For both ecological and economic reasons we no longer print and mail a seasonal program listing our workshops and special events. The information is now distributed via this e-newsletter and is always available on our website. We do appreciate your past and future support of our workshops; the income supports other Arboretum educational endeavours such as brochures, signs, booklets, tours and our website.

If you know of people who may be interested in our workshops who do not receive this e-newsletter we would appreciate if you would pass this information on to them. To subscribe to the newsletter follow the simple instructions as outlined on our webpage at: http://www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/educationandevents/enewsletter.shtml

If you have a spot in your community or at your workplace where you can display our workshop posters, please send us an e-mail at [log in to unmask] and we will be happy to send them to you.

Below is a list of upcoming workshops at The Arboretum. Please forward this e-mail to your friends and colleagues! The more participants we have, the more programs we can offer.

We now offer an on-line registration process which allows you to register for our programs 24/7 as they say, not just during our regular business hours. A secure link is provided for this easy registration process. Click here for the link.

by Chris Earley

Our trees are working hard to produce seeds for future generations of woody plants. Can you tell which trees produced these? A printable version is available by clicking here so you can share with friends, family and colleagues. The answers are at the bottom of the newsletter.

by Sean Fox

The annual Arboretum Auxiliary Plant Sale is fast approaching, and our volunteers and staff have been busy tending to plants in preparation for the big day. Hundreds of choices will be available to take home, whether it be stately trees, native shrubs, ornamental perennials, edible fruits or something to help green-up the inside of your home.

Amongst the trees available this year, slippery elm (Ulmus rubra), blue ash (Fraxinus quadrangulata), tulip-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) and shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) are a few of the native standouts. Beautiful specimens for the garden include katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), Manchurian cherry (Prunus maackii) and Ibokan Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora ‘Ibokan’). Canada’s largest native fruit, pawpaw (Asimina triloba), is an ever-popular choice, and other edible delights include American hazel, gooseberries, lingonberries, tayberries, jostaberries, goji berries and Wolf River apple - an heirloom cultivar known for its disease tolerance and exceptionally large fruit.

Smaller choices include a number of favourite shrubs such as bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia), sweetfern (Comptonia perigrina) bayberry (Morella pensylvanica) Ozark witch-hazel (Hamamelis vernalis) and dwarf hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia)

This is just a small sampling of over 100 taxa of woody plants that will be available for sale, including 70 native to Ontario.

On the herbaceous side, there is a huge selection of classic garden favourites such as coneflowers, hosta, sedum, delphinium and iris, in addition to beautiful natives such as cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii) and Canada lily (Lilium canadense). Showy and prolific ornamentals include chocolate snakeroot (Eupatorium rugusom ‘Chocolate’), Oregon checkerbloom (Sidalcea oregona ‘Brilliant’) and spotted bee-balm (Monarda punctata). And, as populations of monarch butterflies continue to struggle, planting some of their required larval food sources – the milkweeds – adds a helping hand. Species available at this year’s sale include butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata).

In addition to the cold-hardy choices already mentioned, we`ll also be offering a selection of plants that are better suited for growing indoors over the winter months. These include propeller plant (Crassula falcata), Sulawesi waxflower (Hoya brevialata), kangaroo fern (Microsorum diversifolium) and crocodile fern (Microsorum musifolium). Look for these and many other indoor plants on the day of the sale.

This year’s sale falls on Saturday, September 12th at The Arboretum’s RJ Hilton Centre, 384 College Avenue East. The event runs from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., but be sure to arrive early for best selection, as some plants sell out quickly. A full listing of available plants will be available shortly, so please keep an eye on our website for further details: www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum

Hope to see you there!


2015 Plant Sale Volunteers

by Ric Jordan

Chapter 2 of my history of The Arboretum:

Once administrative staff had settled into their new home, the OAC Centennial Arboretum Centre, in 1974 energies once again reverted to developing the plant collections outlined in the 1970 Master Plan. The staffing complement also began to fill out. Horticultural and maintenance staff remained at the Service Centre. They were John Curtis (collections technician), Ruth (Harris) Robinson (nursery technician), Ross Bradshaw (lead hand) and Bill Garner (equipment operator). In the fall of 1974 John Ambrose joined Dr. Hilton (Director) and Dorothy Blacklock (Administrative Assistant) as Arboretum Curator at the Arb Centre. In the beginning the Arb Centre was to be strictly an administrative centre with the auditorium and board room used for short meetings, lectures and academic related functions utilizing coffee services only. I believe this was changed in 1976 when due to a double booking of a facility on campus social functions with full catering became a standard activity.

