Victoria Day Weekend In Your Neighbourhood

This weekend is the unofficial start of summer. Mother Nature even seems to be willing to cooperate, as the forecast is calling for sun and temperatures in the low 20s all weekend long. As it is Victoria Day on Monday, that means for the first long weekend of the summer! I for one can’t wait. So get ready to have a great weekend, as there is plenty to do in London, Ontario this weekend.

Victoria Day Weekend In Your Neighbourhood

For starters, City of London splash pads will be back in business starting on Saturday, May 18th. Just in time for the long weekend Londoners! Hours run daily from 9 am – 9 pm. There are twelve public splash pads to enjoy, as noted here;

• Bonaventure Meadows - 141 Bonaventure Drive (next to Bonaventure Meadows Public School) – Note: Open restricted hours during school hours
• Rowntree Park - on Whetter Avenue off Wellington Road
• Kiwanis Park - off Hale Street
• Fork of the Thames - off Riverside Drive and King Street
• West Lions Park - on Granville Avenue beside Kinsmen Recreation Centre
• Lambeth Centennial Park - on Beattie Avenue across from the Lambeth Arena
• Jesse Davidson Park - off Monte Vista Crescent or Ensign Crescent
• Gibbons Spray Pad – in Gibbons Park
• Southeast Optimist Park – on Deveron Crescent
• Oakridge – Valetta Street by Oakridge Arena and pool at top of hill
• Ed Blake Park - near Huron and Barker Streets
• Medway Park - beside Medway Arena and the Canada Games Aquatic Centre

Grab your bathing suits (and swimmers for babies – no diapers cloth or disposable diapers allowed) and get ready to get wet! Note that there is no standing water, as the splash pads are all sensor activated. There is also no supervision at any of the sites.

 

The splash pad at Storybook Gardens will also officially open this weekend. For the remainder of May, hours are Monday to Friday from 10 am – 4 pm and weekends 10 am – 5 pm (including holiday Monday on the 20th). Prices for the 2013 year are Adults $7.50, Children (2-17) $6.50, Families (2 adults & 2 children) $25, Seniors (65+) $6.50, Infants (under 2 years) free. If you know that you’ll be heading there often enough, you might even want to consider purchasing a seasons pass for $35. It is good for one full year from date of purchase, so that you can enjoy the park in winter or summer. Plus it enables you to get 10% off any purchases in the Treasure Chest Gift Shop, at the Village Square Cafe concession stand, and for select programs.

 

It just wouldn’t be a long weekend without fireworks! If you are looking for sparkling skies and a big bang or two, head out to Fanshawe Conservation Area on Monday, May 20th. Fireworks displays begin at dusk, but there is plenty more to do there before then. There are 20 km of trails for hiking and biking, plus 8.5 km dedicated exclusively to hikers. You can go fishing or boating on Fanshawe Lake. Or bring along a tent or trailer and enjoy the park all weekend for a camping trip (note there is an alcohol ban in place for the May long weekend). While you are there you can also head over to Fanshawe Pioneer Village, as it officially re-opens for their 54th season on Saturday May 18th. They will be stepping back in time on May 20th to celebrate her majesty Queen Victoria herself with historical games, speeches and a vintage baseball game. Entrance to the Pioneer Village is $7 with children under 3 free. To get into Fanshawe Conservation Area, you just need to pay $12 for a vehicle day pass.

Happy Victoria Day Weekend Canada!

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Gardening Season Begins

Did your plants survive the frost last night? Pretty chilly in London, Ontario, let me tell you. Can you believe that it is May and we have had snow, sleet and a whole dollop of winter this week? Well, this coming weekend is the Victoria Day weekend in Canada. Traditionally it has always been the harbinger of summer. Hopefully this long weekend will measure up!

Not only is Victoria Day touted as the beginning of summer, it is also the unofficial start of gardening season. So even if you lost a tender plant or two last night, you should be able to replace and plant pretty much anything now. Bring on the flowers, vegetables, annuals, perennials and whatever else you’ve got planned to go into your plot of dirt.

