How Does Your Garden Grow

Lily and Snapdragon, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

In full summer, many of my perennials have reached their peak. I sneak a few annuals in to fill the holes. Here is a sampling from my garden.

Lots of pollen for the bees. They are busy in my garden.

These are in a hanging basket.




I don't know what these are, but their sunny faces pop up each summer.

Hibiscus

Hibiscus, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

I have been seeing more hibiscus plants in gardens lately. I have only had indoor plants. These blooms are to be treasured as each one only lasts a day. These outdoor beauties were full of blooms. When I have had hibiscus in the house, the indoor environment did not foster a profusion of flowers. We would watch as the bud (yes - not buds) evolved and celebrate each bloom. If we were lucky it would flower on a weekend when we would be around more to admire it. Imagine our dismay if we went away for a couple of days and came back to find a dried up flower on the floor.

I guess flowers like this remind us to live in the moment, something I am trying cultivate. I guess I'm nurturing my inner garden.

Orderly Garden

Orderly Garden, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

I was walking in my neighbourhood and spotted this garden - neatly planted and organized like a French garden. I started to wonder what that said about the people living there and what does my garden say about me. Mine is somewhat wild, with lots of perennials that are allowed to spread where they will. Some multiply and pop up in new locations; others stay in their little spot, diligently flowering each year. There is not a lot of order to my garden. I like it that way. I like the profusion of colour and the mixture. Maybe that says something about me - not always organized, sometimes spontaneous and interested in a variety of things. Don't box me in!

Thunbergia

Thunbergia, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.
Photo: September 26, 2011

They wrap their tendrils around whatever is nearby, grabbing, creeping to the next spot. Flowers pop open along their long fingers. They like the cool days of autumn; the rain boosts them into further rambling. A lovely burst of colour in my fading garden.

Astilbe

Astilbe, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

My garden is blooming. delicate astilbe thrive in shady spots.

Humble Beginnings

Humble Beginnings, originally uploaded by susanvg.

My garden is slowly coming to life. A variety of shoots have pushed their way to the surface with promises of flowers. It is hard to believe these humble beginnings will lead to a bushy growth of bleeding hearts. Slowly shoots unfurl, with leafy beginnings. They need to grow quickly to complete their job of flowering so they can begin again next year.

Catching Some Rays

Catching Some Rays, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I was walking in my neighbourhood when I noticed this frog catching some rays. Perhaps he was stopping for a rest. Or was he waiting to entice a pretty young frog to join him? A frog he did a wooing go? Hmm hmm.
You can enjoy a delightful rendition of the song A Frog Went a-Courting from the National Film Board here

Starting to Decay

Starting to Decay, originally uploaded by susanvg.

The garden has lost its lustre. Many of my perennials are past their prime with fewer blooms and more dead heads to prune. But I like the cooler temperatures, the blue skies and the crisp mornings. It's that in between time when the mornings are fresh and the afternoons balmier. If you leave the house in the morning, you have to dress in layers, that peel off as the temperature rises.

Soon it will be time to cut some of these flowers way back and make room to plant some tulips for spring blooming.

July 2/10: New Orchid

July 2/10: New Orchid, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Two new orchids joined my indoor garden. My daughter knows how much I enjoy these flowers and surprised me with two new ones. Right now I have (including these) seven flowering and two more with shoots, one of which will be flowering soon. I didn't have any that looked like this one - a saucy combination of yellow and pink. These flowers seem to thrive no matter where you put them.

Meanwhile my outdoor garden is thriving with new flowers making their appearance. My lilies have started to open - velvety orange and yellow flowers. This yellow flower returns each year. I don't know its name.

The feathery astilbes have opened up. Their delicate stalks and quiet colour add some subtlety to my garden.

And the echinacea have shown their faces. Still more surprises to come as the garden changes with the season and weather.

I never get tired of photographing flowers. It gets me close to them, to examine their inner workings and be aware of the details of colour, texture and complexity.

March 21/10: Spring

March 21/10: Spring, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Tulips are incredibly hardy. I moved into my home almost 25 years ago. I never planted tulips in the back but a few come up year after year. Our unseasonal March weather has left and snow is falling today. It won't last, but it will slow the growth of these flowers. When the weather changes, they bide their time until they feel warmth again.

