Todays' Garden

So, whats' happened to August? It's gone fleeting by as far as I'm concerned. Started out sunny and warm, progressed to way too hot for me, and now I'm wearing a long sleeved shirt and a vest for warmth. Hard to keep up.

Quite the Dahlia show this week, everything seems to be coming on very well. I heard from a girlfriend that a Dahlia 'grower' that sells to the stores was commenting on how late they are this year. The next picture is of "Cafe au Lait", a Dahlia that I searched all over for (Canada that is) and here's her first bloom with me.

I thought she'd be less pink and more parchment. Tomato/ tomato,... difficult to show pronunciation.. I love her just the same.

This is the blue double clematis that puts on a show for most of the summer, year after year, and in the background is the lily bed with some gigantic sweet smelling stargazers.

These are new to me, like a Casablanca lily, only peachy. This is their first year with me, and they seem happy.  Perhaps there will be some for cutting and having bouquets next year.

Honeymoon Bay Outdoor Market

Once again our little community put on a fun filled weekend known as "Bay Days". There was a talent show, parade, kids' activities, fireworks and more to occupy a family. My focus was the Outdoor Market, which is in its' sixth year of operation.

 This was the 'shack' showing a couple of the bouquets, and some patio tomatoes for sale.

More "Flowers For Sale" in another corner of the booth.

These peonys' are spectacular. I don't know a lot about them, just notice that there are two distinct flowers on the same plant. One all double ruffles, and the other almost a single with a pronounced yellow centre. The limey green in the background is Alchemia mollis, or Ladys' Mantle.

 Climbing hydrangea, and Constance Spry roses.

This West coast rainforest weather we've been having certainly agrees with the garden. I didn't think much was going on out there, and came in with an armload of bouquet material. Abundance.
Here's a link to another Blog with more Market pictures. Enjoy.

Short 'n sweet

Our computer has been acting up, perhaps a case of the flu? So it makes it difficult to post, however, there are a few pics' worth sharing.

These are Pink Fawn Lilies, from the Honeymoon Bay Wild Flower Reserve . They bloom in early Spring, and carpet the forest floor for a couple of weeks, but if you miss them, you have to wait another year to see them. Fleeting and beautiful.

This is lovely old "Vulcan" rhododendron at our front porch. Quite a show, it almost glows.
I'm at a lul between late Spring flowers, and some summer blooms. June is proving to be unseasonably cool and wet, so things are taking some time. However, our 12'-14' temperature is promising to heat up next week! Peonys are on the horizon.

Girlfriends And Gardens

The past couple of weeks, I've had the pleasure of visiting long-time girlfriends. Needless to say, it's been a busy time, involving the pleasure of company, and just getting 'out there' experiencing nature. And tea. And bakeries...
We went to Milner Gardens at Qualicum Beach as they were having a plant sale. And the Tea room was open for lunch. Inside the house was a lot of memorabilia of the current "Royals". Charles and Diana were there when they attended Expo '86 in Vancouver. Her handwriting was very innocent looking, all loopy with a little happy face. Sweet girl. Other Royals, too. Such a beautiful private setting.


I also had the pleasure of peeking into a couple of girlfriends gardens a little closer to home. This one is a perfect example of a Spring garden in Ladysmith.

And the next one is of a summer houses' very old, beautiful garden in Honeymoon Bay.

And now, out to my garden!  Enjoy your day.

Random

We're supposed to eat colourful food, right? Well, I think we eat well ... perhaps a little too much, but good food none the less. This cutting board is full of organic veggies ready for the stir-fry, and it was just so beautiful I had to snap a picture.
The pink and bright yellow is rainbow chard!

Here's a pic from last year. Rhubarb is just starting to show now, so I'll put a plastic cover over the bed for a few weeks to protect it from our very cold nights, and soon it'll be looking as good as this.

Eye candy! 
 It's fairly apparent that I'm itching to get into the garden. Today I went out to clear away debris, ... old clematis vines, and raspberry canes etc. Then inside for a warm cup of tea, as it's still cold.
Pretty Random today, but then again, so is my life!

Hellebores

Lovely Spring!

Here are some Hellebore's from wild acre blog Her photos capture these beauties so well, and her garden is so interesting, ... worth a visit! 

Water Dragon

As we know by now, 2012 is the year of the Water Dragon, which is me! I didn't know there were Dragons associated with elements before this year. I'd always celebrated the Chinese New Year, especially the Dragon years, but had no idea of the different elements. So, yes, if you do the math, a cycle of twelve animals times five elements makes me sixty this year. I feel that this year is my year to shine, and I'm in pretty fine company.

THE WATER DRAGON 1952 AND 2012

Water has a calming effect on the Dragon's fearless temperament. Water allows the Dragon to re-direct its enthusiasm, and makes him more perceptive of others. These Dragons are better equipped to take a step back to re-evaluate a situation because they understand the art of patience and do not desire the spotlight like other Dragons. Therefore, they make smart decisions and are able to see eye-to-eye with other people. However, their actions can go wrong if they do not research or if they do not finish one project before starting another.



I must keep in mind that finishing projects is a weak point. Starting them, is something else. Fun fun fun! I often think I like making plans, gathering materials, and making journals more than actually doing the work. Focus might be my 'word of the year'?
Last year I started growing more flowers than I had ever before. I've been researching Flower Farms, and that is the direction I will be going in 2012. More flowers, selling at our Market, experimenting, as I've never grown Gladiolas before, and last year was my first attempt at Dahlias, which were a success and a pleasure. This means more flower pics, more flower farm info, and generally focusing more on the garden, living outdoors more this year! Yeah!!
Hope you'll come along on my travels.

Here's a look back at some of last years inspiration.

Road Trip Continues

Dunster, just a short drive through beautiful countryside from McBride, has its' own flavour. Not vanilla. Look at this Flower Bridge! Someone(s) have taken the time to create art on the 'no posts' and bridge rails. Difficult to photograph, but a delight to see.

Anyway, back in McBride , my daughter and son-in-law took my little girls and I up "McBride Peak". It was a fab, 4-wheel ride up the mountain, and half way up was a primitive shelter. The 'Mighty Fraser River' is just beginning here, and is very serpentine in its' track. Not at all like Hells' Gate in the Fraser canyon.

Later in my visit we went to the farm where my son-in-law grew up, and his parents let the kids grow a garden. The cabbages, although beautiful just as they were in the garden, were even more delicious as cabbage rolls!

I had a wonderful time exploring a part of the province I don't know very well. Not to mention spending some time with my family. All too soon, I was off to Blind Bay, via Valemount and Kamloops. Funny how I don't want to leave one place, and at the same time I'm excited to press on to new adventures.

Friday Flowers

 My husband and I finally were able to get outside long enough to take down Christmas lights today, and look what we found. Aconite and snowdrops. The snow has just left the yard, so I'm sure they were blooming under the snow. Fresh snow on the hills, so it's still quite cold to work in the garden, although I did start cleaning up some debris. Now it must be teatime!

Snow Day on Vancouver Island

I often hear people talk about Vancouver Island as if it were a magical place, somehow unreal, and not relating to the rest of Canada. I must admit that I often thank my lucky stars that I live where I do, when weather becomes the news, as it has done so often this past winter.

Today we woke up to a blanket of wet snow. Just a reminder that this is Canada and it is still winter.

After taking the pictures of the yard, I went around to the back porch, where I have a 'hit of Spring' right at my back door. It just makes me smile.