Cliff poses with one of the new paw paws before planting in Ben Nobleman Park

On Canada Day 2012, volunteers Susan, Cliff, Lynn and Sherry planted two young paw paw trees in Ben Nobleman Park Community Orchard. Paw paws, a beautiful native tree in Ontario, were part of our city-approved landscape plan for Ben Nobleman Park but it’s taken us a few years to find them. Paw paws produce a delicate fruit that some say tastes a bit like banana cream pie. The fruit isn’t available in the shops because it’s highly perishable and the trees themselves are rarely available at garden centres.  It’s taken three years, but finally we have found and planted the trees of our dreams.

Sherry plants the young paw paw tree

There are a number of specialist nurseries that carry paw paws. Last fall we ordered two five-year-old trees from Rhora’s Nut Farm and Nursery. In April 2012, they arrived in the post – and we were surprised to see Rhora’s had sent us tiny little bare root twiglets! They were so small kids, dogs, adults and even Parks and Recreation workers could easily trip over them, break them, or mow them down. Because the tiny twosome were too small for a busy community park like ours, we are donating them to Casa Loma to plant in a protected space in their gardens. One evening a week during the summer, Casa Loma opens their gardens to the public for free garden tours so we look forward to visiting them there in the years to come.

After our experience with Rhora’s we thought we would have to wait until next year to find larger paw paw trees to plant since most have to be ordered months in advance. But in June, Susan and Cliff stumbled upon two lovely, well-established paw paws on display at the Grimo Nut Nursery booth at Humber Arboretum’s annual  “Connecting People With Plants” event. These sturdy young trees already had a good set of leaves so we bought them. Now the two new trees have been carefully planted in Ben Nobleman Park near our plum trees. Sherry has even come up with names them – Paw Paw and Maw Maw…come and visit them soon.

Learning to make medicinal tinctures at Danette's Herb workshop 2012

While this week’s action included planting our long-awaited paw paws, last week’s adventure in Ben Nobleman Park involved a little alchemy. Ten participants attended Danette Steele’s “Kitchen Herbs for Food and Medicine” workshop where we learned about the healing qualities of herbs and how to transform the thyme, sage, lavender and bergamot from our pollinator garden into medicine. Each of the participants made a cider vinegar tincture from sage which, after sitting for a few weeks, can be used to treat mouth ulcers, mouth sores, sore throats and more.

Susan poses with Charlie the Tortoise in front of the newly planted paw paw tree

Finally…Ben Nobleman Park has a new volunteer, Charlie. She’s 35 years old but weighs less than a pound. She enjoys strolling in the park with her owner. Her favorite foods are strawberries and worms. We don’t know yet how this little tortoise will be able to help us in the orchard, but I’m sure we can find a job for her to do. And if she can do it, so can you! Come join us for stewardship. Find out more by emailing Lynn at growingforgreen@gmail.com. (Don’t worry, we will not feed you worms – or strawberries).

Next event coming up in the park is on July 22 at 10.00 am and it’s Steve Bigg‘s workshop on growing fig trees. You can sign up here. This may be our last year of having fruit tree care workshops in the park, so take advantage of it and sign up today!

Herb tincture in jar prepared during Danette Steele's herb workshop