As we move reluctantly into summer here, I thought a look at some of the foliage that provides the backbone of my garden was in order. The difficulty taking photos under the glare of the sun with our second heatwave of the summer baring down on me kept the number of photos suitable for publication down to a reasonable number. To limit the focus further, I've concentrated on foliage elements that enhance or play off the foliage surrounding them.
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| Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt' is one of the mainstays of my garden. I have 7 of them and, over time, they've gotten very large. This one, planted beneath tree-sized Leucadendron 'Pisa', plays off the texture of succulent Aeonium arboreum outside my office window. |
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| Another 3 'Cousin Itt' fill a broad space under a peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa) in the back border. This one spills down the slight slope that flattens into a dirt path running between the back border and the Xylosma congestum hedge that borders the entire back garden. This one is also mingling with succulents and Leucadendrons. |
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| The 3 dwarf Agonis flexuosa 'Nana' I cut back hard in December have fleshed out nicely. The Aeonium haworthii 'Kiwi' bordering the bed picks up the color of its foliage. The red stems of the Agonis also play off the Coprosma 'Plum Hussey' in the background on the left and the Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' in the distance on the right. (The upturned plastic flats underneath the shrubs are protecting newly sown sunflower and zinnia seeds.) |
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| Here's a closer look at Coprosma repens 'Plum Hussey' |
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| The Coprosma and this metal screen are both supporting the one and only passionflower vine (Passiflora parritae) I've been able to keep alive. Planted in a pot in 2 years ago, it's yet to bloom. |
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| This is a closer look at Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset', growing next to another noID Leucadendron, with Agave attenuata 'Raea's Gold' below and the mass of Acacia 'Cousin Itt' in the background |
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| Maybe you also noted the 3 Agave bracteosa (squid agave) in the foreground of the preceding photo. This photo provides a closer look. There are also 2 Agave 'Joe Hoak' in the background on the right. |
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| The same plants viewed in the other direction against a backdrop of Yucca 'Bright Star' |
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| I was afraid I went too far when I cut Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' nearly to the ground. I was thrilled to see it's also jumped into gear. There's another, smaller Coprosma 'Plum Hussey' alongside it, picking up the red color of the smoke bush's foliage. |
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| Melianthus major is another plant I cut nearly to the ground in late winter. It benefits from the shade of the Arbutus 'Marina' under which it's planted. It's red flowers pick up the color of the tree's bark, as well as the color in variegated Leucadendron 'Jester'. |
I'll close this post with foliage I've come to have a love-hate relationship with, the masses of
Stipa tenuissima (aka Mexican feather grass) I have in my garden. I've 8 mass plantings of this grass, each consisting of 3 to 5 clumps. It self-seeds widely at this time of year and, since out drought became more persistent and the soil has hardened, those seedlings have become more difficult to pull out in some areas.
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| This grass mixes well with everything but keeping it tidy is a chore at this time of year. These are the before (left) and after (right) photos of one expanse of these plants in the back border. Many gardeners cut these down to a couple of inches but the plants look ugly for a few months afterwards and that approach doesn't eliminate the dead growth at their base. I comb the dead foliage out by hand. |
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| This is the before and after shot of yet another section. The combing process takes a long time and the stress of the repetitive activity caused the ganglion cyst in my wrist to flare up again this week. |
With all the Mexican feather grass tided up (at least for a month, after which they'll need another pass) and the heat backing off, I'm looking forward to more pleasant hours in the garden this weekend. I know a nasty polar vortex is expected to effect a broad area of the US this weekend and, in advance, I offer my condolences and send hope that it won't be too cold, too damaging, or remain around too long.
All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Oh, Kris - you would laugh if you could see my Cousin Itt... I grew one in a pot last year. It survived our mild winter just fine, but good grief - it looks awful. When I got my community garden plot, I gave it a spot in the sun. Maybe I should cut it back too - but I wonder if it's too far gone to ever come back. Seeing yours make me green with envy... That said, you have so many wonderful combos in your garden, it's hard to pick a favorite. We're bracing for this year's first heatwave up here in Oregon. My mom in Ohio is one of those bracing for freezing temperatures. Sometimes I think this vast country is way too big, both in terms of climate and politics.
ReplyDeleteA LOT of people have problems with 'Cousin Itt' so you're in good company, Anna. I don't know if I just am lucky enough to have the perfect setting for them or whether I got really well-grown plants. I heard that, when the plants exploded in popularity, growers started hurrying them to market and many were sold without well-developed root systems.
DeleteThis looks great! We don't have anything like this in our garden, so it's something to look into. :)
ReplyDeleteI tend to focus on flowers rather than foliage in my garden, Nikki, but I've tried to strike a balance in planting this garden.
