Many garden writers include a post at the end of every month that chronicles what has happened in their gardens in the weeks before. I’ve just finished reading one from England that turns me green with envy. So many blooms to write about, so much to enjoy. Not for me. A view onto my garden,…
After more than a month, I’m heading north in a few days, returning to my garden in Quebec. It’s been a strange winter… the winter that wasn’t, someone called it. So I don’t know what I’ll find in the garden when I finally arrive. I’ve heard that in the Eastern Townships, my part of Quebec,…
Winter arrived a few days ago. It was later than usual but it came with impressive intensity. Winds blew, snow fell. And now, all around us, are winter’s wonders. I’m not sure how much snow has fallen, but judging from the snow peaked on top of the Chinese pot, 10 inches/25.5 cms would be…
When I first began gardening,, I thought that Quebec’s winter landscape could offer nothing of interest. Now I realize that I only needed to train my eye to see things differently. Instead of looking to plants for interest, I needed to look for patterns and details. Details like the sun-sparkled fuzz of snow that coated a clump of…
Snow came early this year — our first snowfall was in the middle of November. The light snow added glamour to slightly tattered bergenia leaves. Sunlight shining through exposed the veins and highlighted the range of colours. The snow didn’t last, thank goodness. In fact, we had a few days of almost warm weather,…
I read a fair number of blogs related to gardens and landscape design. Recently, many of these have been full of glee about the approach of spring. They’ve showcased crocus peeping above ground and shown snowdrops in profusion. Phooey. Where I live, winter is still here and the only garden I see is snow. (Cue…
After several more days of snow, our landscape is a study in black, white, and grey… Birch trees on the hillside: an arrangement in grey and black, minus Whistler’s mother. with the occasional touch of green… Spruce trees in the lower field and yellow. A touch of yellow on a broken ash tree. So many…
For the first time since I started writing this blog, a post is late, and by several days. Oh, well, it’s the holidays, you may think. But no, for almost a year now, I’ve managed a timely entry despite holidays, vacations and intense pressures to come away from the computer and enjoy myself. So it’s not…
Folk wisdom in Canada says that it is safe to plant tender annuals after May 24. Why that date? Because it’s Queen Victoria’s birthday. (Don’t ask, it makes no sense….) Generally, this is a safe guideline. But day before yesterday, on May 25, it snowed. It was cold — almost freezing, in fact. And we…