Summer season marches on and the soil is dry. We count on that in August, however we do not count on the delicate temperatures we have had of late. This week the warmth ramps again as much as almost triple digits however the reprise has been useful in catching up with backyard chores. One chore, a quite joyful one, is documenting the backyard with pictures. I’m taking a break from Fling posts to go searching my very own backyard and produce it to you right here, dry, parched soil and all.

Wasp on Bupleurum fruticosum. If you’re acquainted with this very simple evergreen shrub then you might be possible conscious that it attracts SO many pollinators. It is just a little shocking. 

It has rounded lance formed leaves and is just a few toes tall, might be simply pruned if wanted and is sweet with solar to half shade. It is very resilient and type of fairly – however even when grown solely for pollinators it is a winner.

The annual “clear up” of Phlomis russelliana stems entails merely eradicating useless leaves alongside its size. I additionally take away any yellowing/dying older leaves on the base. Now this (and the ten or so different crops within the backyard) shall be a cool focus with their seed heads and stems remaining by means of winter into spring. Berm backyard within the background.

Drimys winteri, an evergreen magnolia look-alike tree, is certainly a summer time water plant because it comes from rainforests of South America. However that foliage, it is value it.

Within the shade backyard, silvers of Carex conica ‘Snowline’ and Trachelospermum ‘Variegatum’ sparkle. The ferns and different water lovers within the shade backyard want a bit extra consideration and irrigation now greater than every other time of the yr, however these two are pretty autonomous.

Additionally within the shade backyard Mahonia x savilliana provides a silver word in darkish locations. Mahonias generally are simple and low-water crops including a little bit of evergreen goodness. My solely criticism, if any, is that they’re gradual rising for me. 

It would not look that attention-grabbing now however I had a breakthrough thought. We’ve got two big piles of wooden which might be not less than eight years previous that we thought would decompose and be habitat for critters. Since they have been coated with a tarp the breaking down did not occur and there was no proof of critter nests. Since I’ve holes within the shade backyard (nonetheless, even 9 years in . . . it is a powerful spot to backyard!) I made a decision to maneuver bits of the wooden pile over so it may well decompose in place and add some goodness to the soil. Not a monumental thought however for us it is a win-win as we transfer a few of these piles and the soil advantages. Plus, it fills up clean house.

My little reducing backyard in an previous raised mattress by the greenhouse. I grew dahlias from seed, the ‘Bishop’s Kids’ are my favourite with their darkish stems and largely orange flowers. Dahlias from seed is very easy they usually do type a quite substantial tuber by the tip of the season.

Talking of dahlias, that is Dahlia imperialis, large tree dahlia. Though it blooms actually late within the yr and frost would possibly kill the highest progress earlier than it does so, its foliage is fairly cool. That is my first yr rising it, I will preserve a watch out for potential flowers.

The brand new-ish “crow backyard” (named as a result of we feed the crows close by) is filling in with Teucrium chamaedrys that the bumblebees adore. I had just a few different issues planted in right here that did not thrive so I added just a few extra teucrium. Be aware the wooden chips – we’ve got been in wooden chip/Chip Drop heaven this summer time. We’ve got obtained three gigantic masses and are spreading them like mad. They actually do assist preserve moisture within the soil and stop weeds from germinating.

Eriophyllum lanatum, Oregon sunshine, has unfold properly on this space as nicely. Be aware the brown grass, typical for this time of the yr. Will probably be attention-grabbing to see if the adjoining wooden chips affect moisture within the area grass. That is the primary yr with wooden chips right here so I will have to attend till subsequent summer time to search out out.

This new enlargement of the labyrinth backyard has stuffed in properly. We expanded the graveled space seen right here by mainly doubling it, eradicating drained sod and marching southward. Here is what it appeared like final summer time:

By August and September it is fairly brown and dry, so we thought why not? It is simply costly to purchase the gravel and onerous on the muscle groups, so we solely do some bit yearly.

