Apples and Asclepias

After planting my clearance sale tree peony in 2014, I finally get my first blooms now in 2017.  These are spectacular large blooms!  The plant was labeled as "Lilac", with no other details.  ...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2017/05/long-awaiting-blooming-of-tree-peony.html

May 5: Light pink blossoms of our solitary peach tree, with King Edward Flowering Currant behind Apparently we have been breaking some records out here, with the wettest spring ever recorded fo...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2017/05/may-flowers-wet-spring-for-bc.html

Passiflora caerulea (Blue passionflower) I put my blue passionflower plant outside April 28 this week, for the first time in its life.  I started it from seed early in 2016, after many prev...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2017/04/passionflower-project.html

Spring is certainly taking its time in southern BC this year.  The cherry blossoms are finally appearing in Vancouver this week and today I saw a forsythia in bloom down the road.  The apple...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2017/04/a-slow-spring.html

We are celebrating a lovely snow-free fall thus far.  The garden is cleaned up, though the marigolds still glow from the raised beds.  Tiny blades of fall-planted garlic are poking through the...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2016/11/lingering-colors-of-november-orchids-in.html

We have arrived in mid-October and not been covered in snow like our friends in Alberta and Saskatchewan.  Reminder to friends - the Okanagan is good place to escape in the fall!  And we have ...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2016/10/fall-in-my-summerland-garden.html

 The weekend is nice after what seemed to be weeks of rain.  At least we didn't have to drag out the hoses to water anything!  This weekend is full of activities in the area - Elvis Festival,...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2016/06/june-blooms.html

 The weekend is nice after what seemed to be weeks of rain.  At least we didn't have to drag out the hoses to water anything!  This weekend is full of activities in the area - Elvis Festival,...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2016/06/june-blooms-and-fruits.html

Last month the shrubby Penstemon (Penstemon fruticosus) bloomed and this month I have several more Penstemons putting on a great show.  I have been on a newly-found mission to collect as many s...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2016/05/iceplants-penstemons-sparkling-stars-of.html

Have you ever wanted to plant something that can really take care of itself in the hot dry conditions of summer?  I have been trying to add color to the dusty dry areas of our yard, planting nat...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2016/04/okanagan-dryland-spring-flowering.html

My Plumeria cutting with first leaves Have you ever grown Plumeria (aka Frangipani)?  I did so several years ago while in Saskatchewan and got a good sized flowering plant.  I don't know what...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2016/04/greenhouse-tropicals-and-tomatoes.html

It has been a rather warm and pleasant spring (so far) and the sights and smells of wild and cultivated flowers are amazing.  The wild oregon grape (Mahonia) shrubs are in bloom here and the Sa...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2016/04/color-gems-of-april-garden.html

Arrowleaf balsamroot and Saskatoon berries (white shrubs) in bloom, April 7, 2016 The appearance of April-blooming wildflowers is a sure sign of spring in the Okanagan.  The sunflower-like ...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2016/04/april-in-summerland-bc.html

Primula denticulata The crocuses are finished now, so my designated "rock garden" is now being colored by the early spring flowers, like this solitary drumstick primula (Primula denticulata). ...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2016/03/lovely-spring-bulbs.html

It's time to get excited about the garden and plans for the yard!  The snow crocuses and large flowering crocuses have looked great in our yard this past week.  They are complemented by the vi...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2016/03/early-spring-flowers-in-okanagan.html

I love Dendrobiums, mostly because they are the orchid that I have finally figured out.  I can get them to bloom, or at least the Dendrobium nobile types.  Since moving to British Columbia, I h...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2016/02/dendrobium-orchid-blooms.html

Macintosh apple trees in the orchard The apple orchard is sleeping for the winter, though we made a new sledding hill by removing around half of the trees!  The Red Delicious apples are n...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2016/01/winter-growing-leds-orchids-and-tomatoes.html

Renovated Fairy Garden with New Concrete Patio Thanks to the wonders of the internet, not only can you have a Pinterest obsession with fairy gardens and their accessories, but you can do DIY...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2015/06/fairy-garden-renovations-new-concrete.html

Allium giganteum blooming June 10  I love seeing the big alliums, have admired them in garden blogs and in a few gardens.  You don't see them too often, and I don't suppose they are common...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2015/06/surviving-hot-spell.html

Hummingbird at our feeder June 5, at sunset (light transmitting through red glass onto the bird)  After a few days of rapidly-moving dark clouds dumping sudden bursts of rain and some sm...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2015/06/hummingbirds.html

After a one-day deluge last week, the plants (and weeds) are making great strides in this warm spring Summerland weather.  The tourists are roaming around our Bottleneck drive neighbourhood, w...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2015/05/our-new-grafted-apple-trees.html

We got a good rain overnight, which is the first significant rainfall we have had in months -- not really surprising in this semi-arid desert climate.  This will be good for BC's wildfires, thou...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2015/05/vegetables-already.html

PHLOX LONGIFOLIA, Okanagan wildflower among grass and wild sage I am only now appreciating the local wildflowers, after years of taking them for granted.  Now, I search native plant websit...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2015/05/longleaf-phlox-okanagan-wildflower.html

Certain colors dominant short periods of time in the perennial garden.  Right now, the wild Arrowleaf Balsamroot is flowering in the hills around us and they look so bright and beautiful.  Did ...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-season-of-yellow-flowers.html

I just realized that it is the peak of the apple blossoms and I didn't photograph them!  Oh well, will try to remember it tomorrow.  However, my greatest enjoyment at the moment is the "rock g...

http://applesandasclepias.blogspot.com/2015/04/winter-losses-and-some-rock-garden-gems.html