What grows here.

The Dandelion Wrangler

2009-04-20T14:57:00.000-07:00

I'm ending this blog and starting anew.

No good reason really, just a bunch of little ones.

When I started this blog well over a year ago, the caption under the title read: The Antics of a novice gardener. I feel Ive come along way since those days. Breaking out of my mold and trying new things, plants, colours, and landscaping choices.
This ends the era of Laura the novice, and from here on out I jump with two feet into a whole new world of gardening. With confidence and determination I go. Loaded with a whole different bag of trick than from which I started.
So please feel free to join me over at my new home, The Dandelion Wrangler. Where this year I will embark on the world of Vegetables, herbs and an assortment of the usual characters.

I sincerely hope you have enjoyed the ride :)

Happy Easter Weekend!

2009-04-12T09:24:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to wish all of my readers a Happy Easter. Was the chocolate bunny good to you?

Such a quick seasonal correction

2009-04-05T17:08:00.000-07:00

Today was warm and inviting.
Frankly it would have been rude not to go play in it.

Yes, Mother Nature. We do remember you are firmly in charge.
Of course your April fools joke was brilliant.
Your so sneaky!
We should have known you would follow it up with an absolutely marvelous weekend.

Again, thanks for the quick seasonal correction.

So outside I went. To the backyard. To tame the wilds.
My newspaper compost garden bed were looking lovely.
Hard to imagine just a few weeks ago this was grass, weeds, and Alberta Wild Rose, taking over with her prickly saunter.

She has been tamed.
So in went the Iris'. 100 hundred of them. I created 5 pods of twenty bulbs across the back row. Evenly spaced, each pod contained 10 of the pale blue Sky Wings, and ten of the dark blue Rendez Vous. In between each set I planted some pale yellow Gladiolus, 20 in all.

Summer will bring many thing, the least of which is beautiful colour against the drab fence backdrop of the yard.While working I found these interlopers. Friendly neighbor's willing to come over and stay. I have no problem with traveling Poppies. They are welcome anytime :) These are that lovely Orange red colour. I transplanted 7 small plants to the empty spaces that remained in the bed.

Hopefully they take to their changed location. Free flowers are all the more lovely...
Once finished my tasks, and exhausted, I proceeded to wander the backyard to look at all of the wonderful new growth.
A beautiful sight!

The first of the hyacinths

2009-04-04T15:29:00.000-07:00

The Crocus' are akin to the dimming of the lights before the production begins. They want you in your seats for the first act.The Hyacinths, dazzling in colours, and rich in smells draw you into to spring.Dressed and ready they are springs first true performers, keeping the audience at bay.
The main act....well its a show stopper.
As usual they are late, barely into costumes, but they too will be arriving soon.

The tulips are worth the wait,

They steal your breath!

Strange days..

2009-04-01T15:46:00.000-07:00

The weather has been interesting the last few days.

Yesterday was gorgeous and sunny,
with a side of ferocious winds.I heard the winds were strong that small boats were being knocked around in English Bay.Right at the cusp of a mountain, we tend to get quite the gusts ourselves.Yet it was still warm.
Well not in the wind it wasn't.It was a day that yearned for nursery's and the treasures that they hold.

My little gem helped me pick these out and plant them for our patio plant rack.The day ended with dreams of flower to come,
and warm days that last.
Suitable the bizarre weather of today came on April fools.
Oh boy did Mother Nature have one in store for us.
She's got a wicked sense of humor.
By luck the snow stopped flowing freely from the sky by lunch, and soon after started to melt away.

After all a jokes a joke, but its only supposed to last for the morning :)

Catching up.

2009-04-01T15:42:00.000-07:00

So I'm a little behind. We had a power issue last week that zapped our server. I currently do not have access to any of my pictures, old, or just the one I hadn't blogged with yet. So I waited, and waited. Unfortunately being married to a Computer geek doesn't always necessitate that your computer is always functioning normally. I love the man, but he's been to busy to deal with my problem. I get it, but moan anyways.

And from there I move on.

I have new pictures.

I can blog again.

Sprucing up the pots

2009-03-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

There something quite lovely about the nursery's this time of year. There are usually only a few varieties of plants on their tables, but its the amounts of each and the colours that take your breath away.You cant help but take a few home. At least that's how I excuse it.Lucky me, I had a few pots in need of some annual colour.

and yes, I did dead head them (it always hurts a little). This time, I was smart enough to take a few pictures first. This way their striking colours will be more than a memory. At least for the next few days.I also picked up some English Daisies.
Their small but perky stature is just the right fit for early spring.

Shining a little light on

2009-03-25T15:16:00.000-07:00

The sun was pouring in this afternoon. While I may be kept inside with a sleeping baby, my feet did find their way to the patio. To peek at some plants that give me special joy.
The Strawberry plants were enjoying the sunbath. These plant are especially beautiful. They are Alpine Strawberries, suitable named Golden Alexandria. I picked them up a week or so back and have yet to decide where they will seek their home. Alpine strawberries make a wonderful border plant, as they are clumping and do not push out trailers. So with beautiful foliage like this, they may end up in the front garden. In the front at least they could serve a dual purpose. One of beauty, and another as a special treat after a long weeding session.
It sounds like Ive decided, doesn't it?

For now though, Ill keep them up here enjoying the sun!

The ever growing list.

2009-03-22T16:22:00.000-07:00

Today I removed some of the dead shrubs. Worked the ground, and let the new growth prevail.

Yet another corner of the garden revitalized.
It was absolutely lovely outside. Warm and sunny. The kind of day where a light sweater gets too hot. When your elbow deep in dirt that is.
I not only found old friends out enjoying the sun..
but new ones too.This breath of spring, is a real pleasure.

A day of weeding is also a day of planning.

My mind spins with the possibilities as I plot along.
Where the new summer bulbs will go.

Starting the raised beds in the backyard.
The Patio, the path and what they will one day look like (hopefully one day soon!)

Getting the trailer fixed.

More dirt.

The tree.

So many things are continually being added to my mental list.

I should really get to writing it down, lol!

Spring!

2009-03-21T17:10:00.000-07:00

Spring has arrived...... Officially.All of the crocus' are now blooming.Basking in the relatively beautiful first day of spring.I noticed just how much didn't make it over this last harsh winter as I toured the garden today.

Two California Lilacs. A few rose bushes that the verdict is still out on. It doesn't look good.

Everywhere I go I see dead California Lilac shrubs. Two years in a row of replacing them is enough.

I adore the smell, but I cant live through the continued heartache.
On the plus side, space is being opened up. A chance for new plants, new ideas. More experimentation.....

There are a few pleasures as well as tears when a new year of gardening begins.

Ahhh the joys of spring!

When your mind wanders....

2009-03-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

So it been doing this outside again.Snowing off and on ever couple of days. Luckily melting within the same day. None the less, it made spring clean up grind to a halt.

So I have been keeping myself busy in other ways. See below my half ass attempt at seeds this year. I started them in recycled plastic muffin trays. They had a good start, but unfortunately not enough heat to keep most of them going. Next year I think Ill look into a heat lamp, or one of those fabulous heat pads.

Anyhoo, I upgraded to this lovely mini greenhouse from Ikea.
I planted 'Cherry Brandy' Rudbeckia, and some Lavender. The latter didn't do well when I tried to transplant them to these larger containers yesterday. Two survived. I fear that one or possible both of them wont last the next few days.

