In the five years since his arrival in town, Glen Spurrell has embraced his new community, joining the Historical Society, the Millbrook Valley Trails, and the Garden Club, to name a few. Never one to be obsessed with his career, Glen spent his working life in a variety of endeavours, teaching for many years, and selling books in his last job in Toronto before his relocation to Millbrook after his retirement. For the past three years, he has been encouraging a love of nature and the outdoors to our readers through his monthly column entitled “Get Out!”
Glen Spurrell shares his expertise at last year’s Earth Day celebrations. Photo: Supplied.
In the Garden Club surrounded by enthusiastic and expert gardeners, Glen’s plant knowledge has become somewhat legendary, but his working life never took him into the field of plant science. He has nonetheless developed an encyclopedia-like knowledge of plant names, with the Latin binomial nomenclature for plants slipping off his tongue as naturally as a trained botanist. This is not to show off, however. Glen is pragmatic and particular: he wants to be sure everyone is discussing the same plant. This precision is not possible with the use of common names such as Canterbury bells, bluebells or geraniums. He developed his knowledge by reading and through his years of association with the Toronto branch of the Ontario Rock Garden Society.
Growing up in Whitby, Glen spent time in the suburban yard tending flowers and experimenting with plants, growing cacti and other succulents from seed. Some of those specimens are still alive today, a testament to his green thumb and his perseverance. Succulents are still a passion, and the garden around his home reflects his love of experiments. His garden style is that of a plant collector- no mass plantings for him. To wit, his backyard includes no fewer than 10 dwarf apple trees, a damson plum and a cherry tree. There is also a sizeable decorative garden shed with pergola, a patio area and a water garden with aquatic plants and a circulating pump. More succulents are displayed in strategically placed planters. With no room left in the back, his planting efforts have moved to the front yard where he apparently hopes eventually to have replaced every blade of grass with more interesting plant species.
So in his new life, you could say that Glen has come full circle: through his monthly column and on Earth Day expeditions he is a teacher again, and with his most recent appointment to the Library Board, he is back in the book business. Thanks for the lessons!
By Karen Graham
