Signs of the Season Turning Our first visit to North America was in 1987 at about this time of the year. A friend we were staying with mentioned that seeing Egrets on a lake in Minnesota was his marker that summer is nearly over while ours has become seeing Golden Rod in flower. [...]
Pine Siskins Predictions have been that winter finches of several species are going to be coming south in some numbers this year due a poor cone crop in the boreal forests - well, it's started very early indeed with the arrival in the garden of a half dozen Pine Siskins (accompanied by a not [...]
“Remember, remember the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot” … all that and the municipal elections mean that not much has been achieved in the garden this week that is worthy of mention. There are still leaves on the trees, though thankfully they are finally starting to turn yellow and drop to the [...]
The week started with a continuation of the abnormal heat and dry conditions we have (not) enjoyed for the past three weeks - nevertheless we have started to see small flocks of Canada Geese overhead. Most of those will be moving around the locality in search of grass to graze on and won’t really [...]
As the weather cools down (thank goodness) the first tints of autumn are beginning to appear and many leaves are starting to look tired. We have a large bank of mixed dogwoods on the southern edge of the garden and it is full of juvenile Song Sparrows, Purple Finches, House Finches all searching for [...]
The leaves are falling everywhere now and the flashy bright oranges and reds that this part of the world is famous for are over and gone ... which leaves us with some really attractive but more subtle shades. A quiet corner of the Sparroworks garden at the start of November. A collection of [...]
I realised today, walking around our town (Baie-D'Urfé) that we really have come a long way from the northern council housing estate in England that I left for college about 49 years ago ... for those who have not yet visited us (do come) here are some fairly typical views of the town about an hour [...]
In the early years of our Canadian gardening adventure we purchased a Katsura tree from the arboretum and planted it next to the pond. We were advised that this was a small tree, maybe 15ft tall when mature ... that was wrong, it is a good bit past that height now and going strong. Should [...]
We have such a plethora of fall colour in this part of thr world with the famous maple trees and so on that sometimes the more subtle colours are overlooked. In one corner of the garden we have a huge, tall larch tree (European larch, not the tamarack) which is a deciduous conifer - yes, [...]
Further to yesterday's posting, the Arboretum today was heaving with Juncoes (one or two in the garden - plus Yellow-rumped Warblers) and the leaves are turning colour almost as you watch them. A lovely time of year and I guess the snows that follow are the price we pay - worth it. Praise where it [...]