Posts tagged ‘Gardening’

September 20th, 2011

Fall Enchantments

A Delightsome Life

Fall Equinox is near (Sept 23), so in honour of the changing season I’ve joined in with “A Return to Loveliness” celebrating the arrival of Autumn special edition by showing some of my favourite fall enchantments. What are yours?

-          Bright red berries on the holly bush and the mountain ash.

 

-          New perennial flower bed consisting of fall dividings (soapwort, Coreopsi, Shasta daisy, St. John’s Wort, brown-eyed susans, Jerusalem artichoke , phlox, spiderwort, sneezeweed, limelight, and 2 other things I don’t rememeber the names of:) I hope they survive and fill up the space into a beautitful cottage-style flower garden! The space was overgrown with wild roses, golden rod, grass etc. It took some time to get it ready. Most of the plants came from my mother-in-law’s garden. The St. John’s Wort come from another  part of the yard where a seed the “mother bush” must have been dropped off. The soapwort came from one of the gardener’s in the gardening club (plant exchange). I can’t wait to see what they look like in bloom. Total cost for this flower bed (not including my labour): $4!

 -          Sort of sweater weather: had two on this morning. It’s 4pm now and warm!

-          Noticing the changing leaves.

-          Looking ahead to more time indoors by reading homemaking, cooking, decorating blogs:

A Cultivated Nest, Coffee, Tea, Books, and Me, The French Country Cottage, How Sweet It Is, The Charm of Home, A Delighsome Life

-          Prepping my fall and winter reading pile–it’s a big one!

-          Not too hot to bake (hmmmm, apple crisp).

-          Pumpkins and apples everywhere!

-          The smell and feel of crisp, cool air in the morning.

-          The rays if the rising sun shining through the dew-dampened woods.

-          No more mowing the lawn–I hope.

-         Tall, golden grasses blowning in the wind.

 

-         Even the local fungi is enjoying fall colours!

As you can see, I’ve downloaded a new photo editor to play with!

Hope you enjoy your last few days of summer.

 

September 1st, 2011

Walking the Hedge

I’m a bit fascinated with hedges. So much so that I even have a few hedge witch books on my bookshelf (1, 2, 3)–purely for research purposes . . . or is it! I even started to write a fantasy novel where the hedge plays a major role in the plot (still working on it—don’t expect it anytime soon), but I’m no hedge monkey, although some of them make pretty music.

Hedges are a diverse habitat for many woodland species; sadly, hedges are sometimes the only environment left for these species, which is why there is a movement in Britain to protect them. Natural hedges are formed from wind-dispersed seeds and the seeds in bird droppings. There are generally shrubs and trees, too. Overtime, these plants grow thick; get interspersed with vines, brambles, and wildflowers. This ecosystem provides food, shelter, nesting and denning sites for a variety of wildlife. Acting as corridors, they also offer safe passage for wildlife (or perhaps even elves and faeries!) In folklore, the hedgerow was one of the boundaries between the human world and the spirit world.

For those who find themselves of the human persuasion, hedges muffle sound, make good wind breaks, and provide privacy,  foraging opportunities, as well as being pretty to look at. I personally enjoy watching the birds and bees fly about.

I spend a lot of “garden time” (similar to “me time”) exploring the hedge. The former owners mowed the lawn right to the edge of the woods. We’re too lazy for that, and so a hedge has begun to grow in its place. I’m learning about the plants growing there, and how to maintain and help the hedge develop. For example, I have some Mountain Ashes—a protective, magical tree—that stand in the back. In these areas I would like to clean up the hedge a bit, put in a stone path up to the trees and a little sitting area so I can spend time with them and not worry about ticks and thorns. I would plant a variety of native woodland species in the surrounding area. For my hedges in general, I would also like to plant more native shrubs and trees to improve upon the diversity in a few different spots—the rest I will let develop naturally. If the native plants have food or medicinal uses as well, all the better.

Just a few of the plants growing in my hedges:

Northern Wild Raisin

Mountain Ash

Golden Rod

Evening Primrose

Wild Rose

Yarrow

Asters

Old apple trees

Brambles (blackberries and raspberries)

For more information, see my resources:

http://www.ofnc.ca/fletcher/howto/hthedge_e.php

http://www.hedgerowharvest.org.uk/

http://www.opalexplorenature.org/HedgesFactandFolklore

http://www.opalexplorenature.org/sites/default/files/7/file/Top-10-hedge-tips.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedge

August 21st, 2011

Storm Clouds Rolling In and Other Backyard Events

A shot of storm clouds (bringing thunder and rain) coming in quickly. Run to get the laundry off the line.

That’s part of my backyard, and you can see my row of 18 highbush blueberries.

