shoo, bunny

This sweet-looking bunny lives in the wooded swamp area right beside our house and is always on the front lawn. I never thought much of it and enjoyed the cute little animal nibbling on the grass until I noticed him getting closer and closer to the house.

I had planted the dianthus seedlings I grew indoors over winter in one of the front garden beds and noticed some buds were about to open, so a few days later I checked again to see if the flowers were open and saw this -

It seems as though this bunny likes snacking on my flowers.

And my strawberries.

I have had to chase him out of the garden several times this week, so I did some reading on different things to try and deter bunnies and other animals from the garden. Some of which seem so silly to me, like human hair and moth balls! No thanks.
I did try sprinkling garlic powder around the beds and thought it was working since he wasn’t coming near the garden, but I saw him in there early this morning. If anyone has any suggestions of a good organic rabbit or small critter repellent… suggest away.  I need him to stay away.

a mother’s day gift

Being able to grow food for my family is a plan in the making – long time in the making. Where and how I would like to have my raised vegetable bed just isn’t possible at this time. Our large dog is a destroyer [just a few days ago he chewed through a garden hose], so until he calms down there will be no garden beds in the backyard. Anything I have attempted to grow he has eaten, even if it wasn’t food.

My oldest daughter and I have talked about growing strawberries in the large pot to put on the front porch. So when my husband took her to the store to get a Mother’s Day gift she knew exactly what she wanted to get. A strawberry plant ! She is so excited to watch the strawberries grow and we both can’t wait to eat them.

Happy Mother’s Day !

I’m versatile and on fire !

  

Thank you so much to Stephanielane AND to Aimee at Red Garden Clogs for the Versatile Blogger award. This post is much overdue from when Aimee first nominated me a little while back. Thank you so much, ladies ! And a very humble thanks to Stephanie for the Blog on Fire award as well. I feel honoured and truly appreciate that you enjoy my blog.

I never know what to say when I’m put on the spot, heh, but I also wanted to take this opportunity to say thanks to all the folks that come over to my blog each day, I love to read each and every comment and feel so much gratitude for the help and knowledge that everyone leaves for me ! It leaves me inspired with a much better understanding of gardening and plants. I’m just a beginner and always learning.

I started this blog just to keep track of what I have planted, what has worked in the garden and what hasn’t, and to store photos of my plants each year. I honestly thought I was the only person to have a blog based solely on gardening. I enjoy so many blogs here and so glad to have found many of you. Here is a list of some of my favourites. Hope you will check them out if you haven’t already.

Letters & Leaves - she has a gorgeous balcony garden and loves to write stories as well.

MOSS and IVY - she has the most beautiful garden I have ever seen !

The Iris and the Lily - gorgeous photographs, gorgeous garden.

greenbenchramblings - a retired teacher gardening in the UK. Wonderful blog !

Words and Herbs - Cathy blogs about gardening and food.

Persephone Writes - Angela is a writer with wonderful posts on poetry.

contadinak - a crafty gal with lots of photos of pretty flowers.

planthoarder - amazing photos from another obsessed gardener ! ; )

Going Native – Mary has a love for native plants and growing heirloom vegetables.

My Little Green Thumbs – a charming blog on gardening, kids and life.

Ok, now a few things about myself…

—I was vegetarian for years until I got pregnant with my first and I started to actually crave meat. I just try to limit red meat now.

—I live in skinny jeans or leggings.

—My brain doesn’t function until I have had a cup of coffee in the morning.

—My entire family lives in Britain, mostly Scotland.

—It has been my dream since high school to live in either California or Arizona. I LOVE the heat.

—During the week when the baby is napping and no one else is home I dance.

—I do natural parenting – I cloth diaper, babywear, homemade baby food, gentle discipline, extended breastfeeding, co-sleeping.

—I love anything by Margaret Atwood.

—I have had an obsession with baby names for many years. I would keep lists of all my favourites and was a member on a baby name message board for 10 years, up until last summer when gardening became my thing.

