OT - A Winter's Walk In The Garden
I have been doing a lot of work this winter on planning the first phase of our five year plan to expand and develop the rose collection at the Summerland Ornamental Gardens here in the South Okanagan of British Columbia. I have almost 200 roses ordered for planting in phase one of this project this spring and summer.
But right now it is winter. Not extreme cold like in the East, but still winter, snow on the ground highs near +2 C lows around -5 C. So right around the freezing mark.
Today, I went for a walk around this 15 acre winter garden. As the saying goes, at more than 100 years old, this garden has good bones. Of course, I had it all to myself! Who walks in the garden in winter? I took quite a few images to try to capture the ambience of the garden. But as is often the case, the images don't quite capture the peace and feel of the Gardens. Still, it was a beautiful peaceful afternoon in the winter garden. Here are a few images for your vicarious enjoyment.
Happy February! Cheers, Rick
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Comments (8)Joe, I am totally humbled. I have never seen so much beautiful photography in one album as this. You have amazing talent. The pictures are ALL awesome yet totally different to each other. I am wondering if some are actually taken of pictures. I am just too mind boggled to take it in that you were able to take pictures of these amazing scenes! I know one thing for sure is that you work your camera completely manually which totally blows my mind also. Anyway as you can tell I am awe struck. Thank you so much for sharing. They really are fabulous. Pauline - Vancouver Island...See MoreOT- winter in Michigan ****SNOW
Comments (4)The best laugh I've had in a long time. I just knew it, the limb of the tree. And thank you know who I do not have a double driveway to get plowed in. No snowblower will handle that nonsense, takes a real man and good shovel for that, don't know what women do. There are women who don't have men who live in houses with double driveways. Was it yesterday? Everything's a blur. At least I know what day it is and the date for my WS'ing log. But I confess I have to use my computer, that little number on the right of my task bar you mouse over. Otherwise a regular calendar is simply too much for me any more. Especially the one in my checkbook. But I somehow learned to look at the right year (it has 3). Anyway, I got my small curb section from my sidewalk plowed in, and I wanted that s*** out of there NOW! So I went out with my shovel and got er done. But do you have any idea how much the melted icy stuff underneath weighs? And I threw it FAR! Wonder I didn't keel over. Aw. Moved to Florida. I'd hoped it would have a happy ending. Like someplace in Michigan where you don't get your driveway plowed in like that? I have to play musical chairs with the snowplow, too, and as soon as one long section is cleared, wrote about it before with illustrations, the d*** plow comes whizzing down the street and throws it all back. Hasn't happened this year. I swear, I'm gonna come back when I'm not so tired and copy that and put all the bad words back in lol, tuck it away, and pull it out and read it when I'm mad....See MoreOT: What Keeps Me Busy During The Winter
Comments (9)Brad, I am doing wintersowing too this year, especially after your encouragement over the summer! I joined the GW Winterswap and was thrilled with all the booty (seeds) that came my way. The seeds I sowed include Swamp Milkweed, Purple Milkweed, ButterflyWeed, Vernonia (Ironweed), Oxe-eye Sunflower, Delphiniums, Anise Hyssop, Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) and other bee/butterfly favorites. Here is the result of my labors: But there is plenty else to keep me busy spring, summer, fall, and winter. Namely: And with the warmth of last week I impulsively placed an order from Joni: Although this picture really doesn't do them justice. They are (tallest in back) aff. fischeriana, and (left to right) bicknellii, fitchii, and dischorensis. Oh, and here are some blooms brightening up my home this winter: This plumeria spent all summer outdoors, but decided to bloom during the short winter days. It's been blooming nonstop since November!...See MoreNew garden - ot & dry summer, wind & rain winter