I also planted some Marigolds.
This was my first attempt at seeds. Trial and error, and boy did I error! Well here's hoping that these little ones make it! At least next year Ill know what I'm doing.

Also on the experimenting though, I gave my hand and transplanting some chicks from this gorgeous 'Black' Hens & Chicks. It was a fabulous learning experience. One that I believe was successful!
That brings us to today.

It raining outside. The kind of rain that makes you fearful of more snow to come.

So my mind does wander...........(excuse the picture, its over a year old, yet not much has changed in that corner of the yard.)
Im thinking of cutting down the Walnut tree that is fast taking over all of my backyard. Everything under its canopy is a dead zone, and a regularly schedualed mess. It definatly a tree fit for an acrage, not for my suburban backyard. Its already dwarfing our house at 35-40 feet, and I know that this monster will make it to 100 feet.

I hesitate to install the much desired raised veggi beds this spring with the tree still looming nearby. I fear I would only have a year or two of crops before the tree takes over its patch of sky.

Sigh.

I think we will be taking down the tree.

Gardening in the snow

2009-03-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

The last few days have been beautiful! Ive been finding my moments to escape life and revitalize the garden. The plants have been shining under the blue sky.
Basking in the warmth of the spring sun.After an initial clean up, came the dirt.
Interestingly enough, today after a full morning of sunglasses and ditched jackets......It snowed.
Michael and I did a good job of ignoring it. You don't get to pick your days, and today was a child free afternoon.

So garden we did.
Through the initial flutters we continued our task. Most of the front beds got refreshed. Along with a long bed in the backyard. Through the snow we worked, and talked. It was nice to get some projects off the list. With the spring clean nearly finished, our conversations turned to Veggie patches, and the front yard's garden patio.
But one thing at a time. It has to stop snowing first.

The rest will have to wait for another day.

Lava Rock

2009-03-04T14:21:00.000-08:00

As promised my new Lava rock, from the area around Mount Meager near Pemberton BC. I think I found an excellent spot for this interesting piece. Just waiting on the Husband to help me move it. It is remarkably heavy.

100 year old Cobblestone...Yes please!

2009-03-03T21:11:00.000-08:00

I had an interesting day yesterday. On the way home from the doctor's I indulged in a short (ha!) stop for pregnancy related chocolate. It was a very important task. Unfortunately after gathering the much sought after Mini Eggs, my Van failed to restart.

Insert some curse words here.....

Anyhoo, after many attempts I finally got it to roll over. I rolled it on down to the dealership. As this was my vans 2nd visit to be fixed this week, and it seemed they never fixed the problem in the first place, as you can imagine more curse words can be added here.....

....and here.

After a long wait for someone able to drive me home, I got to talking to the driver about gardening. How thankful we are that the snow is gone. He mentioned that his wife grows all of there summer veg, and we had a lovely conversation about Cabbage.

No one believes me when I tell them I have a huge front yard garden. I usually get the 'Oh yeah' blank stare, well yesterday was no different. That is until we pulled up into the drive, the large and powerful Heather's showing off their winter colours with no shame. It makes a believer out of anyone!

With a friendly wave and a 'have fun this spring!' the driver rode away, and I for the first time turned around to face the house. That's when I noticed the game changer. The jump the shark moment that truly turned yesterday into one of my favorite days in recent memories.

A large pile of 100 year old cobblestone!
I heard rumor of it through the winter. My MIL told me of a neighbor who had too much and was looking to get rid of it.

Me! Me! Me! Me! ( I sure hope they saw my hand in the air!)
Later in the day when the rain had finally disappeared, My gardener helper and I made our way outside to play in the garden.
Our neighbor was outside as well, so I got to personally thank him for this amazing gift! He asked what I was going to do with them, and so I told him. I honestly don't know! But they made my day! So we started talking rocks. He's a fan too! It seems he has the addiction. Where ever he goes he picks up a rock or two or twelve it seems.

By the end of the conversation I was somehow in possession of a couple pieces of quarts, a few nice thin pieces of slate, and large chunk of BC lava. Sorry my camera had long before made its way back inside, so there are no pictures at the moment. Rest assured Ill get a few snaps later today.

So by the end of the day the bad words had left my head, replaced with the usual variety of sunshine and lollipops. I didn't get much gardening done, but as a rock hunter I came out on top!

Something else to capture the eye.

2009-02-27T11:08:00.000-08:00

More of those delicious egg-like beauties.
Open arms to embrace the sun.
We aren't going to talk about the snow.I'm living in a dream world where it didn't happen.
Ill do my best not to look over at my neighbor's shade filled lawn that still holds the reminder.
It didn't snow the other day.
I'm sticking to that story.

In that moment.

2009-02-24T14:38:00.000-08:00

Mmmmm, its been raining. Not the brilliantly cold rain of winter, but more the subdued chill of early spring. Its the kind of rain that is walk worthy. Coming down in sheets at one moment. Then in the next just lightly tapping overhead.
In that moment if you look, you can find more than just the beauty of rain.
Its treasure .The gift of renewal.

Spring has arrived!

2009-02-22T12:53:00.000-08:00

At least at my house!
Yesterday my first crocus bloomed, bringing a little joy to the start of my day.
It only got better from that moment.
Last night The Port Coquitlam Heritage Society held its first Annual Museum Fundraiser Gala! It was a lot of hard work, but it payed off in spades. As the Co Chair of the Fundraising Committee, I am immensely proud of the evening. We raised 25% over our projections, close to $6,300. With the help of our keynote speaker Donald Luxton, the recipient of the 2009 Provincial Heritage award, we managed to boost awareness of our plight here within the community. This is the beginning of a new era, one supportive of preserving local heritage within our city.
Many local artist displayed their works for Auction.
A local Florist Karon Fuson supplied the flowers.
And donated the centerpieces! Gorgeous!The flowers, the art, the long stem roses on water picks for the guests, and a Jazz duo playing in the background really set a mood for the evening.The day started with crocus, and ended with roses.
Living in B.C. in late February, not a bad day to say good bye to winter.

The colours of Winter

2009-02-13T15:17:00.000-08:00

On a clear day, the colours of my garden are sharp. She is in prime condition to show off her resilient winter body.
The curves. More definable without the spring blooms, or the summers perennials.

A silent beauty.The shock of the purple,

In contrast to the fresh green tones of the new year's growth
So fragile. So beautiful.
These plants persist. Undaunted by winters bite.
Each shining, in the cold sunlight.
A sunny day in winter, brings just about everyone out.

Dare I say it? I want spring!

2009-02-02T16:50:00.000-08:00

I'm salivating for it. The memories have been dancing across my brain. Teasing. Tempting. Driving me batty.

To feed my undeniable hunger I have been perusing through pictures from last spring. What a difference a season or two makes! Is that my garden?

The snow hasn't completely left my garden. But a girl can dream, right.......

So its not just a big pile of snow...

2009-01-20T20:58:00.000-08:00

There are plants under there!I was starting to wonder.
But regardless of the weather,
They are hard at work.

Preparing for spring.
Waiting for their moment to shine.

Into the Fog

2009-01-16T11:57:00.000-08:00

I was driving by Riverside High school the other day when I had to pull to the side of the road quickly. The fields surrounding the school were deep in fog.

