Friday, August 22, 2025

Compliant

In late March I published a post addressing an ordinance adopted by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors calling for the creation and maintenance of "defensible space clearance" surrounding homes and other buildings in areas within a "high or very high fire severity zone" as designated by the Los Angeles County Fire Department.  Effectively, that designation applies to the entire peninsula on which we live.  In capital letters and red print, the letter we received from the Fire Department was described as a "NOTICE TO DESTROY HAZARDOUS BRUSH, DRY GRASS, WEEDS, COMBUSTIBLE GROWTH OR FLAMMABLE VEGETATION TO INCLUDE NATIVES AND ORNAMENTALS."  The partial list of vegetation "known to be flammable" included: Acacia, Cedar, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Juniper, Pine, and Pampas Grass.  Additional information was provided concerning homeowner responsibilities, annual inspections, a $151 inspection fee to be billed on the 2026 property tax bill, and a description of penalties to be assessed if a property owner cited for non-compliance fails to correct any issues described in the citation within thirty days.  Inspections of properties along the coast were expected in June.  You can find my original post here and associated posts regarding the actions I took here and here.

Even prior to the new ordinance, we'd received annual walk-through inspections (with no associated fees).  I've spoken to those inspectors on a couple of occasions, receiving input I was asked to pass along to a neighbor on one occasion but never any criticism of my own landscape.  I watched for the inspectors in June but never saw anyone, although I spotted a fire department vehicle hustling through the neighborhood on one occasion that month.  I subsequently spoke to a neighbor who told me he'd been cited and he referred generally to other neighbors he thought may have been cited as well.  My husband and I received no citation; however, we finally received a notice in early August (dated July 3, 2025) notifying us that we were found "compliant" with the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Fire Code.  We were also advised that the local fire station may conduct further inspections throughout the fire season and that, if we were to sell our house more than six months following the official notice of our compliance, we'd need to request another inspection.

So I didn't get much in the way of guidance!  I can only make rudimentary assumptions based on the actions taken by selected neighbors.  If anyone in our neighborhood received formal notice of non-compliance with an inspection citation, I haven't heard about it but then how many people would advertise that?

Here's what I noticed with respect to neighbor properties.  As I don't have any recent "before" photos you can only rely on my personal assessments.

This unirrigated area previously included masses of Asphodelus fistulosus (aka onionweed).  The homeowner told me he thought it was attractive, which it is for about a nanosecond in early spring.  He pulled all of it up and cut back the woody Echiums.  When we talked he told me that the inspector focused exclusively on the front garden, never venturing into the back garden.

This neighbor pruned the trees, increasing the space between them, and also pulled the weeds in his front garden

These neighbors had the most extensive work done, although my guess is that much of it may have been unrelated to any citation.  It included the removal of 2 dead and one dying Eucalyptus and pruning all their pine, palm, and California pepper trees (Schinus molle).  The only thing I found odd was that they didn't remove  the 2 large junipers lined up against the house. They have a wide pickle ball court and patio area between the house and the succulent bed running along the street so their home seems generally well-protected in the event of a wildfire.

Their palm trees were beautifully groomed by the tree service crew.  In fact, it appears that virtually everyone with a palm tree in the surrounding area had their dead fronds removed.

This neighbor across the street from the prior property had general pruning done

This neighbor had all her tall pine trees nicely pruned for the first time I can remember

No work was done here other than the owners' own weekly sweeps of debris.  I've always had concerns with the Eucalyptus trees here, one which looks to be no more than a foot from the house and the other which sits right along the street.  None of the trees appear particularly healthy and they're not well pruned.  There's only one way to drive out of our neighborhood and, if one of those trees falls into the street, it could have dire consequences.

By comparison, this Eucalyptus in another neighbor's garden is well-maintained.  These trees are questionable in a high fire risk area to begin with but at least this one is healthy.

This one-plus acre lot has been empty for decades and the owner doesn't maintain it at all to our knowledge.  The city comes in annually and cuts down the weeds and overgrowth, presumably billing the owner.  Whoever did the work this year left ample debris behind and I really hope the Fire Department filed a citation.  Penlities include a $500 administrative fee, an assessment of $1199 added to the owner's tax bill, and another inspection fee of $51.59.

Another California pepper and 2 palms received severe haircuts here

This is an old photo of the house down the street from me with the wide expanses of Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima) and succulents.  (The agaves are much taller now.)  I expected the Fire Department inspector to order removal or at least a hard cutback of the grass nearest to the front of the house but all of it is untouched.  Their Pampas grass is also untouched.


A landscaper took measurements of the front area of this property a year ago and I've been looking forward to seeing a garden emerge ever since.  One large Yucca elephantipes was removed several months ago and bags of rock were dropped off but nothing has happened since.  The large shrubs by the house could use a trim but I'm guessing there may be nearly a 5 foot space between them and the house and thus didn't trigger a citation. 

