Saturday, January 30, 2010

January Clippings

Spring comes early in Northern California, so the the last weekend in January is a good time to prune roses and cut back ornamental grasses. After two weeks of rain, the return of the sun meant the garden was calling. Loudly. It's satisfying to reduce things to their lowest common denominator once in awhile.

As opposed to, say, letting them stay all wild and woolly! I am a stickler for cutting grasses back hard; fresh new growth emerging from a haystack is NOT a good look. A couple months of lumpishness will be worth it when this Miscanthus wakes up.

I can't believe how big the crown of this Pennisetum spatheolatum got in one year! This tight mound of old stems will give good support to the grass during the season.

Look who was living all cozy in the grass crown; very happy to come out and twirl in the sun!

Soft seedlings of Mexican Hair Grass are appearing here and there, just the way I like it!

Is there anything more promising than the first daffodil buds?

The Spanish Lavender is starting to emerge; a nice contrast to the dastardly oxalis!

Oxalis, Lavender and Daffodil foliage, a classic California winter vignette

This might be more classic in South Africa; Grevillea 'Coastal Gem' and Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder' combined with purple sage and blue fescue take over the show during cool weather.

The last seed pods on the Cercis 'Forest Pansy.' Dreaming of purple, heart-shaped leaves in just a couple of months...

Cerinthe major (yeah, again...she's one of those types who start mugging when they see a camera, how can I resist?)

And they are everywhere!

Pretty Tulbaghia simmleri is another lovely winter bloomer. And it's fragrant too!

Ahhhh, saved the best for last; Hardenbergia violacea 'Happy Wanderer' is covering my back fence with loveliness; this is a nice vine to combine with climbing roses on an arbor, as it is so happy to take the winter shift. Thanks for joining me in the garden today!

16 comments:

  1. I have so had it with you Zone 9 people. Spanish lavender already? Hardenbergia? Well, I have patches of slush. So there.

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  2. So jealous of your ladybug, your Spanish lavender, and the Cerinthe majors that are everywhere. But thanks for the spot of color in an otherwise dreary winter day! :)

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  3. I hope the sunshine continues through tomorrow.
    Was cooped up in the sculpture studio all day and didn't come out til it was dark out , ... so no gardening work was done.
    Tomorrow the orn. grasses get whacked and most of the perennials get severely pruned.
    Looking forward to seeing the sun !

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  4. That Cerinthe is such a ham! :-)

    Good to see you got outside today. Hope it will be nice tomorrow too!

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  5. Yes, tomorrow is some weeding and I'm in good shape! Gotta love a low-maintenance garden...

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  6. Absolutely fabulous Laura! What an amazing amount of winter color. And most folks think flowers only come out in summer. Thanks for sharing the great pics.

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  7. What a wonderful way to experience January, with daffs in bud, and flowers in bloom.

    Great to have a walk around your garden, Laura. Love that Happy Wanderer, and the Spanish Lavender.

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  8. an hour away and your daffodils are ready to bloom while in San Francisco mine are barely poking through! sighhhh

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  9. I love your Leucodendron vignette....beautiful, just beautiful! I'm so glad you got out in your garden yesterday! I did for awhile, but inspiration just 'didn't strike'...hoping to today....your garden is really coming along nicely, and I can't wait to see it in the Spring!

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  10. By the looks of it, spring will be VERY orange; my starter CA poppies did what they do best, and little plants are popping up everywhere; great filler!

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  11. Your climate is a few weeks ahead of ours. We usually cut back in mid-February, although this year, which has been so cold for us, might indicate cutting back a little later. Who knows. Anyway, your garden's structure is pleasing to see, and I envy you that beautiful purple-blooming vine!

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  12. Nice photos...we were out trimming this weekend too, new storm coming this week I think. That's OK, we still need the rain. Love th Hardenbergia, I think I need a few.

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  13. This is your garden right now?! No freaking way! It is the first of February for Pete's sake! Garden envy. That's all I can say. Garden envy. It is so not fair. Why, oh why, oh why did I not move to California?! How did I not know?! Oy vey!

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  14. Hi there,

    I'm Thomas from the new Dobbies.co.uk blog.

    I've written a post called '37 Great Gardening Blogs', which of course includes 'Interleafings'. You can read the full article here:

    http://www.dobbies.co.uk/blog/37-gardening-blogs

    We'd would like to know if you have any problems with being included? If you do, please let us know and we'll be happy to remove your site from the list.

    We'd also like to make you our 'Gardening Blog of the Week', so if there's any specific information you'd like us to include or if you'd prefer for us not to feature you, please do let us know.

    Thanks for your time. Drop us a line anytime.

    All the best

    Thomas

    --
    (for) Ian Daniels

    http://www.dobbies.co.uk/blog/
    http://twitter.com/dobbiesdotcom

    Dobbies Garden Centres Plc
    Melville Nursery
    Lasswade
    Midlothian
    EH18 1AZ
    Tel: 0131 663 6778

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  15. Oh this garden is SO going to be in my book!
    Just a warning!
    XOIvette!!

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  16. Ivette, I think a scouting visit when you are here for SFGS is a must, the poppies will be blooming then...you might swoon!

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