Wanda,

That Cassia looks gorgeous, I had only seen the yellow form before, and this one looks even more intriguing to me. Toyon is always nice this time of year as well, I often wonder why it isn't a more popular plant?( I think I know the reason, Toyon seldom looks all that good in a container, usually with rather ugly foliage and gawky form). The Mexican Marigold Shrub, Tagetes lemmonii looks fantastic this time of year as well, and all that deep yellow color sure chases the winter blues away, as well as lasting all winter in bloom.

I have a Toyon 'Davis Gold' that is finally setting a good crop of berries this year, but still doesn't set fruit as heavily as the standard red. I think the yellow berries combine nicely with the Parkinsonia aculeata which is still blooming, but this also was a late and light bloomer this summer compared to most. Probably if both had been planted in full sun rather than the north side of a one story building, they would both be magnificent, but that's what I get for trying to force plants where I want them, rather than where they would prefer to be...

All of your plants look gorgeous and happy, Wanda, but that Cassia is stunning! I'm drooling over that buttercream color.

I love this time of year in the garden more than any other.

Brenda

Very nice Wanda, beautiful garden. For me, it's just what Bahia said - the lemon marigolds are dominating with their masses of bright yellow flowers, as are the Euryops, with gazanias and gallardias scattered in bloom, so really my yard is mostly yellow/orange right now.

After planting out 150 cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower, all my effort right now seems to be chasing cabbage moths and their caterpillars. I've never used Bt before, but if I do this again, I probably will. I felt strange about using targeted biological warfare, but after squishing at least 100 baby caterpillars, I think I'm over that qualm. I'm growing soybeans for the first time now as an experiment in what will grow through the winter here on the coast - what a pretty plant when its young!

David, the species is C. bicapsularis. This is the description from Suncrest Nursery

"Central and South America. We have grown various forms of this decorative shrub, beginning in Wintergreen days. However, none have been as beautiful as two recent selections by Patrick Worley, one received from Jon Dixon, the other from the Master himself. They are bushy in habit, forming a broad dome 5-8' high, with sturdy multiple trunks. The leaves are divided feather-like into several bright green oval leaflets, each a little over 1" long. They begin to flower in mid- to late summer and continue into late fall, carrying masses of cheery five petalled flowers, over 1" in diameter. The first, thus far unnamed selection has golden yellow flowers. ÂWorleyÂs Butter Creme combines soft yellow and creamy white. Sun, most soils, moderate watering. The leaves are damaged at 25o; however, the plants recover quickly from even harder freezes."

I like the creamy yellow flowers better than the brighter yellow, too. This is it's 3rd season in the garden and it's so breathtaking, I decided to plant another out front. I'm trying to train mine as a tree rather than the normal shrub form. It survived last year's freeze admirably with only slight leaf damage.

I've found Toyon to be gawky initially, but once it matures (slowly...) it can be shaped to be quite handsome.

Tagetes is really bright right now, but I can't stand the smell.
Had to laugh at your comment about trying to make the plants grow in less than optimum conditions. I have the same problem. LOL

Me too, Brenda! I love the autumn colors and all the new little seedlings from the self-sowers are popping up everywhere, thanks to our early rain.

wanda

Pretty garden, Wanda. I haven't seen that Cassia before. It would be nice to have something like that blooming so beautifully this time of year.

Beautiful beautiful pictures. Thank you!

We have many old Toyon in the neighborhood that were here before the 1960's era houses. They are very beautiful trees now with a sculptural, windswept form. The neighborhood coyotes eat the berries when they can't get rabbit or housecat.