greenhouse
A belated Happy New Years to all of my favorite plant friends. Here we are in 2015, a year full of promise and good things to come. This winter has been unseasonably pleasant, our little city on the southern point of Vancouver Island has nary seen a drop of snow all season. I’ve been in a t-shirt since early February, what a beautiful time to be alive.
What have I been doing you ask and why haven’t I been updating my plant musings? Let’s just say between family, the greenhouse and a large succulent collection. Most moments are quickly used up.
Life is a pleasure and a delight; I’m thoroughly enjoying fatherhood. My son shows interest in his first spring conscious as a walking and talking sponge for sensation. He runs about the garden, running his hand through the leaves and different textures. He squeals and squeaks with fresh observations. Stumbles and trolls throughout my backyard jungle. I now have a co-pilot in my exploration of local gardens.
Here as we enter spring, the temperatures rise and the days lengthen. Life is emerging all around, my garden slowly begins to wake up and unravel. As the plants awaken I’m also uplifted by the bright days of spring. It’s an inspiring time of year and one can’t help but get lost in the garden as the sun sets yet another day. Much tidying, propagating and organizing. If my garden was Broadway it’d be saying. Showtime!
So having been on a creative hiatus for a bit it’s hard to nail down just what I want to say here. Perhaps just to say hello and I’m alive and well. For the moment I will start off with a mishmash of photos from my latest botanical endeavors. Yes, Here we go. Let’s start off at my life at the greenhouses.
Since the start of 2015 we’ve has some awesome weeks of sunshine. Above a morning snapshot of greenhouses at sunrise.
Hellebore ‘Camelot’ flowering in unison.
From late December right through to February it was Primula polyanthus from morning until night.
It’s a funny thing working outside everyday. Cold and bitter, hot and humid. From January through December we work in all forms of weather and end up changing clothing every 15 minutes as a cloud passes by or the sun shines high.
To produce plants at an industrial level takes more than just good planning it takes the bronze to get the job done. You like fuchsia baskets? Now do it thousand times. I’ve always prefered this type of exertion to the gym.
I love the stretching infinity. Baskets upon baskets, in all directions.
A house full of hanging Cool Wave pansies at their perfect stage of bloom. When the house is shut tight the subtle scent is multiplied and enchanting. I have a poor sense of smell but it’s permiates none the less. It smell fresh & aromatic. Incredible.
My associate watering some spring baskets in.
At this time of year we start to make use of every last inch of space. Successions of spring bedding crops are planted and laid out. Marigolds, lobelia, snap dragons, petunias and so much more. Each day brings us closer to true spring.We will work from dawn until dusk to move large volumes of plants across the island and beyond. Maybe some of these will be planted outside your window one day.
With all the grandeur and excitement of life it often feels like there isn’t enough hours in a day. A time traveler in a modest sense, time flies when you’re having fun.
The harbinger of spring, Daffodil ‘Tete a Tete’ in full bloom.
Primula denticulata
Arabis ‘Spring Charm’.
Armeria juniperifolia.
Pulsatilla vulgaris.
I’ve been sorting our plant laboratory for the last few months trying to make sense of what to do with all these crazy plants. An army of aeoniums for an upcoming project lay on the right side, a table of on oddities on the left. I’m in the midst of downsizing some of my personal collection. For those who live locally and are looking for some true botanical gems, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Speaking of aeoniums. This Aeonium atropurpureum has begun to flower.
An small gathering of echiums. I wonder what gardens these will find their way into.
A beautiful mangave specimen.
A few flats of Aeonium tabuliforme I grew from seed last year. They’re just starting to look right and show off their fibonacci sprial.
Dicksonia fibrosa with spanish moss.
Walking through Finnarty Gardens at the UVIC Campus we came across this amazing Garrya elliptica tree in bloom.
Cherry blossoms, daffodils and young life.
We’ve been frequenting the great gardens of Victoria. If you haven’t made it to Government House yet this season, it’s time to pour a warm drink and take off for a jaunt.
Ethereal hellebores.