It took my breath away.Luckily already donning my boots I tromped into the fog for a closer look.It was so quiet.
So peaceful.
Hard to imagine the high school was letting their rambunctious populace out for the day as I snapped pictures.
Hard to imagine there was another soul around for miles.

What lies beneath

2009-01-15T09:46:00.000-08:00

The snow is melting, dripping and cascading off the plants. It seems a garden lies beneath.
The unfinished project still sit....unfinished.

Spring project #1.

Putting the gloves on

2009-01-05T14:57:00.000-08:00

I'm officially putting the gloves on. I am expecting my third child this summer, late July. So my finger's aren't going to get the joy of warm dirt beneath them this year.

Lucky me, My girl's playmate gave her a set for her birthday.
One pair for me,
and one for her.She's excited.

She woke me up this morning with exclamations of spring. Her dreams were filled with flower's.

She dreams about my garden!

It seems Ive gained a gardener.

Well despite the dreams of spring, winter is still in the air.

On the ground.

Just about everywhere.

Traffic is nasty, the roads treacherous with slush and ice. Snow banks that get you caught in the most awkward places.

Winter is designed for boots. Walking is the best way to get around.

Its hard to miss the beauty of winter when walking.

The subtlety.

The quiet grace.

The striking colours.
Spring may be in my heart, but winter is still on the ground.

Inside with an Amaryllis

2008-12-31T15:35:00.000-08:00

Its a much warmer place.Full of colour, and whimsy.
A day dream of summer.
Just out of grasp.

Ready for anything!

2008-12-29T13:17:00.000-08:00

It was a wonderful Christmas.
There was snow.
An insane quantity by any one's measurement.

We are not used to this level of snow in the Lower Mainland.
The piles were so high it was not uncommon to hear the questions asked;

Where is my car exactly?
There is a garden under there?
Are you sure?

Luckily my emergency prepared husband was vigilant on making sure the drains were clear. At some point this would all disappear in a rainy sludgy mess, and he was ready.Once explained, the neighbor's were quick to follow suit.
When the rain started to come there was no need for random digging through gigantic piles of snow to find the drains on our street.

We had that covered!Which is a good thing. Its getting really wet out there!
Luckily I can hide inside, with my beautiful new camera!

Playing with my favorite new feature! The 1 cm macro mode!
He! He!
I'm really looking forward to spring :)

The simple things.

2008-12-18T10:03:00.000-08:00

Winter has been showing her magnificent breath.
Leaving a blanket of innocence, a glimpse of what lie beneath.

A garden. Be it in winter or in summer,
is a beautiful thing.
Kissed by the snow,
she sings.
Winter leaves no house untouched from her sweep.
Every branch supports her endeavour.
The simplest things become..
Enchanting.
The everyday demands notice.
Occasionally applause.

Thank you Marilyn for the use of your camera.

The last pictures.

2008-12-12T10:51:00.000-08:00

My camera died yesterday.These were the last pictures I was able to take.
I miss my camera already.
Sigh....

Their last hooray!

2008-11-18T16:06:00.000-08:00

Still blooming, these flowers have yet to realise their comrades fell long ago.
They are just glimpses of a memory of summer.The brave last few, who do not wish to bow for winter.
They hang on.

Desperate to feel summers warmth again.
Until next time.

Whats that smell?

2008-11-17T14:56:00.000-08:00

The Salmon Festival was this last weekend in Port Coquitlam. We took the kids and enjoyed the festivities. Today my daughter's Pre-school class also took a field trip to Hyde Creek to visit the Hyde Creek Education Centre and Hatchery.

Less crowded than the weekend, it was a pleasant morning.

The river has a musical quality.

Similar to the chimes of the children.
The leaves all shades of gorgeous, crunched underfoot.

We were lucky it didn't rain.
The kids learned about the life of the salmon.

From start to finish , here.

In this river.

That runs behind my house.

Its amazing to think about the wonder going on so close by.

And thoughts like that are what help you get through,

The stench.

Dead Salmon, that is.

Further on the path there is a pool.

Coho Salmon , spawning below.What a sight.

Rememberance Day.

2008-11-11T08:29:00.000-08:00

Lest We Forget.

Anyone got a flashlight?

2008-11-08T17:22:00.000-08:00

A Saturday afternoon.

4 O'clock. Dark, But not dreary.

November rain

2008-11-02T19:03:00.000-08:00

The rain keeps coming.I'm not sure how these are standing, let alone still blooming.
They are all the more glorious for it.
Something to remember the warmer days by.
For this week at least.....

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-01T11:24:00.000-07:00

Belated yes.

I meant to post this yesterday.

Hopefully everyone had a happy and safe Halloween!

Not finished yet.

2008-10-27T18:51:00.000-07:00

My Iceland Poppy's are still blooming.The frost has already come.
Shhhhhhh. Don't tell them.

They might get spooked.

If you look hard enough, there are still flowers blooming.

2008-10-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

This could be it.The last of them.
Just a week until Halloween. Historically the time in which my Dahlia's get taken by the cold.
So I'm taking this last moment, to soak it all in.

Just down the road....

2008-10-22T17:47:00.000-07:00

I love the patch.Pumpkin that is.
There is something about the rows pumpkins.
The colours and characters each of them hold.

The same, but unique.
The silliness, the whimsy.
The school children giggling around a bathtub of pumpkins.....You know, the usual.There is nothing better then local grown pumpkins.

Fresh from the patch.

GTS a skip through downtown.

2008-10-19T08:50:00.000-07:00

Green Thumb Sunday

Join

The name escapes me, but I'm fairly certain this plant was supposed to finish blooming in early to mid summer. These blooms caught me by surprise.
I took a walk through downtown near city hall yesterday with my daughter.

She did some twirling on the big outdoor stage at Leigh Square.And I took pictures of flowers.

No big surprise on either end. Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

A few snaps.

2008-10-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

In the rain.

2008-10-16T12:48:00.000-07:00

Bye, bye cold sunny days.
I'm not complaining.
Some things are just prettier in the rain.
Even if I'm the only one outside.Snapping away.There is so much to see.In its every day beauty.

A stroll through the neighborhood.

2008-10-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

Who said fall was boring?There is so much going on around us.

Sure it doesn't have the sparkle of late spring.

Or the electric energy of summer in full tilt.But as the leaves fall,

Everything below comes to life.

The rocks, the fence panels, they each tell their own story.

This neighbors fence stoped me in my tracks today.

Glorious!
I hope they never paint this old fence.

The contrast, well its beyond words....

Its nice enough outside to put on a sweater!

2008-10-14T12:47:00.000-07:00

We've been enjoying some beautiful fall weather.A bit of dew in the mornings.
Occasionally the car window needs to be scraped.
Blue sky days.
With a bite!
And a sweater!

Thanksgiving.

2008-10-13T17:50:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful for my little helpers.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Its the season of change.

2008-10-12T13:16:00.000-07:00

Election time is here.
Change can be inspirational.
Everybody go vote!

Shameless plug.

2008-10-11T10:47:00.000-07:00

On an entirely un garden related post. Well other than the fact that he's my garden helper and best friend. My husband Michael Thomas is running for Port Coquitlam city council. If anyone lives in my area and is interested in checking out the issues, you can find them at Michael-Thomas.ca!
or on Facebook at Michael Thomas for Port Coquitlam City Council
If your not a resident but know someone who is, feel free to pass these links along.

