The tulips, azaleas and magnolias were peaking and most of the trees where leafing out. The Gardens were filled with bright and beautiful young things.

From across Griffin’s pond a group of children captured my attention, with their freshness and delight at being out and about in the beautiful surroundings.

Wherever I pointed my camera to photograph the emerging flora, the faces of delighted children appeared. It was unintentional. The strollers these women where pushing were filled with chattering gleeful children who were as captivated by the budding scene as I was.

I decided to look at the scene from a childs eyes, so I crouched down and was rewarded with a much fuller panorama.

I walked past the bird enclosure to say Hi! to Flora the goose and forgot all about her. The Rhododendrons have popped… I didn’t think this would happen for weeks!

I’m a Acer palmatum (Japanese maple tree) fanatic. I have five varieties in my garden. This Acer palmatum var. dissectum (Laceleaf Japanese maple), is one of my favorites. It’s pale green spring foliage turn to a luminescent yellow/orange in the fall.

Nature improves on our best intentions. This azalea wraps itself around the upper bridge like a beautiful shawl, allowing us to admire it from all sides.

The best bang for your buck. Perennial borders reward us year after year with a minimum of effort and cash output. While they don’t flower as long as annuals, a well planned perennial border provides a changing and colorful palette throughout the season.

The upper and the lower bridges stand out against a backdrop of flowering shrubs.

Young children, puppies and kittens never fail to mesmerize us. Nature intends it this way so that we are compelled to focus our attention on them while they are still dependent on us. These girls won the prize for the prettiest flowers in the Gardens.

It’s Sunday morning and my garden beckons me. It’s time to dress my garden in its summer finery (a little earlier than past years, but the weather promises to hold off on frost until the fall).The season is kicking off, and in the past two days of this sunny and warm Victoria Day weekend, the trees have leafed out before my eyes. The world is shinning very bright at this moment, get out and enjoy it.
Next Saturday (May 26), the Halifax Public Gardens will be holding an open house at their ‘Display House’ greenhouse. Hope to see you there!

Unfurling before my very eyes! The Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii’ (Camperdown elm tree) never ceases to amaze me. I now have to decide if I prefer it in the winter when the leaves have fallen off exposing its beautiful form, or in the spring when the emerging leaves resemble chartreuse flowers.

This is a great time of year to admire the immensity of some of the trees in the Gardens. The leaves have yet to emerge so one has an unimpeded view from one side of the Gardens to the other. This Ulmus glabra var. lutescens (Golden elm tree) dwarfs the Victoria Jubilee Fountain beside it.

I could see these bright lights in the distance. On closer inspection they were the lemon yellow flowers of this Magnolia acuminata ‘Elizabeth’, made all the brighter because of the grey day.

The perennial borders are beginning to show more colour, especially red. There wasn’t a hint of this  Primula vulgaris last week. I must have been focusing on it’s more exotic cousin.

It wasn’t nice enough to sit out on the deck at Uncommon Grounds Cafe, but the hot soup and tea warmed me up for the walk in the drizzle.

There weren’t many of us out. There were gardeners tidying up, a man and woman practicing a form or martial art by the bandstand, and the odd person taking a shortcut through the Gardens. Once the rain started in earnest only the gardeners remained.

The greenhouses are full of annuals just waiting to be planted outdoors. Some were pretty small, but these Solenostemon (Coleus) look like they’re ready. If only the weather will co-operate.
Patience is a virtue in the spring.There’s not much point in planting your annuals before the temperatures reach a consistent 10 degrees Celsius, as they won’t grow much. Plant tender plants like these Coleus too early, and you risk loosing them to a late frost.

Inside the Display House there are Epiphyllum (May cactus), Pelargoniums (Geraninums) and Euphorbia pulcherrima (Poinsettias) merrily blooming in the tropical heat.

As any gardener knows, gardening is a back-breaking labour of love. Luckily there are some jobs which allow you to come in from the cold, and give your body a break. These gardeners are starting vegetables to be displayed at the Open House.

On May 26 at 9AM the public will have the opportunity to walk through these (usually barred) gates. HRM will be holding an open house in the greenhouse on Sackville St. Come out and meet the gardeners, the board members of The Friends of the Public Gardens and join me for a tour of the Gardens. Hope to see you then.

In spite of the grey day, there was hope and renewal in the air.

This bumblebee was too busy gathering nectar for its young to be bothered by my close proximity.

The Forsythias always shine a little brighter on a grey day.

I’ve been admiring these lovely Primula for 2 weeks and thought I better share before they  were gone. They’re in the perennial beds by the bandstand, in case you make it down to the Gardens before they’re gone.

The scroll beds have been edged and are starting to look lovely as the tulips just begin to bloom. After the tulips fade they will be replaced by annual flowers which will highlight the shape of the bed.

My favorite sign of spring. I have an Acer platanoides (Norway maple tree) just like this outside my bedroom window which never fails to lift my spirits on a cold spring day.

All the daffodils (Narcissus)  are now in bloom around the bandstand. Daffodils are photogyric, meaning their flowers turn to face the sun, so if your beds face north you’ll only see the backs of the flowers.

