Friday, May 27, 2022

Gardening is solace for the soul

Just when I thought the news couldn't get any uglier, this week it did.  I won't rehash the rant included in my last post but suffice it to say that I spent a lot of time in my garden this week.  It's not a cure for anger, frustration and grief but it helps.  I didn't tackle any big projects but I took care of little ones that had been pestering me, most of which involved end-of-spring cleanup.  Memorial Day, honoring the men and women who died in military service, is observed in the US on the last Monday of May.  That day has also become the unofficial start of summer here.

I didn't take any "before" photos but here are some "after" shots showing the results of my tidying up in the back garden.

The 3 Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt' that surround the largest of my peppermint willows were swamping everything around them.  I cut them back around the front and pulled up masses of the plants' dry leaves, which some people warn could feed fires.  The plants and ceramic fish surrounding it have been revealed.  Now I just need to tackle the back side of the shrubs plus the clumps in my front garden.

I cut back the Echium webii and cleared most of the leaf litter under it as well.  I'm always a little worried that the plant won't recover as the grower recommends "tip pruning."  As a fallback, I took tip cuttings in the hope of propagating possible replacement plants if needed.  That approach worked with my Echium handiense.  I still need to tackle the Echium webbii on my back slope and the E. candicans 'Star of Madeira' in the front garden.

This Arbutus 'Marina' (one of 4) had dropped piles of leaf litter over the succulents beneath it and I finally performed the difficult dance cleaning that up (for now).  I also trimmed back the dead lower branches of the Melianthus major.

Since I cut the largest Yucca 'Bright Star' down to the ground last year, there's been a lot of empty space in this area.  Self-seeded Gaillardia have sprung up here and there but I added some orange and yellow Gazanias to provide additional ground cover until the baby Yucca grows up.  I could use another dozen Gazania plugs I think...

I thinned the Stipa tenuissima (Mexican feather grass) along the back of the border and, as his birthday present to me, my husband has begun building cages to surround the plants the blankety-blank bunnies keep eating.  The rabbits have already consumed the lower leaves of numerous lilies and left 2 lily plants entirely bare.


In addition to corralling leaves on the north end of the back garden, I performed a similar cleanup on the lower level of the front garden and nearby in the street side succulent bed.

This slope is steeper than it may look and leaves from the massive Arbutus "Marina' above get stuck in every nook and cranny between the succulents

The 2 tree-sized Auranticarpa rhombifolium also drop gobs of leaves in this very dry area near the property line.  More dropped between my initial sweep of the area and taking this photo.  There's a big empty space I need to fill too.  Thus far, even the Agave pups I've tried here have struggled to survive.  I think I'm going to try an olla watering approach to support the next plant I place in this spot.

I finally got around to pulling the self-seeded bunny tail grass in my south side succulent bed too.

I didn't sow any bunny tail grass (Lagurus ovatus) seed this year but last year's nearby plants chose to self-seed all through this succulent bed.  I saved a handful of the seedheads I pulled as they're perfect for dry flower arrangements.


I've still got cleanup to do in my north side garden, where the leaves of the guava tree litter the succulents below but this weekend I'll be giving priority to cleaning up the cutting garden to get rid of the cool season plants that are well past their prime.

I managed to create 3 small posies with the flowers left on the sweet pea vines yesterday, which I brought to friends I met for lunch.  On the restaurant's patio, the flowers attracted considerable attention, which I thought was a nice final salute to the sweet pea season.


In addition to spending time with good friends on Thursday afternoon, I've taken time to appreciate the fleeting blooms that aren't likely to be around on Bloom Day in June.  Here's what caught my eye:

Planted last fall, Iris germanica 'Gypsy Lord' enjoyed a brief moment of glory

I planted 10 bulbs of Sprekelia formosissima (aka Aztec lily) earlier this year.  Just one made an appearance.  I seem to remember seeing these flowers in posts from Texas bloggers later in the year so perhaps I'll see more of them this fall. 

My daylilies have been slow to bloom this year, which I'm blaming on low rainfall but clockwise from the upper left are the handful that have made a showing: Hemerocallis 'Elizabeth Salter', 'Russian Rhapsody', 'Spacecoast Behavior Pattern' (which should get the award for most ridiculous name ever), and 'Spanish Harlem'.  The last is my most prolific daylily but, at the speed it's blooming, it may finish up soon.

Gladiolus nanus 'Nymph' seemed to disappear for a few years before paying me a return visit

Best wishes for a safe and restful weekend.


All material © 2012-2022 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party




17 comments:

  1. Yes, at the moment we are a most unexceptional nation, so unbelievably shameful. Did I mention that the Oregon house is directly across the street from an elementary school? We can hear the drills they practice, teaching the little ones to be very still, etc. Infuriating beyond belief to read analysis of how the police failed, stepping over the very obvious elephant in the room that it should never have gotten this extreme, that the majority does not want to live in an armed camp! (nice cleanup work in the garden...)

