may bloom day

What a weekend! The sun has been shining, temperatures in the upper 80's, people flocking to garden centres ... it's May!  But I should preface this bloom day post by saying that some are may "almost in bloom day" photos...

Like this Arbequina Olive tree.

Mediterranean Fan palms are sending out flowers this time of year.  It looks like some sort of creepy growth at this point.

Rhodos definitely are putting on a show.  This one is my favourite.  It's one of the more tropical looking of the bunch.

This one right next to it has a blue tinge to the foliage and a darker pink/red color to the flowers.

Windmill Palms are about to put on a show.  This is one of three flowering Trachycarpus fortunei.  I just hope that one is a female.  My largest palm has been flowering for years but is a male.  Fingers crossed....

My newly planted Leccino Olive tree has a few tiny flower buds...

Aloe blooms from a succulent bowl...

The neighbours clematis grows over the fence and flowers on our side.  I'm not complaining but you can't help but feel kinda bad.

Hellebores just keep on giving.  I love watching the color go from a soft white in early spring to this beautiful lime green.

And last but not least ... blossoms on my peach tree!!

Happy May bloom day everyone!

Moments of weakness...

What happens when I have spare time on my hands?  That is, when you forget about that list of things you ought to do but really want to put off.  Well for me, "I go for a drive."  That is code for meandering around from garden centre to garden centre just to "look."  This usually turns into getting one of those wonderful nursery carts and selecting plants to "think" about purchasing.  You tell yourself, you don't really have room for another tree, and that you shouldn't really spend any money.  This is followed by unloading and loading plants in and out of your cart.  Eventually you convince yourself that you have talked about getting said plant and really owe it to yourself.  Before long you've been stopped by several nursery employees ... "are you sure there's nothing we can help you with?"  And then you find yourself loading your plant purchases into the back of your car.  Am I the only one?

This is the story of my new Loquat tree!!!  I place this wonderful blame on the sunshine...

garden surprises

Who doesn't like surprises?  Well, I was outside the other day admiring my little aloe aristata when I noticed something odd about it.  Whats that in the center? And then I realized, not only did this aloe overwinter, it is going to have blooms!  It kind of made me feel like a proud parent.

This isn't really a surprise, another flax... but the surprise was finding it for just $1.98!

And if you were wondering what plants made it home with me from cedar rim the other day ... Echeveria Glauca.  I planted a couple of these in the garden last summer and then moved them in late fall.  I did not think that they would survive especially with such a late re-planting in the season.

But it turns out they are super tough.  This one is nestled between a couple of rocks that no doubt provided some shelter.

These two were left out in the open with no shelter whatsoever. They are a little bit beat up at the moment but they certainly will stage a nice come back in the weeks to come.

Cedar Rim Nursery adventures...

A few months ago I posted some rainy day photos from a visit to Cedar Rim Nursery.  Well I had an amazing reason to go back this weekend for some nursery fun... Jamie Durie!  He was giving a talk on his book and TV show The Outdoor Room.  Jamie was excellent!  He spoke much about the need to reclaim the yard so to speak.  That is to say, make things functional.  Create spaces and gardens that are used and enjoyed (as opposed to pumping fertilizers and heavily watering to have the best lawn).  I particularly loved when he said, "your garden is a growing investment."  To me, greater excuse and rationale for moments of plant purchasing temptations - "Yes!"

I loved this plant combo.  If only I could reliably grow that podocarpus "icee blue." There were a few too many zone 9 temptations to be healthy...

like this.... and then I get to thinking... maybe in a beautiful pot somewhere on the patio.

A pose with Jamie Durie.  Who knows, maybe one day we'll work together... The outdoor room design duo?  All his California sunshine makes me look a little extra pasty than normal. We need more sun!!!!

This is "my section" of the nursery... and this is only one of many isles of palms

What's this?  I think Cedar Rim dissected my brain and made it a part of the nursery. "I'll take... everything!" - I wish!

I took a photo of the flax house but could not go inside.  It's rare that I step foot into this greenhouse without spending money.

The nursery really just goes on and on and on... 

Plants for every kind of gardener and for every kind of site.

I have been keeping my eye on this palm for over a year.  If it were not for the price, this Jubaea Chilensis would be mine!

Magnolia Grandiflora "teddy bear" I believe.  It baffles me why we don't see more of these planted.  Hardy, evergreen, beautifully flowers, beautiful foliage... need I say more.

Danger! this section is always fun.

Cedar Rim recently underwent major renovations and has a true boutique nursery feel.

Some of the main displays.

I really liked these branches with hanging terrariums

But much to my surprise... the real temptation was this mustardy yellow pot and "emerald wave" bay laurel.

humble beginnings ... leccino olive

As a gardener, I have to confess something.  I can be incredibly impatient.  I dream of Disney sized garden budgets and mature specimen plants.  When you're on a limited gardening budget, this remains a dream.  But there is something endearing about humble starts.  As some of you may know, I managed to get a wonderful little leccino olive tree last weekend at the Van Dusen Botanical Garden plant sale.  The idea of growing olives this far north is not a new one.  Check out a ten year old olive grove on North Pender Island BC.

(Taken from olivetrees.ca)

When researching how and where to site my young olive tree I was given one piece of advice that I have to admit almost stopped me right in my tracks.  "Don't plant anything within one meter of the tree."  Yikes.  My hopes and dreams for a mediterranean garden makeover would be on hold for a couple of years while the tree matures.  So started the hunt for the perfect terra cotta pot... until yesterday.  I was out planting some herbs in planter boxes and before I knew it, I had shovel in hand, and the tree was going in.

I just love the foliage on olive trees.  Now I have to hope for a hot summer and mild winter...

I strongly suggest anyone thinking of growing an olive in the PNW visiting the Oregon Olives website.  

How many palms?

Sometimes I forget... that is, sometimes I forget just how many palms I have planted.  I often refer to the yard as "palm garden" and with the most recent addition of the young trachycarpus wagnerianus I reached an all time high, 14.

To me, the real prize of the garden is this butia capitata or pindo palm.  While they have survived for years at a time in mild areas of the PNW, they really don't like our cool wet winters.  I provide this palm with some protection on arctic outbreaks.  It has seen some really cold temperatures but I'm not willing to risk anything.  Luckily, it only takes me about 5 mins to protect in the event of severe cold.  Some old school christmas lights, burlap and a tarp if the wind is blowing... 

But, for anyone in coastal PNW, trachycarpus fortunei is the palm to grow!

You can see how I lost track...

This is my largest palm! The top of the fronds must be over 12 feet now.

This little guy came from the famous English Bay palms.  There are literally thousands of little palm seedlings along the base of the palms in english bay.  I did some "weeding" for them.

Last but not least the mediterranean fan palm.  Most mediterranean fan palms in the valley and even coastal Van were damaged or killed a few years ago.  This one gets some old school christmas lights around the central growing spear and a tarp when temps go below 20F.

I realize I push the limits with some of my palms.  But they are actually incredibly low maintenance. With Windmill palms, plant them, water them while they are getting established and then do nothing! Just watch them grow and enjoy the exotic ambience they provide.  All that is to say, plant a palm!