I’m not a hockey fan. I go to Vancouver mainly for the tranquility of forests, gardens and greenery. There are places where one can be utterly alone, in quiet solitude. Especially now after the ugly Stanley Cup riot, I must show you this side of Vancouver, the quiet gardens and forests that offer one a haven far from the madding crowd.
The flora on the UBC campus… the budding irises, hanging wisteria, exploding rhododendrons, and the unknown flowers and foliage (I’d appreciate your identifying them for me below the rhododendron)… and the sequestered Nitobe Japanese Garden:
The Nitobe Japanese Garden:
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Art of gardening
nature reshaped, redesigned
prune the riotous heart
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All photos and writing by Arti of Ripple Effects, June, 2011. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Ripple Effects 
I would love to visit the Japanese garden… Beautiful shots!
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Michelle,
It’s in a very quiet corner of UBC campus. Next time you’re in Vancouver, do go visit.
Arti
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Really beautiful. 🙂
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Jillian,
Thanks for stopping by.
Arti
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Beautiful. I’m glad you had some nice weather and found things peaceful.
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Ellen,
Mostly overcast, the usual Vancouver weather. It wasn’t so peaceful after I left… the hockey riot.
Arti
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Absolutely enchanting, Arti. You have an eye for beautiful lines and lovely textures.
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nikkipolani,
Thanks… glad you stopped by!
Arti
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Lovely photos and the Japanese garden is gorgeous. The green leafy below the rhodedenrons looks like a hosta. I can’t see the flowers or the foliage well distinctly enough on the yellow one but it looks like some kind of creeping sedum. The white one looks like a gardenia but I’ve never seen one that looked quite like that so I am probably wrong. The last one looks like Irish Bells but they usually grow up a stalk like hollyhock so I am at a loss as to what it is. I take it there were no plant labels in the garden?
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Stefanie,
Yes, of course, the hosta. I think you’re right about the creeping sedum… maybe the “Gold Moss”. And the last one, it has a tall stalk too but all the green ‘flowers’ are gathered on the top like a elongated ball. No labels there. Thanks for your input!
Arti
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What kind of camera do you use? Your photos are so sharp and lovely.
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Ti,
I always admire others’ photos for their sharpness, but never my own. I used just a little pocket camera, the Panasonic Lumix, which is considered an ‘old’ item now. I loaded them to my MacBook Pro, and used the iPhoto editing features to adjust the sharpness and contrast etc. But never the color… I want them to be authentic.
Arti
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So beautiful, Arti, even though all I could identify for certain was the hosta. I adore Japanese gardens for their uncluttered simplicity and peace. Everything has a purpose, and that is to set the mind free. Ahhhh…
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ds,
Everything has a symbol too, although I didn’t have a clue without anybody telling me what. But I’d enjoyed the serenity. Interesting thing is the Garden is in the midst of a forest, like there are trees, douglas firs, cedars, a hundred feet tall.
Arti
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The Nitobe garden really is splendid in its tranquility, which oozes from my laptop screen. I would love to make a rock walkway like that. Brilliant to have it on campus. I can’t help with the plants other than the hosta myself.
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Ruth,
The UBC campus is surrounded by rain forests, and this Garden is tugged in a secluded corner, yes, very quiet, hidden, sequestered. Glad I found it… although years ago, a cousin of mine had her wedding photos taken there and that was my first visit. Your farm has beauty of its own… a rock walkway sounds meditative.
Arti
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Your photos are lovely, particulrly the one of the curling leaf – the hosta. I never would have identified that. Perhaps they like a cooler climate. I sent your pic of the mysterious green ball to a couple of gardening friends. They can’t ID it either, but are curious. If they get really curious and figure it out, I’ll let you know.
The photos delight the eye, but your haiku delightsmy spirit. Pruning the Riotous Heart” absolutely is the title of a book of gardening meditations. Write it!
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Linda,
Can you believe it? As far as I can remember, this is the first haiku I’ve ever written. For some reason, I never had to do it in school. After the photos, and the riot (you must click on the Stanley Cup riot link I’ve included in the post) I thought: what a contrast! I must write something down, but don’t know what or how. And the Japanese Garden is a prompt; yes, a haiku to respond to the mayhem. I’ve to go online to check the syllable counts etc. Anyway, thanks for noticing. A title for a book, sounds good. I await someone to write it for me. Also, you know the haiku fits very well in a tweet, so, how’s that for a variation of your Poetry Tweets? 😉
Arti
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This makes me want to go to Vancouver! Thanks for sharing this!
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You should have come. 😉
A.
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“Prune the riotous heart!” geez, a great line. Resonates completely at the moment.
The flower pictures are so rich, so lush, I nearly want to eat the blooms. I cannot tire of such photos – is it because the office where I work is grey? no. It’s just that flowers “sing” and I love their song. And these that you’ve pictured are a lovely chorus!
and then the design in the Japanese garden. sigh.
I was hoping to get to Calgary this summer but looks like the conference will happen in the States.
Stay tuned!
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oh,
Know what? Prince William and his new bride Kate will be visiting us during the Calgary Stampede early July. The story goes that Kate Middleton’s grandfather spent a short time staying in Calgary with the army during WWII. His name is in the Museum of Regiments here in the city. She’s coming to get in touch with a piece of her family history. You’re welcome to join in the excitement.
And Vancouver, it’s a different world. Hope you can have the chance to visit too.
Arti
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The beautiful green flower is a Euphorbia! Here’s a photo of one, also taken in Vancouver . Two of my readers on Weather Underground identified it.
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Linda,
Thanks for ID this unique flower, Euphorbia… do thank your Weather Underground friends for me. Don’t you think it’s just intriguing: bloom within a bloom? The picture in your link is mesmerizing even… with it’s clear and fuzzy layers.
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And here’s the wiki entri for Euphorbia amygdaloides
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Thanks again!
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The Japanese garden is SO gorgeous! I do wish there was somewhere as beautiful at that in my vicinity.
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litlove,
It’s snuggled in a secluded section on the UBC campus. Anytime you visit Canada, I’ll meet you there. 😉
Arti
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I knew Vancouver was far more than riots! But I didn’t know about this Japanese garden.. It is simply stunning.
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Yes, Vancouver is more than riots, more than hockey too as a matter of fact. The rain forests and natural/cultivated environs to me are its main attractions. Such are the kind of meeting places that we pensive bloggers 😉 should converge if we ever get the chance to meet face-to-face, don’t you agree?
Arti
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The flowers and gardens are gorgeous! I know very, very little about gardening and flowers, but I do love to experience them.
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Dorothy,
Welcome back from Ireland! I’m sure you’ve seen some beautiful gardens and natural environs there as well.
Arti
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Absolutely gorgeous photos, Arti! I hope to visit Vancouver some day. It looks so beautiful, and your eye for beauty and tranquility is perfect.
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Cathy,
Thanks. And yes, Vancouver has some gorgeous natural wonders. Adding a touch of human aesthetics, it’s beauty augmented. Hope you’ll have the chance to visit some day.
Arti
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Lovely Arti … I just adore Japanese gardens. Great photos.
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Thanks whisperinggums. I suppose you’ve encountered even more authentic Japanese gardens since you’re much closer to Japan. 😉
A.
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