Can't Remember

I am very fond of this charming perennial that is blooming right now in my garden, but for-the-life-of-me, I can't remember it's name! It is about four feet tall and herbaceous. Luckily I can enjoy it without addressing it formally!

Another Update on the Gravel Garden

All of the hard work is done in the gravel garden. The gravel is in and it is just lovely. It has a delightful ambiance and a pleasant crunch underfoot. I think it works well because of the dappled shade and green walls that keeps it from feeling too hot and bare.
The row of boxwood that seems random off the center of the space was a solution to what I though would be a problem slope area. I was afraid that people would slip on the grade created from the tree roots. It turns out that it is not slippery at all and all my concerns were for nothing. I am leaving the boxwood in because I kind of like the character they add. I can always move them later if they don't work with the furniture which is my next project. When people come over we always drag them down there and I'm sure that they think we are crazy, after all, it is just a bunch of gravel where there once was grass, but we love it!

Ground Hugging

I know I've mentioned it before, but verbena is a wonderful low growing shrub in our area that doubles as a colorful groundcover that is drought tolerant, attracts butterflies and is not bothered by bugs. This stand of it is on the backside of Flying Rabbit Island in the backyard in SJC and gets no attention at all. It always impresses me when I walk around the back and see it, hugging the ground and keeping the weeds at bay. It's not so aggressive that the daylilies are smothered and thrive easily in the midst of a sea of lavender.

Boo!

A few more goodies from the nursery that will bridge the holidays. Three real pumpkins and one 'faux'. After Halloween the black one will be retired to storage and the remaining will be Thanksgiving ornamentation!

No Self Control

When I should be focused on what my needs are for the big picture landscape, I am seduced by novelties at the nursery this time of year. I always buy "black" pansies to set the haunting mood for Halloween. Of course I am most likely the only one that ever notices or appreciates them, they get lost in the landscape fairly easily, and even in containers most people miss their subtle charm, but that's okay. They delight me every time I walk up the front walk and that's worth it to me!

Getting Picky

This is Joseph's Coat climbing rose that is on my list to relocate this winter. I put it in about three years ago to cover the pillars in front of the house in SJC and it has been a big disappointment. It rarely ever blooms and is plagued with bugs all summer, a sure sign it is in the wrong spot. I have seen it looking amazing in other people's gardens. Most likely not enough sun in the spot it is in (actually there are two of them, one on each column). I will be on the lookout for something with charm and requirements that are more consistent with this space and Joseph's Coat will move to the sunny back yard. No use fighting Mother Nature!

Late Season Iris

There is something wonderful about iris that bloom in the fall. They are considered re-bloomers, however not all of them labeled as such deliver with consistency. This one is "Frequent Violet" and I divided it in June, thinking that it had stopped blooming. Now I have a number of little trimmed off plants with blooms. I am delighted!

Colors of Autumn

I have never intentionally gone out and bought chrysanthemums to plant in the garden. They are most likely to end up there as an afterthought when I purchase them for holiday decorations and stick them in an empty spot after the blooms have faded. I typically forget about them until I notice them about to bloom in the fall and them I am so pleased when they put on their fall show so unexpectedly when other plants are winding down.

Ms. Sago Palm

Our female sago palm is sporting a brand new set of fronds (they aren't really fronds as the sago is not really a palm, but a cycad) above the seed pods that she produced last year. I have read that it takes about six to nine months to germinate sago seeds and I get enough pups from her base to keep me supplied with all the sago palms I need, so I am not even attempting to crow them from seed. She is looking quite full and lush this time of year!

Big Leaves

We can't grow hostas here (other than as annuals) because it doesn't get cold enough to give them the chill they need to return every year and our humidity is low so even as annuals they typically are disappointing. The one large-leaf plant that does well in the shade for us is ligularia. It grows in dryish shade and as long as you keep the slugs and snails at bay, has few problems. It also adds some leave variety to all green beds. They do get tall yellow flowers, but I grow it for the foliage.