Digging up nuggets from the past- A visit to some beautiful gardens

The surreal year 2020 went by, I can't say I was sad seeing it go. Sometime in the first quarter of the year, something that no one saw coming suddenly took centerstage and changed the world forever. COVID- the dreaded word took the world by storm. Everyone's life was disrupted in a strange sort of way. 

2021 rolled in and five months have passed already, and yet some uncertainty remains. People are feeling hopeful that the worst is behind us and may that be true. Things that we always took for granted like meeting friends, eating out, and travel were all severely curtailed or paused until now. Everything is starting back up, and hope the trend continues towards the better. I miss the travel part now, especially after catching up with friends, and dining at our favorite restaurants. I still do not feel like getting into a plane with a mask on, and sitting there for 3-4 hours waiting to get to wherever the destination is. 

So I decided to go through pictures of my vacations from past years. Since gardening has been on my mind for the past couple of months... spring is always such a hopeful season... one of the first albums I visited was of our trip to Vancouver and Victoria, BC. The year was 2012, and two of the many highlights of our trip,  Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver and Butchart Gardens in Victoria made me look at gardens differently! Such delightful places to visit!

Here are a few pictures. The first set are from Queen Elizabeth Park, and the second set from the enchanting Butchart Gardens. 

Fuchsias seemed to love the weather up there! Little bells hanging from the canopy! 

Colorful blooms and foliage lining well manicured lawns..

A clock tower in the park..

 

Close up of Fuchsias.. 

A bronze sculpture in the park, I did not quite get the information on this one. Interesting piece!

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An absolutely breathtaking ferry ride took us from Vancouver to Victoria BC. 

As soon as we got off the ferry, we made our way to The Butchart Gardens. I had heard so much about it and it sure did not disappoint. 

A snail fountain with lilypads lay on one side as we began our much anticipated tour of the gardens. 

We were then greeted by a covered walkway adorned with flowers from hanging baskets. Different kinds of blooms that left one mesmerized. Fuchsias galore, and so many kinds of blooms! 

A big patch of Hydrangeas was next, and those mauve/lavender tones looked very appealing.

We walked along and followed the curving path, never expecting to see this stunningly landscaped garden lying below with stairs leading down to it. 

More Hydrangeas.. 

There is a lot to this garden, many different areas that highlight one thing or another, but I will not share pictures from all those places. That is something to be experienced in person.

Then came an area that were replete with Dahlias! Gorgeous colors and hues of classic blooms and the cactus variety enthralled visitors. Pictures do not do justice to the what one sees actually!

This one is a favorite!

And so is this one! What a perfect creation!

The concentric symmetry is amazing!

Cactus Dahlias.. another hue that is captivating!

These colors, above and below... aren't they just stunning!

We then visited the Japanese Garden... 'Zen' is the only way to describe it!

Something very calming about this garden.... 

The peaceful vibe is so soothing!

As we walked back towards the entrance, a breathtaking English garden lay on one side. 

Some more beautiful vistas made our day!

A charming waterwheel added a prefect element to the garden. An absolute must visit attraction if you visit Victoria BC. 

I hope the world opens up soon!

Success with Monarchs!

Happy Spring, y'all!

The year started with some shoulder issues and a few visits to the physical therapist. As I diligently tried to exercise to get back in shape, I kept a check on the flowers in the backyard. Snapdragons, Violas, and Sweet Alyssum, with the Mexican Heather bush were flowering nicely. Oxalis flowers were abundant. Bees were visiting, and that was a good sight.
The winter had been mild. It continued to be mild as February progressed, so the milkweed I had planted in the backyard a couple of years ago did not die down as it normally does.

Milkweed Flowers

Monarch butterflies were flying around, and soon I saw several caterpillars on the milkweed bush.

I did not want to get my hopes up, because last year, I had seen caterpillars and also observed how wasps would sting them, killing them almost instantly. It was sad, but it was also nature's way of keeping things in check.

Milkweed

Now, at one time, I counted as many as 13 of them! They were all happily munching on the milkweed and devouring all the leaves at a brisk pace.

Until now, I had seen caterpillars on the milkweed bush, but I never got to see the life cycle after that stage. I wasn't looking properly maybe, because after what I witnessed this year, I realized that I wasn't observant enough. There indeed were at least two empty chrysalis shells from last year on the cross boards on the fence.

Monarch Caterpillar

I had simply not imagined that caterpillars can travel quite a distance before they attach themselves to a spot and make the chrysalis shell around them. My first surprise was when I saw a caterpillar on the basil plant on my patio. It was about 20 feet away from the milkweed bush, and I had not seen a caterpillar on the basil earlier. A little while later, much to my delight, I noticed a jade green chrysalis neatly hanging from the basil branch. A neat row of gold dots adorned one side of the chrysalis, seemed like a seam.

Monarch Chrysalis

I kept an eye on it, even moved the basil pot to a sheltered location on the patio. Well aware that it wasn't me who was in control here, nature had its own way of doing things. 

After about 11 days, upon stepping out, I noticed that the color had changed to almost black. 

Monarch Chrysalis- butterfly ready to emerge 

After that, it was fast! I missed the actual emergence, but luckily got to see the final moments of the process. The beautiful Monarch was slowly sipping up the last bits of much needed liquid from the chrysalis shell, to fill up the veins in its wings, before settling down to dry out. It took a couple of hours, and soon, it flew away!

