations"
- Walter Bagehot
NANPS ANNUAL SPRING PLANT SALE
Saturday, May 10, 2014 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Markham Civic Centre Atrium 101 Town Centre Boulevard (W. of Warden Ave, N. of Hwy 7)
NATIVE PLANTS galore, nature books, environment-themed tables
We could use more volunteers for set up on Friday afternoon-evening. Contact: plantsale@nanps.org.
We have plants in our pants we are so excited! We can't say enough about the NANPS Annual Spring Plant Sale this coming Saturday. Yes, mere days away you will be revelling in the world of native plants at Markham Civic Centre Atrium. Get caught up in the excitement and be tempted into taking lots of plants home with you. Even if you have pre-ordered your plants which may be picked up after 11 a.m., you may go back for more helpings - second, third, fourth…you get the idea. Not only is it our major fundraiser of the year, it's just the spring tonic you need to obliterate bad memories of the past winter and lift your spirits (and wallet). But we can't guarantee that you won't be hit with indecision when choosing plants, since the selection is so vast. No worries - we have members planted at tables to offer advice.
If at some point, the sight of all those native plants in one room is too overwhelming, take a break from the scenery and visit the Canada Room to check out the slide show, Ice Storm & Tree Canopy display and the Information Tables: Pollination Guelph, TRCA Healthy Yards, Rouge Park, Society for Conservation Biology, and information about collecting and growing from seed and controlling invasive plants. And to further entice you into the dark forest of the Canada Room, we will have a draw for a chance to win a copy of Freeman Patterson's book Embracing Creation. Throughout the sale, drop your handbill into the designated box. The draw is at 3 p.m., but the winner does not have to stay to the bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) end to collect the prize.
It's no coincidence that the NANPS plant sale falls in National Wildflower Week.
"National Wildflower Week aims not only to highlight wildflowers' beauty, but to encourage citizens to understand their value and take steps to protect them. Wildflowers and native plants help conserve water, reduce mowing costs, provide habitat for birds, butterflies and other wildlife and protect the soil from erosion. In addition, native plants often require less resources to maintain than plants that aren't native to a region."
Let's celebrate our natural heritage!
The Scoop is Evolving
As eventually happens with any garden, the Scoop was in need of a good pruning. It also happens to be the 6th anniversary of the launch of The Local Scoop and the Scoop needed more sunlight in order to celebrate. Scoop Assist (the Plant Assessor) was consulted and concluded that to facilitate new growth, the Scoop needed a new environment. So like a plant rescue, the Scoop was transplanted to WordPress (not PlantPress, the Scoop is pressing words instead of plants). And just as a plant is responsive to light levels, moisture regimes and soil types, the Scoop is responsive to your needs, including the need to branch out and be seen on all of your gadgets - from the smallest mobile pollinators to the biggest monitors.
It was a particularly harsh winter this year, but with lots of attentive care the Scoop has rooted and flowered. Take an excursion to the new Scoop website, featuring an updated calendar, and a home page mini-calendar with the most recent updates at a glance. Stroll leisurely, through the Art-Hives art gallery. Peer into the Scoop's own Pix and dig through the News Archive compost to view past e-newsletters. Wade through the Bog Blog, which is not literally about Bogs, but written for those who may be in a fog about what native plants are and what’s the big deal. And don’t worry, the Scoop is still the native wild stock that it has always been, and will always be - dedicated to the promotion of native plants, while digging the dirt on stories, invasive species and bad bylaws.
~ ScoopAssist
Scoop's Sixth Anniversary Contest
Hopefully, you have had a chance to read the book review in the latest issue of the Blazing Star newsletter. If not, a new book about pollinators and native plants which recently emerged: Pollinators of Native Plants has created a big buzz. Since it's the 6th Anniversary of the launch of The Local Scoop e-newsletter, we thought we'd promote the book as a great resource for native plant gardeners, celebrate the pollinators who visit our garden, and plug our plant sale as the place to get native plants to attract pollinators.Since the book is focused on insect pollinators which have six legs and since some native flowers have six petals, it makes perfect flower sense to tie-in the book to the auspicious 6th anniversary occasion. As a part of the celebration, The Local Scoop is willing to give away two prized pollinator books. Why not six? We're too cheap. Besides, we're at a disadvantage in having only two legs...and two arms...and we're not nearly as co-ordinated as six-legged pollinators…and the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing half the time…
To enter the contest to win a book, you must meet the following criteria:
1) Be a NANPS member in good planting (membership has its privileges)
2) Be available to pick up your book prize at the membership table at the plant sale between 10 - 2 p.m.
