My Green Thumb

Winter Up's & Down's

2012-01-07T11:02:00.000-08:00

I'm heading out & away from the dreary, gray, wet West Coast in search of sunshine for a few weeks. Thought it would be a good time to quickly check on where a few things are at in my green but soggy world. The greenhouse radishes - a fun little thing I tried this autumn - has now entered it's next stage. I walked into the greenhouse the other day & was met with quite a stench. Have you ever

Slowly Emerging from Hibernation

2012-01-03T09:45:00.000-08:00

Well, Christmas & New Year's just flew by & today is a typical stormy January day on the West Coast. Actually, it's really ugly - am counting down the hours til the power goes out! I almost wish I hadn't bothered to get out of bed, but one thing has been making me excited for each new day. My West Coast Seeds catalogue arrived in the mail right around Christmas time & it is giving me that little

Happy Solstice

2011-12-22T09:24:00.000-08:00

My houseplant tomato is now the size of a golf ball & starting to become too heavy for the plant itself. I might have to rig up some sort of support system for the next few weeks as I wait for it to ripen. At least I hope it ripens on the vine! Would be a wonderful way to bring in the New Year! It's also that time of year to start checking out all those seed catalogues that have been making

Getting Dirty Under the Finger Nails

2011-12-04T13:08:00.000-08:00

Today I decided it was time to empty the compost tumbler in preparation of a winter/spring batch of compost. The tumbler has proven to be very effective in composting our daily veggie, fruit & coffee/tea contributions, but it does require regular turning (of the crank handle) & occasional periods where we need to stop adding in order for it to compost down fully. They do make these

Mystery Volunteer - final

2011-12-02T08:02:00.000-08:00

Last night I decided it was time to eat the mystery squash. Looks like the volunteer plant that grew from a seed in my compost that I spread on the gardens this spring was an acorn squash - possibly mixed with some of the other squash that were flowering at the same time. Dish: squash soup with pears & Ethiopian berbere seasoning. Wonderful winter food! The seeds went into the compost & I

The Mysteries of House Plants - part 2

2011-11-28T15:04:00.000-08:00

November 19 Tomato houseplant is producing flowers. Gave it a shake or 2, talked 'dirty' to it in the hopes that some abuse will encourage it to continue to try to prove me wrong (that a snake plant & tomato can't share the same accommodation without one or the other suffering in the extreme). Headed out of town for the weekend. November 28 Tomato houseplant has actually set a fruit! Had to

2011-11-19T09:43:00.000-08:00

It sure feels like winter out there today! Clear morning that is quickly melting a heavy frost that was so sparkly & pretty when I first got up. Am very glad I got outside last week to do a few things in the gardens! I'm so glad my mom introduced me to calendula a few years ago! There are a wonderfully hardy plant & situated in the right spot, will continue to bloom through-out the year. Yes,

The Mysteries of House Plants

2011-11-13T14:41:00.000-08:00

I have a 'love-hate' relationship with most of my house plants. I could never live without plants in the house, but they confound me some of the time. Take the magical & mystical appearance of a tomato plant in one of my snake plants... I have no idea how a seed managed to find its way into the pot - I'm very strict about proper potting soil & not allowing people to just randomly drop things in

Fruit Wine - Part 1

2011-10-31T10:32:00.000-07:00

I sometimes shake my head when people express a theory that gardeners are patient people. I don't know where this idea comes from & it certainly does not pertain to me - I'm one of the least patient people I know, especially when it comes to things in the garden or things I do with my gathered harvest. Today's case in point: making fruit wine. In order to feel like my work is worth-while, I make

Life in the Greenhouse

2011-10-25T11:37:00.000-07:00

I shut down the tomatoes & pepper plants a few weeks earlier this year than last year, mainly because the tomato plants wouldn't stop growing but had stopped producing fruit. Plus it was a nice day when I decided to do it. I threw on some potting soil from some of my deck pots to top up the soil level & then decided to throw in some radish seeds that had disappointed me in the veggie beds

I Be Jammin'... part 2

2011-10-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was seeking inspiration in a serious way & spent more time than necessary searching on the Internet. What I found was a great idea for something new in my jam pot: Strawberry Jam with Balsamic Vinegar & Cracked Black Pepper! Since I don't grow my own strawberries, I thought I would try it with loganberries. But lo & behold, I found a container of frozen strawberries in the freezer!!

