Diane’s garden has been developing since 1966 when she and Wayne bought their house and planted a little flower garden on the south side between the sidewalk and foundation. In 1973, after a renovation which added a living room and bedroom on the south side, the garden as it is today started from scratch. This was the year their youngest (and most expensive) daughter was born.
The house stands on half an acre of land which is divided in two. Animals have always been a feature of the garden. Diane & Wayne used to raise calves which when they were old enough for pasture would go to her neighbor’s five acres. His horse would come to their property for Spring, Summer & Fall. Diane says it was a system which worked well, and she became quite the connoisseur of aged cattle & horse manure! Chickens are also residents, Wayne tends to the ‘ladies’ who lay well and provide manure.
Diane’s parents always had a flower and a vegetable garden, and they passed on their love and respect for plants to their three daughters. Fresh raspberries bring back sharp memories of her father who passed away in 1978. The biggest gardening influence on Diane though has been her youngest sister Boni (gardenbuddy Bonitoad) who is passionate about gardening.
The vegetable garden is where Diane spends most of her time in summer, planting in stages, thinning and checking for the usual pests and problems. As soon as the soil is dry enough she adds compost and a local organic product. She loves horse manure for the rhubarb.
“We had raspberries, strawberries and boysenberries in our back garden for many years. During the summer our retired neighbour used to come over two or three times a day, nibbling his way up to the house and back to the gate. He always knew when my tomatoes were ripe before I did as well! They were a wonderful couple and I miss them.”
These days Diane & Wayne share their vegetable harvest with new neighbors, a young couple with children who enjoy watching the garden grow. “We all help each other here in this little rural neighbourhood.”
There is a variety of wildlife in the area, including deer who occasionally stop by for a nibble, raccoons, rabbit and also bear from time to time. Also a variety of birds make use of the three bird feeders and provide enjoyment throughout the seasons.
Boston ivy grows up from a bed at the bottom of the back deck, through the spindles of the railing, and facing the house are three Laughing Monks who keep Diane company. They go out in Spring and stay on the deck until the ivy leaves, framing their happy faces, have turned bright red and begun to fall.
The arbor on the south side of the house hosts a yellow trumpet vine, and a wisteria graces another arbor at the bottom of the back garden. Rhododendrons occupy a raised bed at the back of the house where Diane also has a nice shade garden. The chestnut tree in the front garden was started from a sprouted chestnut. One of Diane’s treasured plants is a heritage rose grown from a cutting her mother gave her. This came from a rose bush growing at a house bought in 1953.
Diane enjoys the perennials and shrubs she has like the apricot primroses, Viburnum sargenti and the roses, especially Sharifa Asma, Geoff Hamilton and Just Joey. Her favorite cut flowers are red sweet williams and sweet peas, one fleeting sniff of these transports her to her Gran’s log house years ago.
Plans for the coming year include extending a perennial bed and adding a sitting area. This will make the garden more balanced, use up some dead space and make Wayne’s lawn mowing easier. His lawn tractor is waxed – he loves it so much! A sprinkler system also means more time to enjoy in the garden. Diane would like to focus a little more on native plants, but will continue to enjoy Dee’s irises, Boni’s clematis, Mom’s rose, Sandy’s rhodo etc..
“So many plants are from friends and family. And now I can plant even more. It just doesn't get much better than this!”
