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Said the bougainvillea to the bench …

Sitting quietly and covered in snow, my garden bench waits patiently for spring’s arrival.

In the living room window, the Bougainvillea thinks it is already spring – new leaves and colourful bracts appear daily.

One of these days, the Bougainvillea reminds the bench, you’ll feel the warmth of the sunshine too.

I have spent many hours sitting on this bench in both my Ottawa and now Regina gardens. Every few years, I re-stencil the morning glories that grace the bench. Some things are priceless.

And somehow, my bougainvillea is thriving on the Canadian prairies …

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54 responses to “Said the bougainvillea to the bench …”

  1. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    bougainvillea is on my list of plants to buy this season… i love them so much. your’s sounds very healthy and lovely. i love the picture of your bench covered in snow…there hasn’t been enough snow hear to make me happy yet… 🙂

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  2. angelfeet Avatar
    angelfeet

    That looks like a wonderful place to sit. How nice that you have good memories of that bench in your old home, as well as your new one.

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  3. anne Avatar
    anne

    I can’t believe I had time to participate AND grab a hot mug of tea and catch up on your blog! Happy GTS!

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  4. Marie Avatar
    Marie

    Beautiful post! I am looking forward to sit on my garden bench too!Have a nice day 🙂

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  5. Carol Avatar
    Carol

    Sounds like you are thriving in the Canadian prairies, as well!Carol, May Dreams Gardens

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  6. Katarina i Kullavik Avatar
    Katarina i Kullavik

    What a nice bench – even during winter it’s beautiful! /Katarina

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  7. Weeping Sore Avatar
    Weeping Sore

    One of the hardier (and ubiquitous in So. Cal.) Bougainvilleas is called ‘San Diego Red’. Yours looks like those delicate pink/almost white ones that aren’t as vigorous reds. Can’t wait to see your bench without the snow!

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  8. Sparkling Red Avatar
    Sparkling Red

    I’d definitely like to see the artwork on the bench when the snow melts. It’s such a pretty shade of blue!

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  9. Tracy Avatar
    Tracy

    My garden bench looks the same way. I have been looking at my backyard the past few days, and I can’t wait till the snow is gone, and I can relax on my bench again. I would love to try and grow a bougainvillea…..The colorful bracts are really something else.Happy GTS

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  10. Kylee Avatar
    Kylee

    Kate, I feel the same. I’m getting restless for spring and sitting outside.

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  11. chigiy at Gardeners Anonymous Avatar
    chigiy at Gardeners Anonymous

    I love your bench with the snow and the sun. Your bougainvillea looks happy in that pretty light.Enjoy.

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  12. Frances Avatar
    Frances

    I love the plant speaking to the bench, giving moral support, just like the support you give to your fellow bloggers. Thanks.Frances at Faire Garden

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  13. Brenda Kula Avatar
    Brenda Kula

    Looking forward to seeing that stencil! I’m sure you await spring with much anticipation in your area. Love the texture in the leaves of the photo.Brenda

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  14. jodi Avatar
    jodi

    A fellow gardener who is a long ways from seeing snowdrops (except of the white, wet, downward-sky-falling kind)…but the fun part is, we get to enjoy the spring of the warmer areas, then savour our own spring while they’re heading into hot, dry weather, right? Or so I console myself. You’ve inspired me to try bougainvillea too, by the way! Soon as I find one, that is.

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  15. Robin's Nesting Place Avatar
    Robin’s Nesting Place

    I love the blue bench in the snow. You are so artistic and creative.

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  16. Shady Gardener Avatar
    Shady Gardener

    You absolutely must have at least one bench in your gardens. It’s necessary for feeling “at home.” :-)Yours is beautiful. It would make one feel very happy to sit.

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  17. Lisa at Greenbow Avatar
    Lisa at Greenbow

    I can just see you perched upon your bench, fiddle in hand, serenading the garden with the bougainfillia doing the boogie woogie.

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  18. teeni Avatar
    teeni

    Oh, I hope it is one day soon for that little bench. It is so pretty! And I also hope Spring is hear soon for my own sake. I love the sunshine and the smell of warm earth. Ahhh.

