Bonne Fête de la Bastille — in the garden, after a Vancouver weekend

First, a message from Misstic in honour of Bastille Day:

Back on my island after a busy few days in Vancouver: I had lunch with my sister Rachel and my daughter Rhiannon at Griffin’s at the Hotel Vancouver one day (such good memories of having lunch with my mom and dad there numerous times in the 90s) and with my sister Mary and same daughter at Aqua Riva another day. I also fit in a fabulous dinner at Boneta — gorgeous decor, attentive service, delicious (and beautifully plated) food, altho the surrounding neighbourhood can be tough to walk through — and the next day, a breakfast of crêpes with another daughter, Bronwen. I also managed to run the seawall and did kilometres of walking, to burn off some of those calories.

And Bronwen and I shopped together, picking up a few pieces at Aritziawhere the young saleswomen, despite their obvious hip-and-trendiness, are always friendly, helpful, and honest. Indeed, Aritzia’s become my favourite place for getting pieces that blend a classic base with a street edge and help me avoid frumpiness. Our latest choice (yes, we each got one) was a drapey silk-cashmere cardigan, just-below-the-bum length with something like a shawl collar (but not so pronounced) that followed down to the hem on each side of centre — enough fullness to cross over and tuck under but fluid enough to leave draped. Mine’s a dark grey, Bronwen’s is pearl grey, and don’t worry, we’re very unlikely to be wearing them same time, same place. Hers is an early birthday treat from me, and I also got her a great little jersey tunic that drapes over her developing belly very cutely.
Finally, she helped me buy my last pair of sandals for this summer, I’m sure, really, a pair of flat, neutral leather, gladiator sandals that I’d considered before but decided to resist ’til the sales.

Back home, in the garden, I’ve decided that I’ll concentrate on photographing my yellows and whites, the focus colours for Project Spectrumover June and July (element — air). I used to avoid yellow in the garden, altho’ I can scarcely remember why. Obviously, though, it’s worked its way in, and I’m glad it has. Here’s a quick sampling of yellows combined with whites, beginning with this Phygelius (whose name I can’t remember except that it’s not the highly-touted Moonraker, but a worthy imitator). You might also know this shrub as a Cape Horn fuschia. Here it thrives on neglect and has adapted well to the shade of the neighbouring rose, Darlow’s Enigma, despite having begun its time here in full sunshine.

And can you say “cheap and cheerful”? — this chamomile is typical of its many siblings, self-seeded all over the garden. I pull many of them out whenever I can, but I always leave enough plants to fill in — I think their white and yellow is a charming reflection of the sun on bright days, and they spark up dark corners and dull days quite nicely as well.
This lonicera japonica ‘halliana’ might not look like much, but what a fabulous perfume! (and it’s actually much prettier than this photograph allows)
A very favourite rose, Golden Wings, a climber with fragrant yellow blossoms, gorgeous stamens, and then great rose hips as a bonus for the fall garden.
Clematis tangutica with its sweet yellow nodding lanterns which will turn into silken, curlicued seed heads.

Some of the senecio greyii’s flowers escaped my secateurs.
And this Graham Thomas rose, a gift from my friend Alison eight or nine years ago, is even more spectacular with the sun shining behind it — it has a rich scent in which I find a hint of raspberry.
And here’s Darlow’s Enigma helping keep the bees in my garden happy — I’m a huge fan of bees, and their sound is an element that makes a garden come alive for me.
I have a few more yellows and whites that I’ll show you later this week. For now, I’m heading into the garden with secateurs and trowel to do some trimming and some weeding, and perhaps later, some sitting and sipping.