a recent miscellany

1) Concord grapes-- like colorful bubbles. (given to us by friend Paul)
2) a burst of 'Golden Celebration' roses.
3) and a rooster sculpture with one of my mosaic pots (still un-grouted!)

Judith Polakoff's beautiful photography

As I've recently tried to photograph the very active web-building community in our own yard, I was blown away by this great shot by Judith, who lives in upstate New York. (click on image to see it larger) All her work is beautiful, so be sure to visit the archives.

Birdfood Season

From birdfood they came, to birdfood they shall return.

the morning tour

Heading south, looking west...

Mmmm, grapes are coming along...

And how about some aromatherapy?
Because even cats love lavendar.

for 'Gardener's Bloom Day'...

Here's a sampling of what's in bloom now...

Ah, August

an August morning...
an August afternoon

one of the new-this-year planting areas, featuring rudbeckia, and buddleias (volunteers moved from elsewhere in the garden).

I read this in a SF Chron article about Fall planting...
"...the wild landscape already has its September exhausted look: pale, parched and dusty. You have to love California already to love it in late summer and fall - just like that crusty-eyed, tousled person you've been waking up next to for 30-odd years."
So, yes I guess it must be love. And, I know it seems early to say so-- the days have been so mild & lovely-- Fall IS in the air. (of course, we can have great 80 degree days well into October here)
In August, even in the home garden, things start to look a little crispy, a bit fatiqued. I have this theory that many people have a big burst of planting enthusiam in the spring (or is that just me?) and tend to plant what's in bloom then. It takes more long term planning to give the late summer bloomers a good enough start to really flourish at this point in the season. I feel like I can't really plant much past April-- and expect a plant to thrive (or even survive!)
But a mild summer, along with drip irrigation installed in most of the back, have kept things looking--- not too bad (if not excessively colorful) !
Now, my neighbor China (see below) has mastered late summer color...

over the neighbor's fence

Here's one from our neighbor China's yard-- she's the queen of Dahlias!
(and these are "Spartacus" (large) & "Pooh")

Here's the Dahlia Queen herself!
And more views from her garden.
At left, 'A la mode'-- one of my favorites.

the tallest sunflower

Below, Tony provides scale.
Why, that looks like an eleven-footer, Ma.

something I'm working on...

This is a *rough draft* of a design I'm working on-- to be printed on T-shirts for my little town's annual parade day/celebration.

Ultimately, it will be printed in color, on a pale green background.

It's a fluke!

This cone flower has some petals growing oddly--- but the bees obviously don't mind.

"Disneyland' rose

For fans of multi-toned rose clusters (like 'Joseph's Coat')-- you just might like 'Disneyland'. This is its second year in a large pot, and it's doing quite well.

Monarch

We don't get many Monarchs-- possibly this is the first this year. Enjoying, of course, a Butterfly Bush (buddleia).