As we settle back home, we’re seeing the signs of others who have spent time here while we travelled. The mason bees must have been busy here, for example. Just before we left, back in early April, they’d broken out of the coccoons mudded into tubes by last year’s masons. There had been ten tubes filled last year, and new bees broke out of all ten of them and began working immediately — and imagine our surprise and delight to find that twenty tubes are now full of next year’s crew. This seems to be a self-sustaining operation now, and we’ll be sure to have new tubes on hand next year. . . .
While we were away, good friends stayed here several times, and the garden shows the results of their knowledgeable care. As well, Oldest Granddaughter took the responsibilities of her first job seriously, and except for the fig tree, most plants came through the weeks of drought in good health.
Would you like a quick tour? Above, the maidenhair fern we added last fall — I’ve got to get a couple more of these into some of the empty pots kicking around, although every time I say something like this, Pater gets a worried look on his face and begins saying silly things like “There’s really not room for any more plants.”
I suspect this photo isn’t as coherent or legible to objective eyes — to me, it shows the glory of early morning sun shining through the rose-tinged feathery fingers of the ornamental maple. . . .
Under the fountain, wire vine (Muhlenbeckia axillaris if my research is correct) envelopes a quirky sculpture one of my daughters gave me for Christmas or birthday 15 or 20 years ago. The bird used to sit next to the wood stove at our old house, but she doesn’t seem to mind being an outdoor creature these days.
And proof that the mason bees are doing their work and earning the housing we provide. . . .
Apples on all three trees! Such a thrill!
The fig, as I mentioned earlier, either needed more to drink or it missed us enough to drop all its leaves. Every single one and, presumably, any little figs as well. New growth has begun, though, and we’ll see if it’s vigorous enough to maintain its hold on the high-premium real estate. . .
So much I love about Corylopsis spicata (Spike winter hazel). . . .
pleated leaves, that wine-coloured leaf-sheath (botanists, help me out here? There’s probably a specific term for this) against the new leaves’ sweet golden green. . .
So that although it claims a large sprawl of terrace space, it’s found a forever home with us. . . .
Another apple tree — if you peer carefully at that blue sky behind, you’ll see the immense crane stretched across it — I’m so tickled by that juxtaposition. My rooftop urban orchard.
The New Dawn rose is looking better than she ever has thanks to my friend’s vigilant aphid watch, her willingness to work the secateurs, and her ingenuity in using fabric strips to tie in some of the canes. . . . Thanks, Sandy!
We saw so much clever use of climbers in limited space while we were away (I’ll share a few photos later) that Pater picked up two pots of Parthenocissus (Virginia creeper). . . I’m a bit nervous about the potentially thuggish propensities of these guys but My Guy assures me he will keep them under control. . . We’ll see. . . .
And while we’re planning to take advantage of the upper elevations, we’re also enjoying the way some of last year’s under-planting is filling in. This golden Dicentra — yes, it has sweet flowers (Bleeding Heart) in the spring, but it’s this lacy foliage that earns its keep. (At the front centre of that photo, you’ll see the bumblebee home Pater made from an inverted plant pot tray at a workshop we went to last summer at the local botanic garden. We have no idea if it’s been tenanted or not — it was meant to allow a queen to hunker down over the winter — and I’m trying to convince Pater to haul it out and have a look. Did you know that many of our native pollinating bees use holes in the ground for shelter? And that the huge excavations of so much urban development devastates their populations to our detriment? So we’re trying to do a bit to help, but not very sure they’ll want to come up this high to find a “hole in the ground.”
Another point in favour of the Corylopsis — look how beautifully it pairs with the Fuchsia we’ve tucked underneath it. . . .
I’m crazy about the way this hosta fills its huge pot so generously — a bit nervous at the idea that it might want to be divided some day. . . .
That’s the end of the tour for the terrace garden, but here’s a very quick peek at the little balcony “out front” where I decided a small fountain might provide another buffer against street noise. This balcony gets full-on afternoon sun, magnified by that glass panel, but is sheltered from any rain by the balcony above it — so attentive watering is a must and we’re still trying to sort out what works. A Darwinian garden, if you will.
Those hellebore were new additions just before we left — luckily, my friend was here to wage an all-out campaign against the aphids that were sapping all their vigour (I would never, ever have imagined aphids enjoying the leathery leaves of a hellebore plant!). That purple-leafed heuchera with the foamy pink flowers was added then as well, and it seems to be thriving three months later. We’ve added a jasmine plant — Bordeaux’s streets were perfumed with them, everywhere, so inspiring — and one of my favourites, a Gaura Lindheimeri (common names Bee-blossom; Whirling Butterflies (the white ones) Our friend in Bayonne had those butterflies whirling on her balcony, overlooking a lively street scene — we peered across them at the Pyrenees. . . .
If you’ve read this far, you’re probably keen on gardens. If you’re a relatively new visitor here, you might not know about a Series of Garden Visits I facilitated here the summer before last — some very generous readers with wonderful gardens invited us to tour (virtually) their gardens and they answered my questions about how they developed and maintain those gardens. Have a peek if you haven’t seen those already (even if you have, I found it a joy to revisit those gardens). . .
And leave a word or two if you’d like, in the comments below. I always enjoy knowing you were here.
You've got a lot of lovely plants on your balcony…it looks like a calm oasis of beauty.
