magical mystic beach

It has been a long cold spring here in Victoria...and a busy one. My promise to myself to blog more often has been shamefully broken--again.

However, this latest adventure has left me with such a feeling of joy and inspiration that I just had to take the time to share it.

This Sunday was Father's Day, and to mark the occasion, we packed up a picnic and drove northwest past Sooke to Juan de Fuca Park, which is a huge Provincial Park containing drive and walk-in camping, and a long trail that begins just past Jordan River and ends at Botanical Beach, which is just south of Port Renfrew.

The drive from Victoria is about an hour and a half each way on windy roads, so it is a good idea to leave fairly early in the morning (this was something we failed to do, and then had to stop for gas and coffee along the way as well...my recommendation would be to fill the tank the night before, and to make that second cup at home before leaving...).

There are many trails and beaches in the park, but our destination was none other than the spectacular Mystic Beach. Parking for this trail is at the main trailhead for the Juan de Fuca trail system, just after the China Beach campground, and costs three dollars a day.

The trail itself is about two kilometres long, and a reasonable challenge for children. The five to seven year olds in our group zoomed very happily along the trail, jumping over roots and into mud puddles, across boardwalks and bridges, and along planks precariously balanced across muddy pits. Our three year olds were also very pleased to hike the trails, but needed to be carried about 1/4 of the time, and a little more on the way back after playing at the beach for the afternoon. The pinnacle of the trail for the children is the suspension bridge that straddles a small creek about twenty feet below. Little Abby called it the jumping bridge, and screeched joyfully for us to "look down!" as she crossed. Just six inches behind her and clutching the railings, I could not bring myself to do as she said for more than about half a second. She does not get her bravado from me, I'm afraid.

I have recently taken on a couple of clients with large treed sites in which we are trying to achieve a natural look, and certainly this trail was a wonderful place for inspiration. Nature is such a restrained designer in the deep coastal forest, with masses of sword ferns (Polystichum munitum), interspersed with splashes of deer ferns (Blechnum spicant), salal (Gaultheria shallon), and evergreen and deciduous huckleberry (Vaccinum parvifolium and Vaccinum ovatum). This is a garden in which you must pay close attention, that begs you to listen. The effect is calming, spacious, and contains no great pink rhododendrons or brightly coloured pots to distract your attention.

The last part of the trail is a huge fallen tree with steps carved into it that leads from the forest down onto the beach. And what a beach. It is sandy, nearly empty, and at its south end has huge cliffs with a waterfall that cascades onto the sand below. It is definitely one of the most interesting and impressive beaches that I have seen in and around the islands.

One of the best things about Mystic beach is that people are still permitted beach fires. The rule is that the fires are above the high tide line, and that only driftwood is used for fuel (as opposed to chopping up and burning live trees...). I think that one of the greatest pleasures in life has got to be eating food outside that has been cooked or warmed over a campfire. And if that fire is also on a spectacular beach, all the better. Our picnic consisted of chili, chips with guacamole, salsa and sour cream, bread and butter, and corn roasted on the fire and rolled in butter. For dessert, homemade chocolate chip cookies and fresh fruit. Mmm...

A Walk With the Camellias

On Sunday it stopped raining after lunch so we decided to forgo the swimming pool for a walk in Hatley Park. I have loved this garden since being introduced to it when I was taking the Horticulture Technician course at Malaspina College (now called Vancouver Island University) in 1995. The garden is now about 100 years old and has never been left to overgrow, so it is an absolute gem.

The parking lot is below the old mansion, and to enter the garden you first have to climb the hill beneath this beautiful stone giant, making it and its sweeping lawns the first thing you see. Parking is $1.00/hr and with small kids, you'll want about two hours to see the garden. Admission is $4.50/adult, kids under 12 are free.

The entrance puts you at the Italian Garden, which was designed in 1912 by the Boston landscape firm Brett and Hall. This is a classic example of a formal Italian garden, complete with symmetrical gardens and tightly clipped box hedges. This garden is also a popular site for summer weddings.

The kids tore through this garden and made their way through the woodland garden to the Japanese Garden.

