Wednesday, June 21, 2017

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.

My Neglected Templeton Garden in June
Recovered Butterfly Bush Growing Upright Again, © B. Radisavljevic

My Neglected Templeton Garden in June
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.

My Neglected Templeton Garden in June
Expanding Herb Garden in April, 2007, © B. Radisavljevic

Apples


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


My Neglected Templeton Garden in June
Young Apples, June 19, 2017, © B. Radisavljevic

Walnuts on the Tree

 My Neglected Templeton Garden in June
Walnut Tree with Immature Nuts, © B. Radisavljevic


June 20, 2017

Papa Quail 

 My Neglected Templeton Garden in June
Papa Quail Watches Over Family, Which Is Hidden in Brush,  © B. Radisavljevic

My Neglected Templeton Garden in June
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. 

My Neglected Templeton Garden in June
Bee Foraging on Lavender, © B. Radisavljevic

My Neglected Templeton Garden in June
Santolina and Lavender Close Up, © B. Radisavljevic

My Neglected Templeton Garden in June
Common Sage in Bloom, © B. Radisavljevic, 

 My Neglected Templeton Garden in June
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. 

 My Neglected Templeton Garden in June
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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