June in the Mountain Garden
By Josh Reilly
The mad rush of May has passed. Spring garden vegetables are almost ready to harvest. But not quite. The burst of mid-April color is fading a bit. Spanish and French lavenders are bravely holding on, their gloriously saturated purple petals catching and drinking in the afternoon light. English Lavenders are just starting to bloom, their smaller, more delicate shoots in a soft cloud above their foliage, waving in the breeze. And that breeze is up and blowing with what feels like enthusiasm. In my part of Ben Lomond, starting in mid-April we get a powerful onshore flow, blowing through here with gusto almost every afternoon, tilting the oak limbs and raising a mighty chorus in the Ponderosa Pine needles high overhead, to my ears, one of the most magical sounds on this planet.
In June, my beloved and I began our Summer tradition of “deck time.” Around 5 or 6 pm, we settle into comfortable chairs on the deck, about 3 feet above the backyard, facing due south, and affording a spectacular view. There it all is. All my hits, misses, mistakes, victories, afterthoughts, good guesses, and epic blunders. This year, the view has both improved and worsened. We were traveling throughout April and when we returned, I was stricken with the absolute worst cold and upper respiratory distress in the history of old guys with sniffles. Yikes. So, by mid-May, the forest of weeds was impenetrable. A visual blight, a giant factory for allergenic pollen and a general nuisance. Stoically holding on, at the same time, the perennials and shrubs, planted years ago and carefully tended, erupted with blossoms in late April. Fortunately, I have energetic and youthful help from the person I call my “garden wizard.” She enters a zen state and proceeds to turn vast swaths of unkempt, anarchic overgrowth into organized, visually soothing, stands of select native and exotics, brimming with blossoms. In other words, my vision for the landscape, decluttered and made legible for all to see and enjoy.
As June continues, we note with a bit of melancholy that the Spring burst of color and form is fading, to be replaced by the dreamy, dusty, somewhat sleepy vibe of the Summer garden. English lavender holds court here. Salvias share the bill in the fullness of their late Spring bloom, soon to fade as July approaches (more on that in the July column). Among the Salvias, you may observe that the natives tend to bloom earlier and for longer than many nursery trade cultivars. The natives, often with soft pastel blossoms, make good backdrop plants, unifying a garden design and good companions to many cultivars of Salvia greggii and Salvia microphylla. Of these, a superb example is S microphylla cv “Hot Lips,” the fire engine red and white blossoms of which are common throughout the Valley.
Salvia nemerosa, woodland sage
Multiple cultivars of Woodland sage, Salvia nemerosa, are blossoming heavily now in various shades of purple, fuchsia and maroon. These are of little interest to deer but are candy, alas, for gophers. Salvia “Mystic Spires” and the taller “Indigo Spires” are in full bloom in June, but are equally appealing to gophers. Visit your local garden supplier for natives, such as, Salvia “Pozo Blue” (S. clevelandii x leucophylla), with upright flower shoots, ringed with dark, rich blue blossoms or Salvia “Bee’s Bliss,” with a lighter lavender-blue blossom atop sprawling light grey foliage. All these plants are great for native bees. California has about 1600 species, many found in the greater San Francisco Bay area. Make a home for these industrious and absolutely vital creatures if you can. Native bees only sting under severe, life-or-death distress. If one alights upon your hand, just gently raise your arm. The bee will reorient itself with the sun and fly away. You are not a source of pollen and are therefore of no interest to bees.
Josh Reilly, aka Uncle Skip, writes about seasonal gardening from his home in beautiful Ben Lomond, California.
Featured photo: French Lavender (Lavandula pedunculata) is non-native, but California Friendly plant. These plants reduce water use but do not directly support native ecosystems and biodiversity.
The San Lorenzo Valley Post is your essential guide to life in the Santa Cruz Mountains. We're dedicated to delivering the latest news, events, and stories that matter to our community. From local government to schools, from environmental issues to the arts, we're committed to providing comprehensive and unbiased coverage. We believe in the power of community journalism and strive to be a platform for diverse voices.
