Playfair Park - Whats happening in the Park

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Playfair Park is considered one of Saanich's best kept secrets.  It has a large grove of mature rhododendrons and azaleas, a Garry oak meadow, and a three hundred foot perennial border, considered by many who have seen it to be more impressive than Butchart Gardens.  It is quiet and secluded - listen for the pair of Cooper's hawks      nesting in the park  

Area: Quadra
Location: Rock Street or Cumberland Road
Size: approx. 3.7053 ha

June 23 2008

Sunnier weather is finally upon us.  The cold, wet spring has not kept the flowers from blooming after all. In fact many plants seem to have enjoyed the cool temperatures and extra moisture, putting on more luxuriant growth, with blooms appearing a little later than normal, and lasting slightly longer than usual.

To the right of the Rock street entrance is Crinodendron hookerianum (lantern tree), a tall lime-loving evergreen shrub hardy in mild areas. It has waxy crimson urn-shaped and dark green leathery leaves. By the trellis is Pernettya mucronata, a lime lover covered with small white urn-shaped flowers.  In the fall it is covered with large berries.  This plant is unisexual so you need a male and female to get fruit.

In the sunny side of the GORP site you may find remnants of the creamy-white flowers of the poisonous meadow death camas (Zygadenus venenosus).  Among the rocks is the native rose, Rosa gymnocarpa, with its light pink petals and large yellow center.

Every week the perennial border has something new to see.  Below the loquat tree (Eriobotryia japonica) is Corokia cotoneaster, a shrub of yellow stars and angled branches. Geranium ‘Ballerina’, an alpine perennial with small pink flowers with dark veins nestled in deep green leaves is at ground level. The pink with purple blotched Erodium glandulosum roseum, with  filigreed silvery-green leaves fronts a small rock.  

Paulownia tomentosa, the empress tree, is a fast-growing, suckering hardwood with  lavender-blue flowers. Its stems break easily when its large heart-shaped leaves are laden with rain or snow.  The lilac balls of Allium ‘Globemaster’ contrast well against the large silver leafed ornamental artichoke, Cynara cardunculus.  The flower of short Allium schubertii has an unusual star-burst shape.   Polemonium carneum is a mat forming , spreading perennial with purplish pink flowers with yellow centers.  Oriental poppies (Papaver orientale)  have been electrifying the border with its’ oranges and reds.   An unusual burgundy coloured one, is  Patty’s Plum. Lupinus polyphyllus ‘Russel variety’ has spire-like racemes in purple including blue, red, pink,  yellow or white.  Tufted panicles of fluffy mauve flowers float above divided grey-blue foliage of Thalictrum aquilegifolium. 

A variety of perennial geraniums are in bloom.  Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’ has flowers of blue with a white center.  Geranium platypetalum is a clumping, rhizomatous geranium with blue flowers with dark, raised veins. The bright magenta flowers with lime colored leaves is Geranium ‘Ann Folkard’, good for weaving through early blooming perennials.  A beautiful blue, double geranium (Geranium pratense “Plenum Caeruleum’) is also in bloom.

People have been asking about the beautiful pink and white shrubs flowering in the back of the border.  These are  Beauty Bush (Kolkwitzia amabilis) and Mock Orange (Philadelphus ‘Belle Etoile’).

East of the arbour are multi-colored columbines (Aquilega vulgaris ‘McKana Hybrids’).      Dark Iris “Eye of the Tiger’ and light Iris ‘Oriental Beauty’ are elegant chalices in the border. The pink balls at the feet of Iris pseudoacorus ‘Variegata’ is Phuopsis stylosa.  Rodgersia aesculifolia, a shade and moisture loving rhizomatous plant with plumes of white flowers has large horse-chestnut leaves.

Pernettya mucronata, lime lover covered with small white urn-shaped s	Crinodendron hookerianum, lantern tree
Rosa gymnocarpa	Zygadenus venenosus, poisonous         meadow death camas
Lupinus polyphyllus ‘Russel variety’	'Geranium ‘Ballerina’ an alpine perennial with small pink flowers with dark veins
The pink with purple blotched Erodium glandulosum roseum, with  filigreed silvery-green leaves, fronts a small rock.	Paulownia tomentosa, the empress tree
The lilac balls of Allium ‘Globemaster’ contrast well against the large silver leafed ornamental artichoke, Cynara cardunculus	Allium schubertI
Polemonium carneum	Oriental poppies (Papaver orientale)
Geranium platypetalum	Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’
Kolkwitzia amabilis (Beauty Bush)	Geranium ‘Ann Folkard’
multi-colored columbines (Aquilega vulgaris ‘McKana Hybrids’).	Dark Iris “Eye of the Tiger’
Iris pseudoacorus ‘Variegata’	Light Iris ‘Oriental Beauty’

May 31 2008

The grandeur of the rhododendron garden of Playfair Park is in full swing.  The trails take you under heavily laden branches of pink blossoms while the enticing fragrance of yellow and orange azaleas tickles your nose.  Flowers range in color from pale pink with orange freckles to hues of red, yellow and white to blues of Rhododendron augustinii.  Unfurling leaves with magenta bracts add interest.  A large native tree Cornus nuttallii (Pacific Dogwood) is in full flower— it is the white bracts that are showy. The blooms are small and inconspicuous.

            
Cornus Nuttallii                                       Rhodo

                 
Rhodo                                                    Rhodo and azaleas

The Camassia quamash or Common Camas, is finished blooming now. However, the Greater Camas, Camassia leichtlinii is now in full flower throughout the park and in particular throughout the Garry oak Restoration site.  The yellowish flowers of Sanicula crassicaulis (Pacific sanicle) are now in bloom.

