Mood Altering Nature

Today I was in a funk.  I get like that sometimes when good things come to an end, like the car rental (really nice Mazda 5s that we've had for some time since our vehicle got hit while parked on the street in front of our house) and the change in work, different position same place but some time off in between. Ho hum.  It was time for some intervention.  

Well, I'd mentioned to a friend that I wanted to get some birch branches for Christmas planters and she knew just the place where there was a bit of birch windfall, so off we went with her dog Eclipse into the woods of the river valley.  Ah, the aroma of the forest was scintillating, while the leaves crunched underfoot on the unmaintained path and the sun shone brightly beyond the trees, casting shadows and highlighting unfallen foliage of mountain ash and poplar. It's been a beautiful autumn day and we even worked up a sweat hiking uphill and rooting around for fallen branches and treasures.  I came away with a nice bundle of birch, red twigged dogwood and some mountain ash berries.  Needless to say the fresh air, the good company, and the beauty of nature turned my mood right around.  Here, let me show you.....

The contrast of the white birch bark and the green lichen caught my eye.  There's moss on tree stumps, decaying wood, peeling birch bark...so many eye-catching objects of beauty in the woods.

The quack of ducks not yet migrated and the caw of an occasional crow were not outdone by the squirrel who scolded Eclipse as it sat perched in the tree above him.  Oh, to have that dog's stamina!!!

What a fine time in the forest.  It makes you forget you live in a big city with the nags of daily life.  Nature is my therapist.  I simply must go more often.  

My Most Adored Maples

I'm certain autumn has arrived early this year as indicated by the early change of leaf colour in the local landscape.  Ash, poplar, maples all began turning colour the end of August, early September.  Now, it is early October and the maples along 97th street, which were in full astounding pigmentations of reds and oranges just two weeks ago, are now almost barren of foliage.  To blame is the weather.  This summer was a season of drought, thus plants in the region are stressed.  Then we had a storm last Friday and Saturday which brought wind and rain to continue the defoliation process.  Luckily, my daughter and I visited the famous stretch of maples a couple weeks ago.  Here are some of my most adored.

Is there a season more colourful, more crisp, more invigorating?  I doubt it. Cheers to fall!

Secret Garden - Avenue Edmonton - October 2015

Secret Garden - Avenue Edmonton - October 2015

In a World With Octobers

Keep Your Garden Fresh with Autumn Blooms

It's something we, as gardeners, sometimes forget.  We are so excited to see spring and summer blooming flowers that we can overlook autumn bloomers.  Is it that we are then tired, just as those annuals that linger but look distraught after a hot summer?  Do we forget our love of gardening as life gets busy, school is back in and vacation is over?  I know some days I look at my planters, the annuals drooping and withered, blooms spent; and I want to yank out the spent annuals and just be done with it.  That is until I go to the garden centre again or visit a botanical garden.   Then the yearn for gardening is renewed.  I've got something up my sleeve for winter.  Just wait and see! ;)

Well, in case this describes you too, here's some inspiration to remind you gardening season doesn't have to be over.    

Clockwise from upper left:  Echinacea, Gaillardia, Rudbeckia possibly "Goldsturm' variety (perennial brown-eyed Susan), annual garden mum, a mixed bed of Rudbeckia, possibly Goldsturm and Autumn Colours.  Some of the above photos were taken on the grounds of the Muttart Conservatory, others at a local greenhouse and my garden.

Perennials from left to right:  Stonecrop/sedum Autumn Joy, Aconitum (Monkshood), Toad Lily

Left to right above:  Sunflowers, Shasta Daisy, and container of succulents.

And don't forget the flowering kales:

What do you do in the garden at the end of summer?  Do you plant fall blooming annuals?  Change out your pots with kale and mums?  Please share.  I could use some more inspiration.

Answering the Enticement of Nature

During the last days of summer, I had the distinct urge to be out in nature.  Sure I work outside all day, but I couldn't ask for a better day to remain outdoors.  It was one of those late September evenings where it had warmed up to 20 Celsius and the warmth lingered in the air, though the crispness of an impending fall tinged the atmosphere.  The sun was warm still, a few clouds lingered in the skies and nary a breeze could be felt.  