I Be Jammin'

2011-10-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

Now that the gardening season is winding down & the rains have returned, I finally have time to haul out my jam/jelly making equipment & start brewing up some treats for the winter. I started the day with whipping up a few batches of 'specialty' jellies. Spiced Pear Jelly (on the left) - I had already rendered the pears with some star anise, cardamom & fresh ginger & froze the juice til I was

New Herb Box

2011-10-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

Another amazing sunny & warm Autumn day yesterday - barefoot & tank top type of weather! Great time to clean up a few things in the garden & I got dirty to the elbows. ahhhh.... I ripped out everything from a few deck boxes (they were over-crowded with daisies - hint: don't plant daisies in a container that is only 8 inches deep) & I moved one of the boxes down to the landing on the stairs &

Mystery Volunteer

2011-10-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

While most of my gardens are done for the season, I still have some amazing things happening. I wanted to grow Hubbard squash this year - we ate a lot of them over the winter & I quite enjoy the buttery flavour & texture of this vegetable. Unfortunately, all the plants I put in died - either dug up by birds or eaten from below by bugs. But I noticed about a month later that there were random

Visiting the Pear Tree

2011-10-09T08:31:00.000-07:00

Well, it's still kind of difficult to see exactly what I meant last week about this being a 'Monster Pear Tree' but I thought I'd share a photo anyway. I went by a couple days ago to see if there were many that had fallen down that I could gather - the lower branches here are picked clean by me (the pears still sitting downstairs trying to ripen up). But it looks like the bear has found easy

Rosy Rosehips

2011-10-08T07:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was one of those magical Autumn days - sunshine & warm breezes. I made my way up to the bluff to pick some more rosehips for future jelly making & had several therapeutic moments of just standing in the sun listening to the waves pound the rocks below. I hope the rest of the rosehips ripen nicely in the next few weeks. I enjoy taking time away from everything else up on the bluff...

Autumn Harvest in Red

2011-10-06T09:42:00.000-07:00

Autumn is my favourite season. Life seems to slow down in certain areas while kicking into high gear in others. The gardens put on a great display of bright colours - mine are mostly in yellows & the birds twittering in the bushes are finding bugs & berries to get them on their way for their winter travels. I grew up in Ontario where the colours & smells of Autumn were bright & strong. I miss

Jelly Making Time!!

2011-09-30T11:35:00.000-07:00

I seem to be running out of time & energy these days to take proper care of my gardens, but when I received a phone call from a neighbour yesterday about her pear tree, I traded off cleaning the house to go & harvest some pears. And what a pear tree!! I will have to take a photo of it when I head back in a few days for more pears. It's an ancient tree - much taller than it should be & it's

Harvest - Part 2

2011-09-16T10:20:00.000-07:00

~ Blackberry Season - collect this in about an hour - can't wait to make jam & wine! ~ ~ Greenhouse peppers are starting to turn colour ~ ~ Greenhouse pepper - monster! ~ ~ Pear tomatoes finally ripening in the greenhouse ~ ~ Red cherry tomatoes ripening in greenhouse too ~ ~ Volunteer squash - no idea what kind it is & will probably harvest them small & boil them for meals ~

Reflecting on Autumn's Bounty

2011-09-09T08:47:00.000-07:00

~ Bee balm - must get more of these!~ ~ Begonia - a spur-of-the-moment purchase that is so pretty ~ ~ Calendula - regular dead-heading keeps these blooming well into October ~ ~ Globe thistle - stunning! ~ ~ Golden rod & Helenium - the yellows of Autumn ~ ~ Helenium ~ ~ Star gazer lily - the scent is amazing as are the colours ~

Harvest

2011-09-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

~ September 3 - fingerling potato harvest ~ ~ September 3 - lemon cucumbers ~ It's been a while since I've posted & shared photos, mainly because the last few weeks have been super-busy for me with work & struggling to find the energy to actually get out into the gardens. The weather has finally turned around & brought heat & sunshine. The gardens are limping through their fall colours & I'm

Stopping for a Moment - Part 2

2011-08-18T07:54:00.000-07:00

~ castor bean in bloom ~ ~ hydrangea ~ ~ gladiola ~ ~ either 'Morden Sunset' or 'Playboy' rose ~