Do you know what you are planting this year? Haven’t gotten that far yet? No worries. There are plenty of garden centres in and around London with plenty of stock to choose from. Whether you want healthy, pre-established vegetables, heritage herbs or colourful hanging baskets, you are sure to find something to please your green thumb with. So where do you go? Why not try one of these local garden centres;

Local Garden Centres

Canadale:

• 269 Sunset Dr. (Highway 4,  on way into Port Stanley), St Thomas
• HOURS – Weekdays 8 am – 8 pm, Saturday 8 am – 6 pm, Sunday 10 am – 5 pm
  • A family run business since 1955, this garden centre and nursery has received the Better Business Bureau’s Business Integrity Award, as well as Landscape Ontario Consumer’s Choice Award. The 110 acre growing facility is home to a plethora of fresh and healthy shrubs, trees, perennials, roses, vines, annuals, vegetables, herbs, houseplants as well as gardening supplies and decor items. They even have a kid’s activity centre where children can do gardening crafts while you shop.

Heeman’s:

• 20422 Nissouri Rd, London
• HOURS – Weekdays 8 am – 8 pm, Weekends 8 am – 5 pm
  • Another family run nursery, Heeman’s has been around since 1963. Strawberries is where the business started and it has flourished from there. With over 50 acres dedicated to strawberries, featuring a pick-your-own that is constantly in demand, the 190,000 square feet of greenhouses featuring 900 varieties of annuals, 500 varieties of perennials, 80 varieties of vegetable plants and 30 varieties of herbs are also a big draw. They even offer winter storage, custom ordering (to create personalized containers that shine), plant rentals (for weddings or other special functions) and regular updates on their social networking sites (Facebook & Twitter).

Springbank Garden Centre:

• 462 Springbank Dr, London
• HOURS – Spring hours are constantly changing, but 9 am -6 pm on Wednesday, 9 am – 7 pm Thursday & Friday, Saturday 9 am – 7 pm, Sunday and Holiday Monday 9 am – 6 pm. After the long weekend Weekdays 9 am – 9 pm
  • Started as The Little Tree Farm, the Springbank Garden Centre has seen plenty of changes since the early 1960s when they first opened their doors. The garden centre has seen changes in owners, in property size (City of London expropriated 30 ft strip for widening Springbank Dr in 2003) and more recently a change in location when they moved to a newer, more modern building 200 ft west of the original site. They hasn’t changed the heart of what they offer though. You will of course find a wide variety of annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables, hanging baskets, trees, shrubs, house plants, soil, mulch, garden stone, tools, decor items, lawn needs, fertilizer, firewood and more. The staff are always friendly, as well as being extremely knowledgeable about everything that they carry. Located in the heart of London, it is easy to get to from pretty much anywhere. Why not stop in and see what they have today?

Van Horik’s Greenhouses and Garden Centre:

• 930 Gainsborough Rd, London
• HOURS – Weekdays 8:30 am – 8:30 pm, Saturdays 9 am – 6 pm, Sundays & Holidays 10 am – 5 pm
  • Are you looking for something new or unusual? Van Horik’s is the place for you! This family run business has been around since 1969 and they have a pulse on the gardening world. In fact, Denise Hodgins writes a weekly column in the Homes section of the London Free Press, discussing the latest news and views from the garden industry, not to mention their regularly updated Facebook page. There is more to Van Horik’s than that though. You will find a wide selection of annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, pond plants, tropicals and even seed packets for those wanting to grow their own plants, at the garden centre. Other garden essentials like soil, mulch, fertilizer, landscape stone, lawn care items, tools, containers, and decor items can also be found there.

Van Luyk Greenhouses & Garden Centre:

• 1728 Gore Rd, London
• HOURS – Weekdays 9 am – 9 pm, Weekends 9 am – 6 pm
  • The Van Luyk family opened the doors on their greenhouse in 1970 and have been going strong since then. Now boasting over 50,000 square feet of greenhouses, where 80% of the plants that are sold come from, they sell annuals, perennials, bulbs, trees, shrubs, vines, hanging baskets, mulch, soil, landscape ornaments, garden tools and more. They are open seven days a week, year round, featuring tropicals, pumpkins, straw, Christmas trees, poinsettia, lawn care and whatever else you might need for your garden, regardless of the season. If you can’t find it, then ask! The employees are resourceful, dedicated and one of the joys of visiting Van Luyk’s.

What is your favourite garden centre, nursery or greenhouse in London? What will you be planting this weekend?

