Seeds, Glorious Seeds & Archer

I've just started to go through the first of my seed catalogues - Stokes Commercial Growers Guide (Kevin & I order and re-package 1000 envelopes of flower seed each year for his clients) and of course Thompson & Morgan. I don't know about you, but I always like to try something new if I can, so I've gone back to my photos taken in the two trial gardens I visited at University of Guelph and Landscape Ontario.

I remember venturing out on my 120k quest that day - thinking what on earth would there be to see given the appalling conditions for annuals - a wet, cool and rainy summer. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see those flowers that had looked great the year before in the heat and dry, still looked wonderful despite the soggy summer.

Biggest surprise to me were the Zinnias - take a look at these Magellan series. The coral (1st in the bed) is an AAS winner from 2005. Like the way the new growth pushes over top of the spent flower heads. Not a mark of mildew on any of them. They grow 30-35 cm - a little over a foot. I see that Stokes has them for around $4.00 cdn for 15 seeds.
I don't think I'd grow these two colours together, but you can get an idea of how the new growth just pushes out over the old.

This is Zinnia 'Swizzle' Scarlet & Yellow - about the same size as the Magellan series. Interesting how the flowers are all slightly different on the same plant. While Stokes says they are not mildew tolerant and not to crowd them, no evidence of mildew and they were planted very closely. I'm a real yellow/orange/coral girl - I think I know a good spot for this one in my garden. It runs $4/pkt for 10 seeds.

You really can see how closely they were planted below.

Doesn't this remind you of a Venus Flytrap. Maybe I'm being a bit curmudgeonly, but I think coleus belongs in the shade. The new variety is called Henna - wonder what it would look like if it wasn't being tortured just to prove a point in the full sun.

My grandmother always grew cleome - she had a gorgeous large garden - lots of roses - she was definitely a pink, blue, red and white gal. I was so impressed with this new Sparkler series of cleome. Not the first purple planting, but the next 4 are all Sparkler. Really would make a stunning border. I'm going to order some of the white - $4.50 - for 10 seeds at Stokes. They grow about 1 meter high (yard)

This is Cuphea 'Totally Tempted'. I think I'd try to put this in a raised bed or pot so you could appreciate the dual coloured flowers.

This is Verbena 'Rapunzel' Violet 06. With such bright light to photograph in - it still looks stunning. I've never had any verbena perform so well in any of my pots or gardens!

Zinnia 'Zahara' - quite stunning. (30 cm about 1 foot). Appear to be offering commercial size packages at Stokes - $23.30/250 seeds - no regular packages. Scarlet above - Coral Rose below - something to look for.

And, a brief update on our little scallywag. Here he is under my desk. Looking at that face, would you ever believe he would ever, ever chew on any computer wires? Only when I'm not watching. He found my Revenue Canada files yesterday - no problem, I'll just tell them the dog ate my receipts.

Sunday Walk to the Lake & Archer Days 20 & 21

Just a beautiful Sunday morning. Kevin & I took Archer down the lake for a good long walk - and 1st time ever - he's actually sleeping after his walk - pure bliss.

We changed our route so that we could get some new photo ops & a little more exercise. I was delighted to find these clematis seed heads - and vow to go back to do a better job with my camera. Was wearing my sunglasses and find I have trouble seeing the screen with them - and blind as a bat as I am - practically impossible without them. So definitely a good subject to play with on another day.
Quite surprised to see just how new they are and unlike my clematis seed heads that are brown - these have such a pretty under cast of green.

Oh look, a ChApple Tree!

Can you believe the colour & light. Hopefully we stored up a few rays to keep us going over the next few cloudy days.So this marks our last week with Archer, the guide dog - Marion and Don return at the end of the week. Am going to schedule play dates with his cousin Percy the Poodle and CiCi Ambrose - go for lots of walks and work on the "Stay" command - something he regards as sort of a suggestion at the moment.

Wonder if he'll miss his walks to the lake...I know we will.

First Snow of the Year & Archer Day 17-19

For more first snowfall photos - check out Nancy Bond's blog at http://nancybond.wordpress.com/garden-bloggers-first-snowfall/

Everything was covered by a blanket of snow last night. Looking at the colourful post from earlier in the week - it's almost as if we've gone back to Kansas from Oz; that is if Kansas got this much snow. This is the view from my office window - you'll notice the nice ceramic pot sitting on the patio - that's the one that contained the wasps' nest. I tried to remove the contents yesterday - frozen in like cement. Let's hope for a bit of warmth so I can try again.

First snow is always so pretty. It was the perfect snow fall - just enough to enjoy, but not enough to shovel.

The light was exceptionally flat this a.m. Got a bit of colour when the sun broke through the clouds - though not enough for any really good lighting for close-ups.

Here's the poor allium covered in snow.

Look, a sunflower shower-head covered in snow.

What's left of the Thalictrum - didn't cut it down because it was still green.

Morning walk with Carrie - don't know if you remember this sight from a week or so ago, but the leaves were yellow, orange and red. Lake Ontario just blends into the sky.

This is the edge of a private garden - the designer has done a splendid job - you can see how it's going to look terrific even in the winter.

And last but not least, Archer the Foster Dog Guide Puppy and what he's been up to from here on in....so for the dog-phobic stop reading now!

