April Blues and Greens

       As you may have figured out already,  blue is one of my favorite colors, even if the "blue" of flowers is more or less purple.  I finally found a decent bloom on my camellia this year!  Most are tinged with brown spots or brown edges. The sweet woodruff is one of those plants that can get a little aggressive in the growth department, but it makes a lovely ground cover for shady areas. I love the interesting spring growth on columbine and balloon flower. Thanks for stopping by!

Anemone Blanda 'blue star'

Glory of the Snow Chinodoxa

Hyacinth

Grape Hyacinth (Muscari)

Camellia Pink Perfection

Bright red growth on  Pieris 'Forest Flame'

Chive buds

Sweet Woodruff

Columbine (Aquilegia)

Balloon Flower (platycodon 'Fuji Blue')

Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve

We took a trip out to the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve in Chilliwack, BC a couple of weeks ago to see the nesting heron colony. A better camera would have come in very handy, but it was still neat to see so many nests and herons (if you look close) sitting or standing near their nests. They also have many feeders set up near the Rotary Interpretive Centre and this would be a great place to just sit and watch the birds come by.  Much to my husbands dismay, we also found many snakes enjoying the warm spring sunshine. 

Great Blue Heron Nesting Colony

Seen from our walk on the Dyke

 

Coming in for a landing

On the Ground

The back of the Rotary Interpretive Centre with seating

Downy Woodpecker at one of the feeders

Red-winged Blackbird

Just one of many bridges

Giant Tree

The Vedder River

A friendly Cat

Anyone know what these are?

The Observation Tower

Picnic table down below

A game

Family Photo

March Blooms

While some parts of my country are experiencing warm March weather, on the West Coast it has been cooler than normal. Here are a few of the flowers blooming in my yard right now.  I also have a few seedlings growing on my kitchen windowsill,  a few more on top of my refrigerator, and many more waiting to be planted, once the weather warms up in April and May.   I also rejuvenated an old birdhouse by taking it apart, cutting off the rotten edges, reassembling it and giving it a fresh coat of paint. This makes it birdhouse number four hanging in my small backyard.  Only one of my houses is used every year without fail, and that is by the often dreaded house sparrow, but I am hoping  the chickadees will come back to nest in the birdhouse they used a couple of years ago.

Anemone Blanda

Crocus

Crocus

Crocus

Heather

Birdhouse Renovation

The New Arrivals

     Don't you just love getting a package in the mail? My seeds arrived last week and I am so looking forward to planting them! I don't know where I will find room to plant them all, but I will try my best to wedge them in somewhere. I love stocks and other fragrant flowers, in case you can't tell.  If you have never grown evening scented stock, I would encourage you to try them. Plant them close to the house, some place where you will be near in the evening, the fragrance is incredible. What are your favourite fragrant flowers? The fountain grass, coneflowers and cardinal climber are all new to me. I will also be growing swiss chard for the first time ever, and hope my picky family will like it.

I planted some catgrass on super sow Sunday. It is so quick and easy to grow, not to mention my cat likes it.  She started nibbling on the grass as soon as I brought it to her, thus the blurry photo. 

I am also adding a photo of the neat ice sculpture that forms in my birdbath when the water freezes, and the neat little wagon my husband bought me for Christmas this year. I'd be happy to hear any suggestions you have for for filling up the wagon, which will be moving outdoors. 

Just some of my New Seed Arrivals

My kitty nibbling cat grass

Pink Dawn Viburnum

 Birdbath Ice Sculpture

Little Green Wagon

Finally Winter

Winter finally arrived in Southwest BC last week, and along with it snow, wind, and cold weather. I brought my container grown pieris  in to the garage, and tucked up my other containers right next to my patio doors. I hung the hummingbird feeder on the butterfly bush's  branches, only a few inches from the door. I have been bringing in the feeder at night, but even so the nectar has needed thawing out during the day. The cold weather has brought a large number of birds to my feeders, so I have been busy taking pictures of them all. I was really surprised to have a varied thrush visit my feeders for the first time.  He's a cute fellow even if he is a bit of a bully.

Pine Siskins

New Visitor, the Varied Thrush

Anna's Hummingbird carefully guarding the nearby feeder

Anna's Hummingbird

Varied Thrush

Song Sparrow

Junco in Pink Dawn Viburnum

Junco sitting on my sad looking pansies

Junco trying to stay warm

House Finch

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! Yes, it is in fact Christmas, and I always find it odd when people are afraid to call it such. Not a whole lot happening in my garden, but I am thankful to have pansies blooming cheerfully out on my patio.  Inside, I have been taking pictures of my favorite Christmas ornaments, my poinsettia, and our cat Tiger. The cat photos were a joint  project with my daughter, who bought the accessories, and arranged the cat and chair just so. She is a professional photographer (my daughter, not the cat) and will be sharing her pictures of the cat photo-shoot on her website:  Alyssa Schroeder Photography

Pansy

Pansies

Poinsettia Jingle Bells

Tiger

Tiger not exactly liking the hat

 Snow Globe

Angel