Winter welcome in the Sierra foothill garden

A Winter walk-around

What’s blooming? What’s happening? A walk through my garden just before Winter begins.

Winter patio

First off, the patio has been cleared of summer projects, tools, soil and extra containers! I’ve put three sugar cones in three pots to act as a winter centerpiece for the table and all the cushions are in the dry shed.  Rain has been in the forecast and in my view, we’ve already had more rain this month than all winter last year!

 

December meadow

The meadow area has been weeded, raked, and seeded with brand new Native California wildflower seed fro S&S Seeds.  There are still tomatoes in the veg garden, but that will be January’s project,…to clean up that garden.

 

Arbor path

The new recycled arbor looks delicate here alongside the sturdy manzanitas.  I’m hoping at the shrubs grow, they’ll take on the shape of this form.

 

Brushing at property line

Big news this Fall was that, with a grant for fire safety, our property was fully brushed out 50 feet from all our property lines along the forest, giving us a good buffer zone.  They also left piles of cut firewood which we need only to collect and  25-30 brush piles to burn, with which Tractor Man is having fun.

 

Raindrops on pine

Raindrops on the pine

 

Pineapple sage

The pineapple sage is deer resistant and highly recommended!  What else gives your garden so much Winter color!   You can see the lavender is also reblooming this month.

Yesterday, ….these were blooming

Bergenia crassifolia, a Winter bloomer, just starting
Mexican marigold, Tagetes lemmonii
Pineapple sage
Blackeyed Susans
Autumn sage, fading…
Swan River daisy, Brachyscome
Violas
Snapdragons
Primrose
Violets, wild

That’s a LOT! All live among deer and are not babied, (for sure!)

 

Winter salvia bed

The wild salvia bed. The Black eyed Susans still bloom and the yellow in the background, behind the bench, is Tagetes lemmonii,…Mexican marigold,…also blooming in November through December.

 

Upper path in Winter

The upper path,…creeping sage at left and trimmed Veronica spica,…the tall Veronica

 

Winter wispies clouds

Clouds looking towards Cascadel Woods,…winter wispies…

 

Winter autumn sage

Some of the last blooms on the Autumn sage.

 

Violas in tub

This tub of violas will get a head start on Spring and will survive the cold and the snow!

 

Shed in December

Looking north towards Shuteye peak, the shed and work table.

 

Artemesia

The importance of having Artemisia in the garden is apparent in Winter, when greens are predominant.  Here it’s sandwiched between common thyme and rosemary.

 

Violas in bait bucket

This antique bait bucket gives excellent drainage!

 

Lower patio in Winter

I just let the leaves to collect on the patio in Winter,…it’s made as natural as possible, but still allowing bare feet in Summer.  See the washing machine tub ‘fire pit?’  A housewarming gift from our friend, Colin.

 

Mountain view in Winter

The stunning view can’t be ignored!

 

Winter cut and come again salad garden

I use the parsley and salad greens daily in this ‘cut and come again’ garden pot.

Welcome Winter!

9 comments

  1. Country Mouse -

    Absolutely gorgeous. I also love my winter wispies! Thanks for sharing your garden – I can almost breathe your Sierra air, just looking at it all.

    • Sue Langley -

      Hi Mouse! I was reminded while doing this post on your nice First Views posts. 🙂

    • Sue Langley -

      I do as well,..and have found that we have a family of bluebirds that live in the manzanita patch on one end of the place. I love the muscular look of the reddish branches.

  2. Paul Miller -

    I’m new to gardening. Have done some fire safe clearing. Congrats on getting a grant for that work. Have you considered burying some of that slash in a hugelculture bed rather than burning? A tractor would take a lot of the labor out of it.

    • Sue Langley -

      We have been experimenting with hugelkultur for the last two years. I built a mound over a huge log and branches over top. Will have to do a post on the results soon. Good idea about the brush piles,…I leave some out for the quail but the crew came back last week to burn all the rest as Part 2 of their project.

  3. jane Scorer -

    What an amazing area you live in, Sue. It looks very beautiful. You still have so much in bloom, here in the UK I have the odd flower but that is all. I am waiting for the first snowdrops!

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