Archive for trees

Hello Yellow Bird

July 26, 2013 · Filed under trees · Tagged ,

I found a new friend while I was back in Canada in May. A gorgeous yellow friend. Funnily enough, I have never been a fan of yellow flowers, except in the spring. Yellow foliage I love, but yellow flowers, not so much. Most of them are in the daisy family, not for me.  But my new friend, yummy.

Of course, flowers in May (for me at least), strong, thick petaled flowers, who wouldn’t like him. 

So he came home with me, Magnolia ‘Yellow Bird’.

And I decided a place on the front lawn, where I could admire him every day would be suitable.

He will be silhouetted against the dark green background of the cedar hedge,

so he will stand out even more. And he has a pyramidal shape, even better, because I can fit even more plants on my front lawn in the future. 

My front yard seems to be shaping up into another, more natural area. It already had a rounded sidewalk, rather then straight, which is more formal. And I can’t cut the grass until after the fritillaria meleagris has gone to seed (as I want a whole meadow of them), so that makes it a bit more messy informal. So a flowery mead on the front lawn, sound good?

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On to May…

July 10, 2013 · Filed under bulbs, perennials, shrubs, trees · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Now after that short break to show you Kilbourne Grove from the air, we will continue on the ground.

I took lots and lots and lots of photos, don’t want to forget a thing,

From my redbud flowering again this year, yay, (shall have to limb it up a bit)…

to my favourite euphorbias flowering. These have seeded everywhere in the garden, but I love them so much, I can’t bear to pull them out.

The red Ohio buckeye, Aesculus Pavia, has twice as many flowers on it this year,

love how the stems match the flower colour.

My favourite camassia. leichtlinii, need to divide it and spread the love.

Another camassia, this one is quamash. I have read the native Americans used to dig the bulbs and use them for food.

Fothergilla just starting to flower,

My mothers tree peony also starting to flower,

love this shot, I am now using it as a screen saver.

The Serviceberry Allee,

with the serviceberry or Amelanchiers just starting to flower.

And a new hellebore, “Amber Gem”,

I think planting it beside some chartreuse and chocolate foliage will make the colour pop even more.

Just so I do not bore you too much, I will show you the last half of May next time.

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year

June 19, 2013 · Filed under bulbs, trees · Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Although the song is talking about christmas, for me, it is spring.  Although anytime I get to visit my garden now becomes the most wonderful time of year.  But here was spring in my garden (a bit late), I was soooo very excited. Just a quick look at what was happening all around me.

All three of my witch hazels were still in flower,

Hamamelis ‘Arnold’s Promise’

This one I took the moment I arrived, just starting to get dark.

Jelena

Magic Fire

Another problem with trying to post two months later, I can’t remember if this is Jelena or Magic Fire, I am inclined to think the latter.

Crocus Roseus, although looking a bit more lilac here.

And perhaps, if I lie to myself, a few more tommies then last year.

A friend gave me a number of helleborus seedlings three years ago. This spring a couple of them started flowering for the first time,

this was the first one to open,

and in bud another.

Scilla tubergeniana is bulking up nicely,

love the ice blue flowers.

This is the first year that I got to see Bulbocodium vernum flower,

often referred to as a spring Colchicum.

There was lots more in bloom, but I have to leave you wanting more, lol….

lyrics by Andy Williams

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Frangipani

November 21, 2012 · Filed under Barbados, trees · Tagged ,

Do you say Frangipani or Plumeria?

Plumeria is the Latin or Botanical name, but I just love saying frangipani over and over again, especially if I stub my toe while hiking. My other word, as some of you may remember, is Fubuki.

Love them, tee hee.

When I walk to the pool, I walk past a whole row of frangipani trees, and the spent blossoms laying on the path scent the air as I pass. We are just at the end of the bloom cycle, they flower from  April to November, so they give me something special to enjoy during the long hot summer. Each flower is fairly short lived, but there is a lot in a cluster so it goes on and on.

Plumeria trees are also known as Temple Trees because they are usually planted in front of temples in Asia due to their fragrant flowers. The flowers are also popular in Hawaii which are used to make flower necklaces (leis).

I always think of them as a Hallowe’en tree as they look quite eerie when the leaves have dropped. 

Pink plumeria is decidious while the white is evergreen.

Their thick, succulent leaves can grow to 10-inches long or more, but their beauty is in their flowers. Now, you must excuse me, I am off to get my fragrance fix before they are finished for another year.

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Falling for Fall

October 17, 2012 · Filed under grasses, Japanese Maples, perennials, shrubs, trees · Tagged , , , , , ,

I am sure we have all heard of Murphy’s Law. I had just been patting myself on the back for not having a cold since we moved to Barbados. I was a bit worried that I would pick one up every time we flew back and forth, but nada! Till this time… darn it! Just before we left, it struck, so there was no turkey dinner for me this Thanksgiving, hope yours was a lot better.  Sorry for the lack of a post last week, I was still recovering.

My two favorite seasons have always been spring and autumn. And now that I am living in the land of permanent summer, they are even more important to me.

I am sure that everyone knows (after listening to it over and over again) how I feel about spring, but I do not know if I ever harped  told you how much I love fall. I love when the nights start cooling down, and you can have a fire. When you can layer a sweater over a t-shirt and you instantly look more stylish, at least I do. When the food changes to heartier dishes, instead of salads. And when the leaves start turning. Oh the glorious colours they go.  Eastern North America is renowned worldwide for the autumn colours and I certainly missed it when I loved in England. Not that they don’t have some lovely autumns, but there is nothing like a sugar maple in the fall. Not to mention sumac, wow could they be any brighter.  Unfortunately we leave Canada before the height of the fall season, but I am starting to get a little preview.

Looking forward to it getting a bit bigger.

Amazing leaves on the Coral Bark Maple

The coral bark maple is starting to be glorious

 and Hakonechloa ‘Beni Kaze’ is changing colour.

Japanese Maples are amazing, ‘Waterfall’ is green all year, but look at the fall colour,

and ‘Full Moon’ is starting to do its stuff as well.

And look at the mushrooms that have decided to make Kilbourne Grove their home, such a great harvest look. Luckily I don’t like mushrooms, so I look and definitely don’t touch!

Burning Bush at my SIL

Ginkgo

Blueberry

I will miss the full neon effect, but I am glad I was able to get a bit of a taste for fall.

By the way, do you say fall or autumn? I read that autumn was English and fall, American, but I think it is a bit mixed up know. As a Canadian, heavily influenced by both England and America, I say both.

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