DeleteHere in my northern clime where the hair grass isn't hardy I plant it every year as an annual and long for the effect it has in your garden. I love it's gorgeous soft texture and how it's silky seed heads cascade over your pathways but then I don't have to deal with it's bad habits.
ReplyDeleteI was warned about the Mexican feather grass's proclivities but I had very few problems with it in the early years, Elaine. Two years in a row of decent rain ("decent" in our terms) may have supported the rampant self-seeding I'm facing now.
DeleteYour Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt' strike me as being visually cooling, looking kind of like a green mossy waterfall, do they ever appear that way to you?
ReplyDeleteYes, it has that effect on me too!
DeleteI really like these focuses on foliage you do now and then -- it really brings home how many wonderful shrubs and trees you grow.
ReplyDeleteI've accumulated a great deal of nice foliage plants, although some do double-duty and bloom too, which is a great plus. Not that any one grows 'Cousin Itt' for its flowers...
DeleteIt's interesting that you say movie reluctantly into summer. I always thought California summers were wonderful because the nights were always cool. Except of course when the Santa Annas blew. I'm sire most of your problem must come from having to water so much on a large property and having minimal rain. I only had a small garden so there was little demand. Your greens certainly produce a cooling effect among the agaves which I am sure will take center stage in the coming months. All is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI suspect summer nights here were different when you lived here than they are now, Jenny. Even without Santa Ana winds, we have a great deal of nighttime temperatures lingering in the high 80s (and sometimes higher) past midnight. Of course, a lot depends on where you live. Although I live on a peninsula overlooking the LA harbor and the ocean, we're on the "hot side" and don't benefit from the westerly breezes. It's a good 10 degrees warmer on average in my current location than the beach city I formerly lived in. Fortunately, it's been a long time since I lived in the interior valley I grew up in, which is completely miserable during the summer months.
DeleteBeautiful foliage shots, Kris. 'Cousin Itt' reminds me of a green cascading waterfall. I imagine that 12-month gardening, with growth barely slowing, requires a fair amount of maintenance. Sorry your wrist is acting up again. It is hard to slow down and take it easy when there is so much to be done. I've been sidelined this week with an injury to my right hand as well. I'm trying not to tax it too much by doing smaller tasks, but that's not easy as you well know. Take it easy!
ReplyDeleteMy more mature garden seems to require a lot more maintenance than it did when it was newly planted, Eliza. Of course, given the lack of other distractions at the moment, I may also be paying more attention to upkeep than I usually do too. I hope your hand mends quickly!
DeleteThank you, it is mending well. The cold and inclement weather was just what I needed to stay out of the garden. Back to it on Wed. ;)
DeleteYup - we are in the midst of some frigid weather, although I may venture out with a jacket later today. I love your Cousin Itt - One of my goals is to (continue to) incorporate more interesting foliage into the garden. I am trying to keep that in mind during the current garden rejuvenation. P.S. I too love seeing plants bounce back after a good cutting back - it's very satisfying!
ReplyDeleteI hope warmer weather comes your way soon, Margaret! I've been reluctant to prune plants hard in the past but I'm getting braver. Still, I worry every time that I've gone too far...
DeleteYou have so many plants I know nothing about but I would love to get better acquainted with Cousin Itt. That rich deep green lovely and the texture. That aeonium in the first photo looks huge against the delicate threads of Itt. I also like the frilly dilly look of the feather grass. I know that wouldn't survive here. I have never been too fond of grasses. I am trying some native grass here in my garden. We will see just how they grow in lower sun levels than I have read that they like.
ReplyDeleteThat particular Aeonium rosette really is HUGE, Lisa. I'm afriad 'Cousin Itt' wouldn't be happy in your climate; however, the Mexican feather grass might be controllable there, where it'd presumably die down to the ground each year.
DeleteItt's glorious! You tempt me once again to try Itt again.
ReplyDeleteThe downhill neighbor planted a mass of S. tenuissima, and it's coming up in my garden now. Oh, boy.
I deluded myself into thinking that the Mexican feather grass was controllable here, HB. During the peak of our drought, it pretty much was but it's way to happy when we get normal to better-than-normal rain!
DeleteEverything looks so lush and green in your gardens. Does it stay that green all summer or turn yellow over the months as it stays hot and dry?
ReplyDeleteLawns don't stay green here except when given copious amount of water, which is why my husband and I removed all of ours during the first few years after we acquired this property. I've invested in heat and drought tolerant plants and most are evergreen, at least with regular irrigation. Although we're not technically in drought in SoCal at the moment, I've adhered to the drought-era limitations on watering here. The NorCal snowpack is NOT good and ultimately the shortage of water from that source will impact the rest of the state.
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