Stopping for a Moment

2011-08-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

- hydrangea - - 3-in-1 spirea - - neon lights spirea - - daisies & calendula -

Deck Tomato Demise

2011-08-03T10:46:00.000-07:00

This is that time of year where I find some serious digging around the garden is necessary. Those plants that aren't doing so well & are looking more dead than not...well, are they really going to turn around & 'get better'? I doubt it, so I do the difficult deed of yanking them out. I'd rather compost them & have an empty spot in the gardens instead of looking at unhealthy or unhappy or plain

Learning to Relax

2011-08-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

I'm getting lessons from my ever-present hummingbirds. Take time to sit in the garden & relax!

Early Harvest

2011-07-30T17:31:00.000-07:00

Spent some quality time in my raised beds today - getting dirty to the elbows, pulling the occasional weed (yes, relatively weed-free this year!) & hauling out monster size sorrel plants that need to find new homes. A raised bed is no place for a deep-rooted over-productive leafy green plant. I also just noticed that I had a slight case of potato blight - still need to do some research on this,

Summer Joy

2011-07-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

I'm removing the 'f' word from my garden language. Yes - the word 'failure' is not going to be tolerated any longer!! All I have to do is look out my window & see the rose that I rescued is blooming again. There are a few other blooms making an appearance & the new growth shooting up from the root stock is thick & healthy. The leaves are dark & shiny green - very few spots or evidence of insect

Finding Joy during a Summer of Failure - part 3

2011-07-24T08:49:00.000-07:00

Or: The Shape of Things to Come Seems that in my intent to 'let my gardens be', I've removed a whole lot of work from my garden chores list. Feels strange to have time to play outside & yet not have anything pressing that needs my attention. And I'm OK with that, even if I can see that this area would look a little bit better if I just did that, or that area really needs a bit more of that...

Finding Joy during a Summer of Failure - part 2

2011-07-21T07:20:00.000-07:00

This year I took proactive steps in my battle with the deer. It seems to be working - or else the deer have changed their mind about certain things in my yard (right...) The deer fencing is not pretty - re-bar stabbed into the ground with half-rotten black fishing net draped on it & around the berry bushes. I will be lucky to get 2 summers' worth of protection out of the netting. But this form

Finding Joy during a Summer of Failure

2011-07-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

My moodiness of late is directly linked to the state of my gardens. I mean my veggie beds...my efforts to feed myself & my hubby. This summer has shown me that I seriously lack certain adaptable skills in order to deal with variations in Mother Nature's choice of weather. It's cool, mostly cloudy & more damp than previous years. But I can't be that moody gardener. No one wants to hang around a

Just When I Thought it was Safe to Go Outside...

2011-07-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

Didn't I just say the deer were leaving me alone? Now she thinks it's safe enough to have a 'lay-down' in the rain...

Is this Really Summer?

2011-07-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

Today is a cool & misty kind of day. Not really great weather for doing much in the gardens other than wandering around to see how things are coming along. I've noticed I've not posted much this summer & it's mainly because I'm slightly depressed about the state of my attempts to grow food. Things aren't doing so well this year - it's cool, cloudy & generally not great weather for veggie crops.

Happy Canada Day - Belated...

2011-07-04T08:25:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was Canada Day & Independence Day & what a great time of year to celebrate life! - African Queen fushia - - white foxglove - - Basket of Gold in 2nd bloom - - chamomile going a bit wild - - feverfew starting to bloom - - lettuce loving the cool summer - - I love marigolds - - forget-me-nots still blooming in random places - - lavender ready for a small

Is it Really Summer?

2011-06-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

Today is yet another cool, rainy & gray day. It really doesn't feel like the end of June & the veggie gardens are reflecting their shared disgust in the weather - they aren't doing very much of anything! But at least some things are in bloom: The photos shared today were taken a few days ago during a brief hit of sunshine. I have borage volunteers in one of my deck pots & they are loving life

Things are Popping up!