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  19. Mad Man Bamboo Avatar
    Mad Man Bamboo

    Hi Kate,Hopefully the snow will end soon. The bougainvillea is on to something. We got deluged by rain and high winds to day here in California. Nice to see it with the new eyes!Sean

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  20. No Rain Avatar
    No Rain

    Kate,Has your Bougainvillea faded a bit this winter? It seems like it was a brighter pink earlier in the year. You are probably on short time now–waiting for spring or maybe not. Just when will spring arrive there?I have two benches in my garden, and I use one almost exclusively to look at the moon in the summer months. It is in the perfect place to get the best view from moonrise until I hit the sack!Aiyana

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  21. Selma Avatar
    Selma

    I have a stunning hot pink bougainvillea in my garden which has never seen a single snowflake. It runs almost the entire length of the garden and little wrens frolic in it – sometimes they appear to use it as a race track. Despite this, I wouldn’t mind thrusting my hands in that creamy snow surrounding your bench. It has been many years since I have seen snow. How lovely it would be to crunch in it!

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  22. Pam Avatar
    Pam

    It is all beautiful, but it is time for spring! I am trying to be patient.

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  23. Mary Avatar
    Mary

    You’ll be sitting on that lovely bench soon, Kate. It’s time for the snow to melt.

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  24. GardenAuthor Avatar
    GardenAuthor

    Kate – Love the photos… great juxtaposition!Lucy thanks Lytton for the visit. Glad my copyright piece gave you a chuckle.I enjoyed part 1 of your story about Andrea [The Created Wor(l)d]… quite a cliff hanger! I look forward to Part 2….. Deb

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  25. Karen Hall Avatar
    Karen Hall

    Hi Kate,I would like to pass on to you – an “Excellent Award” – if you care to know more please check my blog. However as you have just been given a make my day … well … just know that your blog is excellent and makes peoples days!regardskaren

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  26. greeny Avatar
    greeny

    We still have snow and some sleet lying around. It annoys me. I can’t feel Spring in the air but I can see the light at 6 am now and the evenings are growing longer so I KNOW it’s coming! Hope you stay warm and happy.

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  27. Crayons Avatar
    Crayons

    I like the juxtaposition of the bench and the blooming indoor plant. Another lovely post.

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  28. Annie in Austin Avatar
    Annie in Austin

    Whether one sits on it or not, a bench in the garden retains that as a possibility – and possibilities are important to us, aren’t they, KateI just saw several bougainvillea at the San Antonio zoo that were 8 or 10 feet tall and in bloom. They’re so common in that warm climate that no one paid them any attention, but a bougainvillea in Saskatchewan deserves notice! Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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  29. Cheryl Avatar
    Cheryl

    Such artistic photography. Love bougainvillea so lovely when it comes into flower.

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  30. Kylee Avatar
    Kylee

    Kate, you should see the bougainvillea “tree” that Jamie made on “The Victory Garden” this past Saturday. It was awesome!

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  31. joey Avatar
    joey

    Aren’t these warming February sun rays heart warming, kate? Wonderful to see buds bursting, especially for those of us whose piece of earth is still blanketed with snow. Thank you for the kind visit ~ count me in for sitting on your bench!

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  32. Connie Avatar
    Connie

    Love this simple and sweet post!

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  33. grannyfiddler Avatar
    grannyfiddler

    “the time has come,” the garden bench said, “to speak of many things””of Bougainvillea, warm beeswax, and gardens in the spring” winter can’t hold out much longer.

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  34. Paolo Tasini Avatar
    Paolo Tasini

    Said the bougainvillea to the bench… and said the praire girl to the world…Trust us, Spring is coming!Meanwhile, late Winter is not so bad.Ciao Kate! Bello reading you.

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  35. Matron Avatar
    Matron

    I’m jealous of your ability to grow bougainvillea! I’ve tried indoors, pots, greenhouse it just doesn’t thrive here. I guess we don’t have the daylight at this lattitude.

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  36. Ki Avatar
    Ki

    I remember the hard winters in Iowa. Spring was never more welcome after a long, bleak and cold winter. The house plants were a godsend even if we didn’t have anything that bloomed like your wonderful Bougainvillea.

