Canada Day at Minter Gardens

Canada Day started quite fine in White Rock. It’s been a trifle damp for several weeks, and even for a rain-lover such as I, it was a pleasant change to see a bit of sunshine. After a languorous start to the day which involved hot croissants, buckets of tea and eating toast in ones pyjamas (plates seem so passé, don’t you agree?), we finally headed East up the Fraser Valley to spend a few hours at Minter Gardens. (Yes, dear reader – I did get dressed first).

Named after Brian Minter (BC’s answer to Yorkshire’s Alan Titchmarsh), it’s a lovely oasis from the bustle, though you can still hear the cars race for the Cascades beyond Hope on the adjacent Trans-Canada Highway running just behind the bushes. There were some interesting bands of cloud hanging in lines across the hills that edge the valley, and before too long there were a couple of very light showers. Nothing major though, and the two wedding parties taking place at the gardens seemed blissfully unaware.

Inevitably I had my trusty camera, and given the changing light, chose to limit myself to my fast 50mm. I must force myself to do a long range set soon, this 50mm is dangerously close to being the only lens I use now…

So – here are a few snaps of the gardens, dripping with the dampness that makes BC such a wonderfully vibrant and colourful place to live.

Some form of ornamental kale – I loved the crinkly leaves and the little jewels of rain drops trapped in the folds

Violas all on tiptoes looking for their Sebastians

This palm was in a tub outside the conservatory. Inside was a young pianist hammering out some great music for one of the wedding parties.

Just in case you wandered in from the surrounding bush and wondered where you were…

A virginal heart, bleeding pure white

I’m sure the planting pre-dated Canada Day, but it was particularly apt.

I forget the name of this plant, but it’s truly impressive. It’s like giant rhubarb, with leaves about a metre across, but with these vicious looking spines on all the major veins. Prehistoric looking.

Vivid pink this dahlia. Perfectly formed. Almost like a paper decoration

Lemon yellow rose

Subtle “old fashioned” pink

Gorgeous tints

Full and sensuous

These three were not a crowd

Corinthian columns

The heart bleeds for thee

The dappled light was hard to capture under this pergola

Lily was wet

A curtain of water from this unusual fountain

Mr Slug meets a fun guy

This tree seemed none the worse after a nasty gash some time in its past. The spray from the curtain fountain was doing its part in keeping the moss damp on the trunk.

Verdant life was everywhere

I loved the way these steps were reflecting the moody feel of this damp corner of the gardens.

Water – the source of life

Not sure if these were Fritillaries. They looked a little sad I thought.

Fuchsias – my all time favourite plant. These were in a hanging basket decorating one of the wedding tents

Another gorgeous hue on display

This tree’s bark reminded me of some elderly pachyderm

This cyanide millipede really does secrete cyanide! It makes it smell of almonds.

Astilbes in every shade of pink from white to crimson. Almost like a Monet: lots of little dots of colour

I was amazed at the blood red marks on the leaves of this plant. Like some recent murder had gone unnoticed.

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