With colourful heirloom plants in full bloom and lush vegetables growing in abundance, Upper Canada Village is in peak form for its “Summer Gardens Day” on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. he focus of this year’s event is how plants receive their names. A special presentation on the subject in the morning is enhanced by an afternoon garden walk discussing plant names and their origins.
For anyone who has ever wondered about how plants are named, the day’s activities will begin with a presentation at Crysler Hall from 10 to 11:30 a.m. about botanical nomenclature. The discussion will look at the rules of the Latin binomial system of naming plants, varieties and cultivars. Led by the Village’s lead horticultural interpreter, Brian Henderson, this informative talk explains how plant names make reference to explorers, botanists and plant taxonomists. Mr. Henderson will bring in cuttings of plants for “show and tell.”
For a hands-on appreciation of plant names, garden enthusiasts are invited to meet Mr. Henderson in front of Cook’s Tavern at 1 p.m. He will lead a leisurely two hour walkabout, focusing on the gardens at Robertson House, Cook’s Tavern and Crysler Hall. Special insights will be given to the naming of the diversified selection of heirloom plants and summer-flowering ornamentals in the Victorian gardens surrounding Crysler Hall.
Visitors are encouraged to explore all of the Village gardens which are at their showiest at this time of year. Different garden styles and choice of plant materials can be seen at Cook’s Tavern, Crysler Hall, Loucks Farm, Willard’s Hotel and the Pastor’s, Robertson, Dressmaker’s, and Ross House.
Summer Gardens Day
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