In September 2021 I decided to start taking painting lessons by zoom. Like everyone else I needed more of an outlet than just my gardening. Staying home on this amazing island allowed me to focus on its beauty and how to create it. I have always sketched and studied photography but decided to add painting…
Category: Gardening with Deer
A life on an island where deer run freely makes gardening a challenge
Tomato Talk
Tomatoes in my garden have always been a great success. I start them way too early in February as the long winter days seem to keep me inside more. With Covid I have got a little more enthusiastic and had grow lights and heat pads everywhere. Next year I will start them in March. I…
Swiss Chard
Thinking of what was the most successful vegetable for me I can honestly say my new love has been Swiss chard. I left it in my greenhouse all winter. It is not heated and does have a small fan in it. Only 10 feet by 12 feet so not huge. But the Swiss chard survived…
Links
Huw Richards – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeaKRrrpWiQFJJmiuon2WoQ West Coast Seeds – https://www.westcoastseeds.com Wildwood Outdoor Living Centre- https://wildwood.express Get Growing with Groveg – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9r61qohBg1qgGty4_WzojA
Clean up the Hellebores
Hellebores are my favorite plant here on Bowen Island. Deer resistant and hardy in our rainy province, they surprise me every year as their beautiful heads start to appear from the soil. Winter is not kind to these beautiful perennials and they look very sad after the frost decides to take a break. In late…
Hollyhocks
I was given a handful of dried hollyhock seed pods from my friend that she got from England. I planted them in early Fall 2017 and forgot about them. In the following Spring 2018 the seeds had germinated but were so small I hardly noticed them. The in the Spring of 2019 the plants were…
Do I need more planters?
My husband has been put to the test. More planters, gates and closed in areas to provide more edibles and fragrant flowers for our home. Most of the property can handle the deer resistant plants but I need to be able ro secure the lives of the plants I have pampered from germination to planter…
Water Needed
This year we decided we must capture our own water. Living in Southern B.C. on the coast, we get more than ample rain the Winter, Fall and Spring. Last summer the rain was at a regular interval to water the garden every other week. But we still see signs of stress on our island from…
Raised Beds Renovations
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…
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….
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