Fall Garden Chores.

No photos today.  Doesn't look like much.

I mowed the little orchard, until rain started.  I used the grass catcher, and collected grass clippings to mulch around the Buddleias and some of the fruit trees.  I try not to use too thick a layer.  Maybe 2 inches thick.  I extended the mulched areas a little.  It will break down quickly in the rainy weather.  It's a start.

Antique botanical sketch of mint.

I wanted to remove the rest of the culinary herbs from the bearded iris beds.  It was a nice idea.  If there was more room, I think it would be a great idea.  But with the small space, the herbs encroach too much on the bearded irises.  The herbs did not go to waste.  I moved them to the mulch rings around the fruit trees.  There the herb flowers will benefit pollinating nectar collecting bees.  And I can use them in the kitchen as needed.  I cut some tall mint.  It will be in the garage drying.  If it dries well, I can use it for mint tea (tisane).

Antique botanical sketch of Thyme

Among the herbs I moved, traditional thyme, French thyme, Lemon thyme; a short variety of Catmint - short but still encroaching on the bearded irises - and violets.  Most of these should provide bee forage.  I'm not sure about the violets.

Antique botanical sketch of violets

Violets are not considered a culinary herb, although some people candy the flowers.   I'm trying them because they are compact, make a mat that is difficult for weeds to penetrate, might be difficult for moles, too.  The roots are shallow, so I think not competing with the fruit trees.  They too were competing with bearded irises.  Not much, but shading the rhizomes.  So I moved them too.

I also planted in-ground, a 2-gallon size Lavatera.  I've gave it TLC all summer.  I have to plan for decreased energy, meaning fewer plants that need extra care.  With my illness, fatigue is a growing challenge.  It will have the rest of fall, winter and spring to establish roots before leaves and new branches grow.

I also did some minor shaping pruning for several fruit trees.  For the most part, that meant cutting the tips from branches, so they will branch out lower and more compact.  Peaches, Plums, Tart Cherries, Apricot seedling. 

Not much left for winterizing the orchard.  Much less work than last year.  I have a plum tree to move from Vancouver.  A jujube will need to move to the bee garden, to make room.  Late winter, add one peach and one jujube.  Get some compost to mulch the trees that I haven't so far.  That's about it.

TLC plants in bloom

Lavatera "Barnsley"

Tigridia

Lavatera "Barnsley".   Purchased 2 weeks ago, wilted and leaves curled.  Repotted, gave some TLC.  Still on deck.  Starting to bloom.  Should have a lot of flowers. 

With the heat, I'm watering these and the young fig trees daily.   A couple of months of that, and probably that's done.

This fall I can plant this one at the Batttleground place.  That will give it winter to establish roots, and will be mostly care-free next year.  Good plan to reduce effort.

The first of the Tigridias to bloom.  Dramatic.

Apiary Garden / Bee Garden

Daisies, dandelions, hawthorns, blackberries

I haven't seen many honeybees on the dandelions or daisies.  They are eating something.  I don't know what. 

Caryopteris "Dark Night"  and Canothus  TLC plants from close-out sale.

These plants are in place for a better tomorrow.  They won't look like much for a year or two.  They will need to be moved next year - will run out of room.  This 'nursery' is good for now.

Catnip, lavender, lemon balm

Also in 'nursery'.  I grew the catnip from seeds.  Next year it will have its own location.  The lavenders were small seedlings, need more time to grow.  The lemon balm is volunteer from yard in Vancouver. 

Blackberries, Tilia americana, lemon balm

Each of the trees gets a surround of an herb.  Lemon balm, mint, oregano.  Oregano is more compact compared to the other two - better choice for smaller trees.   There is marjoram by the house -  also compact, would be a good choice for smaller trees.

Buddleia  hybrid "Miss Molly"

So far not a lot of insects on the Buddleia's.  might be a mistake.  They look nice.  One of the few shrubs in bloom now.  They are deer and rabbit resistant and should tolerate the dry summers with minimal effort.  I did see butterflies on one.  So they stay.

Cilantro in bloom

This bed went to wildness.  Cilantro is blooming - can provide seed if I time it right.

Lavatera "Barnsley Baby" - started as seedling.

This lavatera was buried by snowpeas and turnip greens.  Blooming now.

Apiary yard

Nice setting for apiary.

Daisies and wild flowers

Wildflowers

Clover and dandelions

Shrubs by the road

 The shrubs don't look like much  now.  Come Spring, they should take off and grow and bloom.  TLC this year, pays off next year.  Lots of grass clipping mulch.

Shallots in bloom

 Allowed the shallots to bloom.  I don't care much about the bulb formation.  When the flowers are done, I'll dig them up.

Perovskia / Salvia rusa "Little Spire"

 Te leaves of this Perovskia have a nice medicinal fragrance - not exactly like sage or lavender, but there is a similarity.  I'm doing to expect it to double in size next year.  I was browsing Lowes garden department, and noted honeybees concentrating on the Perovskia.   So I bought one.

Caryopteris "Dark Night" and Penstemon "Red Riding Hood"

They can be moved when bigger.   The Caryopteris came from Yard and Garden Land - same situation, they had more bees than any nearby plant.  Back to Lowes, the Penstemon was a major bee magnet, better than lavenders.  They are over the hill, but the plan is to build up the apiary garden for next year and the year after.