Category Archives: Stewardship

Let the Mural Begin!

Well, it’s October 26th, the air is crisp and the leaves are turning colour, and Sherry Firing and Lynn Nicholas are in Ben Nobleman Park painting our new orchard shed that was delivered earlier this month. This very functional, but rather bland looking concrete shed will be transformed in the next few days with the addition of a colourful mural. Designed by painter and gardener Sherry Firing, it’s a depiction of the community together in the orchard. Residents of all ages are holding hands in the foreground. In the background are our little fruit trees covered with all types of fruit. All this is possible thanks to the Upper Village BIA and the City of Toronto Economic Development Mural Program. Sherry’s committment is to design, paint and maintain the mural. She’ll be doing most of the work this fall with embellishments added in the spring of 2010.  For more pictures as the mural progresses, visit our flickr webpage by clicking on the image below..

Phase One of Ben Nobleman Mural on Orchard Shed

Phase One of Ben Nobleman Mural on Orchard Shed

Sherry (on right) checks her design while Lynn (on left) mixes paint colours

Sherry (on right) checks her design while Lynn (on left) mixes paint colours

Serviceberries Planted at entrance to Ben Nobleman Park

They may not officially be fruit trees. But serviceberries (Amelanchier canadensis) do produce wonderful little red berries in the spring that are great in muffins, on cereal, or just nibbled right off the tree. So it’s a fitting way to welcome people into Ben Nobleman Park, home of Toronto’s first official community orchard. These four multi-stemmed serviceberries were planted this September in the north east entrance to the park flanking both sides of the walkway. Serviceberries may not be well known for their fruit, but they are known for their beautiful fall colour which is evident on the day this picture was taken. Never heard of a serviceberry? Well, they’re also called Juneberry, Shadblow, or Shadbush trees. Keep an eye out for their white flowers in the early spring. And by the way, These compact trees are great to plant in even the smallest backyard. Interested? Contact LEAF for more information.

Four serviceberry trees planted in Ben Nobleman Orchard in fall 2009

Four serviceberry trees planted in Ben Nobleman Orchard in fall 2009

Orchard Stewardship

Our fruit trees are still very young – years away from fruiting. And yet many have asked how they can help take care of the orchard. Orchard Stewardship in these early years involves watering the young trees. And it also involves weeding around the trees which will make our park more beautiful and allow the fruit trees to thrive. This August, volunteers from Growing for Green spent a day weeding around the trees. During this year’s civic workers strike the weeds grew waist high in that area. And after we weeded that area, we moved onto the perennial bed in Ben Nobleman Park which was covered with Canada Thistle. In the coming years we’ll be looking for more folks to join our orchard stewardship crew. Email us at info@growingforgreen.ca for more information.

Orchard volunteers weeding in orchard

Orchard volunteers weeding in orchard