 | | This past week, volunteers in Victoria have been installing the Mad Hatters Tea Party Garden at Emily Carr House just a short stroll south of the Provincial Legislature Buildings, down Government Street. Above, is the signage and part of the garden including one of the large teacups planted with a Pitcher plant (Saracenia). Below, the ‘manufactured’ cedar arch, and the tea party table with only one of the cups planted thus far. Next week I’ll try to include the wonderful water garden and Humpty Dumpty (his wall was there but he hadn’t arrived yet last Sunday when I was there). | 
 |  There has not been a great volume of questions in recent weeks, but some lengthy, and interesting ones, nevertheless! For example, my old high school friend, Carol Hallam wrote the following on Thursday. “How long after a watering-can (plastic) has been used for applying vegetation sterilizer can it be used as a regular watering-can?........(maybe NEVER!)?”
My response was, “The best answer to that question is “Never!” as she suggested. However, if a can used for soil sterilizer (which products will soon be totally off the market) is washed out well using a good soap and rinsed many times, it will likely be O.K. Those cans are so cheap though, that it is usually best to place a big red X on it, rinse right away, and then only use it for similar chemicals.
“The exception would be Roundup, which rapidly breaks down when exposed in larger containers of water in which there are clay particles. So, adding a tiny bit of clay to water in such a can will neutralize Roundup.”
Marion Collins in Mississauga wrote indicating she was in a bit of a quandary. “I hope that you can help me or at least be able to give me some advice. About six years ago, I planted a Japanese ornamental lilac tree. At that time, the tree itself was about the size of a beach ball. Well, I have nurtured and loved this tree and now it is very large and takes up the majority of the corner of my back terrace. It is approximately two metres away from the house. Because I live in a townhouse condominium, they want to cut down the tree, as they are concerned that the roots may cause problems to the foundation. Is this a true concern? Would the roots of this particular tree be able to harm the cement foundation? I really want to try to save this absolutely stunning and beautiful tree. If you have any suggestions or can help in any way, I would truly appreciate it.”
The Japanese tree lilac (Syringa reticulata), especially the Sheridan Nurseries 1973-introduced cultivar ‘Ivory Silk’ is an excellent small tree. However, as with all things, some arborists and tree people do not like it, at least as a street tree. That would include Cleveland’s street tree commissioner. What is really interesting though, is that even the Cleveland people who don’t like the Japanese tree lilac as a street tree (because of its long-remaining old flower heads as well as the slow and small amounts of growth), do say that “little or no damage to sidewalks around these trees occurred” over a 25 year+ period. That would appear to be a key point.
Personally, I would not be concerned about roots from this small tree if it is two metres away from the foundation wall. Now, if this was a willow, poplar or even Norway, sugar or silver maple that would be different. They all have widely spreading root systems. I hope Marion is successful in saving her tree.
Caroline de Groot who I think lives in the Toronto area, wrote with an interesting, different type of question. “I am interested in fence designs for my back yard. I live on a traditional corner lot, very wide but not deep. As a result, my backyard is not very deep. The back yard faces west and gets very hot in the summer months. I will be planting trees and shrubs very soon but I would like to put in a fence before I do my planting. I have tried to research which type of fence would allow the most amount of breeze or wind (air circulation) into the backyard. A chain link or wrought iron fence would not give me enough privacy or security from the road on the one side. I need some privacy from the road but it does not need to be complete privacy.
“I am reading conflicting reports about the louver fences. Some literature recommends louvered fences because that design allows breeze into the yard, other literature states the opposite. What type of fence would allow the most breezes (from prevailing winds) into the back yard? Is there really a great difference between styles of fences in terms of the amount of air circulation? What about a lattice type fence. Since the yard is not very big, I can spend a little more money on a design and material that will give me more air circulation.”
To begin, I am glad Caroline thinks chain link would not give enough privacy, although many folks are now inserting those hideous coloured plastic strips through the chain link, which does allow privacy, but the aesthetics, if any, are terrible!
Wrought iron (and the newer aluminium versions) too is out for the same reason, although they are quite nice looking. I do not understand why anyone would say that a louver fence does not allow breezes to pass through! Yes, a louver fence would allow less breeze than no fence, but certainly the various forms of louver fence will definitely allow varying amounts of breezes into your garden, while at the same time providing varying amounts of privacy (depending on how the louvers are placed). My suggestion to Caroline is that she visits the leading company in the fence business, Roma Fence. Roma have six or more locations in the golden horseshoe (do they still call it that?) but their head office is in Brampton, where I visited just this past March. I suggest trying to contact company president, Tony Marra, or his daughter Christina at 905-794-0416 and he or she will likely invite you to visit the nearest location and give you a contact person. Tony Marra’s e-mail address is tmarra@romafence.com .
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by Art Drysdale