—Lastly, I am terrified to turn 30 in December, no clue why…

So, thanks again, everyone, for keeping up with my gardening surprises and dilemmas. I appreciate it very much.

xx

speaking in scientific terms

William Stearn

I was a science nerd so I got into plant science/biology, including botanical Latin names, in the later years of high school. It was Hemerocallis printed on the daylily plant tags my mum brought home that started it all. I remember it clear as day – I was 17, and that year we also did a few lessons on plants in biology class.

Over the years I have done a lot of research on Latin names associated with different plants and how the names came to be. Botanical terms are in Latin or Greek because the features of plants were originally written in Latin or Greek. A scientific terminology of plant descriptions was first established by Aristotle’s student and successor Theophrastus of Eresos (370-285 B.C.).  He inherited the botanic gardens of Athens that Aristotle had founded and arrived at concepts of plant morphology that are still around today. He used the Greek names of the time to describe and name plants. His descriptions describe bark colour, growth form, shape and vein composition of leaves along with leaf margins, the type of wood and its colour, the shape and colour of fruit, type of roots along with the habitat of the plant.

Not long after my love for botany began I discovered Professor William Thomas Stearn, a British botanist. His most important work was Botanical Latin first written in 1966. Basically a bible for botanists and horticulturists and a source of useful and trivial information for avid gardeners and etymologists. I own a copy and reference the book nearly every day. A great collection of grammar and syntax of botanical Latin, and covers the origins of Latin and latinized geographical names, colour terms, symbols and abbreviations, diagnoses and descriptions, and the formation of names and epithet. Great for understanding the way descriptions are built and Latin terms are used in the botanical field. I recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding botany and Latin meanings of plants. Though a bit intense to read it’s a good book to have on hand, especially when you need to know more about that plant you just purchased or if you’re like me and have a love for botany and science.

I have often thought about taking a botany class at the only college in Eastern Ontario I can find that offers it, but the college is still too far away for me to attend every day at this point. Maybe one day. It would be quite an experience and I have always wanted to learn all there is to know about botany.

A quote from John Berkenhout in 1789 – “Those who wish to remain ignorant of the Latin language, have no business with the study of botany”.

botanical treats

I have never heard of Botanical Bakery before, but I think I’m addicted now. A friend and I often get together some Saturday mornings for coffee or tea. Today at our get-together she offered up some Garden Shorties that she got at Chapters and they were out of this world tasty ! Shortbread cookies with a buttery texture made with all natural ingredients, some of which are plucked straight fom the garden – a very neat idea for cookies. Lavender and Lemon Thyme were the two flavours she had [the lemon was fantastic], but upon further inspection I discovered Botanical Bakery also carries Fennel Pollen, Peppermint Cacao, Cinnamon Basil, Cardamon, and Ginger.

Each cookie starts with three organic ingredients: hard red wheat flour unbleached, fresh-churned 85-percent-sweet-cream butter and pure cane sugar. And I love how on each package there is a suggestion of pairings with tea, coffee and wine. You can pick up a box here to try. They also have sample sizes if you aren’t sure about a flavour.
I just have to try Fennel Pollen so I ordered a box.

wish list

Just a few gardening supplies and items I have been eye-balling over the last few weeks. Some I plan to buy, others are just to dream about.
~

Please Water Us Watering Can from Liberty. I may already have a black floral watering can along with a light blue one, but this watering can is oh so cute.


Thoughtful Gardener Watering Can from Chapters. Unfortunately this watering can is no longer available – it was from last summer. I just love the saying.

Gardening Gloves from Anthropologie. Am I the only one that goes through gardening gloves like there’s no tomorrow ? I went through two last year and will definitely be needing a new pair this spring. I think I’m going to order these.

Pretty floral print garden pruners though I’m not sure where they came from and the more practical Bypass Pruners from Lee Valley.

Thoughtful Gardener Trowel and Fork Set [on the trowel it says 'despite the gardeners best intentions, nature will improvise'] from Wild and Wolf.

Gardening Tools set from Home Sense. Guess I have more girl in me than I thought.

Bulb Planter from DeWit. I also want the Dibber. Such neat tools.

Celia Birtwell Gardening Apron from Sprout Home. I am enjoying many items from Sprout Home including the Bloom Bag grow kits.

Moleskine Gardening Box from Moleskine but can be found almost anywhere. This garden planner in a box, equipped with a journal, pockets and seed envelopes, is one of the coolest organizers for garden planning. This is a “must-have” on my list.