2011-06-24T14:35:00.000-07:00

Technically it is summer, but last night I had to put the fireplace on it was so chilly. Most plants don't seem to mind though. My front deck flower bed is looking stately. I hope to be able to clamber in there to save some foxglove seeds as those do really well out here & are ignored by the deer. Hidden in that flower bed are some stunning red lilies. I hope over the years they will grow taller

Deck Tomato!

2011-06-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I finally saw some progress on one of my deck tomatoes. This variety is an early bush called 'Taxi' is has yellow cherry-type fruit. Can't wait to see more develop as I should have been eating them by now, but the cool spring has delayed a lot of plants this year. I have 5 (one more off to the left of the photo) tomatoes on my deck. 3 are early bush varieties & 2 are vines that will

It's a Jungle...Inside!!

2011-06-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

I ran out to the greenhouse this morning, just before I'm heading off to work - you know, work is getting in the way of gardening these days... Anyway - my greenhouse is looking very jungle-y... I really wish I had washed the plastic sides this spring as I 'just' noticed they are covered in pollen. Well, guess I'll add that to my mid-season to-do list. At least the outside will get done &

Early Morning Walk-About

2011-06-10T07:39:00.000-07:00

- borage up on the deck - - firepoker - - front deck flower bed - - lupin bed - - mullen - - purple-white iris -

In Praise of Duct-tape

2011-06-08T06:31:00.000-07:00

This is 'Frankenmower'. Each year - well, each time it's used almost - it needs a bit of tinkering & readjustment. Yesterday, I had to re-jigger the patch job the hubby did with the left side of the handle. Sooo I'm an agressive mower - I do a lot of landscaping with my mower. I'm actually surprised the wheels are still attached with all the roots & rocks I get tangled in! But the handle just

Laws of Gardening

2011-06-06T08:02:00.000-07:00

On those rare days when I'm not outside, or I really need to do research & get distracted, I read a lot of other people's blogs about gardening. I'm enjoying reading Gardening Jones & all the responses from others who read it. One particular post caught my eye & I've asked if I can share it with you. The proper link back to Gardening Jones & the article I'm sharing is: Jones' Laws of Gardening

Mini Creepy Crawlie

2011-06-04T16:43:00.000-07:00

Out for a wander last night to 'talk to my plants' & I happened upon this mini slug on my lupins. Not much bigger than the nail on my pinkie finger. Wonder what sort of damage it will do to the lupins?

Rainy Day(s)

2011-06-03T08:07:00.000-07:00

I really should call it 'Rain Season' as it sometimes doesn't feel like we will ever get sunny weather... Of course, I'm writing this on the day after a dull & dreary day - but at least I got out there for a look around & was amazed by how much wanted to jump up & bloom! The gunnera just might decide to become monsters this year - well, at least this one, which is a 'cutting' we got last year. I

When Evil Things Invade the Greenhouse

2011-05-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

It pays to be diligent on 'slug patrol'!! I don't know where they come from, but these banana slugs are the bane of 'wet' coast gardeners. Apparently, they are edible - maybe after some serious roasting over high flame & when the eater is near starving, but I'm not about to experiment!!

Green Things in the Greenhouse - Part 4

2011-05-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

Ok - I'm starting to just wander aimlessly through the gardens, looking for things to do (other than pull weeds & grass & brambles). I'm stuck in that limbo time of where everything is planted - either seeds or seedlings - & I must now wait for something to happen. Either things will start to grow, or I will have to start all over again. At least the greenhouse has visible signs of progress.

Let's Just Skip Spring...

2011-05-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

In my heart & soul & the dirt under my nails, I've been living in Summer since May 1st. The birds wake me up earlier & earlier these days - 4:30 a.m. to be exact - and all I want to do is go outside to watch things grow! So, instead of waiting for Spring to do something, I've decided to move on. It's late - much later than usual, but when the sun shines, you can feel that it's summer. Who cares

Water Collecting

2011-05-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

Another idea we came up with late last year - especially once we saw our water bill - was to collect rain water in barrels to use during the summer months. Strangely, living along the Pacific Coast (the 'wet' coast), we have very dry summers & last year, it didn't rain for almost 6 weeks!! So, over the winter, we started to collect large blue barrels - these can be found floating out in the