The garden was designed in 1909, and includes many mature rhododendrons, Japanese maples, ornamental cherries, camellias, and many other wonderful treasures, all centred around a large pond that features two gazebos. This would be a perfect place for a picnic on a warm day. Lucas, Cleo and Abby all had a lot of fun exploring the trails, searching for the water wheel, and hiding in the branches of the low trees and shrubs. There are also little tucked-away lanterns, arbours and trellises, and tiny bridges that make the Japanese garden a perfect place for families with small children.

The most notable of all the flowering plants we saw were the camellias. Hatley Gardens has dozens of cultivars throughout the gardens, as well as a wide path bordering the Japanese gardens that is lined on one side with various types of camellias. Camellia japonica is an evergreen shrub (generally maturing at about 10' high by 8' wide) with a thick and glossy green leaf. Most camellias flower in early spring--though Camellia sasanqua flowers in late fall--with rose-like flowers, usually double, in reds, pinks, and whites . These beautiful shrubs like conditions similar to rhododendrons, in moist shade and rich, organic soil. They also benefit from some overhead coverage (under an eaves, for example), which will protect their delicate and easily bruised flowers from heavy spring rains.

The last section of the garden that we visited was the bog garden, which includes a fish ladder that the kids raced flower petals down, and a large, beautiful pond featuring a Curly Willow (Salix babylonica) at its edge. Lucas found a dried cattail at the water's edge, which, as some of you may remember from your own childhood, makes an excellent sword/torch/fluff spreader/duster/sister tormentor. Soon we were all dusted with tiny fluffy seeds from the cattail, Cleo was upset because she didn't find her own cattail, and Abby had to pee, or rather, had already peed and needed new pants. So, we knew our time was up, and we headed back to the car for new pants and a little bit of the apple cake that I had brought along for a treat.

The dining garden

We recently returned from a trip to the lovely Mayan Riviera, in the Quintana Roo province of Mexico. Among many of the wonderful things that this area has to offer, outdoor dining was one of my favourites.

There are many palapa restaurants hung with vines and small white lights twinkling through them, lanterns hanging from tree branches, and tropical foliage everywhere so that you feel enclosed, safe, and ready to stay for at least one more cerveca.

This feeling, this atmosphere, is a rare find in restaurants or in private residences in this colder part of the world, but certainly not impossible to create.

There are a few necessary elements that will help create the feeling of a cozy, outdoor dining area.

First, every truly comfortable space needs a ceiling, and this can be created with foliage from the overhanging branches of a tree, or gazebos, arbours and trellises, a large umbrella or even canvas or other fabric stretched overhead. Having a ceiling lends a human scale to the space, making us feel that we are not simply open to the great vast sky, but instead tucked in and secure amongst the plants.

Which leads us to the second necessary element of the cozy outdoor eating area, the immediate surroundings. No matter how beautiful the arbour, gazebo or trellis is, if it is not surrounded by foliage it will feel far too open to the elements and again, will leave the visitor feeling exposed and uncomfortable. The dining area needs to be surrounded with shrubs, perennials, and even small trees, whether they are in pots or in the ground. These plants do not need to block the view of the dining area, their presence alone will greatly soften and enhance the atmosphere inside the dining area. To create a calming effect within the plantings, it is best to limit both the types of plants and the colour of their foliage and flowers.

Next, the floor of the dining area is important as well. Ideally, the floor will be made of a material that is relatively even so that chairs and tables don't wobble. Random flagstone is beautiful, but it must be laid meticulously to create an even surface. Permeable pavers such as Aquapave would work well, or for something a little easier on the budget, a concrete surface could be laid. Concrete, however, is not typically a material that creates a feeling of coziness or warmth. Even less costly choices are gravel or lawn but they will be both be higher maintenance than stone, concrete, or pavers.

When choosing tables and chairs, cedar is very nice and certainly its soft, reddish colour creates a feeling of warmth. Wrought iron or aluminum looks romantic, but is often uncomfortable. Cushions and pillows should be in keeping with the colour palette you have chosen for your plants, as well as the exterior colours of your home. For a more eclectic and Mexican feel, choose brightly painted wood furniture and colourful, bright fabrics for seat cushions and pillows.

Lighting is also important for evening gatherings, and can be as simple as white LED lights strung in the tree or arbour above, or the area can be wired by an electrician so that you can utilize outdoor lanterns and even chandeliers, depending on your budget and the style that you have chosen.

Including all of these elements when planning an outdoor eating area will help you create a relaxing, comfortable dining experience in your own home, where you can always stay for one more cerveca.