Fairy Blush Camellia

This little Winter flowering showstopper has been putting on quite the show since late January and it's still blooming. This variety is being grown as an espalier container plant and goes by the name of Camellia 'Fairy Blush'. With delicate, apple blossom coloured blooms you can see how it got its name. This variety of Camellia is very compact growing - reaching a maximum height and spread of 4 to 5 feet. It enjoys filtered sun and is doing very well under the awning by the men's locker room entrance. Give it a little water if the top 3" of soil get dry otherwise it's a very low maintenance plant and can stop people in their tracks to see such a delicate bloomer so early in the season. I'm a big fan!

Spring is Coming

We are looking forward to Spring at Quilchena. Their are hints of it's upcoming arrival everywhere. I was exploring the garden surrounding the pond between #9 and #18 and came across a hopeful sign. The iris's were starting to awaken from their slumber and push through the decomposed leaf debris from last year.   What a beautiful sight!

An Annual Haircut

Last week, the Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster' near the kiosk, got it's annual haircut. I cut the mass planting of ornamental grasses back before the growing season to allow for a flush of  fresh new growth to develop. It's short right now but will grow back to its original glory over the next few months.

Fall has Arrived in the Back of a Pick up Truck

Boy, is it cold this morning...and dark. Yes, we all know what that means. Fall is here!!!! Over the last couple of weeks, I've been buying Fall and Winter appropriate plant material to put in some of the key focal gardens around the course. The front door entrance got a little fancied up with hay, corn stalks and brightly coloured squash. The surrounding beds have a splash of burgundy, silver and purple in the form of pansies, dusty miller and ornamental kale. I also paid a visit to Westham Island Herb Farm in Ladner. What an incredible place with all its seasonal goodies. Plus, my Spring bulbs just arrived from Van Noort. Could it get any better? It truly is the season of bounty! 

Hibiscus Sighting

I've been asked recently about the plant near the putting green that has "dinner plate" sized flowers and looks like it is made of "paper mache" Ding Ding Ding - it's a Hibiscus. The common name for this species is Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos 'Super Rose) and it has the largest flower of any perennial. It likes acidic soil and full sun exposure. This beauty attracts butterflies, that's a definite bonus to your perennial garden bed.

I purchased it from a nursery in the Fraser Valley two years ago. It's been moved from location to location. It's finally settled into a home that really showcases it's grande beauty.

If you spot any other plants around the golf course that you're curious the name of. Don't hesitate to ask me.

FYI It's 5 am right now and incredibly dark. Winter is coming!

July Heat

It's July 15 and we've had quite the streak of dry sunny weather on the Westcoast so far this year. The sun has been magnification for all the sun loving perennials and annuals. The trick is to make sure the plants have a constant drink of water. This proves a challenge when the majority of the garden beds do not have irrigation and watering restrictions are in place. Fortunately, hand watering reduces excess water waste but it truly is a full time job at this course. Priority watering is definitely awarded to the hanging baskets - gravity is not in their favor for retaining moisture. Secondly, container plants require more frequent watering than plants in a garden bed - so they jump the queue. Ultimately, the smaller the volume of soil, the more watering is required. But, the added labour of consistent watering has definitely paid off this year. I would say the plants have taken on Amazonian characteristics - large and lush.

Here is some pictures of the plants in the new garden bed at #9.

The sea of Calamogrostis 'Karl Foerster' grasses have grown taller then me (excellent place to hide by the way).  They look so effortless when they sway in the breeze. A large mass planting of Lavender (Lavandula x intermedia) has attracted numerous pollinators...and members asking for cuttings to add fragrance to their homes. There is also a selection of prairie perennials, which were really fun to pair together, like painting with flowers. Ultimately, I think I achieved my goal of creating an accessible, relaxed, and inviting space.

