Plant Identification
To expand my knowledge of horticulture, I enrolled in George Brown College’s Garden Design program.
‘Woody and Herbaceous Plants’, a course instructed by Frank Kershaw, taught me more about how to use native and ornamental plants in the residential landscape. Frank brought leaf cuttings, seed-heads, and flowers into class to give us a hands-on experience. I salvaged some of these materials, pressed them, and incorporated them into a plant identification scrapbook.
Oaks, Beeches and more
Toronto is home to two distinct groupings of oaks. White and Red. White oaks have rounded lobes while red oaks are pointed.
Toronto is also home to one of the largest populations of Sassafras located in Ontario. Sassafras are distinct because of their unique fragrance, but also because the leafs can come in three forms. Single lobed, double lobed (like a mitten), and triple lobed.
Maples
Maples can be found all over the northern hemisphere. They are known for their interesting shaped leaves, and for their dazzling fall displays.
The maple leaves found in the first row are Japanese Maple cultivars.
Often mistaken for a native tree, the Norway maple is a menace in Toronto. Once planted by the City government to line streets, Norway maples have been spreading rapidly through our ravine system, displacing native species. Tar spots scar Norway maple leaves in the late summer and fall, making it easy to identify the tree. Fall foliage of Norway maples is often yellow, while our native maples turn a spectrum of warm colours.
Redbuds & Evergreens
Redbud shrubs leaf out after they have flowered. This allows us to appreciate the pink pea-like flowers in clusters along the stems of the plant. Redbud flowers really jump out, when the deep greens of red cedar, or emerald cedar form the backdrop.
Shrubs
Shrubs can form the foundation of a landscape. They are human scale, meaning they are widely used. The right shrubs can also extend a garden’s bloom period.
Fothergilla, like Redbud is one of the earliest blooming spring shrubs, while common witch-hazel is one of the latest blooming. Some witch-hazels can even bloom in late winter!
Variegated, chartreuse, and red foliage is also often used as a defining feature in landscape design.
Shrubs & perennials
Plant diversity is awe-inspiring. Virtually every leaf shape and bloom colour is possible. Limiting the plant pallet used in a design is a challenge, but can lead to a more decipherable garden. I tend to use more native plants in my designs, because I know they will not only thrive, but also help provide habitat for our endangered pollinators and songbirds.
