The end of the Crocuses on February 28

 Photos of the crocus field on the 28th of February, starting from our driveway.  You see the French lavender behind the crocuses and the honeysuckle small hedge with a bunch of mauve crocuses

 Further along the crocus field we come to the Bridal Veil Spirea shrub that I have clipped back to the edge of its bed.  Now, the top is beginning to show white buds.  It might take a year or two until this shrub grows out again.  At the front of the crocus bed you see the new soil at the edge of the street.  I scattered grass seed over his new soil.  Some of it might be sprouting.  We have had heavy rains since then, so I am not sure what has happened to the grass seed.  I may reseed it.

 A closer shot of the pale mauve bunch of crocus in the the bed behind the crocus field.

 Another photo of the Spirea behind the crocuses.  You see the blue grass clumps in that bed, also.

 Further along the crocus field past the spirea shrub.  You can see the extra soil on the crocus field.

 This is the soil on the crocus field next to the neighbors driveway.  You see the plum tree almost on the property line... except this is actually the boulevard.  The cedar hedge is at the property line.  This is a good view of the extra soil on the crocus field.  It is packed down, now, by the heavy rains we have had.

 Another shot of the crocus field by the neighbors driveway.  The crocuses are in full bloom over the field.

 The edge of the crocus field next the neighbors strip of grass by their driveway.  This strip of grass actually forms the grass frame on that side of my garden, with the little honeysuckle hedge to detail the edge of the frame.

A closer shot of some of the crocuses.

You can see that the crocuses are slowly filling out the field.

Some of my favourite striped crocuses.  I am glad I got these photos of the crocus field on the 28th of February.  In a few days they were all flattened and gone.  I do not know if it was the heavy rains, or dog traffic, or what did them in, but they were pretty well finished shortly after I got these photos.  Now some of the grape hyacinths that form the border of the crocus field are in bloom.  But I may have to wait for next year for the show of the border, in the new soil.... and hopefully in new grass.

Pond renovations at the end of February

 Overview of the pond after I did some renovation on the edges.  I took the lilies out the pond and divided them.  This was heavy work.  Then I remade the rock edging.

 There was some terrible contrasty light for this photo.  It is a closer view of the renovated edging.  The water marigold is starting to bush out by Feb. 20th.  It is next to the waterfall.

 The water hawthorn is looking good and has quite a few blooms already.

 This is a view of the moss garden and the stone path up to the pond.  The moss still needs a good clean up, now.

 A closer view of the moss.

 The mossy rock and the moss on the lantern bordering the dry stream are features of the Japanese/moss garden.

this is the front rectangular bed next to our driveway.  I cleaned this up earlier in February.  The perennials in this bed are beginning to grow as at Feb. 28. I added more top soil here when I cleaned up this bed.

I have been getting rid of the invasive species in the woodland.  I took out a daphne.  This plant is toxic to people, animals and even to the soil it grows in.  It is spreading along the river and in the parks.  It was being sold as a landscaping plant by the nurseries.  And it is a nice looking shrub.  We are not to put invasive species into the compost bins, so I have bagged it.  When it is all dried out I will burn it.  It seems like I have quite a lot of invasive plants in my garden.  I have been working at eradicating the blue bells  in the woodland area of my garden.  I am pulling them out diligently.  Last year I covered them with cardboard and then with mulched leaves.  I did not put cardboard over the fawn lily patch, so had to be careful in removing the bluebells in that area, and around the hepatica and the 2 trilliums.  I have a few more feet to clean up.  I moved the water tub off the stump of the old eucalyptus tree as it was rotting away.  The fish is still alive in that water feature.  There are cyclamens growing in the tub area.  I need to be careful of them spreading everywhere.  They, too, are on the invasive list.  I was pulling out the perennial bachelor buttons.  The bees like them, but apparently they are on the list to control.  And yes they do take over.  I can use foxgloves and maybe lupines, and columbines instead of these plants.  The woodland looks really good, especially where I put down the cardboard with leaf mulch over it.  I am letting the honesty and dames rocket self seed in there for now.  I still get a few morning glory, thistles, and blackberries popping up, but they are getting easier to control as I keep after keeping them down.  The chocolate lily that  I have in a pot will be put  in the primula bed, if I have soom.  I am removing the miniature blue spruce that has become too large for its spot by the moss garden.  I will be trying to get the moss to spread out more towards the primulas.  The spruce needles seemed to kill the moss.  It is a busy time in the garden.

