Visiting Community Gardens While on Vacation

As any true obsessed gardener, I took a look at gardens while vacationing two provinces away. I took pictures of the Penticton, British Columbia community gardens on Vancouver hill. These gardens have been cursed with some resident deer who spend a great deal of time munching on the garden veggies, when they are not in my family's yard eating the flowerbed and shrubs.

Quail metal art just above the community gardens.

Sunflower in the middle of the gardens. Several have already offered their seeds to the birds.

I'm not sure if the padlock keeps people out or the worms in...

There are a few low fences, but no real deterrents to deer. Then again, maybe the gardens are an intentional offering to the deer?

I have no idea what this is, but it looks interesting.

Gardens Abroad

While I was not blogging this past week, I was enjoying gardens and garden centers while travelling in British Columbia. I am aware that this activity qualifies me as a garden nerd, yet I feel no shame.

I bought myself some narcissus and botanical tulip bulbs as well as some Fritillaria imperialis bulbs for a relative in Penticton with a nasty deer problem. These flowers (and the bulbs themselves!) are repulsive to any nose, including those of deer. The woman at the Kelowna garden center said that you should avoid planting these next to your door so that their fragrance does not overwhelm you. I hope that they are effective!

This green combo to the is my mom's potted canna with a cluster of green bell peppers! I can only imagine that the annuals that filled the base of the pot included a stray vegetable!

I had to stop to see this private garden in Trout Creek, a small community near Summerland, British Columbia (southern Okanagan, zone 6). There were hundreds of crocus-like flowers, planted in rows and clusters.

Lots and lots of Colchicum! Apparently, they are also growing saffron crocus, but the woman said that they bloom later, closer to November.

A violet-colored Waterlily Colchicum. The woman working in the garden said that these were Colchicum, a special interest of her husband. Of course, I have garden envy, as I cannot grow these fall-blooming beauties in my own cold zone!

Rotary park at Okanagan Lake beach in Penticton, British Columbia. The plaques surrounding this circle of flowers record the winners of the Ironman triathlon, which starts and ends at this location.

Broad tropical leaves of cannas fill the background, with bright pom-pom zinnias and purple salvia "Victoria" in the foreground.

I like looking at flowers in city parks, both for inspiration for my own garden, and to see what grows well in this particular climate. The southern Okanagan is hot and dry during the summer. This flower display uses cannas, zinnias, marigolds, salvia, cleome, ornamental peppers, and a few other plants.

Tall Plants: Bright red canna flowers on the right with the last blooms of pink and purple cleome at left. Zinnias occupy the foreground.