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Swapping Huckleberries

Himalayan Honeysuckle ( Vaccinium glauco album)  Himalayan Honeysuckle ( Vaccinium glauco album) has been an attractive feature along our north-facing foundation since I planted it in 2016. You will have to take my word for it since I cannot locate a photo although I know one exists somewhere in the realm of the Internet or floating on a cloud somewhere.  I did locate a photo of how it looked when it was first planted - It took a few years to fill out but it did so nicely to an attractive mound about 2 feet high by 3 feet wide.  Last year, it started to look bad.  I cut it back but it had not improved and this is how it looked a few weeks ago - I decided to rip it out and plant another huckleberry - this time Vaccinium ovatum , more commonly known as the "Evergreen Huckleberry".  This is a plant that I've wanted for ages and kept putting off getting one because I could not find a good place for it. By most accounts, this is an amazing plant, a native one and excellent for
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A 2020 Calendar

Do we really need a retrospective of 2020? In most cases, no, but a look back at the garden is always a good thing.

JANUARY - A spur of the moment project last winter was a twig fence that I made along the back border of the garden. It has held up well and I'm still adding twigs when I can get them. There is a small area on the west side that could use more. I would like to go back and refine it but for now, it serves the purpose of screening the houses behind us and the birds love it.


FEBRUARY - I did not have many photos to choose from for February. I decided to include this because it shows the area that I am working on at the moment. I'm putting in a low retaining wall along the border to the right. And the grass path is being narrowed.

 

MARCH - On March 14th, we got a few inches of snow.

 

APRIL - What a difference one month makes! This was taken on Earth Day, April 22. It is looking across the front garden from the front door.

 

MAY brings the lupines.

 

JUNE - The border along the street in front.

 

JULY - The wall that divides the courtyard from the Pan Garden (just completed in June).

 

AUGUST - Looking out the window at the courtyard

 

SEPTEMBER - Mid-September was scary with a wind storm followed by smoke from nearby wildfires.


OCTOBER - The most pleasant surprise this year was the Spanish Flag vine (Ipomoea lobata). I grew it from seed and I'm notoriously bad at that. The blooms on this vine were just incredible.


 

NOVEMBER - The fall color didn't kick in until November. This is Acer palmatum 'Osakazuki'.
 

 

DECEMBER - Osmanthus 'Goshiki' shows the promise of a new and better year.

 

 Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

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Comments

  1. sweetbayDecember 30, 2020 at 5:10 AM

    I enjoyed the overview of the year in your garden. When I saw the twig fence my first thought was that the birds must love that. I am so jealous of your fuchsia and lupines!

    The view of the courtyard is gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverDecember 30, 2020 at 10:11 PM

      Thank you! It is fun to be able to grow fuchsias and lupines. We both know they don't like the southern climate.

      Delete
  2. Barbara H.December 30, 2020 at 8:53 AM

    It's all beautiful, Phillip. Such a change from when you moved in. Congratulations.

    ReplyDelete
  3. chavlinessDecember 30, 2020 at 9:40 AM

    I do love an annual retrospective. I adore the twig fence as much now as I did in January. Although snow makes for a beautiful photo opportunities, I'm perfectly happy without it. The snow photo
    made me think it could be fun to take a photo from the exact same spot in the garden once a month, to show its transformation through the seasons.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lisa at GreenbowDecember 30, 2020 at 9:49 AM

    Gorgeous photos of your garden Phillip. You will enjoy the extra space your short wall will provide. I hope your shoulder is holding up painlessly. I love that blue wall. It is so striking.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverDecember 30, 2020 at 10:12 PM

      Thanks Lisa, hopefully I can get back on that project soon.

      Delete
  5. danger gardenDecember 30, 2020 at 9:56 AM

    The purple wall fronted by lupines is just a gorgeous image Phillip, here's to a good year in the garden!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nikki - Notes of LifeDecember 30, 2020 at 10:46 AM

    Such a beautiful garden! All the best for 2021!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Kris PetersonDecember 30, 2020 at 11:30 AM

    Every shot is spectacular, Phillip. Your garden is a paradise and I'm sure it provided both refuge and comfort in 2020. Best wishes for 2021!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Angie (Dash & Bloom)December 30, 2020 at 8:18 PM

    Beautiful garden. That March photo is magical with everything blanketed in snow. And thank you for posting about the Spanish flag vine. I saw this plant on a trip to Wisconsin this fall, but did not know what the name of the plant was. It is beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverDecember 30, 2020 at 10:16 PM

      Thank you Angie - the vine was new to me. I will be planting it again next year for sure.

      Delete
  9. RobinLDecember 31, 2020 at 2:09 PM

    How on earth did you manage to stick with one photo to represent each month, when you have so many amazing plants? Loved walking through the year with you!

    ReplyDelete

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