When we first built these beds 6 years ago we thought raised cedar beds would ease my back, we thought they were good enough. But after building a garage and having so much siding left over my husband decided the beds could look better. The cedar was grooved so they could slide right into each…
Author: lupinlady.com
Lupinlady spends a lot of her free time in the garden - mainly experimenting with ways to live with the deer on an island in Southern B.C. Canada. Enjoy the show.
Renovations to the Garden
A fence around a fence. The garden was just not big enough to enjoy all the perennials I missed in my city garden. I love the colours and scents that come from the different seasons. They sprout from the bare ground into a sensation of colours that make me want to explore painting. This new…
Hellebore Heaven
Hellebores – deer proof
2018 Gardening begins slowly
The hellebores came on strong and continue to provide so much needed colour in our rainy environment. The deer have always left these gorgeous plants alone and they seem to flourish in the soil and temperature of the island. I have cut off all the leaves leaving the flowers to capture any sunshine we have….
Early Growing Season
The growing season in my part of Bowen Island seems to be at least 2 weeks ahead of last year. I thought the same thing last year so it is quite evident that the heat is increasing here. The lettuce, sorrel, green onions and kale have taken off. I have already planted a second area…
Mulching and Chipping
Spring is Here – Get Mulching ! I have read about how the nitrogen is drained from the soil when covering plants with wood chips. This seems to be an ongoing debate. I personally believe it can happen if the plants have a very shallow rooting system and little water. I use fresh cedar mulch around the…
Seed (lack of) Organization
How many packs of seeds can an amateur gardener have? I order new seeds every year ~ sometimes twice a year. I buy them at gardening stores, the grocery store and on-line. I am like a kid waiting for a present to arrive. I go through great lengths deciding what I want to try and…
Hellebores
The hellebores in my garden love this location. I cut off all the leaves in early February to make room for the new shoots and get rid of the old greenery. The sun filters through the trees early in the morning allowing them to get the cool sunshine. Later in the warmer months the overhead trees…
Herbs
I have planted herbs in the raised gardens in the deer proof garden. Three types of basil, chives, cilantro and parsley. Although there are many herbs the deer here do not eat – like rosemary, thyme, and mint – they are not suppose to like sage. Last year was so dry that they were munching…
Hellebores
I love this time of year – the ground has melted and now the heads of the hellebores have popped up – it is refreshing to see that Winter is on it’s way out. The filtered light and the amazing space seems to help these hellebores seeds themselves. The deer completely ignore them – thanks…
Green Vegetables
Kale, lettuce, beet tops, mustards and Swiss chard I have had a great time experimenting with assorted green here on the island. Spinach, lettuce and kale thrive in this weather. Swiss chard thrives and we are still harvesting it outside well into January.
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