Blue skies,
warm temperatures, narcissus blooming everywhere -- is it spring
already? The green hills were a refreshing sight after all those
dry weeks in January. Then snow in lower elevations blanketed
blooms on fruit trees, and we snuggled in for more of winter. Snow
covered every-thing again in Sutter Hill in Feb for one day,
blanketing the blooming rosemary, daffodils, pansies, candytuft and
the budding lilacs. We all know the tenacity of the pansy so no
worry. My peach tree was just budding too; last year we had no
fruit after the March snow. We will wait and see this year.
It is a perfect time to
finish your summer garden plans by visiting local nurseries; so
many plants are in bloom and are great visuals for color and form
of the plants you have only seen in your garden catalogs. Because
most people shop only in the spring and buy only what is in bloom,
m
any gardens lack the glorious colors
and textures of the late bloomers. Plants such as Monkshood--not
used in gardens enough, a close cousin to Delphiniums with the same
lovely deep blue. Japanese Anemone has single and double white and
pink flower varieties; planted along with summer bloomers, they
look like swans in the garden.
Plant in protected areas, or beneath large shrubs; plant in pots
and urns on your deck or porch, or by doorways, to be able to use
less hardy plants. Push the limits. Tired of stepping through mud
in springtime and after watering in our West Point garden,
especially our straw-berry patch, we laid down a brick path of 4
brick across, and decided on a design. We scraped a level path,
free of grass, stones and twigs, with a flat spade and laid the
bricks down, spacing a 1/2 inch in-between. We then laid a bed of
sand and smoothed it, checking it with a level.
Then we swept sand
in-between the bricks, followed by mortar mix, hosing it down for a
few days until it set. Then another sweeping of sand on top and we
had a brick pathway that wound past daisies, daylilies,
strawberries, Jasmine, Peonies, and roses. This created a carefree,
cottage garden feel. We set a blue garden bench just off the
walkway, right under fragrant white roses and next to beautiful,
glistening purple Boysenberries for tasty treats during the summer.
Put some-thing to enchant your nose everywhere you walk and where
you stop and sit. Use dianthus, heliotrope, or scented geraniums.
For moonlight dazzle, use moonflower or nicotiana. Then relax and
enjoy the fragrance on a summer night.
The evergreens that
surrounded our property stood like billowy green privacy walls,
forming a framework for our garden. By experimenting, we found out
that many blooming plants actually thrive in part shade, such as
Foxgloves, astilbes, yarrow and peonies. Snapdragons, Delphiniums,
butterfly bush, and alyssum, usually known as full sun bloomers,
also love part shade and perk up those shadowy corners with their
beautiful form and colors. For special evening fragrance, plant
Sweet Olive-- evergreen with tiny white flowers that smell divine
at dusk. Asiatic Lilies' fragrance is heavenly. Daylilies, iris,
daisies, carnations, peonies, and like varying amounts of shade.
Mix up your plants;
develop a lovely jumble that highlight their neighbors' colors, or
contrast and complement. Plant with an artist's eye. Try chocolate
cosmos; it actually smells like chocolate! Use it close by in pots
on your porch or deck. Plant with a cook's nose--plant chocolate
dahlia, chocolate sunflower and Calla lily. Mmm! Enjoy gardening!
Violets, a Fragrant Veil
By Eva Dunn
Violets have a beguiling
aroma, haunting, so wonderful you want to linger there. Replicated
scents in cologne, creams, and soaps are just not the same,
although Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries do a fair job. That's why I
love when they come into bloom, like now. My West Point home's lawn
was swathed in wild violets, almost replacing the grass in several
areas. The scent that carried to the front door on warm mornings
was incredible. At our Sutter Hills home, we have just a few areas
where they now grow, transplanted years ago. I have searched for
these intensely fragrant flowers with no luck; I have found some
mildly aromatic, but none like these. They had been planted decades
ago at our West Point home by Mrs. Dan
Farmer who gardened on the site as the previous owner. Wherever I
go, I shall take some of these with me to replant.
She also planted a lovely lavender Bearded
Iris that smelled exactly like grape cool-aid. Honest! No one
believed it until they smelled it for them-selves. I also cannot find
this variety anywhere, so have brought 2 plants with me to Sutter
Hill and I look forward to her blooms
every spring. Delightful planted next to these beauties is Cleome,
a seldom- used perennial. She looks regal,
spidery, and very interesting, raising the elegance bar.
Frost damaged plants
Recent freezing
temperatures in many parts of California have injured some citrus
trees and other frost-sensitive subtropical plants. But since the
full extent of injury won’t be known for a couple of months,
horticulture advisor Ed Perry suggests gardeners wait until spring
before pruning and removing damaged trees and plants.
The frost injury to plants
depends upon a number of factors, including species, age, health,
soil moisture and location. Frost injures plants by causing ice
crystals to form in plant cells, making water unavailable to plant
tissues and disrupting the movement of fluids. Frost-damaged leaves
appear water-soaked, wither, and turn dark brown or black.
Unprotected, sensitive young trees may be killed, but frost rarely
kills mature trees in California.
"While you may be tempted
to prune out damaged branches right away, it’s best to wait until
spring when new growth will show you the extent of the injury,"
said Perry of Stanislaus County. "Always allow plenty of time for
new growth to take place, so that the damage is clearly defined.
On weekend
mornings, coffee cup in hand, I have a 'walk-about' through the
gardens. The air is fresh and cool, the heavenly smell of the new
day lingers in the air. A breeze stirs up the fragrant wild
violets, deep purple spurs looking so dainty against the deep green
of its leaves. Their scent is just delicious!
The morning light gently
awakens the gardens, peering around the Sweet Olive tree, its
warmth piercing the dew drops, shades of green reflected in their
orbs. Now that winter is on the way, the gardens are turning
colors, the foliage becoming luscious shades of russet, burgundy,
and yellow. Each turn of the path reveals new wonders. Light plays
among the trees, highlighting a singular beauty. Autumn arrived in
a blaze of glory-- gold, russet, burgundy and brilliant reds
charging the fall air, electrifying! Winter will soon slip in,
freezing autumn's glory in a strong, icy grasp, blanketing all,
quietly, with her soft, white shawl at higher elevations. And so
the seasons will play out, each one bringing its own delights and
struggles.
Fall nights are nippy, the
clear, night skies studded with a zillion stars and you can smell
winter coming! Pansies of all colors bloom again with the cooler
temperatures, their faces sporting various, colorful markings. Few
perennials bloom this late, but make up for that with their
brilliant fall colors. The mums have burst out in their fall dress,
yellows, gold's, orange, and some lovely little white ones. They
will bloom until frost. 
In my planter on the front porch, they
snuggle up to purple Asters, another fall beauty. Along the edge of
the Garden are the daylilies, still blooming. November rains have
not daunted their perky blooms, bright yellow against grey skies.
These hardy, tough plants come in a vast array of colors.
Calendula, its orange spheres brilliant in the sun, bloom well into
winter and are care-free.
Purple Petunias seem to
never stop blooming, white and purple Alyssum, so fragrant and
dainty, revel in the coolness of the days and continue to add color
to the gardens. Many of our potted plants spend the winter indoors;
Bird of Paradise, Umbrella plant, Jade plant, Spider plants,
Fichus, lemon tree, and my Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow plant,
with lovely lavender blooms. The Christmas Cactus will be amazing
with its crimson flowers very soon. Keep these indoor plants moist, as heated
winter homes can dry plants out quickly. Mist frequently, and group
them together. You can even force bulbs after January, for
wonderful indoor color.