With the warm weather a different plant is blooming every other day in the perennial border.  

Blue centaurea montana may be considered weedy by some gardeners but it offers a profusion of blue blooms for cutting.
Geum ‘Beech House Apricot” is covered with delicate, wavy-edged apricot-yellow flowers nestled in pinnate leaves
The elegant light blue flowering spikes of Veronica ‘Ramona’ has blue veins and blue stigmas.
The bleeding heart Dicentra spectabilis ‘Alba’ has satiny white hearts rather than the common pink.
A variety of hardy geraniums are in bloom.  Geranium phaeum has dark purple flowers, Geranium himalyense  is blue with pink centers while the evergreen Geranium macrorrhizum has magenta flowers.
Sparaxis tricolour’s (Harlequin flower) red, yellow, purple and white flowers with yellow centers outlined in  black open fully in the sun and partially close when cloudy.
Erysimum ‘John Cordington’ is a ground hugging perennial wallflower sprinkled with yellow, pink and wine-red flowers.

April 28 2008

Despite the cold weather an increasing number of visitors are checking out the blooms at Playfair Park.  Some stay for lunch, enjoying the sun and quiet space.

Sunny Fritillaria lutea maxima and sulphur-yellow Erythronium ‘Pagoda’ are in bloom at the entrance beds off Rock Street.

The Garry Oak Restoration Project (GORP) site is slowly coming into its glory.  Sharing the space with white Fawn lilies is Dodecatheon hendersonii, the magenta to lavender broad-leaved shooting star.  Did you know it is in the Primula family?  Search intensely for the dark purple flower buds of the mottled Chocolate lily, Fritillaria lanceolata.  They can be seen at the base of some of the oaks. The saucer-shaped leaves of Miner’s lettuce, Claytonia perfoliata, are bunched throughout the oak undergrowth. These make a good substitute for lettuce.  The blue flowered Common camas, Camassia quamash,  is barely showing color amongst the shiny, yellow buttercups.  In a few weeks a sheet of blue will cover the hillside. 

The  rhododendrons are at all stages of flower.   Closed buds mingle with flowers barely open to those that have shattered and carpet the forest floor.  Fragrance from our native Oregon grape, Mahonia aquifolium, scents the air.  The large camphor tree, Umbellularia californica, is in flower.  Crush a leaf and smell.  A large patch of pink Erythronium revolutum is next to one of the paths.  The Cooper’s hawks are quieter now.  The female is settling for long periods of time in its nest in the tall oaks.  She may be brooding.     

The perennial border is waking up.  Wine-red Pasque flower, Pulsatilla vulgaris, with its bright yellow stamens bloom at the sunny, west end of the border along with a single Fritillaria lutea maxima  under the Garrya elliptica. White, magenta, red and blue varieties of Anemone De Caen will dot the border with color till fall.  At the shady, east end of the border the yellow daisy-like flowers of Doronicum ‘Little Leo’ shine next to the forget-me-not blue of Brunnera macrophylla. The fragrance of hyacinths and narcissi continue to scent the air.

Work continues with dividing and planting of perennials.  Shrubs are being incorporated to enhance visual aesthetics in the winter and maintenance demands. Irrigation lines are being re-located to improve water coverage.

April 9, 2008
Despite the few weeks of unusual spring weather the flowers continue to appear at Playfair Park.  Our native flowering currant, Ribes sanguineum ‘White Icicle’ (the white variety) greets park visitors.   

The camellias are in full bloom. White fawn lily, Erythronium oregonum, has started to flower.  Its recurved white flowers with yellow centers sit on slender stems that emerge from “fawn” mottled leaves.  “Erythronium” comes from the Greek erythros for red, in reference to some pinkish-flowered species. See if you can spot the pink fawn lily, Erythronium revolutum.  This species is confined to Vancouver Island and areas south  (Pojar, J. and Mackinnon, A.,  Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast, Lone Pine Publishing, 1994, p. 104-105). 

Also in the rhododendrons, look for Trillium ovatum. Trillium means in 3s referring to the leaves, petals, sepals and stigmas.  The flower blooms early in the spring just as the robins appear or “wake up”, thus the common name of Wake Robin.  Its seeds are attractive to ants who feed on its oil-rich appendages and then discard the remaining seeds.  This effectively disperses the seeds in dim forest floors  (Pojar  and Mackinnon, p.102).

Purple hellebores are blooming in the perennial border as well as lungwort (the leaves are shaped like lungs) or Pulmonaria. The cool pink flowers contrast nicely with this variety’s silver-spotted leaves.   

A Downy woodpecker and a Swainson’s thrush were spotted in the grove of oaks where the Cooper hawks have built a nest.  Hummingbirds can be heard dive-bombing potential predators. 

	Ribes sanguineum 'White Icicle' (foreground), Ribes sangiuneum red 'Flowering Currant' (background)
	Camellia
	Purple hellebore
	Erythronium oregonum
	Trillium ovatum
	Pulmonaria angustifolia
	Downy woodpecker
	Swainson’s thrush

April 1, 2008
Playfair is starting it's spring show.  The rhododendrons are starting to bloom, and a few are already in full colour.  A favorite is the deciduous rhododendron with small vibrant, pink-blue flowers.  A hummingbird was checking it out this morning.  Satin flower (Sisyrinchium douglasii) with its nodding purple flowers is blooming in the Garry oak meadow.  Perennials such as peonies are just starting to pop out of the ground amongst the hyacinths and daffodils.

Keep checking this site for news on Playfair Park. Click here for a location map or list of amenities.

	Sisyrinchium douglasii amongst Garry oak meadow
	deciduous rhododendron
peonies starting to peek out