Comments?

gardens@dufferinpark.ca


For the basics, see
- Website & Privacy Policies
- How To Get Involved
- The Role of the Park

Search options:

up to a month to index new postings
Google
Park Gardens
dufferinpark.ca
web search

Search Park Gardens:
local & up to date but simpler
See Search Page

Department Site Map

Custodians:

posted May 9, 2005

Garden Parties Every Sunday

Caitlin Shea was the founder of the park "garden party." But she was by no means the first gardener who gave her gifts of work and knowledge to the park - in 1993 mothers at the playground dug and planted the first little flowerbed, then in 1994 Rob Rennick helped us plant the first perennial bed beside the rink with the help of the Christie Pits L.A. gang (before there were any ovens nearby). The next year Margie Rutledge laid out and planted the herb garden, and Arie Kamp began his tireless digging of new beds and seeding of all the best flower seeds he plucked from flowerbeds all over the City. In 1996 we applied to Canada Trust for some native plant money, and when we got it, we were befriended by Gene Threndyle, who put in many days of work to help create all the native species gardens in the park, and a few years later to make the marsh garden with the fountain. Ben Figuereido planted the grape vines on the rink chain link fence. Annick Mitchell and her son Jake began the lush demonstration vegetable garden by the ovens.

From time to time a new gardener added another small area of plants. But many of those gardeners got busy with other things after a year or two. There was no steady group to work together until Caitlin showed up four years ago. She kept a lookout for other gardeners, and one by one, Reema, Jeremy, Catherine, and Klaudia joined her. At this time of year, one or several of the garden club dig and plant on most fair-weather Sunday afternoons. They call it the "garden party." They also build compost. This year they're creating a new children's garden by the oven, so that kids can pick their pizza toppings right out of the garden. They welcome old or new green thumbs at any level of participation - if you want to join in, pass by the gardens on a Sunday afternoon, or e-mail gardens@dufferinpark.ca or leave a message at the rink house: 416 392-0913.


posted July 31, 2005

Update From Caitlin Shea, July 2005

I hadn't looked at the gardens page in a while and I have to say the piece up there is, gosh, extremely flattering but I fear it gives me much more credit than I deserve. It's very nice all the same. Thank you. As for ongoing work, things are pretty informal right now since the volunteers are hot. They've been going in when it suits them but, yes, generally we (they) try to meet on Sundays but there's no set time. It's best to encourage interested parties to call first.


hosted by parkcommons.ca | powered by pmwiki-2.2.83. Content last modified on April 14, 2008, at 12:46 AM EST