Primula Wanda Hybrid.
Back at home things are coming up nicely.
Anemone nemorosa is awesome.
Fritillaria.
Dodecatheon and Salix boydii.
Miniature primula.
My latest acquisition from Fraser Thimble Gardens Corydalis ‘George Baker’. A fleeting ephemeral moment of spring.
Dinosuars run amok.
Frosted cyclamen
A garden nymph getting into my sedum pot.
Beautiful Vancouver Island. I love you.
Until next time plant people. Wishing you great success with your springtime and garden. Ciao
Overtime Season: Day 10, 60 hrs of insane greenhouse order pulling. Round one, FIGHT!
It’s been a crazy week at the greenhouse, 1000’s of baskets, 100’s of perennials & 1000’s of 6pack spring annuals, rack after rack after rack of beautiful green product. This week has been a real test to one’s mental stamina, moods are tense, body’s ache and everyone’s mental disposition is in jeopardy of falling out of place. This week has blinked away in a fury of hard work, I roll out of bed, work for 10-11 hrs and roll back in at the end of the day. By the time I’m fed and bathed the sun is just setting on my backyard garden, I wonder in the twilight observing all of the spring changes. On a rainy twilight evening I found myself sitting inside my small greenhouse, smoking a dijarum decompressing the day’s challenges.
Pano of the greenhouse via an interesting app I got for my phone, click for an enlargement.
While a 60 hour week is a difficult thing to pull off physically it’s just as hard mentally. In times of extreme busyness even the simplest chore seems time sensitive and difficult to accomplish. At a time like this it’s a good thing I like my job because I’m there more then anywhere else right now. It’s a wonder how I can even look at plants after work, still plants for work and plants for play seem to be different things. I’ve never been so conscious of spring and the wonder happening everyday. It’s now quite apparent why April,May & June are the top garden months here in Victoria. It’s wet, but warm, and everything is just so lush this time of year. It’s really quite awe inspiring and beautiful at this time of year.
Click for a enlargement
Throughout this busy time I’ve still made time to appreciate it all and do the odd neurotic maintenance in the back. Upon a closer inspection my garden is just about to pop, buds are forming everyday & flowers are opening left right and center. This is the year that my garden graduates from mundane to masterpiece, the perennials are established, specimen count high, and the spring color is going to be through the roof. It’s like setting up a fireworks display, it’s all set up to impress Late May early June is going to be quite the show and I’m thrilled to see it go.
My backyard greenhouse, May 2011
Working all these hours can be hard on the soul, but if you put yourself in the right head space it’s a good challenge. Having worked at this greenhouse for a couple years now it’s no surprise that to me that April & May are the busiest times of the year. Like running a marathon everyone wants to prove their worth come busy season. Slowly but surely people start running out of steam, be it their attitude, body or pure and simple work efficiency. I drink a lot of coffee this time of year in hopes of keeping my energy high. It’s not enough to work the hours, you have to be effective with your time and energy, and stay positive while doing it. One of the most difficult parts of working this much isn’t the job itself, it’s the grouchy ragged people you have to work with. If it isn’t brutal enough to work nearly 60 hours in a week, the last thing I want to hear is the moping and sluggish *bitching* of a tired co-worker. Hum, Serenity Now. I figure if you don’t want to be here, go home. After it’s all said in done we work in a greenhouse for god’s sake, how bad can it be.
Now all complaining aside, as much as this week has been tough, it’s been amazing. There is something quite rewarding about being exhausted at the end of the week. Tomorrow when I wake up I will have the day to myself. For one day I’m a king in my own domain, where there is a lot of work, there is also a lot of play. I’ve seen more plants this week then some people see in a lifetime. It’s like going to a boot camp spa, I’m loosing weight, getting a tan and getting paid to do it. I think working in a greenhouse is probably one of the nicest work environments to be in, sometimes dusty, sometimes wet, but almost always beautiful. There is nothing quite like being in a field of flowers.
Click to enlarge
This thing has been a lifesaver this year.