This neighbor pruned a tree and cleared many of their shrubs of pine tree debris but left a lot of the dry needles in place on the ground.  I saw this in another garden too.  According to some online sources, pine needles can ignite even without direct fire exposure.  (You can see more in this video.)


I'll be having many of my trees and several large shrubs pruned as usual this fall.  I'll have the dead Ceanothus arboreus at the bottom of my back slope removed at the same time.  I also plan to dig up the Cistus ladanifer close to the house as soon as I find a replacement as there seems to be general agreement that it's flammability is greater than other Cistus due to the particularly volatile oil in its foliage.  I still have a fair amount of replanting to do as well in the areas I cleared in early May but the remainder of that work is on hold until cooler temperatures return and the prospect of rain is back on the horizon.

I'd like to point out that, if you look into plant flammability, there are a lot of contradictions to be found in the available literature.  I've pulled a variety of lists for reference in making my own judgments but it's maddening at times.  I can only hope that there'll be more scientific study in this area, especially given the increasing risk of wildfire as our climate continues to warm.   Should you have an interest in the subject, here are links to just a few resources I found:

For those of us in California, the impact of the "zone zero" legislation (Assembly Bill 3074) is still pending.  The State Board of Forestry has been assigned the task of developing guidelines for its implementation, which would restrict the use of combustible materials within five feet of residential structures in high fire risk areas.  When those guidelines are developed and approved, they'll immediately apply to all new structures.  I've heard they'll be applied to existing residences within one to three years (depending upon the source you consult).  There's some controversy over the value of the "zone zero" approach but, if adopted, my guess is that insurance companies presented with decisions about renewing fire insurance policies may require it.  A couple views on the "zone zero" approach can be found here and here.


Fun, huh?!  Best wishes for a pleasant weekend.


All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Wednesday, August 20, 2025

Another Heatwave Alert

Yesterday, the Los Angeles Times published an article predicting that the most significant heatwave of the summer is expected to arrive on Wednesday and hang on through Sunday.  While a local online source still suggests that my area will top out at 86F (30C) on Thursday, it became a little harder to believe that we could be that lucky when yesterday's temperature reached 87F after the day started out with a dense morning marine layer.  I spent most of yesterday morning weeding and watering and expect to get in a little more watering this morning.

However, I haven't entirely abandoned planting activity, although I've restricted most of that to succulents. 

I filled this large terracotta container with an assortment of succulents

The mix included: 5 Aeonium davidbramwellii 'Sunburst', 2 Cotyledon pendens, one Crassula swaziensis 'Variegata', and one Kalanchoe marmorata


In addition to succulents, I've given myself permission to replant a few containers with summer annuals.

I couldn't stand looking at this barrel any longer.  The foxglove in the middle never even tried to bloom and the 2 Cuphea 'Honeybells' were overgrown.  I cut back and replanted one of the Cupheas elsewhere.

Rudbeckias are effectively annuals in my climate but I enjoy them despite their short lives in my garden

In addition to Rudbeckia 'Juliana', I included 2 'Caramel' Petunias and 2 Achillea 'Terracotta'


I've also started to replant some of the areas I cleared in late spring and earlier this summer.

A large empty space was created when we removed a massive clump of 'Blue Flame' Agaves.  After cleaning up the area, I transplanted cuttings of Senecio mandraliscae (aka blue chalk sticks)  I'm not all that fond of the Senecio as the sticks flop about after awhile but they'll serve as a filler for now.

This Agave titanota was buried below the 'Blue Flame' Agaves for years.  It isn't in the best shape but I may give it more space by centering it next to the Senecio to see how it does, at least until I come up with something I like better to fill in the remaining empty space.

I finally got around to planting some of my Aeonium arboreum and A. haworthii 'Kiwi Verde' cuttings in the back border area formerly occupied by Nassella tenuissima (Mexican feather grass), which I removed due to its combustibility.  The succulents will take time to beef up but, based on past experience, at some point I'll be complaining that they've gotten too big.  In the meantime, they'll help keep the soil from eroding if/when we get rain again.  There's still more space to fill there but I'll look for inspiration when fall temperatures allow more options.

I came across these Catharanthus 'Peppermint White' at the garden center and could resist picking up a few to fill an empty space in my front garden.  Although they are a clear violation of my "no summer planting" rule, in my defense Catharanthus had previously proven itself to be remarkably drought tolerant.  Whether it can withstand a serious heatwave is another matter. 


I hope my dahlias make it through this new heatwave unscathed!  Here are photos of the newest blooms.

I included Dahlia 'La Luna' in my Bloom Day post but it wasn't fully open.  Now it is.  The first flowers have just the palest hint of yellow.  Last year, some developed more prominent yellow streaks but I haven't seen any sign of that yet.

Dahlia 'Blue Bell' has also opened more fully since my Bloom Day post

Dahlia 'Excentric', grown from a tuber saved from last year's crop, just produced its first flower in a barrel in partial shade

This is the first flower of Dahlia 'Fairway Spur', also a holdover from last year.  It was formerly one of my favorites but it's looking a little funky and as I recall it produced some deformed blooms like this last year.  I hesitated about planting the saved tuber this year but I had an open spot so I went ahead; however, I remain concerned that whatever caused last year's deformities may be present again.


I hope you're managing any summer stressors you're facing wherever you are.


All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Monday, August 18, 2025

In a Vase on Monday: Going BIG!

My dahlias are slowly rolling out their blooms and I've chosen to show off some of those making the most recent appearances this week.  Although my 'Cafe au Lait' Dahlia has turned out to be what I believe is 'Cafe au Lait Rose', its presence in my garden can't be denied as it stretches close to five feet tall.  Its tall stems earned it a large vase crammed with a variety of pink flowers.

'Cafe's' flowers are huge too

Back view with flowers of pink Amaryllis belladonna tucked into the sides.  The Amaryllis have popped up all over my back garden over the past 2 weeks, some in places I can't account for.

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Amaryllis belladonna, Eustoma grandiflorum 'Carmine', Leucadendron 'Jester', Dahlia 'Cafe au Lait Rose', and D. 'La Bella Epoque'


I thought I'd planted two 'Labyrinth' tubers this season and a single 'Catching Fire' tuber but the small 'Labyrinth' tuber turned out to be 'Catching Fire' so I apparently didn't label my tubers as carefully as I thought I had when I dug them up and divided them last November.  Despite the tuber's small size, it got its bloom on before the larger tuber I'd labeled under that name has reached bloom stage, assuming I didn't mislabel that one too.  In any case, the first of the 'Catching Fire' Dahlias got center stage in my second arrangement.

At least I think this is Dahlia 'Catching Fire'.  The original tuber I planted in 2022 was labeled as 'Akita', which it definitely was not.  Friends suggested that it looked more like 'Catching Fire' and that was the closest match I could find among the red and white varieties I examined.

Back view, showing the first of the white Amaryllis belladonna to bloom.  The white variety always flowers a couple of weeks after the pink one.

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', Amaryllis belladonna, noID Coleus scuttelarioides*, Dahlia 'Catching Fire', Myrtus communis, and Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Wine'


Our morning marine layer has continued to keep the afternoon temperatures down in the low-to-mid 70sF (23-24C) for the past week; however, it appears that pattern may start to break down this week, driving temperatures back up.  Even then, it doesn't look as though they should go beyond the low 80sF (27C) along the coast.  We've been very lucky overall so far this summer.


For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

You may note that I used what I'd originally identified as the back of the first arrangement as the front when I positioned it on the dining room table


*A few years ago common coleus was reclassified as Plectranthus scutellarioides and I dutifully switched to using that botanical name when I referred to the plants.  More recently, it's been reclassified once again, taking back its former name of Coleus scutellarioides.  Talk about frustrating!


All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Friday, August 15, 2025

Bloom Day - August 2025

The flower power in my garden usually diminishes significantly by August, although we've had a relatively mild summer along the west coast so far this year.  We've experienced two heatwaves but our temperatures never soared above 95F (35C).  Nevertheless, some plants did get toasted and others aren't looking their best, yet I still managed to accumulate a large number of photos.  I've thrown the vast majority of those photos into collages this month.

Dahlias and zinnias provide the real fire power in my summer garden so I'm giving them the starring roles this month.  Some are still taking their time about flaunting their blooms but there are enough to show off.  I've listed the dahlias in order of their appearance.

Dahlia 'Mikayla Miranda' was not only the first to flower but she's still the most vigorous.  Bees seem to love this one too.

'Labyrinth' came in on Mikayla's heels

I had 2 'Creme de Cognac' Dahlias in my garden last year and I have 2 again this year but I also gave away 2 divisions of the tubers.  It's a sturdy and prolific dahlia!

'La Belle Epoque' is new this year and I haven't made up my mind about it yet.  I like it better in its early bloom stage (left) rather than the paler mature version (right).

The tuber for this was sold to me as 'Cafe au Lait' (which should be pale peach/pink or beige in color) but it looks more like 'Cafe au Lait Rose' or, in its faded state (right), possibly 'Cafe au Lait Royal'

This is 'Summer's End', another of my favorites.  It has a waterlily-like form.  I planted 2 of the tubers and gave away others.

