February, 2008

“Planning a Block Buster."

As I write this I am sitting in the mid morning sunshine of one cold day. Forecast high of -9 Celsius. Sure feels like winter.

But just a couple of weeks ago we had this huge thaw – eliminating in about 5 days all of the 65 centimeters of snow that had fallen before it. A reminder that Mother Nature can change her mind very quickly and with authority. Just in case you thought we were in charge.

A chick magnet.

As a gardener, I really enjoy the opportunity to plan my garden over the Canadian winter, without the diversion of weeds, insects and all that pulls us out of doors during the non-winter time of year. I am thinking that it would be a lot of fun to plant one full bed [10 x 50 ft] of sunflowers for the silly chickens that my wife is raising. They loved the few sunflower seedheads that I tossed to them late last fall. I am currently pricing the 10 pounds of seed that I will need to do the job.

Also, I had such great luck growing leeks last year that I think that I could start a micro-business on the side. The quality was superb and most of the people that I gave them to – fresh from the garden – returned the favour with a gift of leek and potato soup.

I felt that I got the best end of the deal.

So I won’t sell my leeks for money, I will trade them for the finished product [There is a joke there that I refuse to use.]

In the ‘ornamental garden’ I am planning on moving many of my perennial grasses around – get them further from the windows so that they are not so ‘in your face’ and bring more of the colourful peonies and rudbeckia nearer the house where I can enjoy them more.

Oh yes, I have big plans.

Easy to do from the comfort of my lazy boy right now, when my back is feeling good and I know that I don’t actually have to do anything for weeks.

Sometime between now and the growing season of April and May I have a lot of work to do elsewhere…..like at Canada’s largest annual ‘garden festival’, Canada Blooms.

I am speaking there on Wednesday, March 12 at noon, “ Great Public Gardens that I have Visited” is the focus of this presentation. I have some terrific pictures to share with you too.

On Thursday at 2 pm I am featuring “The Canadian Garden Primer, an Organic Approach”, which I have been working on with my assistant Brenda Hensley for 2 years now. You are going to like this a lot …. educational, entertaining and fun.

The mid morning VIP tours that I am taking part in with Gardening Life magazine are selling out – several buses have been sold already. Get in while you can! Have fun! Save money! Go to www.gardeninglife.ca and connect to the VIP tours for more information.

$78 per seat/entry ticket/gift bag/private tour of show highlights with one of my friends Marjorie Harris, Caren Watkins or me – Mark Cullen.

And did I mention the gift subscription of Gardening Life and the gift bag full of great stuff from Home Hardware?

Pick your day – but do it very very soon. More details below!

Canada Blooms

Canada Blooms now produces a monthly e-newsletter – with more frequent communications as we get closer to festival dates [Wed. March 12 – Sun. March 16 th]. Sign up at www.canadablooms.com.

On CFRB this month I am talking with the people in Winnipeg from Botanical papers about special paper that is impregnated with wildflower seeds. www.botanicalpaperworks.com.

I am interviewing a variety of Canadian farmers on my Garden Show [10 a.m. Eastern time www.CFRB.com to listen] in a series entitled ‘What Canadian gardeners can learn from farmers’. Every one of them has completed the Environmental Farm Plan and has something very interesting to say. Visit www.omafra.gov.on.ca for information on the EFP.

The Green Roof conference at the Toronto Botanical Gardens coming up Thursday, February 21st. www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca

The Organic Growers conference at the University of Toronto Saturday, February 16th. www.cog.ca

And the big one for this month Get a Jump on Spring the weekend of February 16 and 17 th at the Toronto Botanical Gardens. www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca I will be broadcasting my CFRB Garden Show from the Gardens that morning at 10 a.m. and speaking at noon.

I am working on a new gardening book. This is my indoor winter project.

One more thing that is new this month - my monthly column in the Heart and Stroke e-newsletter begins in February. Check it out at www.heartandstroke.ca.

