First Views of Spring? Last Views of Winter?

Since I started First Views last November, this is my first opportunity to show some pictures of the garden in the rain. Let's walk around and see how different the mood is, how interesting the colors. Above, the little wooden bridge, dark brown with moisture, and a small primula container that cheered me up when my natives hadn't quite started blooming yet.

See the colors of the wet pebbles? And how fresh the green of the poppies looks!

I'm also enjoying the wet path, with California Fescue on the left starting to green a bit, and other shades of green from Juncus patens, juniper, sedums, and monkey flower in the background.

But the real story this month will be blossoms. In the foreground above the little bells of Arctostaphylos 'Woodside' and further back, the plum tree is in full bloom.

I hope it won't be to cold for the bees, but somehow, the plums always make it.

Also beautiful and shiny in the rain is the buddha face, with the rocks covered with lichen. We had very little rain this year, but it's been enough to let the bulbs sprout and the lichen and moss cover the rocks.

In the side garden, Arctostaphylos 'St Helena' is almost done blooming, but I'm hoping for monkey flowers by the time the garden tour starts.

Salvia brandegii 'Pacific Blue' continues to show off beautiful flowers that delight pollinators. And I love the fragrant leaves.

In the front garden, the dry stream bed is freshly washed. The rocks contrast nicely with the different shades of green of Salvia apiana, several different succulents, and more Festuca Californica.

From the street, a similar view to last month, with the lime-green coyote brush and greyish manzanita in the foreground. But if you look carefully, you can see blossoms in the middle of the picture.

Another manzanita (Howard McMinn), showing off beautiful blossoms even part shade, and even in the rain.

Now I'm hoping we'll have more rain this week, and that others will join this celebration of first views of the garden. It's helped me to see my garden over the year, and it's been interesting to combine what I learned from bloom day and what I learn with this big-picture collection.

I'm adding a Mr. Linky widget and I promise I'll visit if you do a post.

I'll have to go back for some cuttings!

Mr. Mouse and I spent last weekend in the company of friends up the coast an hour south of Mendocino at Sea Ranch. We very much enjoyed the wild surf, the seals, and the shorebirds. But for me, the best thing was the garden at one of the recreation centers, which had mostly native plants.

I was especially struck by several Ribes (native currants). I believe these are Ribes sanguineum, but I'm no expert. Most were pink.

With beautiful, large flower clusters.

These were large bushes, over 8 feet tall, and they looked healthy and happy. One of the plants was blooming in white, a nice contrast. I was sorely tempted to go back for a pair of scissors. Currants root ridiculously easily. I have 3 little plants in pots that are actually blooming though I just took the cutting 2 months ago. But now the currants are blooming, and this is not a good time to take cuttings. I'll just have to go back in fall (well, twist my arm...)

Propagation graduates, and kindergarteners

I needed the four inch pots in use by a lot of bunch grasses I grew from local seed - Nassella cernua - nodding needlegrass. So I decided to graduate them to the garden instead of to gallon pots.

These bunch grasses are overstaying their welcome in the greenhouse

 I planted quite a few in this area, and have more to do. This is the succulent bed near the foundation, which I put in a few months ago. Surprisingly most of the succulents are doing just fine. Whether I put them in artistically or not - well that's a chance affair in my garden.

The succulent bed - with a lot of a very low plant growing between the succulent babies.

I'm not sure what the little low plant is that has spread among the succulents in this bed (along with weeds I've been removing). I don't know if it's a weed or a native - do you?

pretty little flowers and solid green foliage. What is this?

The bunch grasses don't look very - well - bunchy yet. But I know they can grow tall and full with wonderful long needle-like seed heads that do nod in the breeze. They look a lot like our state grass, Nassella pulchra. I think this genus has been renamed again, but I'm too exhausted to keep up right now.

These bunch grasses looked a lot more lush in their close-packed pots!

Last weekend I planted some as well, and put out some baby lupines with them too. Oh dear - something enjoyed those babies!

Look ma, no leaves! Something likes Lupinus arboreus.

This silver bush lupine, Lupinus albifrons, looks like it might make it, though.

I also tried putting out some very juvenile naked buckwheat, in another bed in the south garden, along with two other clusters of bunch grass teenagers. I'm curious to see how things do if they are planted very young - if nothing eats them. They are all within a rabbit fence. But there are lots of critter tunnels all over the garden.

A buckwheat baby, thrust into the big world, among some bunch grass kids.

Kindergarten lupines! Germinated in flats. I put some in very tall narrow pots.

Aren't these Lupinus arboreus babies cute? All soft and fuzzy.

Some of them were little cherubs with cotyledons for wings. I wish i had taken a photo of some of last year's graduates - large and green and lovely.

Lastly I just want to crow about the most successful graduate in the class of Heuchera micrantha, which I've planted all over the place. This is the first of the alum root that I've grown (all these are local wild natives) that has actually put out a flower stalk! I know many people would wonder how anyone could excited about this, but if you're a gardener, I'm sure you'll understand!

