Abkhazi a jewel of a garden...created by Prince and Princess Abkhazi.

 

Abkhazi Garden is an oasis of beauty.

It is full of rhododendrons and azaleas which are full of blooms in April and May.

This magical place was created by Prince and Princess Abkhazi.

It's a hidden gem here in Victoria.

The profusion of peachy pink blooms on this azalea are incredibly fragrant.

The shed was built when the royal couple were beginning the garden in 1946.

 It used for tool storage and picnics.

You can read more about the history in the book 

A Curious Life: The Biography of Princess Peggy Abkhazi by Catherine Gordon.

From here there is a fabulous view of the curving lawns under the vast Garry Oaks.

You can see the house that they built on the left

this is now a gift shop and tea room.

We sat on the patio in the sunshine.

The tea room has 3 teas on the menu, this is Elevenses.

It was the smallest of the three but it was plenty of food.

There are two resident turtles 

one was swimming and the other one was sunning itself on the rocks.

This driftwood cat is a newly installed art piece from a local Fairfield artist who specializes in creating woody creatures.

We enjoyed our walk, the tasty tea and the incredibly beautiful flowers.

I felt like I was transported away on a lovely holiday.

Parks, local gardens, and the seaside, are such a tonic in these unusual times.

Hope that you are staying safe and taking care of yourself.

~Be Well and Be Kind ~

Tulip mania courtesy of Butchart Gardens...

I've been busy here in The Humble Bungalow with little time spent on the computer.

So posting here on the blog has been rather spartan. 

Today 

I am sharing a lush group of tulips 

seen on my recent walk at Butchart Gardens.

I hope you will enjoy seeing the pictures.

Tulips are in full bloom at Butchart Gardens.

Pretty in pink...

Pink on Pink

Tulips and masses of pink forget-me-nots.

A striking combination of colour.

Frilly feathery fringed tulips.

Close up

A painterly mixture of tulips.

We wandered through the gardens and enjoyed the bold colourful planted beds.

Many others, like us, masked up and delighted in the beauty of the gardens.

We sat outside after our walk and had a cold drink and a wee bite of lunch.

It felt like we were on holiday.

Hope that you are enjoying your weekend.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Summer snippets 2020...

My neighbour's garden has some rare and unusual plants.

Artistic touches are evident throughout her garden. 

Her choice of colourful flowers make a bold statement and are often dramatic.

Our poppies are still putting on a spectacular show.

I am saving the seeds for next years blooms.

My neighbour across the street and I were out chatting and watched a doe

as she grabbed one of the seed pods and swallowed it right before our eyes!

The urban deer are a hot topic of conversation among the gardeneres at this end of the block...

(5 deer reside in the back yard of a home nearby)

Mom and her fawns are enjoying our front garden "salad bar" so much this year!

No amount of Bobex is stopping their munching.

A dear friend and I went out to an antique store last week.

We wore our masks and perused the shop

before we decided on purchasing these Canadian vintage sap buckets.

We both thought of creative ways that we could use them...

ice buckets, flower vases, planters, 

My friend is planning to use them to collect sap from her Elm tree.

John Paul II Rose

reblooming after getting planted in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

He shares the bed with Crocosmia Lucifer...

I wonder how they are getting along?

Dierama aka Angel's Fishing Wand

 in my neighbour's garden...ours has not yet bloomed.

Bought some new buckets and shovels for the sandy beach at Sidney Spit.

Hope we have some sunny days when we are there with the grandchildren.

We plan to build some sandcastles...

A friend dropped off some books the other evening.

I had run out of books to read.

To me that is a very dire situation...

I purchased The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy

it is a delightful book ~ a perfect beach read.

Am excited to read these other titles. 

They should keep me entertained for the next month or so.

Jude the Obscure with Lady's Mantle

Love the form and fragrance of this beautiful David Austin Rose.

Hubby and I are celebrating our 46th anniversary.

We were married young and were high school sweethearts.

So we have actually been together as a couple for 50 years!

Our friends treated us to a lovely dinner on their porch the other evening.

Look at the rhubarb pie!

Hope that you are staying safe, 

are wearing your mask when you cannot self distance...

our active Covid cases on Vancouver Island 

have increased since Phase 3 has been enacted.

It is quite unsettling hearing the double digit daily cases in BC.

We need to keep our bubbles "small"

and as Dr. Bonnie Henry reminds us

"more faces in bigger spaces."

Fresh air, blue skies, sunshine, birdsong and buzzing bees

just some of the 

JOYS 

of Summer.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

My Cup Runneth Over...with thanks and gratitude.

Hey Jude!

David Austin Rose Jude the Obscure

 a favourite rose in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Those of you who follow me on Instagram 

will probably have seen the latest addition in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

It sits in the "work area" of the garden where we keep big bins of potting soil, the stakes, wheelbarrow and our bin filled with firewood.

My clever husband made this potting table.

I had shown him one I liked on Pinterest 

which was simply two sawhorses with and plank on top. 

 This deluxe table with shelves is what he designed and built!

