Dirty Knees Plants

10/10/2026

The beautiful Aralia elata. This is a small tree with large thorns! We have been growing this for years ( one in the front yard and one in the backyard )….and Dan is actively pursuing the very nice variegated forms. This tree has large panicles of white flower clusters that all the bees in the neighborhood come to visit! I love the architectural look of the trunk. At this time of year the tiny black berries surrounded by pinkish bracts attract many of the local birds! The only downside of the Aralia is that it suckers ( but easy to remove ). 🌼🌸

10/05/2026

09/12/2026

A little view of some of our grasses. We are big admirers of perennial grasses and have devoted quite a large garden space for them. Included are other grassy foliage plants including day lilies, iris, angel fishing rods and foxtail lilies. 🌼🌸

07/26/2026

Went out in the fine drizzle to view a certain plant in bloom.. and decided to take a little video! 🌼🌸

07/18/2026

Our daughter Robyn, ( who resides in Cambridge Bay, Victoria Island, Nunavut ), has been sending us some beautiful photos of the tundra in bloom. It is a very short blooming period but creates a huge tapestry of multiple colours and foliage textures. 🌼🌸

07/16/2026

Part 2 of Susan and Roelof’s Qualicum garden.🌼🌸

07/16/2026

We were so excited for the opportunity to tour the beautiful gardens of our friends Susan and Roelof in Qualicum, B.C. Every plant is so happy and healthy! I’m
sure that Susan’s artistic abilities has a great deal to do with such a delightful garden design. Not to forget Roelof’s strong back and keen eye to detail that makes it a real joy to go for a garden stroll! 🌼🌸 I’ve divided the photos into two postings.

06/19/2026

For anyone that is interested…the episode of Visionary Gardeners that showcases our gardens and a lovely garden in Victoria is now available to view online until the end of the month. I’m not able to share on here but you can google Visionary Gardeners and click on episode 302 to watch the entire 1/2 hour program.🌼🌸

06/16/2026

I just discovered this very pleasant surprise in our Primula japonica garden. A very old plant of Meconopsis ormswell just produced 2 very different coloured flowers on the same bloom stem! Thrilling…🌼🌸

06/14/2026

Our friends Ron and Rea invited us to their Garden Party.. in the F***y Bay Area. What a great time we had! It was the year’s end potluck dinner and awards for the NRS ( Nanaimo Rhododendron Society ). We and a few members of the other Rhododendron clubs were also invited to join in the fun. Lots of good food, people, conversation and a wonderful garden to enjoy. It was nice to meet up with friends we hadn’t seen for awhile and to talk plants with other likeminded visitors! I only had a chance to get a few photos as I was too busy socializing!🌼🌸