Garden Photo of the Day

Memories of Summer

Highlights of a Manitoban garden

By Fine Gardening editors

Today Marion Taylor is sharing some of her memories from the past summer. She gardens in Zone 3, in Manitoba, Canada. We’ve visited her beautiful garden before (Making a Beautiful Garden in Zone 3), and it is always inspiring to see everything she can grow in such a cold climate. You can make a beautiful garden anywhere; it is just a matter of finding the plants that love to grow in the conditions you have in your garden.

double tulipDouble tulip. After a long winter here in Zone 3, the tulips are much anticipated and admired.

pink tulipI had planted white tulips with red markings, but the second summer they came up pink.

blue pansiesMy mom always planted pansies, but I had not. Last summer I picked up these pretty blue pansies on a whim, and they were wonderful all summer.

This lily was just so beautiful.

Amur maple
There was a terrible storm here on October 12–14. The power was out for our entire town and for thousands of people in southern Manitoba. We were without power for 27 hours, but some people were out for a week. The trees took a real hit, as the leaves were still on and the wet snow built up on the branches. I was out knocking snow off branches a couple of times. This Amur maple (Acer ginnala, Zones 2–8) was a major concern, but it came through well. There were power-line workers here from Ontario, Saskatchewan, Minnesota, and North Dakota, which was much appreciated.

drying hydrangea
I tried drying hydrangeas and zinnias. The colors really changed, but I think they are still lovely.

In my first attempt at a Christmas wreath, I used blue spruce, cedar, and cones from the yard and faux berries.

 

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Comments

  1. sandyprowse 12/12/2019

    I truly enjoyed these pictures. I would never have thought to dry zinnias but they work well, particularly with the hydrangea. The simple pansy shows so very well here and inspires me to buy that colour in the fall. The wreath looks great. I must do that next year as well. Thanks for the inspiration from a fellow Canadian also in a cold climate.

  2. User avater
    meander_michaele 12/12/2019

    Wow, the photo of that orangey red double tulip is stellar...it jumped off the page and into my heart. I initially thought it was some sort of especially vibrant colored magnolia bloom and it struck me as surprising that a zone 3 garden could grow such a thing... a double tulip makes better sense!

  3. cheryl_c 12/12/2019

    Marion, your eye for color is so very evident in these pictures. Your favorite lily looks ever so much more special because it is backed by the dark green of its leaves, but you left in a nice piece of the brick wall behind; your hydrangea/zinnia arrangement is rich and beautiful on its own but the little carved wood vignette under it is the crowning touch. Thank you for sharing such delicious colors with us this morning!

    1. nwphillygardener 12/12/2019

      …and did anyone notice that the bricks are speckled just like the inside of that lily?

      1. cheryl_c 12/12/2019

        YES!

  4. User avater
    treasuresmom 12/12/2019

    That double tulip is gorgeous! And as for that wreath, you did a splendid job.

  5. User avater
    simplesue 12/12/2019

    Beautiful and inspiring! And what a great looking wreath you made!

  6. btucker9675 12/12/2019

    Love your graceful natural wreath!

  7. User avater
    DianeScheiber 12/13/2019

    Wow.....so Beautiful!

  8. User avater
    MichealCoronado 12/28/2019

    It's really a wonderful

  9. User avater
    GabrielKeele 02/05/2020

    I love the beauty of nature

  10. User avater
    GabrielKeele 02/05/2020

    I like the beauty of nature

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