Green Things in the Greenhouse - Part 3

2011-05-22T08:39:00.000-07:00

I just love heading to the greenhouse first thing in the morning for a quick check of what's going on. The spring season is still cool, but the plants don't seem to know that & they continue on their merry way to quickly out-growing their pots. Yesterday I was fortunate to have a bit of time to take care of a few things. I'm going to try lemon cucumbers this year in pots on the deck. I know I

Green Monsters in my Garden

2011-05-22T08:15:00.000-07:00

- This post should have gone up May 9th or 10th but computer programs can sometimes be screwy... - I have been watching my floating row covers on my veggie beds slowly grow bigger & bigger over the last few weeks. It's the French sorrel - fully recovered from being munched on a few months ago by the deer. That means it's time for my first harvest of sorrel! A little outrageous, I think. Way

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-18T08:07:00.000-07:00

- basket of gold & ajuga - - chives - - black currants - - fingerling potatoes - - bronze fennel & feverfew - - Lady's Mantle - - monk's hood - - rhododendron - - rue - - sage - - french sorrel - - sweet cicely - - kale -

Tarragon Harvest

2011-05-16T12:38:00.000-07:00

Even though the weather is still too cold & wet to do much planting, my greenhouse is pretty active. I love growing my own herbs & have managed to keep French Tarragon for the last 3 years in pots in the greenhouse. I usually divide them every other year, so this year they will remain as they are & I believe I'm up to 6 pots now. My favourite way to use tarragon - other than a few sprigs in my

The Savage Garden

2011-05-06T08:34:00.000-07:00

We purchased some dwarf Alberta spruce this fall to use as our Christmas trees. There were quite small & we had them indoors & decorated for only the week of Christmas. Our aim is to grow them on the deck for a few years before finding homes for them in the yard. I transplanted them into larger pots this spring & they put out a new flush of needles. But then I noticed something on the pots.

The Eager Seeds

2011-05-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

Just one week ago - April 28th - I couldn't help but plant some more seeds. I planted bush beans, butternut squash, lemon cucumber and zucchini. Looking at my planting calendar, I'm basically on time for starting these indoors - well, except for the beans; those could have waited a couple more weeks. But I'm so eager to get my gardens going & it's been a rather dismal, wet & cold spring, that I

Greenhouse Renovation!

2011-04-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

Easter Weekend the greenhouse got a bit of a make-over. Of course, I was working the entire weekend, so wasn't able to help hubby out, but once I explained where I'd love to have some work done, he got creative & inventive! I really want to grow peppers this year & since I tend to keep the greenhouse on the cool side during July & August, I have this crazy idea of a

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

Amidst all the hail & rain drops, the garden is perking up! Ajuga Basket of gold Chives Russian kale Lady's Mantle lily surprise tulip hummingbird

Green Thumb versus Black Thumb

2011-04-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

Being a gardener is not always nor only about success in growing things. I read somewhere: "If you're not killing plants, you are not really stretching yourself as a gardener." JC Roulston. That brought a lot of comfort to me (& still does!) during times of failure. Sometimes I take foolish pride in seeing more death than life & I try to tell myself that I really must be a great gardener... That

Fun with Rhubarb

2011-04-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

I love rhubarb - love-love-love it! I started off with 2 plants & quickly realized that this would not be enough. I now have 6, but they are still young plants & are still recovering from the transplanting process. So, I thought I'd try a little experiment to see if I can boost my production potential for this year. 2 year old plants newly transplanted rhubarb This is what some of my plants

Green Things in the Greenhouse - Part 2

2011-04-20T08:13:00.000-07:00

Last week I did 'the deed' & transplanted my poor tomatoes into larger quarters. It's still too cold for me to actually plant them in the ground & according to my planting calendar from last year, I was planting the 'maters in the ground right about now. I think I will try some more patience, which is so hard when the sun is shining! I have 14 tomato plants this year. A few too many, but who

Planning the Gardens - 2011, Part 2

2011-04-15T12:56:00.000-07:00

Even though spring seems to be really slow in warming up & drying out, I've tried to take advantage of short bursts of sunshine & tackle a few projects in the gardens. Number 1 priority this year: deer proof what I can. Here's what I've come up with so far (& it ain't always pretty)... I had noticed quite early this spring (or rather late this winter...) that the deer had found all my new

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-13T14:47:00.000-07:00

Basket of Gold almost in bloom Pulmonaria survived the rains - so far... Pink lilac blooms - will I see them this year, or will the deer eat them again? I'm keeping it short today as the sun unexpected came out & it's perfect weather to do a few things outside!!

