June's End...

My neighborhood gets very quiet during the summer. The road past my house is a main thoroughfare for a high school AND a middle school, so a steady stream of cars each morning and afternoon is the norm. I like it, especially hearing footsteps in fallen leaves and catching snippets of conversation.

But by mid-June it's mighty quiet out there, and that's an interesting combination with the energy of the longer days. Things are more concentrated now, the gardens are settled for the season and I'm staying out of the mid-day sun. Shades are half drawn and the ceiling fan is on during the hottest days. The garden is more concentrated now too. The rains appear to have stopped, and we will have little if any more until October. I irrigate regularly, but at rather long intervals. Wimpy plants won't make it. Lush spring foliage is fading.

There will be more surprises in store later on, but for now these are the little gems catching my eye, starting with my wonderful Moroccan Poppy (Papaver atlanticum 'Flore Pleno') catching a Solstice sunrise...

The Meyer Lemon is enormously happy this year. It is going into a second round of blooms. This awesome little tree now has lots of ripe fruit, loads of green fruit, and bunches of fragrant flowers. If you can grow lemons this is a lovely one to have in a front yard.

Priscilla, Queen of the Redbuds (Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy') has outdone herself this year; now we're starting to see hints of her more modest summer coloration. She has easily doubled in size, must be getting what she needs.

OK, so I'm a little jealous of my friends who have chickens; one day I will have them too, but for now I will make due with succulents. Hens & Chicks have the most wonderful symmetry in their rosettes and their blooms; they remind me of fractals (and are so well behaved!)

First light is lovely on the New Zealand Wind Grass (Stipa Arundinacea) and Green Senecio (S. vitalis).

Almost done, the artichokes give me one last harvest of purple-thistleness. Then the once mighty beasts will be down to a few sprouts that will lay low until the fall rains come (cue the backup dancers!)

This combination is killing me right now; Bronze Fennel flanked by two Slender Veldt Grass (Pennisetum spatheolatum) with a chubby Blue Fescue (Festuca Glauca 'Elijah Blue') at its feet. All three difficult to photograph, but really happy together.

The first blooms of California Fuschia (Zauschneria californica) a snazzy little native that naturalizes well in dry areas like unirrigated park strips. The gray-green leaves are the perfect combination with that deep orange, nice!

On the other side of the tracks (in the shady courtyard) we have a first bloom on my Ghost Fuchsia (F. magellanica 'Sharpitor'). So delicate and lovely!

Mantis mania continues in the front yard; it seems like very plant has one or two! They're almost 2 inches long now, still no wings, and appear to be mostly females (so watch out, fellas!)

 Here's an interesting camouflage posture, "Can't see me, I'm a STICK!"

Uh-oh, this looks like the one that attacked the camera last time, better move along while I'm ahead! Thanks for visiting, see you in July... Happy Canada Day and Independence Day!

In Which We Begin and End with Artichokes...

Stellar day in the garden; unexpectedly cool and cloudy for June and my first free Saturday for weeks. Perfect for tidying up AND taking pictures. These artichoke blooms are from some of the smaller side shoots; usually not worth the trouble to cook, but lovely to look at later!

They look especially nice with Priscilla. Loving the new brown stain on my fence and arch; an absolutely perfect color and finish.

First fruits on my young Fuyu Persimmon!

And it is now confirmed that we will have Tangerines for Christmas.

I haven't shown this much as it has been growing in, but this is my juniper 'lawn' that wraps around the outer curve of the garden. It is a Monrovia variety called 'Icee Blue' which gets no taller than four inches, and is very soft (not prickly). It also matches the Blue Senecio planted nearby. I've let some volunteers hang out between the plants for now, but will make sure to keep the way clear with a continuous blue carpet in mind. The cobble edge will give it something nice to snuggle up to.

So here's my deal with self-sowers; I let them come up wherever they want, grow for awhile, then I thin them out into a pleasing arrangement (as I've started above with the Nassella and Limonium seedlings that came up everywhere this spring). Because of the mulch, they pull out easily. Plants that choose their own spot often seem healthier and hardier than transplants, and they're free, so I don't feel at all bad tearing them out if they no longer suit.

One of my favorite grasses, Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light' doing its thing, what a beauty. I've just added another farther down the fence where I have a gap just this shape!

Our old friend Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder' doing a whole new thing for summer. There's my new Miscanthus peeking from behind, next to the Grevillea 'Coastal Gem' which has become its sedate summer self.

Here are a few new additions this spring. This is a Fig-Leaved Hollyhock (Alcea Rugosa) from Annie's Annuals, which is supposedly resistant to rust (so far, so good!) I can't wait to see its pale yellow blooms against the blue fence!

Another Annie's find is Rudbeckia triloba, a little-known heirloom. Two of his comrades succumbed to a massive snail attack, but he seems to be out of danger.

Another new Rudbeckia is 'Cherry Brandy' purchased in a jumbo sixpack from my nursery. The weakest of the herd was immediately sacrificed to the snails, but the other five are settling in.

This looks like a seedling of our native Coyote Brush (Baccharis pilularis) which I like; the scent of its leaves on a hot day is, to me, the essence of the California foothills. It can stay!

Ok, file this under 'WTF happened here?' I suspect an after-hours rolling cat tussle. Oh well, looks like I have a few more 'Plum Purdy' Aeoniums for the nursery!

I have been on the fence about Aeonium 'Ballerina' since winter (it looked dreadful, and this is a prime location). But the soft billowy mounds it's making now are quite lovely, and no trouble whatsoever. And if I ever want a green wall, all the bits are right there!

These shots are from the porch, where I retreated as the sun began to emerge (remembering when a few hours of gardening didn't leave me hobbling, what's up with that??) Love the Nigella with the Thyme path in the background and a few flower spikes of Stachys 'Primrose Heron.'

Caught in the act! Haku walks up and starts gnawing on this young Nassella; both cats love to do this and then hork it up later at some inopportune time and place. Charming...

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Look at the chomp he took. Luckily this grass won't even notice (or stay there very long for that matter, I don't let many of these guys reach maturity, and pull them out as they get too big).

Yes, my darling, I can see you over there...

There's always something going on at the water cooler, er, fountain. I love how this view aligns with my porch chair; love it even more when I have my camera in my lap when company arrives.

Here's my other artichoke plant. I bought both at the same time, with the same label, but the chokes were a slightly different shape and color, and as you can see, are even blooming differently. It's a mystery! Thanks for visiting, and sincerest Solstice greetings from my garden to yours!