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

Can you identify these H's? Some of them will be showing themselves
here soon! The answers are at the bottom of the newsletter.

by Ric Jordan

‘April showers bring May flowers’ is one of the earliest gardening rhymes/adages I can remember from my childhood as my parents set about their annual gardening tasks. At the time I don’t think I really understood the underlying premise of this short jingle. To me it seemed more like the showers washed away the accumulated dust and dirt from the grass, shrubs and trees allowing everything to seem greener. Now I understand that this is visual benefit but the real truth of the matter is that those warm spring showers begin to permeate into the ground and assist with frost melt and the initial warming of the soil which in turn leads to seed germination and plant growth. Ah, the wonders of our natural world.

While we fretted and wondered if spring would ever arrive during March it would appear that those showers, perhaps downpours in some areas, of a week ago or so have heralded the arrival of yet another growing season. For the home gardener now the question becomes is it safe to put out their frost sensitive vegetable or flowering plants. Well according to the OMAFRA website in the Guelph area there is still a 50% chance of frost on May 11th. Here at The Arb we wonder whether spring will progress slowly so we can enjoy the transcendence of developing buds and leaves to the fullest or will we leap into early summer as occurred a few years ago. I know I’ll be rooting for the slow and gradual even though those clear skies and warm sun feel wonderful.

Recently while walking into campus at the end of the day the din of the spring peepers as I approached the kiosk was truly amazing. I don’t believe I have ever heard them so vocal before. Also we have had many reports of sighting of a pair Pileated Woodpeckers in the woods this year. Some wonderful photos have been posted on the Arb’s Flick’r site as well as other pages. Some visitors have wondered what the large silo like structure is that is being built on our western boundary just north of east residences. In an attempt to keep the answer simple it is easiest to describe it as a water silo – a very big one. When complete it will be approximately 100 feet in height and I believe about 80 feet in diameter. The campus uses a great deal of chilled water in its operations and as a cost saving measure this will in effect be a storage facility for water that is chilled at night when costs are much lower and then distributed to the campus as required during the work day.

Hopefully by the time you are reading this we will have been able to have the roads graded. Experience has taught us that it is better to suffer the rough terrain for a week or two longer in the spring to allow the frost to fully be gone and the material to dry somewhat before getting the grader in. We are also prepping the gardens and getting the ponds ready for another season. It always amazes me how much time the ponds take, especially with an early season. Our summer staff will be on board starting the 27th and we are fortunate to have 2 individuals returning so they will be able to hit the ground running and play a bit of a leadership role for the crew. If I can catch them at a standstill I’ll try to post a picture in next month’s newsletter.

While it may be a bit early yet “In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”
― Margaret Atwood, Bluebeard's Egg

Slainte
Ric

by Sean Fox

Despite the cold, damp weather that March dropped onto much of Ontario this year, the first day of spring was a beautiful one, and it was a fantastic way to mark our second annual Arborist Day of Service and a full day of tree care in the Wall-Custance Memorial Forest Grove.

The Wall-Custance Memorial Forest Ceremony welcomes several thousand visitors to the grove every autumn to gather underneath the shade that the forest provides, and keeping the trees healthy and structurally-safe is important in ensuring that the high canopy can be enjoyed by visitors for years to come. As a non-profit organization that is open to the public free-of-charge, the growth of The Arboretum is enabled, in large part, by the generous support of our volunteers and donors. During the Arborist Day of Service, seven professional arborists not only donated their services free-of-charge, but also volunteered their equipment and expertise to climb high into our trees to provide some much-needed arboricultural care.

Beginning early in the morning, a large area was cordoned off to keep visitors safe, and the arborists then began their ascents into the canopies of trees in need of attention. Many of the largest trees had selective weight reductions performed within the canopy to improve the structure and enable them to better withstand wind and ice loads without being damaged. Other trees were checked for cavities or weak areas, and support cables were inspected and repositioned. Younger trees were provided with structural training to prevent future complications, and other trees still had smaller hanging branches removed that were a lingering result of the huge ongoing clean-up efforts following the ice storm of late 2013. Being such a beautiful day, The Arboretum was full of visitors, and most couldn’t resist stopping at the barricades to marvel at the aerial acrobatics being performed within the work zone. Seeing a crew of people 25 metres up, scattered amongst several trees, is sure to catch anyone’s attention, and it was a rare chance for many to watch some experts do what they do best.

The day proved to be a huge success, and it was a fun way for a crew of people that are passionate about trees to get together to share techniques and stories, while providing a huge service to The Arboretum and the noble trees within.

It is difficult to even begin expressing our gratitude to those who came to help out, but a huge thank you goes out to Doug Steel and Collin Dalton from Full Circle Tree Care, Phil Whetstone, Anton Artuzo and Zen Ruzycky from Capella Tree Service, Pete Dewey, who volunteered on a day-off from his full-time job at Grand River Conservation Authority, and Rob Shaw-Lukavsky the arborist responsible for maintaining the trees within the grounds of the University of Guelph’s campus core. All-in-all, nearly 70 hours of professional expertise was donated, and it’s comforting to know that our trees are being cared for by such capable hands. Thank you, sincerely, to everyone above who made this day happen.

For more photos from the 2015 Arboretum Arborist Day of Service, please follow the link to our Arboretum Flickr page.

Doug Steel, Rob Shaw-Lukavsky, Phil Whetstone, Zen Ruzycky, Anton
Artuzo, Arboretum staff member; Kellen Wood, Collin Dalton and Pete Dewey.

Volunteer Week is April 12 – 18, 2015. The Arboretum Volunteers help The Arboretum grow and we the Arboretum staff would like to extend a huge “Thank you” to all our fabulous and invaluable volunteers. The Arboretum would not be what it is today without your help. New volunteers are always welcome and we have something for everyone. Volunteers assist us on the grounds and in the gardens, in the greenhouse / nursery, with our plant sale, on our front desk, fund-raising endeavors, giving tours, administrative duties such as computer work and stuffing envelopes for mailings and so much more. Further information can be found on our website or by contacting our Volunteer Co-ordinator, Ranee Pararajasingham at 519-824-4120 ext. 52358 or [log in to unmask].

Thank you to everyone that responded to our request in last month's newsletter. It is great to see what The Arboretum means to you.  Here are some examples of what people sent in... maybe one of them is yours!

by Chris Earley

Spring is springing, though maybe not quite as quickly as it normally does. We do have snowdrops in the Gosling Wildlife Gardens and our bird sightings have included some singing and/or nesting activity of species such as Brown Creepers and Pileated Woodpeckers. More flowers and birds are expected soon! Raccoons and skunks have been active lately and we have had many reports of porcupines recently as well (so keep those dogs on a leash!!!). Our Arboretum Centre Mallard pair has already returned and might be seen at the Reflecting Pool welcoming you into the building.

                            
                             Mallard Ducks
                             photo by Owen Bjorgan

 
Porcupine                                     Pileated Woodpecker
photo by Owen Bjorgan                  photo by Bryan Flynn

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]