A few pictures.

2008-10-10T15:13:00.000-07:00

No time to write,
Life's keeping me too busy to be playing in the garden.
That's alright,
She's running on autopilot anyways.

Dont count her out.

2008-10-09T14:44:00.000-07:00

The garden may fade. But she never sleeps. She's still there showing off the splendor of her fall colours and textures.Even when no one is looking.

Brrrrr!

2008-10-07T13:28:00.000-07:00

A cold windy morning in downtown Vancouver.This city is gorgeous, no matter the weather or the season.
There is always something to see.
Something big, something bright.
Something inspiring.

Harvest Festival

2008-10-05T20:42:00.000-07:00

The Harvest Festival was this past weekend. Put on by the local BIA . It was a wonderful day out with the kids. Music, games, clowns, mini donuts, and of course the pumpkins.Pumpkin decorating was a big hit with my girl. She dawned her brush and got right to her very serious work.
After a nice lunch, some carnival rides and a little dancing, the weather took a turn.
You could say it was wet.

But that would have been an understatement.

Yet the Shriner clowns continued making balloon animals under their tent until the last child was gone.
Or should I say washed away.

Oh how quickly time does slip away.

2008-10-02T21:08:00.000-07:00

Things are changing.
Seasons ending.
Some just beginning. My winter Heather is budding up.
And even starting to bloom.

A little early, but Ill take it!
The Echineachia is starting to look festive. I'm not going to cut them back. Not only will they be spooky for Halloween, but they feed the birds through winter.
This little specimen is a Coral Bark Maple. Ive been drooling over the prospects of buying one for a while. The bark stays that wonderful fuchsia colour all year round. The leaves, green through summer, turn enchanting colours through the fall.

Walking past a booth at the Tree Festival a couple of weeks ago I spotted it, got it, and saved myself a load of cash. $2 deals are my favorite, as are local plant sales. I'd much rather grow and shape the tree myself.

I lucked out for sure.

I have the perfect spot for it.

My hollowed out stump, will help grow a new tree.

I like the quirkiness of it.My Japanese Maple is growing. This one started out as a small 2 $ special as well. And has proved its value ten fold. They certainly grow fast.Towering above the Noir Hollyhock is still stunning.

I recently found an off spring in another area of the garden. Its been relocated beside its maker.Things are changing so quickly now. I wonder what tomorrow will bring?

The Glacial Boulder.

2008-09-29T15:59:00.000-07:00

I got out to plant some bulbs.
Mostly I ended up doing some long over due weeding.

The weeds were well past waist high.

Sigh.

In my defence it was hard to tell.
There were so many flowers still blooming.

Big, lush..
Most now fading.

So I cleared out the dead.

And found I liked what lay beneath.

A lot more structure than previous years.
Yet still, a few stars still shining.
I realised my time was waning, and I better stop looking at the pretty flowers and get on with it.

I cleared out the sad annuals from the pots. Left the glorious perennials, and planted some bulbs.The Iris' got topped, and in went more tulips. 60 in all. White in the majority of the pots, and a fiery orangy red in the urns.

It was satisfying to clean them up. They had been looking so unruly.
Just as I was cleaning up, the rock came.

I knew it would be in the next day or so, but the timing couldn't have been more perfect. This Glacial Boulder had been inhabiting what soon shall be my sister's driveway. A million thanks sis. I'm happy to take it off your hands!

A great neighbor and friend came by to deliver it. It was fun to watch his machines dance to get it into position. It amazing what they can do.
Its a stunning boulder. Daughter approved and a real finish to the front drive.
is this the appropriate point to giggle in delight?

For the birds.

2008-09-24T17:37:00.000-07:00

How could I have forgotten about the local wildlife?
Yesterday a Blue Heron was a welcome visitor on my neighbor's roof. He hung out for a while, with some crows.

I hoped to get better pictures.

He wasn't that far away.

Just across the street.

Sigh.
He ate a few bugs.

Then took off.I didn't catch it.

The time delay on my digital camera is soooo slow.

What an opportunity

.....missed.

I need a new camera.

Things that look good in the rain.

2008-09-24T15:53:00.000-07:00

The rain brings out the inner beauty in so many things.The rocks never look like this on a hot day in August.
The puddles, a mirror of how the day really looks.And the plants, well....

They seem to be stuck in delirium.

Many seem to have forgotten that its fall.
Others never needed the reminder.

Everything looks good in the rain.

And along came fall.

2008-09-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

I'm not sad to see summer go.
I will miss the flowers. The sights and smells. But nothing beats the cold crunch of fall.

A perfectly clear day with the bite in the wind.

The leaves dancing silently down the street side. Unaware of the passer by.

I love the colour. The outstanding red, that can only be replicated by the local fashionista's, but it never compares.

I love the smells. The wood burning stoves and pumpkins seeds roasting. A cup of hot coffee, bought purley for the aroma, and of course the hand warmer.

The kids playing up the street, hockey of course.Nothing beats fall.

The last weekend of summer...

2008-09-21T16:47:00.000-07:00

...was wet.It hardly felt like a late summer's day.
The only giveaway was the smell.

The air still held the aroma of my summer garden.

The rain did stop. Unexpected the sun peaked out and dried the earth.
I guess even Mother Nature wanted one last peek at what summer brought us.

Its the most wonderful time of the year!

2008-09-17T12:09:00.000-07:00

The bulbs are back in town.
I'm sorry dear husband, this was necessary

....right :)

I hit up Amsterdam Garden centre for there bulb selection. They have great deals on multi pack and bulk buys. The only way to go!Ahh snow drops. I love anything that self propagates so quickly!
I tried some gorgeous double blooming purple tulips last year, and loved them! This year I'm adding these ones right beside them. I think the hit of yellow and red against the purple will be awesome!
I picked up a couple multi colour packs for my Mom. Psst Mom, act surprised when I come over to plant them for your birthday!
I bought another pack of these last year and loved the colours! I had them in a turquoise pot, and the effect was stunning. These one will be going in the ground. Hopefully they will look just as amazing!
Yesterday I made a pit stop at Costco. They had some fabulous bulb deals, and well, we all know what happened.
I'm so excited!

Where summer had been hiding.

2008-09-15T23:32:00.000-07:00

Pssst. Its at my house!

It wont last long.

Nine years ago ....

2008-09-12T23:18:00.000-07:00

I love the fall.
The colours, the smells. The cool evening air.

I love the memories that it stirs....

9 Years ago today, my husband and I started dating. Our lives have changed alot in the last nine years, but he remains my constant. My soul mate and best friend. Happy anniversary hun.

* * * * *
The garden is distinctly aware of this change in the calendar pages.The bees are still buzzing.

While many flowers are giving off their last hooray!Webs, glisten in the fading sun.But the Dahlia's still pop.
The roses. Brushing off equal parts of rain and blistering sun. Their fragrance ever stronger for.
But behind the blooms, fall is coming.

Encroaching further and further ever day.The last Day Lilly, before the this season falls.
Clean up is coming.

September surprise

2008-09-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

I certainly had some late blooming Poppy's this year, but well into September? I don't remember any of mine blooming past July last year.
We have had a lot of rain this summer.
Maybe it thinks its spring? I dunno, but I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts!

