THE TWINFLOWER
FRIENDS OF MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND BOTANICAL GARDEN
NOTICE
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Friends of MUN Botanical Garden
Wednesday, November 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Botanical Garden Field Centre,
Mount Scio Road
For those wishing to review the minutes of
the 2007 A.G.M., copies are available at the
Botanical Garden.
There will be a short business meeting
followed by refreshments.
Presentations will be made by the Botanical
Garden’s director, Dr. Wilf Nicholls, on the
role of botanical gardens in today’s society
and by Anne Madden, education
coordinator, on the Botanical Garden’s
education programs.
Nominations for the new FOG executive
will be accepted. For more information,
please see page 2.
EVERYONE WELCOME!
Be sure to visit the Garden Gift shop
on November 19 - 20 for special
FOG Customer Appreciation Days.
AUTUMN, 2008
Sundays at the Tea Room
New this fall!
All-day Sunday brunch at the
Tea Room at the Garden.
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
A quiet brunch destination
in a woodland setting.
Available October 26 – December 21, 2008.
Check out our new fall menu! Something for
everyone’s taste. Reservations are
recommended. Call 754-8888.
Start your Christmas shopping at the
Garden’s gift shop or take a quiet stroll along
one of the nature trails.
Fall hours for the Tea Room at the Garden:
Open daily, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
In this issue……….
AGM Notice
Sundays at the Tea Room
Annual General Meeting
Fall Hours at the Garden
Customer Appreciation Days
Remembrance Day
Message from the Director
Art Exhibit at the Garden
Winter Woods Walk Program
Striking the Balance: The
Economy and the Environment
Thoughts on Aly O’Brien
Hydrangeas for Newfoundland
The twinflower (Linnaea borealis L.) is
the title of the Friend’s newsletter and
the emblem for MUN Botanical
Garden. Illustration by Dianne
McLeod.
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The Twinflower – A Newsletter of the Friends of the Garden
The Friends of the Garden
Notice of Annual General Meeting
The 2008 Annual General Meeting of the Friends
of Memorial University Botanical Garden Inc. will
be held on Wednesday, November 19 at 7:30
p.m. in the conference room at the Botanical
Garden on Mount Scio Road. All members are
invited to attend.
Draft Agenda:
1. Approval of Minutes:
a) AGM November 22, 2007.
b) Spring General Meeting, June 4, 2008.
Copies of both sets of minutes will be available on
request from the front desk at the Garden for
three weeks prior to the meeting.
2. President's report for 2007-2008.
3. Treasurer's report.
4. Election of Officers.
Nominations will be accepted from the floor at the
meeting.
5. Honorary memberships.
6. Any other business.
7. Adjournment of official meeting.
After the business meeting there will be a break
for refreshments and purchases from the Gift
Shop. (Members receive a 20% discount on most
items excluding books and CD’s.)
At approximately 8 p.m. presentations will be
made by Botanical Garden staff. Dr. Wilf Nicholls,
garden director, will speak on the role of botanical
gardens in today’s society and will outline some of
the highlights of our 2008 season. Anne Madden,
education coordinator, will do a brief presentation
on the Botanical Garden’s education programs.
Bodil Larsen, President FOG
Fall Hours at the Garden
Effective October 1, the Garden switched to
fall operating hours. The Garden is open
daily, including weekends 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.,
until November 30.
AUTUMN 2008
FOG Appreciation Days
at the Garden Gift Shop
Wednesday, November 19, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Thursday, November 20, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
20% off most merchandise (some exceptions
apply including books, CD’s and flowers).
______________
General Public Customer
Appreciation Days at the Gift Shop
Sunday, November 23
& Monday November 24
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Please spread the word to all your friends.
20% off most merchandise (some exceptions
apply including books, CD’s, and flowers).
Jane Cooper
Visitor Services/Gift Shop Manager
MUN Botanical Garden
Telephone (709) 737-8590
Fax: (709) 737-8596
E-mail: [email protected]
Remembrance Day Notice
In observance of Remembrance Day, the
Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical
Garden will be closed on Tuesday, November 11.
The Garden is open daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until
November 30.
LEST WE FORGET
"The university was raised by the people of
Newfoundland as a memorial to the fallen in the
great wars, 1914-1918, 1939-1945, that in
freedom of learning their cause and sacrifice
might not be forgotten."
This inscription appears on a plaque in the Arts &
Administration building of Memorial University.
