My Bit of Heaven - by Kristl Walek

[Kristl Walek]

Although I spent most of today botanizing again, I do not have much new to share. My recent travels are taking me further inland--into central Nova Scotia---an area of abundant lakes and sparse habitation. In the sunny two days since the roadside Lupines began blooming, they are now to be seen everywhere on the sides of all the highways---and wherever there is an waste site, they have filled in.

The larger landscape has rarer spots of bloom now, and these are largely wild apples and cultivated Prunus and Lilac escapes. I did see a few native Aronias blooming---am unsure if it is melanocarpa, arbutifolia or prunifolia.

Along the road I also ran into a large marsh full of Nuphar variegata---next time I go, I will have to take a different lens to get some closer shots.

Most of the woodlands I explored presented the same species we have seen before although one of them was so solidly Coptis groenlandica, that it almost carpeted the entire forest.  This now qualifies as my mother lode site for seed collecting. Here too Linnaea borealis occured in very good quantity and there were such an abundance of Mitchella repens berries from last season, I had to take the time to do my first collecting for this year. As I was unprepared for seed, my jacket had to suffice.

Mitchella and Gaultheria procumbens are rarely eaten by wildlife, so one has the option of collecting the seed either in spring or in late fall/early winter. I always prefer the first option.

The last time I visited Jill (Bunchberry Nursery) she showed me a very special clone of the native Pinus glauca that was originally found in the wild on the east coast of the province. The intense aurea coloration does disappear in time (I believe by summer), but what an incredible find!!!!  She is the process of introducing it in the trade.

[Ragged Robin]

Underfoot everywhere were some of my favorite groundcovers, combined in that exquisite way that only nature seems to manage in such perfection.

Your photos of your botanizing trips reveal the true nature of how plants grow and where and I love the affinity you have with what you see and share Kristi

[Kristl Walek]

I had no intention of botanizing yesterday---rather, a day to give some energy to my new garden (where I have not spent much time since my move). Early I jumped into the car to drive the hour to Briar Patch Nursery in Berwick to purchase a few woody species.

But botanizing is never far away once I get into my vehicle. Driving up the Valley, I passed the sand flats again and this time patches of bright yellow caught my eye and I knew that the Hudsonia ericoides had taken me by surprise. With a very restricted range on the eastern seaboard, it is ranked as "sensitive" in Nova Scotia and is part of the Coastal Plains Flora.

Here in the sand plain, it is hard to see when not in flower, growing as it does against thick drifts of Corema conradii and others. It stays fairly restricted to outer edges or openings; suggesting lack of ability to compete with the other, more vigorous species here.

[Kristl Walek]

Arriving in Berwick, I became distracted by a market offering the first local asparagus of the year (one of my serious addictions), and noticed their beautiful portobello mushrooms (also local). Upon asking, I learned that Valley Mushroom Company was "just 5 minutes up the street" where one could buy large bags of them for $5.00.

With thoughts of a huge plate of portobellos fried in butter off I went on another explore. I was slightly late for Saturday retail sales, but met the owner in the parking lot who gave me a friendly run down on all their products (mushroom compost included as well as native mushrooms in season). But as my Matrix was already booked for woody plants, I decided to return for compost and mushrooms at a later time. Locals apparently buy the bags of compost in the late fall and produce mushrooms all winter long in their basements.

Finally on my way to the nursery, hours later than expected, I passed fields full of another exotic escapee, the ubiquitous Lychnis flos cuculii, literally painting the fields pink. In the ditches it was romping around with the native Sisyrinchium montanum.

Arriving finally at Briar Patch, I squeezed Magnolia sieboldii, Cornus kousa and Oxydendron arboreum into my tiny vehicle, rushed home and managed to plant them before the much needed rain began.

[ranunculus]

Amazing reports as always, Kristl ... we were in Newfoundland in early May and it was still extremely cool, damp and very windy so little was in bloom (outside of the superb Botanic Garden, of course).

[Kristl Walek]

Amazing reports as always, Kristl ... we were in Newfoundland in early May and it was still extremely cool, damp and very windy so little was in bloom (outside of the superb Botanic Garden, of course).

Cliff,
You should have popped over to Nova Scotia----it's been ridiculously warm and sunny here since early April.
Newfoundland is always safest much later in the season.

[cohan]

more great stuff! really love the clintonias, on my list for sure.. your local markets seem really great..
the season here--though much later starting than yours,(the mountain isn't as far ahead) is getting rapidly into swing here--not sure if things are earlier, or just my impression, haven't yet compared photo dates to last year--cornus canadensis starting to bud, and maianthemum canadense about to open..
i have to struggle to divide time between botanising and trying to work on yard and garden--plus we have still had a lot of cool weather, so i'm still having to saw firewood!

[Maren]

Hi Kristl,

I'm a bit late responding to your lovely entry of Cyp acaule. I envy you your proximity to them. Is it true that you have to water them with vinegar in cultivation?

[ranunculus]

Have just potted on a clutch of over twenty seedlings of Clintonia borealis from Kristl's wonderful moist packed seed received here in December 2008. I have simply moved the entire pot of seedlings on into a larger pot to allow them to develop further.  Moist packed Streptopus roseus seedlings will be similarly potted on in the morning.  Many thanks Kristl.

[Kristl Walek]

Maren....I was actually not aware of the vinegar technique.
In my last garden in Ontario, I had an area of white pines, that approximated the environment where I often found them in the wild. And here they grew happily without any interference by the gardener.

Very recently I actually stumbled upon a white pine site that was very familiar in this way---with the Cypripedium acaule becoming quite a small colony under the trees. The beautiful white form was, of course, present as well.

[Kristl Walek]

After a week of mostly rain, the skies cleared enough today to make a quick run into the woods. At the first stop, I ate my first wild strawberries of the year and observed drifts of Cornus canadensis now covering the sides of the road and the woodland floor.

On the road sides was Comptonia peregrina in full growth, already forming seed receptacles.

A few more days and I would have missed Medeola virginiana; now in full bloom---a delicate plant that is very difficult to photograph.

My next stop was a site that I had heard had a population of 300 year old Tsuga canadensis--a graceful native conifer I am very fond of with its open habit and pendulous branches. In the wet woods leading to the Hemlock, I saw Oxalis acetocella, the wood sorrel, not yet in bloom.

[Kristl Walek]

The highlight for today, however, was the beautiful Linnaea borealis in glorious, full bloom. This I had to hunt for in Ontario---here it fills the woods and lines the roadsides, even creeping onto the road gravel.

[galahad]

That is a pretty little thing

[annew]

What a lovely sight/site.

[Maggi Young]

I didn't know populations of Linnaea borealis of that size existed 
Utterly charming to see them.