Getting back to work

I tested negative for COVID on Tuesday so I figured it was time to get back to work in my garden after nearly a two-week break.  The first task I tackled was cutting back the shaggy Agapanthus flower stalks. They were already looking sad when I left for the Fling but the higher temperatures during my absence left them looking even worse. 

Photo taken the evening of July 22nd

The back border presented a much neater appearance once the Agapanthus stalks were removed

For some reason, I always underestimate the time and effort that goes into their removal, even with the plants spread out throughout my garden.  The expanse in the mid-section of the back border shown above accounts for but a fraction of the total number of Agapanthus in my garden.  They populate other parts of the back garden, as well as numerous areas of the front garden.  I counted well over 150 stalks cut on Tuesday morning alone, only to belatedly realize that I'd missed a few dozen more growing in the shade beneath the large canopy of Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid'.

Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid' produced a late July flush of blooms so I'm holding off on pruning it.  I've yet to get a clear handle on its bloom schedule.  A quick survey of my blog posts indicates that it's bloomed as early as April and as late as November.  It commonly, albeit not always, produces 2 flushes with an August flush being the most common.

Another pressing task was stripping the seedy stalks of Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima) before it spreads ever wider.

The photo on the left was taken in early July and the photo on the right was taken on July 31st.  Thus far I've cleaned up about three-quarters of the feather grass clumps in my garden.

I didn't take a "before" short of the feather grass on either side of path off the south patio but this one was taken after I cleaned these clumps up.  In addition to raking out the seed, I pull out all or most of the dead grass too.

Did you notice that plant climbing above the clumps of Nassella on the left side of the above photo?  That's a Wisteria floribunda that came with the garden.  I've been trying to remove it since we moved in over twelve years ago.  I even brushed the vine's growing tips with a vine killer earlier this year.  I suspect its roots extend under the house.  In any case, it took advantage of my absence and weaved its way under the rain shields attached to the catio, which I failed to remove after I lost Pipig in June.  I've once again added its removal to my list of garden chores.

Another task added to my list upon my return home was the removal of the large and obviously dead Leucadendron 'Safari Goldstrike' in the front garden, which I noticed as soon as my husband and I turned into our driveway.

Definitely dead

This is what it looked like at its best in February 2019

It grew taller than expected and by July 2022 when this photo was taken I was already concerned about its placement on the edge of a moderate slope (which isn't readily visible from this angle).  I started trimming it back to control its height but not so hard that I thought it'd damage the plant.

I cut out 2 dead branches in late 2023 but it was evident from this photo under foggy skies in early July that the plant was on its way out so I can't say I was really surprised to find it dead

While I was weathering COVID, my husband removed the dead Leucadendron, which left a surprisingly small footprint given the plant's height and girth.  I'm currently planning to fill the bare space with succulents and more Lantana as the area is very dry.

My garden is in the process of descending into its summer doldrums stage, as it usually does in August; however, there are some bright spots.

Even with the vast majority of my Agapanthus gone, a few late bloomers with particularly deep blue flowers have made an appearance.  The one on the left is 'Elaine' and the one on the right is 'Stevie's Wonder'.

Aloe lukeana was producing a bloom stalk just before I left and I almost missed the show

The dahlias are coming on at last.  Clockwise from the upper left are 2 views of 'Break Out', 'Creme de Cognac', 'Catching Fire', and 'Vancouver'.  'Summer's End', already featured in one floral arrangement, has many more blooms pending.  Other dahlias in bud include: 'Excentric', 'Labyrinth', 'Luna', and 'Mikayla Miranda'.  The slow pokes include 'Brown Sugar', 'Fairway Spur', 'Hometown Hero', 'Iceberg' and 'Lady Darlene'.  I'd virtually given up on 'Belle of Barmera' but she finally sprouted so I've given her space to catch up with the others if she can.

The Rudbeckia hirta 'Sahara' plugs I ordered by mail last year are picking up speed (left) and a handful of seed-sown Zinnias are coming on, which off-hand I can't identify as I mixed up my seeds

And these Protea nerifolia buds may not not like much but I'm thrilled to see them!  The one on the left is 'Claire' and the one on the right is 'Pink Ice'.  Although the photos don't reflect it, the 'Pink Ice' buds are quite large already.  I purchased 'Pink Ice' in December 2016 but didn't put it in the ground until December 2018.  Two small buds dried out and failed to bloom last year but I'm feeling better about the 5 buds the plant currently has.  'Claire' was a purchase from Flora Grubb Gardens in December 2023 and has just 2 buds so far.

Absent a Paxlovid rebound, my husband and I are looking forward to returning to our normal routines on Sunday when we should be able to call my COVID episode over and out, eliminating the "his" and "her" divisions of our household we created to protect him from exposure to the virus when I tested positive.  The repiping project that demanded our attention during the two weeks prior to my Fling trip was finished up on July 17th, except that the pipes have been groaning on and off whenever hot water is running in the kitchen or the bathrooms.  That problem has yet to be fully resolved.  The plumbing contractor claimed the problem lay with our weather heater (installed in 2019), which the company's representatives dispute; however, my scientist husband has conducted his own evaluation of the water heater and now believes it has to be replaced even as the company that built it continues to argue the matter.  Work on our chimney has been delayed another week but at least that should be done before we're likely to see rain again.

Best wishes for a healthy and stress-free weekend!

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