…and…
Correctly name two six-petalled, native plants (very important - make sure it's two species native to Ontario).
The names of the first six responders meeting the criteria will be put in a flower basket and two names will be drawn by ScoopAssist. We will email the winners before Saturday.
Please send your entries to scoop@TheLocalScoop.org. Good luck, NANPSters!
(Pssst - if you miss out, some copies will be available for purchase at below-list-price at the membership table)
Bumble bee on New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Saturday May 24, 2 - 5 p.m.
Brick Works Welcome Centre, 550 Bayview Ave., Toronto
The old Don Valley Brick Works has been transformed from a collection of deteriorating heritage buildings into a global showcase for green design and urban sustainability. The Brick Works tour will be followed by a free two-hour tour of the surrounding ravines led by City of Toronto Natural Environment Specialist Julia Murnaghan. Tickets are $10 (+$1.39 administration fee). This a NANPS members event. Non-members may join NANPS.
Sunday May 25, 12 - 5 p.m. Christie Pits, 750 Bloor St. W. (at Christie St.), Toronto
Being held in conjunction with the David Suzuki Foundation to support the Homegrown National Park Project.
Speaker: John Oyston, past NANPS V.P.
Sunday May 11, 2 p.m.
Artisans at Work, 2071 Danforth Ave., Toronto
The event is being held in conjunction with a small native plant sale on-site (starting at 10:30, May 11) and an exhibit of John's photographs of native plants May 2 - May 31. Free entry.
Gardening: Planting the Right Seeds for Biodiversity
Speaker: Paul LaPorte, past NANPS President
Monday May 12, 7 - 8:30 p.m.
Carden Community Centre, 258 Dalrymple Rd., Sebright
Entry by donation.
Gardening: Planting the Right Seeds for Biodiversity
Speaker: Paul LaPorte, past NANPS President
Host: Durham Region Beekeepers’ Association
Monday May 26, 7 p.m.
Greenbank Centennial Hall, 19965 Hwy. 7 /12, Greenbank
Oak Hills Farm Prairie and Arboretum, Oak Hills Rd., Bewdley Sunday June 8, 10 - 5 p.m.
One-hour Woods and Prairies tour at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., two-hour tour at 1 p.m. continues to a lookout over Rice Lake. Free.
The tours of this beautiful 41-hectare (101-acre) site will focus on using native plants to recreate a historical landscape and natural habitat. The tours feature a recreated 1.2-hectare (3-acre) tallgrass prairie, an arboretum containing over 120 labelled native Ontario trees and shrubs and a new woodland plantation. Problems related to alien invasive species will also be discussed.
Speaker: John Oyston, past NANPS V.P.
Thursday July 3, 7 - 8 p.m.
Toronto Botanical Garden, 777 Lawrence Ave. E., Toronto
Public $15; TBG and NANPS Members $10
Sunday May 11, 11 - 2 p.m. Greenhouse, High Park, Toronto
Ontario Nature and its Youth Council have initiated a campaign to protect Ontario’s pollinators. The campaign includes a postcard calling for the Premier to restrict the use of neonicotinoids (harmful insecticides known to severely affect bee populations) and an online push to build public support for the protection of pollinators.
Please support their social media challenge by endorsing the pollinator campaign with your Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr account. The goal is to have 500 endorsements by Sunday May 11.
The silver maple tree which purportedly inspired the song "The Maple Leaf Forever" came crashing down in a wind storm in Toronto on July 19, 2013. The wood was salvaged to be re-purposed for various projects. Now a piece of natural heritage history could be yours!
While some wood is available for public projects, a small number of pieces will also be available for private sector projects. However, in order to ensure that the public still benefits, private users of the wood must make a donation to an urban forestry initiative before they can receive a board, log, stump, branch or disk of the iconic wood. Organizations like LEAF and Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation will benefit.
Check out the details and scroll through the Catalogue.
Lots of events are going on in the natural world. Please check the Scoop Calendar for the latest.
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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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