Daylilies and Iris

The daylilies and iris are in bloom, after a long season of anticipation. We got several cultivars of Iris from Red Lane Daylilies last year, and placed them in the middle of the daylily rows. The colors are spectacular, and set each other off. The daylilies, or hemerocallis, are wonderful shades of yellow, orange, and pink. The intense purple and blues of the iris beckons from afar.
Love the harbour in the background behind the flowers. The Merigomish Harbour provides a lot of moisture for the fields in summer, and an extremely harsh climate in winter, ensuring only the hardiest of daylilies for Alloa Farm:).
Iris bearded collection of 6 - 6 Plants

Hollyhock

An old fashioned biennial accent plant reminiscent of heirloom gardens and the cottage garden, the hollyhock, alcea rosea, is a beautiful addition to the back of a sunny perennial border. Hollyhocks are short lived herbaceous biennials, however often remain in the flower garden due to the common occurrence of self sewn seedlings. I love the tissue paper texture of the beautiful hollyhock blooms, and the striking height of the plants, which usually range from 5 to 8 feet at maturity.

Starfish Bounty

Look at who we caught while fishing off the wharf last summer!
The kids were amazed with what I believe is a common starfish, pulled out of the harbour at the Merigomish Marina.
The starfish was alive and mobile, and a curious creature to observe. The children were fascinated by his form, and his appearance made up for the lack of fish caught that day:).
Caught and released. Package of 30 Real Starfish

Peonies~ A Little Piece Of Family History

This gorgeous peony flower is from last summers garden. This peony grows every year as it has for probably generations. Planted by grandparents or possibly great grandparents, it remains undisturbed to provide sustenance for the soul for all the generations that have followed. The children are proud of their heritage, right down to the beautiful plantings that continue to poke up through the soil year after year.

Antique Shed Doors

These antique shed doors were recently removed from the daylily shed. Built several generations ago by my partners grandfather, they sparkled with intricate layers of peeling paint, and reminded me of large pieces of outdoor art.
An old rusty horseshoe hung on one of the doors.

Lilacs

A view of the harbour through lilacs.

Monkshood~ Aconitium Napellus

Monkshood growing in my maritime garden. Although very beautiful,this is a highly toxic perennial plant. It is extremely poisonous and should absolutely NEVER be ingested. Even a small taste can be fatal. Monkshood can also be absorbed through the skin, and so handling should be done only with gloved hands. Since discovering the highly toxic nature of this plant, I have chosen to remove it from my garden. My children and pets roam the garden, and we will not be risking any accidental poisonings.

Fossil Hunting

Fossil hunting at Arisaig Provincial Park in Nova Scotia has become a yearly adventure for our family. I would highly recommend it as an exciting day trip for budding archeologists:). Our province is very rich in fossil sites. The kids always have a fantastic time, and it never fails to produce some fantastic treasures, and of course memories to cherish as well! We are so fortunate to live so close to such an amazing place.


Fossil hunting ~ summer 2010.

Fun On The Beach

The appeal of a buoy, an amazing new toy! Who would have thought that an old washed up buoy would be such a hit with the kids and dog alike?! Missing the fun of last summers frolics on the beach at Big Island Nova Scotia!

Skeletonized Chinese Lanterns (Physalis Alkekengi)

Physalis alkekengi,or commonly known as Chinese Lantern, is a European perennial garden plant often grown for it's autumn fruit and colorful orange pods and is frequently used in flower arrangements in the fall. The pods or calyces which surround the fruit change from green to a brilliant red orange color when they are ripe . If left on the plant, the can become skeletonized, and provide a remarkable subject to photograph:).I find it interesting how the fruit or berry can be easily seen through the skeletonized Chinese Lantern pod.