Storm tinted glasses

2008-09-01T21:36:00.000-07:00

There was a rainbow, but I didn't have my camera.

By the time we got home the sky was some beautiful colours.
Tinted.
My daughter took the moment to run through the garden. Where her balloon was introduced to a coneflower.

The balloon was no more.

Meh, she didn't seem to mind. The world was tinted. Rosy cheeked and beautiful.The clear sky had plans.

The wind had picked up.
A late summer storm simmered.

The last touch of August.

2008-08-30T19:14:00.000-07:00

Well there was a break in the rain today. Look who finally showed her head. This is the first bloom on my yellow dinner plate Dahlia's. Last year I had a cluster of 6 plants. This is the only one that survived the winter. I'm just happy it survived the summer.

Sigh.
I added in a few more succulents. I'm very excited to see what this will look like as they spread. Its right at the front edge of the garden.
The rain certainly has made everything grow. It seems I forgot this outside recently ;)
My pots are looking fab. I recently added a variegated grass and some pretty little yellow flowers that I cant remember the name of.......
The stonecrop Sedium is starting to blush.
I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend. September is knocking, and the garden is showing her season.

The last throes of summer

2008-08-26T12:15:00.000-07:00

I must apologise for not being the dedicated blogger I aspire to be. Not only is summer waining, but my time too seems to be slipping away. Between the kids, the bears, the heat, the rain, and our busy family schedule, not much of the day is left for me to be taking photo's and updating my blog.
I wont be gone, Ill still be here updating when possible. Busy in the garden when the day permits.

Arrr, there be bear here.

2008-08-23T13:56:00.001-07:00

Well another reminder to be on high alert. Its bear season.
This year has been a particularly bad year for the bears.
An extreamly cold and wet winter, lead to low berry's crops out in the bush. They are visiting neighborhoods like mine with all together too much ease. Mid day raids are no longer uncommon. . There have even been a few bear attacks in the lower mainland this summer. One particularly awful attack happened on my side of the mountain here, to a woman out in her front yard gardening. The bears are getting aggressive, panicking really. There food sources have dried up early this year.

This leads to nothing but tragedy.

Too many bears die as we encroach into their forests. As their homes get bulldozed and ours get built. Development is playing a huge factor in our local bear problems.

As is the poor garbage systems in the tri-cities. Port Coquitlam has excellent cans. An easy addition of two strong bungee cords and we are bear proof. There are a couple companies locally petitioning city to try to get their locking features added to the cans. It would be a small fee, but a great improvement. I for one would be happy to pay that cost. Especially if it helps ovoid creating a garbage bear. The other cities have different garbage methods. Up the street from me the city lines change. On that side of the street the owner's provide their own can(s) This is what we call 'dinner', the equivalent of Yogi Bear's Pic-i-nic basket. We need to be working together to solve the bear problems, not be working opposing methods.
As we all know, A garbage bear is a dead bear.

It looks like summer again.

2008-08-22T12:38:00.000-07:00

The rain finally stoped.

I got out into the garden this morning and finally got those grasses planted.

It sure smells nice out there after a summers rain.

Glorious Grasses

2008-08-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

The guest speaker at the garden club last night was Ewan Mackenzie from Exemplar Horticulture They specialise in gorgeous grasses. It was wonderful to get some detailed information on grasses, from the horses mouth so to speak. He had a lot of interesting things to say on a subject that I knew little to nothing about.

I learned that there are two main types of grasses, Cool season grasses and warm season grasses.

Cool season grasses actively grow in temperatures above freezing and up to mid 20's degrees Celsius, which means their growing season begins in early spring, stops through the hot summer and then continues through the fall and winter. Most cool season grasses that flower do so in late winter to early summer. Cool season grasses are evergreen, although a few are deciduous. They are also commonly low growers, around 2 feet as a maximum height.

Warm season grasses need the warm soil conditions of spring to start growing. They are at their glory when temperatures are upwards of 24 degrees Celsius. The flowers, if its that variety usually bloom from mid summer until first frost. In the fall they die back with the perennials to dormant buds beneath the soil surface. In general warm season grasses are tall. They grow anywhere from 2-8 feet, with some as high as 15 feet tall.

He even brought a large array of grasses that we were able to peruse through, and purchase at the end. I enjoyed the speaker, but I was giddy for the plants. I walked out of there with so many I had to snag a tray off of him. I would have never made it to the car otherwise :)

Cool grasses that came home with me were,
Lemon Swirl.
Siskiyou Blue
Variegated Moor Grass
I only brought home one warm grass. This one is perennial, however is not hardy for my climate. It should either be taken inside for winter, or treated as an annual. It sure is stunning with its auburn leaves. I cant wait to see it flower!Purple Fountain Grass
And of course it raining.

It will be at least another day before I can get them into the ground.

Hair down to his knees.

2008-08-19T16:13:00.000-07:00

Come together- The Beatles.

Here come old flattop he come grooving up slowly
He got joo-joo eyeball he one holy roller
He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker he just do what he please

He wear no shoeshine he got toe-jam football
He got monkey finger he shoot coca-cola
He say "I know you, you know me"
One thing I can tell you is you got to be free
Come together right now over me

He bag production he got walrus gumboot
He got Ono sideboard he one spinal cracker
He got feet down below his knee
Hold you in his armchair you can feel his disease
Come together right now over me

He roller-coaster he got early warning
He got muddy water he one mojo filter
He say "One and one and one is three"
Got to be good-looking 'cause he's so hard to see
Come together right now over me
This was what was playing on the wind up radio I had out with me while I was in the garden this morning. There is certainly no better way to get through the weeds in august, than with a cloudy day, some good tunes and the scent of the garden after a recent rain.

Many of the flowers are fading.
Yet wandering around the perimeter weeding, just gets me excited. Thoughts spinning through my head.....
I cant wait to see it next year.
Many of the the plants in my young garden, are becoming not so young anymore.
Their reaching a different level of maturity. Proving themselves to be not only stunning on their own, but fabulous companion plants to those surrounding them.

The old.
The new.

Fitting the song was.

This garden is really starting to come together.

Summer in the city.

2008-08-18T16:59:00.000-07:00

Well despite the excruciating humidity and heat, we had a lovely weekend. Playing tourist in our own city, we wandered through the downtown doing something very un garden related, looking at classic cars. I have a lot of respect for the classic car, and nothing but confusion for the modern ones. Hummer's ? Who thought that was a good idea again?

With the car show in town for the day, the streets were shut down to traffic. Which allowed for a wonderful stroll down the centre of the road. Such a wonderful thing to be able to see your city from that perspective. The buildings look all the more magnificent. You hardly notice the tree's while driving by, but while walking all you can do is gawk at their gorgeous canopy's. Not to mention the hanging baskets, in full summer glory strutting their stuff for all to see.
There wasn't just cars to look at for sure. It was as if a master painter had been let loose on the city centre. The pinks, yellows and purples were bursting all around us. The live music echoing through the streets only added to the ambiance.

The city's gardening staff deserve a big congratulations on such a beautiful display of colours and textures. It left me paying more attention the the foliage surrounding me, than the cars. They even had the main courtyard outside city hall filled with patio tables, so you could sit, have your lunch and enjoy the gardens all around you. We found a lovely shaded table and ate our hot dogs and hamburgers, while butterflies and dragonflies danced on by.
I am lucky to live in such a gorgeous city!