On my way home, I diverted to Rundle Park, a lovely park featuring wide expanses of nature, fountains, lakes, boat launches, mini-golf, tennis courts, day camping areas, playgrounds, frisbee golf course. There's even a swimming pool in the valley here.  First I visited the recreation area which houses the boat launch and mini-golf course. Circling the pond, I meandered on, breathing the cool air, feeling the crunch of leaves underfoot (though not many).  Still wide expanses of green grass, towering spruce, pine, birch and aspen spread before me.  The evidence of this year's drought was highly visible in the birches and some aspen. Even the spruce had browning.  

It's been a very dry spring and summer here. I'm sure we've set or at least matched records for lack of rainfall.  The city crews have been around painting the pink line of doom for severely stressed and dead trees.  It's sad to see so many but that is the way of nature. Autumn is proving to be wetter than all of summer.  Vancouver, does this sound familiar?

After photographing the fountains and ponds, I drove up the hill to the river where I then walked the Ainsworth Dyer Bridge which spans the Fort Saskatchewan River, connecting Rundle Park with Gold Bar Park on the south side.  I took several photos from this raised vantage point, relishing the quiet as the warmth slowly receded.  What a glorious vantage point!

I'm so glad I took that detour.  It was an incredible little bit of a last hurrah for summer.

Oh, glorious colour!! Autumn Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere

At 2:22 am, September 23/15 Autumn Equinox arrived here. Oddly, our first day of autumn was warmer than our last day of summer.  

Welcome 

glorious colour

crunching of leaves

under foot

cozy blankets

soft sweaters

hot chocolate

pumpkin everything

harvest

crisp cool air

bluest of skies.  

~SMartin 2015

Now you can see why I love the Rocky Mountains!

Trekkie Terrarium

Terrarium gardening can be done in traditional fashion or you can add your personal touch as this class participant did.  She took Kim's workshop at the greenhouse and fashioned this tribute to an episode of Star Trek.  She plans to paint the gourd once she finds out how to preserve it so it doesn't rot.  Later it will grace her office and will definitely be a conversation piece.

Does anyone recognize the episode she portrays here?  BTW, excellent figurines!  Spock is very authentic looking.
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*I found some info on drying gourds here:  
http://www.oldhouseweb.com/gardening/drying-and-preserving-gourds.shtml

Find Serenity at the Nitobe Memoirial Garden

The Nitobe Memorial Garden is located in the forest at the edge of Vancouver, British Columbia. A spectacular portion of the UBC landscape, the Nitobe Memorial Garden was designed as a memorial to Inazo Nitobe, a Japanese diplomat and politician also known for his written work and teachings.  Nitobe's goal was to "become a bridge across the Pacific."  The garden lies on two and a half acres of land.  Its landscape was designed and constructed by landscape architects and gardeners with recommendation from the Japanese government.  Each component is in harmony, placed with deliberation and maintained with the utmost attention to detail.  Several of the plants including some maples, cherry trees, azaleas and irises were imported from Japan. Waterfalls, streams, the gazing pond, the plants and every stone are representative of nature. Several lanterns accent the property, including a Nitobe lantern that was erected by friends of Inazo Nitobe.  

As you enter the garden, to your left is Ichibō-an, the tea house  which is surrounded by a roji tea garden and an inner garden.  To your right is a path that encircles the gazing pond  which is the central focus of the garden.  There are tours that are highly recommended to take, specifically during spring cherry blossom, summer for the irises, and autumn for the splendour of the colouring of the maples.  I went in August and it was just as luxurious but I'd love to come back in spring and again in the autumn.

The garden is designed to suggest a passing of time: hours, days, seasons, years.  One could easily spend hours here at a time.  It is the perfect place for personal reflection and meditation.  It is serenity, peace, and breathless beauty all in one location.  

I hope you enjoy the photos here.  May they entice you to plan a visit to the garden soon.

We saw Edgar Muenala perform at Granville Island while we were there in August.  His music perfectly complements the beauty and serenity found in a Japanese garden.  I hope you enjoy this number.

Love and Harmony - Respect Mother Nature.  Performing Far East Theme.