Last week, I started pulling out the mass of Aeonium arboreum that's blocking a major pathway in my cutting garden. It's going to take a long time to reduce the plants to a manageable number. As these succulents are heavy, I can't overload the green recycle bins with all of them at one time, even if I could stand handling the repetitive nature of the task in one go. I put aside the best rosettes to give away but, even throwing out those that weren't in perfect condition, I didn't think the neighbors would flock to take armloads home, especially as I've given these cuttings away many times over the years. So, when I read an article in a local magazine about a parkway succulent garden being created in front of a mosaic wall four miles away, I contacted the woman managing the project and offered the Aeoniums and a host of other succulents. She said she'd accept them all and I took her at her word.
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This is my car, packed and ready to make the delivery |
The project manager told me she expected to be weeding the new garden during certain hours but no one was there when I arrived. However, I'd been told I could leave them at the bus stop nearby even if no one was there so that's what I did.
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In addition to 2 flats piled high with Aeonium arboreum and A. 'Kiwi' cuttings, I left cuttings of Euphorbia 'Sticks on Fire', pups of Agave mediopicta 'Alba', potted bulbils of 3 other agaves, Crassula ovata and Senecio amaniensis in one-gallon pots, and a relatively large Agave attenuata division |
I didn't spend much time looking at the garden, something I regretted after the fact.
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It's a relatively new garden and they're planting only succulents as the parkway strip isn't irrigated |
I spent a lot of time looking at the mosaic wall. The mosaic was created with public support over a two-year period. The artist is a former fire fighter, Julie Bender. She got help and input from some three hundred local residents. You can find a history of the mosaic wall on 25th Street in San Pedro here.
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Partially hidden, this section proclaims Welcome to San Pedro, Los Angeles. San Pedro was incorporated into the City of Los Angeles in 1909 but it's retained its own personality. |
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An angel carrying a light is one of several larger figures, probably representing the entrance to the Port of Los Angeles, known as Angel's Gate |
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Two mermaids, one featured in a wheelchair (tended by a person tagged with the names of churches) and the second marked with graffiti |
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Other large figures include what I've dubbed as the "serviceman" (representing people in military and public service as indicated by tags covering his uniform), the "worker" (tagged with the titles of various tradespeople), the "cook" (tagged with names of restaurants) and the "teacher" (tagged with names of schools in the area) |
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Details included scenes from a beach (left) and the cliffs in San Pedro with houses and roads above and small buildings at sea level (right). In other areas, houses were tagged with family names. |
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The lower areas showing the cliffs were put together using pieces of tile interspersed with mirrors |
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There were large areas covered in irregular tiles bearing facts relevant to the history of San Pedro |
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There were also lots of tiles bearing names of people and their opinions on a wide variety of subjects. One series offered definitions of what makes a person a "real" San Pedran. |
The garden project manager hopes to extend the succulent garden. I hope my contribution helps her and volunteers assisting her with their project. And I still have more than enough
Aeonium rosettes to satisfy any one of my neighbors that may want them.
All material © 2012-2024 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
If must be extremely satisfying to find a home for so many plants you cared for in your own garden. I wish the recipient was there to great you, or at least acknowledged she found them where you dropped them off.
ReplyDeleteHow fun it would be to revisit the parkway succulent garden in the future, and recognize your contribution to the new bed.
Chavli
I was disappointed when I arrived with my delivery to find no one there, partly because I had to make 5-6 trips to carry the plants across the street, waiting for the light to turn almost every time ;) But I'd have liked to learn more about the project as well. I was also a little nervous about leaving the plants there unattended but, when I got home, I sent a followup message to the project manager with photos so she'd know they were there. I did receive an acknowledgment of receipt the next day.
DeleteWhat a fantastic place for all of your succulents to go. I always find it a bit odd when you have lots of plant divisions you can't find homes for but people will willingly go and purchase them. Gorgeous mosaic work. The whole installation a boon to the community.
ReplyDeleteHa! On occasion, especially when I've gone to the effort of potting my giveaway plants, I've "mentioned" that local garden centers currently charge $5-6 for plants of the same type and size ;)
DeleteI'm so glad you made the offer of plants that took you to this mosaic! There's layers of personal history for me with this little fishing village, both as a child and an adult. Marty worked for 30 years on the pilots boats guiding ships in and out of Angel's Gate, my dad's family lived and worked here, so I really "get" the references in this mural. (In the early '80s Marty and I lived in an old house a half mile from the harbor rented from the sculptor William Crutchfield. My first community garden plot was in Pedro overlooking the harbor...)
ReplyDeleteHave you visited the mosaic wall, Denise? I was impressed by its breadth and detail. It was very sunny when I visited and the glare made it difficult to see what I was photographing. I'd also have liked to get wider shots from a distance but 25th Street is a VERY busy thoroughfare and I was nervous about standing too far from the curb.
DeleteP.S. Included in the succulents I passed along were 2 potted Agave vilmoriniana 'Variegata' bulbils from the mass of them you gave me a few years ago. So, if indirectly, you've made a contribution to the mosaic mural garden too!
I love that an agave of mine made it to the mural! I haven't seen it but will try to next time I'm in town.
DeleteWe live in a very interconnected world ;) The agave(s) may get booted when they get older and larger but I wasn't asked to identify them nor to describe their dimensions at maturity. At present, I think the challenge is keeping them alive.
DeleteThat is a beautiful addition to San Pedro! Love that you had a great place to donate.
ReplyDeleteMe too, Tracy!
DeletePretty awesome, Kris!
ReplyDeleteThanks Susie.
DeleteI've gradually been spreading my orphan cuttings far and wide, Loree. It feels much better finding them homes than dropping them in the green recycle bin ;)
ReplyDeleteThe mosaic is pretty darn spectacular. I can see why you got "distracted" by it. Looking forward to updates on the succulent garden.
ReplyDeleteEven though it's only 4 miles away, I don't go that direction often but I am curious about how well it'll hold up with no summer irrigation.
DeleteWhat great luck that you found such a good home for your extras. Win-win! That mural is AMAZING! I'll have to earmark it for my next visit, whenever that will be! Eliza
ReplyDeleteIt was pure luck that I saw that article, Eliza. It was in one of several local "magazines" that mostly consist of advertisements that I rarely even glance at before recycling. I flipped through the pages before preparing to do just that and saw the word "garden" which led me to read the article. The fact that I was also sitting on a pile of succulent cuttings was also serendipity.
DeleteSerendipity indeed to be able to contribute to a great community project. Beautiful mural and the plants will be additional beauty and charm.
ReplyDeleteAnd it rained!!! :)
Yes, it rained! And there's more to come, although the forecasts are getting a bit more ominous...
DeleteThe mosaics are a fun way to read about local history. Much more interesting to stop and read than the lonely roadside plaque with faded letters and graffiti. I would like to find an outlet for some of our extra plants from work. The high school that we were giving houseplants to was sadly closed last week - not enough kids interested in plants to keep their horticulture program going. We also end up with hundreds of extra baby rhododendrons (nothing exotic or interesting) that end up in the landfill every year. Just too many plants, more than our local schools and communities want.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad to hear the the local high school's horticulture program has closed down - I'd have loved to have had something like that back in my high school days. Plant people are also generally great people and we need more of those!
DeleteIn addition to giving away plants to neighbors, I've handed some off to representatives of the local Cactus & Succulent Society. Still there's always more than I can find homes for.