The Snowy Zipper and other VanDusen Delights

A couple of days ago I went for a walk in VanDusen Gardens. There was a light skiff of snow and the garden was bereft of humans.

There were piles of Christmas lights everwhere, waiting to be gathered and stored.

 

 Here's where the new displays of seasonal plants appear. This is barberry, used in Chinese and Middle Eastern cooking.

The Bloodtwig Dogwood is striking.

This is an early blooming hybrid Mahonia.

 The witch hazel is blooming. Spring is imminent!

I love how the little skiff of snow delineates the structure of plants.

 The footprints of a very large squirrel, je pense.

 The rock where Peter and I had our first picnic.

 

There were lots of these beautiful variegated thrushes in the trees near the maze.

 There are scads of little wrens skulking about in the low bushes.

I'm surprised the squirrels haven't decimated these kiwi fruits climbing up the side of the restaurant.