Canada Blooms 2011

     My initial impressions  of Canada Blooms were WOW, this is better that the Boston Show.  Both were wonderful in there own way.  There seemed to be two themes to this show. One was 'Juno Rocks'.  A strong music influence in some of the gardens and flower arrangements which were just over the top.  The other influence was 'Nurture Urban Nature'.  They nailed this one also because you had a feeling in some of the displays of being very modern and urban.  They definitely were city styled gardens.



     As I said above the flower arrangements were over the top.  Far better and more creative than Boston.  To put these together must have taken days.  We were there on Saturday and they still looked 'fresh as a daisy'.



     Where as Boston had all kinds of Orchids for sale, Canada Blooms were selling Helleborus.  Although nothing really exciting.  They were mostly white and pale green 'no mamed' varieties.  No interesting colours or even doubles.  I did not bring any back.  Did find a daylily I was looking for, a fern, new butterfly bush and a new sempervivum although a bit on the pricey side for what they were.  There was a booth with succulents and sedums but none of them were named.  Very disappointed.

      I can only put so many pictures on the blog, so check out woodlands and meadows on facebook for more pictures.

Boston Flower Show 2011

My husband Andrew has a travel bug.  As soon as he gets back from one trip, he is planing the next one.  He is very considerate and really tries to include myself and our daughter in where to go and what to see.

I guess this was my trip.  He has been wanting to go back to Boston since we were there 2 years ago.  It worked out this year that the Boston Flower show, and Canada Blooms where during the same week and Gillian's March break.

The show was wonderful.  The best time to go to any of these shows is in the evening.  Less people.  We went in the afternoon (Wednesday) and it was just jammed.  Went back in the evening and could take these great pictures.

I couldn't bring any plants home (sniff, sniff), I crossed my fingers that there would be good stuff at Canada Blooms.  There was a booth there with great Sempervivums, Sedums and Echeverias.  Gill really wanted an Air Plant (Tillandsia), many booths selling those.  Lots of garden gadgets, $40-$60 hand creams ("oh a jar will last a year, you use just a drop"), garden furniture, garden art, jewelry, food (candy, dips, hot sauce etc). Orchids everywhere.

The flower displays were great.  The theme of the show was 'Celebrating the Container Garden'  This was my favourite.    This display was by Peter R. Sadeck, Inc (Massachusetts).  They used stumps and rocks as natural containers. "My design resembles what naturally occurs in the wilderness"  They nailed it.  It looked like you were walking through the forest.

Pictures tell a thousand words



This little Screech Owl was adorable.  Yes he is real and was sitting on one of the trees in the display.  He came in on his own, whether on the plant material or through an open door.  They did have someone hovering around to make sure no one bothered him.  I was told they were quite common in this area.

I wanted this bench.  Sigh...  It was a little too big to sneak on the plane.  I have a picture of Andrew checking out the base to see how it was constructed.  He would not appreciated me posting that one.

The show as great, but honestly, when we arrived at Canada Blooms on Saturday, it was even better.  More later.

Perennial Seeds

Time to do some seeding.

     For a lot of my specialty perennials, I try a lot of the seeds from Garden's North.  Garden's North is a seed company based now in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia.  They are a mail order company with an online cataloge that just inspires you.  Some of my best plants have originated form there. 

     I have great Alliums, two fantastic Hostas from a package of seed that I now sell under my own name, Primulas that are just great and my interest in winter hardy Cactus was encouraged by the availability of seed and pads a few years back. 

     I planted a half a dozen types that should germinate in a few weeks.  These are considered easy, Cortusa (small primula like), a white primula, Asclepias (a type of milkweed), Sisyrinchium (yellow eye grass) and Limonium (statise or sea lavender).  If your eye site is great, then in the top picture you would have seen Helleborus.  Gardens North was good enough to give it its cold period, so I am hoping to see some germination in the next few weeds.

Wishing for Spring

I think everyone is longing for spring, I know I am especially on a day marking -13 C here in Clifton. The radio said -20 C in Truro. Spring can not come soon enough. I'm hearing + 8 C on the weekend. Then the road will be muddy, Oh the joys of living in the country on a gravel road.

But I know it will come, I must be patient

I better get the housework done before spring.