So pleased your garden has done so well for you – all praise to the granddaughter and friend – and it’s great that the bees have multiplied.🌸 I love beautiful gardens and flowers and enjoy reading and learning about them but, uhhm, I’m not much good at doing any actual gardening myself. My husband is the gardener. We have a suburban home to the north of Sydney in an area settled in the early part of the 1900s with many large trees, including a huge oak, areas of lawn and a large number of camellias. The trees are great but their shade and extensive root systems make it hard to successfully grow other plants but with trial and error, the garden is developing nicely. Thanks for the heads up about aphids and hellebores and I adore your fountain. Tell Pater if he can have Virginia creeper, you should be able to have your altogether more modest additions 😉
I just love how you've created these little oases on your balconies! The plants are combined with an artist's eye, and you seem to have chosen them well for the environment.
How nice of your (friends) and your garden to welcome you home to such loveliness.
Serenity! Such a beautiful, peaceful place you’ve created.
Thanks, Hostess. It really does offer respite from the urban buzz.
Maria: So you're in Australia? Such different gardening conditions, I'm sure, but that mix of expansive lawn and tall trees is always so calming — I do understand about the challenges of working through and around the root systems though — we had many large trees on our previous property. A privilege and a challenge both. And I will pass your message along to my fellow — thank you! 😉
Sue:Aw, thank you. Means a lot coming from you.
Mary: It really was — we appreciated it so much.
Kathy: Thank you! It's made the transition to city life possible.
I enjoy all of of your posts. Your garden is particularly interesting for me because we will be changing to a forever home soon and I will be leaving my established garden. So not knowing if I will have an inground or container garden, I watch what you are doing for ideas. That said…I live in Virginia and have never known anyone to purposefully plant Virginia Creeper. Down here, it's considered an invasive weed to be torn out before it takes over (watch for a rash). Please tell Pater to watch it carefully.
This was very cheering. My own little garden, taking on a new lease of life with Mr Green's input, is standing up well to about ten days of constant rain. Never known such a wet June. My seedlings are struggling to burgeon because it is too cold but I am telling myself that it will be different in a couple of weeks. It will…
This tour of your garden in the city and these beautiful photos warm my heart. Having been lucky enough to bear witness to seeing the apple blossoms creep into view and then turn into tiny round mounds on the end of the branches was like watching children take first steps. I was overjoyed at seeing the effects of this amazing urban oasis come to life! To see current and updated pictures of plants that became an extension of my landscape family makes me smile.
I too have come home from trips to Europe and been inspired by what I saw thriving in limited space surrounded by stone and brick.
We don't need a lot of space to bring nature into our lives and your terrace is living proof. Add the sound of water and the scene is perfection.
Sometimes returning home and connecting to where we live as part of 're-entry' for me starts by turning the soil and deadheading flowers. Your space ( and photos of proof ) are a great demonstration of this happening on your return.
Watching a crow soften his piece of bread in the top layer of the fountain left me realizing there was no lack of entertainment just by looking out the window.
And BTW I've never met an aphid I was able to make friends with 🙂
A great Saturday morning read.
It is wonderful! Such an amazing terace garden (and orchard as well)
Dottoressa
Look at how wonderful it all looks! My back yard is almost hardscaped and I'll soon have to turn my brain to landscaping. Somehow, my brain hasn't given this the first thought. But I'm not into overthinking things these days. 🙂
I loved the garden tour! You have truly brought the essence of a suburban gardening to urban living. Virginia Creeper grows as a weed here. Say the word and I will dig up as much as you want and send it your way! 🙂
Thanks, Susan — I'm pleased to know you find the garden posts useful. It's a big deal to leave a garden you've maintained for a long time. For me it was really important to have some outdoor space but moving to the city meant a condo — We were very lucky to find this place, with the large terrace and a fountain already installed. I've been surprised to see how much we can do with containers, but there's been a definite learning curve — pest management, for example. . . way more aphids with far fewer natural predators (so far, at least).
Annie: I know how tough that extended constant rain can be — here, in a city known for high annual rainfall, we're now worrying about water restrictions as May was dry and June is proving even drier. . . . If we could just trade for a few days 😉
Sandy: So glad you were here, so pleased you enjoyed the place, and thank you for all these wise words. I have to admit that the crows (two seem to be visiting regularly) and the pigeons (also two) are guests I have to think twice about allowing, given their tendency to be as pestilential as the sparrows, but so much bigger! On the other hand, I think about how we've diverted and expropriated all their natural water sources. . . and I have a fondness for crows and their cleverness. . . .
Dottoressa: A bit funny to you, I know, since you have a real orchard 😉
K! Your hardscaping is looking fantastic. I think you could get away with enjoying it this summer and not bothering to much with the landscaping — maybe a few containers of green — and throw in some jasmine for me. . . . I know it won't survive your winter, but it will perfume your humid summer 😉
Smithposts: Thank you! I will heed yours and Susan's warning — I've suggested to Paul that he buy a panel of lattice and allow it to climb that rather than have any chance it will sucker itself onto the building. . . .We had it growing up an old tree in our previous garden and it never became thuggish — not sure why it's less weedy in our climate.
I am loving your urban garden more and more as it grows and you tweak and putter and experiment. I also really like the way it's screening stuff you might not want to look at.