Saturday, June 24, 2017

Salt Spring Island visit and a Rose Garden Tour

It's been a whirlwind week and one of the highlights was a trip across to Salt Spring Island to visit a friend. I did not go empty handed and I took her a wee gift and a bouquet of our Humble Bungalow garden roses.


My friend lives on a lush acreage where she has created a beautiful Mediterranean style garden.  She and her husband travel to Provence every year and spend a couple of idyllic months exploring the villages. I think she has been inspired by the lovely gardens in France.




The garden plants are selected with an artists eye...
and then one needs to be mindful of 
the deer who have voracious appetites!

Ali took me on a garden tour with the local rose group.


First we stopped off at Ali's friend Anna's home.


Anna and her husband Paul are artists and they have a gallery on their property that showcases their artwork. In case you are interested I have included a link to their site below.


Blue Horse Gallery is located in the Southey Point area of Salt Spring.

Weddings are frequently held on this picturesque property and they also run a B&B called Bloom.




I was so smitten with this adorable suite...
I could imagine waking up and taking my coffee out to the terrace and listening to the bees buzzing and the birdsong.


We visited quite a few gardens and there are many keen rosarians on the island.
I felt very privileged to be included on the tour and have Ali to thank for arranging it for me to join in.


A clump of poppies caught my eye...



I must get some of these for our garden.

Ali and I had lunch in Ganges and perused some of the lovely shops.
I was tempted by many of the lovely linen garments in the shops 
but I do not "need" any more...

 I cannot say that for roses 
as I am already thinking where I can find room to squeeze in a few more in our garden!


One of my favourite gardens on the tour was a 6 acre property near Vesuvius. 
Pauline and her husband have a vast garden with over 200 roses!
A fragrant oasis of roses
which Pauline has mixed with many lovely plants.

The most stunning array of vibrant blue, mauve and purple delphiniums 
stood tall with her glorious roses.
Pauline is an avid and knowledgeable gardener and very gracious.
It was difficult prying myself away from her garden but I had to catch the ferry. 


Ali and I plan to meet again on the island 
as there are so many wonderful things to see and do...

I am heading out to the garden so I will close before donning my garden gloves.

Hope you have a lovely weekend.
XO

13 comments:

annette said...

You have just made my day with the garden photos! The mauve poppies are exquisite and you are so right about finding a spot for another rose bush.My next door neighbor and I are always plotting about squeezing in one more! Thank you for taking time to share your delightful excursions.

Jeannine said...

Thank you for this lovely tour!

Madame Là-bas said...

I really love Saltspring Island. I once did a yoga and meditation weekend at the Saltspring Centre which was an Ashtanga yoga ashram. They even had their own school for the adherents who lived there. I really like your friend's garden and it looks so Provençale. What beautiful roses and peonies! I am also drawn to linen clothing in the summer but I have enough.

Anonymous said...

I love poppies but I've never seen that color before. I must do some research

La Vie Quotidienne said...

Beautiful. I am a bit 'green' with envy - such great gardens are such a wonderful pleasure to see...and very inspiring.

Your bouquet was lovely. Yes! you can't have too many roses in a garden and they do so well for you that you should have more.

kateR said...

How funny! I live on Salt Spring and belong to the Rose Group, but wasn't able to do that tour! Your friends' garden and house looks completely amazing. Wait . . . I think I know who Ali is! Must talk to her at the next garden club (next week) and see if I am right. Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos.

Ellie's friend from canada said...

What a beautiful garden your friend Ali has and the roses are divine!

Patricia said...

It is so interesting to learn about the islands in your area, Leslie. I googled and found Salt Spring, and have already found Pender. Your friend's garden is so lovely and looks so like Provence, with that beautiful rock staircase and pots of lavender. The dark pink poppies are pretty, unlike any I have seen - hope you get some of those. Have a good week.

Sherrie said...

Gorgeous photos, thanks so much. I have to say I agree with your comments about not "needing" any more clothing, but there's always room for more roses. I often leave a clothing store empty-handed, but always find something I "need" at the nursery.

Anonymous said...

This was a special treat! For you,as well as for us. Beautiful gardens-your friend's garden is a piece of art indeed
What a beautiful bouquet!
I admire you for your gardening skills-I imagine that your garden must be amazing (I've never seen a photo of whole garden,only pieces) and tour-worthy as well
Those poppies are divine,I've never seen this colour IRL.
Interesting,we had a lot of red poppies on fields decades ago and than they were gone,but for last couple of years they are back,lovely as they were before
Dottoressa

the gardener's cottage said...

gorgeous gardens and flowers! your photos are stunning! x

christy said...

How fortunate you were to be able to enjoy such beautiful gardens with like-minded people. Truly lovely gardens and being able to garden like that with the deer is amazing. They eat everything in sight in mine!

slimsdotter said...

I love SaltSpring Island in general, and Ganges Harbour in particular. We have a converted tugboat and every time we pull in, we have been fortunate enough to encounter our friends Dave and Georgia. They have a house ashore but also own that large wooden tug on mooring buoy, SeaBreeze I think is her name. Dave also drives the school boat/taxi. Lovely place.