I am VERY pleased and happy with this beautiful table!

I had fun getting things out of the shed and I made a trip to a vintage shop in The Cook Street Village called Kay's Korner.

With shop keeper Karin helping

we gathered together some charming pieces that will add ambiance.

The old broken pitchfork and shears that I have kept 

for whimsical garden accent pieces are finally getting used!

The shovel will be great for potting and repotting plants.

Karin sold me this cute chair which I spray painted black to go with the metal bistro table that I have had for several years.

It sits on the small north facing patio 

 in a "garden room" 

of hydrangeas, roses, lady's mantle, dwarf apple trees and hostas.

There was a knock on the front door as I sat reading my book 

 lo and behold it was Karin...

She brought me a gift!

Karin is a very talented artist and she makes cheerful whimsical greeting cards.

She made this sign for me to hang above my new potting table...

I knew she was one in a million and this just proved it!

THANK YOU KARIN

David Austin's Graham Thomas Rose

the former "star of the work area"

the potting table has taken that new title!!

Hope that you are enjoying your weekend activies...

There is a light rain falling here

we've been reading our books

spaghetti sauce is simmering on the stove top

birds are singing cheerfully outside the windows.

At this very moment feeling content and calm...

feelings are fleeting and temporary 

 golden moments like these are a welcome respite from the 

horrific events that continue to occur in our world.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Poppy plants...pondering during the pandemic

Our first Poppy of the season!

Yesterday afternoon we sat in the back garden with our long time friends

sipping a cider and nibbling some fresh cooked asparagus with mayonnaise dip.

They brought their own beverages and chairs and we sat safely apart.

I pointed out this tall poppy plant that had grown in an unusual spot

right beside the shed door...

This morning one of the seed pods opened up to this fabulous flower!

I plan to save the seeds when the poppy dries and sprinkle them in the garden for more plants next year.

Japanese themed Garden at Butchart Gardens.

Four friends met up and we walked along the paths of the gardens 

 absolutely beautiful

so quiet this Friday.

Love the lush green mossy patches in this shady spot.

Blue Poppies are very challenging to grow.

They are so delicate almost as light as a whisper of crepe paper.

Blue Poppy seeds are sold at the Gift Shop.

 I grew blue poppies for several years before they vanished from the garden.

This formal garden area looks perfect for an Edwardian Film...

can you envision ladies and gents in period style clothing sauntering around on the grass?

Engaged in a game of croquet?

Sipping champagne from crystal flutes 

or perhaps an afternoon tea 

with vintage wicker chairs and tables

 fine bone china 

 tasty tea sandwiches and cakes...

 A gal can dream...

I am dreaming of these pleasures rather more often in these days of confinement.

Lusting after a more "normal" way of life.

Freedom and safety that we accepted and honestly, I think we took for granted.

Who could have predicted this world pandemic?

I suppose scientists knew it would happen sometime but I had not thought it would be in my lifetime.

Did you? 

What are you missing most?

Have you expanded your "bubble" to include family and friends?

What are the first things that you want to do 

when we get the "all clear" to open up some of the shops and services?

Enjoy your week and stay safe.

 ~Be Well and Be Kind ~

Snippets of life here in The Humble Bungalow...and a couple of my favourite recipes

Wee little hydrangea leaves that over wintered in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Lacy and delicate and as light as a whisper...

 tiny leaves...

Wee treasures found while weeding the beds.

Mother Nature's handiwork.

Mr. HB has been busy constructing raised beds.

We are on a long list at the Landscaping Supply Company.

Waiting for the soil to be delivered...

Apparently oodles of people locally are turning to their gardens

planting trees, flowers and veggies.

I ordered books from my favourite book seller Ivy's books on Oak Bay Avenue.

I am currently reading The Strawberry Thief by Joanne Harris.

It is the 4th book in her Chocolat series...

set in a small village in SW France 

near where our good friends live in Auvillar.

She mentions several of the places that I have visited, 

which I am remembering fondly.

Books can be a lovely way to "travel."

Dinner

of

Garden fresh asparagus

ribs

half a baked potato

I use Chef John's BBQ rib recipe from his blog Food Wishes.

It's a winner!

Made a big batch of oatmeal raisin cookies.

I've been keeping myself extra busy (happily distracted) in the kitchen.

Mr HB loves cookies...

Euphorbia bracts

photo bombed by a fly.

Brilliant blues...

a pop of colour under sunny skies.

The May skies are such a crisp blue...

have you noticed how clear the air is where you live?

Simple dinner 

Shake and Bake chicken thighs

"Booth Bay" broccoli salad

Hope you enjoy this tasty salad 

it is one of my summertime favourites.

Some of the restrictions here in BC are being eased this week. 

The authorities have devised a plan 

to gradually increase our return to the "new normal."

I look forward to resuming a wider "bubble" of people that we can interact with...

self distancing while being social should be easier with the better weather.

Picnics, outdoor cafes and bistros 

will be very popular in these coming weeks and months.

Hope all is well with you.

Stay safe.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~