Over the preceding years the full time staff had been assisted by a number of individuals filling part time and temporary contracts. It was in this capacity that I first worked at The Arb in 1975. Two other individuals were also brought on for the summer Doug Robinson and Tony McGrath. I had just finished school and they must have liked me because I was kept on into the fall and then brought back over the winter as part of a winter works program felling dead elms in the existing woodlots. In the spring of 1976 Dr. Hilton received a substantial, for the time, grant from the Ministry of Environment allowing the hiring of two contract individuals in diverse fields. Sarah Lowe was brought in as Research Co-ordinator and Alan Watson became the Arb Naturalist and set about developing a nature interpretation program.

As well as the development of the collections staff oversaw vegetation analysis of the woodlands, swamps and old fields. The data collected formed the basis for future research, teaching, class activities and nature programs. In 1977 under the direction of Sarah Lowe using funds provided by the Gravel Pit Operators of Ontario a small unused pit on the grounds was developed for the study of slope rehabilitation. The Nature Interpretation program was expanding to bring in students from Wellington County. Staff was also busy collecting and storing seed for 7th annual Index Seminum made available to arboreta and gardens around the world for seed exchange.

Bill Garner had left The Arb in December 1977 and I was able to secure his FT position beginning in February of 1978. In May Steven Aboud joined the team as Records Technician working out of the Arboretum Centre. Building on the nature programs developed by Alan Watson the J.C. Taylor Nature Centre opened in April of 1978 with offerings for K to OAC levels as well as some evening and Sunday programs for the general public. While new staff were being welcomed to the department it also saw the retirement of ‘Doc’ as Director and Erik Jorgensen being appointed as the second Arboretum Director. Under Erik’s direction a number of joint activities with the music department were developed and carried on for a number of years. Closer ties were also forged with the Guelph Horticultural Society, Ont. Hort. Assoc., and the Canadian Rose Society. Acting upon the success of Alan’s nature programs being run out of the Nature Centre the naturalist’s position became a permanent University appointment.

Apart from collection development and the seed exchange The Arboretum needed something to distinguish itself as a leading light in the world of arboreta and the impetus for that came from John Ambrose and Steven Aboud with the launching of the Ontario Rare Woody Plant Program (Pickin’ up the Pawpaws). Financial assistance was provided in the form of a grant from the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). This was a first of its kind in Canada and aimed to help protect and conserve threatened and endangered woody plants of Ontario, primarily from the Carolinian zone. Plans were made to visit naturally occurring populations of these plants throughout the zone to collect seed to germinate and establish a living gene bank for cross pollination and seed collection into the future. The first seeds germinated in 1981 and throughout the mid-80s orchards were planted in the designated gene bank areas on both sides of College Ave.

Another significant development of the early ‘80s was the development of the Rotary Tree Grove, later renamed the Roy Hammond Rotary Tree Grove honouring a long time Rotarian and Arboretum supporter. Spearheaded by Dr. John Powell of the Human Biology department with support from the President’s office and the Ministry of Culture the 2 kilometre Trillium Trail was installed with accompanying exercise stations. While the stations have long since disappeared the trail is still very much used as a running/walking route for students, staff and visitors. It is also frequently used as a route for fundraising events hosted by organizations in the Guelph Community. 1982 also saw the construction of the Hales-McKay Memorial Shelter to be used as an passive information source for Arboretum visitors. This structure recently was reroofed with new supporting timbers and will soon house an exciting new display of information/interpretive materials.

This brings us more or less to the end of 1982 and the end of Chapter 2. Although by the time of our September newsletter I will have retired however I’ve committed to continue the story in upcoming newsletter. Until September

slainte
ric

by Shelley Hunt

Some of you who are regular visitors to The Arboretum may have heard some rustling on the breeze over the past few months about our longtime manager Ric Jordan’s impending retirement. Well, it is with mixed feelings that I can now report that it's true - Ric will be starting his well-deserved retirement on September 1st of this year. It is hard to imagine The Arboretum without Ric here to run the show day to day - he has been part of this place for almost as long as it has existed. From his early days, starting in 1975 as a student worker on the grounds, Ric has witnessed The Arboretum's evolution and knows the place like the back of his hand. More than just a witness, though, Ric has helped to make The Arboretum what it is today through his dedication, wisdom and hard work. I often say that I have been apprenticing with Ric in the two and half years since I have been here, hoping to absorb as much of his encyclopedic knowledge of the place, its history and its people as possible – it has been a privilege working with him. He will be greatly missed, but we wish him well as he embarks on this new adventure. (We hope he won’t be a stranger – we can always use more volunteers – hint, hint!). Thank you for everything, Ric!