GTS Sedium

2008-08-17T09:47:00.000-07:00

Join

The Sedium is just starting to blush. It should make a lovely fall display! We are out and about for the day. Hopefully everyone has a great weekend! Happy GTS!

Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

Hot enough for ya?

2008-08-16T15:42:00.000-07:00

Well its hot out there. So hot that all I can acomplish at the end of the day is a good soak for the garden. I havent the energy for anything more in this heat. The flower's need dead heading, the weeds are smug in the knowledge that Im not comming after them. The spiders have even had their way tracing webs across my pathways, staking their claim.

I braved the sizzling sun today to take a few of these snaps. Stick in hand I sliced my way into the garden, as if some trail blazer deep in the rainforest. I always wonder what my neighbors must think of my stick waving routine. Im sure they get a good laugh.

Worth the trek though. It is amazing how much of the plants just bear and grin through such ferocious weather. Just another summer's day I guess. Yet there were still a few surprises out there for me.Gaura is in full bloom. I love the seemingly never ending cascade of white fluttery flowers.

The butterfly bush. This one was given to me by a friend. I have yet to plant it as I know how horribly invasive this plant can be. I have on in a barrel pot in my back yard. This one will probably follow suit and find its new home in something big and above ground. I would love to hate this plant, if it werent for the gorgeous blooms, and of course the butterflies. How can one hate anything that brings such a majestic critter?
My Hailey Jane Dahlia. The first of my Dahlia's to bloom.

Ive had no luck with these this year. They once were a staple of my garden. Now.....well we will have to see. I love the blooms, but I'm still feeling the harsh sting of too many of these plants that fell last winter. Certainly they will remain a part of my garden, but maybe not in the same manor.
And the surprise!

One last poppy hiding in the foliage. I would have never noticed her had I not taken a walk through the garden in the awful heat.

Have I mentioned its hot.

Yup, that kind of hot!

A project unfinished, as per usual.

2008-08-13T11:56:00.000-07:00

I spent a good part of yesterday in the garden, working on my path, edging it with small rocks. I finally got to a point where I was able to get rid of the awful pavers.They worked fabulously when I first started planting, but recently they just get on my nerves, not to mention the corners and edges that scuff my knee's when I'm trying to weed.

Bye bye path of pain.
And hello to future planning! I'm not quite done laying everything out. Mostly I have a bunch of gardening storage (tools, empty pots etc) cluttering up my future patio, getting in the way of progress.

It seems to never end.

Maybe that's because I didn't finish!

That is for another day.

Today is for day dreaming. Right now I'm looking at a beautiful crushed granite path...... Can you see it too?
Oh well, maybe its just the exhaustion setting in.

Time to sit and soak in the ambiance.

At the end of the rainbows.

2008-08-10T21:08:00.001-07:00

Well the weekend was wet, to say the least. After a week of hot sun, it was refreshing. I'm certain the plants enjoyed the cool dip after basking in the sun for so many days. Of course it led to a lot of inside projects, and not alot of outdoor ones.

On the way to and fro my errands, I managed to snap these lovely rain and sun blurred photos.
A lovely weekend.

A beautiful day in the neighborhood.

2008-08-10T17:56:00.000-07:00

Well we had a lovely week of fabulous weather! I spent a good deal of it outside working in my mother's garden.

We added a rock wall, gave it some definition and added a few new plants for seasonal interest. We planted some White Swan Echineachia, some Goldstrum cone flower, a lavender plant and a Emerald City Gaitey. We topped it off a few days later with a couple of shiny blue glazed ceramic pots filled with Sedium Stonecrop. It looks amazing. Sorry, that would be my daughter's mucky thumb on the lens. Ill have to go back soon and take some new pictures.

Before:
After:

Ill take some better pictures later. Everything should be blooming soon, that should certainly be photo worthy.

You thought this post was going to be about Mr.Roger's, didn't you?

Admit it.

Well. just for you.

Pictures De-layed.

2008-08-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, we had the privilege of wandering around Deer Lake on a sunny morning. The band was setting up

... okay, maybe the roadies.

I had no clue what would be the show that evening, but it was interesting to watch anyways. We spent our donut breakfast at the top of the natural amphitheatre, while they set up the stage below.

Once finished our treat we took a walk by the lake and spotted this beauty.

Sigh, I love the Blue Heron. Beautiful animals. Somehow they remind me of Pterodactyl's when in flight. (Probably just the really big wing span!)

Yes I know, I'm a little odd.
It was a beautiful day.

The lake shone, with all the Lilly Pad`s poking their edges to the sky. Like coins, just below the surface.
A little oasis in the middle of the city.

GTS Lilly's

2008-08-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

Green Thumb Sunday

The late blooming Lilly's have just started to break open. What a delight. The smell from the stargazer is phenomenal, and the white one is lovely.

Join

Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

Garden in the Rain

2008-07-30T22:44:00.000-07:00

Garden in The Rain

T’was just a garden in the rain
Close to a little leafy lane
A touch of color ’neath skies of gray
The raindrops kissed the flowerbeds
The blossoms raised their leafy heads
A perfumed thank you
They seemed to say

Surely here was charm beyond
Compare to view
Maybe it was just that
I was there with you

T’was just a garden in the rain
But then the sun came out again
And sent us happily on our way

-Dianna Krall.

That was refreshing.
Yesterday was the first notable rain in July.

And the garden sighed.

A sweet pea from my sweet

2008-07-28T12:48:00.000-07:00

From the smallest hands come the most wonderful joys.

My 3 year old participated in some Green Thumb classes during late spring/early summer. These were the fruits of her labour.

She's been very excited watching these pods grow! Frankly so am I. We are going to be growing our own veggies next year, and these little experiments have help cement that its not that hard in my mind. We have tomato's and strawberries growing in pots in the back yard, but this is a first for us!

The most anticipated plant by far is the pumpkin. Last year a neighbor's plant breached the fence and a pumpkin grew in our yard. She was thrilled! When they planted them in class the excitement was still there. She'd seen this before.

Grow little pumpkins grow!

Christmas in July

2008-07-26T23:06:00.000-07:00

A new Obelisk and a gated arc. One can understand why it feels like Christmas.

This is my favorite time of year. The stores start itching to change to the next season, even though there is still plenty of summer to go around. The perfect time to find a deal...or two. The arc stands at the back of what will soon be a garden patio. I plan to have the gate facing out, and to eventually put a fountain under its bow. Once the patio takes shape, I will plant a couple of climber roses at its base and let them go to town.

This will be a nice spot to sit.

To enjoy.

The drummer is in.

2008-07-24T13:49:00.000-07:00

What is it about the Bee Balm's that remind me of Animal from The Muppet's? Wild and untamed, with a shock of red hair. Hmm, sounds like my daughter too!
Ah, well it must be a good connection in my mind, because it keeps me planting more Bee Balm. Such a unique flower!

Love it!

Tagged....

2008-07-21T22:50:00.000-07:00

Well I have been tagged by an old friend over at Cooking and UNcooking So here are the rules.

The Rules:

Link to the person who tagged you

Post the rules on the blog

Write six random things about yourself

Tag six people at the end of your post and let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog

Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Not a bad time to better introduce myself. Hmmm, 6 things about me.