First Heuchera micrantha to flower, from those I've grown from seed!

Want to move to the suburbs?

So, I've been thinking my dear, that we should move to the suburbs. Check out this house, ready to move in.

There's even a basket of nesting material, 20 feet of the ground. I wonder how Ms. Garden Owner got that up there, but no matter, it will do very nicely.

We can also use some of the fluffy stuff, or some of the wooly threads hanging high up in the Camelia.

Though really, The fluffy stuff is mostly for the hummingbirds. Just in case there aren't enough spiderwebs to go around. Ms. Garden Owner seems to clean the windows very rarely, which means more spiderwebs and more spiders for you and me.

The food situation in the suburbs isn't bad either. Plenty of seeds in this garden.

But more importantly, Ms. Garden Owner does not spray, and she plants mostly natives. And that means plenty of insects for you, me, and our babies. Read all about it in this Beautiful Wildlife Garden post.

Lots of places to stop for a drink as well. You don't want to have to fly a mile for a bit of water, especially when the babies are little. This one, high above the ground, is my personal favorite.

 Oh, you're saying you don't like the color of that house? How about this one then, it's brand new and, well, all I can say is Location! Location! No cat or squirrel can reach this place.

Oh, you're saying you just got a tweet from Ms. Chickadee about another new house in the redwoods? Well sure, let's have a look.

Ah, yes, how perfect is that! Redwoods in the suburbs! Oh do allow me to build a little nest for us here. I'm sure it will be a great place to raise kids.

Any news about that hedge?

Last year in spring, we had a new line put in by PG&E. Unfortunately, it was necessary to remove our neighbor's boxwood hedge to give PG&E access. Fortunately, our neighbor agreed to let me choose the plants. After talking to several experts and considering different options, I decided on 5 manzanita (3 'Sentinel' and 2 'Sunset') and 2 coffeeberry 'Eve Chase'. More about all that in this post.

When I put in the plants, I added some temporary irrigation and gave everything a good soak about every three weeks. I was hopeful that with the winter rains, the plants would shoot up to 5 feet or so. Alas, it was not to be. Yes, we are seeing some pretty blossoms, especially on A. 'Sentinel'.

But the plants still look sparse.

 It wasn't quite what I'd hoped for. Though I am quite happy that the plants look healthy and I hope they're rooting well.

But here's what I'm really hoping to see.

I was surprised how many manzanita hedges one can find surrounding the offices of the high-tech companies nearby.

I believe most of them are A. 'Howard McMinn', a cultivar that tolerates a range of conditions including part shade and no summer water (or even summer water). 'Sentinel' is fairly similar but grows taller (if you let it) and less wide. Choosing 'Sentinel' allowed me to have more variety in the hedge - we did want to avoid a single-species hedge, which looks strange if one plant dies.

But with these hedges, the deep green is attractive year round and the little bell-shaped flowers in spring are delightful (and beloved by early pollinators).

You can shear this plant to be more hedge-like, or enjoy the graceful shape of the unshorn hedge. I'm hopeful that next year - or the year after - my hedge will have grown as lush and beautiful.

Magical Moments

One: around sunset.

Little Anna's humminbird lookin to the left.

Liitle Anna's humminbird lookin to the right.

OK, buddy, I ain't fixin for a fight!

With your iridescent flashes in the last of the light.

Two: One hour earlier.
Sitting on a low cushion on the soft ground outside the gate into the woods. Quiet. Looking at the oak bark. Looking at the dead poison oak vines in the toyon. I killed them maybe seven years ago and they're still there, rising and twining through the toyon from abrupt ends, which I cut. Should I take them out? Would that disturb the wood rats in their mounds, just below me? A soft noise to my left. My head turns slowly. Oh, it's a kittycat on a hunt - NO it's a small bobcat, six feet away, five feet away. Smooth body, strong, tabby marked, healthy, short dark tail  held low, eyes on me, quickly assessing, then quietly continuing. Slips under the neighbor's fence onto our side and takes another look at me. Four feet away. Shall I be afraid? No, no. Almond eyes beautiful and in the suddenness of it all, I somehow can't really see them, can't feel the mutual gaze. Pads quietly down the steep slope, not fast, past the dusky footed woodrat mounds, and on into the foliage. Breathe. OK! Wow!
That was great! Wow!
I sit on, listening, looking for more.
A pair of scrub jays chat. A rustling far below.
Did the bobcat catch a rat?  - I guess I'll never know.

Of weeds and transplants

It was a very full and satisfying day. Chockablock with practical activity and thought-provokation.

Iris fernaldii, Fernald's iris (left), Eriogonum nudum, naked buckwheat (middle), Heuchera micrantha, alum root (right).

My dearest one, AKA Dusky Footed Wood Rat is going to tack on a small building behind the greenhouse, for tools and dry storage. This is great! Unfortunately, that space, until this morning, was already occupied, by some of the healthiest and happiest of my propagation successes: At least they looked happy to me, and made me happy just looking at them. In the photo above, they're a bit dusty from me flinging mulch away to get to the soil.

