November in the Northern Hemisphere

[fleurbleue]

Nice one, Ralph 

[johnw]

My phone camera simply couldn't catch the fire of Enkianthus perrulatus 'Compactus' at the weekend.  Luckily my photographer neighbour came by and worked his magic.  Just a week ago I was thinking it's been so mild this one is not going to colour up this year, then presto. Planted 1997 from a 5cm pot from Rarefind.

johnw  - high 10c, low 8c, sunny

[ian mcdonald]

Heavy rain here today, just what the bog needs.

[Robert]

Late autumn weather has certainly arrived! It was foggy all morning, then into the afternoon. Now it is clear and finally getting cold. Not much blooming in the garden, however some plants still provide interest.



The fern Aspidotis californica is turning out to be a real gem in the garden. The lacy foliage is evergreen, with irrigation, and always looks fresh and nice. A shade lover.



Acer japonicum 'Green Cascade' has some nice autumn leaves. It has not been cold enough for it to color well.



Aspidotis densa is another of our California native ferns. It too is evergreen (with irrigation). I cut this one back to the ground as it was looking a bit ragged. It will look great in about 3-4 weeks.



Polystichum californicum It grows larger than Aspidotis species. Evergreen - take the heat just fine as long as it is in the shade.



Goodyera oblongifolia - I cleaned up this bed the other day and added this evergreen species. They thrive up at the farm and make attractive colonies. I am hoping for the same here in Sacramento.

[Robert]

Another plant added to the garden recently - Asarum splendens. It ran about the garden up at the farm. I am hoping it will behave itself here in Sacramento.



Cyclamen hederiflolium seeds about the garden easily and add interest to the autumn-winter garden.



Dryopteris arguta - still another California native fern. Evergreen and very easy to please in our garden.



Heuchera micrantha - one of our native species. Grown from seed gathered in El Dorado county. Attractive foliage all year.



Pentagramma triangularis This species can be evergreen with irrigation. I like to cut them back every few years to keep them looking fresh. Easy in the garden. 

[Gabriela]

Beautiful evergreen foliage Robert, it is so important for the winter garden, although we are talking about different winters

[Gabriela]

My phone camera simply couldn't catch the fire of Enkianthus perrulatus 'Compactus' at the weekend.  Luckily my photographer neighbour came by and worked his magic.  Just a week ago I was thinking it's been so mild this one is not going to colour up this year, then presto. Planted 1997 from a 5cm pot from Rarefind.
johnw  - high 10c, low 8c, sunny

I hope you propagate this Enkianthus John, almost a 'moral' obligation I would say

[Robert]

Beautiful evergreen foliage Robert, it is so important for the winter garden, although we are talking about different winters

Gabriela,

I would not mind having winter weather that was a bit colder. I do have to work with what I have and make the best of it.  Years ago it would snow every year at the farm. Not only did I like the change in the seasons but the snow was beautiful and the cold temperatures were adequate to break the dormancy of many seeds. Our garden here in Sacramento is sub-tropical. I look out the window and see a lemon tree and an orange tree. I do enjoy the fruit! For many of the species that I enjoy growing, cooler weather during the winter (summer too) would please them. Oh well.... I guess I do the best I can and take the initiative to make the best of what I have. 

I am very pleased at how our Sacramento garden is coming along. A lot (too much for me    ) is still an ocean of Oxalis with some nice herbaceous species buried under the Oxalis mess. Yesterday I worked at cleaning up and moving some plants around in our front border. 6-7 years ago it was beautiful and now it will be again. It would be interesting to have a "movie camera" to share our garden with everyone. We spent a bunch (we are cash and carry only - no debt slavery for us!) on our new and much needed new auto. Can't do everything at one time. 

As usual, thank you for your comments! I look forward to seeing what the new season brings for you and everyone else. 

[Gabriela]

Robert,
You are right, in the garden as well, we have to work with what we have I like the snow actually and wouldn't be without; only that sometimes is a bit too much of it
Anyway, I am trying to add more evergreens in the garden (main reason I love the evergreen Epimediums and Hepatica); even if at some point everything gets covered in snow there is the time 'in between' when they look wonderful together.

