A touch of White

It has been a hot dry week and this weekend was no exception.  The flowers are blooming quicker but with the heat they are fading faster too.  My Japanese Tree Peony was beautiful but the blooms lasted only a few days.  Much too quickly to enjoy them.  I have been taking pictures of each bloom as soon as I see them in case they perish. Our grass is brown and crispy like the middle of July.  I like the heat after the long winter but we could really need a good rain now.  How about you?  Are you noticing this as well?   My mosiac is John Paul II clematis, a pale pink, a white bearded Iris, pink and white Filipendula or Queen-of-the-Prairie, and a white Clematis "Guernsey Cream".  The middle is the Japanese Tree Peony.   Have a great week.  

For more Mosiac fun visit our host Mary at DearLittleRedHouse.

Valerie

Can You Guess

Can you guess what these are?  They look like those little coloured glass stones you put in a vase but they are not.  Just having fun with the camera.  They are water droplets on top of the table cloth outside on the deck.   I thought it was just cool.  I used my macro lens.   For more fun look at the photos on Straight out of the Camera Sunday here.

A View of Contrasts-Skywatch Friday

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We have had a very hot week her in souther Ontario breaking all the records for highs.  We are not complaining but it is unusual to have this hot at this time of the year.   I took this photo this afternoon on my way home from the gym.  I just like the dark green foliage with the blue sky and fluffy white clouds.   More great sky photos can be found here.
 For our American friends I hope that you enjoy your Memorial Day weekend and that is just as spectacular as Victoria Day weekend that Canadian had last weekend.   

Blogger is not putting my pictures where I want them again. Grrrr!

Forest pond on Watery Wednesday

I took this shot last weekend of a pond in the Koffler Scientific Reserve in York Region. I loved the reflection of the trees in the water. For more wonderful watery photos visit here.

It has been a terrific weekend for our May 24 long weekend.  The weather has been so warm that you want to spend all day outside.  I have started to plant my annuals and hope there is not a late frost.  I hope that you are having a great gardening weekend too.   Mary will be hosting Mosiac Monday and I hope that you will join us over at her place.   Have a great week.

Wild Columbine on Straight out of the Camera Sunday

Today I was was participating in a photography class about Photography in the Wild at the Koffler Scientific reserve at Jokers Hill near to where we live.   We took a three hour hike to photograph things along the trail.   The Wild Columbine or Aquilegia formose is a native plant that prefers a woodland setting to show it off.   I am really impressed with its tubular shaped flower.   More photos that are untouched can be found at Murrieta365.comMurrieta365.com for Straight out of the Camera Sunday.   Hope you are enjoying your weekend.
 Please excuse the poinsetta. I did not ask Blogger to put this here.  Blogger is being a pain in the ........   Is anyone one else have trouble deleting a picture?

Valerie

Aquilegia or Columbine for Macro Saturday

Aquilegia or Columbine is a delicate and airy flower in the garden.  This one is pale pink.  I have a white one and also a purple which have not bloomed yet.

These plants are easy to grow in just about any soil.  They even tolerate dry conditions which makes them perfect for the Sandbox.  The plant does reseed so next year you will more.  For more macro photos visit here.    

Valerie

Meander Down the Holland River- Skywatch Friday

Just a lazy day view of the Holland River facing east near where we live.   For more photos involving the sky visit here.   Have a great long weekend everyone.   May 2-4 our first long weekend of the season. 

Papaver Orientale in the Sandbox

The Oriental Poppies are just starting to bloom in the Sandbox.  These plants have big showy orange red blooms but unfortunately they only last a few days.   This is one plant I do not put in a plant sale.  I have rarely had success with digging them up and repotting them.  You are probably better off to wait for the seed pods and then sow them where you might want new plants to grow.

I think the bud of the poppies is so interesting.  It is rather bristly.  I am sure there is a reason for that phenomenon  but at this point I don't know what that is.

              The  deep green leaves are shaped like a fern with serrated edges and a fuzzy surface.

When the last flower has bloomed the plants begin to die off and disappear into the ground.  Unfortunately that leaves gaps in the flower bed.  Oh Dear.   If you like big and showy you might try these. 