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The Twinflower – A Newsletter of the Friends of the Garden
AUTUMN 2008
Some Words of Thanks
Art Exhibition at the Garden
Another busy season is winding down at the
Botanical Garden. We have, and continue to face,
some considerable challenges this year but it is so
good to know that the Friends of the Garden, the
Board and the community as a whole are there for
us and supporting this garden and the work that we
do.
MUN Botanical Garden: An Insider’s Perspective
Friday, October 31 - Sunday, November 30, 2008
Artists: MUN Botanical Garden staff
When we sent out an appeal for help in buying a
new truck, you were there and, to date, over
$10,000 has been donated to help us purchase a
truck before the worst of the winter hits us.
Art exhibits are held in the Garden’s conference
room. Public viewing hours for these shows will
vary, due to private bookings of the facility.
Please call the Botanical Garden at 737-8590 to
confirm times and dates. For more information on
events and programs at MUN Botanical Garden,
please visit www.mun.ca/botgarden.
When we announced a ticket draw to help fund MUN
Botanical Garden’s children’s education programs,
you were there and hundreds of tickets have been
sold. While top prize is a trip to the Philadelphia
Flower Show, the 2nd prize is a wonderful patio set
made by the Friends carpentry group. And, by the
way, there are hundreds more to sell before our
December 23 deadline, but I thank everyone who
has bought and sold tickets.
At the last Friends of the Garden excutive meeting I
was asked to compose my “wish list” so that at their
next meeting they can discuss the annual donation
to the Garden. The funds for that donation comes
directly from FOG memberships, FOG plant sales,
FOG dried flower arrangements and other FOG
revenue. The list, as always, will include items and
support that spans all aspects of this garden (trails,
gardens, visitor services and education) for the
Friends are part of this entire garden and
appreciated by the entire staff.
While I have discussed money in the above column,
we must also be very cognizant of the non-monetary
value of the Friends. The work that active FOG
members undertake is magnificent. The hours, skill
and care that FOG puts into horticulture, carpentry,
the Wildlife-friendly Garden, bird-watching walks,
library, desk duties, dried-flower growing and
arranging, membership, accounting and organizing
is so appreciated. Furthermore, the Friends are a
strong and important link to our community. They
are advocates, advisors and allies that we, and all
gardens, need especially during times of financial
and administrative uncertainty. We are glad you are
there and my thanks to all the active and supportive
Friends of MUN Botanical Garden.
Dr. Wilf Nicholls, Director
Insider’s Perspective will provide a glimpse of
nature and gardens though the eyes of Botanical
Garden staff.
Winter Woods Walk with Christmas Crafts
Family Program at the Garden
Come celebrate winter and the upcoming Christmas
season at the Garden on Sunday November 23, as
part of our Special Family Day Series at the Garden.
Join our education staff for a nature hike at 10 a.m. or
1 p.m., followed by a special story time and nature
crafts. Morning and afternoon sessions are available.
10 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
11 a.m.
Winter walk
Hot chocolate and story time
Crafts
1 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
2 p.m.
Winter walk
Hot chocolate and story time
Crafts
Fee: general admission (low rates are in effect).
FREE for Friends of the Garden and MUN
students. Registration is not required. All children
must be accompanied by an adult. Suitable for
young children and their families.
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The Twinflower – A Newsletter of the Friends of the Garden
Striking the Balance:
The Economy and Environment
The world is facing a credit crunch and climate
crisis. How will Canada manage its global
commitments to the environment in the midst of
uncertainty on the world markets? Join us for a
public dialogue bringing together community
members, business leaders, non-profit
organizations, students and concerned citizens to
explore this and other important questions.
Monday November 24, 2008
MUN Botanical Garden
Conference Room
306 Mt. Scio Rd.
St. John's
9:30 am – 4:00 pm
(Registration begins at 9:00)
Lunch will be provided
The dialogue is free but registration is required.
To register please send a message with your
Name, Phone number, Email Address and Food
Restrictions to: [email protected]
Find more information at www.canadasworld.ca
(For those without internet, please call the
Botanical Garden at 737-8590 and we will forward
your registration information).
Some Thoughts on Aly O’Brien
In the August 14, 2008 issue of the MUN Gazette it
was announced that Dr. Aloysius Patrick O’Brien
had passed away on August 6, 2008 at the age of
93.
Known to most of us as just "Aly", this notification
could not touch on the essence of the man. I had
the privilege to work with Aly for seven years and the
honour to call him "Friend". During his time at the
Garden he was given a roving commission to do
what he deemed necessary when and where he saw
fit. His practical horticultural experience was
extensive and his scientific knowledge on the
subject, phenomenal. Many a time, for fun, we tried
to catch him out on a scientific name, or its meaning,
but always failed. I have often said I wish that I had
had his brain; how far I could have gone.
