Humber Nurseries...Winter Garden

Humber Nurseries is one of the largest perennial nurseries in Canada.  It's vast in size and selection. I like to go in winter when things are dormant and silent.  


I was there yesterday and found these Lotus Leaves in the water section - delicate beauties like Ballerinas and Debutantes in their pretty dresses.

A Little More Christmas

Allan Gardens is no ordinary garden. It is situated in the heart of Toronto and is more than 150 years old. The garden and the main part of the property was donated by George William Allan, a one-time Mayor of Toronto and long-time Senator.

The park, one of the city's oldest (since 1858), is bounded by Jarvis Street on the west, Sherbourne Street on the east, Carlton Street on the north and Gerrard Street East on the south in Toronto's Garden District. In the centre of the park is a Victorian conservatory known as the Palm House, built in 1909 to replace the pavilion burned in 1902. Rare tropical plants from all over the globe are nurtured inside. Admission is free. 

The trees in the park represent the northern tip of the Carolinian forest with species such as black cherry, American beech, red oak, sugar maple and sassafras. Most are over one hundred years old. The park is home to three varieties of squirrel, the gray, the black, and, unique to this park, the red tailed black squirrel. The park is also home to the city's largest flock of pigeons, a roving peregrine falcon and a statue of Robert Burns. The University of Toronto greenhouse (1931) was moved to the site.

Christmas in the Country

Today's post is a farm scene from Mount Albert, north-east of Toronto, where Gerry has the Mount Albert Scale Lumber Business.  This is Foggy River Farm. 

Christmas in the Country

After Christmas Snow Scene

This is an abstract of peeling paint that I thought might bring some quiet and calm after all the Christmas excitement.

Merry Christmas!

Our Christmas Countdown has arrived at Christmas.  Enjoy this holiday!

Countdown to Christmas - Enjoy

What better image for Christmas Eve than this Unicorn flying into a rainbow of colour!

Countdown to Christmas - Reindeers

Today's countdown image is a nod to Santa and the Reindeer - major characters in our celebrations!  Naughty and nice!

Countdown to Christmas - Winter Solstice

Today's countdown marks the WInter Solstice which occurred yesterday.

“Solstice literally means 'Sun Stands Still', for a few days around the time of the winter solstice the sun appears to stand still in the sky in that its elevation at noon does not seem to change.


The winter solstice date is normally considered to be the 21st of December in the northern hemisphere, however at the winter solstice the position of the sun remains the same for three days.”

Christmas Countdown - Have some Christmas Cookies

It wouldn't be Christmas without cookies and treats - it's a festival of food.  Enjoy some Christmas cookies!

Christmas Countdown - Enjoy the Decorations!

Christmas is the festival of decorations, so enjoy them!

Countdown to Christmas - Enjoy the Reflections!

Today's countdown image reveals the amazing colour and reflections in simple silver ornaments. 

Countdown to Christmas - Join in the Decorations!

So many colours, lights, reflections at Christmas in the trees and displays.  Today's countdown photo encourages to go out for a stroll to see it all. 

Count-down to Christmas - Enjoy the Christmas Displays

Allan Garden's displays combine interesting plant materials and elegant ornaments.  All this in an environment of flower-scented air and beautiful sunlight. 

Christmas Countdown - Stroll through a Christmas Garden

Here's the Christmas display in Allan Garden's Conservatories, with its Poinsettias and tropical plants and flowers.

Countdown To Christmas

It's December 15th and the countdown to Christmas is on everyone's mind - so let's do a photo every day.  


Today's image is Allan Gardens Conservatory Christmas Display - Visit a  Christmas Conservatory Garden! 

Last Fruit Standing

These rows of old apple trees are near Ralph Suttell's place in Beamsville.  Ralph is the dahlia grower whose dahlias have been showcased here and on my website.  These photos were taken on the weekend - the first time in December that I can remember everything still looking like autumn.  The late afternoon light made long shadows across the field and turned everything golden.

Last Days of December

December is the month when the light dwindles each day, bringing an end to the garden season with a sense of poignancy.  I was downtown this week in an overcast sky and found a perfect setting at Up Country to portray this.

HDR Photos

I have started to create HDR images.  This means that I take 3 exactly the same photos at different exposure settings.  I then process these 3 shots in software that combines the best of each image without there being bright spots and dark, dark shadows.  The sky is blue, the flowers show up... Here's an example from Longwood Gardens, with an image without HDR, and the second with HDR.