The Sweet In Betwwen

After a July of storms and heat waves, this first evening of the August long weekend has come in soft with an apricot sky. We've been sitting outside for hours, appreciating our long days of northern light.

Of course I had to get up take pictures...to deadhead...to clip...to tie up...to rotate pots.... But finally, glass of wine in hand, I have settled to pretend this is going to last forever. 

Happy, sweet, blissful summer to you all. 

And now they're gone...

At last, I get to enjoy being out in my garden listening to the birds.

We were really pleased with the work the landscapers did, and they were very pleasant guys. But we are glad they are gone. :)

My south facing bed is about 2 - 4 ft deeper. And that can only mean one thing--plant shopping!!!

I did get one little treat for a shady corner of the patio, and that is this sweet meditation Buddha. It makes a very soft musical sound so nice to have it close to the seating area. I added some aqua sea glass to the bowl the lotus flower spills water into. The flower has orange LED lights in it under the water so I am really looking forward to seeing it later this evening.

I better enjoy this quiet evening before the planting begins!!!

I hope you are all enjoying this kick-off to sweet summer! 

Update: I captured a short clip of the fountain at night. I think the water looks like liquid flames. I like!

http://vimeo.com/99002679

The landscapers are here, the landscapers are here!

My beloved garden is torn to bits right now, but all in a good cause (I hope!)

The moving and expansion of our cobblestone patio has the garden looking like a construction site, not the place of peace and tranquility I generally strive for. But I must say, so far, these strapping men are moving at an amazing clip. As I see the precision and care in their work, I can feel excitement rising up to meet the anxiety. It will be fine, I keep telling myself. 

Soon, we will have a better placed patio, more soccer ball kicking expanses, and a deeper south facing bed to add more sun loving beauties. Patience is a virtue, right?  *breathe*

It's raining...It's snowing....

...At least my garden's growing!

Yes, the weather is terrible (-5c tonight!), but my garden is showing signs of life nonetheless. I am so grateful for all the bulbs we planted last fall. Most of them are still little green stems--brave souls--and determined.

Most exciting for me, however, is that teeny deep red spot in the bottom right photo. That, my friends, is one of the five hellebores I planted last summer---wooooo hoooo!!!

If I jump up and down and pump my fist in the air like I'm at a big-hair band concert, you will know I have FLOWERS. Oh, and I will publish photos, of course (of the plant, that is! ) :)

Wishing you all the best with your spring dreams.

I am where Spring lives

Spring break finally arrived & we packed up our little family and flew west to where Spring lives. I know you understand why I had to touch green, even for a little while, before I go back to our "SPRinter" season.

Wish me soft days.

Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes!

Saw something green emerging from the soil on the edge of a west facing garden bed today (not mine!), but thrilling just the same!

Although freezing temperatures are still ahead, spring is closer than she appears. I've already seen my first robin and a friend saw a Canada goose. Surely signs that warming is just around the corner here in the GWN. Two more days, people, then it's official!

Anyone else got that old Beatles song "here comes the sun" running through their head. :-)

Do you hear what I hear?

Happy New Year Gardeners! Are you, like me, turning your thoughts to the coming season? 

Last year was a big one in the garden for us. I realize I went offline as the going got hectic but I did peek in on you all. :) In a nutshell, I'll give you the good news, bad news & more good news. 

First, some very good: We removed all the gravel from our front garden, scraped down the clay and brought in top soil. Some may recall the entire front and back were gravel when we moved in 6 1/2 years ago--sans plantings except one rhubarb and some fine, well-placed, mature spruce and mountain ash. It now looks good. I can see where I will want to add more structure, but the difference between grey, sharp and weedy and green, soft and pretty is heart lifting. We are now entirely gravel free! 

     The parting view of colour in 2013

The bad(ish) news: This is a pretty big bad depending on how you choose to look at it. We are not comfortable with the placement of our stone patio in the back garden. It is too close to our neighbours' property and when our gazebo is up it blocks the sun to our south-facing bed. (My poor roses are flopping!!) It will be a huge job to move it, and undoubtedly will be costly and disruptive. So what's the good news in this scenario? Well, let me tell you (*she grins mischievously*).

We are going to move the patio over so it is more centrally placed and closer in to the house. What we lose in angles of vistas will be compensated for with increased depth of the sunny beds and more privacy. (Of course, those bigger beds will be crying for more plantings...;-))  The other good news is that it won't disturb existing plantings in our beds. Now, this all means more work, but I think we will be happier in the long run if we get the fundamentals down right. 

Oh, and the bonus good news? We loaded up on bulbs last fall and planted madly in anticipation of accelerating spring blooming time here in the great white north. Many of these bulbs I have been coveting so I am so excited. We also added to existing beds with the last of our tree purchases, a few new hydrangeas (love!!), some gorgeous ferns and much anticipated hellebores.

Some 2013 bulb purchases 

So, has the new year brought gardening fever with it? A resounding yes!!

I suspect I am not the only one with this winter fever--so all the best to you in your garden fever dreaming for 2014!!