
Gardener’s Log – July 2023
July has been the first month for quite some time that has been behaving normally. A typical day is light clouds in the morning that start to push offshore around midday and the wind picks up a little. Temperatures climb into the mid 60s and the wind gets to about 15mph to 20mph. Very little rain is normal for July and we only really had one day of precipitation, plus a couple of other days when the morning clouds would give us 1/100 of an inch.
Garden Progress
The progress this month has been on the Woodland Walk that has progressed all the way to what will become the intersection with the lower Mediterranean path and the secondary path up to the winter garden and what will eventually be the workman’s staircase up the side of the house to the greenhouse.

To the left of the Woodland Walk is Nature Island, where most of the plantings are native and the mix of plants is intended to attract as much wildlife as possible. I am hoping to put a mass planting of Trilliums in here along with Camassia.

Three Vine Maples are already in, although the deer have been giving them a hard time. Additional fencing has been built and some of the gaps plugged with old branches while the new trees and shrubs get settled in and provide the necessary barrier.
Welcome Quin
A new statue has taken her place up the Woodland Walk. When we bought her we were told her name was Willow. How wrong could they be. First, she is sitting on an acorn, so her name must be Oak related. Quercus is the botanical name for Oak, and to maintain word form Quin seemed to be appropriate. As to her surname, oak is in the Beech family, whose botanical name is Fagus. So, she is Quin Fagusson or a son of a beech and that is why she has been ostracized from the fairy garden. She really does look quite mischievous and I wonder what she got up to?
Visits
July saw us taking another road trip down to California. A slower journey on the way down allowed us to spend time in a couple of new parks and gardens. One gem that was found was a park and botanical garden in Dunsmuir, a tiny community only ½ hour from the Oregon border. It is nestled in the shadows of Mount Shasta. While only 10 acres, and attempting to serve many needs of the local community, it really was a very pleasant garden. I highly recommend a quick stop there if you happen to find yourself on I5 and need a break.

There were several other parks we visited on the way down and a few more on the coastal journey on the way back, some of which I will cover in future blogs. Unfortunately, the drive up was a very cold and foggy day, preventing us from enjoying many of the places.
What’s in Bloom
Three plants are in focus this month. The first has been stopping traffic and that does not come as a surprise because of the size and intensity of the flowers found on the Romneya.

Less impressive from a distance, but very bold in its coloring up close is Anigozanthus ‘Harmony’. This Kangaroo Paw is performing well for us.

Another vibrant flower color is found on the Callistemon pallidus ‘Eleanor’. This time it is magenta and the bottlebrush flowers look stunning, tipped in yellow.

Weather Summary
With a high of 74.8°F, a low of 46.4°F and an average of 58.4°F, July performs according to what we have come to expect. Last year saw a high of 79.3°F, a low of 47.8°F and an average of 58.8°F. Rainfall was also typical with this year receiving 0.33″ and last year 0.44″. These figures are also in line with several previous years. In that regard, July is one of the most predictable months of the year.