As the name suggests this Aralia spinosa (Devils walkingstick) has spines along its stems. It’s an ugly duckling which will become a swan, producing large lacy flowers in late summer.

Nature loves to play tricks on us.
These Fritillarias draw their viewers in for a closer look, only to repel them with their skunky smell. Personally I like the smell of skunk, but I think I’m in the minority.

Last year, this tree by the gardeners shed was a burn victim when a fire was unintentionally (we hope) set by after hours trespassers. Since trees increase their girth by growing a new outer layer every year, these scorch marks will soon be hidden (unless there has been damage to the cambium – the cell producing area just below the bark).

These Sedums in the tropical display bed make a lovely contrast.

Waiting for the band to start playing? These folks are peaking too early!
The Sunday Concert Series at the bandstand begin on June 17.

Mid next week we will be launching our new and improved website.
It is filled with lovely photos and useful information about the Halifax Public Gardens and The Friends of the Public Gardens.
Visit us at halifaxpublicgardens.ca/
We hope you find it useful and easy to navigate. Enjoy!

PS: My faithful camera seems to be having a hard time focusing. It happens to most of us eventually…
Until I get a chance to replace it , I apologize for my fuzzy photos.

Pulsatilla vulgaris  (Pasque flower), Primulas (Primrose) and Scilla siberica (Siberian squill) turn this perennial border beside the Bandstand into an alpine woodland meadow.

The buds of this Magnolia acuminata ’Elizabeth’ are swelling in preparation to display their yellow flowers. The white Magnolia stellata are beginning to drop their leaves, but if you hurry down to the Gardens you’ll still be able to catch the pink Magnolias in their glory.

Some of the changes at the Gardens aren’t pleasant. Flora returned from her winter home a widow. Finegan, her mate, became ill and passed away this winter. Drop by to say hello and keep her company.

Another absence this spring is the statue of Diana. After a 125 year residence at the Gardens she was toppled and badly damaged by vandals. I’m sure they don’t read my posts but if they do… Why?

A penny for your thoughts! There is nothing like water to make one ponder (and  apparently to make one throw away their money away). Now that the penny will no longer be produced, it’s best to hold onto them. They will soon be a collector’s item.

I keep being asked if the Gardens are open, or is there is anything to see. A definitive Yes! to both.

The Pieris japonica (Japanese andromeda) are on the wane. Next on their agenda are beautiful red/copper emerging leaves which make them look like they are in bloom again. Forecast for the weekend is sun, so you might get a last chance for a whiff.

The newly restored Bandstand (2011). The Band concerts begin on June 17. Check our new (launch date May 7) website for dates and times.

This is one of the greatest treasures in our lovely Maritime city. We tend to take it for granted (I lived here for almost 15 years before I ever visited the Gardens) as we walk by it in a great hurry to complete our next task. Ten minutes in the Gardens will lower your blood pressure, fill your lungs with oxygen rich air, make you feel less lonely.
The best things in life are free (and right next door).

If you enter the Gardens through the main gates you will be met by a beautiful spring display. To the right, by the Power memorial birdbaths, the tulips are just beginning to open. Further down the path on the left, is the spectacular spring display of Pieris japonica (Japanese andromeda) I promised last fall.

A new Magnolia hybrid? At closer inspection, someone had decided to ‘decorate’ this Magnolia with a Primula flower which ( I hope) was unintentionally decapitated.

My favorite subject… color with foliage. Flowers aren’t the only parts of the plants that provide color and interest. The leaves of evergreen plants and trees can also display glorious colors, especially in cold weather when the plant cells take protective measure against the winter and in doing so change color.

The geometric beds surrounding the bandstand are filled with sunny Daffodils. The beds are being given a rest from their usual tulip plantings after a problem with Tulip virus. If you find that your Tulips are emerging disfigured every year, dig them out , discard them (not in your compost) and don’t plant any new Tulips in the same bed for a few years.

Open for business! The lovely Uncommon Grounds Café in Horticultural Hall is open from 8AM to 4PM.  Gourmet sandwiches, ice cream and an exotic list of coffees are available to be enjoyed inside their sunny, airy café, or sitting outside on the wrap around deck surrounded by the Public Gardens. (It must be lunch time as I started the list with food and not coffee).

Just in time to commemorate the 100th year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. The Maritime ship Modellers Guild worked hard to restore and repaint the Titanic model in Griffin’s Pond in time for the early opening of the Gardens and the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.

This corner of the Gardens is filled with Magnolia stellata, the earliest flowering Magnolias in our region.

This is the perfect time of year to observe the structure and form of trees. This Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii’ (Camperdown Elm) displays it’s graft scar like a necklace. Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii’ where in vogue in the Victoria era, especially in ‘Gardenesque’ styled gardens ( like the Halifax Public Gardens).

I couldn’t resist a last shot of those Pieris japonica (Japanese andromeda).

This is such an energizing time of year. There is so much promise and things grow and change so rapidly. It’s a new beginning, but with the same old familiar elements. Not an easy thing to achieve. Imagine being able to re-shape ourselves every spring, but still essentially be us.

