Dragonfly Voyages

Samples of a season past

2009-12-01T21:47:00.010-08:00

Not forgotten life just happened. We moved over the summer which brought a larger yard full of potential. Here's a sampling of heirlooms from the container harvest. Black Zebra, Green Zebra, Garden Peach & Black Cherry, with Tobolsk and Anna Russian below.

Next year a raised bed will be in the works. I can't wait!

What's been going on.

2009-05-02T21:25:00.027-07:00

'Peppermint stick' botanical tulips.

'Black Zebra', 'Black from Tula' & 'Anna Russian'.
Three of the eight heirloom tomatoe varieties for this year.

Two 'Reine Des Glaces' & one 'Freckles' lettuce.

'Green Zebra' in the Topsy Turvey

More of this year's collection include: Self watering containers of 'Black Cherry','Paul Robeson', and 'Tobolsk'. Also 'Garden Peach' with 'Black Cherry' & 'Green Zebra' in rail rider and wall hung planters. They were planted today, just in time for the evening rain and wind. Yesterday was warmer about 24 C or so. I am so looking forward to a colourful heirloom tomatoe , Basil and Mozzarella salad. I know it'll be a while yet, but one can still dream!

Home grown

2009-04-07T12:06:00.004-07:00

It's been sunny & warm (into the 20's c/70's f) the last couple of days so... the tomatoe seedlings are getting acquainted with the outside world. Time to give these big boys a larger home.

Chocolate Flower Farm video

2009-03-24T17:11:00.003-07:00

HGTV at Chocolate Flower Farm from Bill Schlicht on Vimeo.

Recovery

2009-03-23T10:19:00.003-07:00

Back home after almost a week in the hospital. 18 staples later and a cut from front to back. With 98% of my kidney still intact.

Meanwhile,my tomatoe seedlings are doing amazing! Their ever growing presence hastens for a speedy recovery.

Spring... bring it on.

2009-03-04T14:57:00.011-08:00

End of January remnants of snow. This winter has been the coldest in a while. I'm waiting for the first signs of the dark chocolate foliage to emerge from the 'Midnight Wine' Weigela.

Eight plus varieties of Tomatoe are germinating on an eastern window ledge. New seed arrivals are ever so tempting. March finally brings news of my awaited surgery, giving me enough recovery time before the busy gardening season.

Snow warnings.

2009-01-26T22:46:00.017-08:00

Christmas eve

Snowing again on January 4th.

Now just as we're getting use to clear roads & green grass... there's talk of snow again.

Spectacular sights along the Monterey peninsula

2008-10-01T12:34:00.016-07:00

Carmel Valley

On the way to Big Sur.

Monterey - Cannery row.

Container Harvest

2008-09-26T18:00:00.008-07:00

'Patio Charm' has finally ripened.
120 days to mature... took longer than that.

A large cherry tomatoe with a fairly tough skin. Slices well and has a nice acid balance.
Would I grow it again... Maybe. With so many Heirlooms to try it will have to wait.

'Romanesco Natalino' broccoli didn't head,I may try planting it again.

Taste of Carmel,CA Tomatofest 2008.

2008-09-26T16:35:00.059-07:00

My husband and I needing a vacation away from the kids, decided to drive down to attend the Tomatofest. ( Being that it may be the last time for this event, I didn't want to miss the opportunity.) Every parent needs to recharge once in a while and there really is nothing like a long drive.

While sampling from the heirloom tomatoe tent; I found a lot of the bi-coloured varieties such as 'Texas Star' or 'Burraker's Favorite' were sweet but very flavourful.

'Paul Robeson' A bit mushy... but a good smokey taste. Most of the blacks had a nice smokiness to them.

My favourite...'Green Zebra',with a tangy-lime tomatoe essence. 'Hawaiian Pineapple'... has a melon pineapple top note and finishes with a mild tomatoe flavour.

Amazing variety!

My husband not a tomatoe fan, actually liked the smokiness of 'Black Cherry'. He's requested that we grow them next year. Now talk about a convert!

Heirloom varieties have such a range of flavour; sweet,tangy even smokey who would want anything but.

Then & Now

2008-09-02T17:26:00.035-07:00

Crocosmia : 'Carmin Brillant' is orange, the yellow one is'Diademe'. Being that it's their first year in my back garden; their growth will be followed. (non-invasive, clumping Iridaceae.)

Chelan WA & Osoyoos BC.

2008-08-12T13:01:00.025-07:00

Beach front in Chelan, WA. (50.5 miles of glacier-fed lake.) The water colour was amazing! This is our third time here. (littleman's second)

Little man's first sand castle... made by himself.