A Special Garage Sale In Your Neighbourhood

This weekend is a special one for the Royal LePage team, of which I am a member. Royal LePage started the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation 15 years ago to support women and children when they needed help the most, in times of crisis and violence in their lives. The Foundation provides a safe haven and space for broken families to heal and embark on a new beginning. We are the only Canadian real estate company that runs its own charitable organization, which supports families on a local and national level. I for one am proud to be even a small part of the team.

So what is going on this weekend? The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation is hosting a national garage sale across the country on May 11, 2013! There will be garage sales held by over 120 Royal LePage offices across the country in support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. Proceeds of the sale go back to the Foundation to raise awareness on how to stop violence against women and children through prevention programs and their work in the communities in which they serve. In fact, the Foundation supports over 200 shelters and domestic violence agencies across the country, effectively helping 30,000 women and children every year.

This year is the 5th annual National Garage Sale, and the London Royal LePage Triland Realty Real Estate Brokerage is chipping in to host just one of those garage sales. The deals will be had in the parking lot of the London & St Thomas Association of Realtors at 342 Commissioners Rd W, between 8 am and 2 pm this Saturday. The proceeds from our local sale will go directly to a local shelter that has been helping women and children in distress since 1978 – the Women’s Community House.

If you go to any garage sales this season, this should be the one! There will be knick knacks, clothing, shoes, accessories, furniture, sporting goods, art work, toys, books and so much more. Plus, there will be coffee, a bake sale and kid’s activities. And of course remember that for every amazing deal that you snag, every penny of that sale goes directly to helping end domestic violence right here in our community.

What time will I see you? The coffee will be on when you get here!

 

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DANDELIONS: Fight or Foster?

Did you get a chance to stop and smell the flowers last weekend? It is amazing to watch them go from tiny buds to fully open colourful carpets of life in your yard. Of course I have also noticed that the warm weather has brought out carpets of another flower in my yard. More specifically, the field of yellow is a sea of dandelions that is competing with the newly green lawn.

Sigh…

Genus Taraxacum; sunny yellow dandelions

Welcome to life as a homeowner. So what do we do with these sunny weeds that were brought over to North America compliments of our early European settlers? Now that is a question that has been asked by lawn lovers for an awfully long time. How about one of these helpful suggestions;

DANDELIONS: Fight or Foster?

I remember picking dandelions as a child and chanting the ominous little ditty “Mama had a baby and its head popped off”, as I popped the end of the flower off of its stalk. A bit macabre, but it filled hours of entertainment for all the neighbourhood kids and potentially eradicated at least a few new weeds in our parent’s lawns. Nowadays though, most North Americans first response when they see these infamous yellow flowers is to grimace. It used to be that you would get out the weed killer and spray those little buggers out of existence, but since 2009 cosmetic pesticides have been banned in Ontario. That means that if you want to get rid of the virulent Taraxacum invasion in your yard, you have to other means.

Dandelion Digger from Lee Valley

The obvious, but extremely time-consuming answer is to dig the dandelions out of your yard. Cutting them down with the lawn mower might remove the flower head and some of the long, tooth-shaped leaves, but you have to get to the root of the problem. Literally. Because even if you shear the plant to the ground, this perennial plant will keep coming back year after year. That is unless you pull the dandelion out, tap-root and all. And those tap-roots can be 15 cm or longer. You will need a ‘dandelion digger’, or a simple trowel (if your back can hack it). Your only other ingredient is time to dig them up.

Vinegar; the natural herbicide

If digging dandelions doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, there are some other options to get rid of those pesky plants. Dandelions need plenty of sunlight to grow. If you smother them, cutting off their source of sun, you will kill the flower. Of course if your yard is overrun by them, you will also be effectively killing the grass around them too. Think of this as a small-sized solution or conversely, a wide-reaching one. You can also pour boiling water over the plant several times a day until it dies. Vinegar also works to clean your world inside and out. Spraying vinegar on a dandelion plant works as an effective natural herbicide that won’t harm the soil or contaminate ground water.

There are a few other methods to combat your battle with dandelions. One is to over-seed your lawn. This simple step not only improves the health and look of your lawn, but it also chokes out weeds, making it harder for them to flourish. Another tip that lawn care companies will gladly suggest is to improve the quality of your soil. Dandelions love acidic soil. If you improve your soil with mulch or compost, dandelions get weaker and less likely to thrive or take root in the first place. As a bonus, this also makes them easier to pull out!