Day 220: Unruly Garden

Day 220: Unruly Garden, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Despite my being away for a month, my garden thrived in this rainy summer. No need for watering (not that I do that unless in drought conditions), my perennials have proliferated, showing off their colours. Weeds, too, have taken hold and my assault on them has begun. It has been good to see bees enjoying the floral feast; they are so essential to the continuation of so much that grows.

Day 163: Columbine

Day 163: Columbine, originally uploaded by susanvg.

How does a flower become a favourite? Sometimes it is its incredible complexity - certainly that is one reason I love columbines. There is so much to look at and examine when you view the flower. However, to me, the way a flower becomes a favourite is often because of the stories attached to it.

Growing up, we had a country place and my mother loved her garden. I can still picture the patch of lupins near the front door. The soil in the area is sandy, so the garden had to be nurtured, with good soil added regularly. In the back of the house there was a row of monarda whose bright red colour attracted hummingbirds. I have never had much success with either of those flowers. Right near the house, my mother had several columbines.

Now, I usually left the gardening to my mother; in those days, I didn't know a weed from a prized plant. I learned the hard way. One summer, I wanted to try my luck at planting a few vegetables. My mother was so delighted with my interest in gardening that she agreed immediately. So my new husband and I looked to see where the sun might help produce a good crop and we dug and planted. To my mother's horror, we had dug up some of her columbines. Our vegetables did not thrive, but, fortunately, we had not pulled all the columbines and they did thrive.

Long after that, when I was planting my own garden at the home I am in now, I planted columbines - and they flourish and spread. Each time I stop to admire them, I think of my mother and that is why they are special favourites of mine. Their beauty and complexity bring back memories of her - and the beauty of her character that always shone with love for those near to her.

Day 162: Wagon Wheel

Day 162: Wagon Wheel, originally uploaded by susanvg.

This old wagon wheel sits in front of my house - it was there when I moved in. No longer useful, its sole purpose is decorative. It's interesting to see how many artifacts that once had a use are now almost objets d'art. Spinning wheels sit in people's homes, various objects hang on walls. Restaurants use old cooking utensils and crockery for atmosphere.

I wonder what will be seen as decorative in the future. Will people have old computers as conversation pieces? mice hanging on the walls? hubcaps decorating a garden? Will restaurants want to use our outdated tools to provide the theme for their decor?

Day 153: The Little People

Day 153: The Little People, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I was walking down the street when I came across this tiny garden populated by tiny people and gnomes. You may have to look at a larger version of the photograph on Flickr to see them well.

It fascinates me what people put in their gardens. I inherited a couple of oriental ornaments from the previous owner (a stone temple, a stone block with a sundial - there used to be a fisherman on it whose fishing rod cast a shadow). There was a ceramic frog which my neighbour's young son smashed. His mother, feeling somewhat abashed by his behaviour appeared with a ceramic chicken. I have never felt compelled to populate my garden with things - the flowers take up my attention and admiration. But these little folk caught my eye and I guess that is what the gardener wanted - a bit of whimsy on an otherwise busy street.

Day 115: Get ready for gardening

IMG_3339, originally uploaded by susanvg.

It's that time of year when you don't know what season it is. Saturday's high 28C (82F). Plants start to grow at an alarming rate. A thunderstorm brought the temperature down to about 5C (41F) overnight. Then today, a more seasonable high of 15C (59F). It's yoyo season temperature-wise. Tomorrow a high of 30C (86F) and by early Tuesday morning it should have dropped to -1C (30F). What are these plants going to do? ungrow? The plants that are susceptible to the cold are kept in protected areas like this temporary structure until gardening season starts in earnest (usually around May 20) when chances of frost are minimal.

But I, like the plants, am having a hard time adapting to the sudden summer-like temperatures. I wilt and lose energy. Each day is a challenge of what to wear with layers being the only answer. You need to have your entire wardrobe ready from gloves and hats to shorts and t-shirts - and all can be worn in one day!

Day 102: Still Undercover

Day 102: Still Undercover, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Our harsh winters make serious gardeners find ways to protect their less hardy plants. Many are still covered. I passed a garden full of the white "hats" seen on top of this mysterious plant. The lawn looked like a cemetary full of white tombstones.

I let my plants fend for themselves. Those that survive are meant to live in this climate. I guess that is true of people too. I don't mind winter but I have many friends who try to escape for all or part of the winter. They come back in March and huddle in their coats like this plant, while I start to shed my winter layers, warmed by the sun.