Our dedicated benches are not only fund-raisers for us, they are great places for visitors to stop and enjoy the view. But they are not only used by humans. Besides many species of lichens that grow on them, our benches are also used by many different animals. The benches beside our reflecting pool at the entrance to The Arboretum Centre are favourite sunning spots for many wildlife species, especially at this time of the year. All of the photos in this quiz are of visitors to these three benches. How many of our benched wildlife can you identify?  The answers are at the bottom of the newsletter.

by Ric Jordan

I hope everyone experienced a great Family Day on the 16th and were able to get out and enjoy all that winter has to offer wherever you live. Personally I’m in Cardiff, Wales visiting my daughter and son-in-law experiencing an early spring. The snowdrops and crocus are out, daffodils are about to bloom and temperatures are in the 10 degree range. Perhaps I can bring some spring back with me when I return. While we have no official counts my observation would be that more individuals have been getting out and using the grounds for skiing and even snowshoeing this winter as we have keep getting fresh snow falls and temperatures that do not prohibit enjoying the outdoors. Kellen has been keeping the promenade and some trails open for the walkers and joggers and a number have contacted us with thank yous and one even dropped off a container of goodies at the Hilton Centre. We will continue to do this as much as possible but be forewarned we do not have the capabilities to sand the paths once we get into that period of melting and freezing creating icy footing for users.

Chris saw two Eastern Bluebirds at The Arb Centre on the 12th. Here is a photo showing one enjoying the Asian Bittersweet Berries.  Also for the birders, both experienced and novice, here is a link to a new feature from Bird Studies Canada to assist you in finding birds to add to your life list. Appears to be quite easy to use and well laid out. I know I’m registering and checking out what I might expect to see in Wales. http://ebird.org/content/canada/news/introducing-ebird-targets-explore-the-possibilities/

                                    

On the 17th, or about the time you are reading this I will be quietly raising a celebratory libation of some sort to mark 37 years of full time employment at The Arb. The accompanying photo shows the staff who were attached to the grounds operation for that summer.

Unfortunately for one reason or another I have lost touch with all of the summer crew but one, while the full timers have managed to keep in touch on an irregular basis. Ruth lives in the Guelph area, John is in Australia and Ross (absent in photo) lives in Stratford and just celebrated his 90th birthday. As an aside we are posing on the site of the present Henry Kock Propagation Facilty.



Last month I mentioned our presence on social media and I was pleased to see a number of new followers on Twitter and likes on Facebook. If you haven’t already checked them out please do try either or both. We try to be quite sensible in our use of both mediums but one aspect I hope to implement by April will be some then and now photos to show the changes and growth of this fantastic resource to the Guelph community and beyond.

Until March ….

slainte
ric

by Sean Fox

Without fail, during every workshop that I lead through the World of Trees Collection in The Arboretum, there is a particular tree that always seems to steal the attention of our visitors away from the topic at hand. Try as I may to veer in another direction, the irresistible pull always causes a few people to drift away to sneak a little bit closer, trying to take a peek at the label at the base of the tree. As a species that is rarely offered in nurseries, or found in cultivation, this tree, with the absolutely enormous leaves, is something that most visitors have never come across, and certainly not growing in Ontario. It couldn’t be a banana tree, could it? What could it possibly be?

While the distraction that Umbrella Magnolia (Magnolia tripetala) causes may temporarily take us off task, I can’t help but smile every time it does, as it is the reason that I, and many of our visitors, love The Arboretum so much – that insatiable sense of curiosity that every new discovery brings. And, it is easy to understand how this species is such an attention-getter in our collections. While most people think of magnolias for their spring floral show, it is the huge 30-60cm long, 20cm wide leaves of umbrella magnolia that first draw you in. The large, creamy-white flowers (“tripetala” refers to the 3 petal-like sepals on the flowers, there are actually 6-9 true petals), while quite appealing in their own right, appear later than the magnolias that are more commonly available in garden centres, such as saucer and star magnolias, and can often be missed as they hide amongst the foliage. That leafy canopy, though –wow! Not only are the leaves large enough to take cover under during a drizzle, but the tendency for them to be arranged in clusters at the end of mature branches lends even further to the umbrella-like insinuation. Perhaps, Donald Culross Peattie, in his book, A Natural History of Trees in Eastern and Central North America, said it best when he wrote:

In autumn the foliage takes on no beautiful colours. It turns suddenly brown at the touch of frost and soon drops, but in summer the great, filmy, pale green leaves, clustered umbrella-fashion at the end of the stem, seem the very embodiment of the Appalachian forests’ spirit, as they shine through the underwood (278).

As Peattie alluded to, Umbrella Magnolia can be found growing naturally in the Appalachian region of the eastern US, though even in this core range it can be an elusive plant to track. This is mainly due to its preference for moist, well-drained sites with rich soils and shelter from exposure. Protected slopes, forest margins and stream edges are preferred habitats, where they thrive in dappled shade alongside species such as Tulip-tree, Red Maple, Sweetgum and Great Rhododendrons. During some of my botanical adventures in Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky, I’ve even been lucky enough to occasionally find it mingling amongst some if it’s close relatives, as well. Particularly, the even larger-leaved, Bigleaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla), the rare, higher elevation, Mountain Magnolia (Magnolia fraseri) and, Cucumber-Tree (Magnolia acuminata), a species that’s range also extends all the way into southern Ontario.

