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Thursday 21 June 2018

Garden of Summer Solstice

I always mean to post on Summer Solstice every year but some how mange to miss it .. this time even though this is very much an on the fly post (I have errands to run SOON!) ..I thought I would just post a few pictures to celebrate that my garden is alive .. and has a few creatures, caught having some fun in it as well ?

I call her ? Ms. Chips mostly .. she is part of a generation of chipmunks that have lived in the back garden for years.
It was complicated this Spring when the new patio was put in .. she had to move temporarily .. and we did worry about her a lot .. but Garden PA saw she had her family in our neighbor's rather neglected back yard (neglected being a good thing because she and her babies were safe there)
The babies have long gone .. like the babies of the Robin .. but Ms. Chips has stubbornly made a new home in our new patio .. who could kick this little soul out ?

I know .. a rather odd ? picture .. chickadees are so quick it is extremely hard to get a picture of them .. especially since our Goldfinches usually drive them away from the feeder .. but I just couldn't resist. Their song is so sweet to hear as is the House wren .. which now I can't find that picture.
They are so hard to photograph .. so quick .. never settling for more than an instant.
In any case .. there are two little creatures that enjoy our back garden !

Of course more allium .. these bloom later than most
Gladiator is a tall one  .. needs a bit of help standing.

A smaller cat mint ..
Baptisia leaning out
A wall of clematis
My new bush clematis
One of my Japanese maples that survived that harsh winter thankfully !
Amur is a pretty one in the corner of the garden
Autumn Brilliance serviceberry .. before it usually gets a hit of "rust" which seems inevitable each year ... the birds love the berries of course !
I am thinking of Fall already with the bulb catalogs arriving ...

14 comments:

outlawgardener said...

Hooray for summer! Your garden and it's inhabitants look very happy that winter has finally been banished and summer rules. (For now at least.) Yikes, after today, the days start getting shorter again.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

What a Joy your garden is. I love your critters. I got mad at our chipmunk because the rascal tunneled under a plant and killed it. They have another space out front. Kicking dirt all over the front walk. I don't mind that really as long as they aren't digging up plants. Happy Solsitce. Enjoy the longest day and all beyond.

Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening said...

Your blooms are all beautiful and Ms. Chips is adorable, but what a crazy choice for a home! Happy summer solstice!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello there Peter ! thank you so much : ) Yes ! .. the time has just swooped by and we are on the down hill trend ? now ? haha .. but so far we have been lucky after that wicked winter .. not too much intense heat/humidity .. seriously though ? .. I am already looking forward to FALL !! LOL

Lisa girl hello there : )
You are sweet, thank you ! Hey , I understand some people have real problems with chipmunks and I do sympathize .. squirrels drive me CRAZY ! make a real mess of things for me .. but our little chipmunk (other than making a home between the flagstone with the patio .. has been a "neat" little creature .. sweet ... so we can't help but love her.
Can you believe we are at this point already ? roll on Fall ? haha

Hello Lee and thanks for stopping by ! I was looking at your web page and all those gorgeous before/after shots .. I love your use of stone and rock ... the designs are so pretty ! .. if I lived near you I think I would have hired you ! LOL ... great work !

Carrie said...

Hurrah for Ms. Chips and her babies doing well and off on their own adventures. That's one heck of a great photo of her. Love Illumns and we are putting them in amongst our box balls for next summer (great minds and all that). So glad that your acer looks so good when you feared that you were going to have to say goodbye to them all. Great post as usual and Happy Solstice!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Thank you so much sweetie ! .. it was just pure luck to catch her little head popping up out of her home "in" our patio.. haha .. I have become obsessed with alliums now ... love them!
Yes .. so happy to see at least three of my JM trying so hard to return to normal.
Can you believe we are now turning downwards with light values from summer already ?
Roll on Fall ? LOL

goatman said...

Nice! A joy to see. Thanks

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Thank you goatman : )

Jason said...

Your Clematis looks good. We have chipmunks, but too many to name. If I were to name just one I would all it Cheeky.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Thanks Jason .. Cheeky is a perfect name for almost all chipmunks ! haha .. we just seem to have a few generations that like the garden so much they "stay" to enjoy it and the sunflower seeds we treat them too. I am just glad they don't damage the plants ... so far ? haha

Buttons alias Grace said...

Well, Joy long time no see. I love your gardens you are one of the most knowledgeable and passionate gardeners that are out there. Love Cheeky. Thanks for sharing your beauty to a non-garner like me. Someday I will see yours for real. HUGS B

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello there Grace girl !
Thank you so much :-) my passion is far more tempered by the physical struggle now (although I still lay in bed at night secretly gardening in my head ? LOL)
Our little chipmunk is a treat to us .. sometimes she disappears for days though and we worry .. cats in the neighborhood and what not ...she is such a little thing.
My gardens are sliding into their ugly period now .. this time of year again .. yuck !
Yes .. one day you have to see the monster (Frankenstein garden for all the work it demands) I have created.. haha

Carrie said...

wow! I've never seen a butterfly like that in my life - what a beauty. I can say that honestly now, after so many year of intense phobia of butterflies I am slowly getting better :)
HELLO Ms. Chips!!
Your garden colour palette is just perfection - you have a great gift, I'm glad you get to use it and I get to share in it.
hugs and love
C x

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Carrie girl : ) Thank you so much !
Hey you and I share a few phobias (but you know that already < haha) .. mine was a moth thing .. I would panic if there was one in the room by mistake .. but butterflies (even though they are all in the same family) .. well, butterflies are so beautiful and so beneficial (as are moths too) .. I have to be in awe of any pollinator , right ? LOL
I am glad to be in it and sharing it too , so much more this year compared to last, phew !
Hugs back girl : )