The storm was yesturday. It didn’t hit until suppertime so I was able to dig up my bearded irises to divide. Today I planted the extra 12 rhizomes in a new bed. I love free plants–from your own plants or from other people dividing up theirs.

Look what I dug up in the process:

Yellow-spotted Salamander

I was really exicted to find some Indian Pipe! I’ve been on the look out for it since seeing it in one of my wildflower books. And guess what, I found it in my backyard along the edge of the woods. Looks like fungi doesn’t it! I’ll have to check this spot early next year and see if I see the blooms (they’re over now).

Indian Pipe In August

In case you haven’t noticed, I started working on my Wild Plants of Nova Scotia page. Check it out.

Blueberry crisp is ready so I must go eat:)

August 8th, 2011

Miner’s Marsh, Kentville, Nova Scotia

Yucca plant

I know I said in my last post that the next vacation post would be Hopewell Rocks and the Bay of Fundy, but I forgot about these photos and I may as well post my vacation pictures in order—boy, do I have a lot of them!

Before I get to Miner’s Marsh Trail, let me indulge myself by sharing these photos of my mother’s garden. Her garden is beautiful and has been built over the years. My garden is definitely still at the beginning stages, and, as I recently learned, you cannot garden and expect it to look amazing if you abandon it for 21 days! Oh the weeds!

First up, Yucca plant blooms:


The beautiful purple clematises that I woke up to every morning (they were outside the bedroom window).

 

A variety of lilies:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And now, Miner’s Marsh.

 We saw lots of ducks and other birds, but I can never get good pictures of those. The walk is an easy 1.5km.

Possible wildlife sightings include:  black ducks, wood ducks, bald eagles, muskrats, dragonflies and more! We saw black ducks. 

 

 

Can you spot the duck?

I also got a variety of pictures while away of some wild flowers (I’ve been hoarding a few) so that will be a separate post.

August 6th, 2011

Halifax Public Gardens and Point Pleasant Park in Summer

When I lived in Halifax, I used to go to the Public Gardens and Point Pleasant Park all the time. So I was excited to visit both places again when I was in town visiting a friend. Halifax is only 45 mins away, but you’re only going in for a few hours at time (for business, shopping, shows etc) there never seems to be the time to stop at the park!

First I met fellow blogger, Lisa from Eco Yogini for some Yoga in the Park. She’s just as I imagined her to be! Good thing she is not shy like me. This was my first blogger meet up, and I was a little more than nervous.

Lisa from Eco-Yogini after Yoga in The Park

Lisa from Eco-Yogini after Yoga in The Park

Another fun thing to do at the park is Shakespeare By The Sea. This year I watched “Comedy of Errors.” This theatre company always puts a unique spin on the classic tales that leave you laughing. Highly recommended.

One year while visiting the park while I was hanging out in “my secret spot” near an inlet (I used to climb the rocks along the edge of the park, staying off the main paths, before the brown spruce longhorn beetle and a hurricane took down a lot of the trees) and saw a Minke Whale! It was lost, and I don’t think it’s a good sign when a whale’s navigational system stops working. At one point the whale jumped out of the water, head first, and I got a close look. It was thrilling.

The day we went to the Public Gardens was warm and sunny. The gardens were as beautiful as I remembered. Here are my favorite pictures.

I’d post more pictures, but I am having a lot of computer problems! (enough to make me want to move back to Blogger!) Anyhoo, after the gardens we walked up the road to go to the Natural History Museum. Luckily for me, being a horse lover, the Bengal Dancers were out and frolicking in the dirt. Frolicking seems like too dainty of a word to describe the actions of the huge horses!

Frolicking pictures didn't turn out, so instead you get to see this one:)

Well, I must end there before WordPress does something really weird and makes me lose what I’ve already got! Next post will be about Hopewell Rocks and the Bay of Fundy.

August 4th, 2011

Creative Garden Fences: Living Tent

Home sweet home! Glad to be back from my trip. I’m too tired from catching up on housework to go through my photos to post at this point, so they will come later next week. In the mean time, I want to share this creative garden fence idea from Alaina Rose from Sweetness of Life blog.

Her creative garden fence looks like a living tent, a hidden sanctuary amongst all the lush green. This is a garden idea worth stealing! Thanks Alaina for letting me share:)

View from the inside.

Kinda makes you want to go and take a nap, doesn't it?

 

More creative garden fence ideas.

 

Tags:
July 21st, 2011

Creative Garden Fences


Welcome to the Garden of Eatin, my friend’s beautiful garden in Pictou County Nova Scotia where I spent a few days relaxing and enjoying nature (if you followed this blog in its earlier incarnation, then you already know that I love nature).

These kinds of gardens really get my creative juices flowing. The main part of the fence is made from alder brush that was interlocked and screwed in place.

The two doors are made with drift wood.

If you have a creative garden fence, I’d love to see it.

More of my local travel pictures to come.