Fooled myself again

I decided to take care of what I thought would be a quick and easy project in my north side garden this week.  As usual, I misjudged both the work required and how one activity often leads to another.  The project was a simple one I outlined in my list of 2024 garden projects: pulling out the Aeonium haworthii 'Kiwi' that blocked the view of several agaves.

This wide shot of the north side garden was taken in early January.  From this vantage point, you can see the Agave ovatifolia in the background on the right but not the small agaves behind the Aeonium 'Kiwi'.

Some of the invisible agaves can be seen here in this overhead view

The Aeonium roots were deep and pervasive.

These are the best of the Aeoniums I cut.  Almost twice as many landed in our green bin for recycling.

I took this photo with my cell phone after the Aeoniums had been removed.  I also removed a lot of ivy, weeds, and fallen leaves.

The exercise revealed the smaller agaves that had been partially or completely hidden.

Agave funkiana 'Blue Haze' (back) and Agave 'Rosa Gorda' (front).  The latter is something of a mystery plant.  It's been sold as "Confederate Rose" and "Gray Puppy".  According to San Marcos Growers, it showed up in California in the mid-1990s.  It's parentage is a matter of speculation.  It's been designated as an Agave potatorum and as Agave parrasana, although the second classification has been debunked.  All I know is that it's as prickly as the worst Dyckia I've ever come across.

I uncovered 2 Agave victoriae reginae (aka queen agave) and a clump of what I think is Aristaloe aristata (aka lace aloe)

Agave pygmae 'Dragon Toes', planted 9 years ago, has produced a couple of pups, one now planted next to A. 'Rosa Gorda' and another in the bed on the other side of the path

I think I got this agave from Jeff Moore's Solana Succulents nursery in 2014.  He said it might be Agave applanata.

As I like to cover bare soil with plants whenever possible, I decided to replace the Aeonium 'Kiwi' with other, less aggressive succulents.

The more manageable succulents I selected to fill the bare space included: 3 Echeveria 'Princess', 3 E. runyonii 'Topsy Turvy', 3 E. 'Serrana', and 3 Graptopetalum paraguayense.  All were purchased in tiny 2-inch pots.

This is a view of the area after it'd been cleaned up and replanted

However, there was still a problem with the Agave parryi planted in a Talavera pot next to the Agave applanata, as well as the placement of the larger pot, which I'd also emptied of Aeonium 'Kiwi' and dead remnants of other plants.

The Talavera pot holding Agave parryi 'Cream Spike' was crowding the larger agave next to it as shown in this photo.  I was unable to move it easily because the plant had rooted the pot into the ground.  I had to dig it up in order to move it.  The plant has been there since 2014 and removing it would've required breaking the pot.

I was surprised I got it out without damaging the plant or the pot, which I moved about a foot away.  Without its roots in the ground, the top heavy plant is less stable but I buried broken pot shards on 3 sides to help hold it in place.

Here's what the bed looks like after all the adjustments:

I moved the large pot several feet away under the persimmon tree to echo the silver-blue agaves rather than blending in with them.  I haven't decided what to put in the pot yet but I think I'll plant some of the Aeonium 'Kiwi' cuttings at its base to reflect the color of Phormium 'Yellow Wave' on the other side of the path.

While taking photos of the north side garden, I was also collecting photos for a foliage post.  I decided to break that into two parts so I'll only share the succulent plants here.

Agave capensis has been in place in the north side garden since 2015.  It was obtained from The Huntington's International Succulent Introductions (ISI) program by mail as a small bare root plant.  It currently seems to be developing a pup from its middle (facing the camera).

The large mass of Agave attenuata at the bottom of the slope looks so much neater now that the huge rosette that blocked the path is gone.  I still need to move the small noID aloe tucked in there, though.

Agave lophantha 'Quadricolor' is beautiful but it produces so many pups it can be difficult to manage

Aeonium 'Sunburst' (left and upper right) and 'Zwartkop' are looking especially good this year

Hybrid Aloe vanbalenii x striata fits this spot trailing down the stacked stone wall.  It's flawless except for a hole on one of its leaves, possibly created by a snail.

I'm not sure what this unimposing succulent is but I appreciate how it covers this sloped area.  My best guess as to its identity is Crassula elegans.

I missed the flowers on this fishbone cactus (Epiphyllum anguilger, syn Disocactus anguilger) when it bloomed but it's interesting without them.  It's also known as ric-rac and zig-zag cactus.

I was given this Mangave 'Coffee Jitters' by another blogger 3 years ago.  It's lived up to its promise even if its placement next to a hose hook-up isn't ideal.  I think the succulent I tucked into this pot with it is Sedum morganianum, a plant I usually have trouble growing.

That's it from me this week.  Rain is in our forecast.  It should start late Friday night or early Saturday morning.  Additional showers are expected on Sunday, continuing into Monday.  How much rain we'll get isn't clear but, at present, it looks like it could be one and a half inches.

Best wishes for a good weekend!

All material © 2012-2024 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party