I write this from afar (visiting U.K. family) - using photos I took on or near the first of June, to show what's going on in the garden, from a wider angle. The special place this month is the chaparral slope down below the house, bisected by the road running through it.
Above - California broom, Acmispon glaber (previously Lotus scoparius), manzanita (Arctostaphylos tomentosa crustacea), and a neighbor's palm tree off to the left.
Above, the view along the road, with some red stems of California broom, and smaller manzanitas.
Similar view above, with our house visible. It's a pretty steep slope. This was impenetrable chamise chaparral, and we had to thin it for fire safety but - we need to do it again. It seems to me that this year we're getting lots of California broom - and hardly any weeds. But, I may be speaking too soon.
Last view of this area, from the end of our property looking back.
Not the best shot, but this is a pretty bank with golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum) and monkey flower (Diplacus aurantiacus).
And the poppies (Eschscholzia californica) are vibrant. To the right of the poppies is Clarkia lewisii, planted from seeds bought at a CNPS sale.
The naked buckwheat, Eriogonum nudum, is shooting up its big tubular flower stems in the front bed. This is their second year.
An interesting view down into the "wildlife garden" with some kind of spreading juniper to hide the wall, and Ribes indecorum looking very vivid, going into its summer dormancy.
Here just to the left of Duncan's Stairs, Stipa lepida, nodding needlegrass, is looking very attractively bunchy and compact, but I don't know if you can see that from this shot.
Hope you may be interested in joining in Ms Town Mouse's meme of First Views and post some wide angle shots of your garden on or around the first of the month - I'm off to link my post to her June FirstViews ...
Above - California broom, Acmispon glaber (previously Lotus scoparius), manzanita (Arctostaphylos tomentosa crustacea), and a neighbor's palm tree off to the left.
Above, the view along the road, with some red stems of California broom, and smaller manzanitas.
Similar view above, with our house visible. It's a pretty steep slope. This was impenetrable chamise chaparral, and we had to thin it for fire safety but - we need to do it again. It seems to me that this year we're getting lots of California broom - and hardly any weeds. But, I may be speaking too soon.
Last view of this area, from the end of our property looking back.
Not the best shot, but this is a pretty bank with golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum) and monkey flower (Diplacus aurantiacus).
In the pool garden, the clarkia (Clarkia rubicunda) is enormous and is starting to blossom in full. Ms Town Mouse might recall what the succulents in front of them are, which are in bloom - she gave them to me.
And the poppies (Eschscholzia californica) are vibrant. To the right of the poppies is Clarkia lewisii, planted from seeds bought at a CNPS sale.
A quick peek at the "wetland garden bed" - everything looking pretty happy here"
Near the greenhouse, the blue elderberry is blooming and flourishing (Sambucus mexicana). The nodding needle grass (Stipa cernua) is about done giving up its needles to me for propagation, but still looks pretty.
A quick peek at the succulent bed. It's sparse still but most things are starting to fill out, and the bunch grasses are starting to dominate - not in this shot though.
The naked buckwheat, Eriogonum nudum, is shooting up its big tubular flower stems in the front bed. This is their second year.
An interesting view down into the "wildlife garden" with some kind of spreading juniper to hide the wall, and Ribes indecorum looking very vivid, going into its summer dormancy.
Here just to the left of Duncan's Stairs, Stipa lepida, nodding needlegrass, is looking very attractively bunchy and compact, but I don't know if you can see that from this shot.
Hope you may be interested in joining in Ms Town Mouse's meme of First Views and post some wide angle shots of your garden on or around the first of the month - I'm off to link my post to her June FirstViews ...
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