Shortly before went on the expedition to Boulder, I managed to squeeze in a visit to the Country Mouse garden, where I spent some enjoyable hours enjoying the garden and a July 5 picnic. Just walking up to the front door was a delight; I so admire the wide stone path, which Ms. CMouse layed herself, and the welcoming chair on the front patio.
I was surprised to find the monkey flower and coyote mint (Monardella villosa) both in full bloom that late in the year. Here a view facing the flowers.
On the trellis behind the front porch, Country Mouse has established a spice bush and Aristolochia californica (dutchman's pipe). Country Mouse featured the spice bush here as the native plant of the month, and here's a photo I took, with a spice bush bud and a heart shaped leaf of Aristolochia.
Looking toward the cottage on the property, I was amazed by the Mantilleja poppies, and as always could not believe the number of hummingbirds that came by for some sugar water.
I was tempted to crop this photo -- but isn't the stem of the madrone in the background on the right beautiful?
Later, we went for a little stroll through the property (before we attacked the weeds) and I enjoyed the California native aster...
...and the mock orange in the pot in the wildlife garden, where a bird bath invites our feathery friends.
With a relatively cool summer until then, everything still looked quite lush and very inviting. And while the overcast skies meant I couldn't get a shot of the famous Country Mouse Garden View, I did enjoy seeing the fence Country Mouse had bought when we were at the SF Flower and Garden Show this spring. Together, the fence and the mercat prevent visitors and their cars from tumbling into the manzanita garden.
Who wouldn't want to visit more often?
Comments
Around here by mid July the heat has let the weeds completely take over.