January Treasures

I walked around the course yesterday collecting flowers, leaves and berries of interest. I was surprised how beautiful they were when I laid them out on paper. As dreary as it is out there today - beauty abounds.

Bulbs, Bulbs, Bulbs, BULBS

Tis' the Season to give and take. At Quilchena it is no different. We picked up a big shipment of bulbs from Van Noort last week and we want to give that to YOU wonderful members. We just ask that in exchange you bring a non perishable item to the office and Melissa or Kim will hand you a dozen bulbs. We have daffodils and tulips to choose from. Don't worry, it's not too late to plant them. If the ground is thawed, dig a hole and plant your bulb right side up and fill it with soil. That is it. It will be a little late at coming up but you'll get some glorious Spring colour in a few months. Please do share in this festive time of the year. The Food Bank can really use your help and we'd love to give back to you!  

It's Christmas Time at Quilchena

All around the clubhouse, decor has been set for Christmas time. The Maintenance and Food and Beverage staff have been busy adding lights, garlands, and trees around the clubhouse, and it looks very festive.

This grey Westcoast weather is only adding to this yearning to stay inside and bring a little warmth and colour to your indoor space. The feeling of Christmas is definitely in the air.

I recently added my own touch to the clubhouse entrance - cedar trees, birch logs, yellow twigged dogwood branches, found pinecones, and other seasonal ornaments. I wanted to give the space a cozy log cabin feel. The beauty of Christmas is often the introduction of outdoor elements into your indoor space.

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! 

Bonjour

I returned three weeks ago from a one-in-a-lifetime trip to the south of France for my cousins wedding. I started the trip by staying with my relatives for five days in a sixteenth century villa near the Spain border. During the day we commuted to neighboring villages, like Tarbes and Mirande, to check out the markets and architecture. It certainly had the French charm of romantic effortless beauty, rambling vines and a large expanse of vineyards and farmland.  Drooping seedheads of sunflowers massed the hillsides. It would have been such an incredible sight to have arrived a month earlier, when the sunflowers were in full bloom, to witness the shock of yellow. Walking through the villages it seemed as if flower seeds were deposited in every crack in the pavement- bright blooming annuals sprung out of any available vacant space. It made me scratch my head. I spend so much time creating the perfect environment for plants to grow and in France gardening seems so effortless.

I questioned if anything could top that relaxing
escape to the French countryside. But, as we drove up to our next accommodation I knew we had reached the plateau. We took the turn off down a long winding driveway and arrived at a massive stone castle covered in lush green vines. We spent three glorious days at the Chataeau de Lisse, a castle in the Gascony region, just a short drive from Toulouse.  Some parts of the castle date back the the twelve century. The chataeau resides on 550 hectares of land, consisting of a swimming pool, a lake, vineyards, hedgerows and an expanse of forest. My day consisted of walking through the grounds, chatting with people and deciding when I should eat my next course of cheese and wine. I felt like a Princess, which doesn't happen often for a Gardener. The grounds were well maintained within walking distance from the castle and left to naturalize beyond the boundaries. Large canopy trees and lush green grass were the main attractions to this landscape and vines and groundcovers hugged any available stone wall or pathway. I went for a walk around the grounds and came across fresh figs, peaches, pears, rosehips and herbs. It was a beautiful surprise.  

Gardens in France don't seem to be observed from afar but rather worked into every facet of life - edible plants on the dining table, vases filled with flowers, floral perfumes, botanical images painted on ceramics and woven into tapestries. I noticed that a big part of French culture is the appreciation of nature and the inclusion of its beauty everywhere. That's the French garden design style and I will try to implement that into my own life. 

2 Week Break

Just a quick note to inform you that I will be out of town until the second week of September. I'm attending my cousins wedding in the South of France and I couldn't be more excited about it. I'll try to take some beautiful garden shots to add to this blog when I return.  I hear it's predicted to rain this weekend in the Lower Mainland. That's a relief for the gardens and our cities water supply.  I'll be sure to bring the sun back with me when I return!

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!