While Umbrella Magnolia is an impressive sight to behold, it has mostly been ignored in the nursery industry in exchange for the earlier-blooming and more colourful hybrids and cultivars that are listed in most catalogues. Other knocks on its suitability as an ornamental include its tendency to produce congested basal branches, and the likelihood of the large leaves to become tattered during heavy wind or hail storms. These are very minor concessions for a tree that can look so magical in a woodland garden. Here its ultimate 10-15m height can form a tropical-like mid-level canopy below the shade of larger trees, such as American Beech and Eastern Hemlock, while adding a striking contrast to the forest-loving shrubs and herbs below. And, as a testament to its durability, while preferring sheltered sites and slightly acidic soil conditions, the 28 year-old individual in our World of Trees Collection is thriving in the alkaline soils of Guelph, with full sun in the summer and full exposure to the cold, zone 5a winters that are typical to our area. I’d say that’s quite impressive for a species that might seemingly look more at home in a tropical rainforest.

In addition to the specimen mentioned above, you will also find a younger Umbrella Magnolia growing adjacent to the Jane Goodall Roots & Shoots Peace Garden near The Arboretum Centre. This woodland garden has recently been further developed and cared-for with kind support and stewardship from the Guelph & Wellington County Master Gardeners. Their efforts are turning it into a beautiful and diverse site where the woodland treasures of the forest floor can be enjoyed while passing underneath some of The Arboretum’s very unique trees.

 
Photo 1: The maturing fruit of Umbrella Magnolia in The Arboretum's World of Trees Collection. When fully ripe, it will be a vibrant pink in colour.

Photo 2: A young Umbrella Magnolia just beginning to unfurl its large leaves during spring in the woods of Kentucky.

The Arboretum’s grounds are the perfect setting for group tours. Our knowledgeable docents (trained volunteer guides) give pre-arranged 1 ½ hour tours of The Arboretum’s grounds, gardens, collections and other points of interest. The tours can be focused on the areas that are seasonally appropriate and / or that are of interest to you and your group. Tours should be booked a minimum of 2 weeks in advance. The cost is $5 per person, with a minimum charge of $60. Tours provide an excellent break for a meeting group. For further information on tours or to make a reservation please contact Barb Watson – Ash at [log in to unmask] or 519-824-4120 ext. 54110.

I hope everyone had a Happy Valentine's Day! If you or someone you know is lucky enough to have given or received that special ring and proposal and beginning to plan for that exciting day please be sure to check The Arboretum out for the ceremony and reception. For further information please contact Barb Watson – Ash at 519-824-4120 ext. 54110 or [log in to unmask]. Further information on our unique reception facilities and outdoor ceremony sites can be found on our website.

 
West Lawn                                          Auditorium

Basic SLR Photography, Art and Practice of Pruning and Gardening Fundamentals workshops are approaching. The dates and registration deadlines can be found in our Coming Events Listing in the column on the left side of this newsletter. A detailed description of each course is available on our website. Help us promote our programs … please forward this e-mail on to your friends and colleagues who may be interested. The more participants we have, the more programs we can offer.

Registering early is important for us because we need lead time to decide if we are running the workshop or not. To encourage registering before the deadline, we now have an Early Bird Fee. You can still register after the deadline, but it will cost an extra $10, so why not register early? This plan will also help newspapers get the word out in time - we often get a great listing in a newspaper right after the deadline and after we have cancelled the program due to low registration numbers! Hopefully this new plan will ensure that most of our workshops get enough participants to run them!

Registration is available on-line which allows you to register for our programs at anytime, not just during our regular business hours. A secure link is provided on our website for this easy registration process.

If you do not have internet access registration can still be made by phone or in person at 519-824-4120 ext. 52358 as in the past. Please remember that a decision is made on the registration deadline as to whether the workshop will run or not, based on the minimum number of required registrants. You may still register after the deadline as long as the workshop is running and there is space.

This time of the year is often quiet but we have still had some wonderful sightings recently. These include Coyote, Porcupine, Eastern Bluebird, Short-tailed Shrew, Common Redpoll and Cooper's Hawk. While walking in between The Arboretum Centre and the JC Taylor Centre, I came across some fresh Ruffed Grouse tracks. While I was looking at the tracks, I heard a sound to my left and looked up to see two Ruffed Grouse sitting on the split rail fence right beside me! I would have walked right past them if I hadn't stopped to look at the tracks. This is a first record for Victoria Woods. We have also found grouse in Wild Goose Woods and the forested area around The Arboretum Centre this winter.

 
Ruffed Grouse                                      Bluebird

                                
                                     Common Redpolls, American
                                  Goldfinches and Dark-eyed Junco

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]