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  37. Gumbo Lily Avatar
    Gumbo Lily

    How do you get bougainvillea to grow on Saks. prairies? Way to go, girl! The snow on my bench was all but melted off and now, a fresh new layer of snow graces it again. Jody (believing spring will come again)

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  38. Yolanda Elizabet Avatar
    Yolanda Elizabet

    Your garden bench is dreaming of wonderful spring days to come. And it is not the only one, is it? ;-)I tried Bougainvillea in my conservatory was it was not a success as it was taking over the whole of my conservatory, so out it had to come. Those thorns are no laughing matter. It seems that your bougainvillea is much more polite and considerate.Morning Glories on the garden bench, what a lovely idea!

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  39. Miranda Bell Avatar
    Miranda Bell

    Those two pictures are captured beautifully – the beauty of the snow and the pale blue bench as well as the delicate pale pink flower.. always inspiring! Take care Miranda

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  40. nikkipolani Avatar
    nikkipolani

    What a lovely simple post, Kate 🙂 And that bouganvillea is right.

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  41. Abby Creek Art Avatar
    Abby Creek Art

    Bougainvillea is one of my favorites…always seem to flourish and they’re always beautiful.Does Lytton think Spring is on it’s way? I hope so!:)

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  42. Willow Avatar
    Willow

    My bougainvillea in the pot on my porch says hi to your bougainvillea.

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  43. Heavy Petal Avatar
    Heavy Petal

    Beautiful! I love the juxtaposition of the tropical and temperate!

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  44. Rowan Avatar
    Rowan

    It’s hard to believe that your garden is still deep in snow when here the spring flowers are appearing – snowdrops, crocus, daffodils and lots of others too. You must be looking forward to sitting on that lovely bench in the sunshine once more.

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  45. Alyssa Avatar
    Alyssa

    You have a tiny bit of Summer in your house surrounded by snow.The photo of the pastel bench sitting in the snow is quite lovely.

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  46. Christa Avatar
    Christa

    Hi, Kate,It was so thoughtful of you to ask how my knitting is coming along. After completing my first scarf, I felt invincible and thought I could make a sweater. Then I started looking at sweater patterns and even the simplest ones seemed intimidating. So now I am trying to make a simple tote bag. It’s four pieces that will get sewn together into a (hopefully somewhat) functional object. I think it might be a good way to work up to a sweater… some day. I’m almost finished knitting the first panel. I really enjoyed reading your anniversary smudges post. You are an inspiration.

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  47. nina Avatar
    nina

    You express perfectly the sadness of seeing an empty bench, recalling times when it had been filled–and the hope of their return.

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  48. Curtis Avatar
    Curtis

    What a wonderful place to sit on a it will be here before you know it, spring day!

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  49. Anna--Flowergardengirl Avatar
    Anna–Flowergardengirl

    The glories won’t be hidden for long!! Spring is coming and you can out there again. I promise!

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  50. kate Avatar
    kate

    I have enjoyed reading all of your comments — and wish that you could all come and sit a spell on my bench. When the snow has disappeared – as it might this weekend – I will take a photograph of the morning glories. They were looking just a bit tattered last autumn, so I wonder how they will have survived the winter. They have been covered in snow since November. Soon … soon … spring will arrive …

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  51. bs Avatar
    bs

    oh wow, your posts are priceless! i envy your ability to stay so serene in the face of such weather. you’re every bit as mysterious as the bougainvillea in that regard!

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  52. San Avatar
    San

    Kate, that bench looks like quite the spot to contemplate and be at peace with oneself. And it wears its layer of snow well.Your flowers always dazzle!

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  53. rivergardenstudio Avatar
    rivergardenstudio

    I can’t believe I have found a gardener’s blog! I am an artist/gardener and have been communicating with primarily artists since I began in December! If you look into my blog, especially my photo albums and my winter pictures, you will see my garden world here in Oregon! I am so happy to have found your site and will visit often. Roxanne from River Garden Studio

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  54. byrningbunny Avatar
    byrningbunny

    Okay, I come from where bouganvilla grows rampantly and I’d love to know how you are keeping it alive indoors up here. It’s one of the plants I miss the most!

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