Mid May Bliss

Today was such a beautiful day here.  You just wanted to stay outside and enjoy as much of it as possible.  It seems the plants are happy too as they are in a hurry to bloom this year.  I worry that in the middle of June I will have nothing left to show.   It will take some thinking to plant some pretty annuals to fill in the gaps.   Today's mosiac is a collection of plants that are blooming now.   I am sure if you check out Mary's Place at DearLittleRedHouse that you will find more inspiring mosiacs to make your week.   Have a great week.

Leopard Frog on Straight out of the Camera Sunday

My husband actually took this picture.  I was jumping up and down with excitement because we now have a frog in our pond.  We built a pond  late last summer and is not completly finished.   I was thrilled that the fish survived the winter.  Now the plants are growing and the fish are thriving.   I consider the addition of a frog to the pond a wonderful bonus.  There was actually two frogs...one a leopard and the other a green frog.   I guess the old adage is true: "Build it and they will come".    Join the fun at Murrieta365.com for Straight Out of the Camera Sunday.

Baptisia australis on Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

Although it is not in full bloom I thought I would show you a beautiful plant with  violet blue lupine like flowers. Not only are the flowers this intense colour but the stems of the plant are also.  The plant is called Baptisia australis or Blue False Indigo.  It is the 2010 Perennial Plant of the Year for 2010 chosen by the Perennial Plant Association.   Baptisia is a plant native to North America that is home in any style of garden from cottage garden to meadow or prairie garden.  It grows 3-4 ft tall and can be 3 to 4 ft wide if it is happy in the garden. Flower arrangers love the charcoal black seed pods for use in flower design.  It loves the sun or partial shade in a well drained soil. This plant is drought tolerant after become established which is good here in this garden.  The plant has no serious insect or disease problems.

 The Native American natives used the Baptisia as a treatment for snakebite, bathe cuts and wounds.  The Colonists used the plant for a dye in their textiles.  This plant is in the family of legumes so fixes nitrogen in the soil through specialiazed nodes in the roots.

In this International Year of Biodiversity sanctioned by the United nations to reduce the constant loss of biological diversity world wide the Baptisia is a magnet for Sulphur butterflies and the Gray Hairstreak.  If you have not tried this plant in your garden do look for it at your local nursery.  To find more garden blooms join in Garden Bloggers Bloom Day at MayDreamsGardens here.  Happy Gardening.

It Was a Rainy Day-SkyWatch

Last Saturday I was participating in a plant sale in Markham Ontario. Thankfully the plant sale was indoors but as I looked out the window I noticed the Canada Geese hunkered down under the trees out of the rain. See more SkyWatch photos here.

Scourge of the Lily

In the Sandbox we try to incorporate many Native plants into the landscape.  My husband's favourite is the Lilium superbum or Turk's Cap Lily.  This is a lovely plant with orange petals dotted with black speckles and long stamens.  It grows in our front flowerbed on the north side of the house.   The soil there is slow to warm up and  through the summer can be quite dry.  

At this time of the year on the lily this type of damage occurs.  The leaves are torn and full of holes.   Not appealing foliage.

This is the problem.  The Lily Leaf Beetle or Lilioceris lilii is the culprit.  This beetle was introduced to North America from Eurasia.  As an adult this brilliant red beetle lays its eggs on the undersides of leaves.  The larvae are orange-red and carry a layer of excrement on their backs.  One generation is produced a year.  The adults and larvae eat leaves, flowers and seed cases.  The entire plant parts can be consumed.   Not only lilies are affected but Fritillarias and enven potatoes can be attacked.

In Ontario we are not allowed to use fungicides, pesticides or herbicides to control insects and weeds under the Ontario Cosmetic Pesticides Ban which came into effect On April 22, 2009.  In our garden we abstain from using any kinds of pesticides anyway so that we can keep a proper balance for biodiversity.   The method above which I am sorry is out of focus, is my two finger method.  You get the beetle between your  thumb and finger and give him a squish.  Believe me it is a very satisfying and thorough method of elimination.  Give it a try on your lily beetles.    Happy Gardening.  

Down at the Pond

The American Robin is nesting at the side of our house.   Here he is down at our pond getting his mud wet to make a solid home for the new babies.   More watery wonders can be found at Watery Wednesday.  