Much more to tell you about next month.

Keep Saturday, March 8th open for my broadcast from the Success with Gardening Show at the International Centre. www.successwithgardening.ca

Have a good February in your garden, even if you can only ‘garden in your head’. Sometimes this is the best time of all ‘in your garden’!!

Merchant of Beauty,

Mark

p.s. personal note of thanks to my friend Liz Primeau, past editor of Canadian Gardening magazine, who invited me to speak at the Applewood Garden Club, [where we raised about $2,000 that evening] and after which she wrote: “It was warm, funny and informative and I’m sure you made even more friends. People kept saying to me after how real and human you are; I always wonder what they expect of people who they already know from TV or radio when they meet them in person -- an ogre?”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

In This Issue:

Where to Find Me this Month

Canada Blooms: Show Info & Opening Night Party

VIP Bus Tours with Gardening Life

Volunteer Opportunities at Canada Blooms

The Heart & Stroke Foundation

  Saturday, February 16th at the Toronto Botanical Gardens. I will be broadcasting The Garden Show live from 10:00 - 11:00 am at the Get The Jump on Spring event. I will also be speaking at noon. This open house runs from 10 am to 4 pm and Admission is FREE! Visit www.torontobotanicalgardens.ca for more information.

  Tuesday, February 19th at St. Andrew's United Church in Markham, Ontario. I will be speaking at 7 pm. Tickets are $15 each or 2 for $20. Call 905-294-0351 for tickets. Refreshments are included and everyone is welcome! Net proceeds to St. Andrew's United Church - Make a Difference Fund.

  Tuesday, February 26th in Petrolia. I will be a part of an event hosted by Petrolia Home Hardware. This event is a fundraiser for Communities in Bloom. I will post more details on the website as they become available

"This year Canada Blooms redefines 'Flower Power' with a celebration of gardens, displays and special guests that encompass the idealism and optimism of the '60s, the inspirational power of gardens and flowers and the eco-savvy future of horticulture in Canada. From March 12 to 16, Toronto's Metro Convention Centre will be transformed into Canada's largest flower and garden festival, showcasing outstanding floral and landscape proucts and services.

"After a long Canadian winter, the Canada Blooms Festival is one of the first signs of spring" says Gerry Ginsberg, General Manager, Canada Blooms. "Garden-lovers from Canada and the U.S. Border States come to Toronto to immerse themselves in the sights, sounds and smells of spring and find out more about the latest in horticultural design, products, flowers and plants at Canada Blooms."

For the first time this year, Canada Blooms will feature theme days throughout the five-day event, including:  Garden Travel Day (Mar 12), Plant Day (Mar 13) Design Day (Mar 14), Ecology Day (Mar 15) and City of Toronto Day (Mar 16). In conjunction with each day’s theme, Gardening Life will host an educational series led by Canada’s foremost gardening and horticultural experts. Read more...

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Love in the Garden - Opening Night Celebration
Tuesday, March 11, 2008

‘Love in the Garden' is the opening night celebration for 2008. It is a nostalgic look at the days when people wore flowers in their hair and love was what dreams were made of!

The great Guy LaFleur, of the Montreal Canadiens will be a part of the opening night celebration! Courtesy of Recycled Battery Association Canada. www.rbrc.org

Celebrate Spring at the season’s most stunning event, Toronto’s best kept secret and the finest party of the new season. Preview the spectacular gardens in all their glory, sample exclusive wines and exotic fare - and dance the night away! Love in the Garden is an experience like no other and a ‘must’ for the true Canada Blooms lover.

Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan will be appearing at the Canada Blooms Opening Night Party Courtesy of RBC.

Tickets are limited - order yours on-line today.

Those of you who received my January newsletter already know that I will be personally guiding VIP tours through Canada Blooms on March 12, 13 and 14, 2008. We have sold several buses already and the remaining buses are filling quickly. Gardening Life is arranging these VIP bus tours to the show departing from St. Catherines, Hamilton, Burlington, Mississauga, Midland, Orillia, Barrie, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Bowmanville, Oshawa, Pickering, Ajax and Scarborough (scheduled locations are subject to change based on number of passengers).

