Friday, June 27, 2008

Well Used

I don't have a lot of fancy gardening tools - mostly just the basics reside in my shed. I did however purchase the garden Bandit from Lee Valley a few years ago. It does a pretty good job with minimal effort of weeding in small areas. I would have to say that besides my trowel, shovel and pruner, the most used tools in my shed are...








The $2 pet food scoop and my trusted bucket.




The scoop holds about 3 or 4 times what my trowel holds and it was perfect for scooping the soil into my containers. The bucket gets used on an almost daily basis. If it isn't being used to hual something (soil, compost, plants to be moved) it is with me in the garden as I weed or sitting upside down to protect tender plants from frost.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Majestic Weeping Nootka

This Weeping Nootka was a gift from my friend Andrea. It grows about 1' per year. In five years it has grown from 3' to 8' tall.
Each year we stand gawking at it in amazement. It is planted at the back of our yard at the lowest elevation and loves the moisture. I laugh when I say "lowest elevation" as the elevation is ever so slight but enough for the rain to run off to it providing and retaining more moisture than anywhere else on the property.
Thank you again Andrea, for this beautiful and majestic gift.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Clematis Name Unknown

So far I have been unsuccessful at naming this clematis. Craig bought it to plant at the base of the hydro pole at the end of our driveway and installed a trellis for it. Each spring as I go about cleaning up the garden beds and pruning it gets forgotten. It's been there for about 3 or 4 years now and has never been cut back. It has a more puple tinge than what the picture shows.
With no plant tag the search continues.


Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Poppy Time

I have orange poppies...
and my neighbour has red poppies.


She likes orange and I like red so we admire each others' poppies!

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Mr. Toad

We have lots of toads this year. This little guy let me snap some shots before he disappeared into the depths of the garden.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Rain Makes for Green

I am in heaven, walking around the gardens after a rain -
and there have been many opportunities here to do that
this year. We've had several really good rains so far.
Lady's Mantle is always so pretty holding the rain drops.
Everything is so fresh and healthy looking, especially the
moss.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Black Dragon Iris

From one plant purchased about ten years ago, I now have two huge clumps of this "Black Dragon" iris, one on each side of the arbour. Many friends and neighbours are enjoying this beatuy from divisions I have shared over the years.

Here is the first bloom of the season and I'll post more pictures once more open. Pictures really don't do them justice - they are simply breathtaking.