Feb 28 - some of the perennials

 more of the Harry Lauders walking stick, hazelnut.  This has been the big show in the back garden for a few weeks.

 The hellebores have been in bloom for a month or more and are still looking pretty good now.

 This primula is much taller now with even taller bloom spikes.

This is the front rectangle bed by our driveway.  The plants were sending up shoots.  A lupine is at the front.  The green stuff is some of the clippings from the cedar cedar hedge.  The hollyhocks have disappeared from this bed.  The peonies should be fine as well as the veronica and the sea mist.

I have finished cleaning up the house, including windows, and have some of the food prepared for our St. Patrick's day feast tomorrow, with Art and Marlene.  I went to itunes for some Irish music and have found an interesting mix.  Should be fun. 

February 28 - the beginning of the daffodils

These daffodils have been in bud for a week or two and were fully open by February 28th.  They are along the 5 foot strip between Shawna's place and our driveway.  I have had bouquets in the house.  They are nicely fragrant, but do not last very long.  The daffodils are now starting to fade, as they too suffer in the heavy rains and winds we have had recently.  

February 20 more of the crocus field

I am glad I got these photos of the crocus field, as they are now all finished.  We had a good show for about a month.  Now the daffodils are the main show, with other spring bulbs and perennials coming along.  You can see where I have raked some of the soil over part of the grass at this time.
We have been having showers most of the week, so I have not been out to garden.  I have finished repotting the orchids and African violets.  The cactus will have to wait a couple of weeks.  All the light tubes are now working and the trays are cleaned up.
We are having our St.Patrick Day feast planned with Art and Marlene, so I have been preparing some of the stuff ahead of time.   

Feb 16 - 18 The Colquitz River and more crocuses

 On February 15 we had very heavy rains and the river rose to nearly the top of the bridge on our street, and on the street where the blue bridge goes over the river to the trail up the hill.  The measuring stake is no longer in the river.  It must have washed away with the heavy rains.  In the last photo you can see the invasive species.  We have sooooooo very much ivy and blackberries along the river.  By the blue bridge this ivy has completely taken over a patch of lovely fawn lilies.  I must get out there and remove a bit of the ivy... I know the lilies will still be under there.

Two photos of the crocuses from February 18.  More to follow as February in my garden has been all about the crocus field.

Some of the garden February 14 to 16

 The vase cement planter and the deep purple crocuses in the front garden on the 16th

 One of the lovely striped crocuses in the crocus field which is a in the grass of the boulevard

 This is the crocus field showing where the hydro workers left soil to fill in the ruts the traffic made while circumventing their trucks while they were working on adding our star wars hydro pole just across the street from our front driveway.   Since this photo I have raked the soil out more evenly and added some topsoil to fill in low spots in the crocus field.  I then planted grass seed over all.  The grass is now starting to germinate.

 One of the dark purple crocuses.  I photoshpped it to emphasize the bright center.

 The camillia by the back step leading up to the deck.  It has even more blossoms on it now.

 The hazel nut tree in full bloom with its lovely catkins.

This is another photo from up on the deck showing the stepping stones in their winter moss.  The stepping stones go around the fig tree and its bed.  I have taken this area out of grass and added the stepping stones because it is a very soggy area when we have our winter rains.  That Harry Lauders Walking stick shrub is now finished blooming.  

Feb 14 new orchid photos

the new orchids and a Phal, and a pink African Violet.  My photos do not do justice to the plants.
Yesterday I finished repotting all of the orchids.  I see that the old root from the Andean Fire has died and I have only a tiny plant of that one.    I must get the African Violets done next.
The new orchids:
Feb 13, 2016 Orchid Show
1)  Cattleya Wilsmara x Kolishri.
2)  Lc Secret Love - Hsinying
3)  Phrag Sedenii - Schlimi x longifolium
4)  Milt. Breathless - 'Beauty'
The Cattleya Wilsmara x Kolishri is the one in bloom.  I will repot it when it has finished blooming.
We had heavy rainshowers today.  I spent the morning at the museum.