Winter has been truly with us for some time now. The seed catalogues have been arriving on schedule. Since the new year opened my mailbox it seems that there is another catalogue or two or three nearly every day. (Along with the envelopes with windows, of course.) While this usually signals the advent of spring I’m not sure it is ever coming, especially after Monday’s snowstorm.

A reminiscence from last fall might be in order since not much has happened since the snow began in November. The Burning Bush was as red as it would ever get as I was working at John and Carol’s. I heard what I thought were some ravens playing next door, or somewhere close anyway. If you haven’t noticed ravens sound like small children talking and giggling when they get together. That is what I thought the sound was until I realized that it was circling around the hill. Where it had been coming from the west it was now farther north. Ravens don’t “talk” as the fly so this was something new.

I finally located the sound as it got farther east, and as I looked up I say a large flock of white birds, rather than the black I had been looking for. Snow geese! But not even a black wingtip. It was a flock of about 15-16 swans circling before they headed south down the Bitterroot. Unfortunately, by the time I got back to the pickup and my camera they had become such tiny dots that they didn’t photograph well at all. Rather a disappointment since it was the first time I had EVER seen a flock of flying swans. Look very, very closely at the blue picture and you can see them just below the center on the right hand side of the picture. Use you imagination and you can see them anywhere in the picture, but I swear they’re there.

As fall progressed it became black earlier and earlier, but a couple of weeks ago I could finally tell that it is now becoming lighter. At 6:00 p.m. it is almost still light. As opposed to the black picture taken about 5:00 at Christmas. Only an early afternoon picture can show the texture of the white that has been on the ground since early in November.

The prediction for next week is warmer so perhaps I can finally get out and do the early spring pruning.

Late autumn signals winter

Winter is definitely in the air, and it is falling out of the sky even as I write. Not a good day to garden but I have many household chores that have been put off all season so that will occupy my time today.

I took a trip to Great Falls last week as a few of you know and here are a couple of things I ran across. The Bighorns attacted attention just above the Blackfoot Tavern, now another business, and a number of cars pulled over to watch. I was third in line and two more pulled up as I snapped this picture. I know this is the time for ewes and rams to be together but I wasn't aware that several rams might accompany a couple of ewes as happened here. And BIG! I don't think I have ever been that close to Bighorn sheep or realized just how massive they are.

If not now or earlier, or if you missed them, the first signs of winter were evident across the mountains and prairies of western Montana as the first dusting of snow highlighted the curves and peaks of the mountain ranges that surround us.

The picture above is near Ovando, the one below is looking to the Front Range far in the distance off Highway 200.

Autumn 2010: Part 2

There are so many specatcular views around western Montana right now it would be impossible to visit them all, let alone present them here. That might be a great future project however.

But here are a few "before and after" views of some of the gardens I care for around the Missoula valley. Perhaps earlier and later would be a better phrase. The "before" pictures are from late May or early June and the "after" photos were taken last month, in October.

Mary's garden east of Arlee merits three photos, mostly because I had them. The first picture is early in May when the garden is filled with cushion spurge and dwarf red tulips. The grey Stachys, lamb's ears, is just beginning to emerge.

Mid-June found the iris, lupine and flax in full bloom, preparing the way for......the spurge and spirea on fire with golds, reds, and rusts punctuated with the blue-grey remains of the Stachys, Salvias and some of the grasses.

The Smith's garden is at the top of Linda Vista. It began three years ago as a xeriscape project, removing 25oo square feet of turf. Three years into the project it will no longer need much more than an occasional supplemental watering if a prolonged drought passes through. This fall we removed an additional 17oo square feet that will be planted next spring and mature in another couple of years. The first picture was taken mid-June of this year as the various Salvias and catmint were blooming.

Three weeks ago the Salvia was long gone but the Great Basin Wild Rye grass has taken over the panorama of the garden and combines with the extravagantly colored cushion spurge, spireas and Lo-gro Sumac to form a fall pallette with the background provided by crabapple, chokecherries and cottonwood trees.

