COLOUR ME SURPRISED!

NOTE: This is a Special Edition of the blog, written by the (gobsmacked) Garden Girl...

When you think of visiting a garden that will WOW you, PUSH the limits, EXCEED your expectations plus provide VARIETY, QUALITY and QUANTITY, where is it?    Does your mind wander to Europe, Asia or the more southern climes of North America?  Swing your compass --- such a place exists in St. John’s Newfoundland at the Memorial University Newfoundland (MUN) Botanical Garden.

Despite all this year's grumbling about the wet cold spring, trees and plants are thriving. This year, visiting Newfoundland in late June was surprisingly ideal. Situated within Pippy Park, the ‘Bot’ is a delightful 100+ acres.  In addition to a wide variety of gardens, there are 5 extensive walking trails.  These trails take you through all types of Newfoundland’s terrain – fen, bogs, lake, boreal forest, look-outs and barrens.  If you want to know what you are looking at, stop and read the educational sign boards along the way.

Friends of the Botanical Garden’s (FOG)  chose the native Twinflower to represent the garden’s academic research and  public educational mandate.  From chatting with MUN students in the gardens to exploring the workshop room it was easy to agree!

There are many “only in Newfoundland”  claims.  Upon entering the main building visitors learn Newfoundland (NFLD)  is the windiest spot in North America, for one.  Wind has the greatest impact on plant life and climate change is making it worse.  Add cold temperatures, snow, ice, rain and you wonder “How can anything grow here?”  The diversity and health of so many plants dispels the impossible.  Motivated by the challenge and equipped with knowledge 40 years later this botanical garden is worthy of all the accolades.

So what’s your pleasure?  It’s all here! Explore natural habitat. Walk through a fen and photograph NFLD’s provincial flower, the Pitcher Plant.

Stroll through the barrens and you might see the Pink Lady Slipper (orchid).   It seemed every path was also marked with the white native Bunchberry. Did the Bunchberry get picked as Canada’s national flower?

At this time of year the alders, Sichuan (aka Dogberry) Mountain Ash, and Labrador Tea are in blossom --- the scent and the colour attracting butterflies, birds and  people.

Looking for some colour?  Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Lilacs and more.

How about the unusual? Elusive?  Himalayan Blue Poppies, Alpine plants, even grapes.

Want to see a pollinator garden in action?  Do those bees know how lucky they are?

Why not build a Bug House with scraps of concrete block, wood, imagination, etc..

Check out the Potent Garden (medicinal and poisonous plants). Marvel at how this country’s native people  figured out what plants were edible, medicinal or useful in other aspects of daily life. In honour of Canada’s 150th visitors can see  a provincial flower bed with  plants representative of each province.

Engaging  children with nature is extremely important.  Imagine the fun of a 100 acre interactive scavenger hunt, or selfies with gnomes and their homes.

Is there more?  You bet!  This Bot garden changes, the programs and activities change.

As Newfoundland’s motto says, “Start Your Journey Here”.