Indian summer-January First Views

 In each month of the year, on the first few days, we post wide views of what our gardens look like in that month.  Town Mouse of Town Mouse and Country Mouse, started this series of posts, called a meme, and any garden bloggers can take part. Go here to post a link to her blog.

Indian Summer.  Those words sound wonderful when, I remember shivering into my coat when coming in and out of the house in other Januarys. Now, not only am I not shivering, but I am out in the garden watering and weeding,…even planting with the sun hot on my back.

An Indian Summer is a period of considerably warmer temperatures than normal, usually in the Fall. While mostly associated with an Autumn event, in colonial times the term may have referred to a December or January thaw when tracking Indians after a raid was more difficult without snow on the ground.

This month, or I should say, on the first day of the year, I’ll take you on a garden tour of the garden set just 20 miles south of Yosemite, on a mountainside that runs north and south next to the Sierra National Forest.

Purple mountain's majesty. Sunset from the patio on January 1st.

Purple mountain's majesty. Sunset from the patio on January 1st.

North end of the garden. I start here at sunset for a walk around.

North end of the garden. I start here at sunset for a walk around.

Another view from the boundary

Another view from the boundary

Main garden path running length wise, north to south. Here we're looking north.

Main garden path running length wise, north to south. Here we're looking north.

Looking east at Peckinpah Bluffs

Looking east at Peckinpah Bluffs at Sunset

One view of the meadow and sycamore at the end of the main path. It wraps around the tree then heads up a gravel path through the rock garden

One view of the meadow and sycamore at the end of the main path. It wraps around the tree then heads up a gravel path through the rock garden.

The next morning…

opper Canyon daisies, Tagetes lemmonii, the only real bright spot in the garden in January

Copper Canyon daisies, Tagetes lemmonii, the only real bright spot in the garden in January

New native plantings on either side of the path, ceanothus, manzanita, monkey flower and sage.

New native plantings on either side of the path, ceanothus, manzanita, monkey flower and sage. They all blend into the pine needle mulch now. I'm fortunate to have enough room here to allow them to grow to their natural size. I've had to water these a few times since planting last October.

The upper leach line path is near water and will be easy to plant along in future. I had the hose bib extended three years ago to two new spigots forming a tee extending out to either end of the main path. It only encourages me to plant more.

Upper leach line path is near water and will be easy to plant along in future. I had the hose bib extended three years ago to two new spigots forming a tee extending out to either end of the main path. It only encourages me to plant more.

Lower leach line path. These two lines are the only other flat place besides the house pad so we made them paths.

Lower leach line path. These two lines are the only other flat place besides the house pad so we made them paths.

Big boulder and woodsy area just below the south end of the house.

Big boulder and woodsy area just below the south end of the house.

Sidewalk at the south end of the house with roses on one side and the buddleia, both of them on the other. I'll trim all, both the buddleia this year, down to eighteen inches high.

Sidewalk at the south end of the house with roses on one side and the buddleia, both of them on the other. I'll trim all, both the buddleia this year, down to eighteen inches high.

Here we are back at the start. Thanks for coming along.  After so much good sunny weather, I bet we have snow by February First Views. Right now, we are thoroughly enjoying sitting,… soaking up the warmth like a cat in a sunbeam.

6 comments

  1. Curbstone Valley Farm -

    You do have beautiful views. That one thing we tend to miss here at the valley bottom, our views are all of the tops of trees, looking upward. It is odd though, I so expect that I should be looking at snow in your garden, not daisies blooming in January! The weather has been gorgeous, but we are getting a bit behind on rain and snow-pack this year.

  2. Jane Krauter -

    Beautiful, Sue! Do I see a turtle on your sidewalk at the south end of the house?

    • Sue Langley -

      Thanks, Mouse!

      Yes, we sure are having an unusual year weather wise, Clare. You do have a wonderful setting there where you are.

      Yes, you do see a tortoise, Jane. We had tortoises when I was growing up and seeing these brings back pleasant memories.

    • Sue Langley -

      Hi Anne, Thank you! I’m so glad to be able to peek at your blog, too, and find that you are taking part in Mouse’s ‘First Views’. I will come back and see more.

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