SNOWDON
The Winter Garden
The Winter Garden
Hello, and welcome to my web site. This is a site full of flowers from my garden which is mostly
an English cottage garden with formal leanings. My garden is located in Ottawa, Ontario (the former Nepean, Ontario) and
is a Canadian Zone 5a (revised), although as in many gardens I have microclimates which allow me to push the envelope. I hope you enjoy
viewing the flowers as much as I enjoy growing them.
Click the photos to view a larger version.
The opening picture of the winter garden is a wee bit of a pun on our last name. The photo does demonstrate that there really is very little we can do to enhance the garden at this time. Even the birdbath has to be covered lest it fill with snow, melt, freeze and crack. However, the clean white snow provides a necessary cover for the following season's success. The more snow cover, the better chance of a successful spring bloom. And, I must admit, as much as I love to garden the winter provides time to pursue other interests.
The front garden is relatively small and borders a limestone walkway which opens through a moongate onto a small courtyard. I've created this limestone courtyard to echo the many that I saw in Mexico and Latin European countries. The stonework in the courtyard is framed by the surrounding plants.
The remaining yard is bordered generously with gently raised beds, curving in and out with pathways in between. There are annuals, biennials and perennials and, although I tend to lean towards the cool side of the colour wheel, I like to introduce some colour from the warm side to spice things up. The plants change and provide continuous colour as the season progresses, starting with tulips and irises and moving through campanula glomerata, poppies, digitalis, lilies, hollyhocks, roses, lavender, phlox, liatris, portulaca, buddleia, amaranthus caudatus on to canna lilies, dahlias and hydrangeas, and this only names a few. Many of the plants are from seed which I harvested from the previous year or from people whose flowers I have admired, sometimes knocking on a complete stranger's door to ask for seeds. Other plants are donations from friends and people I have met, making this truly a friendship garden. And,lastly, a few of the plants are purchased.
There are two birdbaths. One is cast iron and Victorian in style; the other is more formal and is made
of concrete. Each birdbath is in constant use by jays, cardinals, robins and a wide variety of other birds. Lately some
very large crows (are there smaller?) have taken to washing their bread or catch in the water. The Victorian birdbath
attracts smaller birds, a couple of frequent and always welcome visitors, goldfinchs.
Several butterflies regularly grace my garden including the monarch and what appears to be a morning cloak. and, last but not least, hummingbirds bless
us with their presence.
Some of the other creatures, who are not quite as welcome but, are responsible for the many holes and decapitated
plants, are the resident groundhog, skunk and raccoon not to mention the neighbourhood cat(s) and the pesky squirrel. Each
of these creatures has found a regular smorgasbord in my backyard. Although I've planted some plants specifically for the
groundhog she appears to add new items to her ever-increasing menu. Just as I thought I had that aced along came not one
but 4 rabbits. I am now down to only one. They have discovered Nirvana in my backyard which is full of clover. It is not
uncommon to come out and see one sprawled, sunbathing in the clover.
The garden has become my work of art, and extension of my personality and, as a garden does for many others, has provided me with peace and a sense of accomplishment. (It is one of the few places where one can see the results of one's labour).
Thank you for the opportunity for allowing me to share this with you.
Angela Snowdon
Click the photos to view a larger version.
The opening picture of the winter garden is a wee bit of a pun on our last name. The photo does demonstrate that there really is very little we can do to enhance the garden at this time. Even the birdbath has to be covered lest it fill with snow, melt, freeze and crack. However, the clean white snow provides a necessary cover for the following season's success. The more snow cover, the better chance of a successful spring bloom. And, I must admit, as much as I love to garden the winter provides time to pursue other interests.
The front garden is relatively small and borders a limestone walkway which opens through a moongate onto a small courtyard. I've created this limestone courtyard to echo the many that I saw in Mexico and Latin European countries. The stonework in the courtyard is framed by the surrounding plants.
The remaining yard is bordered generously with gently raised beds, curving in and out with pathways in between. There are annuals, biennials and perennials and, although I tend to lean towards the cool side of the colour wheel, I like to introduce some colour from the warm side to spice things up. The plants change and provide continuous colour as the season progresses, starting with tulips and irises and moving through campanula glomerata, poppies, digitalis, lilies, hollyhocks, roses, lavender, phlox, liatris, portulaca, buddleia, amaranthus caudatus on to canna lilies, dahlias and hydrangeas, and this only names a few. Many of the plants are from seed which I harvested from the previous year or from people whose flowers I have admired, sometimes knocking on a complete stranger's door to ask for seeds. Other plants are donations from friends and people I have met, making this truly a friendship garden. And,lastly, a few of the plants are purchased.
There are two birdbaths. One is cast iron and Victorian in style; the other is more formal and is made
of concrete. Each birdbath is in constant use by jays, cardinals, robins and a wide variety of other birds. Lately some
very large crows (are there smaller?) have taken to washing their bread or catch in the water. The Victorian birdbath
attracts smaller birds, a couple of frequent and always welcome visitors, goldfinchs.
Several butterflies regularly grace my garden including the monarch and what appears to be a morning cloak. and, last but not least, hummingbirds bless
us with their presence.
Some of the other creatures, who are not quite as welcome but, are responsible for the many holes and decapitated
plants, are the resident groundhog, skunk and raccoon not to mention the neighbourhood cat(s) and the pesky squirrel. Each
of these creatures has found a regular smorgasbord in my backyard. Although I've planted some plants specifically for the
groundhog she appears to add new items to her ever-increasing menu. Just as I thought I had that aced along came not one
but 4 rabbits. I am now down to only one. They have discovered Nirvana in my backyard which is full of clover. It is not
uncommon to come out and see one sprawled, sunbathing in the clover.
The garden has become my work of art, and extension of my personality and, as a garden does for many others, has provided me with peace and a sense of accomplishment. (It is one of the few places where one can see the results of one's labour).
Thank you for the opportunity for allowing me to share this with you.
Angela Snowdon
The Front Garden
In 1999 the front garden replaced the grass which struggled at the best of times. In its place is an ever-changing seasonal medley of colour and texture. A generous use of limestone has defined the various beds and created a picturesque walkway which leads one through the moongate and onto the inner courtyard.