The last two pictures are of a commercial xeric landscape on the westside of Missoula. It is intended to represent what the environmental consulting firm that occupies the building does -- restore wetlands, grasslands and forests. In June daisies, Erigeron, Yucca and tender green leaves fill the picture.

Returning for a closer view of the same area this Ocotober brings out the Rubber Rabbit Brush, native Liatris, Silver Sage and cushion spurge, now rust colored after a summer in the sun.

The contrasting views are very different, the bounty of new life and color in spring and the glorious outburst before the decline and deep sleep of winter. Both are exciting and gloriously beauful and gardeners shouldn't shy away from designing for all year round.

A commentator on NPR, or perhaps from our local KUFM station, remarked that English is the only language with two words for this season – autumn and fall. But two words would not begin to describe the cacophony of colors our gardens and wild landscapes elevate to a final indispensable level of beauty which gives us this last season of glory before being covered with frost and snow to wait for spring.

We all recognize the standard change of tree leaves from green to gold or crimson but are less apt to notice the gold and rust of peonies or the yellow and black of an aster finished blooming as the plants themselves change. Sometimes the changes are subtle and surprising like these bright red willow seedling stems creating an abstract pattern over the rocks along the Blackfoot River, or spectacular like the panoramic views of foliage above the river or on the mountainsides, either of which could rival the much vaunted colors of Vermont, New Hampshire and the other hardwood forests of the East.

Here are just a few of the spectacular color scenes I’ve found around Missoula the last week or two.

Thess first two are on the hillside above the Blackfoot River just above Bonner and except for the lumber roads looks much like the photo of the Great Smoky Mountains on my business calendar.

Looking up the Jocko River Valley from Mary's garden east of Arlee, ...

... and looking up towards Mt. Jumbo from Terry and Sue's backyard. (Remember the garden tour last summer?)

From the top of Council Butte you can see all the way back to Missoula and Mt. Sentinel.

Summer food

Gloriosky Zero! What a display. This is my Rudbeckia hirta display at full bloom in late August. Not really relevant here with the recipes except I couldn't think of how else to include it. Without a doubt these are one of the easiest perennials going. No ferilizing or pruning or watering. Just plant them and let them go.

Summer and fall have been so busy I’ve had a hard time getting back to the blog. I was going to include these recipes far earlier, and at a better time for rhubarb recipe users so you could try your own rhubarb cake and rhubarb-ginger “ade” which makes a great and different summer drink with a terrific dessert.

I should make a disclaimer that I cook somewhat like I garden -- things should come out approximately what they should be like. Flowers cut back to fifteen inches or sixteen is basically the same; five cloves of garlic or six doesn't change much. So here are three favorite summer recipes.

Rhubarb-Ginger-Ade
8-10 cups chopped rhubarb -- short is better if you are going to use the "jam"

2 to 6 or 8 tablespoons chopped FRESH ginger -- basically, to taste

2 - 3 cups water

1 1/2 cups sugar -- more or less, again to taste

Bring to a boil, turn heat down and simmer about 20 minutes, covered. Let stand and cool over night. Drain through a fine sieve. This may take awhile. I think I waited all day, and then again overnight for the second batch. Use the syrup for drinks. Good with club soda, Seven-Up (use less sugar), plain water, etc. A nice cocktail is the syrup mixed with vodka, club soda and a lime twist. You might need to add a bit of sugar to this, or use a mix of 7-Up and club soda. The "jam" part makes a good spread for toast, muffins, etc. I made a torte with it. You could probably mix it into muffins as well, or drop a spoonful on top of the muffins just before they go into the oven.

Rhubarb Cake

Mix together and pour into 9” x 13” cake pan:
1 yellow cake mix (Western Family is fine)
3 eggs
¾ cup oil

Mix together, and sprinkle over cake mix in pan:
4 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb*
1 cup sugar

Pour 2 cups half & half** over cake mix and rhubarb.

Bake about 35 - 45 minutes at 350 degrees and check to see if center is set.

* If using frozen rhubarb, thaw and drain off excess juice.

** If using fresh rhubarb you may want to reduce half & half by about ½ cup. Or bake the cake longer -- until the center is completely set. This may be an hour or longer.