A White Mother's Day

We woke up this morning to a white and chilly Mother's Day.   How about you?  I did have another mosiac made for today with flowers from the garden in it but I thought I would show you this instead.  I hope, hope, hope that this is temporary and we get back to the nice spring weather we were experiencing.   I hope everyone had a relaxing Mother's Day with your family.   Our oldest Son invited us to his house for supper.  My Son and Daughter in law are terrific cooks.  I love that I don't have to do anything just sip on a nice glass of wine and wait to be served.  

Join the Mosiac Monday crowd at Mary's DearLittleRedHouse for more reflections on what is going on in our world today.   Happy Gardening Week....I think.   

My Mom

Wishing all the Moms out there a wonderful day. I hope you are pampered as you so rightly deserve. Valerie

Blue Jays at the Birdbath

We had a dozen Blue Jays in the backyard last Saturday.  The place was hopping.   They took over the bird feeders and all the trees.   I took many pictures but I picked this one to show you today.   You can find many more interesting critters at Camera Critters today and tomorrow.  Happy Mothers Day to you.  Have a great weekend.  

A Stormy Sky- Sky Watch

Here in the Sandbox we went from a very dry few weeks to a windy and wetter week this week.  We really did need it.  I caught the stormy sky to show you.   Join more of us Sky Watchers at Skywatch Friday and see what the sky looks like all over the world. 

Spring Pleasures This Week

Spring and early summer is the best time for blooms in the Sandbox.  Because we get a fair share of rain in spring everything gets a good drink to give lots of new growth.   Adding composted materials to the soil holds that moisture for a while.   By July the weather will be extremely hot and humid.  Any water that the soil receives then seems to bead on the top and does not penetrate but runs off.   The Aurinia (formerly Allysum)  Basket of Gold is just so pretty right now in the garden. Thankfully it is drought tolerant and does well in lean well drained soil.  A winner here.  It really stands out and catches your eye. 

The dwarf Iris is coming up now.   This one is a purple variety.  I have no idea what the name is.   It was probably given to me.   I need to keeping track of this information.  The tall bearded ones will follow these ones in the garden.  As Iris only bloom here in the spring we enjoy them now.

The apple tree in our backyard is now blooming.  It smells heavenly when you walk out there.  They are just the palest pink and white.  I will be watching out for honeybees as they are so important to pollinating these blossoms for fruit later.   Unfortunately, we seem to not have good fruit.  Don't know why.  It may be because we have a black walnut not too far from it.  It is a theory as apples and black walnuts do not mix because the black walnut has juglun in its roots and makes it toxic to some plants.   But, the blossoms in the spring are always wonderful.

This wonderful little shrub has gorgeous fragrant blooms.  They look like mini roses on the stem.  This poor thing has been chewed so many times down to the stubs by Peter Cottontail that it is just about two feet tall.  It should be quite a bit bigger than that.  I am contemplating digging it up after flowering and moving it to a better spot in the yard.  It is getting crowded out the big blue Colorado Spruce anyway. 

The Brunnera is another beautiful plant in the garden in the spring with its heart shaped leaves and flowers like a Forget-me-Knot.  This plant is meant to be in a moist environment.  The only reason is survives here is because of spring rainfall.  I have to keep it well mulched.   Okay,  I have more blooms I would like to show you but this is enough for today.  

Down by the Pond

Two Canada Geese just hanging out at the local pond.   Watery Wednesday meme is the place to be.  Join us.

Magnolia liliflora 'Betty'

I planted this magnolia the first time 4 or 5 years ago and then moved it 3 years ago.  Until this year she has not bloomed for me.   I am just thrilled to see the magnificent bloom on this wee shrub as she is still not very tall.  At maturity it should be 8ft tall with an equal spread.  That may be a while for this little girl.  Mary at DearLittleRedHouse  is again hosting Mosiac Monday.  I hope that you will join us.  We love to show off what makes us happy.  Happy Gardening Week.

Yellow and Blue Dwarf Iris

It rained a bit here today. We need it as everything is getting crispy like it was July.  I took this picture of the dwarf iris with the girls name that I cannot remember.  It looked so pretty with the rain drops on them.  More Straight Out of The Camera photos can be found on this Sunday meme.  See you there.