1) I have a garden helper. She's big on watering, and starting to help with the weeding! She loves taking care of the plants.

2) Well, I kill inside plants. Seriously, I have a problem. Well that not true, I have three problems. This leads me to ......

3) My cats, I have three of them. They love to eat my plants to bits. They are lucky there cute!

4) I am a political geek. I love summer, its the gardening season. However, I have a serious problem with the summer break of CBC's Politics with Don Newman. I love and respect Mr. Newman, but really no break. Just year round Politics please :) Thank you.

5)While on the subject of tv. I am addicted to Lost. It is truly one of the greatest mind bending shows. The wit humor and humor, the challenge and strategy! It is spellbinding. Haven't seen it? Ohhhh, you should get the box set. Its one of those ones best watched without commercials.

6)I dream of being a Guerrilla Gardener.

My tags:
Amy from High and Dry
Anne from Anne's Garden
Joy from GardenJoy4Me

Let the sun shine in.

2008-07-20T21:44:00.000-07:00

Things are happening here.

Day by day new flowers are appearing, and even the late perennials are starting to come up. I'm still waiting for a few. There's still hope, they had a cold wet spring, but its been warm lately. I caught the poke of a Calla Lily this afternoon. Hidden by the foliage of the Poppy's. My yellow dinner plate Dahlia is growing. A few of the other's are showing no sign.

I think it was a bad year for my Dahlia's.

Luckily I move on quick. I had planted two new tubers this last spring. I also picked up a white Dahlia at a garden club meet.
Yesterday a friend and I strolled the grounds of Triple Tree Nursery in Maple Ridge, BC. Its one of my favorite nurseries! I couldn't help myself when I saw this beauty.

This stray was found while weeding today. I still have to move it. I wonder what variety of Echinechea it is.
It could be anything. In that general area there are 4 different varieties.

Yes I know I'm totally whoring out more pictures of these pre bloom! I just love how they look in this early stage. Spiky, fresh, vibrant.

They are almost electric.
This one was forgotten in my earlier posts. Its name is white swan, and it is just lovely when in bloom, and even when not!
We are in the throes of summer.

Finally.

Just a minor infactuation.

2008-07-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

I thought, it truly wouldn't be an obsession unless I posted about Echineachea's for yet another day. well I cant be helped. They are gorgeous, and they are coming in fast :) A few of these were plants I picked up at the end of last season, so I never saw them bloom. Something I'm looking forward to this year. It looks like I wont have to wait long.

Something a little sweet.

2008-07-17T11:41:00.000-07:00

Well yesterday was an ordinary day. I sifted through a little dirt in the afternoon.....still looking...hoping, and found nothing. So close to giving up I retreated to my room where I had thrown my gardening clothes that dreadful day I lost my ring. I stripped the bed, Pulled it out from the wall, scoured through laundry....still nothing. Feeling incredibly deflated I hung off the end of my bed, feeling sorry for myself, when what did I see?......No.......It couldn't be.......Could it?......

Holy shit! Its my ring!!!!!!

Up against the baseboard, under some furniture, right beside the bathroom door she lay. Had I not been hanging upsidown feeling sorry for myself.......well Id still be thinking she was in the garden.

Hooray!! Now the green waste can go to collection tomorrow. Now I can lay my new path in the garden without forever wondering if its under there. Now........I must apologise to the garden. She took a lot of blame for this little bru ha ha....

Maybe a new trellis will make it up to her....

Well for today at least, Ill just show her off a little.
This little sugar fix is amply named Chocolate Cosmos. She even smells like chocolate. The picture doesn't do the flower justice. It was too sunny out, and hard to catch the velvety texture and colouring of her petals. I received one of this plant two years ago. It is one of the last things to come up in the garden every summer. My original plant still hasn't peeked her head. I have trouble with this. I get worried. Every year around the same time, I start to fret. Certain that this year she wont be returning. So every year in my panicked state, I buy another and plant it beside.....Just in case. In the end it mean I have more of the plant, which suits me fine. This year was no different. This picture is from the recently purchased plant.

Looking forward

2008-07-16T10:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was another garden club meet up night. We had lots of fun. The guest speaker was from one of the big grower company's. She was going over the hot perennials for this year and some for next. I now have a new list of plants I need. Great.

One of the big ones for this year was the Echinacea Pink Double Delight.. I already have this plant, and love it. The blooms are so unique and beautiful.
This is a picture from last year in my garden. I was also informed that there are a few more of this variety in circulation, and more coming next year. Yay! The one that's gets me really excited is the Coconut Lime White Double Delight, which is also supposed to be fragrant!! Here's a picture from Sooner Plant Farm. On the top thing on my must have list!

Sigh.......

.....Back to whats grows here today,

The Lilly's are bursting. I just love the yellow ones, they just seem so fresh. Kissed with a touch of orange in the centre.
Jude- the Obscure, making my garden smell de-lish!
A miniature rose. This plant has these lovely yellow roses, as well as beautiful pink blooms.
This absolute beauty is the Echinacea Pink Double Delight, just about to bloom!

Beep..beep.....beep :(

2008-07-15T18:26:00.000-07:00

Well a whole lot of silliness, but no ring.
I can't seem to walk by this flower without taking its picture.

Lost in the flowers.

2008-07-14T14:55:00.000-07:00

I'm having a hard time focusing. I'm out there all the time...looking.. trying to find my lost ring.. but they are calling me.. I couldn't help but take a few snaps.

Thank you all for your kind words of sympathy. I'm going to try out a few suggestions Ive been given. Tonight Ill be using my handy dandy flashlight to see if I can spot a sparkle. If that doesn't work, tomorrow Ill be renting a metal detector.

Onwards and upwards.

The gardens treasure's

2008-07-13T14:07:00.000-07:00

I lost my engagement ring today :(
It may be in the garden, it may be in the house. I'm not sure, but I'm leaning towards the garden. One more twinkle of summer out there I guess. Hopefully she rears her head soon. I miss her already.

Just another summer day..

2008-07-07T16:27:00.000-07:00

The garden is ever changing these days. Every day something else is blooming. Returning home, is a mesmerizing experience. Opening my car door, I'm immediately overcome with sights and smells and colour. It always makes me happy to be home.
The California Lilacs are in bloom, with the lavender's just hitting their prime. When a good wind comes, the aroma lights up the neighborhood. More Lilly's were opening today, adding to the parade.
Following suit, the Day Lilly's are breaking open. You can almost hear them sizzle! I look forward to the coming days, when there will be a sea of them.
The dwarf Speedwell spikes are always a favorite sight of summer. I love their colour and texture. Even though I avoided plant purchases before my vacation, I did end up buying a few smaller of these plants for the front of my garden. No blooms so far. I didn't plant them for this year, I planted them for the next.

Hey Jude.

2008-07-07T07:56:00.000-07:00

Hey Jude- The Beatles.

Hey jude, dont make it bad.
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.

Hey jude, dont be afraid.
You were made to go out and get her.
The minute you let her under your skin,
Then you begin to make it better.

And anytime you feel the pain, hey jude, refrain,
Dont carry the world upon your shoulders.
For well you know that its a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder.

Hey jude, dont let me down.
You have found her, now go and get her.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.

