Garden Photo of the Day

Flowers of the Canadian Summer

Looking forward to warmer days

Rich blue delphinium flowers

Today’s photos were sent in by Mary-Jane Duford.

It’s well below freezing here in Zone 5. I’m indoors with my houseplants and seed catalogs dreaming of spring! I took all of these photos in my garden here in the Okanagan Valley, Canada (just north of Washington State). Everything is covered in ice and snow right now, so it’s been wonderful to take a look forward at what’s to come!

I’m a new gardener, homeowner, and young mom. I’ve been gardening for half a dozen years now (since we first bought a home with a yard). I thought I’d grow mainly vegetables, but now my yard is completely filled with perennial flowers! There always seem to be too many plants and not enough space.

I particularly enjoy easy-to-grow flowering perennials and bulbs, as well as kid-friendly crops like strawberries and direct-seeded veggies. I’m also enjoying learning about different organic mulch options and living green mulch plants.

White hellebore flowerWhite hellebore flower (Helleborus ‘Ivory Prince’, Zones 5–9) in April.

Ostrich fernOstrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris, Zones 3–7) fronds in May.

Sargent crabappleSargent crabapple (Malus sargentii, Zones 4–7) blossoms in May.

Large pink flowers on a magnolia treeMagnolia (Magnolia ‘Betty’, Zones 4–8) blossoms in May.

Sweet woodruffSweet woodruff (Galium odoratum, Zones 4–8) in bloom in May.

Spring peas in the podSpring peas ready for harvest in the kids’ garden in May.

Tall spikes of white flowersVeronica, aka speedwell (Veronica longiflolia ‘Charlotte’, Zones 4–8), in June.

blue delphinium flowersBlue delphinium (Delphinium ‘Cobalt Dreams’, Zones 3–7) in June.

pink peony budPink peony (Paeonia, Zones 3–8) bud in June.

white astilbeWhite Astilbe (Zones 4–8) in June.

 

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Comments

  1. PattyLouise 03/01/2021

    Beautiful!

    1. User avater
      MaryJaneDuford 03/01/2021

      Thank you very much!

  2. User avater
    user-7007816 03/01/2021

    Beautiful flowers. I particularly enjoyed your Magnolia tree in bloom. Spring will come again.

    1. User avater
      MaryJaneDuford 03/01/2021

      Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed the Magnolia - its one of my favourites 🥰

  3. coastalgardener 03/01/2021

    Lovely photos as well as lovely plants. I especially loved the blue delphinium. Thank you for giving us all something to look forward to in our gardens...

    1. User avater
      MaryJaneDuford 03/01/2021

      Thank you! I've had such fun choosing plants (especially finding that true blue delphinium 😍 - the variety was recommended in one of my favourite flower gardening books)

  4. User avater
    simplesue 03/01/2021

    Ohhhh so refreshing to see your photos!
    Nothing like an emerging Ostrich Fern, or the bud of a Peony to inspire any gardener in early March as we wait for spring.
    Yours "Cobalt Dreams" Delphiniums are gorgeous, I'm trying to grow that exact type too, and I sure hope mine come up from last year.
    Beautiful and inspiring photos!

    1. User avater
      MaryJaneDuford 03/01/2021

      Oh I'm so glad! Yes, it's so refreshing to dream about what's just around the corner in the spring garden. That's wonderful you're growing Cobalt Dreams blue delphinium too!! I'm so happy with the variety too. I just planted mine last year so am also curious to see how they return this year. I put up some video of them last summer after planting them (https://youtu.be/JoFaCt_FjLc) and they were not very tall, but hopefully now that they've overwintered they will grow a bit taller this summer 🤷‍♀️ ...here's hoping!

  5. User avater
    treasuresmom 03/01/2021

    Great pics.

    1. User avater
      MaryJaneDuford 03/01/2021

      Thank you 💖 🌸

  6. btucker9675 03/01/2021

    Such a beautiful reminder that Spring will come...

    1. User avater
      MaryJaneDuford 03/01/2021

      👍 💖 🌸

  7. user-5117752 03/02/2021

    Yes, Alexa said there are only 18 days now until spring and your photos are a wonderful reminder of what's to come. My daffodils are budding with an occasional flower here and there and the crocus are coming and going with another bulb that has white bell-like flowers (can't remember the name) and still, in my mind, I know we still have a worrisome month ahead. We could still get a snow storm or freeze that might ruin everything. I just try to stay positive here in Western NC.

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