Photos by Barry Wallace
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Friday, May 29, 2015
3rd last day of May in the garden
Bleeding Hearts
Cornflower or Bachelor's Button
Hostas
Photos by Barry Wallace
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Magna International moving to King City
Photo by David Cooper / Toronto Star File Photo
Will new HQ rival old HQ design?
Now that giant auto parts manufacturer, Magna International Inc., has announced its plan to build a new global headquarters in King City, speculation will inevitably and quickly begin about what the monumental development might look like. It likely will not resemble the Aurora headquarters (pictured above) which it will be leaving. That facility is located on the south-east corner of Wellington Street and Bayview Avenue and was designed to resemble Magna's European headquarters in a 400-year-old castle near Vienna. It was the vision of Magna founder, Frank Stronach, who no longer runs the world's largest auto parts supply chain. It will be interesting to see if this new development can complement the bucolic countryside which surrounds the Magna property. The photos below give some indication of the neighbourhood challenge ahead.
Photos above and below by Barry Wallace
This south-east view of the Magna property was taken from Jane Street, at the top of the hill, north of the King Road. The Magna lands are on the horizon in the top right corner of the above photo.
The King Township Museum (above) and its collection of buildings (below) sit directly across the King Road from the Magna site. They include the main museum building, incorporating the old Kinghorn school (1861) and the newly-built, Genview Homes developer-funded addition. Separate buildings include the King City Railway Station (1853) and the King Christian Church (1851).
The museum buildings (left) sit on the north side of the King Road in Kinghorn, while Magna's 105 acres (right) are on the south side of the King Road. The Magna headquarters is to be 200,000 square feet, with related businesses occupying adjacent sites. King Mayor Steve Pellegrini was reported to have said in last week's King Connection newspaper that he has already viewed some architectural renderings of the buildings and is excited by what he has seen. Hopefully the renderings will be available soon for the rest of us to see.
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace
Barry Wallace
Monday, May 25, 2015
Friday, May 22, 2015
Forde Crescent ~ King City
Photo by Barry Wallace
Flowering Crab-apple at sunset
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Barry Wallace
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Monday, May 18, 2015
New at Black Forest Garden Centre - fresh eggs
Photos by Barry Wallace
A rooster and 10 laying hens are now residents of Black Forest Garden Centre (Keele St., north of the 17th) and the demand for their fresh eggs is so great that 10 more hens are soon to be added to the flock to meet the demand. Meanwhile the space devoted to plants and flowers has been expanded (below), as well as the space devoted to garden furnishings and decorations, plus a wonderful new collection of signs (see at bottom).
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Even dandelions are pretty at Round the Bend
Photos by Barry Wallace
Linda and I dropped into Round the Bend Farm on Friday afternoon, looking for some fresh early rhubarb. Unfortunately, the rhubarb wasn't as early as us. Next time perhaps. While Round the Bend has some lovely gardens, it was the brilliant perfect dandelions, pictured above, that caught my eye in front of the produce store. Once inside, we were surprised to see the new display space on the south side of the store. There's a very interesting display of well-worn household furnishings echoing a time from well back in the last century. It is a charming adjunct to the fresh produce display. The only thing missing was a litter of orange and white kittens which I have come to expect whenever I'm visiting.
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Out and about...here and there...
Photos by Barry Wallace
Weston Road & Churchill Avenue
Weston Road & 18th Sideroad
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Barry Wallace
Friday, May 15, 2015
Thursday, May 14, 2015
New garden centre on Bathurst Street
Photo by Barry Wallace
HILLCREST NURSERY
King Township's newest garden centre is Hillcrest Nursery, located on the west side of Bathurst Street between the 15th and 16th Sideroads. Although Hillcrest Nursery is in King Township, most of its business will likely come from Aurora's sprawling house developments on the other side of Bathurst Street. Wherever customers come from they will likely appreciate the charming hilltop setting of the greenhouses and the attractive sloping plant displays tracing their way down to Bathurst Street.
Please feel free to comment.
Barry Wallace
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Monday, May 11, 2015
Birdfeeder mystery...
What the heck is it?
Okay, I know what it is.
Photos by Barry Wallace
A gluttonous greedy grey squirrel.
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Spring hostas ~ so lush ~ so welcome
Photos by Barry Wallace
One of those plants where flowers seem superfluous
and a garden without them would not be my garden.
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace