The Last of the Lilacs

Miss Kim

The lilacs are over for another year. What a spectacular bloom it was this year. Miss Kim perfumed the garden for almost two weeks. One could not help but breath in that wonderful scent all over the yard and garden.



The lilacs were followed by a great peony display. There were hundreds of blooms this year.

Ivory Silk

The tree lilacs also had many blooms. Ivory Silk has grown to about 25 feet. The Japanese tree lilac is much smaller, but I do like its shape much more.

Japanese Tree Lilac

More Lilac Walk Pictures

Here are some more pictures of the Lilac Walk

Sensation

Albert Holden

Lilac Walk 2011 - A Perfect Day

Lilac Hedge

Sunday, June 12 was the perfect day for a lilac walk. About 150 joined us to enjoy the lilacs at their best bloom in several years.

Approximately 85 lilacs were in bloom this year. Even a few in the new Bavarian Garden showed a bit of color.

Lilac Allee

Lilac Allee

After strolling through the garden, doing the lilac quiz and guessing how many lilacs were in the garden, guests enjoyed coffee and treats.

11th Annual Lilac Walk

Secret Garden Lilacs at Procter, BC

It's that time of year. We are gearing up for our Annual Lilac Walk. This year the lilac walk will once again be at both gardens. On Sunday, June 12th join us for the sweet scent of lilacs.

Start at the Culp Farm at 1:00 p.m. until 2:30 and view the huge collection of lilacs in a lovely pastoral setting and next to the pond. Select varieties will be available for purchase at the farm.

Continue on to the Blackman's Secret Garden at Tete Jaune where the collection is in a deep forest setting. From 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. enjoy tea in the garden or on the deck overlooking the river.

The lilac buds are starting to show some color and we are hoping for a great bloom for you to enjoy.

Spring, finally!

A sure sign of spring is the blooming of the double bloodroot under the "Primrose" lilac in my garden. While some snow and ice remains along the Fraser River, it is definitely feeling like spring is finally here.

On a trip up the mountain yesterday, two black bears were sighted, another Spring sign. Growing in a wet boggy spot, I spied the first wild flowers. I think they are a type of saxifrage. Correct me if I am wrong.

The BrideThe Bride is one of the Skinner lilacs in my collection. This lilac was purchased at the International Lilac Convention's auction. I hope to add more Skinner lilacs in the future. My favorite Skinner lilac has to be Excel. Pictures of it are posted earlier on this blog. Second choice would have to be Maidens Blush. This lilac never fails to perform here in my garden.

Maiden's Blush

Frank Skinner developed these lilacs in the harsh Canadian climate of Manitoba. They are perfect for my garden in the Canadian Rockies although they do require a site with a bit of protection from the winter winds off the Fraser River.

The Lilac Allee

After finding the Lilac Allee at Mt. Cuba Centre on the web I decided to get into the spirit for the 2012 International Lilac Convention in Nancy,France. Therefore I have decided to rename my "Lilac Walk" the "Lilac Allee." As the photo above shows, the Lilac Allee at Mt. Cuba is much more formal and better maintained than is mine.

As I have many pots of lilacs that must be planted out this year, the plan is to extend the walk, creating a gently curving grassy path with lilacs on both sides. The current lilac walk is about 90 feet long. It was originally a one sided planting with a 5 foot bed of perennials and bulbs surrounding a very small planting of lilacs. Originally there were only 5 lilacs planted in the row: Sensation, Belle de Nancy, Grande Flora Alba, President Grevy and Miss Canada. Several years later I added a row on the other side.

Last fall I planted out another row of lilacs which now will be joined with additional plantings to the original walk. This should create a wonderful allee approximately 300 feet long. This time around I will lay landscape fabric and mulch so that I do not end up with the maintenance nightmare of dealing with all the grass in the planting. Wish me luck.