A Virtual Visit to the Montreal Botanical Garden

If the idea of a drive to the Montreal Botanical Garden sometimes seems too far away, you can be there in the click of a mouse. Just pay a visit to the garden's website:

http://www.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin/en/menu.htm

The garden is world renowned and is just in our back yard. Brother Marie-Victorin founded the garden in 1931 with a mission to conserve, develop and present to the public living plant collections; pursue research activities, and educate Montreal citizens and all visitors in botany and horticulture.

On your virtual visit, you can browse through the gardens looking at fabulous photos and conjuring up the wonderful scents. If you would rather take in an educational tour, the site is an excellent reference source for information on your favourite plants. You can go to the Green Pages, a "virtual garden shed" for information on horticulture and botany. If you then choose to follow up on the Christmas cactus, for example, you can explore the origins and classifications of the Christmas cactus and learn about Schlumbergera cultivars. Schlumbergera includes the Christmas cacti and Thanksgiving cacti and that just might be the reason that your cacti blooms at Thanksgiving and not at Christmas as you had hoped!

You can learn about the general care for the plants - the light requirements, soil and temperature preferences, the recommended feeding of the plant, and any particular pests that might attack it. If you want to know even more, you can find lists of references in either English or French and the addresses and links of societies who specialize in the particular plant of interest.

There are also other internet links that can transport you to other places in the world. The link on Christmas cactus whisks you off to Arizona to Boyce Thompson's Southwestern Arboretum or drops you at The Cactus and Succulent Plant Mall (http://cactus-mall.com/). New worlds unfold as you move through the links bringing you hours of exploration.

For the garden collector, the Montreal Botanical garden website provides the "Garden of Innovations" where you learn about the new plants and the companies who supply the Montreal Botanical Garden.

If you are planning a visit in person, you can check on the events that will be on during your visit. You might want to take in special exhibitions like the "Musical Wood: From Trees to Instruments" or perhaps the insect tastings. There are also special workshops offered at the Garden. These are held mainly in French so it might be just the opportunity to perfect both your horticultural and linguistic skills.

Whatever your gardening interests, pour yourself a cup of tea, relax back in your chair, and enjoy the Montreal Botanical Garden.

Please contact the OHS or the author if you wish to republish these articles. © Ottawa Horticultural Society

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