We have visited the UBC Botanical Gardens a number of times. On this day, we toured the gardens in the spring, enjoying flowering both native and imported flowering plants, taking some photographs, and planning for a return trip. … Continue reading →
Showy stonecrop (Hylotelephium spectabile) is a deciduous herbaceous perennial in the Sedum family. They are drought-tolerant succulents with thick, fleshy leaves. Showy sedum fit into the “upright” category, standing 20 to 50 cm tall. When the Sedums bloom … Continue reading →
We traveled to Tuscon, Arizona for some late-winter (March) hiking and exploring in the Sonoran Desert hills and canyons. We encountered many wildflowers and flowering shrubs beside the trails (featured on A Wildflower Journal), but we also visited a number … Continue reading →
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are a cool-weather perennial herb that emerges in spring, provides a mild onion-flavoring for meals, and deters pests in the vegetable garden. They can easily be grown from seed or from dividing the root mass. They do … Continue reading →
We stayed in Tuscon to hike trails in late winter. We saw many flowering plants along the trails at lower elevations in the Sonoran Desert canyons and foothills. We also visited some botanical gardens in the area and the … Continue reading →
Decades ago we planted creeping thyme (Thymus spp.) in the garden. Over the years it has multiplied and we have taken a number of rooting sections each year and have planted them in various spots in the yard, particularly … Continue reading →
We stayed in the Tucson area at the end of winter and hiked trails every day, but we also visited some gardens in the area, with a focus on flowering plants of the Sonoran Desert and others suitable for home … Continue reading →
Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium) is an evergreen shrub native to our area. It is not often seen in home gardens, but it is a good candidate for natural spots on slopes. We have a number of hard-to-get-to sloped areas … Continue reading →
We stayed on Mayne Island in early fall to hike, paddle, and explore. On one of these days, we raveled across the island to Dinner Bay and visited the Mayne Island Japanese Gardens. The gardens were built to commemorate … Continue reading →
In spring we plant cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) seeds in a row in the “greens” garden early. If it is the same spot as last year, there are often some volunteers nearby from seed dispersed late summer. I try to choose … Continue reading →
