Category Archives: bulbs

bulbs, months 04-06: spring, projects, Uncategorized

My Happy Daffodil Campaign

04/20/2013 svseekins 13 Comments

daffodils Narcissus in James Bay, garden Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC, Pacific Northwest — photo by SVSeekins

The daffodil is the symbol of hope for the cancer awareness – – so yes, fair warning: this is about my personal experience with the “C” word. It’s a happy story. By sharing it, I hope there’ll be even more happy stories.

Ironically, when the real daffodils were blooming this spring, it happened again. I noticed a little brown spot on my ankle. No big deal, but…

This spot had grown a bit since the first time I’d noticed it 6 months ago. Again, not alarming, but…

the mole on my left ankle — photo by D J Seekins

The most common place for melanoma (skin cancer) on women is on the ankles.

It makes sense, really. I’ve often protected my face & arms with sunscreen, but only glossed over my lower legs. How many times have I gone out in a skirt, shorts, or even 3/4 length pants without thinking at all about sun exposure on my ankles? Many many times.

This time I decided to take action. I consulted a dermatologist. Although he really wasn’t that alarmed by the spot either, there were more factors to consider:

photo by SVSeekins

The ankle doesn’t have a whole lot of extra skin on it – – so it’s tricky to remove a patch & pull remaining skin together to mend.
Plus, healing an area that moves & stretches so much is very slow.

I wanted the mole gone before it got any bigger. The specialist understood my insistence, & arranged a simple office surgery the next week. Easy-peasy.

my left ankle - after 1 day — photo by DJ Seekins

A local anesthetic numbed the area, & after a few minutes, the incision had 3 tidy stitches. The scar won’t even be noticeable in a couple of weeks. 🙂

Potential crisis averted.

It’s not easy for me to be so assertive with doctors, but considering my experience with skin cancer, I know my best health advocate is me.

daffodils Narcissus around Mt. Tolmie, garden Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC, Pacific Northwest — photo by SVSeekins

In 2005 I went to a dermatologist for advice about a mole on my right ankle. I was told not to worry and given a pamphlet with photos of danger signs.

I was relieved – – and a little embarrassed I’d made a fuss.

By 2007 friends were expressing concern. I pooh-poohed it but began to realize the changes weren’t good. By the time the dermatologist was able to see me, in 2008, the spot had changed even more.

my RIGHT ankle - 5 years after — photo by DJ Seekins

He took immediate action. It was proven melanoma, stage 4. A wider & deeper surgery was needed. That meant a skin graft to patch up the wound. Not so easy-peasy. (read: 3 months in bed.)

How could a little spot cause such havoc in my life?

A 2nd surgery followed, removing lymph nodes in my groin area. (read: Another nasty scar, nerve damage in my thigh, and a perpetually swollen foot.)

Three years later, I’m off my oncologist’s ‘Watch Closely’ list. Life is good. Crisis averted.

I’m getting better at practicing assertiveness.

I’m not hiding the scars either. Awareness is far more important than vanity. I want more happy stories…

-30-
© SVSeekins and Garden Variety Life, 2013

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Narcissus Daffodil, jonquil, daffadowndilly, garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest — photo by BE Hansen

some sources of information:

Fighting Melanoma
Melanoma Facts
BC Cancer Agency

bulbs, drought tolerant, garden visits, months 04-06: spring, natives

Meadow Blooms 4 – Fawn Lily

04/09/2013 svseekins 10 Comments

How could I have missed this? For years I lived right across from Beacon Hill Park! I celebrated their fabulous meadows every spring. Daffodils & tulips in March & April; later, the camas meadows in May…. But somehow, this Fawn Lily meadow had eluded me – until now!

Fawn Lily meadow at Beacon Hill Park — photo by SVSeekins

I first became aware of native fawn lilies when a naturalist pointed them out during a spring wildflower walk around Elk Lake. The fawn lilies grow along the forest edges of the walking paths there. I was particularly charmed by the leaf pattern: dappled spots just like the back of a fawn. (Aw… Bambi flowers…)

Fawn Lily bloom & leaf CU — photo by SVSeekins

Since then, I’ve also noticed fawn lilies along the trail around Cedar Hill Golf Course. Later, I was delighted to discover them growing wild in the backyard at the Cedar Hill Road house.

Of course, when we planned our move to the Richmond house, it was IMPORTANT to bring some of those fawn lilies with me to the next yard.

They had such long taps (6 inches or more) that led down to thin, elongated bulbs. They were really tricky. Most broke off & stayed rooted where they grew, but I did get a few.

Only a couple survived the transplant trauma. The 2 successful specimens are in the border near the driveway. For the first 3 years, they just produced leaves. Last year one bloomed! I’m coddling them (go figure).

3 x fawn lily at Beacon Hill Park — photo by SVSeekins

I’ve also been buying seeds from the Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary & scattering those willy-nilly. So far, no luck, but I have dreams.

One gardener from the Native Plant Study Group tells me that she seeds them into trays & lets them sit outside for a couple of years. That way, they’re easier to identify when they come up, & she doesn’t weed out the tiny babies by mistake. She’ll eventually be able to move them into her beds to naturalize.

I might just have to do that myself – – if I can muster the patience. I have lots of dreams but little patience. 🙂

P.S. Here are some other meadow faves:

boulevard garden, bulbs, drought tolerant, garden visits, months 01-03: winter, urban deer

Meadow Blooms 2 – Chionodoxa

03/12/2013 svseekins 9 Comments

Chionodoxa - Glory of Snow near Dunlop House — photo by SVSeekins

A couple of years ago, in March, I started noticing patches of tiny blue flowers along the roads of older neighbourhoods. Flowers flourished in areas that hadn’t been manicured for a very long time.

I soon realized these blooming meadows are the naturalized dreams of gardeners past. I’m charmed by that romance.

These hardy bloomers are Glory of Snow, or, if you like unpronounceable names: Chionodoxa. Try to say that easily the first time around! 🙂

Glory of Snow originated in Turkey & Greece – along the Mediterranean. I’ve heard southern Vancouver Island compared to a Mediterranean rain forest, so it makes sense these plants survive well here. What surprises me more is that they’re hardy to zone 4! They can withstand a whole lot more cold. Do these grow in your neck of the woods??

Chionodoxa - Glory of Snow in rock crevice — photo by SVSeekins

Aside from naturalizing well, these plants are also valuable to me because they’re:

winter blooming
drought tolerant
low maintenance

Once planted, just leave them to their own devices. How great is that? I’ve even seen them surviving in shallow crevices of rocky outcroppings.

Chionodoxa - Glory of Snow meadow behind Dunlop House — photo by SVSeekins

They seem perfectly happy in lawns, too, although I’ll bet they do better if the grass isn’t cut until late April when they’re done for the season. That would mean it’s more of a meadow than a lawn. C wouldn’t go for that. He likes lush but trim. That’s why I’ve added Glory of Snow as under-story plantings in our shrub border instead.

The best patch I’ve ever encountered is around Dunlop House Restaurant, a heritage building on the grounds of Camosun College, and their Hospitality Management Program facility. C’s mum took us there for supper the other night. The meal was lovely, and the meadow: spectacular!

P.S. Here are some other meadow faves: