Callicarpa bodinieri var: giraldii 'Profusion' Beautyberry
December 18 2009 | Flowers and Photography | 9 Comments »
Yesterday we were preparing for a treacherous morning rush hour as the weather predicted an overnight snowfall of 20-30cm. This may seem like a dusting to those in parts of the country who regularly get snow but Vancouver has hilly terrain, temperatures that hover around freezing (making the snow into mucky icy slush), and a lack of city snow removal equipment. This means that driving can be a real a mess. The good news is that the temperature stayed above freezing so the snow turned to rain and has kept everything relatively clear. The bad news is that when it’s dark with rainclouds above I just can’t get photos of the garden.
But…I’ve lived here for over 15 years so I’ve learned to take a sunny day when I get it. And I’ve had plenty to choose from this month. Most every day has been cold but bright with the sun shining for the few hours we get it in winter. So on December 10, a particularly lovely day, I headed out to see what I could take photos of. I’ve been working slowly at adding evergreens and winter-interest plants to the garden. Most of them are young so from a far the garden has limited appeal but up close I found lots of little gems that while they aren’t technically blooms, they are so lovely that they still make it onto my Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day for December, 2009.
December 15 2009 | Flowers and Gardening and Photography | 14 Comments »
This tasty vegetarian salad is great for a potluck because the husks from the quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”) come off the grain and look like mini confetti in the salad. This salad also keeps very well and develops even more flavour a day or two after being made.
Ingredients:
Cook the quinoa according to package directions, taking care to rinse at least five times before cooking to eliminate bitterness. Meanwhile combine apple cider vinegar and well-rinsed black beans together in the salad bowl you will be using. Let the beans marinate until the quinoa is cooked and cooled, then drain the beans and assemble the salad by combining the beans, quinoa and chopped veggies. Stir to combine and drizzle with a dressing made of lemon juice and a good quality olive oil plus a teaspoon or two of cumin (depending on taste). Add salt and pepper to taste. You could also add a touch of the marinade liquid from the tomatoes, eggplant, or artichokes to add another flavour to the dish. Store in the refrigerator and serve as a healthy lunches or a side dish to chicken or pork.
See also: Summer Quinoa Salad
December 13 2009 | Recipes | 8 Comments »
…a gigantic evergreen wreath on your front door!
A few gals in the neighbourhood got together on the weekend to make holiday wreaths and I'm quite pleased with mine. It may scratch you a little as you walk by, but it sure is festive.
December 10 2009 | Gardening and Photography | 6 Comments »
Vancouver's New Brighton Park offers a great view of the North Shore Mountains
December 09 2009 | Photography and Vancouver | 3 Comments »
Gardening is wonderful therapy for me. I’ve been using it to recover from illness now for a few years and I’ve found it gives back so much more than it requires of me. Some may find my garden to be a mess, with hundreds of plants all tucked in together with limited structure and order while others will stop on the sidewalk to tell me that they enjoy walking by daily to see what’s new. That’s what I like about it: the mishmash of trees, shrubs, perennials, vegetables, herbs, garden art and bird feeders make the garden a joy to walk through. I revel in each new volunteer that joins the fun while I keep up with the old favourites and recent additions.
Around this time of year when the blooms have turned to seed heads and the ground is covered in spent foliage, visiting wild birds frequent the colourful feeders offering up a cabaret of movement and sound. I know that winter is here when the Dark-Eyed Juncos hop and pip along the ground under the feeders. I love to watch the Black Capped Chickadees take one sunflower seed or peanut at a time, fly to a neighbouring tree branch and daintily peck at it from between their tiny feet. And I’m secretly delighted to see a Sharp Shinned Hawk soaring away while I try to protect my little visitors.
Hand feeding the chickadees
Given how healing it can be for me to enjoy the daily wild bird show, I was happy to find the artists at To Make You Smile had donated whimsical birdhouses to gardens for healing purposes. According to Teresia Hazen, registered horticultural therapist, and coordinator, Therapeutic Gardens and Horticultural Therapy, “Watching birds gives patients, their families and staff members a window on the world of nature. And enjoying the beauty of the winged creatures while walking in the garden brings healthful pleasure.” I particularly enjoyed the installation at the Legacy Emanuel Children’s Hospital and can imagine how delighted the children would be to see the birds bringing nesting materials and then food for the hatchlings, the wee peeps of tiny occupants and watching the first flights.
Legacy Emanuel Children's Garden Birdhouses. Photo: Mary Elizabeth McAndrew
I know I’ll be setting up a few birdhouses come next Spring and if I can get to one of To Make You Smile’s shows I’ll have much to choose from. For more information on how to get one of these lovelies, contact info@tomakeyousmile.com. I’m sure these colourful creations will bring some added therapy to your garden.
To Make You Smile Birdhouses. Photo: Mary Elizabeth McAndrew
December 03 2009 | Garden Therapy and Gardening | 4 Comments »
Clockwise from top left: Rockspray Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis), Heavenly Bamboo (Nadina Domestica), Crocosmia (Emily Mackenzie) Seed Heads, Ornamental Grasses. Center photo: Winterfurst Savoy Cabbage
December 01 2009 | Flowers and Gardening and Photography | 1 Comment »
