I did an extensive job of renovating the succulent bed in front of the garage last March, pulling out almost half the plants that had been there. New plants were added but while some plants were reintroduced, others were potted up for future use. I didn't touch anything in the background on the northwest end of the bed as most of that space was occupied by three very large 'Edward Goucher' Abelias that had clearly been there for years before we purchased the house fourteen years ago. They'd been sheared by gardeners on a regular basis, leaving the centers of the shrubs a twiggy mess. They also shaded surrounding plants. Not long after I "completed" my renovation of the succulent bed, I decided to start pruning the Abelias to provide my succulents better sun exposure. I cut the first shrub by two-thirds but eventually asked my husband to dig it up for me. A few months later I hacked back the other two. A second shrub was pulled out in its entirety in January. The third one got the ax last week.
I started replanting, using plants I had on hand, including some I'd potted up during my original renovation of the bed in 2024.
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This is the "after" shot taken from the front of the bed |
Despite the best efforts of my husband and myself, the Abelias aren't entirely gone.
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The first Abelia we removed has manged to resurrect itself but I'm keeping an eye on it. If I can't keep it below 2 feet in height, I'll be digging it up again. |
There was quite a bit of empty space to fill even if it wasn't evident from a distance.
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View of the back section of the bed from the path used to move our trash bins to and from the street |
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I partially filled in this area with Aeonium cuttings, leftover Aloe plants, and segments of a flat of the groundcover Ruschia 'Nana' |
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I filled in this area along the flagstone path at the back of the bed with a noID Aloe, Crassula swaziensis I got by mail order in January, and more Ruschia |
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This area received the small division of Kumara plicitilis I potted up last year and a clumping Aloe juvenna among other things |
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I also tucked in pieces of Ruschia throughout other areas of the succulent bed |
Here are closeup photos of the plants I added:
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Top: Aeonium cuttings (possibly 'Cyclops'), Agave 'Multicolor' bulbils, and Agave attenuata (with Philodendron 'Brasil') Middle: Aloe juvenna, noID Aloe, and 3 Aloe striata x maculata pups Bottom: Crassula falcata pup, 3 Crassula swaziensis 'Variegata', and one Kumara plicitilis |
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I also added more Aloe brevifolia pups and a potted Aloe (aristata maybe?) |
Various containers and other features continue to anchor the space.
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The disintegrating chiminea left behind by a prior owner has been straightened up. It supports a few Tillandsia wired to its front door, including one now flowering. |
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Although it could use repotting, Schefflera 'Neon' is happier outside than it ever was in the house |
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I repositioned the large pot containing Dermatobotrys saundersii and took several cuttings to see if I can successfully propagate it. If the cuttings take, I'll remove the mother plant and replace it with something more colorful. |
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My new Agave 'Snow Glow' still has pride of place in another large pot |
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Rotheca myricoides 'Ugandense' has struggled with our colder-than-average temperatures but I think it'll be happier with the increased light it receives now that the Abelia shrubs are gone |
The bed's signature plants also remain in place.
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This clump of Agave attenuata is looking as good as new since I cut back the rosettes that were damaged by agave edema over a year ago. When we moved in 14 years ago, this clump was the only succulent in the entire garden. A lot has changed! |
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This Agave attenuata 'Raea's Gold' was relocated here in March 2024 when it grew too large for its spot in my back garden |
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Cuttings of what I think is Aeonium 'Jack Catlin' planted last year |
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These Echeveria agavoides (possibly 'Red Edge'), planted last March, are also doing well |
I still have work to do on the rock edging surrounding the front of the bed.
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I need more brick sized pieces of stone to finish edging the bed. I'm hoping my husband can find a way to break up the small slabs of rock I have on hand for that purpose. The stone was saved when our living room chimney was rebuilt last July. I moved the smiley-faced stone piece I had elsewhere to fill in one spot but I still have another 3-4 feet to fill. |
I've also appropriated some of the stone removed when our chimney was repaired last July for use in my north-side garden.
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I need to level the stone here. Most of the slabs contain pieces of the concrete used to attach them to the face of the original chimney. |
I'm planning to shop for more small succulents soon to fill in the areas in the north-side garden left empty when I cleared out the massive 'Rosa Gorda' Agave in late January. I suspect I'll inevitably pick up more plants for the front succulent bed too. The renovation process is never really finished...
All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Lovely, you've been busy now that the smoke has cleared! That Schefflera Neon is great there with the Chiminea with Tillandsia. Agreed, no bed or area is ever really done. How much rain are they predicting for you now?
