We had rain forecast over the last week or two and had virtually none. This is from a wetter day last month.
Category: Foliage
Full blast into spring
I posted an early springtime shot of this willow at the Dungeness Recreation Area here. It quickly took on the mantle of spring once it got going. This shot was taken about a month later.
Salal
This is another of our common native plants. The leaves may look familiar to you. They are commonly harvested for use in floral arrangements. The little blossoms become tiny blackish berries that area eaten by birds, deer, and humans. I’ve never tried them; I must add them to my foraging menu.
Serviceberries
The lands of the Dungeness Recreation Area are frosted with blossoms of native serviceberries (amelanchier alnifolia) these days.
Also called saskatoons, in summertime these showy blossoms turn to tiny purple berries. They attract birds, among them one of my favorite visitors, cedar waxwings.
People also eat the abundant berries though they can be a bit mealy. We met a Native American woman harvesting them for pies and other treats one summer and a couple of Eastern Europeans who were convinced they’d found wild blueberries. Some trees have better berries than others. I suspect the soil quality is a big factor.
One last Victoria shot
We came across this unusual topiary in a residential Victoria garden.
Roofs and trellis
The Butchart Gardens aren’t 100% gardens. There are buildings: places to eat, a visitor center, a gift shop. Beyond these trellises on the left is the Dining Room Restaurant where a nice afternoon tea is served. If your wallet yearns to be free there are opportunities to lighten its load.
The Japanese Garden
Another favorite area of The Butchart Gardens is the classic Japanese Garden. In the Japanese Garden there are classic bridges to complete the scene.
It’s hard to find a view that isn’t glorious. Like other parts of the gardens the Japanese Garden is enlivened with water.