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Friday, February 15, 2019 7Brooklin Town Crier Blooming in Brooklin By Ken Brown Houseplants Are Coming Back Will I run out of groceries before the sun melts the ice from my car or will I actually have to go out and scrape it? A gardener in winter often has thoughts like that then retreats to the basement to plant more seeds, pretending the ice doesn't exist. After the onions, petunias and a few other crops that need a long lead time have been planted, I can continue to browse through seed catalogues looking for the newest and greatest things to try. One of the year's best selections is a potato we can grow from seed. Clancy F1 sounds wonderful and I'm looking forward to getting some sample seeds. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find a commercial seed source so you'll probably have to wait till I've tried it. Writing about something that's difficult to obtain is not what I like to do, but if I help publicize it, then perhaps more seed companies might stock it next spring. Houseplant resurgence Of course, we can always turn to our houseplants for gardening satisfaction. While at the Tropical Plant International Expo in Ft. Lauderdale Florida last month, I admired the hundreds of booths exhibiting the latest houseplant trends. Apparently having a collection of houseplants is again becoming a popular pastime. Younger working people still feel the need to have some contact with green growing things but have neither the time nor the space to indulge in much gardening. Consequently, the newest trend are complete packages with a plant or three already in a decorative container, sometimes with a means to hang it or attach it to a wall. For instance, tillandsias, commonly called air plants because of their ability to grow without any soil, are often attached to decorative rocks or logs or a similar piece of décor. They survive with regular light misting and will be happy if you forget and ignore them for a week or so. They're quite small, come in a variety of sizes and will produce interesting blooms under the right conditions. If you want bigger plants and brighter colours, then the extensive array of new bromeliads will be your choice. They're table top size and easy to maintain. ...And a fun new book Let me tell you about a wonderful new book. "Gardening With Emma" is the best children's gardening book ever! Emma is 13 years old and has written this from her perspective. The language, ideas, and pictures are sure to entice any beginning gardener to beg their parents for a plot of land to start their own adventures. Last year, for example, she grew 100 varieties of tomatoes. She talks about bugs, weeds, little brothers, and a father who likes things in straight rows. She also discusses real gardening topics such as the right type of soil, what plants need, how much sun and when and how much to water. It's a wonderful read and Emma is a delightful girl whom I've had the privilege to know for several years. Imagine a generation of children who want to trade in their screens for a trowel! NOTE: "Gardening With Emma" by Emma Biggs is published by Storey Publishing. It's available from storey.com at $18.95 or $23.98 from Indigo. The Kobo e-book version is $15.99. How To Envision Durham's Future? The Regional Municipality of Durham's Planning Division has launched Envision Durham, the Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) of the Durham Regional Official Plan (ROP). By 2041, Durham Region's population is expected to grow to 1.2 million people, with more than 430,000 jobs. Envision Durham is looking at: • How and where our cities and towns may grow. • How to use and protect our land and resources. • What housing types and job opportunities are needed for our residents. • How people and goods move within, across and beyond our region. "Envision Durham is an opportunity to plan for change and establish a progressive and forward-looking planning vision for Durham Region to 2041," said John Henry, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer. "This is an exciting opportunity for residents, businesses and stakeholders to share their vision for the future of our community." Over the next four years, the Region is reaching out to area municipalities, conservation authorities, the public, businesses and other stakeholders to gather their views and opinions on a range of topics. The public is encouraged to visit durham.ca/EnvisionDurham, where they can: • Learn more about the review. • Take an online survey. • Watch a quick video of the MCR process. • Subscribe to Envision Durham, 2041 updates. • Find opportunities to participate. "Our vision is to create healthy and complete, sustainable communities within the region; ensuring that Durham continues to be a great place to live, work, play, grow and invest," said Brian Bridgeman, Commissioner of Planning and Economic Development. "Through Envision Durham, we will address a wide range of strategic land use planning, de- velopment and environmental topics, which will help inform how and where to grow." The Official Plan is Regional Council's core planning document, guiding Regional decision-making on long-term growth and development. It also provides policies to ensure an improved quality of life, securing the health, safety, convenience and well-being of present and future residents. Under the Planning Act, the Region is required to review the Regional Official Plan every five years, and to bring it in line with Provincial plans and policy statements. Envision Durham will satisfy these requirements. CLOCA Free Family Day Options To celebrate families, Central Lake Ontario Conservation (CLOCA) invites you to discover one or all of its local Conservation Areas with free admission/parking on Family Day, Monday, Feb. 18, from dawn to dusk. "Family time is very important and a visit outdoors to a Conservation Area makes a great outing with many health benefits," says Patricia Lowe, Director of Community Engagement with Central Lake On- tario Conservation. "An increasing body of research suggests that one of the best ways to give your moral a boost is to spend more time outdoors!" Central Lake Ontario Conservation owns 2,700 hectares of land, with eight publically accessible conservation areas and 45 kilometres of trails, providing watershed residents a variety of recreational opportunities and experiences. Not sure where to go? Check out some of our Conservation Area (CA) highlights below to help you decide on your destination. Lynde Shores CA - Bring along a handful of bird seed and walk the Chickadee Trail to get up close and personal with local songbirds. Stephen's Gulch CA - Plan a run, ski, or walk to take advantage of the hills and get a great cardio workout. Heber Down CA - Bring your four-legged friends to hike the trails or an off leash experience at the dog park. Remember to park at the new entrance at 5400 Cochrane Street. Bowmanville Westside Marsh CA - Get close to one of our jewels, two coastal wetlands which host a variety of winter waterfowl. Bring your binoculars. Long Sault CA - If snow conditions are good, bring your cross country skis or snowshoes. Enniskillen CA - This is an opportunity for a stop for a winter picnic, build a snowman and explore the many trails. Whatever your pleasure, we offer something for everyone and hope you take advantage of our 2nd Annual Free Family Day at these Conservation Areas, literally in your backyard. Not sure where to find these Conservation Areas? Check out our website at www.cloca.com. Still not sure which one to visit? Why not visit all of them, or throw the names in a hat and let someone in your family pull one to decide. Happy Trails!