Archer seems to be snow-neutral, unlike my great danes or saints who went wacko every year on the first day of snow. While he seems to enjoy eating it - there's been no new rolling or excessive running, jumping and all round silliness, just the usual excessive running, jumping and profound happy silliness.

Today with dear old Simba, he jumped on his back, collapsing the old fellow. Normally Simba would have put any other puppy in his place - fortunately for Archer he got off lucky - not even a growl from the big guy. Although he was probably just using all his energy just to stand up again. We ran into Justin later on and Archer threw himself at him full throttle and started to dash and dive straining on the end of the lead. I said, "Archer's going to be a guide dog." And he started to laugh, "You're kidding right?!"

However, looking at Archer's first snow picture, hard to believe that he'd ever do anything naughty. I bet he'll be a wonderful guide dog....when he's a little older.

Mother Nature Has Closed the Door on Further Garden Chores & Archer Days 12 -16

Yesterday we got our first few flakes of snow - nothing to stay around, just enough to leave a little bit of interesting white dust in, on and around the plants. Today it was too cold for the beginning of November, -9C with the windchill. The dragon wing begonia that I know I really should have composted at the end of the drive has finally collapsed and turned into green/grey slime. More browns and tans everywhere. And my feet felt that firm solid cementy feeling, rather than earth that gives when I took my garden tour.

Thank goodness for seed heads - a bush-type clematis.
Here's the porcupine seed head of the Eupatorium purpurea 'Alba' with just a dusting of snow.

The ligularia were not as big this year - but the seed heads are really pretty - I'll probably regret leaving so many, although the seedlings are very easy to spot.Epimedium sulphureum - again with a dusting of frosty icing.

A sturdy little gaillardia.

And, yes more lysimachia....probably the last time I subject you to these leaves - the cold really has done a number on them.

This past weekend - got 120 more bulbs in - you don't want to know how many casualties there were as I drove the spade through several bulb patches I'd completely forgotten about. I've got 80 more Pirand to get in and I'm officially done. However, if this cold keeps up I'll need earth moving equipment to do it. Thought I might pot some of them up and force them instead to have earlier spring colour by the front door. Other chores included the last lawn raking and mowing which we completed in cover of darkness. We had friends by on Friday who introduced my husband to the joys of Swiss Radio on the Internet....(yes, there was wine involved) Violetta and I just sat by the fire while we heard yodeling broadcasted throughout the house.

And, it's been a while, but here is the latest installment of Archer our Foster Guide Dog. So no more gardening, here's your warning from here on in, just doggie tails:

Took Archer on a long walk this a.m. Very proud of him - there is a metal bridge over this stream where you can see down. Most dogs (smart doggies) have a bit of a problem, going across. Our old departed Saint Agatha (classified as smart-enough) wouldn't even notice the bridge and would storm right over - her best buddy Simba always had to be coaxed. Well, Archer day one - really had to be coaxed, day two - he marched right across like a real little pro.

Kevin and I are still astounded by Archer's boundless energy - here's Kevin looking for where the batteries are kept so we can remove them and get a bit of a rest.

Yesterday Archer met a beautiful wire-haired fox terrier named Olive who spoke French. Well, perhaps not spoke, but understood. Her owner said, she hadn't seen Olive play so long and so hard in years. We should have exchanged numbers for a play date.

Archer's getting better with his promise lead/haltie - not perfect but better.

He's always happiest on his walks when he can charge through a big pile of leaves. Wonder what he'll do when we've got enough snow to snorfle - it was our Saint's best day of the year when she had snow to play in - hope Archer enjoys it just as much. Should find out in a day or two...

GBBD - Proud, but Meagre Offerings

There is sort of a profound silliness to presenting blooms of my garden on November 15th - especially on such a cold and rainy day. And yet, there I stood declaring to Kevin that I was going outside - and he finished my sentence - "to take pictures of your garden." So here they are - my kamikaze shots - draw camera from pocket, snap, close camera and return to pocket. Surprisingly some are even in focus. So, without further ado, here are my blooms from Oakville, Ontario - snow scheduled for Monday - so I'm assuming this will be my last outside blooms around the garden for a while. Don't forget to stop by Carol's May Dreams Gardens ( http://maydreamsgardens.blogspot.com/2008/11/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-november-2008.html - to see what everyone else has percolating in their gardens. A bit of a cheat - great colour on a little rhodo that is one of my first woodies to bloom every year.

A forget-me-not volunteer. That's a blade of grass next to the flower just to give you some perspective on these grand flowers.

The last tricyrtis to bloom - all others have gone to seed.

Doesn't this look like a Dandelion? But it's not and it's in bloom, and so it's here.

Obviously not ready for his closeup.

Pleasant Mistflower (Eupatorium coelestinum) finishing up for the season.

A hard year for insect damage to coneflowers - very odd. Felt the one at front would almost qualify as a bloom.

A perennial salvia. Camera makes it far bluer than it really is.

Scraping the bottom of the barrel for this one. Hopefully I'll get some good seed when it dries up - has been a very reliable little annual - believe I got original seed from Select some years ago.

Go Alcea Go! Blooms for Christmas?

No blooms, but Lysimachia looking very cool.

Good colour for allium leaves - these are the sorts of things you discover when you're out in the cold and rain in November.

And one last white blossom to remind me that there will be a lot more of that to come in the months ahead.