Photo: Alison Chitty

July 26, 2009
I planted today. The soil needed a couple of days to settle and there has been tons of rain, but the main reason I wanted to plant today is because I like to plant by the moon whenever possible and today and tomorrow are “best days” for annuals. I planted the perennials too though as there are no more “best days” for them for a while. I had to insert small, black nails into the tires, particularly for the Black-Eyed Susan vine. I planted from 8:00 – 11:00 a.m. and will return later. I have to park illegally while I am on site and in any case, I prefer being there early in the day. It’s always interesting to be in a city early before “normal” life kicks in. I did the previous planting at 6:00 a.m. I made 5 trips this morning, mostly because I am using only one (although large) watering can to water the plants in.

Here, by the way, is copy from the artist’s garden sign. When it is in, I will post a photo. The sign has all the logos of the partners and funders. The garden is a project of St. Catharines and Area Arts Council and City of St. Catharines with support from St. Catharines Transit.

Old tires are usually associated with dumping grounds – this garden recycles bus tires as plant trellises. Situated by the bus terminal, the garden celebrates public transit as a key strategy of “green” and sustainable communities. To further “green” downtown, the garden is planted with plants that are attractive to birds and butterflies. The title of course references the song familiar to toddlers everywhere! I hope that those driving by on a local or inter-city bus pulling out of the nearby terminal may notice this garden hiccup in the urban landscape and smile.
-  Elizabeth Chitty

Plant Material
Alyssum; Asclepias incarnate ‘Ice Ballet’; A. tuberosa – Butterfly Weed; Buddleia davidii ‘Pink Delight’ – Butterfly Bush; Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’ & ‘Zagreb’ – Threadleaf Tickseed; Echinacea purpurea ‘Primadonna White’ & ‘Prairie Splendour’; Heliopsis helianthoides ‘Summer Sun’ – Orange Sunflower; Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Southern Belle Mix’- Rose Mallow; Ipomoea  tricolour “Heavenly Blue” & “Split Personality” -Morning Glory; I. coccinea – Cardinalis Morning Glory; Monarda didyma ‘Raspberry Wine’ – Bee Balm; Rudbeckia fulgida  ‘Goldsturm’- Black-Eyed Susan; Thunbergia alata ‘African Sunset’- Black-Eyed Susan Vine and Trapaelum majus - ‘Empress of India’ & Tall Mixture – Nasturtium.

Photo: Alison Chitty

 p.m.
Returned around 6:00 under a suddenly black sky. I hadn’t watered in the last batch of alyssum (having run out of water) and it was astounding how much they managed to deteriorate in 7 hours of sunlight even though the rootballs were very wet. Planted more alyssum and one last straggling Morning Glory from the ones I sowed at home and my sister took more photos. Most is done but not all.

My Blundstone's which are about 20 years old, have seen 4 gardens (including this one), worked at Niagara Nurseries and are really about shot. I take Size 7.

July 23

July 9, 2009
 This morning I met at the site of my artist’s garden, The Wheels on the Bus, with Stewart Green, landscape architect with the City of St. Catharines and Mauro Becchetti, Acting Horticultural Foreman, Recreation and Community Services. Finally, there is action on getting the garden in.

 The garden was selected on May 22 and City approval for the tires was communicated on June 19 – almost a month delay. Patti Broughton of SCAAC and I made numerous queries but there was no action and on July 6, we learned that the City liaison was on vacation. I went ballistic. (That is when I wrote p.s. to Want expressing my feelings about St. Catharines – using very reserved language compared to how I felt.)  Mauro is totally great and on the case. I bought plants in early June and he advised me to put the perennials in, rather than waiting for the installation of the tires.

 July 10, 2009
The sprirea has been removed. There will be a further delay because it is necessary to do locates for utilities.

July 12
I planted the perennials. To my great surprise, I discovered the soil is only 10” deep. Oh dear.

July 23, 2009
This morning, the tires finally went in my artist’s garden. Three City staff put them in (well, two to do so and one to watch). I was very excited. The crew foreman started out with a cynical vibe, but I engaged him by enlisting his advice and by the end he was entirely supportive and helpful. I am terrible with names but I think his name is Lee. (He didn’t want to be in the pictures but the others were fine with it.) He was faster digging than the younger man and apparently previously worked at the cemetery. I told him of my surprise about the soil and he knew all about it and explained that the site is nothing but fill with a shallow layer of soil. He suggested asking Mauro for topsoil which I did.

 I took my secateurs to trim the dying Echinacea purpurea (it took a few days for City watering to kick in) which I tranplanted from my home garden and I left them there. I realized the second I pulled in at home and went back but they weren’t there, hopefully Lee and his crew have them. I hope so, although they are extremely beat up they have sentimental value. I bought them at the Chelsea Flower Show when I went to England on a Canada Council ‘A’ grant back in the old days when there were such things and/or I could get them.