What do you like about Gardening?

In a recent post, Laurrie, whose funny and creative blog, My Weeds Are Very Sorry  asked one of her gardening friends, "What do you like best about your garden?" Her friends answer: "The surprises."

In ending her post, Laurrie posed the same question to her readers.

Baptisia and Blue Star in the background

For someone who spends a good deal of time working in, writing about and photographing her garden, I was almost embarrassed to admit I did not have a ready answer for my comment.

I found myself thinking: Just what was it about gardening I liked anyway?

I think I must be one of those cup-half-empty people, because one of my first thoughts was: Well, I could certainly come up with a list of things I don't like about gardening.

The first of the peonies have opened.

Weiglea by the front porch

Some of the first roses.

My first Foxglove ever! I've only been trying to grow them for years.

Blood-sucking bugs should certainly be near the top of my list of negatives. I visit a fair number of gardens and so I feel confident in saying that my garden harbors hordes of mosquitoes like no other.

I don't know if it is our low lying proximity to the river, but the bugs sit waiting to ambush you the moment you step in the garden, like some greasy band of outlaws in a wild western. And add to my list of complaints that winning sound mosquiotes make. It all the charm of a dentist's drill.

There are also black flies in my garden,who like to torture me by pinging into my ears and eyes before the bite my temple of the back of my neck.

Last June, after I had amassed fifteen bites in a matter of a single afternoon, my husband bought me a mesh insect head net.

(Not unlike a ski mask, the mesh bag slips over your head to prevent insects from biting.) Though I was grateful for his thoughtfulness, I felt completely ridiculous when I slipped the net bag over my head.

"Oh this is attractive don't you think?" I asked him. "I look like I should be robbing a convenience store, not gardening!"

"I can just imagine" I continued, "our neighbors calling the police to report a suspicious character lurking in our backyard."

Surely all the work should figure on my list of negatives. The planting, dividing, weeding, watering....

Wait a minute! Come to think of it, I actually like all that work. I like getting out in the fresh air and mucking about in the garden. There an intimacy with nature when you are out there in the thick of things.

Heck, I even like duking it out with mother nature for the control of my garden, even if I know it is a battle I am never going to win.

Iris with Dame's Rocket in the background.

Lilac

This pretty bush overhangs our front driveway. It is actually belongs to our neighbour.

A Japanese Iris from the back garden (below).

The Oreintal Poppies are blooming in the front garden.

Siberian Iris

Beauty Bush

When I head out to work in the garden, I always start off with a slow walk around the flowers beds. This is my favorite time in the garden. I look and listen to the bees and the birds. I note my successes, lament my failures and make mental notes on things that need to be done. Despite myself, I yank out the odd weed.

I agree with Laurrie's friend. The garden surprises and it delights on these walks.

Just last weekend, I was taking a strolling around my Circle Garden. One of the first things I planted in this garden was a purple rhododendron. It failed to prosper and got down right straggly looking. I banished it to the back of the yard, where it has been limping along despite my almost cruel neglect. It hasn't bloomed in years.

And as I rounded the bed, there it was all frilly and purple. Blooming despite me. Now wasn't that just the nicest surprise.

I am linking this post to Lisa Gordon's Creative Exchange. To see Lisa's beautiful photography and that of other photographers from all around the world, just click the link.


I am also linking this post to Garden Blogger's Bloom Day hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens. This is a great chance to see some wonderful gardens worldwide. Many thanks to Carol for hosting this great event each month.

Mad Botany: Testing the Theory about Gas Plants

By some accounts the fragrant, volatile oils of Dictamnus fraxinella will cause a flame to flair when held to the flower's mouth. Hence the plant's common name, "Gas Plant".

Call me crazy, but I always wanted to test the theory myself. Was this a just a folk story of was it really true?

Doing a little research online, I was able to find several Youtude videos of zany gardeners setting their plants alight. Take a look at this bit of mad botany.

Having seen the videos, I was even more inspired to test the science!

In order to capture my own nutty experiment on film, I recruited my daughter-in-law as an assistant. Initially, our experiment was foiled however, when I couldn't find a barbecue lighter like the one I had seen used in the online videos. Normally, there are a least a couple in the kitchen drawer near the sink. Drat! I was worried that the flame from a simple match might not do the trick (not to mention might result in singed finger tips). Getting creative, we decided to roll up a piece of paper and use a cigarette lighter. As a precaution, we also filled a bucket with water. (On the off-chance we set the garden or ourselves ablaze!)

We don't live on a quiet street and so unfortunately we had a guaranteed audience for this bit of gardening theatrics. With passing motorists gapping, my daughter-in-law, Hanna held the lit cigarette lighter to the roll of paper. I expected the paper to catch fire immediately, but just the opposite happened. The paper smouldered and refused to ignite. Double drat! Hanna ran inside to grab a lighter weight of paper.

We tried again. Just as the end of the roll of paper caught fire, a bus load of school children passed by. "I'm not sure we are setting a good example.", Hanna said as she moved the flame closer to the flowers. (Kids don't try this one at home!)

Sure enough, there was a little whoosh as the plants oils ignited! The flowers however, remained unharmed. How amazing is that!

Gas plants are long lived perennials that can go for decades without dividing. They are also slow to establish themselves. My four foot tall, three foot wide plant has been at least five years in the making.

Fireworks aside, Dictamnus fraxinella is an elegant perennial that has attractive, dark green foliage that stays neat and fresh all summer long.  Small white or rosy-purple flowers appear on foot long tapered spires in early June.  

As you can see, you will need a fair bit of space for Dictamnus fraxinella. It prefers good soil and sun to light shade.

Have a great weekend everyone!

The Garden in the first days of June

A thunder storm rolled into Huttonville just before dawn. 

To me, there is nothing more luxurious than lying snuggled under the covers, watching the flashes of light, and listening to the rain on the roof. 

The dogs were less thrilled with the light show than I was though. Refusing to be comforted, Rusty nervously paced the floor. Buddy wouldn't stop barking, until he was invited up onto the safety of our bed. Scrap was cowering someplace unknown.

The arrival of rain was perfect. After days of sun, the garden was grateful. 

At the moment, the garden is largely a sea of green. In amongst the green though, there is a scattering of blooms. 

So, let's take a closer look:

This was an impulse purchase. It is called 'Carefree Beauty'. I hope that it lives up to its name.

The currant star of the front garden is the indigo colored 'Baptisia' and paler 'Blue Star'.

In the back garden, the bleeding hearts are almost finished.

At their feet, little white anemones and tiny yellow fumitory have come into bloom.

  

As you pass through the arbor, the first of the Siberian irises are in bloom. 

In dappled shade, the main border is primarily green, but there are a few things starting to flower.

The bees are loving the tiny burgundy geraniums.

I have found that many perennial geraniums put up with less than ideal sunlight.

I planted this shrub in the days long before I ever thought of garden blogging and have lost the plant tag. I believe it is a a variety of Viburnum.

This is Blacksnake Root, which self-seeds in the shade. It has beautiful fern-like 

foliage that is burgundy in color.

The color purple is everywhere in the back garden. Dam'e Rocket is a biennal that has self-seeded itself throughout the garden.  After it flowers, I leave just enough to reseed the garden for next spring. I rip the rest out, as the plants are prone to mildew.

As weeds go, I think this is pretty.

With most of the work being confined to weekends, the new vegetable beds are progressing slowly. I hope to have a progress report shortly. ( I think this post is already way too long anyway!)

For today, I end with one final picture of new favourite rose. I look forward to seeing what is blooming in you gardens.

The Rockery At the Royal Botanical Gardens

Have a great weekend!