Honeysuckle From Below (Halifax Update)

    It is a cool, rainy day here in Halifax.  There has been a lot of precipitation since I arrived here in March.  I'm not complaining - it has made people's yards and the Public Gardens lush and beautiful, and it has kept the summer temperatures in check. (The same can't be said for BC, unfortunately...so many heat records have been broken in the past week, and wildfires now abound in the province.)

 

   The woman in the apartment below ours is a gardener, and set to creating her own personal garden on the apartment grounds around her first-floor balcony/deck when she moved in years ago. I don't think this is generally permitted.  My impression is that she is not one to take no for an answer and so she went ahead with her plans.  Sometimes, the "ask forgiveness, not permission" approach works out for everyone involved!  

 

   There are all sorts of lovely hosta varieties down there, as well as beautiful pink peonies, assorted annuals, and this honeysuckle, which grew up the side of the building. (Click on pictures to enlarge.)  Mom tended it once it reached our balcony. The chickadees and sparrows love hiding in it. 

 

 

 

 

   The only way I could get a shot of the largest hostas was to take the picture through the bottom of the honeysuckle vines.
 

A few more hostas and some peonies.

 

   

   This picture doesn't do the flowers justice.  These large, fluffy peonies are a gorgeous pink and look like soft powder puffs.  They are a tad droopy following a night of rain.

 

 

   These are a few extra transplants from my "garden" on our balcony.  Mostly kale, parsley, chard, and pansies.  They will soon to be moved upstairs to another neighbour's balcony where the rest of the garden plants are.  

 

 

Update (August 4) - Sadly, the neighbour downstairs who created the lovely garden of hostas, hydrangeas, and other perennials recently went into hospice care and will not be returning to the building.  As part of preparing her apartment space for new tenants, some of the things she planted are being removed.  The first to go was the honeysuckle.  We'll miss seeing the chickadees and sparrows resting in it.  I hope the hydrangeas (one of which is purple - really unique!) and hostas might be left in place.