Photo below: Osoyoos BC.
The Vegetation is similar,the water is warmer but not as blue. (warmest fresh water lake in Canada)

Prep work.

Our little Mermaid.

Garden update just before our... Summer Vacation

2008-07-23T16:57:00.034-07:00

Views from the back gazebo.

Over-wintered Fuchsia with additions of
Scaevola 'New Wonder' and trailing Tasmanian violets

The blue clay pot is filled with Broccoli and the tomatoe above is 'Green Zebra' .

Hydrangea in full bloom... this variety usually doesn't blooms until August.

Solar Hummingbird & Dragonfly

2008-07-10T13:10:00.007-07:00

The hummer was starting to glow as darkness set in. Now if I could catch a real hummingbird in flight...

'Flashing lights' & 'Arctic fire' dianthus in flower.
My little 'Patio charm' tomatoe finally starting to fill out. It even has three fruit trusses ready to bloom.

At night the dragonfly glows. I like the red and the blue light best, the green is a bit eerie.

Damselfly on Butterfly Impatiens.

2008-07-07T10:56:00.011-07:00

You can see a Damselfly perched on an Impatiens flower. It has been as high as 37C here, which is about 99F. This morning it is only 20C so far.(high 20's for today) We have had a few really hot days mixed with average temperatures.

After...

2008-06-28T21:48:00.015-07:00

It was 32C today, summer is here!
Broccoli & Tomatoe finally starting to grow.

First 'Stella de Oro' Daylily. New fence in the background.

Butterfly Impatiens.

Blooms of June.

2008-06-12T15:28:00.013-07:00

As the season progresses... we actually have sun today.

Above photo is
salmon Impatiens from seed.

Geranium in front garden bed.

Before...

2008-06-10T14:23:00.024-07:00

A new fence is on the way.

The first boards come down.

Later...

Later yet...

A view to the street.

Hanging baskets mixing with the locals-
patiently waiting to grace the new fence. Now if we had more sun, the tomatoes would not look so pathetic. The broccoli is also at a slow pace. This spring has if anything, extended the season for violas and cool weather crops. And finally the fuchsia's are trying to come back from last year.

The gazebo sits in the lawn protecting the swing from any further rain. My son's sand/water table now lives on the lava rocks in the tiered garden. Along with the cold frame filled with sand, soil and hanging brackets. (and one Christmas cactus.) Only a lonely loveseat sits on the patio without cushions. We just set up the patio furniture, now it's back in the garage. (a little full I might add)

The now mud pit, where the fence tomatoe shelf shaded the grass.

Spanish lavender with its pineapple shaped flowers.

Wildflowers from Becky finally planted.
Now the wait begins...

May long weekend.

2008-05-20T19:27:00.019-07:00

Primula Vialii - Primrose Orchid in bloom.

The long weekend started out great. We took a three hour family bike ride on Saturday, along the Fort to Fort trail. Our son has a trailer behind my bike which enabled us to go on a long ride. It was around 32C / 89.6 F, so we made a Gelato stop after a slice of pizza.
Sunday was a day to relax under the gazebo, once our new wicker backyard set was put together. (many thanks to my husband.) I transplanted my tomatoes to their final homes. One had the honour of trying out the Topsy turvey II planter. It should be interesting to watch grow; as it's planted upside down.

By Monday rain was setting in.

The cooler weather has done wonders for last year's Viola.

'Harvest Red 'snapdragon is in
bloom.

This morning (back to school & work) we had a thunder and lightning storm that gave way to sunshine in the afternoon. The thunder was quite intense as I could hear the china rattle a few times. On my morning travels, I discovered a tea light lantern with dragonflies on it. Of course - I had to buy it!

Is it spring yet?

2008-05-07T15:12:00.012-07:00

Looks like spring...

The season is colder than normal ...
but there is colour.
Nemesia and diascia are sheltered some what on the front landing.

'Harvest red' snapdragon showing signs of the first flowers.

Impatiens, including the new Butterfly lavender variety, Hypoestes pink (polka-dot-plant) and Oxalis adenophylla . Plants that don't mind some shade, will happily grow on the wall near the gazebo.

And the verdict is... not sure, looks like a weed.

I believe Ralph Waldo Emerson noted "What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have never been discovered."

I've got mail!

2008-05-06T13:57:00.014-07:00

Yesterday I received my order from the Cook's Garden.('Garden Peach' tomatoe should be here shortly) Among the seed packs of organic 'Green Zebra' tomatoe and lettuce 'Reine des Glaces' was Four-Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman.

