Farmer's Almanac Weather Prediction for Ontario: "Fair and pleasant."
Currently blooming in my garden: Portulaca, Gazania Sonnegold, nicotiana, Echeveria lilacina, anise hyssop, black-eyed Susans, calendula, coleus, and passion flower.
When I last wrote, I promised to give a part 2 of the Montreal Botanical Gardens. It's been too long. The experience isn't fresh in my mind anymore. What used to be exciting and new is a distant memory. To keep us all from being bored to tears I'll try to quickly sum it up. The greenhouse has a number of rooms housing various types of plants. After the Arid Plants room I moved to the other side of the building which was all various tropical  jungle plants. The first room was filled with bromeliads. it was spectacular. The plants were attached to trees and branches in an attempt to simulate a natural environment. Some of them were in flower. Spanish moss was hanging everywhere. Mist was constantly being pumped into the atmosphere creating the best air quality I have ever experienced. If I lived in Montreal I would go to that room for the health benefits. Forget oxygen bars. In this environment you are exposed to clean, oxygenated air and the tranquility of being surrounded by beautiful plants.
I don't think I've been shy about my affection for epiphytic plants. Being inside this room was a bit of a dream. Actually being up in a canopy in the rain forest would be a dream. But this was pretty close. Of course I have the necessary touristy photos of me standing next to plants to prove I was there.
I believe that the next room was an ethnobotanic display featuring tropical trees used for economic gain. I was most excited to see a cacao tree. While I saw a pod in Mexico at a Chocolate Mill, I'd never seen the actual tree. Sadly the tree was lacking in fruit. They had specimens of the other plants you'd imagine to see: coffee, tea (bush), tamarind, orange, vanilla (not a tree but an orchid) and banana to name a few.
 The final rooms housed orchids and ferns. The orchids were beautiful but I didn't have much time left to really look closely at them. My experience of the orchids could be likened to a drive-by viewing. As I mentioned in Part 1, I had approximately 15 minutes tops to see the rest of the greenhouse so time was critical. Orchids are on display at every garden show and greenhouse I visit. I wanted to see the plants that are rarely on display.
 The fern room was such a display. I have never in my life seen ferns as large as trees. I've read that in prehistoric times such plants existed, but I had no idea they were still around. Being in that room was like being inside the illustrations of prehistoric foliage that are common in science text books from the 60s and 70s. I stood next to the largest staghorn fern I've ever seen. I saw fiddleheads as big as my fist. Without sounding like a promotional ad for the Montreal Botanical Gardens there is nothing else to say. It was a great experience and I'd go back to Montreal just for that.
The CNE and Why I Need to Avoid it in the Future
Every year I go twice to the Canadian National Exhibition. Once at night and once during the day. Both trips are under the guise of taking photos that I will never use. Every year I go, and every year I get sucked in by the booth that sells air plants. I hate that booth. It's at the CNE, Canada Blooms and the Royal Agricultural Fair. I know I have too many tillandisia as it is. I know I don't have the right conditions to provide certain types (specifically the ones with thin, delicate leaves) with the humid conditions they require. But I can't resist. This year I resisted on the first day. Instead I purchased 2 miniature plastic orchids (don't ask) and a really tiny ceramic cactus. I couldn't resist their miniature cuteness.
The second trip was a different story. I went over to the booth with the intention of "just looking". Then I was tempted and decided to get just one. Then I thought I'd get one for my friend. Then I had to get one that was called Oaxaono (something like that I forget exactly). And well if you buy 3 you get one free. So that's how I managed to come home with 4 more tillandsia.
Another booth nearly lured me into a further bromeliad purchase. I've had so much success with the Urn plant and the flaming sword, I thought why not add a blue-flowered torch or a scarlet star to the mix. The only thing that held me back was the scary way in which they had waxed the hell out of the foliage at this particular booth. They had used some sort of spray that made the leaves look like plastic. I like my real plants to look real thank you very much.
Lately I've been talking about how I need to get rid of some plants. Winter is quickly approaching, made all-too-evident by the freezing weather we've been having lately. As I write this, I'm wearing a sweater, a blanket, slippers and socks in addition to my usual attire. Soon it will be time to bring in all the plants that were put out over the summer. Actually it's been so cold I've already brought a few of the more delicate plants inside. While it looks like I have lots of space right now, in a month I'll be desperately attempting to jam all the plants into their appropriate lighting conditions. In order to avoid this it's time to find some plants a new home. I can think of at least two plants that I'd be reluctantly willing to part with.
Last year at this time: My allergies were this bad yesterday.
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