Wordless Wednesday - not so wordless & a day late

2011-04-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

The daffodils are now blooming outside & there is nothing nicer than bringing in a few blooms of sunshine to enjoy in the house when the skies open up with buckets of April showers. My window sill's are full of herbs - these are: thyme, large leaf parsley, red Rubin basil & cilantro. These herbs are: thyme, chervil, Siam basil and marjoram. Snap peas & snow peas that need to be transplanted into

My Green Thumb - Tales of a West Coast Gardener - Spring 2011

2011-04-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

This article is now published in the Barkley Sound Community Journal - The West Island Quarterly---------------------------------------------------------------- The face of gardening has been changing all through Canada in recent years, with a more diverse group of people growing their own food & in more and more interesting ways. Here in Bamfield, many of us are using our own special

Happy Spring!

2011-03-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

First day of Spring arrived in splendid fashion. Big full moon last night, clear skies today & it's starting to feel warm & looks like it's drying out (there's probably rain in the forecast now...) I couldn't hold back any longer & started getting the veggie beds ready for true planting. I had noticed that the deer prefer to walk through a raised veggie bed instead of around it - plus they had

St. Patty's Day - Time to Plant some Peas!

2011-03-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I just checked the soil temperature in my raised beds & today it is between 6 and 9 degrees Celcius. That's up from only 1 degree Celcius on February 28th! Shows what a good layer of leaf mulch & some plastic can do. But that's still a bit chilly for planting seeds. Even some of the early ones (other than onions) prefer a bit warmer temps & a whole lot more sunshine. Plus, the rains that

Starting Slowing Indoors

2011-03-11T10:05:00.000-08:00

Along the west coast, it's hard to believe it's still technically winter. I'm really trying very hard not to over-do the early seeding this year, but one plant I rather enjoy having inside right now are the tomatoes. I've got 6 Yellow Pear tomatoes, 4 red Moneymaker tomatoes & 4 early yellow Taxi tomatoes. Sounds like a lot, but I'm going to have the Taxi's in pots on my deck - they should be

Slightly Delayed This Year

2011-03-04T15:58:00.000-08:00

I ventured out for a walk yesterday afternoon while the sun shone for a few brief moments. It was a good day to bump into other 'spring anxious' people & talk a bit about green things. Here's a few photos of things I discovered: witch hazel - still in bloom! One of the earliest rhododendrons to bloom here - a few weeks behind schedule. Another early bloomer that is behind - a plum tree (

Where or Where did Spring go??

2011-02-24T08:24:00.000-08:00

Woke up to another snow fall this morning. The sun is shining, but the temps have dipped down to -5 or so, which really isn't all that cold, but for February - this is definitely a set-back!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-23T09:03:00.000-08:00

This feels like a set back...

Lucky Ladybug

2011-02-21T12:51:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year when my house starts hatching ladybugs. Not quite sure where they come from or what they eat & I've not yet seen the larvae, but they start popping out of the wood work when the spring sun hits the house & warms it up. I consider it 'good luck' that this one was on one of my tomato packets. I just planted them yesterday & hope for a good harvest...but it's a little early to

Snow & Spring at the Same Time?

2011-02-18T17:25:00.000-08:00

Looks like the Farmer's Almanac forecast is correct! Woke up to thick wet snow this morning - quite a shock for this time of year along our little section of coast... Usually, I'm bragging about the crazy amounts of sunshine & warm weather we are getting at this time of year & I'm out in the gardens cleaning things up & seeing what's coming up. Just to make myself feel better, I searched out a

Spring is Fast Approaching

2011-02-11T11:44:00.000-08:00

Outside the crocus are putting on a wonderful show. Inside, the Christmas cactus has finally become accustomed to its new home & is rewarding me with a dazzling show. The 'Firecracker' Begonia has been brought up from its winter home & is starting to put on fresh growth. Can't wait to have these long-lasting bloomers outside my doors, enticing the hummingbirds to return.

