Tuesday, October 13, 2009

October Bloom Day - Marin County CA

These photos were taken during the calm of our first big rain storm of the year, October 13, 2009.
The rain felt fantastic and the air should have smelled wonderful but instead it smelled horrible due to the heavy wood smoke pollution spewing from my neighbors chimney.

This storm brought a lot of wind so the yard looks a little beat up and messy yet it felt great to see the soil and plants so totally saturated with wonderful natural rain.

The photo below capture a snippet of the front potager garden. This winter it is planted with a variety of lettuces, peas, calendulas, lobelia, and the year round evergreen herbs such as oregano, sage, chives, verbascum and marjoram . I plan on planting some cilantro and spinach later on this weekend.
From New Album 6/2/09 4:27 PM


The succulents in the front yard are doing well but my poor mosaic path is taking a beating from my new house guest who spends hours trying to dislodge stones from the path.
She has succeeded in loosing up a 6 inch area by digging under the soil and undermining the foundation. BAD MOCHA.
From New Album 6/2/09 4:27 PM

From New Album 6/2/09 4:27 PM


The back yard is mostly a study in textures. Some of the bromeliads are blooming as well as a few shrubs and succulents.
From New Album 6/2/09 4:27 PM


From New Album 6/2/09 4:27 PM

From New Album 6/2/09 4:27 PM


Abutilon Victor Reiter and Iochroma.
From New Album 6/2/09 4:27 PM

9 comments:

danger garden said...

I just love seeing pictures of your gardens...beautiful! Crazy rain indeed!

Delphine said...

standing ovation from the other side of the atlantic !!! i love your garden, your work, your dog and you.

Linda@ Lime in the Coconut said...

So tell me this...what foundation do you have for the mosaic? Cement?

And...tell me this...what are you using for gravel? Did you roll it?

I'ts time to renew our paths that have been crushed shell...then pea gravel. Need ideas.

Your garden is always a beautiful sight to behold...and love all of the art strewn within.

Phrago said...

Your garden has recovered nicely from the freeze a few years back, And Mocha seems to be developing her artistic side. Oh Dear. I love your mosaic path! But Here in Michigan , I fear another COLD winter is coming. We are already 6 degrees below normal on average for October. Perhaps you Left Coasters will be lucky this year. Your garden is awesome... Phrago

Deviant Deziner, aka Michelle said...

danger, crazy indeed ! loved it though.

delphine, always so wonderful to hear from you, when are you coming to visit me in California ?

linda, we used 3.5 inches ( the width of a 2x4) to pour the concrete slab.
The dog has found a thinner spot over by an existing gate post and that is where she is undermining the dirt. Makes sense, she's figure out the gate opens so she is trying to dig her way out when left bored.
the other path in the back yard is a small chipped crushed gravel from a local quarry that had a lot of granite fines included in the mix.
It has compacted down like concrete with a light dusting of loose gravel on top.

when it comes time to top dress my path this summer I think I will use tumbled colored glass. but will do a test trial first if I still have the dog.

patrick,
yes the garden has recovered from that terrible freeze.
hope your winter is a mild one this year.

to all, have a funtastic day.
michelle

Carolyn Parker said...

how your stunning garden must have enjoyed the rain!

Julie H said...

Beautiful!! The mosiac is really cool did you make it yourself? Bad bad Mocha!

Pam/Digging said...

Your garden is really beautiful. As is your path. I'm impressed that you still have the puppy at the house even though she's tearing it up.

Carolyn Parker said...

Hi Michelle,
I couldn't resist linking to this post in my latest.

Thanks!