My Neglected Templeton Garden in June

June 19, 2017

What Happens When a Garden Takes Care of Itself

The Butterfly Bush

This is the same butterfly bush that fell in 2014. See this post for contrast photos.

Recovered Butterfly Bush Growing Upright Again, © B. Radisavljevic

Butterfly Bush in Context of Rest of Herb Garden,  © B. Radisavljevic

In the left background is an Italian CyrpeCypress tree. In the foreground is a combination of black sage and rosemary.  The orchard is in the background on the right. This is quite a contrast from my original herb garden when I planted it a couple of decades ago. This is what this section looked like in April, 2007.

Expanding Herb Garden in April, 2007, © B. Radisavljevic

Apples

I was happy to see our remaining apple tree is producing this year. 

Young Apples, June 19, 2017, © B. Radisavljevic

Walnuts on the Tree

Walnut Tree with Immature Nuts, © B. Radisavljevic

June 20, 2017

Papa Quail 

Papa Quail Watches Over Family, Which Is Hidden in Brush,  © B. Radisavljevic

Papa Quail in Context. Quail Family is Hidden in Brush, © B. Radisavljevic

It was too hot to stand still and wait for the quail family to come out of hiding so I could get a photo, but I often see the mother with her chicks running for cover in the brush as I go by. They live on the section of our land that is near the entrance. That's our oak tree in the background.

The Herbs on the Slope

I planted my first herbs in Templeton on the slope close to the front door. For years they've grown wild, and I discovered when I took these photos that a coyote brush plant had sneaked in under the  rosemary on the back edge and grown large enough to smoother whatever is under it. Probably my oregano and tricolor sage. Rosemary is still growing strong in back. But I'd like to concentrate on the flowers here. 

The lavender was among the first plants I placed on the slope. I got it from the now gone Sycamore Farms herb farm. The sage below was planted at the same time and came from the same place. The santolina (golden) was planted later. It probably also came from there. 

Bee Foraging on Lavender, © B. Radisavljevic

Santolina and Lavender Close Up, © B. Radisavljevic

Common Sage in Bloom, © B. Radisavljevic, 

Thyme on the Slope, © B. Radisavljevic 

This last photo shows an overview of the slope. The taller yellow flowers are volunteer dusty miller plants that reseeded from some older transplants. The santolina and lavender are on its left. You see mostly rosemary and sage on the right, with thyme in the foreground. All these plants originally came from four-inch pots around 2006, so you can see how much they have grown. For the last three years they have had little attention. 

Overview of West Side of Slope, © B. Radisavljevic

I hope you've enjoyed seeing what can happen to a neglected garden. It's amazing so much of it survived the drought with almost no irrigation.

Do you grow herbs? What are your most memorable experiences with them? Which are your favorites to grow?

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Clary and Tricolor Sage In June

June is When My Clary Sage Shows Off

My clary sage has been budding since May, and on June 1 I noticed it was in bloom again. All my clary sage here started from one plant in a pot. After the rains this year, many baby plants emerged far from the mother plant.  Theones in the photo below appeared in the side flower bed near the street. They are blooming. The clary sage is in the foreground at the center with large leaves and a large flower stalk. A black sage plant is in bloom behind it.

Below is a different view that includes two other plant babies growing in the gazanias. They haven't matured enough to bloom yet.

This is the mother plant, still in its pot, and fully in bloom.

Here are a few more babies growing next to the walkway by the garage. They will be blooming soon. I see a bud. This section of my garden is all volunteer plants. The Lamb's Ears came from a mother plant across the sidewalk and has spread throughout this bed. It is also blooming now. I threw some iris bulbs I didn't have room for in the other flower beds into a cardboard box of shallow dirt in this back corner, and they decided to be happy there and bloom while I was waiting to find another spot for them. The pot contains mostly lemon balm.

Tricolor Sage Blooms Between May and June

I was so busy this year, I almost missed it. That would have been a shame since I can't remember that it ever bloomed for me before, and I've had it for several years. I think it took all the rainfall we had this year to make it bloom. In the collage below, you can see how quickly the plant can bloom and fade.

What is your experience with sage varieties? Do you have a favorite?

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