Not a lot has happened to my main garden borders since I posted wide shots in December as part of the meme sponsored by Heather at
Xericstyle but, in the interest of keeping the record intact, here's this month's update, starting with the backyard border as usual, albeit from different angles.
 |
| Back border photographed from the far left side of the patio |
 |
| The same back border photographed from the pathway in the southeast side garden |
I purposely keep the plants in the backyard border low so as not to interfere with the view of the harbor on the horizon but I think much of the area is too flat at present. Some of this will be remedied as the existing plants grow in size but I also think I'll be changing out some of my selections in the coming year.
The side yard was dramatically transformed in 2013, as I discussed in my
New Year's Day post. It's coming along nicely but I expect some plant change-outs there as well as I see how the plants knit together.
 |
| Side yard photographed from the front yard |
 |
| Side yard photographed from the backyard |
The front border is in its winter doldrums. I just finished cutting back the roses and, with the exception of the spots of color provided by the
Bauhinia x. blakeana (Hong Kong orchid tree) and
Nandina domestica, there's not much to excite the eye right now. I think it needs some sprucing up with annuals.
 |
| Photographed from the driveway entrance (with my cat Ming headed to the front door) |
 |
| Closer shot of the border to the right of the pathway leading to the front door (please ignore the neighbor's defrocked Christmas tree across the street) |
 |
| My Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder' is going to town on the far left side of the front border (and I pruned it by half last spring) |
The vegetable garden, which I don't think I've featured in prior wide shot posts, currently has no vegetables, although there are plenty of herbs and the oranges are ripening. I've put in some stock, snapdragons and sweet peas for cutting too.
The
Grevillea lavandulacea are coming into bloom in the dry garden but the flowers are small and don't show up well when the area is photographed from a distance. The guava tree on the right is laden with fruit, which the squirrels seem to be happy about. Buds have formed on the
Echium handiense in the middle right section of the photo, which makes me happy.
That's it for this month's wide shots. Please visit Xericstyle to
see Heather's wide shot and find links to other gardeners' contributions.
You shared so much - I love seeing how your gardens fit together. This month to me...your paths really shine....I am taking notes! Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteThanks again for hosting this monthly exercise, Heather! It's allowed me to see my garden from a new perspective.
DeleteThe light in your garden is amazing! From a design point of view if you add some taller plants to your border you will frame the view and make it MORE visible rather than less, because your eye will be led into the view rather than down to where the plants are now. Your garden is lovely.
ReplyDeleteMy husband is pretty adamant about not obstructing the views with tall plants, Christina. The Mimosa and California pepper trees, as well as the neighbor's pines, offer some framing. I could do something with the backyard border on the far right, though, as the view there is a neighboring house.
DeleteWow! Your garden looks very lush and green. You've done a fabulous job of preserving your great view but keeping interest in your plantings. What fun to grow annuals and have fruit ripening in the winter! Would you notice if we moved into your basement for the winter? :)
ReplyDeleteYou'd be welcome, Peter - if we actually had a basement. Most of the houses here, like ours, are built upon slabs. And,before you ask, I'm afraid the attic is only 2-3 feet high.
DeleteBeautiful! What a difference a couple of zones make, for a winter garden.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tour.
I'd be perfect if only we got a little more rain. Thanks for visiting, Linda!
DeleteI love the glowing sunshine in those top two photos of your back garden. What a lovely vegetable garden you have too.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Alison! I'm afraid I've woefully neglected the vegetable garden recently, hence the addition of flowers. I am going to miss the sugar snap peas this year, though, but hopefully the sweet peas will make up for the loss of them.
DeleteWow, love the wide shots of your garden, the lushness of your garden reminds us of late spring! And you've done so well keeping a balance between generous planting and preserving those views!
ReplyDeleteThe truth be told, we don't really get anything most people would call winter, just a cool season followed by a warm (to hot) one.
DeleteLovely photos, lovely views and a lovely garden. What amazing plants you can grow there. Leucadendron is a plant I'd love to grow but I believe it's only possible in Cornwall or the Scilly Isles here. And a Bauhinia tree! How wonderful.
ReplyDeleteChloris
I brought that Leucadendron with me from my old house, Chloris, where it was in a large pot in one of the few sunny locations be had. It's gone crazy since I put it into the ground shortly after we moved here 3 years ago.
DeleteEven your veg plot looks marvellous Kris! I doubt that anyone in their right mind would consider loosing those views.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite shot is the Chimney (?) and the Leucadendron bed - what a statement they make.
I just cleaned that area up, Angie, cutting back the climbing 'Joseph's Coat' rose growing up the master bedroom chimney and tearing up the tangle of Santa Barbara daisy that grew beneath it (which will be back before I know it). The Leucadendron is a force of nature.
DeleteCiao, ho appena scoperto il tuo bellissimo giardino! Complimenti, seguirò il tuo blog con grande piacere!
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Pontos! Based on a quick tour of your site, it appears we can grow some of the same plants, although I haven't had luck with many of those you show.
DeleteYour garden looks very neat and tidy. January is always a mess in my garden. It's like the theater after closing night, or the house on moving day.
ReplyDeleteHaving a home with a great view is a two edged sword, I think. One must complement the view without obscuring it. You've done a good job balancing. I visited a garden recently with a vast view, but the garden was a dried bermuda lawn and some low junipers--not much else--and it just wasn't--I'm not sure what word to use--it was bleak.
I just avoided the messy bits when I took my pictures ;) . I'm currently cutting back the shrubs making up one of my many hedges in the hope of rejuvenating them but they're not ready for photographs - the work has to be parsed out as I've already filled this week's refuse bins. Finishing will take weeks, I think.
DeleteDet ser mycket fint ut!!!
ReplyDeleteFörstår vad du menar om att höjd saknas i rabatten och samtidigt inte störa utsikten, men i bland kan det vara fint att när man kan se utsikten mellan några högre växter.
Har samma problem här fast med utsikten mot en åker.
Hälsningar
Mariana
The view and the plants are definitely a balancing act, Mariana.
DeleteI can't believe how beautiful your garden looks in January! I love the wide shots--what a great exercise.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a very useful exercise, Heather - it's forcing me to look at my garden as a whole rather than in small segments.
Delete