So let it out and let it in, hey jude, begin,
Youre waiting for someone to perform with.
And dont you know that its just you, hey jude, youll do,
The movement you need is on your shoulder.

Hey jude, dont make it bad.
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her under your skin,
Then youll begin to make it
Better better better better better better, oh.

Na na na na na ,na na na, hey jude...

'Jude-the Obscure' English Rose.Well that didn't take long..... I spotted this gorgeous rose on my recent trip to the Okanagan, and fell in love. Fragrant doesn't describe this beauty, it needs it own category. Something like stunningly fragrant, and that would get you a little closer to the shock of such an amazing and beautiful smell.

After trying desperately not to go to the local nursery in the week leading up to my trip, as I wouldn't have had time to plant and tend. I finally had an excuse. I needed that rose. So off I went. Looking around the blooming nursery, I knew....Its good to be home, and I must take this one with me! So I did.

GTS: Betty Boop

2008-07-06T12:09:00.000-07:00

Green Thumb Sunday: Betty Boop Rose

JoinGardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

A wonderful trip to the Okanagan

2008-07-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

One very good reason to grow mint. Mojito's, mmmmmmnn!We spent the Canada Day long weekend in the Okanagan. We had a wonderful time sitting on the beach drinking Mojito's and pina colada's. We visited a winery while we were there, and even found the time to tour a garden.
It was wonderful to see how things grow in a different climate. Everything was growing much faster than back home. Everything was blooming! It isn't too surprising when you consider the amount of sun the Okanagan receives. It was hot out there!

My sister and I had to resist the urge to buy a few rose bushes from their shop. Where would we have stuffed them in our respective cars on the 5 hour drive home....Yet it was difficult leaving there empty handed :)

In the presence of a Monarch.

2008-06-24T15:47:00.000-07:00

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder. Author Unknown

This beautiful creature landed outside our front door this morning. Enjoying a cool muddy spot, as the grass grows around her. We stuck around to watch her, less than 3 feet away for almost 10 minutes. Our three year old was very impressed. Finally we left her to finish whatever she was doing, and when I peeked 30 minutes later she was gone.

It was a truly memorable moment. She didn't seem bothered by us at all. Moreover she seemed to busy to care about us. I do not know enough about Monarchs, was she just taking a mud bath, or should I keep an eye out for caterpillars?

ETA: I have been informed that this indeed is not a Monarch butterfly. Live and learn. I'm told it is a Swallowtail Butterfly. Regardless, I hope there are little caterpillar babies squirming around my lawn in the next few days!

Its starting to look like summer.

2008-06-23T20:57:00.000-07:00

There are lots of things I'm looking forward to this summer. One of those are the Day Lilly's. They surround the old Cedar stump in the centre of the garden. Oh they are a sight when in bloom. A big draw for the hummingbirds. This is a picture from last year.
The summer before last while sitting in the dirt weeding, a hummingbird swooped down to take a drink from the wave of Day Lilly's beside me. Exhilarating! Once the patio is built I'll finally have a great place to sit and enjoy these lovely little moments in the wilds of my front yard.The grass is starting to come along. Soon the front wont look like a construction site at all :)

I could hang out here all day.....

Great surprizes!

2008-06-21T15:29:00.000-07:00

In case I haven't done this enough recently, Id like to thank my sister for this gorgeous rose. She gifted it to me last year. For what? I cant remember. It was probably something random like a Tuesday, she's sweet like that.
Well this is this bush's first bloom of the year, and a fantastic one at that!

My mystery rose that grew from the root of an old bush is in full bloom. It looks absolutely nothing like its parent.
This is the mama plant now. Just a few blooms budding. You can see the yellow though.
This is the offspring.
Certainly unexpected.

The Man eating Plant.

2008-06-20T21:28:00.000-07:00

So this has been growing in my garden since early spring. My husband and I have been having a debate for a while now.

Man eating plant
Sunflower
Weed?

No idea.
I'm kinda rooting for the man eating plant myself.

A few little wonders.

2008-06-17T17:25:00.000-07:00

A perfect spot to watch the world go by.

A recent garage sale find is now allowing some plants and herbs a little light :)
A few more recent plantings.The years first rose. Not what I expected, but stunning all the same.
A few more little lovelies around the garden today.

Have you met my bears?

2008-06-16T17:29:00.000-07:00

So they are back. A little older and minus a momma. These two boys wandered back into our lives. Late afternoon at that. Those crazy teenagers! They attacked my garbage, partially thwarted by my latest attempt to bear proof, and then made a hasty retreat to the back yards. Luckily not mine! These boys, have no need for my backyard. I have avoided fruit trees or anything that berries for this very reason.

So through the neighbors carport, and through their nonexistent fence into the neighbor behind our yard for a nap. Yup these two fellas were able to ignore the chorus of dogs barking all around them to have a late afternoon snooze.Once adequately rested, one tried to bite his way through the green mesh covered chain link fence. When that failed, they climbed it instead and meandered their way back to the forest.

Hosta's. Green Thumb Sunday.

2008-06-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

Green Thumb Sunday

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This hosta has been sitting in a pot in my backyard for two years. Its already getting too big. This is one of many hosta's I will be transplanting to a patch near the fence. Well, once I'm well enough to dig out the new patch lol!

Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

Happy father's day!

A touch of whimsy.

2008-06-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

Well, I needed a change. I put up a new temporary picture the other day, while I worked on this one. I love the new quote, and I thought this little planting of Sedum, Creeping Stonecrop fit just nicely.
A lot has been happening in the garden while Ive been nursing my wounds. The peony Id been itching to see bloom, finally graced us with her presence.The foxglove has been working her magic into all sorts of corners of my garden. There is something quite whimsical about this lady. I love the sight of her spikes of bells!
Otherwise my garden lies in wait. Perennials slowly growing....along with the weeds! Waiting for her grounds keeper to return.

Fun with Mosaics.

2008-06-13T00:11:00.000-07:00

Well I was playing with this mosaic picture program today, and I has a little fun putting together one of some of my recent photo's. This was the result.
I think this one will end up on my side bar soon :)

Just to pass the time.

2008-06-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

This continuous rain has me thinking of warmer days. Ive been perusing through some old pictures, and this is what Ive come across from last summer.
Echinacea 'Pink Double Delight' Coneflower.
A very vibrant yellow Lilly. I don't know its name, but it screams summer and sunshine to me!
A variety of Cali LillyMmmmm, my dinner plate Dahlia's. I also have purple Dahlia's , a peaches and cream and a mauve and white duet. I planted this year tubers for a white Dahlia and a Caribbean Dahlia. A purple echinacea cone flower. I also have a few redy purple ones in the garden.And how could I have forgotten this stunning red Dahlia?

I just cant wait for summer to actually arrive. She's looking a little delayed from my vantage point!

I spy with my little eye.....

2008-06-10T15:45:00.000-07:00

A lilly! Ill be damned! Its been raining for a week. So cold the heat is on, under 10 degrees Ive heard. Brrrrr! More like winter or early spring than the beginning of summer! And yet, here she is.....

Many others stand ready, but are no where near as early as this little pearl.
Oh the rain is responsible for so many things. The ready to burst blooms, the weeds up to my knee's, and even a rain ravaged Poppy or two.
Now if only it would stop raining long enough to get the garden cleared up.