Monday, September 10, 2012

A Garden in Autumn

A garden in autumn, thoughtfully planned, carefully tended and illuminated by a softer light, is a joy to walk in.

Salvia leucantha, or Mexican sage, is a frequent sight in gardens all over Northern California 

Especially if a garden is as serene and unassumingly lovely as the one at Carmel Mission (for a tour of the Mission and the garden in spring click to look at this earlier post).



The colors are not as exuberant as they are in spring, but the garden is still pretty in a gentler way, like an old jewel in its lovely setting of old stone and tiled roofs.



In my garden, I am still struggling with maintaining color and interest throughout the year.

Spanish lavender is a classic pairing with l. viridis (green lavender). In my garden viridis never reblooms in the fall (unlike Spanish lavender).... 

 Spring is easy, and so is winter with camellias, cyclamen and daphne odora providing lots of color and fragrance. But at summer's end, the garden often looks tired and messy. Perhaps I lack experience, or perhaps a staff of helpers to deadhead and trim the plants for me :).



It is always useful to observe how well-planned gardens fare throughout the seasons.



I can see how indispensable grasses are for texture.



Repeat-blooming roses still look lovely.

Iceberg rose can be depended on to provide color almost year round



And fall-blooming perennials and shrubs, such as sages, Japanese anemones and tibouchina urvilleana, provide a welcome burst of fresh flowers.

These Japanese anemones are most likely Honorine Jobert, which I also have in my garden


Tibouchina urvilleana "Princess Flower"

Even though Carmel's climate is gentler than that of San Jose, I am able to grow most things that I have seen at the Mission. In particular, their plantings of Japanese anemones inspired me to include them in my garden too. They create lovely flower carpets underneath my climbing roses which don't bloom well in the fall. If only I could also replicate the wonderful background of old adobe walls, fountains and statues...



This visit to Carmel will probably be our last trip for awhile. The school year is in full swing and all of us are getting busier and busier.


 I might even start writing about my own garden again :).

A western scrub jay in a rose that does not seem to be doing so well...

25 comments:

  1. WOW! Masha!
    Your garden is so beautiful in the end of summer!
    wonderful blooming and roses are really in great shape!Have an happy september!
    Hugs!
    Titty

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  2. That was a nice garden tour Masha, i love the statue photo.

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  3. I loved every picture !!! Thank you for the perfect presentation of a perfect garden. You are giving me some ideas ... as always :)

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  4. great pictures, Marsha. I just came in from weeding and deadheading...August is the low point for my garden...both the plants and I are tired of the valley heat...with the cooler weather the roses start blooming again and even stands up straighter....

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  5. Obrigada por compartilhar imagens tão maravilhosas.
    abraços e uma linda semana

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  6. I think this is really one of the nicest Mission gardens, well tended and nicely designed. Thanks for taking us back !

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  7. Oh, it's all incredibly peaceful and lovely! I'll have to check it out next time I'm out that way!

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  8. Hi Masha, I enjoyed your post very much! My garden also looks a bit colorless at this time of the year and I also would love to work on changing this. One plant that I have good experience with is geranium 'Rozanne', which is still flowering nicely. I love the white anemone in your post and will research if I can grow them here in San Diego, too.
    Christina

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  9. IL tuo giardino è spettacolare.... Grazie per aver condiviso tanta bellezza!

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  10. I can't choose the best picture!
    all of them are superb!
    so beautiful garden!
    I'd stay to live there!!!)))

    xoxo, Juliana
    [pjhappies.blogspot.com]

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  11. Lovely garden. I think summer's end is the hardest time for the garden. And yes, a staff would help! :)

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  12. Splendid pictures of a gorgeous garden! In my garden there still are lots of flowers but.....
    it's a wilderness. Sometimes I think, how can I manage to get it in shape again.

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  13. WOW a couupe of them I think I will paint in oil......beautiful great composition

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  14. Wonderful pictures Masha, you habe a lovely garden.

    Greetings from Germany
    Anke

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  15. I love your photos of this wonderful garden. What a beauty this bird is.
    Greetings from Switzerland
    Alex

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  16. Wundervolle Fotos und Eindrücke! Besonders das Bild mit dem Schmetterling ist wunderschön. Liebe Grüße Annette

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  17. Graciasor la belleza que transmite tu pagina, tengo una ligera envidia......mi jardín se está tea formando en un bosque pienso que los pajaritos encontrarán cobijo mas fácilmente , estoy muy agradecida por disfrutarlo tantos años.
    Te deseo lo mejor
    Maruxa

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  18. Beautiful Garden Tour of the Carmel Mission. Your photo's are exquisite. I especially love the one with the Japanese anemone, which happens to be blooming in my garden now..

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  19. What a beautiful garden, and your pictures are amazing. I love Mexican Bush Sage but every spring I forget to plant it (borderline hardy here). Your pictures capture its magic very well!

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  20. I love seeing fall in other places. I grew up in CA and love the Carmel area. Gorgeous photos, regardless of whose garden they're of!

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  21. Such exceptional pictures of a very beautiful garden. Our garden is also looking tired,however isn't it surprising how a bit of tidying up and snipping here and their brings it to life again.

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  22. Masha, I love the color combination in your garden: white roses, blue salvia, orange montbrecia, white grass. Very lovely!

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  23. I have just joined this blog. I found the link from my blog-friend blog and I am impressed. Such a beautiful garden, such beautiful pictures. Great. I'm loving it!

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  24. Wspaniały ogród i nie widać jeszcze w nim jesieni, bo jest kolorowy. Cudowne zdjęcia i kwiatów i ptaka na zakończenie postu. Pozdrawiam cieplutko.
    Great garden and you can not see it yet in the fall, because it is colorful. Wonderful pictures and flowers and a bird at the end of the post. Regards warm.

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  25. Gorgeous photos...that light is pure magic!

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I am so glad you have stopped by!