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.
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| I filled this large terracotta container with an assortment of succulents |
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| 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.
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| 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. |
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| Rudbeckias are effectively annuals in my climate but I enjoy them despite their short lives in my garden |
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| 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.
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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.
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| 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. |
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| Dahlia 'Blue Bell' has also opened more fully since my Bloom Day post |
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| Dahlia 'Excentric', grown from a tuber saved from last year's crop, just produced its first flower in a barrel in partial shade |
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| 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
"...at some point I'll be complaining that they've gotten too big". Haha. Indeed, that's how its goes for all of us. Lament the slowness of our plants to fill in, or be shocked at how exuberant they are, taking over the garden. My (foolish) goal is to try and find a middle of the road.
ReplyDeleteI do love blue Senecio; I hope it fills in and looks beautiful for a long while before getting floppy.
The foxglove from the barrel would bloom next year, if it's not yet in the compost bin.
Dahlia 'La Luna' is gorgeous: such a beautiful shade of creamy white!
Chavli
I seek to keep to the middle of the road too but it never ceases to surprise me when whatever I've planted "suddenly" explodes in size.
DeleteI thought of you when I decided to go ahead and replant cuttings of the blue chalk Senecio - it's a very nice plant when it behaves. Sadly, that foxglove and a couple others are already in the recycle bin - I generally treat them as annuals and most were poorly performing annuals this year. However, I still have about 5 or 6 of the plants ;)
I've got to get to watering today, & putting a few umbrellas up before the heat. I'm so looking forward to being able to safely plant again. Your back border looks like it's partially shaded? I was just snapping blue Senecio back that was intruding on the path, they are floppy -but I love the color. LaLuna is a beauty!
ReplyDeleteThe back of the back border is in shade for much of the day, courtesy of the dense Xylosma hedge that runs the length of the back garden (and other areas). The Aeonium cuttings should grow more slowly there but then those in a shady stretch of the moderate front slope eventually grew quite large (and flowered). I probably need to pull the lot of them and start again from cuttings in the coming year.
DeleteSuch beautiful flowers, and of course you're still planting... faced with empty space it's what we do! I'd thought our heatwave last week was it for the season, but no. I guess we're headed into the same intense period you are, they're saying it could be a week before it breaks once we warm up on Friday (100). Guess I better give things a good soaking.
ReplyDeleteI think it's been at least 2 years since we had a really bad heatwave, by which I mean one with temperatures over 100F. However, the year we hit 113F is still embedded in my psyche. I remember getting the hose out for emergency watering with hot wind blowing and feeling as though I was living inside a hair dryer.
DeleteI'm so glad the dahlias are coming through for you. And don't be afraid to deploy umbrellas to shade special ones in the heat --- we saw colorful parasols used in the recent PNW fling to shade hydrangeas -- maybe check World Market for those paper & bamboo ones.
ReplyDeleteI have at least 1 umbrella somewhere I've used for that purpose but it's probably not tall enough to shield the dahlias in the cutting garden. I remember the wonderful parasols used in the Heckler garden - I should've looked at if/how she extended their height but then I'm sure my husband could work something out.
DeleteSuch lovely Dahlias! A. titanota is very, very tough--good chance of it recovering without injury.
ReplyDeleteI had a plain species Rudbeckia do well for several years in the ground. They are really pretty.
Now, I need to get out and spot water before the heat really hits. Stay cool!
I got most of my watering done by 9am, although it's entirely possible I forgot something. I didn't even try to do anything on the back slope (fire ants!), although I probably should give the lemon tree an extra soak just in case the heat here exceeds 100F. Whenever that happens, every single lemon on the tree drops and the tree can take 2 years to fully recover.
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