Monarch Chrysalis- butterfly emerging

The empty shell remained on the basil, and I suddenly felt a void. I used to keep an eye on the chrysalis every day whenever I stepped outside, and had seen the color slowly change over the few days. I used to wonder how the next few stages would be, and in 10 days, I had gotten very attached to this little guy. Now, it was gone! It's strange how quickly we form attachments to transient things.

Monarch Chrysalis empty shell

A mild winter proved to be a blessing for these guys, because the wasps were not around yet. I decided to check out the other caterpillars on the milkweed bush. Suddenly my eyes caught something on the underside of the cross bar on the fence. A caterpillar had attached itself and busy making a chrysalis around it. I just sat there for the next few minutes, and saw at least three other caterpillars do the same at different spots a few feet away from each other. 

Monarch Caterpillar turning into a Chrysalis

Soon, a jade green pupa was hanging where the caterpillar once was! 

Monarch Chrysalis on the fence crossboard

My eyes were trained by now to spot these beautiful little things hanging from the most unexpected places. I saw one on my lavender pot.

Monarch Chrysalis on the Lavender pot

The same process I had seen earlier played out with all of the chrysalis. Unfortunately, two of them decided to emerge on a very rainy day and they did not get a chance to dry out completely. Their wings remained fused and after about 36 hours, they could not stay alive. 

The other six went on to become pretty Monarch butterflies though. Like I said earlier, nature has its own checks and balances.

Monarch Chrysalis- butterfly ready to emerge 

The lavender pot butterfly hatched and emerged slowly. The wings are all kind of crumpled at first.

Monarch Chrysalis- butterfly emerging

Within minutes, the butterfly manages to straighten them up and gain strength.

Monarch Chrysalis- butterfly emerging

Still unfolding, unfurling the wings!

Monarch Chrysalis- butterfly emerging

 Almost there!

Monarch Chrysalis- butterfly emerging- drying out

 It then moved to a spot close by to finish the process of drying out.

Just hatched Monarch Butterfly drying out

The empty shell stayed behind, a sweet reminder of what had just happened.

Monarch Chrysalis empty shell

The pretty butterfly on the Milkweed bush. Ready to lay eggs again. 

All the butterflies had emerged and were calling the yard their home. Maybe it was my imagination, but whenever I stepped outside, at least three would come by flying and do a little dance around my head. I would say hello, and they seemed to be enjoying the sunshine and the flowers around. This happened for about a week. Now they have left. Hope to see the same process play out next year! Adios, friends!

 Monarch Butterfly 

Yo Oregon!- 2- Crater Lake National Park

National Parks are almost always on our list of places to visit, and this little beauty in Oregon was no exception. Crater Lake National Park is about a five hour drive from Portland, OR.
We drove for a couple of hours towards the park from Bend, and were greeted by this sign.

Crater Lake National Park Entrance

I had heard about this wonderful place and about the blue waters of the crater, but it is surreal when you get to actually see it. It is almost impossible to get the entire expanse of Crater Lake in one shot, so here is a panoramic view.
The Crater in Crater Lake is formed by the eruption of Mount Mazama, and this area is part of the volcanic legacy of Oregon.

 Crater Lake National Park Panoramic view

The day we chose to visit, was a dedicated day, out of two in a year, for cyclists. Scores of biking enthusiasts filled the park, and parts of the park were closed for them. A part of the rim drive was off limits for regular visitors that day. So we hung out near the lodge, had lunch there, and checked out a few hiking trails and the informative Visitor Center.

'Volcano within a volcano'- said a sign nearby. If you zoom in on the picture, you can read about it.

Crater Lake National Park- Wizard Island

Even as crater lake was collecting water as the volcano cooled down, another series of eruptions occurred within the crater. Many of them are submerged under water today, but one such site with it's cone visible above the water level eventually came to be known as Wizard Island, with the crater of the top getting the name 'Witch's Cauldron'.

Crater Lake National Park- Wizard Island

There's something very calming about the tranquil blue waters of Crater Lake, even if it was formed after a series of explosive events. One feels so insignificant by the sheer magnitude of change this area has witnessed over a period of time. A nice film at the visitor center sums it all up in a nutshell, and you leave not just in awe of our planet, but also how deceptive it all seems when you observe it today.

 Crater Lake National Park 

A 'prescribed burn' on the east side of the park sent smoke billowing into the sky, with acrid fumes filling the air on the way to the National Park from Bend. I am not sure why these burns have to happen, and there was nobody at the park who could give me a good answer to that question. You can see the cloud of smoke on the other side of  the rim in the picture below.

 Crater Lake National Park - Another view

As we drove on rim road, there was a pullout to see the Phantom ship. Phantom ship is a small island that has a very apt name given to it. It does look like a ship, and is eerie looking especially on foggy and misty days. It is formed by geothermal activity, and is a short drive away from Wizard Island.

 Crater Lake National Park - Phantom Ship

Off the southeastern rim of the park, is a short trail- the Pinnacles Trail. Erosion of Volcanic pumice form spires/pinnacles in grey or brown hues in the Pinnacles Valley. Green conifers surround the spires in the valley. 

Crater Lake National Park - Pinnacles

These reminded me of the Tent Rocks of New Mexico, that I had written about earlier. It was a wonderful hour spent hiking on this trail.

Crater Lake National Park - Pinnacles

Finally, a hat tip to Stephen Tyng Mather, who laid the foundation for, and was the first director of the National Park Service. It is because of visionaries like him that we get to enjoy these varied stunningly beautiful areas throughout the country.