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How
fortunate we are to live in one of the world's most
beautiful cities, Vancouver, BC, Canada, which has,
among other attractions, the famous
Stanley
Park,
with its rose gardens, nature walks, lost lagoon,
sandy beaches and Theatre-Under-The-Stars. Heading
south on the boulevards of Cambie Street is Queen
Elizabeth Park and to the west on Oak Street is Van
Dusen Gardens, both are beauty spots year round.
East on the Trans Canada Highway near Chilliwack is
Minter Gardens, and across the strait of Georgia
at
Victoria,
British Columbia, visitors will discover a little
bit of Old England. The capital city's Butchart
Gardens is a world famous attraction, created from
a former gravel pit. Across the ocean, we were
captivated by
Limbe Botanical Gardens
in Cameroon, West Central Africa, whose trees and
shrubs contain many of the health giving and
curative products known to mankind. Since 2000 our
editors have worked closely with Louis D'Amore of
Peace
Through Tourism ,
one of whose activities is establishing Peace
Parks. In our Air Highways Magazine, I even had the
audacity to suggest that airports
could blossom into agoras. It's
happening! Great
gardens are potentially everywhere, which is why
"America in Bloom," an is leading the way in
beautification. While visiting "Globe
98,"
at Vancouver's Trade and Convention, I was
captivated by "Canada in Bloom," a blockbuster idea
that had its roots on the Niagara Peninsula
in
Hamilton,
Ontario. Dundarave in West Vancouver, my favorite
summer retreat, was a winner that year. Good news
travels fast, and today, both Canada and America in
Bloom have become examples for the world. As you
see from this brief introduction, we will never run
out of topics for this section. Check below for
Memorial
Gardens. America
in Bloom The city of Chicago and the
Chicago Park District will host this year's America
In Bloom (AIB) Symposium and Awards Program
September 18-20 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago
on the Riverwalk. Known internationally for its
greening and beautification efforts, Chicago was
the grand winner of AIB's largest population
category last year. Judges visited the communities
this summer and the winners will be announced at
the awards banquet, which will be the grand finale
of this year's program in Chicago. Nearly 40
communities are participating in the second edition
of AIB. Last year's winners are participating in
international In Bloom programs. http://www.americainbloom.org/splash.asp Limbe
Botanical Gardens in
Cameroon, West Central Africa is known as the
"Living Gene Bank.” We discovered that its
plants contain the remedy to many known diseases.
For more about Cameroon, visit our other popular
web site - for Africa
Travel Magazine.
Created in 1892 by German horticulturists to
acclimatize economic and medicinal plants such as
quinine, coffee, rubber, cocoa and banana, the
botanic garden in Limbe also served as a training
center for Cameroonians in the field of
agriculture, horticulture and forestry. Today, it
has become the greatest tourist attraction in the
South West Province after Mount Cameroon. It is
also an international research center in the area
of bio-diversity. A
tourist attraction center known as "jungle
village" has been developed in the garden.
Here, popular cultural activities take place during
certain events or simply for the pleasure of
tourists. Several routes have been mapped out to
enable tourists to visit the garden such as
: - the coastal trail, which
enables tourists to have a good view of the western
part of the garden ; - the biodiversity trail,
which enables the tourist to get a picture of the
biodiversity found in the garden ; - the Bota adventure trail,
where big trees and some wild animals can be
seen; - the riverside trail, where
trees and creepers more than 100 years old etc. are
found. ADDRESS: Limbe Botanic
Garden Kirstenbosch
and South Africa's National Botanical Garden Entebbe
Botanical Gardens, Uganda CREATING
A MEMORIAL GARDEN A memorial garden provides a
long-lasting tribute to a loved one who has passed
away, as well as offers a place for the survivors
to remember and to heal. The garden can be as small
as a single tree or perennial plant or as large as
an oversized flower bed or garden with many
different flowers, ornamental grasses, and even
shrubs and trees, depending on available
space. When selecting plants for a
memorial garden, consider the favorite flowers of
the individual you are honoring. Did that person
love daisies or lilacs? Prefer peonies or poppies?
Did he or she have a favorite season such as
spring, making a bulb garden of daffodils, tulips,
and other spring bloomers the perfect
tribute? Or think about the
fragrances or colors that evoke fond memories.
Perhaps the scent of lavender or roses reminds you
of that person. Another possibility is to include
plants that have the same name as your friend or
loved one, such as black-eyed susan (rudbeckia),
veronica, or sweet William. If red was his or her
favorite color, consider planting a garden
consisting primarily of red hues with a single
accent color such as silver. For example, you could
plant a mixed bed of red impatiens, geraniums, and
verbena edged with silvery dusty miller, lamb's
ear, or one of the silver-leaved varieties of
artemisia. You also could select plants
that have specific meanings, such as forget-me-nots
(memories), rosemary (remembrance), poppies (rest
or eternal sleep), yellow tulips (friendship), or
pink carnations (I'll never forget you). If the
memorial is for a baby or young child, plant
daisies for innocence or white lilies for purity.
