Up twines the vines...

One of my first flowers was a Clematis 'MultiBlue' back in 2005 in Peterborough on a 14th floor south facing balcony... Only one flower bloomed all summer, but I was bit by the clematis bug!


This is also a Clematis 'MultiBlue' planted here in 2008 along my fence gate:

two blooms with another four on the way...

such vibrant purple... 

almost iridescent...

I am going veggie!

No, not vegetarian...  I will still be eating meat (although I am trying to cut down, but Cow is just so tasty!), but now I am growing vegetables for the first time!!


My love and fascination for growing plants started with potted herbs like basil and oregano, which blossomed into flowers and shrubs when I bought property, but I have never ventured into farming... I live in a mature neigbourhood with many large trees, so my property doesn't have a lot of sun so I cant just till up a bunch of rows... I have to be more creative!

 I have started a square foot raised bed garden, 4ft x 4ft

I do not have anymore sunny locations other than on my brick patio stones... so I made a 16" deep raised bed out of 2x8's (4 of them) and used KREG pocket hole joinery to slap it together...

now all I need is some growing medium, and to kick out the dogs and we are in business! 

I will also be growing scarlet runner beans (Phaseolus coccineus) on an inverted maypole. I am using my birder feeder pole that gets used in the winter with a slight modification.


More to come!

Seedlings!

It has been good to get back into growing plants from seeds, but with everything else I have going on, I find it hard to give them the attention that they need...

My success rate was average at best as of May 13th:


white coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'alba') 52%

purple conflower (Echinacea purpurea)  [native] 33%

brown eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta) [native] 92%
black eyed susan (Rudbeckia fulgida 'goldsturm') 8%
black eyed susan (Rudbeckia fulgida 'goldsturm') 0%
tall tickseed (Coreopsis tripteris)  [native] 73%
obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana 'white crown') 17%
black eyed susan vine (Thumbergia Alata) 47%


Sorry for the over exposed shots... my camera doesn't do so well under fluorescent lights... 

various seedlings repotted into larger cups...

brown eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana 'white crown')

black eyed susan vine (Thumbergia Alata)

Tree Planting...

The friends of Chilligo was involved this year with a large tree planting in the Cambridge area. 


Funding and volunteers included the Grand River Conservation Authority, City of Cambridge, the Rotary Club, and Borealis Restaurant. The planting took place at an environmentally significant creek site that has undergone major restoration over the last 15-20 years. The area was originally a dammed mill pond circa 1800's  but over a decade ago the dam was decommissioned, and all that remained was a meandering creek bed.


Taken from the GRCA website: 


"When Fisher Mills dam began to weaken, extensive consultation with the community enabled the GRCA and partner agencies to develop an innovative plan to remove the dam and rehabilitate the site. The plan dramatically improves the water quality of Chilligo Creek, encourages the natural development of wildlife habitat and provides recreational opportunities for the community. Whether through fishing, photography, bird-watching or other pursuits, it is an outstanding place to experience the beauty of nature. Most important, it is a better place for fish, birds, animals and insects to live."


This year the GRCA is trying to further restore the site with native species for habitat, and to stabilize the creek bank. It was a beautiful day for a tree planting!

after the heavy work of bringing in the supplies and the 240 trees and shrubs from the road 500m to the planting site... the volunteers assemble to take direction from the GRCA Forestry staff...

the volunteers busy like beavers... digging and a planting...

further along the creek, a special site was chosen for the seasoned veterans...

once under water, this particular site has been repeatedly "marked" by a nearby resident as he mows this 1-2 acre section right up to the creek... in a show of defiance, the GRCA has planed to fill in this area at a later date without volunteers to alleviate any concerns with possible confrontations with the nearby resident... 

sandbar willows (Salix exigua) were chosen to plant along the creek to help stabilize the banks... silver maples (Acer saccharinum) and burr oaks (Quercus macrocarpa) were planted along the creek as well to deter the nearby resident from mowing the new shrubs...

this area of the creek was slated for erosion control today but due to spawning fish populations this has been postponed until the fall... bridges, hockey nets, benches and fire pits litter the area as nearby residents try to "mark" their territory...  

the last red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) is planted, and there was much rejoicing, yaaayyy! 

creek bank erosion stabilization, phase one...

the main planting site... a new forest in 30 years!

the last of the hardcore planters ramble on home... possible site for future planting... several sections here were also mowed and "marked" by nearby residents... 

all in a days work... Go team!

Species planted:
downy serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea)
red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)
silver maple (Acer saccharinum)
burr oak (Quercus macrocarpa)
sandbar willow (Salix exigua)

Progress in plain view...

With each passing day the garden gets more and more lush... the nights are warmer and the days longer and sunnier!

After planning out and executing the majority of the garden work this year, its time sit back and relax and enjoy the growing season... either that or sit and contemplate what to do next... I am sure that there will always be things to expand upon later... that's the beauty of such and organic hobby!

I have decided to transplant and pot the prolific suckers from the staghorn sumacs (Rhus typhina)...

the ants are ever vigilant in protecting the peony flowers...

the buds on the virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) have exploded into lush green leaves... the sugar maples (Acer saccharum) of the forest have done the same...

the flowers of the fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica) have blossomed...

apparently the fragrant sumac gets its name from the smell when you crush the the leaves, but the flowers give a very pleasant aroma...

at last, the big blue stem (Andropogon gerardii) has risen from its winter slumber!... all the other grasses have also survived the winter and have begun to shoot towards the sky...

the newly transplanted tall tickseed (Coreopsis tripteris) has taken well to its new home in the full sun... 

the dense blazing star, or gayfeather (Liatris spicata) has also shown its face despite expecting a certain winter death... they were planted in late fall from sickly clearance stock...