Severe Thunderstorm

Friday night we had a severe thunderstorm after a week of horrendously hot temperatures--temperature in the 30's with humidex in the 40's.  The temperature plummeted 10 degrees in about 7 minutes.  Here are the pics of the on-coming thunderstorm.

The On-Coming Storm!!

The storm arrived with rain & tremendous wind.  We were very fortunate we didn't sustain any damage & we had no power outages at all.

What's Blooming in our Garden!

These clematis are Ray Evison Clematis'.  I love these clematis.  Bruce has them potted in a container, & placed on a black crate against the wrought iron trellis on the back fence.  It looks absolutely wonderful. 

Hyde Hall Clematis

This lavender blue clematis -- Cezanne -- is in front of the other matching wrought iron trellis on the back fence.   These overwintered in their pots just sunk in the vegetable garden.

Cezanne Clematis

This clematis is beside the patio table.  There were two clematis planted there originally.  They both struggled to survive.  One of them died & this year this one had just taken off.  It is beautiful.  It's in a square wrought iron trellis with an obelisk inside.  The clematis is climbing inside.

This clematis was struggling planted by the back fence.  Bruce potted it up into a container & now it is growing like a weed.

City Workers Strike Again!

As you know we back onto a city park, and we all know how city workers weed whip the perimeter of a city park.  You have to protect your fence posts with Fence Armor.
Well I am not sure how you would protect your 1x6 fence boards.

How would you protect your 1x6 fence boards from this kind of damage due to weed whippers?

Our Tomatoes

Bruce ate the first tomato of the season about a week ago.  Our 'Sweet Baby Girl' tomato from PC Garden Centre that's in a container has lots of fruit on the vine.  I ate the second tomato of the season.  It was extremely yummy!!  I am really looking forward to tomato season!

Sweet Baby Girl tomatoes

Sweet Baby Girl cherry tomatoes

Sweet Baby Girl tomato loaded with fruit.

More fruit waiting to ripen.

I am really looking forward to what I call 'Tomato Season'.  I love summer between the tomatoes, & fruit. 

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall. Part 2

Bruce has been playing with mirrors again in the garden.  This wrought iron mirror he found for $5 at a garage sale we just happened to stop at.  He came home, painted it, waterproofed it and hung it on the fence.  This one is between the wrought iron trellis' he found down the street and lugged home.

Mirror on fence between the wrought iron trellis

Beside the patio table

Reflection of garden

Another Planting Day

This time it was not Bruce or myself doing the planting.  There is no 'Little Red Hen' syndrome in our home.  You want specific veggies you plant as well.  The girls have helped plant from the time they were small.

Swiss Chard to be planted in this container.

Taking a break!

Swiss Chard was planted in the middle pot,
sunflowers were planted in the rest of the containers

Looking toward the patio table.

Patio with planted containers looking great!

It's going to look like a jungle at the end of the season!

Clematis in containers in the garden
in front of the wrought iron trellis

The planted containers on the patio

Allium in bloom in the back garden by the fence.

Clematis in container in front of the wrought iron trellis

When the plant in front of the clematis grows,
you will not see the black crate

Whistling Gardens Botanical Gardens & Retail Garden Centre

On Saturday afternoon we went to Whistling Gardens Botanical Gardens & Retail Garden Centre.  Bruce spent a while walking around the retail garden centre.  When he finished he said "If I had more money, more space & a truck, I would be taking half the plant material home with me."  I think he was impressed.

We were there for a presentation on the partnering of a Horticultural Therapy program with Whistling Gardens.  After the presentation we went on a tour of the Botanical Gardens.

This is the newest arrival at Whistling Gardens along with pheasants, doves & ring-necked doves.  The pair of swans will make their home on the man-made lake.

Royal Mute Swan

Man-made Lake

View looking back to the bridge & amphitheatre area

Here are some of the plant material and vistas of Whistling Gardens.  We both really enjoyed the tour of the gardens.

 The rock/alpine garden was incredible with all the plants growing in the rocks.  It is nearly 1 acre in size.

Weeping Nootka in background.

Weeping Nootka

Conifer Garden

General view across the Botanical Gardens

 First picture is an up close shot of the purply blue cones of a fir.

This structure in the middle of the gardens is actually not finished yet.  On those four posts at each corner there will be domes placed.  This is going to look magnificent.

Love this structure!

Another structure with a view down a walkway.
On right side is Monument Maple, it has no branches

 Weeping Redbud

Espaliered trees in background
Weeping spruce also trained into a wall.

Whistling Gardens
698  Concession 3, Wilsonville, ON
www.whistlinggardens.ca

The gardens & garden centre are open 9:30 am - 5 pm, 7 days a week including holidays.
Open from 1st weekend in April until last weekend in October

Whistling Gardens mission statement is:
To establish an internationally recognized destination attraction, featuring exclusive contributions to our plant collections.  focusing on new and viable ornamental plants for today's gardens with a special emphasis on conifers.

Employ innovation and technology in the pursuit of research activities in horticultural, evaluating plant species and cultivars, with emphasis on new plant cultivars and rare species for ornamental and/or commercial use.

To share knowledge in botany and horticulture, by cultivating an appreciation for our natural environment, through education workshops, seminars and guided tours.

Provide a social, unique and accessible experience in a natural environment to be enjoyed by all ages.

Explore 20 acres of colour and plant material at Whistling Gardens with many more acres to come.  The potential of these gardens is phenomenal.  Keep up the good work Darren!