Canada Blooms Newsletter Mid-February 2011

An exclusive peek at Canada Blooms the Flower & Garden Festival

March 16-20, 2011

Looking to green your home and garden? Live Green Toronto can help! With a focus on all things green, Live Green Toronto (a program of the City of Toronto) offers something for the gardener in everyone. Whether you want to reduce your water use, go pesticide free, learn how to plant and care for trees, start a balcony garden — or even a community garden! — you’ll find the tips, tools and resources you need to get started at Live Green Toronto. To learn more, drop by the Toronto Environment Office booth in the City’s Feature Garden (FG25) at Canada Blooms or visit: www.livegreentoronto.ca.

Take a trip through time, enjoy a series of 8 presentation booths depicting the eras from 1970, when the first JUNO Award was presented, to 2011 when Canada’s Music Awards celebrates its 40th anniversary; from its first-year celebration for 250 guests, to the glamorous event that now attracts millions of television viewers across Canada. Canada Blooms, in conjunction with the Canadian Academy of Floral Art (CAFA) will pay homage to the JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards of past, present and future. Times have changed, so have events: JUNO Glam will be a history in event planning, a trip through memory lane — the flowers, the cloths, the décor, the colours, the idea of glamour, the red carpet — the design team from CAFA will bring it all to life by giving you the “JUNO Glam” treatment as only they can! CAFA is the Official Floral sponsor to the 2011 JUNO Awards held in Toronto, Ontario from March 21-27, 2011.

Picture of 2007 JUNO Gala in Saskatoon courtesy of CARAS/iPhoto Inc.

Green For Live Celebrity Stage – Join Neville Mackay
Find out What’s “In” and “In Store” for the 2011 Bridal Bouquet, Wednesday, March 16th at 5:00 pm. Neville travels North America, teaching and showing the latest trends in wedding floral design. Come to this fast-paced show and embrace Neville’s love of flowers as he shares stories (and a few laughs!) while creating beautiful Bridal bouquets for all to enjoy!

Neville will also be Master of Ceremonies for Celebrity Flower Arranging (Thursday at 4:30 and Saturday at 1:30) and Floral Superstars (Thursday at 1:30 and Saturday at 4:30). Keep up with Neville on www.mymothersblooms.ca.

NIAGARA WINE GARDEN – Meet Winemaker Marco Piccoli

Planning your summer entertainment has never been more fun!! Meet Award Winning Jackson Triggs Winemaker – Marco Piccoli on Saturday, March 19th from 2 to 4 pm in the Niagara Wine Garden and discover how to ‘Entertain With Style’. With over 10 years experience in winemaking , Marco, a recipient of several major accolades including ‘Best LCBO White Wine’ and ‘Best Icewine Vinitaly’ will introduce you to new wine experiences that will help you create an enviable garden party.

Gardeners make beautiful places – but just how environmentally aware, or indeed environmentally friendly are we? Can our little gardens face up to and expose the big issues that our changing and increasingly un-natural world is imposing on us? Our own garden sheds contain pesticides, chemicals, broken tools, years of accumulated junk, projects started but unfinished, a snapshot of the hidden truth in our garden and our lives. This re-working of some of the themes for the Métis garden once more challenges us to look at the real impact we are having on the environment, and also provides the perfect white space in which to find new inspiration.
Each shed is a minimal garden in itself, and intended to provoke questions about gardens and built landscape. This intriguing feature is designed by Deborah Nagan who is participating in the 12th edition of the International Garden Festival, to be held at Les Jardins de Métis/Reford Gardens from June 25 to October 2, 2011!

Picture of Les Jardins de Metis/Reford Gardens Urchins from 2010 Canada Blooms

Speaker Series

Yvonne Cunnington

Yvonne Cunnington

Frank Ferragine

Frank Ferragine

Erin McLauglin

Erin McLaughlin

Tamara Robbins Griffith

Tamara Robbins Griffith

Yvonne Cunnington

Paul
Zammit

You won’t want to miss an opportunity to meet a dynamite line-up of gardening specialists brought to you by Canadian Gardening Magazine. Each day at 12:30 pm on the Green For Life Stage you will meet experts Yvonne Cunnington (Wednesday), Paul Zammit (Thursday), Frank Ferragine (Friday), Erin McLaughlin (Saturday), and Tamara Robbins Griffith (Sunday). Discover how to plant a “Garden for Four Season”, “Get Growing”, create “Dramatic Containers”, learn to “Take a Great Garden Photo” and then design beautiful “Spring Floral Arrangements and Hand Tied Bouquets.”

Canada Blooms tickets are available online at canadablooms.com.

Buy your tickets before the show and save $2 off regular admission. Adults tickets are only $16 ($18 at the event) and Seniors and Students only $14 ($16 at the event). As always, children 12 and under are free of charge!

If you are looking for a Bus Tour in your area, click here. Remember to check our website regularly for updates.

Canada Blooms was founded by the Garden Club of Toronto and Landscape Ontario