Operation Rose Rescue

2011-02-10T08:39:00.000-08:00

I've been threatening to do this for almost 6 months & finally took the plunge yesterday - in broad daylight. There was this magnificent rose growing in a front flower bed of a once-upon-a-time occupied house along the boardwalk at the harbour's edge. It has not been cared for in many years & is quite a stunning flower. I have no idea what kind of rose it is & after doing a whole lotta research,

Yet Another Landscaping Project

2011-02-09T08:32:00.000-08:00

The sun was shining bright yesterday & I just had to take advantage of this opportunity to get dirty. My large landscaping project for this year (along with trying to finish off last year's...) is to work on claiming the east side of the house. The brambles - mostly salmonberry, thankfully - fewer thorns than blackberry - are growing closer to the house (on the left out of the picture). The

Winter Reading - Part 5

2011-02-08T20:28:00.000-08:00

...A New Approach in Gardening... I suddenly have found myself the receiptient of yet another wonderful gardening magazine. I honestly do not remember signing up for Organic Gardening but have enjoyed it thoroughly, cover to cover, each time it appears in my mailbox. This winter edition arrived in a very timely fashion while I was pondering how to get my gardens working for me during the winter

Pretty Primula

2011-02-06T14:23:00.000-08:00

Today is a chilly dismal day, but with a few of these wonderfully scented primulas sitting in my windows, on my kitchen table & on my coffee table, the lack of sunshine doesn't seem so bad.

Planning the Gardens - 2011

2011-02-03T10:52:00.000-08:00

Well, today is rain-rain-rain! Had hoped to get out for some garden 'spring-cleaning', but that will just have to wait a bit longer. Sometimes it's hard not to get too eager & excited for spring. What I am doing instead is planning my planting calendar. I tend to be obsessively organized & regimented when it comes to certain aspects of gardening. I print off one page for each month & mark in my

Green Thngs in the Greenhouse - Continuation

2011-02-02T05:15:00.000-08:00

My plastic greenhouse has withstood another winter season & it's almost time for me to clean it up in preparation for another year of tomatoes. Right now, I've got fava beans & peas growing in the raised bed & they actually survived the freeze we had in December. I thought they wouldn't recover (they were all frozen & fell over) but they've popped back up & have grown some in the last few weeks.

Right on Time!

2011-02-01T16:36:00.000-08:00

Just like clock-work, my yellow crocus have started to bloom!! This is the 3rd year in a row they have given me sunshine on the 1st of February when the weather is still gray. It's still a bit early for them to open fully, but this week is supposed to be nice & I'm sure they will enjoy opening up for the bees (of which I haven't heard any just yet). The salmon berry blossoms are also starting to

The Sweet Smell of Compost

2011-01-31T10:21:00.000-08:00

Here on the coast, we are lucky not to be covered under a blanket of snow & have the ground frozen solid. [Well, not having a consistent snow cover does hamper the traditional concept of winter gardening, but we have other ways of overcoming...] But this time of year - especially February - is a great time for many of us to get outside to check on the state of our gardens. One of the first

Winter Reading - Part 4

2011-01-29T16:51:00.000-08:00

Ok - so technically, I received my West Coast Seeds catalogue in the mail AFTER I had already received my order (the wonders of on-line shopping), but I do adore this seed catalogue. This will be the 3rd year in our 'new' house, so the third summer I will be working with my gardens. Let's hope that 'third try's a charm' because while I've heard about West Coast seeds & their quality & have seen

The Seeds Have Arrived!!

2011-01-29T16:50:00.000-08:00

A sure sign that I will be busy this year are all the NEW seeds I've purchased this year. I hope, that with proper storage, I'll be good for a few seasons, but it sure is nice to have all these new & exciting seeds sitting on my counter. I think what I will try to do this year - now, this is NOT the official Garden Plan for 2011, but I've a rough idea of where I'm going & that is spring/

Winter Reading - Part 3

2011-01-28T17:10:00.000-08:00

Am currently trying to wade out from underneath a pile - a mountain! of neglected paperwork & a backlog of emails & blogs & articles... It's so great to leave home for a few weeks in January & forget about 'normal' life for a while, but it's so great to come home & feel the tingle of spring just around the corner. I hope to submit quite a few blog updates in the next week - mainly as a way to

My Green Thumb - Tales of a West Coast Gardener - Winter 2010

2011-01-05T13:05:00.000-08:00