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    1. I heard the updates today on the timing of the police response in Uvalde - and the heartbreaking reports of 10-year olds repeatedly calling 911 to report what was happening inside the adjoining classrooms the shooter had occupied. It's unconscionable, especially given the persistent reliance on a "good guy with a gun" to provide safety. And if mental illness is the issue the party of the former president wants to emphasize to manage gun violence, then half the members of that party should probably be locked up for evaluation as they certainly have limited ability to reason and utterly lack empathy.

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  2. Spacecoast Behavior Pattern is indeed way up there on the cringe-y name list.

    The Gladiolus sure is pretty.

    My Sprekelia clump in place several years now flowers all through the warm weather so you should be getting more.

    What lovely posies for your friends! They must have been delighted.

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    1. I keep thinking that someone somewhere must have an explanation for that "Spacecoast Behavior Pattern' name but I've yet to discover one. It's good to hear that I should be able to expect more blooms from the Sprekelia - a 10% success rate is pretty poor!

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  3. Kris, you must have boundless energy. Your garden always looks immaculate and so welcoming. The sweet pea posies would certainly attract lots of attention here. Using an olla always sounds like a great idea. I've never tried it but perhaps will explore them. Sorry the rabbits have ruined some special plants--glad your husband is working on a fix for you. Happy birthday!

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    1. My energy isn't boundless, Susie, but I am stubborn ;) I've used olla-like tools before, especially when I'm trying to get a plant established and it needs more water than the plants surrounding it receive. It's definitely something to look at, although you get more rain from Mother Nature than I do.

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  4. I'm always grateful to have the garden as my refuge and it sounds like you too enjoy it to relieve tension. Clean up work is meditative for me and the results are gratifying.
    I was wondering if that difficult spot, where Agave pups struggled to survive, would be easier for a more mature specimen (with established roots) to survive.
    The magical re-appearance of Gladiolus nanus 'Nymph': isn't nature grand?
    Chavli

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    1. You're probably right that a mature Agave might handle that very dry area along the street better than a pup, Chavli. I tend to balk at the prices associated with big succulents but in this case that may be a matter of "penny wise and pound foolish."

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  5. I, too, am grateful for garden therapy during tough times. A good place to escape to. Your blooms are lovely and those bouquets must have pleased your friends immensely! Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Eliza

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    1. Thanks Eliza. I hope it's warmed up enough in your part of the country to enjoy the unofficial start of summer.

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  6. Hello Kris your gardens are amazing me still when I look at such exceptionally different plants from what I grow .. almost other worldly ! The name Bunny Tail grass makes me smile . it's home should be a child's garden .
    Gorgeous iris .. I grow a few standard Siberian type .. it is a love hate relationship I think ? .. I am an epimedium fan in Spring. There is always a special plant among others I fixate on with specific time frames. My most exotic for now are 5 baby Meconopsi sheldonii Lingholm .. they are extremely touchy so my expectations are rather low until I can capture some blooms .. and ? for some reason our resident squirrel is obsessed with them too .. I hope my little fence keeps them safe .. fingers crossed.
    As for what is going on in your country .. what can I say, that good people of your nation haven't already. The rest of the world is wondering when will the insanity about guns, greed, and corrupt politicians end ? but that is up to your fellow citizens isn't it ?
    You are too right about having time in the garden to clear your head for a while .. every gardener relishes those moments, I hope it helps you !

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    1. Well, our climates are very different, CGJ. I'd love to be able to grow Epimedium for example - in defiance of local garden guidance I've tried and failed. As for Meconopsis, that's a complete impossibility :(

      Our country is nuts about guns. It's become a highly politicized issue and, while 80-90% of the population supports additional controls (depending on the particular action under discussion), certain gutless wonders elected to the Senate have refused to even consider anything that could cost them some votes. Apparently they believe that getting re-elected is their job rather than action to protect the safety of their citizens. California has some of the strongest laws on guns but we've still had our share of incidents, the most recent being perpetrated by an individual who drove here from Nevada.

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  7. Your garden is looking beautiful and orderly, Kris. As gardeners, we can observe things progressing and improving with our efforts, even if progress in the real world seems stunted -or worse- moving backwards.

    That gladiolus, with the darker pink teardrop on its lower petals is exquisite. And your bunches are gorgeous - I bet the lucky recipients were thrilled!

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    1. That Gladiola is one of my favorites, Horticat, although when I planted it I was led to believe it was pink and while so it's out of place in in current spot. I need to find more of those bulbs.

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  8. Comment above was from Horticat :)

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  9. My Sprekelia blooms when it wants to. Not at a predictable time of year.

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    1. Thus far, I've only had the one flower from the 10 Sprekelia bulbs I planted. Hopefully, next winter's rainy season will bring more blooms.

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