Different views of the same;
The cozy clearing of lawn surrounded by the towering species Magnolias.
And then another side outside of the species Magnolia cove; Eastern Redbud leaves and shedding White Pine Needles are helping welcome in the autumnal touch
A deciduous conifer not unlike the Larches (Larix). Funny how a tree native to the Southeast wetlands of North America can survive/thrive in colder climates like here in a Northeast garden such as Cuddy Gardens up here in Canada.
Tragically the ball-shaped cones aren’t ripe; they seem to ripen closer to November if my estimates are right.
Bald Cypress and American Sycamore giving the most weight to the scenery.
1 of 2 different bee/insect hotels in Cuddy Gardens. These will never stop being fascinating. Also the “roof” having a green roof of sedums is a nice touch.
(Note to self; the roofing soil mix was gravely/gritty, probably for sharp drainage)
The stone wall built by each generation of second-year Horticulture Technician students of Fanshawe College.
Brings a tear to my eye; its grown so much longer since the days I was a student doing the same in Cuddy Gardens.
Tiny but bold, I absolutely ADORE Mexican Morning Glory (Ipomea coccinea)!!!
In previous years I’ve seen hummingbirds take a couple sips on their way through Cuddy Gardens in autumn as they migrate south.
A bold boi Opuntia in fruit in the rock garden of Cuddy Gardens.
The other Opuntia species/cultivars in this garden pale in comparison to this variety. The native O. humifusa does not have THIS kind of size or boldness. Amazing such a bold variety/species is winter hardy in Canada.
“But Gato, did you grab any of the Opuntia fruit?”
Sad to say my self preservation from their glochids strongly overrides my seed harvesting/germinating obsessions. Prickly oriental poppies will be enough pain in my future in my greenhouse.
The part of its common name is definitely showing loud and clear. I’ve never had luck growing this species. Perhaps starting from the seedling onwards can fix that.
Like their evergreen cousins the hollies, winterberries are generally a dioecious species. Never seen one in the wild as of yet but one day. At least seeing one irl regardless will help me recognize them in the future.
Grabbed a few berries so we’ll see if we get seedlings come spring. (which btw… don’t be fooled by the size of the berries; one berry can hold almost 6 seeds! If viability is high you do not need to collect that many berries for propagation)
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