Speaking of re-shaping ourselves… The Friends of the Public Gardens will be launching our new website in a couple of weeks. This is the most visited site for people searching for the Halifax Public Gardens. Check out our new site in the beginning of May and leave us a comment , we love to hear from you!

Representing the circle of life, Christmas wreaths are traditionally made of evergreens to celebrate the victory of life through darkness and challenge. The beautiful wreath Glen made hangs on the main gates, heralding the festive season.

Phoenix rising! Flora is very excited to see me. I think she's lonely. As soon as I arrived at the fence both she and Finegan came over for a chat.

True to the axially symmetrical design Richard Power chose for the Gardens, this huge clump of Rhododendrons are mirrored on the other side of the bandstand.

The last of a dying breed. It's December 1 and there are still some Rosas (roses) and Primulas blooming in the Gardens in spite of the snow we experienced last week. We should all be so hardy!

Exfoliating bark on this Acer griseum (Paperbark maple) add interest and color to the bed by the ladies washroom.

 It’s cold and damp, and getting harder to find inspiration, so I decide to head for the greenhouses belonging to the Gardens. I am privileged to have access behind the scenes. The next time the Public Gardens host an open house, you too can get a taste of the tropics.

It may be grey and lifeless outside, but inside the display house at the gardens things are humming along.

Just a little tease for those of us lucky enough to be going to the tropics soon... Brazil anyone?

The aptly named birds of paradise (Strelitzia)!

The "buena noche" (Christmas Eve) plant became a Christmas tradition after a miracle, which occurred when a poor Mexican girl's offering of a weed bouquet on Christmas eve turned into the flowers we know today as Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima). It is actually a small tree or large shrub in its native Mexico.

 Thank you all for taking the time to follow these weekly photo tours, and for the encouraging comments and emails. As the Gardens are closing , I will only be posting photos once a month until the Gardens re-open on April 12, 2012.

As a volunteer (and board member) of the Friends of the Public Gardens, I invite you to join our membership (and to volunteer, the pay isn’t great but the perks are inspiring!).  It’s the best $10 I’ve ever spent.

Don’t forget to head down to Horticultural Hall on December 15 from 5-7 PM to join us in celebrating the holiday season.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a joyous holiday season to all!

Someone was trudging through that snow, though by the time I made it into the Gardens, they were closed.

These are those 'bones' I featured last week, dressed completely different.

This could be the middle of February, but that isn't ice covering Griffin's pond, just snow... lot's of it!

Some of the last leaves still clinging to the trees are those on the different Quercus (oak trees) species around the Gardens.

I find weeping trees particularly beautiful with a mantilla on snow covering their crowns.

On December 15 from 5-7PM, these gates will open once more and Horticultural Hall will be decked out for the Christmas/ Holiday season social. All are welcome!

Built in 1876, the Grotto was built as a drinking fountain near the first public lawn tennis court in Canada (which is now the family lawn).

Winter wonderland. You would only get this view in the winter when the leaves have fallen off the trees.

This large Acer (Maple) is crowding the fence and causing it to bulge. If a tree isn't planted straight , it'll grow at an angle forever. Imagine having our mistakes highlighted for so long!

The merging of two seasons. This unusual Quercus robur 'Concordia' (Yellow English oak), shows it's colors best in the fall (though it's leaves are golden all summer.

Through the Gardens fence... good thing my camera is small and fits through the gaps in the fence.

The multi talented Glen (he's also the carpet bed guy), is assembling the biggest wreath I've even seen. It will hang on the main gates.

 Weather permitting, the Gardens will re-open for one more week. On December 2 the gates will close for the season. Once the Gardens are closed, I will only be posting photos once a month until the Gardens re-open in April. That’s only 4 months away! It’s almost time to start

planning next year’s flowers (that’s already been done by the pro’s at the Gardens)!

Where do they go in the winter? These fences are normally hung with all kinds of arts, crafts and souveniers to tempt the many visitors to the gardens.

I've heard of living walls, but living gates? The moss on the main gates enhance the details on the wrought iron.

The morning sun lights up the changing leaves by the stream.

These wonderful evergreen shrubs will keep you entranced all year long.Their bell shaped flowers will attract your attention even in the fall, before they open in the spring. The young new leaves in the spring are brightly colored and from afar can be mistaken for flowers.

Looks like a great spot for a vacation! Now that the leaves are gone it's not as easy to imagine yourself in the middle of the woods.

One of several urns, which along with the statues of Ceres, Flora and Diana, were donated to the Gardens by Sir William Young. They are slated for rejuvenation in the near future.

Living up to it's name, this Quercus rubra (Red oak tree) puts on a lovely display by the lower bridge.

A reflective mallard.

At 8AM few of us have the luxury of spending time in the Gardens. Some lucky local residents use the gardens as a shortcut to work. That would start the day off right!

One of my favorite trees, Salix, (Willow tree), especially when their graceful branches weep into the water. They are know for their remarkable toughness, and tenacity to life. This one's for my mum.

Now's the time to admire the 'bones' of the Gardens.