Just reading the first chapter I was inspired to try more fall plantings this year. Lettuce 'Reine des Glaces', maybe 'Winter Density' lettuce, some spinach and possibly more broccoli. (will see how the broccoli does in the pot this summer.)

The Cook's Garden has many varieties of fall and winter harvest vegetable as does West Coast Seeds; so many prospects.

Time to transplant

2008-04-15T19:37:00.038-07:00

The three 'Balcony charm' tomatoes fit nicely in the herb pots. The 'Green zebra' transplants made it into the new pots.

Broccoli 'Romanesco Natalino', finally. This is the first year;I'll see how they grow in pots.

I am trying one Broccoli 'Munchkin' transplanted to its final home. The other I'll put in the cold frame until it gets a bit bigger. I have read that they do not like being transplanted; so this will be a trial run. (I plant vegetables, herbs and fruit in pots.) (only flowers, shrubs etc., are in the garden beds because of space issues)

Only two Impatiens stayed in the original pot. It's funny how one is usually a bit larger than the rest. I will have a dozen plants for my hanging rail planter out front.

Three mystery plants in various stages of growth...are they weeds? Only time will tell.

The garden update

2008-04-01T21:38:00.024-07:00

Another Dragonfly...

'YOU and ME' in Purple Primula x tommasinii.
Just a few flowers; notice the nesting flower pattern.

Variegated Silene uniflora below the rock and Primula vulgaris double 'Val Horncastle' to the left of it. I can't wait until they fill in.

Yellow Erysimum (wallflower); one in each pot.
Purple Pansies over wintered well and a Primula wulfeniana sending up one umbel of purple flowers. Snapdragon 'Harvest red' in terracotta pot with wallflower and an Auricula Primrose.

Nemesia, Diascia and a hanging basket of Calibrachoa
wait for a few weeks in the cold frame.

Plants filling in under the tree in the backyard.

A new season emerges.

2008-03-30T22:32:00.031-07:00

I started my seeds late this year. (around March 20 or so.) So far only two 'Balcony Charm' tomatoes are up. Still waiting on my fav 'Green Zebra'; the seed is really old. (I am pressing the threshold of viability.) Broccoli 'Munchkin' is up Broccoli 'Romanesco Natalino' is not.

This year I am trying out a new Earth-Friendly biodegradable pot. (made from straw, rice husk and bamboo.) I started salmon coloured Impatiens in it. There is a mystery plant emerging amidst them. I will let it continue in the hopes of an interesting discovery.

My hanging basket awaits in the cold frame planted with Calibrachoa. ( of course ... what else.) 'Yellow Chiffon' and 'Dreamcicle' among the new selections.

I filled a bare spot in the front garden with double Primula vulgaris 'Val Horncastle.' The flowers look like pale yellow roses;a nice mix with my hardy geraniums. The rock in the front garden now has a variegated (cream with green margins) Silene uniflora to hover over it. As a bonus in the summer it will have small white flowers.

Two yellow Erysimum 'Fragrant Sunshine' and 'Gold Dust' grace the front steps. You can smell the sweet cotton candy scent waft through the air. Just waiting now, for the snapdragon 'Harvest Red' to bloom in red with hints of yellow. (it made it through winter)

Is my Dragonfly a Libellula Lydia?

2008-02-19T21:36:00.003-08:00

Does anyone know the name of the Dragonfly in my profile picture? I am guessing perhaps a (Common Whitetail) Libellula Lydia - female.

Orchids

2008-02-06T01:53:00.002-08:00

A photo for my birthday. A new header of my orchids on the kitchen windowsill. The picture is from the last day of January after a fresh snow fall. The snow makes a nice backdrop for the flowers. I have been thinking about changing my blog name. (Not sure to what yet)

I would like an Orchid... maybe two

2008-01-03T21:47:00.006-08:00

I had white orchids, calla lilies and orange roses in my wedding bouquet. A few years ago I had an orchid that was suppose to flower into a leopard speckled beauty. I am sorry to say it did not flower. I now have had a renewed interest in orchids. I am looking for just the right one or possibly two. The orchid shop is on a short vacation at the moment, so I guess I will have to wait.

Stuff

2007-12-11T11:59:00.000-08:00

I came across this site in one of my e-mails. Story of stuff It makes me think twice about some of my Christmas purchases. I gave my parents a Christmas gift food basket with many organic and fair trade goods in it. I guess this is a start.
I do reuse gift bags although I do still like Christmas wrap...I know it's wasteful.
We really are in a throw away society because we want all this stuff. If there were NO DEMAND FOR there would be NO SUPPLY OF. Think about it, this is a common thing taught in business economics. This can also be applied to the war on anything. If there is no need for it, it would not exist. So a NEED has to be CREATED.

