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20 March 2015 Stouffvil/e Free ’I‘ESS ionthupa REGHSFLPR : WWW; WHAT Hll‘ Flower Power In The Dead Of Winter But nurnerous local nurseries. garden ceMres and stores a \ getting ready 90 that we have a colourful abundance of flow and vegetable mants to cu'oose from around the Vpoaa 0 weekend, - - Formerly located in Richrfiénd Hill, it préfided that municipality‘s plant materials every Eummer. Mr. Jansen Was also a guest speaker at thewmond Hill Garden 8. Horticultural Society. bringing news of the latest trends In plants anti quens. ‘ Another local nurseryman. Marinus John Jensen. has seen me industry evolve bver his lifetime. as It became more “computiizegjnd mechanized". as 'he described-it. " His Ric wNurseQI in Vandorf closed in July. When askéd why. he saidfi‘l'am 88!‘ cllu u: we season last year due to heaRh reasons. John is now in a different field. as sales representative With the Royal Le Page Real Estate‘ ,., them is as important as the quality of (he plantings that you get." said Mr. Richardson. ’" In previous years. Sicilia Gardens Inc. on 10th Line, supplied many of the town's plant materials._But the end of an era has come for this 50-yearâ€"old family business. run by- Corrado and Giovanni (John) Moncada for rqany years. It was closed at ihe end of the season last year due to healih reasons. John is now ,w, . .. my»... v! uulla|W pupplcs. , - ... ,- .. This year. more hangmg‘oaskets on the.rai|ings around the creek are planned. The town‘s famous roundabouts wull look different too as the summer’ progresses with the addmon of different. hardier p'rants. . “At the end of'the day. the love andfiflon that you put in them is as important as the quality of the plantings that you _..-n__:_.-., n-,. Flower bed plantings arounditown are changed spring, summer and fall to keep the beds “looking fresh. vjbrant and new." said Mike Richardson. the town's manager of faculmes and parks. ‘ .At the‘Leisure Centre last year a tribute to Canada‘s fallen soldiers was created with ‘liarge numbers of donated poppies. 1'|-.;.~ ......_ ____ Lb, -v-.:,..- iv. ... baskets and beds are created by the town's parks supervusor. and professional horticulturalists. Maureen O'Halloran and Cassandra Cain. For many years. members of the Stouffville Horticultural Society pitched in with the flowerbeds at the town's 6240 Main Street premises (alsohome to Latcham Gallery) as well as other locations. ‘ “There really isn't-a better place to spend the coldest months pf the year lhan in the greenhouse!". said'Darlene, Once the \fictoria Day weekend comes and goes. it's the municipality's turn. Flaming and daily watering. pruning and maintenance commences. Themes and designs for the Luna”..- __J n. , A . While plamS will He §zanéd in Abril,lhev“planning and ordering for your baskets and bedding plants is all done before Christmas every year," wrote Darlene Otter (Ken '5 wife) in an e-mail. - At this greenhouse. the owners. former Stoufl‘ville residents Murray Otter. Ken Otter and Donna Hoover. and nine employees he already putting inJong days of intensive work. And not just residents. ,but municipalities too turn to local greenhouses for their plant materials. For the past couple of years. the Otter Greenhouses in Port Perry have provided The Town of Whitchurchâ€"Stouffville with the lovely flowers and hanging baskets you see along Stouffville's Main Street and in other parts of town. These plantings have gotten “wow" reviews from residents and parks managers from other municipalities in York Region. Sq hang on. biewone Last summer. i even found the papyrus of my dreams at the Kennedy Fruit and Garden Inc, greenhouses. south of town. in the meantime. we bring home pots of spring flowers or cheerful bouquets to remind us that spring will indeed come. We are now in the winter country. - During this recent long cold snap. the mercury plummeted faster than a rock off a cliff. On really frosty days, your cat. dog and kids all wear a similar pained expression when you say, “Go play outSIde!" The problem is. it looks like a winter wonderland. but nothing is growing out there. ' So l figure flower therapy is needed - along with blossoms and green grass - plus or minus a few dandelions - to cheer our spirits. It is reassuring to know that local nurseries will soon start or have already set to work. ' At our house. we used to hurry spring along by starting a few hundred flower and plant seedlings by the livmq room window. What a joy it was to see the first timid leaves appear and then watch the plants grow and quuriate in the sunshine. Two or three months later, they were ready to plant in the outdoor bathtub. the flower beds and the hanging baskets. But of late. we have streamlined. Now our gardening efforts are confined mainly to the outdoors and we start Visiting local nurseries for most of our flowers and vegetable plants by late May. . Local Nurseries Preparing Flowers And Plants For Spring By Hannelore Volpe it‘s only three months ores are Day