Your garden already looks very well from your pictures; redoing an old garden takes time, and money of course like you mentioned. I also garden at a new place and can only take it one spot at a time

[Robert]

Gabriela,

Thank you for sharing a few photographs of your plants with snow. I actually find such scenes very beautiful and well worth sharing!    How our plants interact with ice and snow can be magical. Even wilted brown leaves covered with hoarfrost can be quite amazing.

Today I worked much of the day preparing our front border. It had been neglected for 6-7 years. Now there is much bare open space and I can start planting. The loam in this area has more clay than in other parts of the garden so I will have to be careful working the area during wet winter weather.

Ah yes things come with time. I will be so glad when my wife and I can remove part of our house and have more garden space. We already have a rock garden designed in our heads..... but then we still have to wait. Oh well, there is plenty to keep me busy right now and the garden is looking good in my eyes where I have removed the Oxalis. I have much to share on the forum, especially as I continue to work the garden.

I will be out-of-town for the next 3 weeks.    I will miss our Sacramento garden. I do have a some botanical outings to keep me busy in the next 3 weeks. 

[Cfred72]

With us, not yet snow. I get for the first time in three years the flowering of Tropaeolum tuberosum.

[meanie]

There's a bit of a tale to the first flower of the year on my Ceropegia woodii............


It was one of the plants in my greenhouse last year when a pane of glass broke and exposed everything to -5°c. One of the tubers survived however and it has spent the summer growing away so any bloom this year is a bonus.

[Robert]

With us, not yet snow. I get for the first time in three years the flowering of Tropaeolum tuberosum.
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Fred,

The Tropaeolum tuberosum is hardy to cold? and can withstand the snow if it arrives? I have been wanting to give some of the tuberous Tropaeolum species a try in our garden, however I have not gotten around to it yet.

Well done! It looks great.

There's a bit of a tale to the first flower of the year on my Ceropegia woodii............


It was one of the plants in my greenhouse last year when a pane of glass broke and exposed everything to -5°c. One of the tubers survived however and it has spent the summer growing away so any bloom this year is a bonus.

Meanie,

It is often amazing what survives during such disasters!

I finally moved all of our "tender" species under the patio covering for the winter. I cover everything with row cover if frost threatens. Last year this scheme worked very well, but then the coldest temperature was only 27 F. 

[Cfred72]

Hello Robert,
At this point in the garden, the plant thrives for three years. The soil is improved in drainage aggregates. It is a mixture of crushed Argex and lava.
The foliage disappears completely with negative temperatures. It appears again in the spring.

[Robert]

Fred,

Our garden soil in Sacramento is Class I loam - the best for agriculture. Our soil is not very good for alpine plants, so I grow them in containers of various sorts right now. We use 9 mm lava rock for our alpines and they love it.

It certainly looks like you have open space for your garden and it sounds like you are certainly making progress. What a creative pleasure! 

Below is a photograph of one of our front borders that I finally rearranged this week.



A few days ago this border was an overgrown mess. Now there is a considerable amount of space to plant in the foreground. Since this border will grow bulbs, perennials, and annuals the first step will be to spade and dig out the spruce roots, then sheet compost the open area. Then planting..... 



I kept the Acer palmatum 'Shaina'. It is very dwarf - about 1 meter after 10 years. The leaves are burgundy-red during the summer. This is its attempt at autumn color.    Not so good this year. 



Salvia semiatrata is putting on a great show this autumn.



It is absolutely loaded with flowers this year. Generally I prune this plant during the summer to keep it smaller. I did not get around to it so it flopped over this year. I will prune and straighten it in the spring.



Not much is going on in the rest of the garden. I kept this chance seedling of Salvia coccinea 'Lady-in-Red'. It has been blooming since mid-summer. Even though it is in an awkward location, I am glad that I have kept it.