We North Americans sometimes forget how lucky we are!

2007-11-19T11:10:00.012-08:00

A comment on my blog prompted me to discuss an issue that has been on my mind for a while. It saddens me that people in poorer nations have to leave family behind for months, sometimes years at a time because of employment opportunities they cannot find at home.

One such example is overseas nannies many of which have young children of their own they must leave behind. I admire their courage in coming to a foreign country to help provide for their family at home and the sacrifices they make that we in North America take for granted. Although there are quite a few nannies who are single, many do have young children back home. I cannot even come close to feel what it must be like to tuck in someone else's child nightly, but only on occasion say goodnight over the phone to my own child. There are many people with some horrible child custody arrangements here in North America who see their children more often. If these women are fortunate enough to find an employer who will buy them a ticket home occasionally,(once maybe twice a year) they are the fortunate few.

Many parents for financial reasons, both have to be employed and there are single parents as well. These parents do need Day and sometimes Night care providers, so employing a nanny is a cost effective solution. A few nannies though are employed because some parents (who do not work) feel they need to pursue a hobby or socialize often. This saddens me the most because, while these parents are out enjoying life without their children for a few hours, their nannies must be away from their children for months at a time!

There must be a better way! We throw food, toys, clothing, extra junk we buy, away while many live with very little.(some of us do recycle though) We few have more than enough so many can have very little!

We can start by being thankful for what we do have, be it little or more than we really need. We should give any extra to those in need and help those in need to provide for themselves. One way is to buy fair trade goods. Many people for example; work very hard to pick and sort the coffee beans for less pay a day, than it costs to buy the coffee that many throw away half finished. We buy dollar store items that get thrown away daily. We are many generations of wasteful people. let's teach our next generation to be THANKFUL and to really THINK about what consequence, be it good or bad, that their action may produce!

Could we all GIVE more?

2007-11-15T22:58:00.001-08:00

Christmas is soon approaching ... we need to remember to GIVE in the hope of empowering others to improve their lives.
That little bit we give may help just one. If more people just helped ONE person
think of how many lives we could improve! There are many ways to GIVE, volunteering your time or money is great. We also need to encourage self reliance, LISTEN MORE - talk less, support ideas and pass on a skill / knowledge.
Empowering people to be self reliant is one of the greatest gifts! That I think, is what we all hope to pass on to our children. If we took the time in our busy lives to stop for a moment and just listen, what a difference that would make. Supporting each other and teaching others what we know strengthens our future generations.

My tools for organizing

2007-11-08T13:17:00.002-08:00

Fitting a toddler bedroom in a corner of our Master suite. ( hopefully not for too much longer.)

Baskets for toddler/preschool books under the coffee table in the living room.

Tackle boxes for small organizing jobs, put up high on an armoire away from little fingers.

Polly pocket and horse accessories work well
in these tackle boxes.

Divide light brite pieces by colour. Organize a sewing kit. Arrange Lego in large and small divided boxes.

Our daughter's Duplo bus (now passed down to her brother) comes with a cover to keep dust out. The cover also has grooves to accommodate the wheels. (for times when you don't want the bus to move.) The two green play mats are removable as well.

On a Horticultural note: My spider plant (Cholorphytum comosum) has a baby!

Family room toy storage.
IKEA cupboards are great!
They can hide a lot of the mess.
Wheeled storage works well for Thomas train pieces and car tracks. Note the handy IKEA stool near by.

Dining room hutch : books,craft supplies and playdoh storage. Only one drawer actually holds kitchen towels etc.

Organization... we all could use more of it.

2007-11-01T22:52:00.008-07:00

I picked up an issue of ORGANIZE the other day. I am always looking for new ways to get more organized. There was an article about a mother of 5 making a toy/media room for her children. The idea was great but, we don't all have that much space! (a custom shelf with plastic storage compartments 3 high by 8 wide to store all the toys.)

In our home play is in many rooms. Game cube and toys in the girls' room, computer in another, shelves and baskets for books and crafts in the dining room. (more in the family room.) A friend's husband once commented that even our bits of clutter are neatly organized. I know that is not always the case but, that is my goal. Paper clutter is one of the worst... Why do we keep so much! I'm slowly reducing the paper volume. Clearing the clutter really does free the mind! I looked at my kitchen this evening after dinner dishes were done and felt relaxed.

One of my favourite tools for organizing is plastic tackle boxes. I like that you can adjust the dividers to accommodate different items. The containers work great for organizing different sizes and colours of lego, craft supplies, polly pocket toys etc... They come in many different sizes to store in craft boxes or on shelves.

