Tag Archives: drought tolerant

bulbs, months 01-03: winter, months 04-06: spring, natives, urban deer

Fawn Lily at Easter

03/30/2016 svseekins 1 Comment

Erythronium Oregonum Fawn Lily garden Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC, Pacific Northwest — photo by SVSeekins

After a hearty meal of ham & scalloped potatoes, I’m in need of some exercise & fresh air. We head off to one of our favorite walks: the forested loop around Mount Doug Park.

It’s a delight, but not a surprise, to come across the speckled leaves of a fawn lily at the edge of the path. (I’ve seen these native wildflowers along the forest edge of walking trails at Cedar Hill Golf Course too, ) But then I spy another leaf further off the trail… and a few more!

Just beyond those is a meadow of them! I wouldn’t have guessed that the deciduous under-story would give enough light for a whole meadow of fawn lily.

The White Fawn Lily meadow at the north end of Beacon Hill Park is much more open than this.

Erythronium Oregonum Fawn Lily bloom & leaf CU, garden Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC, Pacific Northwest — photo by SVSeekins

Today there’s just a few flowers in bloom, but give it another week….

Last year Easter was well over a week later. By then the Fawn Lilies at Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary were in their glory.

Now it makes sense why some folk call these Easter Lily.

In Ontario the speckled leaves remind folk of brook trout, so they call them Trout Lily. Perhaps Eastern Canadians don’t see deer as often as we do in Victoria? A rose by any other name….

If we want to get scientific about names, the west coast native is Erythronium Oregonum, and its east coast cousin is E. Americanum.

No matter the moniker used, it’s lovely to see the early spring wildflowers. Happy Easter!

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drought tolerant, evergreens, garden visits, gardens with wildlife, projects, public art, urban deer

Nix the Lawn 3

01/28/2016 svseekins Leave a comment

meditation labyrinth Oak Bay front yard maze 2 garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest — photo by SVSeekins

Getting tired of all the work a lush lawn requires?

mowing
raking
watering
fertilizing
aerating
top-dressing
de-thatching
more mowing

labyrinth meditation Oak Bay front yard maze garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest — photo by SVSeekins

Relax.

Take some time to contemplate your navel.

A labyrinth is meant to increase peace and serenity. What a lovely shift in perspectives.

It looks like creeping thyme is a fine choice for separating the pathway. It’s tidy, low growing, deer resistant & smells lovely when disturbed. I think it’ll be striking in bloom. The bees should love that.

Simple wood chips make the path itself.

I wonder how often weeding becomes an additional style of meditation for this gardener? Or edging? Those forms of meditation always work well for me.

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

Meadow Blooms 6 – Snowdrops

01/13/2016 svseekins 6 Comments

Snowdrops are the wonderful winter blooms that last through the dark season.

galanthus, an acre of snowdrops at the Fireside Grill garden Victoria BC Pacific Northwest — photo by SVSeekins

Their January promise pulls me outside again & again to delight in their tenaciousness. Each year I plant more bulbs around our garden to extend seasonal interest. In my dreams, I imagine a meadow, like the one Dad & I just came across in real life.

Initially home to a tea house, but better know as Maltwood Manor estate, it’s no wonder the attached Garry oak meadow inspired art.

Who knows when these snowdrops were planted? (Maybe 60-70 years ago?) Happily, they’ve naturalized, spreading through at least 1 of the 3 acres of property at the Fireside Grill.

snowdrops blooming 2013 12 27, galanthus, garden Victoria BC, Pacific Northwest — photo by SVSeekins

Now I’m curious to see the seasonal progression of this meadow. What other bulbs are planted here? Do any of the native wildflowers of the Garry oak ecosystem remain? And – – what’s the name of that cat who so obviously enjoys this garden??

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P.S. Here are some other snowdrop patches I admire: