In November of 2007 we wrote:
Flora Aurora, Phase One is underway!
In September and early October soil preparation for the planting of the Spring-flowering trees and shrubs that will make up the first phase of planned Flora Aurora oart of the Arboretum. The photographs show how the space looks on November 2/07. The plant list has been prepared and purchase will be tendered this year for the planting during the Spring '08 season.
When all four phases of Flora Aurora are competed in the Arboretum will be ready for its first Flora Aurora Festival
When? Hopefully by 2010.
Flora Aurora, Phase One is underway!
In September and early October soil preparation for the planting of the Spring-flowering trees and shrubs that will make up the first phase of planned Flora Aurora oart of the Arboretum. The photographs show how the space looks on November 2/07. The plant list has been prepared and purchase will be tendered this year for the planting during the Spring '08 season.
When all four phases of Flora Aurora are competed in the Arboretum will be ready for its first Flora Aurora Festival
When? Hopefully by 2010.
Aurora Town Council provided the 2008 budget funds that got the Flora Aurora project well underway. Leisure Services (Parks) tendered for stock, placed the tender with Colpac, and in May final soil preparation and planting took place. We have added 254 more trees and shrubs to the Flora Aurora area. Some of the trees planted are conifers to create a shelter (especially in winter) for the more tender flowering trees and shrubs. Yes, there are more plants to plant in 2008, when completed in a couple more years there will be about 1250 flowering trees and shrubs ... but we have made good progress. With a little time it's going to be beautiful!
These next photographs are not really Flora Aurora ... but they are very closely related.
Maintenance is critical to the success of the trees and shrubs planted in the Arboretum. The Town of Aurora Parks Department simply doesn't have the time and funding to nurture all the developments in the Arboretum.
That's where the group photo fits in. It's a photograph of most of the Arboretum Directors on the day they did a group walk through the Arboretum ... making certain that all had the on-the-ground understanding needed to do their varied tasks in making the Arboretum grow.
The Directors are all volunteers. Many of them put in many hours of personal time in the Arboretum and on the business of the Arboretum. They are: Mike Bender, Ken Smith, John Clement, Irene Clement, Keith Saunders, Shirley Binns, Karen Fullbrook, Gordon Barnes. Missing are Doris Hilliard, Cathy Vrancic and Tom Yates, who is behind the camera.
The second photograph is of our new storage shed where we will be able to store our newly purchased water tanker, tractor (on loan from the Parks Department), and other tools we use to provide needed maintenance in the Arboretum.
Maintenance is critical to the success of the trees and shrubs planted in the Arboretum. The Town of Aurora Parks Department simply doesn't have the time and funding to nurture all the developments in the Arboretum.
That's where the group photo fits in. It's a photograph of most of the Arboretum Directors on the day they did a group walk through the Arboretum ... making certain that all had the on-the-ground understanding needed to do their varied tasks in making the Arboretum grow.
The Directors are all volunteers. Many of them put in many hours of personal time in the Arboretum and on the business of the Arboretum. They are: Mike Bender, Ken Smith, John Clement, Irene Clement, Keith Saunders, Shirley Binns, Karen Fullbrook, Gordon Barnes. Missing are Doris Hilliard, Cathy Vrancic and Tom Yates, who is behind the camera.
The second photograph is of our new storage shed where we will be able to store our newly purchased water tanker, tractor (on loan from the Parks Department), and other tools we use to provide needed maintenance in the Arboretum.
Our NEW WATER TRAILER and borrowed tractor
August 4 was Civic Holiday in Ontario Simcoe Day, some people call it ... so many folks had a 'day off'. Not so for several members of the Arboretum. They spent the morning planting more trees and shrubs in Flora Aurora Phase One. They also started spreading mulch over parts of the Phase One area. We made great progress but there sure is a lot of mulch yet to be spread!
'Mulching Days' on August 16 and August 23 brought continued improvement in Flora Aurora. We are cleaning up a lot of weeds from the wet summer as well as spreading the mulch. What we need now is a final burst ... with lots of help... to get it all done in early September.
