Below is a summary of our upcoming workshops. The complete description of each one can be found on our website. Our workshops are an important part of what we do. We 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.

Our registration is an on-line registration process which allows you to register for our programs at anytime. A secure link is provided for this easy registration process. Click here for the link.



 
 

by Chris Earley

My Dad's favourite colour is orange and back when I was a kid (and that's way, way back, folks) it was embarrassing...NO ONE'S favourite colour was ORANGE! But now it is quite popular, so maybe my Dad is a trend setter or just way before his time? That brings us to this month's quiz: all of these organisms have the word "Orange" in their names. Can you figure them all out? Click here for a printable version. The answers are at the bottom of the newsletter.

Spring has arrived and with that the grounds are evolving everyday with shoots coming up, buds bursting and creatures returning. The grounds are a great place to come for a walk for exercise or to refresh your mind.

Jason's Wednesday noon hour walks continue. Meet at the kiosk just before 12:15 each Wednesday to join him as he explores something new in The Arboretum each week. The walks are free and the kiosk is on the campus end of our promenade. If you would like further information please contact Jason at: [log in to unmask] or 519-824-4120 ext. 53615.

With the warmer temperatures our grounds staff begins to spend the majority of their time outdoors. As of late they are populating the Wall Custance Memorial Forest with more trees as well as doing tree plantings in the World of Trees. The Roots and Shoots Woodland Garden is being tended to with new plants and care in collaboration with the Master Gardeners. There are also new plantings going into the Italian Garden. You will also see some new signage going up in various locations.

Many of our volunteer groups begin to come out in the Spring to begin the tasks of keeping our grounds beautiful. We have gardening groups as well as grounds and collection groups that spend countless hours weeding, pruning, tidying and so much more. We can't forget some of our other groups such as the front desk staff, seed groups, docents and plant nursery group that also spend so much of their time here at The Arboretum.

Jason and some of our volunteers had a display in the University Centre earlier this month. It was a great opportunity to chat with faculty, staff and students on campus and make them aware of what is happening at The Arboretum. He also got to spread the word about our t-shirts, hats, booklets, journals and biodiversity sheets.

The grounds are open daily from dawn until dusk. We hope to see many of you here enjoying the grounds whether it be walking, running, enjoying the sun on a bench or blanket, taking one of our workshops, taking a break from a meeting in one of our meeting rooms, taking a stroll before a banquet or wedding here, birdwatching or searching for creatures. One of my favourite sights each spring is the huge carpet of Trilliums that bloom in Victoria Woods near the end of April / beginning of May ... be sure to start checking soon for this, as it is a spectacular sight.

by Sean Fox

The recent arrival of warm air has amplified the feeling of spring in our area, and the early blooms on some of our fast-starters (I’m talking to you, Leatherwood and Ozark Witch-hazel) are a cheerful reminder of what’s to come over the next several weeks.
In our Arboretum greenhouse, The Henry Kock Propagation Centre, we’ve become accustomed to an even earlier annual start to spring, especially during years with extended thaws during the winter. When the weather starts to warm outdoors, the plants in the cool zone of our greenhouse (a space we keep just above freezing during the winter) start to come alive a couple of weeks ahead of their partners outside. This early start provides us with a glimpse of how the tiny, young plants have come through their winter dormancy, and it provides some welcome feelings of anticipation for when we’ll be able to introduce these new plants to visitors of our plant collections.

Since inception over 45 years ago, The Arboretum has been operating our own nursery as a means to build the unique plant collections and restoration spaces that span our 165 hectares. Like other botanical gardens and arboreta, The University of Guelph Arboretum is home to many charismatic and well-known plants. Touring the grounds will provide a glimpse of native plants that can be found at most garden centres, such Sugar Maple and Ninebark, as well as introductions from Europe and Asia, such as Ginkgo and European Beech.

But, what makes The Arboretum especially unique is our increased emphasis on species that are obscure to literature and often unknown to cultivation. A wander through our collections will unveil plants that are unlikely to be seen in most other botanical gardens or garden centres. In fact, the only time you are likely to come across these plants is if you happen across them in their preferred wild habitats, and even then they can be easily overlooked and often difficult to identify. One of the key benefits to visiting a place such as The Arboretum is the opportunity to conveniently learn about biodiversity, plant relationships and contrasting identification features – all with labels in place to help you remember these new discoveries in preparation for your next hike in the wild.

As most of these less common plants are very rarely available commercially, albeit from only the most specialized native plant nurseries, the only way to obtain them is to propagate them yourself. During the winter months, our greenhouse is a hub of plant diversity with over 500 taxa of plants being grown at any given time. During the late winter, as buds start to swell in the greenhouse, we get an early reminder of what’s on the docket for spring planting into our plant collections.

