Izel Cottage: June 2005

Clematis'Etoile Violette'

Blue Spider

Rodgersia aesculifolia

Wheelbarrow Rainbow

Impressive Treehouse!

Yellow Lillies

Hot Colors

A Day of Garden Touring

What crazy weather we have! Cold one day and a scorcher the next. I was hoping it would be cloudy today. Not meaning to complain about a sunny day, but it is so much nicer for taking pictures.
Nicki and I had a nice day touring around and went out for a good lunch at The Heriot Bay Inn. We only managed to take in 9 of the 11 gardens. We saw some lovely gardens and some very nice pieces of property. Quadra Island is such a nice peaceful place. I noticed they are very into roses over there. Most of the gardens had lots of different varieties. One that stuck out to me was Rosa'Aloha'. Very tidy,clean foliage and smelled yummy.
My favorite thing on the whole tour was the most amazing tree house! It was huge. Every childs dream. Even as an adult I could picture myself sitting up there with a good book and a cup of tea. Very impressive!

Tired Feet(these are not my feet, mine are much nicer!)

Busy Days!

I haven't had time this past week to do much blogging. I have had some rather exciting news and have been preoccupied. I added a different view of Bob and Karolyne's greenhouse/potting shed because I've had several people inquire about the greenhouse side.

The peonies are coming to an end and my garden is going through a quiet phase. I am enjoying my restful greens and foliage plants. I have so much to say right now but so little time. When things slow down I will have more to write. I am going on a garden tour of Quadra Island tomorrow and hope to come back filled with inspiration!

Final Days

Other side of Karolyne and Bob's greenhouse

Miscanthus'Strictus'and Berberis

Hosta,Polygonatum and pulmonaria

Spider Web

Little Birdhouse on wall

Confessions of a bad lawn

I have a confession to make. I know my lawn actually looks pretty good in the pictures. It's not. I really have a very bad lawn. I believe that the lawn is a guy thing. Lawn care and vehicle maitenance. My husband says there is really no point since we are going to have rip a long strip up to run water to the "Is it ever going to be built potting shed". It drives me crazy though! I really want to be a organic (or as close to) gardener. I am seriously thinking of using a weed killer though. Oh the guilt! An emotion that I try to avoid.
I do use a reel mower and a hand trimmer on my lawn though. No noisy,polluting garden tools for me. I think they do a better job anyways and I can do it early in the morning or late at night without bothering anyone.

Chores for next spring

I just finished my evening walk about and decided to jot down some chores I must perform next spring.
1.Cut side blooms on all the peonies
2.divide nepata,lollipop lillies,veronica,begenia,and give chunks to Mrs. Wilson,Glenda and Kathy
3.Be more diligent on slug patrol
4.Prune varigated dogwoods
5.Plant more lillies
6.Check all miscanthus for spread
7.Divide red dianthus too.
8.Move and plant hellebore seedlings and give some away
9.Plant a funky fern garden by gunnera
10.Try to avoid all nurseries,garden centers,Canadian Tire,Walmart or any grocery store the sells plants!

My favorite gardening footwear!

Hosta and ferns

Garden Path

Hosta and Lillies

potted up sedum cuttings

Larix pendula on rock wall

Gunnera

Heavenly Honeysuckle!

Mirror,Mirror on the wall

Acer griseum

Pretty foliage planting

Nice quiet evening in the garden

This view has really grown since last year

asiatic lily'Lollipop'

Garden tours are great for inspiration

Mrs. Wilson and I spent sunday on a garden tour. What a great way to spend the day. My friends garden was on the tour so we went there first and walk their garden with a cuppa tea in hand. The garden is seven years old now and is absolutely stunning. They recently added a beautiful pond. Karolyn's husband is very talented! He built the georgous garden shed/greenhouse. He also builds funky birdhouses complete with shake roofs and shingle siding. He even built a replica bird house of their house. Cool! Whenever I see their garden I get inspired.

So needless to say, the next day I went on a plant moving rampage! The kalmia(in full bloom) was one of my victims. He was planted next to a large freebie rhodo that happened to be red. I never knew what color it was when I planted it. The kalmia is burgundy and white. The color clash was hideous! In order to moved it I had to move around a dozen others. He is now planted in front of Cotinus'Grace'. Ahh, peace and somewhat order in my garden....now I really should move that pieris and maybe that.......

My friends garden shed/greenhouse! Beautiful!

Karolyn and Bob's garden

Rose'Hot Cocoa' I saw on the garden tour this weekend. Very different color!

Kalmia in its new place

Rainy day and peonies

I decided on the Taxus bacc.Fastigiata for the urns. I thought it made more of a statement.

Rain,rain go away

A glimpse of sun

Hosta's in the rain

After the rain

Down pours,peonies and fleeting beauty

What is it with downpours and peonies! It cannot just rain like normal. For the brief time my peonies bloom we always seem to get major hard rain that come down in buckets or last year we got hail! No matter how well I stake them, the weather always insists on beating them down. It is like Mother Nature has a jealous streak and can't bare the competition. Ahh, beauty is always fleeting.

Cercis'Forest Pansy' with Carex'Bowles Golden'

Pink and Pearls

Clematis'Snow Queen' this picture was taken with my f 65Nikon

Dreary Days and running noses

Having a cold so close to summer has been a real downer! I am on the mend now but what a dreary week it has been. There is so much to do in the garden and at work I just don't have time to feel so crappy!

I managed to get a couple of gardens weeded at work that have been needing attention for quite some time. It always amazing what can be accomplished in four hours even when your sick. I at least felt like I got something accomplished. On the home front on the other hand, not much got done. I really have to get out there and do a bit of planting. I want to get that Hellebores and Hakonechloa out of those belly pots before it becomes an impossible task. I love the looks of belly pots but you don't want to let things get to big or you can't get them out.

I have to go buy some tomato cages today for sure. I might buy a few more tomato plants while I am at it. I've never grown them before so we will see what happens. I've been lucky and my friend Annette grows lovely ones in her huge greenhouse and always keeps me well supplied.

I best get my butt in gear and do something with this day. I bought some slide film and want to take some snaps of the garden. Hopefully the weather will smartens up.