Beespotting at City Farmer

My physiotherapist is close to City Farmer, so I have a good excuse to go on a few bee safaris these days. The heliopsis is the current star bee plant, bringing in little leafcutter bees, like the one above and a few more species with cute striped butts.

 Here's the pointy butt of a cuckoo bee. She was also foraging in one of the many patches if thyme that are flowering in the garden right now.

And then that glamorous sweat bee showed up. Even though those the legs appear as if they have pollen, I think it's a male because of the long antennae.

 The cosmos were also popular with the striped butt crowd. Here is a larger species of leafcutter bee.

 Finally, a wee bee, maybe a Halictid species. Stripes are definitely the fashion at City Farmer Garden this summer!

Inspired by City Farmer

 Earlier this month I spent a lovely afternoon in the garden at City Farmer. I was happy to find Sharon and Michael sitting out the quiet rain shower and chatting about garden stuff. I was charmed by a hummingbird coming down to have a wee sip at the Verbena bonariensis. This plant also attracts butterflies and bees and can be planted instead of buddleia, even though it is not as "moreish" as the Butterfly Bush. I like how each stem  has three stems which in turn bear three stems. It's like a delicate candelabra.

When the rain let up I took a few photos of some of the inspired and inspiring planting.
 These orange cosmos are perfect for matching the colors of fall flowers.

These lovely insect hotels are maintained by the resident "Bug Lady" at City Farmer, Maria Keating.

Be sure to check out City Farmer's award winning blog by Michael Levenston and go see the garden to get yourself inspired!

A Regenerating Walk

 When the sun came out this week, I headed to Kitsilano for my favorite meal at Aphrodite's Organic Delights with an energizing glass of home brewed iced tea.

 I walked all the way up the hill to the City Farmer Garden, passing some nascent spring bulbs poking up through the earth.

 I always love seeing the bones of a winter garden, the rocks and hardscaping that keep it all in place and give it a unique shape. I saw a small shadow pass over the side of a house that caught my eye. It was a hummingbird! A good omen for 2013.

 I mourned the loss of this Christmas tree, chucked out to be chipped. It wasn't even dry. I took a couple of clipping home to infuse into some homemade lotion.

 Of course I had to pick up some German chocolate cake to take home from Arbutus Coffee.

 I spotted this awesome insect hotel in a traffic circle.

This roof makes me very happy.

This little guy flies over the garden at City Farmer.

I like the idea of putting these gutter planters on the sides of the greenhouse

All the paths have been well mulched to keep back the weeds, which is also very smart.

The bird life in this garden and the adjacent community gardens is very lively. I sat and observed the starlings, robins, juncos, sparrows, and strawberry finches--another kind of regenerative meditation.

City Farmer Bees

I always enjoy a stroll through the City Farmer garden in Kits. It's a little oasis in the city.

It's interesting how far away the stamens are from the nectar source of this geranium.

You wouldn't expect such a heavy pollinator as a Bombus on the delicate blossoms of a heuchera.



These white flowers were a mystery to me. They were very fragrant--giving off a perfume that reminded me of lilacs.


I love this Celtic garden design.