 Sixties Floral Planters from Liberty. I believe Liberty of London made a line for Target, too ? I couldn’t resist these cute planters.

sensory gardens for autism

My cousin’s daughter was first diagnosed with autism last fall at the age of 2 and a half. Two weeks ago they found out that her autism is on the severe side. They are unable to determine at this point if she will attend a regular school/what kind of help she will need throughout her life. Myself, not knowing very much about this awful condition is heartbroken for my cousin and his fiance [they are both in their early 20's so I think they are having a difficult time coming to terms with this issue] and for little Sylvia.

Their doctor made the suggestion of creating a sensory garden where she can be stimulated by feel, smell, taste and sight, and adding in wind chimes for sound. I thought that was an amazing idea; for any child or adult with special needs. The family lives in an apartment so my aunt has vowed to start a sensory garden in her backyard this summer.

My mum and I were talking with her over the weekend and we came up with a few plants that she thinks would be good for the garden. For taste: basil, sage, mint, and oregano which would also be for smell. Strawberries, blueberries, blackcurrents. Smell: various roses, asiatic lilies, clethra, honeysuckle and lavender. Feel: she wasn’t too sure on this so I came up with stachys, phlomis [not hardy here, though], salvia, yarrow, heather, calamagrostis [I love this grass] and the possibility of adding in textured stones for a path or border and moss seats. Sight: the possibilities are endless with this. As I think all plants are beautiful, this is what my aunt was most comfortable with growing and having Sylvia around – zinnias, wildflowers, marigolds, begonias and poppies for annuals. Russian sage, coneflowers of all colours, amsonia blue ice, hardy geraniums and astilbe. Hibiscus shrubs would probably look great in there, too, with their big bright blooms. Sound: in addition to the wind chimes we thought of a bird bath to encourage birds to stop by and sing in the bath.

I’m not sure what plants she will end up using as her yard isn’t very big. She was thinking of hiring a landscaper and plant more mature plants so she doesn’t have to wait a few years before the garden is established. She wants to have each section [smell, feel, taste..] separated since there is a concern that too much at once might overwhelm her. It’s been upsetting watching her grow up around children and her not interact with them, not being able to communicate with you and not even acknowledge you when you talk to her. Now that we all know she has autism we are trying to better understand her world and how to help. I did some looking around on the internet about the sensory idea and it seems fairly common to create a garden that stimulates the senses for autistic children. I even discovered sensory garden schools and parks specially designed for autistic children in the UK and Australia. I’m trying to look for some in our area right now. This is such a great thing for people with sensory perceptual issues associated with autism that really needs more attention in our country and others.

I will keep this blog updated with the process of the sensory garden and how it turns out.

beauty of a garden

“The best purpose of a garden is to give delight.” - Gertrude Jekyll, 1901

And delight is something that gardens give in abundance. Gardens engage not only sight but hearing, touch, smell and taste. They are places where life can be lived – secret spaces explored, romances started, books read, friends entertained. Those with patience and an artistic turn of mind can absorb themselves in the task of beautifying their gardens.

Gardens allow the imagination to run riot on a grand scale. Gardens can be the perfect place to throw a party. Gardens can be visited over and over again, because every garden changes subtly each time a visitor returns. A gentle rain enhances the  aroma of pine and roses; sunlight creates textures of shade; a carpet of snow scrunches underfoot; frost rimes leaves with a tracery of ice that dissolves to the touch; freshly plucked berries stain the tongue. Winter is quiet; spring is full of promises. Summer hums, and fall ushers in sharp colours and crisp sounds.

No matter how grand or simple, no matter where it is found in the world, the garden is somewhere people come to celebrate the joys of life and find shelter from their cares.

We all have gardens of which we dream.

I definitely recommend to any gardener or anyone who enjoys the beauty of gardens to read ‘the Armchair Book of Gardens’ by Jane Billinghurst. This book is a collection of writings that explore the garden at many angles. I picked up this book at Chapters and it’s neat to read writings from the 1700′s where poets and novelists portray the garden as a showpiece or celebrated the opening of a blossom on a summer’s day. A great read.