The Pergola

The air is crisp and sweet as Fall settles in to this part of the woods. These photos were taken in August.

In the Spring, I had picked three projects to have completed before now. I thought that seemed pretty reasonable but now I realize one per Summer is sufficient. I am very happy that my pergola is almost complete. My father is building a gate which will be the finishing touch.

I am very excited about my golden hops~ Humulus Lupulus Aureus.

They only grew about 12 feet this year but will hopefully reach 25+ feet next year.

The papery hops are so delicate.

Another favourite of mine, Hollyhocks~ Alcea.

They are biennials so this year they just come up green and next Summer they should be spectacular!

Blooms Galore

I had seen this type of display in a lovely restaurant before so I put together this grouping from some of my daylillies. Cut them short and float them in some water. I used an old earthenware bowl I bought at an auction a few years ago. They still only last a day but it allows me to enjoy them up close for a while.

This is my favourite time of year in the garden.

A week of rain

Things I have learned this week~

1. I actually enjoy weeding in the rain.

2. I need more than two pairs of gardening gloves as I used winter gloves and work gloves as my regular gloves were not dried out yet from the rainy weeding.

3. It is Murphy's Law that the nursery order of 36 plants will arrive during a week of pouring rain.

4. I hate planting in the rain.

Highlights this week~

1. Watching our fox family play. They will be heading into deeper woods soon.

2. The bee-fest on the Cornflowers~Centaurea Montana once the rain stopped. The air was truly abuzz.

3. The different textures and shapes found on a walk.

4. The Azalea. Gorgeous. We trimmed out a bunch of trees around it last year and it is obviously very grateful.

A Surprise!

This Spring I came upon this *egg sac thingy* and had no idea what it was. I have an irrational spider fear and that was all I was envisioning, one big spider or four million tiny ones.

Over the weekend I had my family over and was taking a walk around the property with my mom, looking at all the plants. I took her to see the sac and I was shocked to see what was there!

That morning, a Cecropia or Robin Moth had just emerged from their cocoon!

I had never seen anything like it! We gathered everyone around to see this beautiful creature. It was gently fanning it's wings to dry them out and fill them up with blood.

This moth is the largest moth in North America.

The next morning I went to bring the compost out and went to take a photo of the empty cocoon and was met with another surprise.

A male Cecropia had found the female from yesterday and they were mating.

They continued mating all day long. I guess if you only mate once in your life, make it a good one!

At the Door

The bed along the front of the house is finished also. When we moved in the roses and shrubs were here but the grass crept in. I have filled it in with perennials, edged and mulched it.

This Cushion Spurge~ Euphorbia epithymoides is like having a wee sun right outside my door.

It makes me smile every time I come home.

I am thinking of planting more Columbine~ Aquilegia caerules as I find the star shaped flowers so pretty.

Shells from a recent beach walk.

I think it is so important to clean up any landscaping that you see everyday. Walking past weeds from hell and choking perennials everyday does nothing for the spirit!

Shade Garden

This is one part of the berm that is actually almost all done. I am very excited about that!!

This area faces the dining room so it really needed to be recreated as I faced it at every meal.

It is the only spot on the property that is a shaded bed and I wish I had more. I like lush, earthy feel of shade plants.

I planted these Bergenia last year and they are looking wonderful.

I have some grass on the left that I have to remove this year and I also need to mulch it too.

I also ordered some lilies to plant under this birch as there are a few there already. That way I'll dig that part, take out the weeds and grass and plant the bulbs.

That makes one section down, about 50 to go. ;)