Or use varieties such as baby's breath (gypsophila)
or 'Sweet Dreams' coreopsis rosea. Plant sweetheart roses to
remember a spouse. Or if your memorial garden is a
single tree, plant an oak for strength or a yew for
immortality. Just keep in mind that these can get
quite large and need adequate space if they are to
last and remain there over the years. If commemorating a war hero
or veteran, plant a red, white, and blue garden,
including varieties such as red poppies and
daylilies, white phlox and peonies, and blue
Jacob's ladder (polemonium) and Siberian irises.
There are very few true blue flowers, so you may
need to substitute dark purple varieties, perhaps
some of the delphiniums or campanulas for
blue. Or choose plants with
inspirational names like the 'Patriot' hosta,
'Peace' rose, 'Freedom' alstroemeria, and 'Over in
Gloryland' Siberian iris. Other popular choices are
gentle shepherd daylily, remember me hosta, or
guardian angel hosta. When planting your memorial
garden, you will probably want to include a mix
of varieties, as well as keep
rules of proportion in mind--taller plants in the
back, smaller ones in the front, for example. What
makes it a memorial garden though is that it's
planted from the heart. Don't worry whether your
planting fits rules of design or will be
appreciated by others. Do what is most meaningful
for you. Include appropriate statuary
and hardware. If memorializing someone who loved
cats, why not include a small cat statue? For a
bird lover, add a birdbath to attract backyard
songbirds. If the person was known for a great
sense of humor, buy or make a garden whimsy or two
as a remembrance. Add a bench for visitors to
sit and reflect or a water feature, such as a
fountain or water garden, to create a soothing,
comforting environment. Or put in an arbor or
trellis, training honeysuckles, ivies, and other
climbing vines to cover the structure to create a
quiet, secluded spot for contemplation and
remembering. Where you locate your garden
will depend on where you have adequate space and/or
the type of plant--sun lovers or shade lovers--you
want to include. Or you could choose a quiet,
private spot or one with a favorite view
or Meaning to the
deceased. When choosing a site, keep
in mind that for a successful garden you need to
select the right plants to fit the soil, sun, and
other growing conditions. Full-sun plants such as
peonies will not do well in a shady spot. Siberian
irises don't mind wet feet while varieties that
need a well-drained soil will struggle to survive
in wet areas. If you live in an apartment,
or don't have a backyard, you can still create a
memorial. Tie a colorful ribbon around a pot of
rosemary and keep it by your desk. For a deck or
patio, fill a special container with a few choice
perennials that you can move indoors to over winter
when the weather turns cold. Or check with your
local town officials to see if you can have a tree
planted at a park or near a town landmark or
building in memory of your loved one. It doesn't matter what you
plant, where you locate the garden, or what form,
size, and shape it takes, what's most important is
that you create the garden that is most meaningful
to you. Involve your family and friends, and let
the planning, planting, and caring for the garden
be part of the healing process not just for you,
but also for others. AMERICA IN BLOOM
RECOGNIZED IN THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES Mr. Hastert, Mr. Speaker, I
rise today to recognize the important contribution
of the America in Bloom program to communities
across the nation. America in Bloom is a national
beautification contest that began last year with
the participation of four cities across the United
States. This unique program helps to foster
community involvement, patriotism and civic pride
through the challenge of a friendly competition
between participating communities across the
country. The contest is judged on the basis of
eight categories, including tidiness, environmental
awareness, heritage, urban forestry, landscaped
areas, flora displays, turf and ground cover areas
and, most importantly, community
involvement. This year, the contest will
again provide communities with a forum to increase
civic pride and community involvement through the
challenge of a national evaluation. The program has
registered almost thirty communities to date,
including Batavia, Illinois, which I am proud to
represent. It is my hope that more communities will
take part in this program as it brings together
citizens of all ages, municipal governments and
local organizations to work collectively for the
visual improvement of America's parks,
neighborhoods, open spaces and streets. This can
only encourage the preservation of our collective
heritage and culture while creating a sense of
unity and pride among citizens. Rivaling Hong Kong and Rio
de Janeiro as the world's most beautiful physical
setting, Vancouver has become Hollywood North,
ranking third after LA and New York as a film and
TV production center. The West End alone has more
unique locations and beautiful backdrops than
anywhere else in the
city. |
A
World in Blossom
Vancouver's
Stanley Park
Stands
of stately Douglas fir, cedar and hemlock grow in
profusion along with a jungle-like growth of ferns.
Open 365 days a year, the Vancouver Aquarium in
Stanley Park features killer and beluga whales,
dolphins and sea otters ... a total of 650 species.
There's underwater whale viewing and outdoor
terraces (Information line
604-268-9900).