June Snapshots

The blooms are bountiful at Quilchena. I had the opportunity to take some snapshots today of the showstoppers. I was noticing that the gardens are a month ahead in maturity then normal. Spring disguised itself as Summer this year and our rainfall levels were at a record low for May. All these hot "Summer" like Spring days have really confused the plants. The Sea of Calamagrostis that is planted near the #9 green was a big flop the other day. The high amounts of nitrogen in the soil and the record levels of sunshine sped up the growth of this upright ornamental grass and it found itself weighed down after a brief evening of wind and heavy rain that we received. We have since tied it up to keep some order to that border of grasses.

The lavender around the property has started to bud out and has even started to bloom in certain micro-climates around the course. The iris's around the pond have been soldiering on and standing strong with a combination of purple and yellow erect blooms over the last month or so. They are just starting to dry out and leave some food for the birds. The dark purple perennial Salvia has been an excellent bold pairing to the prairie perennials around the course, along with the soft lavender purple of the perennial catmint. My personal favourite Spring blooming perennial, Astilbe 'Visions in Pink', has started to bud out at bed #18. The alien-like foliage of the perennial Sea Holly is sharpening to a shiny silver at bed #18 as well. The sea holly would be a well suited prop to any sci-fi movie. I've also been thoroughly appreciating the bold firecracker coloured blooms of the the Red Hot Poker over the last month. They are scattered all over the golf course and have been attracting many interesting bird species to eat the seeds from the cones. I have one right beside my office which has been creating a lot of entertainment with the hummingbirds coming by to feed. The Jerusalem Sage and Mexican Feather grass have been mellowing out the appearance of the garden beds with their characteristic relaxed beauty. And let's not forget all the traditional  lilies and roses that add that classic beauty to every garden bed. 

Plant Spotlight: Black Elder

The plant I get asked about the most at the golf course is definitely the Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace').  It is a tall, elegant, woody shrub that has beautiful dark chocolate lacy foliage and produces fluffy white fragrant plumes in June.

We have two Black Elder at Quilchena- one located at the bed at #18 and another located in the #12 bed.

For a woody shrub they sure have a lot of visual impact. They stand tall at a mature height of about 10 feet. With wide arching branches they add a strong visual impact to a garden bed. These low maintenance shrubs do very well in a full sun location. And have the added appeal of producing edible berries that are very attractive to birds in the Fall.

Plant these beauties in moist but well drained soil and give them ample room to put on a show. They are sure to wow!

Plant Spotlight Red-Flowering Current

The Red-Flowering Current (Ribes sanguineum) is in bloom and you may just spot one on the course. It's located on the SE side of the 11th tee in the island garden bed.  This woody shrub can grow as large as 8 feet tall if in the desired conditions. The shrub on the course is only 4-5 feet tall and resides on the right hand corner of that bed.  The Red-Flowering Current is one of my favourite BC native shrubs by far.  It has rounded, lobed, leaves that are heavily veined and about 2"diameter. In the Spring time, the shrub bears tendrils of bright pink to crimson coloured bloom clusters that delicately hang from this rustic shrub.  They prefer full sun and put on quite a show if paired with the native Oregon Grape. Also, it times perfectly with the Forsythia shrub, they are often in the same vicinity. Hint, hint...there is a Forsythia right beside it.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Quilchena is hosting the annual St. Patrick's Day golf tournament on Saturday this year. Wear your nicest green shirt. I dressed up the front entrance in orange, green and white in celebration of all things Irish. I'm kind of a Robbie Burns girl myself but hopefully I succeeded in bringing the luck of the Irish to Quilchena.

Fortunately for us, a Leprechaun paid a visit and left his valuables behind. He was probably spooked by someone opening the door. A pile of gold nuggets sits on an old log with suspiciously small green footprints leading from it. Pots of grass and two planters flank the front entrance overflowing with varieties of heather and green foliaged plants. A lucky horseshoe is there to bring good fortune to all the members of Quilchena and a lucky rainbow. I hope you all enjoy it.

I did a little research on this holiday and I learned that it's more then just green beer. It's abundant with mythology, religion and a very respected man named Saint Patrick.