Each VIP ticket holder will be entitled to a behind the scenes tour for 1/2 hour before the show opens in the morning. I will guide you through my favourite gardens and highlight 2 or 3 displays that feature the latest in plant material, long flowering plants and the environmentally friendly side of gardening. Along with the tour, you will receive return transportation via deluxe highway motorcoach, full day pass and show guide, and a gift bag featuring Mark's Choice items courtesy of Home Hardware, a subscription to Gardening Life plus much more (bag value over $50.00). Tickets are $78.00 gst included. Visit www.gardeninglife.ca for more information or call Getaway Tours to book your seat (1-877-668-2286 in the GTA, golden horseshoe area) (1-888-833-2628 in Midland, Orillia and Barrie). Don't miss this great opportunity to see the Canada's premier flower and garden festival.

It takes over 2,000 volunteer hours and almost 14 months to plan Canada Blooms! Each year, The organizers of Canada Blooms rely on over 900 people to share their passion for gardening and horticulture by volunteering their time for this event. Volunteers are a very important to the success of Canada Blooms. Show organizers are in need of volunteers to cover all the days and shifts.

Volunteering is fun and it's an opportunity to learn new gardening tips, make friends who share the same interests as you, discover the latest gardening trends and take in a lecture or demonstration from some of the most knowledgeable people in the industry.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to be part of this fantastic event - click here to find out how you can volunteer at Canada Blooms! All information regarding volunteer shifts and positions are listed under the "Volunteer" section of the website; where you can fill out an application form or update your information from previous years. If you have any questions please contact Cara Williams at 416-447-8655 ext. 27. The organizers of Canada Blooms appreciate all your help and support and can't wait to see you at the show!!!

Subscribe to Flower Power, the online newsletter from Canada Blooms! You’ll be first to hear about all the exciting events and happenings that are part of this year’s Canada Blooms plus special offers, tips from our industry experts, garden product information and much, much more!

Subscribe to Flower Power and it will be delivered directly to your in-box.

This year I will be writing a monthly column for The Heart & Stroke Foundation's website. These articles can found on their 'Features' page on the 1st of each month.

Starting an Indoor Herb Garden.

Growing savoury herbs such as basil, parsley, cilantro and dill in a sunny window is easy. It will make your food taste delicious while helping you shake your salt habit. Here’s how:

Grow your own indoor herb garden

Growing an indoor herb garden is a delight to anyone who wants to add more flavour to food – and it’s easier than you think. Imagine having all the fresh herbs at your finger tips year round as you prepare your favourite dishes. Planting from seed is a lot less expensive than buying herbs at your local grocery store – and fresher, too. But best of all, herbs may help you savour your foods without relying on salt.

Salt increases blood pressure, which is the number one risk factor for stroke and a major cause of heart disease. The Heart and Stroke Foundation suggests Canadians use no more than 2,300 grams of sodium a day (the equivalent of 1 tsp or 5 mL of salt) - that is the total amount from processed and packaged foods, in the preparation of foods and added to food at the table. Your best bet is to eat foods you prepare – and now you can do so with a cornucopia of new tastes from your indoor herb garden.

Read the entire article, starting February 1st, at www.heartandstroke.ca/canadablooms.

(Reprinted with permission of the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Want to receive heart-healthy recipes, nutrition and physical activity tips to your inbox every month? Then subscribe to Healthline, the Heart and Stroke Foundation's free monthly e-newsletter today.)

For more information, refer to Mark's best selling gardening books — or tune into CanadaAM every Wednesday morning at 8:45am on CTV. If you have a specific question, simply search Mark's Library at www.markcullen.com or listen to The Garden Show on CFRB every Saturday 10am to 11am.