Of course you could also learn to love the prevalent weed. They do make for sunny spots in amongst the green grass in the spring. They are also edible, from their roots, to bitter leaves, to brilliant yellow flowers. You can add leaves to your salad for a dash of calcium and iron. They also contain vitamin A, B complex, C, D, potassium, and even zinc. Plus, they are low in calories! The common dandelion has even been used in various herbal remedies, such as being used as a diuretic, stimulating appetite, aiding digestion, detoxifying the liver and gallbladder and just generally improving the immune system. Not bad for a plant that most homeowners consider a scourge on their property.

So if you break down and pick a pack of dandelions this spring, why not think of taking them to the kitchen, instead of depositing them in your local yard waste bags. This recipe for dandelion pesto from David Lebovitz, just might help to sway you in leaving at least a small pocket of yellow in your yard, if not for your children than at least for your culinary taste buds. Enjoy!

Dandelion Pesto

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces (350g) washed and cleaned dandelion leaves
• 1 cup (250ml) olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 6 tablespoons (40g) pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 1/2 ounces (70g) Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Put about one-third of the dandelion greens in the food processor or blender with the olive oil and chop for a minute, scraping down the sides. Add the remaining dandelion greens in two batches, until they’re all finely chopped up.

2. Add the garlic cloves, pine nuts, salt, and Parmesan, and process until everything is a smooth puree.

3. Taste, and add more salt if necessary. If it’s too thick, you can thin it with more olive oil or water.
Storage: The pesto can be refrigerated in a jar for up to four days. The top may darken, which is normal. You can pour a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent that. It can also be frozen for up to two months.

Good luck with your (delicious/dastardly) dandelion dilemma!

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Flowers In Your Neighbourhood

May has arrived and with it summer weather. Birds fill the air with their songs, trees are threatening to burst forth with leaves and it looks like the grass needs to be cut already. Summer time in London at its finest.

If the double digits on the mercury are drawing you outside, no one would blame you. There are flowers in bloom and you deserve to stop and smell them. In fact, there are flowers in bloom all over London, Ontario this weekend.

Flowers In Your Neighbourhood

First stop for flowers has to be London’s Best Garden Centre – Heeman’s. I’m not just saying that either. They were voted Best Garden Centre in 2013 by the London Free Press voting community. That is a pretty big title, considering that London has more than a few well-stocked nurseries and garden centres around. They deserve the title too! They have some of the best annuals, perennials and staff to help you pick them.

This weekend Heeman’s wants to celebrate that, plus their 50th Anniversary with you. On May 4th, 2013 they will open their doors and cutting the cake. There will be refreshments to go with the cake, as well as prizes, including a grand prize of a $500 Heeman’s gift certificate. Plus you can get a behind the scenes look at the greenhouses and gadgets that make them run on special tours held throughout the day. Bill and Susan Heeman should be proud of the operation they started way back in 1963.

 

They are not the only place that has flowers on the brain though. On the other side of town, Poetry in Bloom will be hosted at the Civic Garden Complex (625 Springbank Dr). The Garden Club of London will have the Tea Room open from 10 am – 3 pm, but you can wander around the complex and enjoy the facility from 10 am – 5 pm on May 4th and 5th, 2013. There will be demonstrations at 11 am and 3 pm of their flower arranging, cultivation and care of indoor and outdoor plants. Six beautiful urns will be on display created by Garden Club members. You can also wander around the outdoor Woodland Restoration Project, which is home to over 200 native and Carolinian species. Admission is $5, children are free.

 

If real flowers make you twitch, artistic flowers might be more up your alley. A trip to the ARTS Project is just the thing then, for you to see Steve Tracy’s Sculptured Flowers instead. His spring collection will be on display from May 7-11, 2013. These artistic creations are a unique paint application that turn his paintings into 2-D sculptures that pop. The artist is even donating 10% of his sales back to the ARTS Project. Plus you can meet him in person on May 11th from 1-3 pm. A picture might be worth a thousand words, but these beautiful flowers get a boost from a video showing how Steve creates his masterpieces.

 

Have a great weekend.Don’t forget to stop to smell the flowers in your own yard as well!