Saint Patrick was born in Roman Britain in the 4th century. His family was wealthy and his father was a religious man. The history of Saint Patrick is allegedly a first person account detailed in the Declaration (his spiritual bibliography). He states that he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and brought to Ireland where her spent six years as a shepherd before fleeing back to his hometown. The claim is that he found God within those six years and later returned to Ireland to convert pagen Irish to Christianity. He spent many years introducing religion to residents of Northern Ireland, converting thousands, before his death on March 17th. Legend has it that he would use the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagen Irish, which has become the symbol of this important Irish holiday. Since at least the 1640's people have been wearing shamrocks and emerald to demonstrate Irish pride.

Irish nationalist have been celebrating the death of there most prized patron Saint since at least the 9th and 10th centuries. In Ireland, the holiday is more religious in nature. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated worldwide though, but mostly in countries that Irish immigrants have settled. Celebrations are annually held in Canada, U.S.A., Argentina, U.K., Malaysia, Japan, Russian, South Korea, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and most surprisingly the International Space Center. St. Patrick's Day is only a statutory holiday in Ireland, Newfoundland, Labrador, and Montserrat (the emerald island of the Caribbean) though. Traditional celebrations include parades, festivals, folk music and dancing. Historically, Lent restrictions on food and drink were lifted on St. Patrick's Day. This allowance would often to lead excessive eating and drinking.

Contemporary traditions celebrate all things Irish. Traditional foods (corned beef, braised cabbage, meat pies, and lots and lots of beer), the colour emerald green, mystical rainbows, pots of gold and mythical creatures like leprechauns.

The Leprechaun is an Irish fairy. Irish folklore states that a Leprechaun resembles a very small, old man (no taller then a small child). He wears a crooked hat, a leather apron and is cloaked in green. These creatures are solitary, unfriendly and partake in mischief. A captor can find a Leprechaun by the sound of shoeamakers hammer. Here is a little Irish blessing about a Leprechaun.

Near a misty stream in Ireland in the hollow of a tree
Live mystical, magical leprechauns
who are clever as can be 
With their pointed ears, and turned up toes and little coats of green
The leprechauns busily make their shoes and try hard not to be seen. 
Only those who really believe have seen these little elves 
And if we are all believers
We can surely see for ourselves.

March Plant Spotlight

Spring is just around the corner and I think the excitement is starting to build. It's hard to not throw on a pair of shorts and flip flops but the weather is not quite there yet. The temperature has been dipping down below 0 over the last week, especially with those blue cloudless skies. It's a great time to drive around and look at the plants brave enough to burst into bloom. I took a few snapshots around the course of these showstoppers!  

Camellia in gorgeous magenta pink 

Bird loving Cotoneaster berries hanging heavy

Winter heath 

Helleborus

Viburnum blooms

Beautiful architectural cones 

Happy Chinese New Year!

money container, lotus candle, insense burner and offerings for the Gods 

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival falls on February 19th this year.  It is a Buddhist festival that is celebrated throughout Asia and becoming popularized globally. This will be the 4712th Chinese New Year to be celebrated throughout history. This holiday was standardized during the Han Dynasty (206 - 200 BC) but is believed to have started centuries before that, perhaps as far back as Emperor Yao and Emperor Shun in 2300 BC.

Chinese astrology deems 2015 the year of the Green Wood Sheep (or Goat depending on who you talk

Lucky purple primroses and a symbolic dragons

to).  There are twelve animals in this zodiac kingdom and they are rotated to a new animal each year. The "Green" "Wood" portion is in reference to a reasonably complicated stem/ branch system. In this system there are 10 stems and 12 branches that combine into a cycle of 60 counting systems. So what does it mean? The characteristics of the zodiac totem suggest the qualities of the upcoming year. Sheep are amiable, gentle, creative and kindhearted creatures which suggest 2015 will be a year of peacefulness and harmony. Wood is associated with Spring, renewal and the colour green. This year proposes that the renewal and evergreen qualities of the tree will combine with the sheep to unleash creativity and to create a calm and steady path to follow. Sounds good to me!

