Orange Light of Summer

What a strange light a week or so ago. Of course, if you're in an area that experiences wildfires you'll know that particular color overlaying the landscape. While we've been mostly spared wildfire smoke (for which we are most grateful) this summer, we've had a few orange-colored days. But as I write this, a touch of rain has been falling, the first real rain in a long while so the orange days are long gone. We went from 102 to 65 degrees in a matter of days. 

Autumn is fast-approaching with its cooler temperatures and regular precipitation. I'm glad that last week, when it was still quite hot, I took a few moments to grab the camera and look at the September garden all in a soft orange glow. Hopefully I mixed in a few vantage points not really photographed before to mix it up a bit for fun. It's a photo-heavy post this time, so grab a cuppa and take a tour with me.

Just off of our deck there is a little path with a few sunny treasures that up until this spring had been shaded out by an ever-increasing Ceanothus 'Italian Skies'. Since that has been reduced by about 75% from winter damage this little area is once again full of sun. Artemisia frigida in the foreground, Allium senescens ssp. montanum var. glaucum is in bloom right now. A sweet, small allium for late in the season. The grass behind the allium is Muhlenbergia rigens, deer grass.

Allium senescens ssp. montanum var. glaucum with kind of twisty foliage is so good I wonder why it's not more popular.

Moving around to the front of the house and the berm garden. Leptospermum humifusum (prostrate form) from The Desert Northwest nursery several years ago, shading Buddha.

The lepto is foreground, left with more of the berm garden rolling out towards the east. Phlomis russelliana pom poms in the foreground.

More of the berm garden with an Itea 'Henry's Garnet' in the center.

Moving around to the labyrinth area Hylotelephium spectabile 'Stardust' beginning to bloom.

Closer to the house the Miscanthus 'Cabaret' on the right is one to enjoy right now before the autumn rain and winds blow it all about.

As I turn around and face east and the orchard/veggie garden in the distance, the newest crow garden bed looks pretty good right now with Teucrium chamaedrys filling in and becoming a presence rather than sticks stuck in the ground.

Pulled back a little more. This grassy area is usually brown and dormant this time of the year but not this year. We haven't done anything different except for the wood chips around the teucrium. Perhaps that made a difference, but also it wasn't as hot this summer.

Atriplex halimus, saltbush, an evergreen beauty that can take the heat.

Moving around to the western edge this border of shrubs and hydrangeas has held up fairly well. FM's hydrangeas get supplemental irrigation as this is a super-dry summer climate.

Down towards the southern edge of the property, one of the newer borders is beginning to fill in.

Looking east with a few Cupressus macrocarpa 'Golden Pillar' or 'Donard Gold' brighten up the distant edges of the property.

Looking west the woodland garden is also filling in nicely. The addition of wood chips has helped much with our watering efforts, keeping soil somewhat wet in the height of summer.

Hydrangea villosa does need a bit of extra water on hot days, however.

Moving into the labyrinth garden, Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks' begins its show and the pollinators are happy.

Hips of Rosa glauca mix well with yellows of late summer.

In the center of the labyrinth stands this Salix eleagnos subsp. angustifolia, rosemary willow.

Just beneath the salix looking towards the south, more Phlomis russelliana and other dry adapted plants are holding their own right now.

A pulled back view with Arctostaphylos pumila in the background.

If I turn around and peek north, the view is this.

The fire pit area

Olearia dartonii not far from the salix. This has a similar look but is evergreen and had a total rebound from January's wrath where it totally defoliated.

Facing east, the orange atmosphere is evident in this shot.

The meadow garden, in full bloom with our native aster, Symphyotrichum subspicatum on the right.

View from the other direction.

Lots of pollinators on the left enjoying late season flowers of Echinacea purpurea, Caryopteris 'Dark Knight', penstemon and asters.

A few flowers in the meadow.

Wider view with many grasses mixed in.

Back in the labyrinth Ozothamnus 'Sussex Silver' spreads out.

Looking the other direction at the edge of the labyrinth garden with Stipa gigantea flower heads swaying in the breezes in the background, adding a transparent blonde layer to this part of the garden.

 Tagetes 'Cinnabar' have been great, I will probably continue to grow them annually.

The outer edge of the labyrinth facing west, the salix is in the middle.

A sweet cosmos I started from seed, can't recall the name but it's petite and cheerful.

Honeycrisp apples are delicious this year, definitely our favorite.

A few trees in the orchard

Moving around to the northern edge of the property.

And to the front door. Fuchsia 'Dying Embers' is very happy here.

As are the kitties. Hobbes looks at Annie . . .

And Annie looks at her big brother Hobbes. These chairs are where as a family the four of us often wind up after dinner taking in the last of the light in the garden, right out of our front door. 

These two keep us in stitches, and Hobbes being 19, enjoys every field trip outside we give him. We love doing so, we just follow him around as he walks three feet then sits down for 10 minutes. Repeat for about an hour. FM loves to pick up Hobbes and carefully cart him into the house. Annie, too.

Kitties, gardens, and friends - new and old - that's what life is all about these days. To our new friends from the Olbrich Botanical Gardens tour, we so enjoyed meeting you and showing you around the garden, you were the best group ever! Thank you for making the trek all the way out to Oregon, we hope you enjoy your time here! If we ever get out to Madison, Wisconsin, we're up for a visit, absolutely. 

To our old friends, please visit us this Saturday at our autumn plant sale and let's talk plants! Hope to see you there! It's in North Portland at 334 N. Baldwin Street, just east of Interstate 5 off the Lombard exit.

That's a wrap for this week at Chickadee Gardens. As always thank you so much for reading and commenting, we do love hearing from you! Happy gardening.