ReplyDeleteThe rain is light at the moment, varying between a heavy mist and a drizzle, Tracy. In total, the projection for my area from today through Friday is approximately an inch and a half but warnings say it could be double that. Unfortunately, some of the burn areas in foothill regions could get between 3 and 6 inches.
DeleteAbelias? What Abelias? I venture they will not be missed. That bed is looking fabulous! Job well done, Kris.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering: is the Agave attenuata clump still in its original place since when you purchased the house? It is one beautiful looking agave!
Chablis
Chavli
Delete(after upgrading my computer's operating system, it's started auto correcting my name :-D I don't always catch it in time.)
Well Chablis, I quite like your alias (even if I generally hate auto-correct features)! My computer's operating system is going to get an update within the next week or so as the current version won't be supported anymore - maybe I'll end up with an alter ego too ;)
DeleteThe original Agave attenuata clump is still in the same spot. It's just shorter than it was after the unfortunate incident with agave edema in 2023. I've cut rosettes from the clump now and then since we've lived here. I've planted them on my back slope and elsewhere and also given a few away. None of mine have ever bloomed, possibly because they've been thinned so often.
Wow, that is truly impressive, Kris! Everything looks great, and I'm going to scroll back through to see the photos again. I really like the shape of the Abelia; I hope you can keep it.
ReplyDeleteI like the 'Edward Goucher' Abelia but didn't appreciate its 5-foot height and twiggy mid-section. The constant shearing performed by my own lickety-split garden service and garden services employed by prior owners didn't manage the plants well. A single, smallish version would be welcome. I have several other Abelia grandiflora cultivars, most of which I've managed to keep below 3 feet tall but the plants can get away from you!
DeleteNice work! Although as you wrote, "the renovation process is never really finished" (such is gardening!) I love that Schefflera 'Neon' ... it is stunning.
ReplyDeletePlacing that Schefflera outside was a last-ditch effort to save it. I was somewhat amazed to discover it was happy there, conveniently close to a sprinkler. I should try propagating it. I've positioned a couple other "house plants" in the same spot to recover, including the Philodendron cordatum 'Brasil' I've now planted in the ground in the same area.
DeleteExcellent rehab there. Great improvement. I've found the all-green Agave attenuata to be somewhat like Aeoniums--after a while a bit too prolifically offsetting. Yours look lovely!
ReplyDeleteAbelias are excellent shrubs but they do get much bigger than manageable--even the dwarfier ones.
Schefflera 'Neon', ooooh!!
that's me--would not let me be other than anonymous again--but I can reply to myself as me!?!!?
DeleteThe comment glitch is odd, especially as we both use the Blogspot platform, HB. My husband tells me I need an update to my operating system as the provider will no longer support the version I have but I'd understood that deadline is still in the offing so I wouldn't expect it to be an issue but then I've little expertise to draw on.
DeleteAgave attentuata may be second only to 'Blue Flame' in terms of the speed at which it produces offsets but then the former is one of the latter's parents. 'Blue Flame', although prettier, has been more troublesome to manage in my garden - it grows so fast!
Have you thought about using the Dermabotrys pot for the Schefflera? I noticed the streaking on the glaze echoes that on the chimney...
ReplyDeleteThat's an idea! I need to see how root bound the Schefflera is in its current pot.
DeleteLooking at some back issues to ID bromeliads I see you already had the pot over by the chimney at one point; think they look great together :)
DeleteThe narrow bed closest to the property line was originally heavy on bromeliads but I had mixed success with them. I still have several there, though.
DeleteI was trying to find an ID for the big bunch of blond spotty bromeliads to the left of the Arbutus. The reworking looks fantastic! Have you maybe thought about moving your fish and seashells over to create a snorkely vibe? And might you have reco's on which bromeliads have stuck it out?
DeleteI think the "blond" bromeliad you're referring to is Billbergia 'Borracho'. It was greener in the early days. The other bromeliads I've had the most success with are Neoregelia 'Guinea x Pepper' and Nidularium wittrockia leopardinum. In general, I've found that the bromeliads like more moisture than most of my succulents, which may account for my difficulties in growing them at that end of the garden.
DeleteMoving the ceramic fish to that end of the garden might be a good idea as the fish routinely end up buried in the foliage of Acacia 'cousin Itt' where they currently are!
Many thanks!
ReplyDeleteYou're most welcome!
DeleteBeautiful job, Kris. It is really evolving nicely! 👍🏼Eliza
ReplyDeleteI'm happy with this iteration so far, Eliza!
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