Late summer in the garden is lovely. It’s cool (er), it’s gentle, it’s more measured and yet every bit as colorful, every bit as rewarding as the garden in summer or spring. The evocative slanting light and knowledge that winter is approaching makes this moment in the garden fleeting – tender somehow. For the spiritual (and I find most gardeners are in some way), the awareness of the ebb and flow of the garden’s cycle is as intense as late summer’s colors – and reminds us that our part in the cycle is simultaneously powerful and yet… powerless. It’s good to be reminded.
Most of my fall and winter vegetables are planted, the rest are soon to follow, and late summer flowers and plants are coming into their own. Many gardens can be classified as spring gardens, summer gardens or fall gardens. Only the truly genius among us can claim garden beauty year-round – and to have different portions of your ornamental garden take center stage in terms of color or bloom or structure at different times of year is as wonderful a gardening achievement as having different fresh produce from your edible garden each season.
I’ve actually just finished reading a timely book: Late Summer Flowers by British gardener and plantswoman Marina Christopher – available at Lyon Books in Chico. The cover photo of burnt red helleniums in bud and bloom was what originally caught my eye followed by the title Ahh, I would love to improve my late summer flower garden, I thought when I saw it. My roses are rebounding, my lavender have a nice second flush, my Santa Barbara daisies are still blooming their hearts out. In general, however, by September my gardening intentions are reinvigorated but sometimes my September flower garden does not reflect my zeal. The book is organized nicely with a well-written and engaging introduction, a run-down of good plant groups for fall interest, followed by soil and site preparation and culminating in a solid plant directory with some photographs. One of Christopher’s points is that it’s useful and easier to dedicate an area of the garden to the fall show – sited with good fall backlighting from the sun – rather than trying to have one garden border be the star in all seasons.
I have a good site for a dedicated fall garden and while it’s unprotected from the deer, lots of good late-summer blooming plants are fairly deer resistant including many sages, rudbeckias, ornamental grasses, eryngiums, echinops and thalictrums. I hope the nurseries are paying attention, because I have quite a shopping list.
Around the area in September, we once again have a great line-up of events and classes. On Sept 11 and 12 in Chico, Claude Geffray of Geffray’s Gardens, a specialty grower of succulents and cacti, is hosting an Open Nursery sale; on September 17th in Redding, the McConnell Arboretum and Gardens is hosting a lecture on Environmental Gardening, on the 19th the Chico State Herbarium is hosting a second workshop on worm composting, and last but not least a new garden festival called The Late Show Gardens featuring lectures, demonstration gardens and workshops will be held September 18 through the 20th at Cornerstone Sonoma. Please note, that the Chico Home & Garden Show to be held October 3rd and 4th at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds is still seeking exhibitors, if you would like to reserve a space call: 530-671-9600. The full moon is on the 4th and the Autumnal Equinox is on the 22nd.
More details on these and many more gardening related events around the region can be found on the Monthly Calendar of Regional Gardening Events. If you have an event you’d like to see posted: send me an email Jennifer @jewellgarden.com.
Happy Late Summer in the garden!
In a North State Garden is a radio- and web-based outreach program of the Gateway Science Museum – Exploring the Natural History of the North State, based in Chico, CA. In a North State Garden celebrates the art, craft and science of home gardening in California’s North State region, and is conceived, written, photographed and hosted by Jennifer Jewell – all rights reserved jewellgarden.com. In A North State Garden airs on Northstate Public Radio KCHO/KFPR radio, Saturday mornings at 7:34 AM Pacific time and Sunday morning at 8:34 AM Pacific time. Podcasts of past shows are available here.
