The Daily Dirt: Day 3 - Trees, Bees, and lots of Heat!

UBC Botanical Garden

This morning, Amanda and James took us on a tour around the UBC Botanical Garden. We started our tour by visiting the Physic Garden where we learned about several varieties of medicinal plants and the history of each one. In the centre of the Physic Garden, we also found a sundial that looked really neat and was pretty accurate to the time. After visiting the Physic Garden, we spent some time exploring other areas of the Botanical Garden like the Carolinian Garden, the BC Rainforest Garden, and the Roseline Sturdy Amphitheatre. We all had an amazing time appreciating the nature surrounding us and would definitely visit again!

        

At the botanical garden, one particular medicinal plant that caught our attention was the Viper’s Bugloss (also known as the Echium Vulgare.) This plant is the cure to sadness. It comforts the heart and drives away melancholy. Viper’s Bugloss is native to Europe. It has long leaves, spikes and is covered in rough hairs. They are mostly found in disturbed areas such as roadsides and waste areas. This plant is well known for its ability to attract pollinators, particularly bees and butterflies. It is also used as a remedy for snake bites.

Afternoon Work Party in the Garden

In the afternoon, James taught us how to transplant some sprouted plants into the soil. These sprouted plants included mustard, green onion, beets, and gai lan, and were originally stored in the greenhouse to initially germinate/mature. We transplanted the green onions and learned how to water them properly to prevent them from burning in the sun. As usual, we spent some time removing weeds like stinging nettle and red clovers.

Daily Dirt Day 2- Cats, Hats but no Matts

We were missing Matt today; His absence was felt keenly by all. But we pressed on: Day 2 at the Orchard Garden found us connecting with our surroundings. We found quiet spots to sit in the grass and observe the sights and sounds around the Garden. Eagles, hummingbirds and butterflies all paid us a visit. After the scorching heat of Day 1, it was a nice way to start the day and get our creative juices flowing. We went on a bit of a field trip, reflecting at various places around campus and doing some ecopoetry writing. It was a very pleasant walk with the breeze keeping the heat at bay and we were able to really take in some areas of campus we may not have spent long thinking of in our day to day lives.

The first part of the afternoon was spent at the greenhouse, germinating beans, basil and romaine lettuce. The two resident cats welcomed us warmly.

Returning to the Orchard Garden, we ended our day by removing some red clover and rehanging the Orchard Garden sign. What a beautiful day! What a beautiful group of people! Looking forward to tomorrow!🙂

Jasper's Forest Poem: 

"Undeveloped" they call you "undeveloped" even as the spider's thread stitches back and forth across the hollow place in the wood "undeveloped" as if the axe were already here too entitled to knock "undeveloped" as if I don't stand here an adult where once a child hid "undeveloped" doesn't see the growing here the living which is beyond and without and within us that does not take us for granted "undeveloped" brims with light and scent and birdsong and tiny worlds "undeveloped" leaves room for growing and breathing and quiet so quiet as busyness thrums below the dirt like a thousand ants "undeveloped" makes you a cost benefit analysis not a mother not a teacher not a home "undeveloped" as if you could ever be completed like a book bound with your heartstrings dead and still

[I wanted to have my poem be like one long uninterrupted sentence, the way nature carried on before us and will carry on afterwards, and I incorporated aspects of my own memories of the place and experiences being there today]

James's "Starting Small" Poem:

Seeds and seedlings find

Small spots to plot

Their growth

Tiny signs of life

Push through the soil and toil

For light

Their leaves extended 

Their roots embedded

Absorbing nutrients day and night

James's Princess Tree Painting

[James got a lot more fantastic nature pictures, which can be provided upon request! :) ]