Harry Jongerden Retires

But he’s not saying goodbye anytime soon By Lorraine Hunter

After eight years—five as Executive Director and three as Garden Director in charge of the TBG’s Expansion into Edward Gardens—Harry was elected to the organization’s Board of Directors at the AGM in June.

“When I went into the office to pack up, I expected to have mixed feelings. But, I didn’t. I felt great,” he recalls. “I was excited about joining the board and that I was not really saying good bye.”

Harry is most proud of helping to develop the TBG vision to grow and become a significant botanical garden. It was Harry who saw the potential to expand the TBG’s four-acres into a botanical garden that would encompass the 35 acres comprising Edwards Gardens. During the many negotiations with the City of Toronto and other involved groups, Harry continued to oversee the everyday details of managing a botanical garden, until three years ago, when he became Garden Director, concentrating all his efforts on the successful implementation of his plan. The dream is now well on the way to becoming a reality, with Phase 1 construction scheduled to begin next year.

Working with the City of Toronto has brought Harry back to his roots. He started his career with the Toronto Parks Department as Head Gardener at the Toronto Islands and the Canadian National Exhibition. He then spent eight years as Head Gardener at the Stratford Shakespearean Theatre before moving to the Royal Botanical Gardens, in Hamilton, first as Garden Designer/ Horticulturist and then as Head of Horticulture. His last post before joining the TBG was as Garden Director at VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver. In 2019, Harry received the Garden Person Award at the Canadian Garden Tourism Awards, for his work at the gardens he embraced. He is the author of This Other Eden: The Gardens of the Stratford Festival of Canada and is Chair of the Awards Committee, American Public Gardens Association as well as Chair of the Ontario Garden Council.

Harry is also proud that in the five years he was Executive Director, “we were able to balance the budget— that went from $1.6 million to $2.4 million in that time— and maintain stability,” he says.

Harry decided to join the board because he enjoyed the sense of freedom he felt working mainly from home during COVID. “That taste of freedom made me want more. Also, I turned 68 in May and it seemed like time to retire. But I still felt the need to be on hand to help guide the expansion process. I expect to be putting in lots of hours, but on my time.”

Or, as his wife Verna might put it, “So now you’ll be just as involved with the TBG as ever, but for free!”

Looking forward, Harry says that “it is very important that we move ahead positively and not deal in the recent past.”

Keeping financially stable is still a challenge. “The COVID support money will soon be gone. Rental revenues are not back yet. We are not out of the woods.”

The transition before the board, he says, is scary. “We have to work hard at rebuilding the organization. I have enough experience to know that you can’t just count on garden lovers to visit your garden. To attract a broader audience, you need events and creative programming such as holiday light shows to be successful.

Harry enjoyed many fundraisers including the TBG’s most floriferous annual garden party, Woman to Woman. The 2017 event was hosted by CBC News Reporter Tashauna Reid seen above with Harry.

“We have had some wonderful events (prior to the pandemic) and when we have the larger foot print, we will be able to do more events like the Blossom Party, ZimSculpt, the Aster Awards and the Toronto Life Garden Party. They all build revenue. Attendees visit the shop, they come back and rent space for their own events. The more people you attract to the place the more the word will spread.”

TBG’s inaugural Aster Awards in 2013 celebrated three extraordinary individuals whose work inspired us to connect with nature—Scott MacIvor, Janet Rosenberg and Edward Burtynsky, here with Harry Jongerden.

Often asked why the TBG does not charge admission, he explains that it was a condition that came with the property. Rupert Edwards deeded Edwards Gardens to the city for $150,000 with the stipulation that it was for as long as it is a free park. At that time in 1955 the property was estimated to be worth $400,000.

In a survey of some 30 botanical gardens across North America, Harry concluded that the average yearly income from admission fees was 14 per cent. And most had free parking. The TBG made about 10 per cent on parking fees which were instituted last year for non-members.

Harry sees free entry to the park as a plus rather than a detriment. “We are the most inclusive garden because the entry fee is no barrier. We’re free.”

He sees the need for the board to be “open and transparent with the membership and with the public. I am really is pleased with the makeup of the new slate which brings a broad range of skills and backgrounds to the board. It’s a good start. I am very optimistic.”