Ikea is also great for their plastic containers. We picked up a couple with wheels for road tracks and wooden Thomas train pieces. Now our two year old can roll them
to the mess to help clean up. When our first daughter was 2 we purchased a lego bus to store all the duplo, our son enjoys pushing the bus and will sometimes pick up the blocks. (we need to work on that)

I would like to work on my closets next, I know I can get them more organized. We need more storage shelves in the main hall closet (our misc storage) When we first moved into our townhouse our first daughter was 7 months old. My husband and I put up shelves in the garage as she slept. (it took us 3 hours, she slept right through what a nap!) We filled them and I am happy to say now, purged as well. (to free up some space) Who says you have to park a car in a garage! Do bikes and kids riding toys count?

Guara

2007-10-15T22:39:00.001-07:00

The Guara is on the top centre of the lower picture. (It's 'Pink Cloud'.)
see also the above enlargement

Trying to stretch the garden season.

2007-10-15T21:04:00.009-07:00

Today I took my son out to one of the local nurseries to get more plants.
Oh no! more perennials. Is this becoming a recurring theme? I am trying out mainly perennials with my evergreens. (in the front garden that is) I may leave annuals just for pots and hanging baskets next year.

Under the tree in the back yard the roots being very thick, forced my paving edgers out of line.(The tree is on a hill in heavy clay.) The only recourse, besides cutting the tree down was making a rock garden. Rocks were added to hold up what was left of the soil. I started planting the rock garden earlier in the spring. I pruned the Dusty miller and added a Spanish lavender Lavandula stoechas. The lavander has a pineapple shaped flower. (I like how silver, white and variegated leaves glow by the moon light) (The backyard faces east by the way)

I had a Dianthus 'Flashing Lights' (Deep red) which filled in nicely so I added another, a Dianthus 'Artic Fire'. ( white with a red centre)

Red Hen & Chicks Sempervivum 'Crimsonette', Dwarf Pincushion Flower Sabiosa columbaria 'Misty butterflies' (Lilac blue flowers), Sedum 'Angelina' (bright yellow foliage) and an Alyssum 'Mountain Gold' round out the bed.

Back to the front garden: I added 3 Cranesbill one is a (Geranium x Cantabrigiense) , Echevera's and Sagina subulata Irish moss a week ago. Today it's Ophiopogon planiscapus Black Mondo Grass, Echevera secunda in flower. (Red and yellow) I had some Sisyrinchium Blue-Eyed Grass beside the 'Extra Blue' Limber pine Pinus flexilis. a new trial is purple Primula x tommasinii called 'YOU and ME' in Purple. "It carries two pairs of identical flowers nested one inside the other" It's from Log House Plants in Oregon. I will post some pictures as they fill in.

Pictures from my garden

2007-09-18T13:07:00.004-07:00

I have no formal training in Horticulture.
I garden for the sheer enjoyment of the hobby.

Black Viola ' Molly Sanderson'

'Green Zebra' tomatoes

Gaura 'Pink Cloud' in back garden
(top centre)

Calibrachoa 'Crackling Fire', 'Caribbean Sunset' & 'Callie Cream w/Eye.'

First Day

2007-09-17T01:37:00.007-07:00

This is something new for me. I confess I like to talk, anyone who knows me can attest to the fact.
I hope at least some of what I do say is of some interest. Speaking of interests I enjoy Horticulture and long walks.

This year I tried a new plant Gaura Lindheimeri. It's a perennial with long flowering stems. The flowers look like tiny butterflies fluttering around. Very pretty, but needs some support in the garden as it grows to about 3 feet. It did great in a container and is still blooming. The one in my back garden is huge adding some needed height to the back.

I recently planted Cosmos atrosanguineus, dark chocolate scented cosmos. The flowers really do smell like dark chocolate in the hot sun. Who can resist! (Very hard to find though.) It's a tender perennial ,so if it takes the winter ok , I may see it again next year. We're Zone 8 here.

Black Viola's anyone? Another great perennial ( I seem to be into more perennials these days) I planted it around April and it's still blooming. I gave it a cut around June, so it's not too leggy. Hoping for more fullness next year. (takes a good 3 years I hear.)

Another fav is Calibrachoa. I like finding new colours. They bloom forever (at least until end of October here) if kept fertilized. I also plant tomatoes in pots every year. Not a good year - I did ignore them quite a bit (self watering pots helped) the result,very few tomatoes. A dozen or so Christmas grape cherries and a dozen Green Zebras. (there is next year!)