With so many unique specimens under the careful stewardship of our Arboretum staff and volunteers, it’s difficult to choose favourites, but a few plants that I’m particularly enthusiastic about include Bristly Dewberry (Rubus hispidus), Swamp Cottonwood (Populus heterophylla), Beautiful Serviceberry (Amelanchier amabilis), Creeping Snowberry (Gaultheria hispidula), Arctic Raspberry (Rubus arcticus) and Susquehanna Sand Cherry (Prunus pumila var. susquehanae). Many will be surprised to learn that these plants are all native to Ontario, and not only are they exceedingly rare in cultivation, but many of our experienced naturalist visitors may not have ever witnessed them in the wild either.

While we’ve been fortunate to receive an early taste of spring in our greenhouse, by the time you read this a diverse array of buds will also be bursting open throughout The Arboretum. We’re excited to add some new plants to this mix, so we hope you keep a watchful eye open for the unique during your next visit. And, please stay tuned to future issues of The Arboretum newsletter for more previews of what’s been growing on…

A printable version of this article is available at: http://www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/Listservnewsletter/April_2017/SFox-ArbNewsletter-April2017.pdf

 
Beautiful Serviceberry (Amelanchier     Creeping Snowberry (Gaultheria 
amabilis)                                         hispidula)

 
Artic Raspberry (Rubus articus)                      Susquehanna Sand Cherry (Prunus
                                                                             pumila var. susquehanae)

by Jason Chan

Centuries ago, the Eastern White Pine was a dominant tree species that towered over the forests across North America; reaching heights of 50-57 metres. But at the same time, the monumental tree has also reached great depths, establishing deep roots in the history of North America.

Stepping back into the 1700’s, the Europeans began their venture over to North America. At the time, Great Britain ruled over the seas with the Royal Navy, but to keep such a name, they relied on the building and production of ships. The task was made easy when they discovered the magnificent white pines. The wood was light, durable and resistant to decay; it was perfect. So they saw, and they took. An uncountable number of trees were taken down; in fact, the ideal trees (which have a 24 inch diameter) were marked with the “King’s Broad Arrow Symbol” indicating that they were reserved for Europeans only. The trees were so important that by 1722, a law declared that cutting down any marked trees would lead to a fine of fifty to a hundred pounds ($80-$170 Cdn). Sources claim that while those living in the north complied peacefully, their neighbours south of them didn’t. The Americans had used the trees for their own living and profit, and so trees with the symbol were illegally cut down. They tried to hide their actions by making marks on other trees.

The increasing tension led to the Pine Tree Riot of 1772. The British, noticing that “their” marked pines were being cut down and used by others, issued a search in sawmills for their trees. Fines were given out to some in New Hampshire, in towns Goffstown and Weare, but the story goes that only those in Goffstown paid. Those from Weare, on the other hand, caused a riot upon arrest, assaulting the officials with whips, and humiliating the officers by shaving the manes and cutting the ears off their horses. It is thought that alongside the tea act from 1773, this pine riot contributed in fuelling the American Revolution. The conflict between Great Britain and the Americans eventually boiled over, culminating in the American War of Independence (1775-1783).

However, back up north, the waterways along the Ottawa Valley quickly became a main mode of transport for the logs. Log drivers became known for their acrobatic dances as they helped channel the resource down the rivers, so much so that even a song was written about them - The Log Driver’s Waltz (you can listen to it here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upsZZ2s3xv8&feature=youtu.be). And as logs floated down the waterways, the pine trees began to disappear from our forests. But thankfully, some of the original giants are still around - some that were missed by the Europeans, and some that are protected in Algonquin Provincial Park.

The White Pine finds a place in the folklore of the First Nations people as well, being known as the Tree of Great Peace for the Haudenosaunee people. Legend tells of how five warring nations were united under the Eastern White Pine, represented by the bundle of five needles on the pine, as they put down and buried their weapons to live in harmony with one another.

But the original role of the Eastern White Pine before its industry days was its contribution to the biodiversity of its surrounding environment. Its seeds and bark are consumed by browsers and songbirds, soaring raptors build their nests within its foliage, raccoons and woodpeckers find shelter in cavity holes, and even bears and their cubs take refuge by climbing up the towering giants for safety. As our cities develop, we must not forget this original significance of the white pine, and the significance of natural areas in general, because once they’re gone, they’re gone.

In 1984, The Eastern White Pine was officially named Ontario’s provincial tree. The great pine that stands in our forests now also stands in our textbooks, as a home to wildlife, a symbol of peace, and a (re)source of controversy.

