September First Views (Town Mouse)

A month ago, I published my first First Views post, with pictures from the garden that show not the close-ups but the garden views.  The reason? I realized that with all the clever posts about controversial topics and amazing flowers, the garden was too much back stage, and I didn't have garden photos to share with friends.

Now it's September, and I realize how subtle the changes are. California summer and late summer is the time when nature slows down. And yet, if you look more closely, you see that things are moving toward fall. Above, a close-up of the California native grape that is starting to change colors (sorry, couldn't resist one close-up). And here's the view from the sunroom.

The lavender is on its second bloom, but the Salvia clevlandii is past its prime and has been cut back a lot. I'm leaving the fall grasses a little longer, the golden color is pleasing and the birds like to perch on the larger fronds.

The big difference for this month's post is actually the weather: I usually make the photos in the early morning, and early morning means overcast in the SF Bay Area in summer. But as fall arrives, the marine layer shrinks and we have sun even in early morning, warmer days and cooler nights. It makes taking pictures a little more challenging, but the new little camera was up to the challenge. Here's a side view of the Mediterranean mound that's on the right in the photo above. Notice the beautiful pink Amaryllis belladonna to the right of the native buckwheat? (notice the sunlight?)

Looking the other direction from the sunroom, we find that Epilobium canum (California fuchsia) is starting to come into its own, with hummingbirds coming to visit all day.

California fuchsia is also the focal point in the hammock view.

 

The side strip, with Eriogonum grande rubescens (rosy buckwheat), Eriogonum arborescens, and Chaparral current is starting to look a little tired because of the afternoon sun it had received all summer. 

But right across, the large fountain planting area is looking especially pleasing because of the shade from the house in the afternoon.

We have Epilobium, a non-native Sedum that gets taller and more beautiful every year, and monkey flower. A native Artimesia rounds out the picture. Lets come a little closer.

In the front garden, Eriogonum arborescens is holding its own, while the coyote brush, pleasingly green just a month ago, is fading a little bit in preparation for blooming next month. Again, the sunlight is the big difference from last month's picture.

I decided on another view this month, looking at the chair in the front garden from the side. A beautiful display of Eriogonum fasciculatum and the last blossoms of Trichostemma lanatum (woolly blue curl).

And now, I'm hoping a few of you are interested in a record of the garden through the year as well. And of course it would be fun if you could leave a link to your post below and leave a link to this post on your First Views post. I'll be sure to visit.

Have fun!