Plum Blossoms for courage and pussy willows

Traditionally, the week preceding Chinese New Year is a time to cleanse ill fortune from your home. Cleaning and sweeping the home, paying off debts, buying new clothes and cutting your hair are chores to be accomplished before the first day of the year. Vibrant scarlet firecrackers and paper cut outs and couplets adorn windows and doors communicating popular messages like "Good Fortune", "Happiness" and "Long Life". Firecrackers deter bad spirits (like the mythical beast Nian) who, according to Folklore, was scared of the colour red and loud noises. The day proceeding the Chinese New Year is the official start of celebrations. At midnight, the firecrackers are lit along with burning bamboo. The dust pan is put away to avoid sweeping away good luck that will be entering the home. Food and gifts are placed outside the door as an offering (or a bribe) to the deities to report good things about the family to the Gods. Red envelopes containing money and traditional treats are given to friends, family members, business contacts and employees. Oranges and tangerines in the home and office are associated with happiness and prosperity. While fresh blooms represent new growth after a long Winter. Plum blossoms and narcissus are the most popular in China. Plum blossoms representing courage while the Narcissus symbolizes good luck and fortune. Each year also denotes lucky numbers, colours and plants that will bring good luck in the upcoming year. 2015 indicates 2 and 7 as lucky numbers. Red, purple and brown will bring blessing and carnations and primroses are the flowers of choice.

I was lucky enough to be asked to decorate the front entrance. After a few trips to Daiso and Chinatown, I think I was able to create a festive New Years display. Thanks for your help Melissa and Nick!

Red lanterns and "Firecrackers" to ward off bad spirits

God of Money

Blooming January

Fairy Blush Camellia

Moss patina on picnic table

Life abounds throughout the year at the golf course.  What the Winter loses in colour, it certainly makes up in elegance. I found a few shrubs in all there hearty beauty, embracing the grey Westcoast Winter and bursting with blooms. Fairy Blush Camellia (Camellia x 'Fairy Blush'), brimming with buds, has started blooming near the Men's change room entrance. The old gardening staple, Winter Heath (Erica carnea), has sprays of pink and white blooms in various locations around the course. As well, as Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger) has brightened up a few of the Winter containers with showy seasonal flowers. I'm particular fond of the appearance of the elegant pink buds on the Purple Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus 'Gwenllian'), near the kiosk.

Winter heath

New growth in hay bale

Buds on Purple Laurustinus

I also saw life breaking through the chilly weather right beside the Horticulture garage. The hay bales, resting on the pallets on the South side of the Turf Care Centre, were erupting with fresh new growth. Here are a few shots from a particularly sunny day last week. Check out these elaborate ice patterns formed in a set of tire tracks and the beautiful live moss patina growing on a picnic table at the TCC. An exceptional showcase of Mother Nature's artistic abilities.

Ice Formations in tire tracks

Shape and Form in the Garden

Iris's

Bunny tail grass in Winter

Winter is a wonderful time to really appreciate the shape and form of the plants in your garden.  As the frost coats the landscape in a crystal sheen, the texture of the garden outshines the colours. While the flame framework of dogwoods and fiery foliage of heavenly bamboo put on quite a show, the remainder of the garden mellows. Corkscrew Witch Hazel, spiraled Euphorbia, and radial pine trees can be fully appreciated when encrusted with frost. Seeds, nuts and berries accessorize many plants.  Over the last month, the course has been closed for several frost delays. It's an excellent time for zealous members to keep there pyjamas on a peruse their favourite edition of Golf Digest at home.

Euphorbia

Personally I really appreciate these days at the course for studying the framework and architecture of the gardens and mentally editing areas for future improvements. It is an austere and elegant season. The golf course is very still and silent and a perfect time for contemplation. The morning sky is stained pink and the air is filled with the sound of rattling seed pods and geese over head. It's pretty magical. I've been taking the time to take some snap shots of the garden in all it's Wintry glory so everyone can peruse them from home. I hope you enjoy it!

Heavenly Bamboo

Hydrangea under frost

Corkscrew Hazel Tree