AUTUMN 2008
When some of us put his name forward for an
Honorary Doctorate, it was not just for his efforts
with the Irish language and horticulture, but because
he was also a natural gentleman. Aly was
unassuming, modest, compassionate, honest and
reliable. I never heard him swear or speak ill of
anybody even though there were a few occasions
when such behaviour may have been justified. How
many of us can say that? Certainly not me.
He was not only a great worker, but his unfailing
cheerful disposition carried the rest of us through
numerous times of exasperation and inclement
weather. He had the endearing habit, while poking
around the flower beds, of talking to himself. One
day I asked him why he did this; his joking reply was
that under the present situation it was the only way
that he could get a sensible answer. In all fairness,
there may just have been a grain of truth to that!
The old vegetable garden run by my wife Olive
always received (from Aly) a good load of farmyard
manure each spring to be paid for with homemade
pies. Any success Olive had with her efforts was
largely due to garden lore passed on by Aly. I often
saw her catching flea beetles with a board covered
in molasses or discouraging cut worms from
chopping down her runner beans by poking a small
stick against their stems.
When Aly died, the knowledge of a way of life went
with him. Newfoundland and Labrador, and all of us
who knew him are the poorer for it. A special type of
light has gone out and it is doubtful if we shall see
such a light again. I have often wondered just what
Aly could have been or done in a different age and if
given the chance.
As Thomas Grey (1716-1771) in his "Elegy in a
Country Churchyard " wrote:
"Full many a gem of purest ray serene
The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear;
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
and waste its sweetness on the desert air "
Bernard S Jackson. LL.D ODH
NSA College Honorary Associate
(Editor’s note: Bernard S. Jackson, former director of the
Botanical Garden, forwarded some of his memories of
working with Aly O’Brien and has kindly permitted us to
include his comments in this newsletter).
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The Twinflower – A Newsletter of the Friends of the Garden
AUTUMN 2008
Hydrangeas for Newfoundland
Hydrangea are among the most popular shrubs
for providing fall colour in the garden. For
gardeners in Newfoundland we have three
species to choose from; H. arborescens, H.
paniculata and in milder areas, H. macrocephala.
Confusion exists on how these three differ. Some
change flower colour depending on the soil pH;
others change colour as the flowers age. Some
do both! Let=s see if we can clear up the
confusion.
Before we get into particulars regarding species
and cultivars, one aspect of their flowers needs to
be addressed. Hydrangea have two types of
flowers. The ones often located in the middle of
the flower panicle are small and have both male
(stamen) and female (stigma) parts. These
flowers are the fertile ones which produce the
seed. Located on the outer perimeter of the
flower cluster are the larger, more conspicuous
flowers. These 4 or 5 >petals= are actually an
enlarged calyx. These sterile flowers do not
produce pollen or seeds, but act as a lure to bring
potential pollinators into closer proximity to the
fertile flowers. Since the sterile flowers are what
we, as gardeners, find most attractive, plant
breeders have selected hydrangea which have a
higher than normal number of sterile flowers. In
fact, some cultivars have nothing but sterile
flowers. These consequently have the largest,
most attractive flowers.
I=ll start with H. arborescens, commonly called the
Annabelle Hydrangea. The wild form has a flattopped head of numerous tiny greenish-white
flowers with only scattered sterile flowers; not
particularly attractive. However, the cultivar
>Annabelle= has nearly all sterile flowers. Their
flowers are produced in a large rounded head,
appearing at first greenish, then later creamy
white and finally pink-hued. This twiggy shrub
blooms from August to September, a little earlier
than the other two species. The hardiest of the
group, this one will survive zone 3. Plants may be
severely pruned in spring with little loss of flowers.
In fact, an annual shearing to 15 cm can be
beneficial. The flower colour of this species is
unaffected by soil pH. Full sun is best but they
will tolerate part shade.