As it turned out the tiny tuber I threw into a barrel with the large 'Labyrinth' turned out to be not that but a second 'Catching Fire' Dahlia and the first of the 2 in my collection to bloom

I've twenty dahlia plants in total in my garden this season of which three are duplicates.  Of the seventeen varieties, two more were on the verge of opening but not quite there.

Both 'Blue Bell' (left) and 'La Luna' (right) were close to revealing themselves yesterday afternoon but hadn't fully opened yet

Three more dahlia plants have obvious buds; an additional three have what may be buds, and two have offered no signs of buds at all yet.


Just four Zinnias grown from seed are doing well but I have hopes for other seeds I sowed later.

Clockwise from the upper left are: Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Lime', 'Queeny Red Lime', what I think is 'Queeny Lime Peach' (but could be 'Queeny Orange Lime' which I also sowed), and 'Benary's Giant Wine', the most vigorous by far


Several other plants deserve notice for their vigor as well.

I have at least 4 varieties of Abelias in my garden but Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope' is the most vibrant of them all

The majority of the Agapanthus that came with the garden are done for the season but a few named varieties I've planted in recent years were later arrivals.  From left to right are: 'Elaine', 'Stevie's Wonder', and 'Twister'

All of a sudden the Amaryllis belladonna have exploded into bloom in my back garden.  To my knowledge, all my bulbs came from a blogger friend based in Virginia years ago (including a few white ones).  How one clump ended up on the upper level of my steep back slope (middle photo) I can't fathom because there's no way I crawled up there to plant them.

I planted a lot of Eustoma grandiflorum (aka lisianthus) obtained as mail order plugs this year but I've lost the majority of them due to a combination of low rainfall and poor timing with my planting schedule.  I'm disappointed but at least I have 3 varieties in carmine, green and white.  I'm still holding out hope for a few of a light apricot variety too.

I didn't catch Globularia x indubia (aka globe daisy) at the height of their bloom.  The small flowers have a bad habit of turning a dingy brown but the bees love them!

With a little pruning last month, I managed to get another flush of blooms from Leonotis leonurus (aka lion's tail)

As always, there are a range of my old dependables in bloom, not as flashy as some plants in my garden but offering colorful spots nonetheless.

Gazanias, some new and some self-seeded

Clockwise from the upper left, Grevillea 'Moonlight', G. sericea, and the ever-blooming G. 'Superb'.  The first and the last are bee magnets.  Hummingbirds also love 'Superb'.

Masquerading as flowers, Leucadendrons 'Blush', 'Summer Red', and 'Safari Sunset'

The common myrtle (Myrtus communis) was just starting to get its bloom on last month

Clockwise from the upper left: Pelargonium peltatum (aka ivy geranium) in coral, red and dark pink.  The last one (lower left) is an unknown Pelargonium (although not P. pelatum).


A few plants took me by surprise once again.

Pelargonium schizopetalum produced another batch of flowers!

I don't look forward to blooms on Mangaves (or Agaves).  This is one of 4 'Pineapple Express' Mangaves planted in the same area and I dread the possibility that others will follow soon even if they produce pups as the mother plants dry off.

Ignoring my back slope at the height of summer is egregious on my part but I try to avoid the area when the fire ants are most active.  I just about missed the 5 Drimia maritima bulbs (aka sea squill) in bloom and I certainly didn't catch them at their best.  They didn't bloom at all last year so, with rainfall so low this year, I really didn't expect them.


Everything else of note was tallied up in color-themed collages.

Top row: Digitalis purpurea (with bee), Polygala myrtifolia, and Monarda 'Peter's Purple'
Middle: Felicia aethiopica and Salvia 'Mystic Spires'
Bottom: Hebe 'Grace Kelly' and Salvia canariensis var candidissima

Top row: Arbutus 'Marina', Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid', and Rosa 'Pink Meidiland'
Middle: Cistus x scanbergii and C. 'Sunset'
Bottom: Argyranthemum 'Grandaisy Pink', noID Dianthus, and Impatiens hawkeri 'Celebration'

Top row: Alstroemeria 'Claire', Argyranthemum 'Mount Everest', and Crassula pubescens
Middle: noID Dianthus, noID Dipladenia, and
Echinacea 'Pow Wow'
Bottom: Fuchsia 'Windchimes White', Osteospermum 'Lemon Ice', and Oxalis triangularis

Clockwise from the upper left: Arctotis 'Large Marge', Argyranthemum 'Aramis Apricot' (now yellow), Chrysocephalum 'Desert Flame', Echinacea 'Sombrero Lemon Yellow', and noID Lantana

Top row: Aloe lukeana, Cotyledon orbiculata, and Salvia 'Skyscraper Orange'
Bottom: Daucus carota 'Dara', Crassula perfoliata var falcata, and Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun'


Check in with Carol at May Dreams Gardens, the band leader for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.

Best wishes for a nice weekend.


All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party