Hummingbird Heaven
by Leslie Cox; Tuesday, June 25, 2013
I admit defeat! I am technically challenged when it comes to computers and computer programs. Have tried…believe me I have tried. But I do not have the right mindset to figure some of the vulgarities out.
Like embedding my video of a hummingbird having a shower onto my website.
I managed to upload the video to Youtube but from there I bottomed out. An hour or so and numerous tries later…still no go. There is only so much abuse a person can take. My brain is fried, my angst is elevated beyond recognition and my frustration level is stretching all the way into next week. I am done.
And I am sorry.
I had hoped to proudly display my video here on my website, as well as on Youtube. But I am embarrassed to say that I will have to send you on a roundabout route to see this lovely video of a hummingbird having its shower.
So with humble apologies, I ask you to click on the link at the end of this blog to see what I wanted to show you in the first place.
Hope you enjoy it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6DFlmMSJ5Y
We are closed this weekend – June 21st and 22nd
by Leslie Cox; Thursday, June 20, 2013
John and I are hosting a private event in our garden this weekend so the garden will be closed to the general public on June 21st and 22nd.
But we will be open again on June 28th and 29th…or by appointment from June 24th onward. Please feel free to contact us!
Happy summer, Everyone!
Tip of the Week: Category – Garden
by Leslie Cox; Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Use surgical gloves and Vaseline to deadhead sticky rhododendron blooms.
This is one gardening chore that must be done as soon as possible after the blooms are finished. Not doing it will mean a lot of energy is put into developing seeds and unless you are a rhodo breeder, this is not optimal in a garden setting.
Far better to deadhead the spent blooms and let the plant channel its energy into looking more beautiful for you the rest of the year.
But oh, what a chore this can be. Especially if you have any rhodos that have really, really sticky flower bits and they require a ladder to reach the top of the shrub/tree.
Remember that nuisance pest?
by Leslie Cox; Thursday, June 14, 2013
Honestly, tent caterpillars do not kill trees BUT they can sure chew plants up pretty badly.
As I mentioned in an earlier blog, we have the forest tent caterpillars (Malacosoma disstria) in our garden. There are a few northern tents (Malacosoma californicum pluviale) in the neighbourhood but we have not seen any in our garden. Hence the problem.
Forest tent caterpillars do not make tents so you do not usually spot them until they start to move out of their “nursery tree” in search of more food. Unless you notice lots of bits of chewed off birch leaves on top of the soil in your vegetable garden as we did earlier this week.
Tough Plants for the Dry Shade Garden – Part I
by Leslie Cox; Tuesday, June 4, 2013
How many of you have at least one tough spot in your garden? I am sure there must be a few who have an area that challenges your aspirations of being the Master Gardener of your domain. I know I do. More than one area, in fact.
Ever since we put in the bed along our narrow rural road back in 2001 and the big changes that began on the front garden in 2004, I have been struggling to find “what works” in my garden. My problem? Six trees in a relatively small area.