Hydrangea paniculata
The largest species is H. paniculata, commonly
called the Peegee hydrangea. In reality, only the
cultivar >Grandiflora= should be called Peegee, but
in the horticulture trade, it seems all H. paniculata
are called Peegee, which is unfortunate as these
many >Peegee= hydrangea can show considerable
variation in their flowers. There are well over 30
cultivars of H. paniculata but >Grandiflora= is by far
the most popular. This selection produces huge
conical flowers heads of mostly sterile flowers in
September-October. Flowers open greenishwhite, then age through cream to pink. This
selection can reach over 3 meters, so demands
space and full sun to perform best. They are
rated hardy to zone 4. Again, soil pH will not alter
the flower colour. >Pink Diamond= is a newer
cultivar whose large flower-heads are a mix of
both sterile and fertile flowers, which lend the
blooms a more delicate, lacey effect. Blooms also
open greenish and age through white (brighter
than >Grandiflora=) then to a rich pink. Overall, the
flowers are open for over 2 months! You can see
this one next to the staff entrance of the Field
Centre. >Limelight= is very much like >Grandiflora=
but the flowers retain a greenish-white colour until
they later turn pink. >Tardiva= is an older selection
with mostly fertile flowers and just scattered
sterile. The effect is far less impressive than any
of the other cultivars. We have one growing at the
beginning of the Gentle Slope Trail.
This then brings us to the most spectacular and
colourful hydrangea, H. macrocephala. This
species has flowers that fall into two main groups;
the mopheads with large rounded heads of mostly
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The Twinflower – A Newsletter of the Friends of the Garden
sterile flowers and the lacecaps, with flat-topped
flowers whose small inner fertile blossoms are
surrounded along the perimeter by large sterile
flowers. These hydrangea commonly grow 1-1.5
meters tall and bloom from late August through
October. They prefer full sun but tolerate shade
better than the previous two species. Pruning
should be confined to deadheading and this is
best done in spring. Unfortunately, these are the
least hardy of the three hydrangea mentioned,
being rated for zone 5b. They are also prone to
winter damage so winter protection is advised.
Hydrangea ‘Nikko Blue’
These are the hydrangea whose flower colours
vary depending on the soil pH. Under acidic soil
conditions the flowers of most cultivars will be
bright blue, while alkaline soil will result in pink
flowers. Neutral soils may result in purple flowers
or a combination of blue and pink. Generally, our
local soils are acidic; hence these hydrangea will
be mostly blue, but if you have a plant whose
flowers are not blue enough for your liking, you
can add aluminum sulfate to the growing area to
acidify the soil. However, do not use this around
rhododendrons, as it is toxic to them.
>Nikko Blue= is by far the toughest and most
popular of the mophead hydrangea. We have
several of these growing along the bottom of the
Gentle Slope Trail. I should note that there are
over 300 named cultivars of mophead hydrangea!
Most have flowers that are affected by soil pH but
plant breeders have selected some forms that
retain their pink, purple or blue colour regardless
AUTUMN 2008
of soil pH. An example in the Botanical Garden is
>Glowing Embers=, a purple-flowered selection
which is growing near the >Nikko Blue= along the
Gentle Slope Trail. In recent years have come the
>Endless Summer= series of hydrangea. These
have a longer blooming season than the old
standard mopheads but locally, with our short
growing season, they still bloom primarily from
August through October.
The lacecap hydrangea are sometimes classified
as being selections of H. serrata while others sell
them as H. macrocephala. I=m sure the plant itself
could care less! In the garden, I find these
hydrangea to be more delicate and less imposing.
There are also many named cultivars of these and
again, some have been selected to retain a single
colour regardless to soil pH. In the Botanical
Garden we have a lovely selection called >Blue
Wave= growing at the bottom of the Gentle Slope
Trail. The sterile flowers are brilliant blue while
the fertile flowers are a darker shade. All age to
purplish. Near the staff entrance to the Field
Centre is perhaps the most spectacular lacecap,
>Beni Gaku=. This one opens white but the sterile
flowers then change through pink to red-purple.
The inner fertile flowers are purplish-blue. All this
blending of colour creates the most spectacular
effect. Among the lacecaps, as the flowers age,
the outer sterile flowers often arch downwards,
adding yet another wonderful effect in the garden.
And if all this is not enough, many of the lacecaps,
including our >Beni Gaku= have spectacular
autumn foliage.
If you missed our hydrangea display this year,
then drop up in September to see for yourself, the
variety that exists among the hydrangea.
Todd Boland, Research Horticulturist
(Editor’s note: This article is now posted on the
Botanical Garden’s website as a PDF and includes
more of Todd’s beautiful photographs.)
_______________________
The Twinflower, a newsletter of the Friends of MUN
Botanical Garden, is published quarterly. Submissions,
questions and feedback are welcome and may be
forwarded to:
The Twinflower
c/o MUN Botanical Garden
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John’s, Newfoundland, A1C 5S7
E-mail: [email protected].
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