Flamboyant Cacti at Mesa Verde National Park

photograph of Cactaceae cactus at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, U.S.A.

musk thistle, mesa verde national park, colorado, 2

From the Visitor Centre at the entrance to Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, Bob and I ascended a sinuous and steep roadway to the Museum that is located near Spruce Tree House, one group of cliff dwellings open to the public.  When we pulled into the parking lot, my attention was immediately captured by the most outstanding examples of wildflowers, Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans), that were bobbing atop tall stalks next to one of the adobe outbuildings. Read more

Sunchokes growing wild at Lower Reesor Pond in Toronto

sunchokes growing at lower reesor pond - toronto 3

sunchokes, lower reesor pond, rouge national urban park, toronto

How beautiful is a sprawling drift of Sunchokes fading into the distance!  That is just what we found when Bob and I visited Lower Reesor Pond in northeast Toronto.  This native species of sunflower goes by many different names including Sunchokes, Sunroot or Earth Apple. Read more

Red Lily beetles plague my Toronto Tiger Lilies



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Red Lily beetles plague my Toronto Tiger Lilies

Red lily beetle in toronto garden 4

For the past several years, starting each spring and into the summer months,  I have been pestered by Red Lily Beetles (Lilioceris lilii) on my Tiger Lilies .  It is actually the beetles’ shiny, hard forewings that are red.  These pretty little beetles stand out quite well on green plants, but they are a trick to catch and squash.  I declare that I think they see me coming because, often, as I move in on their position, they drop to the earth below and essentially disappear in the shadows.  It doesn’t help that, this year, I spread red cedar chips in all my gardens, so imagine trying to find a red bug on that red surface. Read more

Wild Coneflowers growing at Lower Reesor Pond



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Wild Coneflowers growing at Lower Reesor Pond

coneflowers at lower reesor pond - toronto 7

Bob and I paid a visit one spring to the Lower Reesor Pond in north Toronto, Ontario, and had purposely allotted a large chunk of time in order that we might pay some well deserved attention to that special habitat.  Through reports provided by other visitors, we learned that some less common wildflowers and plants have gained foothold in the area surrounding the pond, and sure enough, we uncovered several groupings of Wild Coneflowers. Read more

The Victorian Walled Garden at Kylemore Abbey, Ireland

An image of the Walled Victorian Gardens at Kylemore Abbey in County Galway, Ireland. Photography by Frame To Frame - Bob and Jean.

The grandeur of Kylemore Abbey extends well beyond the opulence of the original Castle to the expansive Victorian Walled Garden that rises from the heretofore boggy moorland in County Galway, Ireland.  It is a magnificent example of what can be achieved when creative engineering is combined with tenacity and inspiration. Read more

The Poison Garden At Blarney Castle In Ireland

An image of the deadly nightshade skull and crossbones sign in the Poison Garden at Blarney Castle in Ireland. Photograph by Frame To Frame - Bob and Jean.

The Poison Garden at Blarney Castle is one of the featured gardens on the grounds that span some 1,000 acres, but it is but a tiny plot sheltered behind the Blarney Castle battlements.  The Poison Garden contrasts sharply with the expansive green spaces and vibrant flowers found elsewhere on the estate property, but mystique pervades the small plot and has curious visitors anxious to investigate . Read more

The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Gardens

Daylily garden - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean

ruby red daylily, Montreal Botanical Garden

In the Summer of 2013, Bob and I drove to Montreal to take in the Mosaiculture 2013 competition underway at Montreal Botanical Gardens.  The Garden had so much more to offer, including 31 specialized gardens.  When we hit upon the Daylily Garden, I could not believe the number and varieties of daylilies covering endless flowerbeds…daylilies such as this ruby red beauty. Read more

Mosaiculture 2013 At Montreal Botanical Gardens

Spirit of the Wood, Cernunnos topiary at Mosaiculture 2013, at Montreal Botancial Garden, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

When I read Sonia Day’s article in the Toronto Star, about Mosaiculture 2013, an international competition being held at the  Montreal Botanical Garden,   I was consumed with intrigue.  Competitors from around the world had created giant living “sculptures” using plants as their medium, and the theme for 2013’s competition was Land of Hope.  Bob, and I just had to go and check it out. Read more

Our Tour of Ireland’s Powerscourt House and Gardens

Powerscourt main building at front - Ireland

Powerscourt - view from triton lake - Ireland

After touring the ancient monastic retreat in Glendalough, Bob and I drove up towards Kilmacanogue to visit Powerscourt Estate, the home of Powerscourt House and Gardens  in County Wicklow, Ireland.  The Palladian mansion provides the perfect backdrop for the dramatic gardens and statuary that occupy the property. Read more

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