One of the best things about rhubarb is that everyone has their own favorite recipe, and while it will not necessarily replace apples and peaches in pie, it is nevertheless a remarkable and truly hardy fruit. So hardy in fact that Ray and Tudi have theirs growing in wooden half-barrels until they can find a permanent place in the garden. It was such a good idea that I’ve decided to try it also. Time will tell if it makes it through the winter – it did last year in a much smaller pot – and how productive it will become.

Some friends from orchid club stopped by to pick up some plants one evening and I sent home a container of fresh Pesto I had just made with this summers basil. They liked it so much they strongly suggested I send the recipe to the orchid society for its newsletter, and I thought I'd also include it in the blog.

Italian Pesto Sauce

Fill the cup of your food processor with fresh basil leaves, packed somewhat tightly. This is probably about 4 cups. Add 4-10 cloves peeled garlic. I like it more on the 8-10 clove side. (My recipe in the book says to use one clove for three cups of leaves. That must be the Norwegian Lutheran version.) Also add about 1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted or not. Toasting gives them a different flavor is all. It's up to you. A good sprinkle of salt, probably no more than 1/4 teaspoon. About half a container of grated parmesan cheese. And a good quality extra virgin olive oil. I start with about 1/2 cup but usually use about 3/4 of a cup or more. Last time I used most of a 17 ounce bottle for two batches. (So, what was wrong with the bottle being 16 ounces?) The pesto should be a thick but somewhat liquid paste. Pulse the mixture until blended and all the leaves are chopped. Don't over blend or it can get bitter.

Store in air tight containers. If storing for awhile it can be covered with a thin layer of olive oil so it doesn't oxidize and turn black. If it turns brown it is still OK. It also freezes well.

Serve with GOOD! pasta as the sauce. About 1/4 cup will sauce a pound of spagetti, linguine, fettucine, farfalle, or even ravioli. It can also be used on pizza, as a flavoring in soup, and so on.

About a week ago my pickup turned over the 200 thousnad mile mark. I didn't have my camera with me at the time. Fortunately I was close to home and took this picture upon arrival.

Daylily Alert

Just a quick note to let you know that the daylilies at the North Reserve St. Post Office are in full bloom, so if you have a chance do drive by and take a look. This is the best daylily display I've seen in Missoula, and the picture shows only one of the several large banks.

Wildflowers Part 2

Wildflowers continue to be a part of the gardening and native landscapes. The spring rains have stopped but the effect is still showing up on barren gravel slopes, grassy meadows and under trees in forested areas around Missoula and the rest of western Montana. Everywhere I look bright jewels peek out from hiding places or shout from mountain sides.

The first picture is a mostly native landscape in front of a local environmental consulting firm designed to abstractly display some of the things they do. Currently the Yucca , Erigeron and Gaillardia are in full bloom. The Echinacea and Liatris and Asters will soon follow.

This Sticky Aster, also known as Oregon Sunshine, was high on Mount Jumbo, and something this bright and delicate appearing doesn’t seem quite at home in the hot gravelly area I found it in but those are the areas it favors. On the other side of the valley Penstemon were making their presence known with bright blue flowers.
The Mariposa Lilies and Mountain Violets on the other hand are far up Grant Creek hiding in the grass under the Spruce, Fir and Ponderosa Pines. The brilliant and obvious Meadow Lupine distracts the viewer from the smaller flowers hiding in the grass.

Tiny white clusters of wild strawberry flowers, the bright yellows of Oregon Grape and Mountain Arnica preceeded the lilies and violets.

The tiny white and spidery flower is an unknown plant (to me) but unusual and cute with the extensions on the petals.

Yucca has become a popular native plant for gardens in western Montana because of its unusual foliage and shape – a big spiny powder puff that belies the sharp points protecting the unusual and showy flowers from deer and other would be diners. Around Missoula they are only found in gardens; in eastern Montana they occur from the base of the Eastern Front to far out on the open prairies.

As the summer continues so will the flowers. Check back occasionally for the newest edition.