Wide Shots - December 2015

I had the devil of a time getting half-way decent photos of the garden for this month's wide shots post.  It seemed that, whether I took photos in the morning or the afternoon, I had problems with sun glare, deep shadows or both.  I didn't remember having the same difficulties last year at this time but, when I looked back at my December 2014 post, I discovered that those photos were taken under gray skies.  This week, the skies are bright and sunny but only a few of my photos are worth sharing.

As I reported in a post last week, the backyard is still torn up as the result of removal of the remaining lawn area in late September; however, planting is underway.  You may notice that there are nursery pots strewn throughout the area.

The usual view from the door to the backyard, looking out toward the entrance to the Los Angeles harbor, which is barely visible in the sun's early morning glare

This photo shows some of the new planting in progress.  The Furcraea foetida mediopicta on the right was transplanted from a decorative pot elsewhere in the garden alongside 2 small Agave 'Joe Hoak' (one a gift from Denise of "A Growing Obsession") and a few Aeonium cuttings planted late Sunday afternoon in the half-dark.

I've done relatively little with the northeast end of the backyard thus far other than plant creeping thyme

While a portion of the front yard is also torn up, that mess is confined to an area between the garage and the street that I seldom include in my wide shot posts.  The area alongside the walkway to the front door is relatively unchanged.  I've added a few plants and cut back some others but the changes aren't dramatic.

The usual view looking toward the front door from the driveway area

A closer view of the planting beds to the left of the front door

A view of the area to the right of the front door, looking toward the Magnolia tree

A closer view of the portion of the pathway leading to the south side garden

I have only one decent photo of the side yard to offer.

The usual view looking toward the harbor through the arbor marking the entry into the south side garden

I took a few photos of the street-side succulent bed on the southwest side of the property too.

The Auranticarpa rhombifolia in the middle of the bed appears to be dying, once again raising the question of what should be done with it and the rest of the shrubs that once made up a hedge alongside the healthier Xylosma congestum on the far left

A closer look at the left (northern) side of the succulent bed

This photo shows the area that slopes down from the main level of the front garden above the succulent bed.  A dying portion of the Ceanothus hedge was removed last month.  I'm awaiting delivery of a Garrya elliptica from a California native plants nursery to plant in this area.

The right (south) section of the succulent bed

The garden is taking the lion's share of my free time this fall.  I suspect this may continue into winter, although, if the rains that accompany El Niño are as frequent as anticipated, that may slow down my progress.

As usual, I offer my thanks to Heather of Xericstyle for prompting my monthly wide shot posts.  They've provide me the best record I have of the changes in my garden over time.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party