The Arboretum is also very excited to announce that this summer, for Canada’s 150th anniversary, a new sign series highlighting the provincial and territorial trees of Canada will be released and displayed on the grounds. Stay tuned!

A printable version of this article is available here: http://www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/Listservnewsletter/April_2017/Eastern%20White%20Pine%20Newsletter%20Article.pdf

by Kellen Wood

As some of you may have noticed there has been a focused effort to revitalize the Entrance to the Gosling Wildlife Garden over the past couple of years. In 2015, an arbour was moved from the Guelph Centre for Urban Organic Farming to the Entrance of the garden. This was a joint effort with Pollination Guelph and The Arboretum. To continue on with the effort of landscaping the entrance to the garden, this year we will be hosting a dry stone wall workshop to build a wall alongside the arbour.

There is a rich history of dry stone walling throughout many different areas of the world with a multitude of different climates. Stone wall construction has been dated back to the Neolithic age (~4500 BCE-1700BCE) in North-western Europe. Scotland and Ireland have numerous examples of the practice; however there are other isolated instances. There is dry stone construction in South America, specifically Belize and Peru (the Inca built Machu Picchu around 1450). The building practice was also quite popular with Vikings, who are believed to be responsible for sites in Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland.

Essentially dry stone is a method to construct a structure from various stones without the use of a mortar to secure them together. This is achieved by interlocking the stone together and strategically placing each stone to utilize the shape, size and makeup of the stone. All of these things are considered for the different components of a stone wall. Footings and through stones are typically quite squared off and angular for adhesion and stability purposes. The course and hearting stones have to have a relationship and fit with one another to hold securely and maintain the load that is carried throughout. The heart stones are where the strength is produced. The tighter the heart stones are placed, the more integrity the wall will have.



(https://thestonetrust.org/resources/how-to/, 2017)

John Shaw-Rimmington is the dry stone artist and the President of the D.S.W.A.C. (Dry Stone Walling Across Canada) that will teaching the workshop. If you are interested in the workshop please look here: (https://www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/educationandevents/workshops) and if you are interested in the craft please visit John’s blog (https://thinking-stoneman.blogspot.ca/)

As we approach National Volunteer Week (April 23 - 29, 2017) we would like to send a heartfelt "Thank You" out to all of our Arboretum volunteers!! Without our volunteers The Arboretum would be a very different place. Countless hours are spent every year by volunteers with such a variety of interests, skills and talents to "help The Arboretum grow" into what it is today. They are a pleasure to work with! Thank you to each and everyone of our volunteers!

If you are interested in volunteering please visit our website for further information and complete the volunteer application that can be found on our website at: https://www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/volunteer/overview

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 Dawn Ann Webster at [log in to unmask] or 519-824-4120 ext. 54110.

Spring is here and with Spring lots of creatures and plants start to re-appear. Wouldn't it be great to be able to identify everything you are seeing? Whether you are watching the variety of birds of different sizes and colours migrating through or returning to your bird feeder, going for a hike through a wooded area where wildflowers are pushing through the earth's surface towards sunlight and trees are budding or seeing different creatures as you are out and about. There are many ways and places to explore and discover nature. If you would like to be able to identify what you are seeing, than we have an amazing set of full colour double sided biodiversity sheets that you can use to quickly identify what you are looking at. Some of the sheets are: Backyard Birds, Spring Migrant Birds, Caterpillars, Butterflies and Moths, Hawks and Owls, Reptiles and Amphibians, Dragonflies, Native Tree Leaves, Spring and Summer Wild Flowers and more. A complete list and photo of the sheets is available on our website at: https://www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/educationandevents/arboretumbooks. Each sheet is $5 or all 19 of them are sold for $85 including tax. Please contact Barb Watson - Ash at [log in to unmask] or 519-824-4120 ext. 52358 if you would like further information or to purchase some sheets. You can also stop by The Arboretum Centre during business hours to purchase them in person. Visa, MasterCard, debit and cash are accepted.

They're back! We now have lots of Song Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds and Common Grackles at our feeders. Our Cooper's Hawks have been seen displaying and Killdeers are flying overhead. It looks like we might have our first confirmed nesting of a Red-bellied Woodpecker as a pair is setting up shop in Wild Goose Woods; our first record of this species was only 8 years ago. Our first sighting of a Mourning Cloak happened last week and another unidentified orange butterfly was seen, too. Many tree buds are beginning to swell and Spring Peepers and Wood Frogs are singing. Spring is really happening!

  
Red-bellied Woodpecker                   Mourning Cloak

Click here to go back to the quiz.

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:

Amy Atkinson
Senior Development Manager, Ontario Agricultural College
at (519) 824-4120 ext. 58652 or by e-mail at [log in to unmask]