Signs of Spring

Crocus

Crocus

Crocus

Pink Dawn Viburnum

Skimmia Buds

Fresh New Growth on Chives

Spring Dreaming

Spring is just around the corner here in the Pacific Northwest! I can hardly wait to get planting, though it is a little early yet. After much, much catalog browsing, debating, and researching, my seed orders have finally been sent off! I  ordered seeds for the following Flowers & Veggies: Cerinthe purple bells, Cathedral bells, Sweet peas (old heirloom variety), Poppies, Sunflowers, cleome,  Ground Cherry, Corn, Cucumbers, & Dill. I still have lettuce seed left from last year and I purchased Tomato seeds at my local garden store. I also ordered some beautiful purple gladiolas. Some of these are brand new to me, so it will be a fun adventure to grow them.  Now, I just hope I can manage to squeeze them all in!

I brought home some tulips that someone had thrown out at work, and  took some pictures to share. More backyard bird photos as well.

Tulips

Tulip

Tomato Choice for 2011

Cheery Chickadee

Visiting Song Sparrow

Willband Creek Park

 I ventured out to Willband Creek Park in Abbotsford a couple of times this Winter.  While some may find this park lacking in trees, I find the mountains & wildlife make up for any lack in trees. I was hoping to capture some more bird photos, but it was cold and the birds were uncooperative.

Many Gulls

View across the Road

Merry Christmas!

Meowy Christmas

I hate posing for pictures!

Our Gerbil Dash

Hello

Giant Rodent Visit Baby Jesus

Blooms & Fall Color

Dahlia

Viburnum 'Pink Dawn'

Persicaria affinis 'Dimity'

Brilliant Blueberry leaves

Balloon Flower & Alyssum

"Dead" Hydrangea Blooms

What's Blooming Now

Some Late Summer Blooms in my Garden

               First Sunflower to Finally Grow & Bloom       

   

Monarda

Lavatera

 

Buddleia

I bought my very first Buddleia this past Spring, called Petite Plum Dwarf Butterfly Bush. My plan was to plant it in a container and leave it on my patio, year round. It didn't take long for me to start wondering if this plant would get too big for the 14" pot I planted it in. Here it is only a few months after I bought it.

It started to bloom in July and I have been thoroughly enjoying it's lovely fragrance. A little hummingbird has also been checking out the blooms, but I have yet to see a butterfly. 

I don't know what to do with it this fall, whether to leave it in this pot on our patio as planned, or to plant it in a less than suitable (shady) place in my yard. Any suggestions would be very welcome!

The Crocus are coming!

   The Crocus are taking over the world!  Or  at the very least, my yard.  When we moved into our home 6 years ago, that first Spring a few pretty purple crocus sprung up here and there.  Lovely, I thought to myself, a beautiful beginning to the gardening season.  A few years later, I was finding more and more of them, and noticed they were even growing in the lawn. This year, it seems they've put on a mighty surge, popping up pretty much everywhere,  including many in my back lawn. My husband noticed the crocus in the lawn for the first time  (he's not much of an outdoors sort) and he wasn't too pleased, to put it mildly. So now their secret is out, and I'm not planning on stopping them.  So be prepared, they are heading your way.

Crocus creeping into the compost pile & lawn