GardenBook

 August is just about my least favorite month in the garden, and it never fails to stimulate a relentless round of cutting back, digging up and too-late staking of the floppers. Bloomday gave me the opportunity to look for what actually still looks good. It's rarely as bad as it seems.  For reasons that remain mysterious, getting decent photos of Fuchsias escapes me. I must include them in spite of   because they are a bright spot in the August doldrums. I was quite obsessed with Fuchsias at one time and had a robust collection, in spite of the fact that my inland climate is not ideal. After a few years of attack by the Fuchsia gall mite , I tossed them all , and was Fuchsia free for several years. Gradually I have re-introduced mostly resistant varieties.   Caryopteris is holding it's own, this is a newbie C. 'Hint of Gold' superior in every way to 'Worster Gold'  in my garden. It may very well achieve the sought after repeated elemen...

 The Village of Mendocino is perched on headlands above the Pacific on the Northern California coast. Many of the early founders who established the town in the 1850's were from Maine and thus the eastern seaboard architectural influence is evident . Unique in our part of the nation, we westerners brave the serpentine  roads and flock out to immerse ourselves in New England charm.  And if that alone is not enough to attract visitors, its' location on the most spectacular segment of our coast ensures the tourist trade is robust year round.  Small pocket gardens are seen on every street, and this frost free maritime climate favors almost anything that doesn't need much heat ; forget about Bougainvillea, peppers and tomatoes. The average high temp here is 65 degrees, and I always bring winter garb no matter what month of the year I visit. Your lettuce won't bolt !  Grab your Dramamine for the drive out and come along on a stroll through the village.  Th...

 On the Big River estuary, Mendocino California. Visit Anna at Flutter and Hum for more Wednesday vignettes !