The southern fringe of the Himalayan mounds (proper) and the most recent south financial institution space (left) on the southernmost fringe of the property. This space has not been irrigated however possibly as soon as by hand this summer time. Additionally, based mostly on my remark in regards to the crow backyard and dying grass, the wooden chips right here have greenish grass alongside its edge. I ponder if that is because of the wooden chips or simply coincidence? These chips have been right here a yr and a half.

A scene I’ve by no means proven earlier than, that is trying north, the greenhouse is simply seen on the left. This was/is a wild-ish space that has quite a lot of native crops together with Gaultheria shallon, Polystichum munitum, Oemleria cerasiformis. We’ve got additionally inspired the native Populus tremuloides, quaking aspen, to colonize right here which it’s doing properly. There are just a few corners of the backyard like this the place it is fairly wild however with just a few launched crops planted by me. We simply attempt to preserve the blackberries and different noxious weeds at bay, a mighty process because it’s on the fringe of the property with a highway on the opposite aspect of the fence the place neighboring blackberries run rampant.

The veggie backyard has executed exceptionally nicely this yr with the addition of wooden chips and starting no-till practices. Right here, Oaxacan inexperienced corn (which we’ll dry and grind into corn meal) is sort of comfortable. The orchard is on the correct.

That is affectionately referred to as the Zócalo, a reputation which means city sq. in Spanish. It’s the middle of veggie city in our backyard. FM re-laid these pavers to stage them out and added cement to maintain them from sliding round. Thanks, FM! FM apologizes for the cement stain. He and his toothbrush are scheduled to wash and add sparkle.

The labyrinth backyard, trying north with Salix elaeagnos subsp. angustifolia within the middle. The labyrinth is the guts of the dry backyard, the place any watering that happens is by me, by hand, and solely within the driest a part of the yr. To this point this summer time I’ve watered this space possibly thrice.

The sting of the meadow with grasses, dried allium and Sidalcea campestris seed heads and Stipa gigantea within the background.

Wooden chips unfold on this a part of the western woodland have helped preserve moisture in all summer time. Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’ and surrounding crops are all very content material on this nook of the backyard.

Alongside the driveway trying east in direction of the meadow backyard (proper) and gravel backyard (left). The Cornus nuttallii whose trunk is within the middle, is as soon as once more declining. We thought it was out of the woods because it bloomed fantastically this spring, nevertheless it quickly went brown and dropped most of its leaves. Both approach we’ll depart it, on the worst as a snag for wildlife and at greatest a recovered native dogwood.

Pearly eternal, Anaphalis margaritacea, has began popping up within the western woodland and is happiest in full solar, regardless that there’s a giant patch of it in almost full shade for some odd purpose.

The fireplace pit space with my blue shed within the background.

Earlier this yr I wavered whether or not or not I ought to reduce out an overgrown Yucca gloriosa ‘Variegata’ – overgrown as a result of I planted it within the incorrect place, not anticipating the Arctostaphylos ‘Saint Helena’ that it is beneath would develop so wonky and fall on high of it. I went for it, reducing it off at its base which you’ll be able to see on the correct. That is precisely what I hoped would occur, resprouting of recent foliage from the roots. I think one can not kill a yucca.

A second Yucca gloriosa ‘Variegata’ in a extra open, applicable location with a pup at its base, all with none motion on my half. Crops are cool.

I shut out this put up with a not very enticing however type of humorous photograph of my log trio. The salvia on this photograph retains dying off in chunks then regrowing on right here and there, I am unable to preserve observe. I reduce out one more useless/dying chunk (I haven’t got the guts to tear it out all collectively as a result of when it is comfortable it is so fairly) leaving a gaping gap. Enter logs to the rescue, but once more. It type of jogs my memory of the trio of logs tied up along with rope and ceramic seagulls drilled into the highest that one sees all alongside the Oregon coast (and inland, for that matter). It makes me giggle.

One final word, our autumn plant sale is Saturday September 14th, 11 – 3 on the identical place, 334 N Baldwin, Portland. Come by in case you can! There shall be loads of us promoting our crops, pottery, backyard books and extra. Hooray for plant gross sales!

That is a wrap for this week at Chickadee Gardens, thanks a lot for studying and commenting, we love listening to from you! Completely happy gardening, doldrums and all.