New Plants in the Garden

Several of the blueberries we planted last year are bearing fruit and some of the berries are ready to eat.  Last year we planted 8 blueberries and 4 of them have fruit this year.

We have 3 Saskatoon bushes that produced while we were gone so we missed out on those berries.  :(   I tried to give Lulu the dried berries to eat but she turned her beak up at them - she wanted fresh blueberries instead.  Fussy girl!

While we were away I purchased 2 more Saskatoon bushes  - a Thiessen and a Smokey.

I also bought 2 haskaps - a Tundra and a Polar Jewel.  Haskaps are also known as Honeyberries.  They are edible blue honeysuckles that are very cold hardy.  They are supposed to taste blueberry-ish with undertones of currents or raspberries.  I can't wait.

I also bought a Bailey Cranberry bush.  I already had a lingonberry was started from a shoot brought to Canada from Norway by Barry's grandmother in the late 1940's.  I plan on using these 2 bushes to make jelly to use with roast turkey, whenever I get enough berries.  The lingonberry had some berries last year but I transplanted it this year to its final resting place and it did not produce any this year.

Last year I also got some perennials from a friend cleaning out her perennial bed.  These hydrangeas bloomed last year but not as prolific as this year.

Not as large as this year either.  Look at the size of these blooms compared to my hand!  ;)

A Spring Day

The weather this spring is a lot cooler than we've had the last few years.  It goes below freezing almost every night plus has been rainy and windy.  It has been snowing up on the mountains while we are getting rain down here.

The first year we were in Lillooet, we were already planting potatoes, etc. by this date.

It was a nice day so I decided to do some work in the flower beds, with supervision, of course.   ;)

 

I was working on the quack grass and Lulu was working on the worms and bugs.

 

I would often have to move Lulu as she would get in the way - standing right where I was digging.

 

Here she is giving me a look because I had just moved her a bit.

 

Lulu does get in the way, but I really don't mind too much.  She likes to stay close to me and I think at times she gets lonely.

 

Some of the daffodils are out.

 

They are such a vibrant yellow.  I love them!

 

The apricot tree in the front yard is blooming.  There were quite a few bees buzzing around the blossoms.

 

Looks like we're getting a good crop of apricots again.

 

Apricots burst into bloom so quickly.  One day you have a bare tree and the next day you go out and BAM! - the whole tree is in bloom.  Amazing!  :) 

 

 

 



Semiahmoo Library Green Wall Revisited

Lulu and I went to White Rock recently, to visit my sister-in-law.  While we were there, I stopped at the library again to take more pics.  Remember we visited it before in the spring.  http://mountaingardengleanings.blogspot.ca/2011/05/semiahmoo-library-green-wall.html

 

 

Some of the areas have filled in nicely since my last visit.

 

Some areas are a bit thin but it is fall and many plants have finished their active season. 

 

I would have to come during the summer to see the plants at the height of their blooming period.

 

I love all the different textures you see when you're close to the wall. 

 

There were still a few colourful areas that were still blooming. 

 

There are so many different shades of green! 

 

I hope you enjoy this magnificent wall as much as I do.  ;) 

 

 



The Tulip

The Tulip

Tossing turban style contours,

with an aloofness as one passes by,

Utilizing every charm it possesses,

under a lupin blue cloudless sky,

Like a guardsman, gallantly standing,

holding up his noble head high,

 

In rainbow colours, brilliant and stately,

a vision to surely yield a sigh,

Ponder thus upon the regal tulip,

it has pure beauty, you cannot deny.

by Ernestine Northover

The Poppy

 

I had quite a number of lovely poppies this year.   Almost all of them were from seeds given to me or seeds I saved from last year.  Enjoy the pics and poem.

The Poppy

High on a bright and sunny bed

 

   A scarlet poppy grew

And up it held its staring head,

   And thrust it full in view.

Yet no attention did it win,

   By all these efforts made,

And less unwelcome had it been

   In some retired shade.

Although within its scarlet breast

   No sweet perfume was found,

It seemed to think itself the best

   Of all the flowers round,

From this I may a hint obtain

   And take great care indeed,

Lest I appear as pert and vain

   As does this gaudy weed.



By Jane Taylor