October First Views (Town Mouse)


It's the first week of the month again, and I'm hoping some other blogger's will join me showing off the views of their garden. I started this project because I found many close-ups of flowers on my blogs, and I couldn't share the actual views of my garden with friends far away.

Now that it's October, I can really see some changes. Above, the Eriogonum arborescens (native buckwheat) is fading to a beautiful reddish brown, and the coyote brush, so brilliant green, is looking more dried out but starting to bloom.

The side view of the front garden shows even more noticeable changes, though not imposed by nature. Last weekend I removed the two Salvia mellifera (black sage) and the monkey flowers, which had annoyed me for most of the summer by having the nerve to go summer dormant. I replaced them with Lessingia filaginifolia 'Silver Carpet', a low-growing plant with greyish leaves that I hope will have pretty purple flowers for most of the year. I also put in two Arctostaphylos 'Emerald Carpet'. This manzanita cultivar has a reputation for needing quite a bit of water, but I have it in the side strip and it seems to cope with a hosing off once or twice a month.


So far, the new plants have settled in well, and I hope the winter rain will make them healthy and strong. For spring, I will interplant them with annuals.


In the side strip,  you can see Salvia leucophyllia (purple sage), Mulenbergia rigens (deer grass) and A. 'Emerald Carpet' - an also the first of many leaves from the Liquidambar tree.

In the back garden, I've pruned the seedheads of the grasses and the hummingbird sage and the Asclepias speciosa (butterfly weed) is turning yellow. The view is quite different from the August view with blooming poppies and lavender.


When I look toward the hammock, the brightly blooming Epilobium 'UC hybrid' California fuchsia more than makes up for the lost poppies.


Looking toward the house, in the other direction, the non-native sage delights with another flush of purple blooms, and the native buckwheat adds a splash of brightness between the Ceanothus (native wild lilac).


The side strip in the back is truly ready for a makeover. I have to prune the seedheads of Eriogonum grande rubescens (rosy buckwheat) and I've decided to transplant or compost the two chaparral currents. I don't even mind that they go more or less summer dormant, but their location fairly close to a fence gives them too little sun in winter so they didn't bloom last spring. I'm trying a small manzanita (A. densiflora 'Sentinel') instead.


Here's a side view of the same area. I do plan on leaving the scattered seeds of the Eriogonum for the birds, but it really is time for some clean-up.

Meanwhile, I'm enjoying the feeling of fall, seeds and hungry migrating birds, and the first of the changing colors. 


If you like to show off some views of your garden, just add yourself to the Mr. Linky widget below. I'll enjoy visiting you!

Comments

Becc said…
Great views of your garden, have been wanting to see some gardens of similar climate to mine (dry) for some time, but people mainly post closeups, so thanks. I havent started my garden yet, still getting ideas.
Town Mouse said…
Becc, thanks for visiting! Yes, we have this blog precisely because we're hoping others will be inspired to go plant their gardens in harmony with nature. Have fun planning!
Country Mouse said…
I'm a little late but as you say - any time in the first week of the month is just fine. I really like this meme. It makes me step back, literally and metaphorically, and review, enjoy, and assess my gardens as a whole.
ryan said…
Your gardens are looking nice. Ours is in the middle of a chaotic project. Projects in our garden seem to take five times as long as the projects we do for clients. But maybe I'll add a photo of the mid-project chaos.
Sue Langley said…
Mouse, you still have a bit of color in the CA Fuchsia and the Buckwheat. I'm loving the more muted greens and golds of Autumn in my garden and am planning some areas to plant CA natives only, including some of the ones I've seen in your garden! Such a wonderful rain today.
Donna said…
What a wonderful meme. I will not have many views left as the fall season puts my garden to bed and we won't see it emerge until April for some views. Although it might be nice the first week of each month to highlight any views from the past season. I will see what I have and try to link in from time to time.