  

Join Alexandra, our Summer Interpretive Naturalist, for the last of her Wednesday Night Walks at The Arboretum. The cost is only $2 with children under 5 FREE! Walks take place every Wednesday evening from 7 - 8:30 p.m., beginning at the J.C. Taylor Nature Centre.

For more information please contact The Arboretum at 519-824-4120 ext. 52363 or go to our website.

August 19th - Cool Evolution: Partners, Dinos, and Awesomeness
Evolution isn’t so difficult to understand when you explore the right examples. And the best examples are the cool ones! Come learn how dinosaurs gave us the plants we have today, how things can evolve in pairs, and how humans have influenced the direction of evolution in some species!

August 26th - Fields of Gold: A Biodiversity Jackpot
Goldenrod provides food and shelter for many invertebrates so you don’t have to go very far to find a posse of cool critters. Let’s go digging for gold in a goldenrod field and see all the neat creatures we can catch.

Wednesday Night Walk
Photo by Bruce MacNeil

The Annual Wall Custance Memorial Forest Dedication Service is on Sunday, September 21, 2014 at 2:30 p.m. For further information please contact the Wall Custance Funeral Home at 519-822-0051 or www.wallcustance.com.

Although it definitely doesn't look or feel like Christmas outside, it is time to think about booking your company's Christmas Party. The Arboretum is a perfect location for your Christmas party. We can accommodate up to 150 people for lunches or dinners with a picturesque view of The Arboretum grounds. We still have some good dates available … book soon before they are gone. For further information please contact Barb Watson – Ash, Marketing and Bookings Co-ordinator at extension 54110, [log in to unmask] or check out our website. All catering is provided by Hospitality Services, University of Guelph. For further information on the catering please call extension 53350 or e-mail [log in to unmask].

Christmas Party in the Auditorium

For those readers who visited Guelph Farmer’s Market on August 1st they were probably in for a surprise. As part of John Galt Day celebrations Wilson Street was turned into a pedestrian mall complete with sod, sandbox, shrubs and trees all at the initiative of two Landscape Architecture students, Cyrille Viola and Calen Hamelin. For those who were there it was a hit as the link below will attest to. The Arboretum wants to highlight the efforts Cyrille and Calen put into the venture because they have graciously donated the plant material used to us and we have committed to find a home for it. Some will be placed into our collections, others may end up in school yards or boulevard plantings. Thanks for your support Calen and Cyrille.


http://www.guelphmercury.com/news-story/5771065-guelph-s-wilson-street-promenade-leaves-residents-curious-about-permanent-car-free-zone/

With more and more families visiting our site in July and August, sightings by kids have been increasing. And our best sightings have been recorded by our Focus On Nature day camp participants! They have found Green Frogs, Eastern Chipmunks, Queen Anne's Lace, Black-capped Chickadees, Shadow Darners and Honey Bees. Check out their great photos on our Flickr site at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/52649814@N05/

  
Green Frog                                        Queen Anne's Lace
Photo by Isabel                                 Photo by Sarah

                             
                              Black-capped Chickadee
                              Photo by Courtney

Be a part of the BetterPlanet Project by donating on-line:

Your donation can be directed to The Arboretum online through the secure University of Guelph donation page: http://uofg.convio.net/arboretum

If you prefer not to make an online donation, there are several other ways to provide your financial support. You can choose to donate by telephone, mail, fax, or in person:

UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH Attention Alumni Affairs 50 Stone Road East Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1 Tel: 1-888-266-3108 ext. 56934 Tel: 519-824-4120 ext. 56934 Fax: 519-822-2670 Email: [log in to unmask]

If you would like information on bequests and planned giving to The Arboretum please contact:

Ross Butler
Director, Gift Planning
at (519) 824-4120 ext. 56196 or by e-mail at [log in to unmask]