Comments (3)Probably you have installed your garden untill now, but I just saw your message. Here is my proposed list of plants suitable for windy positions (w), which are very common on the cyclad islands or places with less wind ( ). Trees: Araucaria exelsa (w) Casuarina tenuissima(w) Ceratonia siliqua(w) Chorisia speciosa Eucalyptus camaldulensis(w) Ficus aystralis(w) Ficus nitida Grevillea robusta Hibiscus syriacus(w) Jacaranda mimosaefolia Koelreuteria paniculata(w) Lagerstroemia indica Melia azedarach(w) Morus alba Nerium oleander(w) Olea europaea(w) Pinus halepensis Pinus pinea(w) Punica granatum Quercus ilex(w) Parkinsonia aculeata Schinus molle Sophora japonica(w) Tamarix gallica(w) Palms: Butia capitata(w) Chamaerops excelsa(Trachycarpus)(w) Chamaerops humilis(w) Livistona australis Phoenix canariensis(w) Phoenix dactylifera (w) Whashingtonia filifera Whashingtonia robusta(w) Shrubs: Acacia constricta Atriplex canescens Atriplex hymenelytra Atriplex lentiformis Buddleia davidii Buxus sempervirens Capparis spinosa(w) Carissa grandiflora(w) Caesalpinia pulcherrima(w) Cineraria maritima(w) Cotoneaster horizontalis Cotoneaster lacteus Dodonaea viscosa Eleagnus pungens(w) Euonymus fortunei(w) Feijoa sellowiana Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Hibiscus syriacus(w) Jacobinia gheisbreghtiana Juniperus horizontalis(w) Lagerstroemia indica Lantana camara(w) Lantana sellowiana Laurus nobilis Cestrum nocturnum Ligustrum japonicum(w) Medicago arborea(w) Myoporum laetum(w) Myrtus communis Nerium oleander(w) Phillyrea angustifolia(w) Pistacia lentiscus(w) Pittosporum microphyllum(w) Pittosporum tobira 'nana'(w) Pittosporum tobira(w) Plumbago capensis Punica granatum nana Pyracantha coccinea(w) Raphiolepis delacourii(w) Raphiolepis umbellata(w) Rhamnus alaternus(w) Ruscus acuelatus Spartium junceum(w) Strelitsia reginae Teucrium fruticans Thevetia peruviana Thuja occidentalis(w) Thuja orientalis(w) Tulbaghia Veronica speciosa Viburnum tinus(w) Vitex agnus-castus(w) Yucca aloifolia(w) Yucca filamentosa(w) Yucca gloriosa(w) Yucca elata (w) Yucca schottii (w) Grevillea rosmarinifolia Polygala myrtifolia Asclepias tuberosa Convolvulus cneorum(w) Dimorfotheca calendulacea(w) Felicia pappei(w) Gazania x hybrida Mesembryanthemum(w) Pelargonium zonale(w) Pelargonium peltatum Pelargonium grandiflorum Penstemon Russelia juncea Santolina chamaecyparis(w) Aromatic plants: Aloysia citriodora Lavantula officinalis(w) Melissa officinalis Mentha piperita Origanum majorana(w) Origanum vulgare(w) Pelargonium odoratissimum(w) Rosmarinus officinalis(w) Rosmarinus horizontalis(w) Salvia officinalis(w) Thymus vulgaris(w) Vines: Bignonia (Tecomaria) capensis(w) Bougainvilea glabra Bougainvilea spectabilis Campsis (Bignonia) radicans(w) Hedera canariensis Jasminum azoricum(w) Jasminum grandiflorum Jasminum polyanthum...See More
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5 years ago
Rosylady (PNW zone 8)
5 years agorideauroselad OkanaganBC6a
5 years agoYes ladies, British Columbia is a beautiful and diverse Province. The huge old trees in the Gardens are indeed one of their strengths and a delight.
I actually love the winter Ingrid, Many of my neighbors and my in-laws all head south to sunnier climes to evade it. But I enjoy it, skiing, walking and yes even some winter ocean kayaking on the coast in the peace, calm and general solitude of our winters. Although as with many of you, I am spending a lot of time planning and ordering roses for the work of spring.
The cones are on a bough of one of the huge old Colorado Blue Spruce trees that line the parking area next to the main lawn. There is a group of them interspersed in other plantings between the parking area and the main lawn and they are huge, blue and shaggy.
The rose on the pergola is an old Darlow's Enigma, of which there are two in the Gardens, one in the Friendship Plaza and another on the fence at the entrance way to the Gardens.
Here are a couple of images of her from last June. She shares her pergola with a large old Trumpet Vine as well as some wildlife who shall remain anonymous . They both need a bit of pruning and tidying, but it will be a big job and I will have to find a day or two to spend on them this summer hopefully.
We are a bit lacking on climbing roses with only three in the 15 acres by my count. I am planning to remedy that this coming spring with a few more structures draped in Canadian bred climbers such as Roberta Bondar, Felix Leclerc, Isabella Skinner ( aka Victorian Memory ) and a few others.
I do not know the whole history of the gardens, particularly with respect to the overall design. The original foundation work began in 1916, there was some major landscape work done beginning in 1926 to complement the, then new. Superintendent's House. So I suspect the various rooms and plantings in the gardens are an aggregation of the work of numerous different designers over many decades. I just hope the rose gardens we are adding will fit in well and do justice to the incredible design work done before.
Cheers, Rick
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9