Besides the Fernald's iris, alum root, and naked buckwheat shown in the picture, there were also one each of golden yarrow, Eriophyllum confertiflorum, and hairy honeysuckle, Lonicera hispidula. All getting along together just great. The alum root in particular was just doing spectacularly well in the rich garden soil, with shade and regular garden water - though in other parts of the property it is surviving quite well with 6 hours of sun, leaner (native) soil, and only occasional water. I like this plant! I was so looking forward to seeing these ones bloom, but I wonder if they will now, after being transplanted.

So, with some regret, I dug deep around the roots, keeping about a foot away or so, and levered them out. Rat helped, and I scooped them into a large waiting container, ready to transport them to their new home across the way.

I wish I had remembered to dig around the roots last week. If you are transplanting, especially shrubs or trees, it's a good idea to dig around the plant, chopping the roots as necessary in the process, then leave the plant there for a while -so the roots can branch out and gain some strength after their amputation. Then lift the plant. Tip I learned from Jeffrey Caldwell.

But we got quite a lot of roots and soil so I'm hopeful. Alum root has fibrous roots. Iris has fairly thick meaty roots, with fibrous ones too. Eriogonum has tough long roots, with little fiber. (I'd have taken pictures but  my hands were full!)

Last weekend I had done a bit of preparation in their intended new home, beyond the pool fence, cutting back the blackbery vines (Rubus ursinus), and ripping out the weeds with little concern for getting the roots or anything. I just didn't have time to do a decent job. I did bag up the seedheads of some, but it is really too late to make much difference

We dug holes just big enough under a small coast live oak tree, which will provide high shade, and plonked them in, careful to keep the plant crowns above grade and not covered in soil. I firmed them in and watered them well to fill in any air pockets that would make the roots dry out.

This location is visible from the pool garden (on the right of Rat, below), and near enough to a garden hose for me to be able to water them easily and keep them from drying out totally, till they are truly settled - probably this fall. I hope nothing will decide that these juicy well watered newbies are good to eat.

Rat is a champion digger. He's getting better at not standing on the plants, too.

Unfortunately I haven't worked back in this area for a few years, and the weeds have regrouped and increased massively - especially our unfriend, sour grass, aka Oxalis pes-caprae. One weekend per week is just not enough! Also I found weedy geraniums, grasses, - not so much leafy spurge though, which is good - and Conyza canadensis, mare's tail. It's a bit early for some of the other invaders.

Well, I figure if I plant something, it'll give me motivation to get back there more often and keep the weeds cleared back, root nodules and all.

I plan to extend the area under active care to the length of this north-west facing slope. It's about 12 - 15 feet wide and 40 or 50 feet long, and lies between the pool fence and the woodland path that goes along the curve of the valley. Many fine toyon grow in this area, and they respond with vigor to pruning, which they need, in this case. I think some currant bushes are sprouting there, too, but they may be from any of the ones I planted - Ribes malvaceum, R. indecorum, R. aureum, and R. sanguineum - when I thought there were no native ones left growing here. But I hope they are local native ones. We'll see, maybe, or we won't. Native grasses grow here too, brome mainly, and there are also three kinds of ferns. I am looking forward to getting into propagating ferns. I have a task ahead of me.

So these transplants are my trial run. I might also try planting some bunch grasses and lupines that I've been growing, in sunner spots. And I want to see what grows there all by itself, over time, when there are less weeds. That's always exciting.

Later in the morning I headed down for the semi-urban CNPS field trip with Randall Morgan that I signed up for. It was very interesting and enjoyable, and I met many fine people and enjoyed their company. But I'll save my trip report for another time. However, a main takeaway for me, as I reflect on the weedy state of this slope, is how inclusive Randy is in what he appreciates. Made me rethink some of my attitude to some of my weeds. Solanum americanum is one I've been extirpating, but Randy pointed out that the wildlife does appreciate the berries and that they are not horribly invasive. More of Randall Morgan anon.

In the late afternoon, I pricked out this year's crop of alum root seedlings in the greenhouse, while listening to an NPR podcast about non-fiction writing. Oh so lovely. I do love listening to radio programs while pottering in the greenhouse..

Not as many seedlings as last year, but still, a whole flat of 1.5 inch liners. This year I'm going to try planting them in the ground before spring is out, if they cooperate and grow more sturdy in time. Instead of potting them on into 4 inch, then gallon pots, and keeping them in the pots over summer, like I did last year. I'm curious to see if they'll thrive like the self-seeding clarkia, so thick and tall, compared to the spindly ones nurtured in 4 inch pots.

Working with plants is wonderful, as I'm sure you'll agree. I love experimenting and trying new things, and gaining a thirst for understanding and slaking it. And just watching stuff grow!

Not a weed! (but what is it?)