Tripping down a local trail

When we first moved to the Palos Verdes Peninsula fifteen years ago, I took almost daily walks through the surrounding area to get acquainted with it.  As I got more involved with renovating our garden, those long walks fell to the side, although I routinely walk my immediate neighborhood as general exercise.  Earlier this week I decided to make a trek along a nearby trail I probably haven't walked in at least ten years, despite the fact that the upper trailhead is literally just feet from the entrance to our neighborhood.  The loop is approximately two miles long and rated as a "moderate challenge," although my husband reminded me that it was steep in some spots.

The upper entrance doesn't have a trailmarker and doesn't look particularly auspicious

Agave attenuata and Pelargoniums spill down a steep slope to the side of the trail near the entrance.  The homeowners on the other (left) side of the trail have planted a large number of what look like Agave americana alongside their driveway, possibly in the interest of keeping trail visitors off their property.

The trail is maintained by the city.  I remembered it as choked by weeds and dense growth in spots when I traveled it years ago.  However, last year following the fires that plagued Los Angeles County, there'd been a concerted effort to clear area trails to ensure that they'd be passable in an emergency.

The first turn in the path directly aligns it with homes in my neighborhood.  Years ago when I walked this trail, some homes weren't fenced off but that's changed over time.

The home in the background here gained a new owner who almost immediately fenced off the property to prevent access from the trail

This house, directly below the first one, changed hands several years ago and the new owners also constructed a fence

This home, nearer to ours, still isn't fenced.  That lawn is faux turf.

In general, the trail path leads downwards in elevation, although here and there the path is flat and even inclined in sections.  I did slip in some steep spots with loose, dry soil early into my trek.  I didn't fall but I did slow my pace.  A brief description of the trail I found online indicates that there's a change of 469 feet in elevation from the trail's top to its bottom.

Most everything is still very green since the last rain in early January but I have to wonder if the city will be back to cut all that grass when it turns brown

Some portions of the trail were a bit claustrophobic 

This home, at least partially fenced, belongs to our next door neighbor on our north side.  All that green is comprised of Nasturtiums not yet in flower.  Her garden and the garden of our neighbor on the other (south) side of us both stretch along the back of our own garden, insulating us from direct contact with the trail.  

Some large drainage pipes lined sides of the path

As I walked on, I discovered debris and what looks like an AC unit deposited outside fences 

The property behind this fence is one I can see across the canyon from my back garden.  The platform visible just above the fence on the left sits at the top of the property I featured in a mid-September 2025 post on a hardscaping project I watched unfold (i.e., spied on).  As the trail veers to the right beyond this point, I couldn't see anything more of the garden.  However, based on what I can see from my backyard, there isn't evidence of new plants around the homeowners' expanded deck or raised walkway.

At this point on the trail, I lost any real sense of where I was.  There were a lot of tall trees and shrubs, as well as steep slopes on both sides of the path in places, especially to the right of where I stood here.

From a plant perspective, it wasn't the most interesting walk but it offered the occasional surprise and a quite a few native and adapted species.

I think this is an Asclepias physocarpa (aka hairy balls milkweed), mingled with what may be one of our native lemonade berry shrubs (Rhus integrifolia)

This is one of the many native tree-size toyon shrubs (Heteromeles arbutifolia) lining the trail

Some Yuccas I think, both dead and alive.  There was a fair amount of dead debris scattered along the trail.

Yellow daisies of some species I can't identify

One of many Opuntias

The trail's upper reaches were mostly shady but I slowly moved into sunnier stretches. 

This photo is a little fuzzy but I wanted to point our the steep cliff area in the middle of the shot

A giant but very dead Opuntia

Tree-size Euphorbia towering over shrubs lining the trail from a nearby garden as I ventured nearer to homes again

A back garden fenced in from the trail

There were a few homes that had stairways extending to the trail.  This one included a "no trespassing" sign.

This stairway looked almost too inviting

The entire area is dotted with trees and shrubs, including what looked like California pepper trees (Schinus molle). They grow like weeds here.

There were lots of gigantic Bougainvillea in the sunnier areas

A final garden that appeared semi-open to the trail

And a mammoth vine, possibly Vigna caracalla (aka corkscrew or snail vine), spilling over a stout tree or large shrub, possibly a Ligustrum by the look of its flowers

The end in sight!  Or at least my stopping off point to head back home.

The only trailmarker I saw on my entire hike

As this point intersected with a neighborhood I was loosely familiar with and which I knew would eventually drop me out on the main road back to my home, I exited the trail here.

This neighborhood has a lot of interesting homes, many with a Spanish flair.  The road is twisty and a little steep in places but I managed to navigate it reasonably well based on the walks I'd taken there years ago.

 

View from the main road looking down on the neighborhood adjacent to mine with harbor city areas in the distance

All things considered, despite my lousy right knee, it was a pleasant walk.  I didn't see a soul until I left the trail and, other than some distant sounds of garden tools in use, it was very quiet.  I may visit the sunny, grassy area of Friendship Park, just barely visible in the upper right of last photo sometime in February.  I haven't been there in years either.

Have a nice, hopefully news-neutral, weekend.

All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party 

Clouds

For the past year, my moods have ranged widely from melancholy to frustration to anger and outrage, cycling through those emotions on a near daily basis as our federal government descends into what appears to be a bottomless decline.  A man who can no longer put together a coherent sentence and seemingly lacks even a basic concern for the people he was elected to serve, much less the concerns of our allies in other countries, runs amok, encouraged by enablers and politicians who support him because they fear his bully tactics.  His demands to "take" Greenland, an independent country already aligned with one of our European allies and with whom the US has an existing agreement relating to a US military base onsite, took me over the edge last week.  And then what clearly appears to be yet another murder of a US citizen by poorly trained ICE agents directed by dubious tyrannical leaders as he sought to exercise his Constitutional rights to protest in collaboration with his neighbors in Minneapolis threw me over the cliff into despair.

I've been trying to pull myself out of that hole and I promise I'm not going to turn this garden/plant-focused blog into a political platform but I felt like I had to recognize the moment.  I haven't attended a protest since last year but I feel it's almost inevitable I will again this year.  Meanwhile, I've signed plenty of petitions this year and made another contribution to the ACLU yesterday, the first of what may be many donations this year as I hope to see a sharp turn in the direction of our political climate as we head into our midterm elections.

The following photos captured on Monday helped center my feelings.  Perhaps they'll have something of the same effect on you.

Sunrise over the Port of Los Angeles

Clouds marked by a variety of contrails

Clearer skies as the morning proceeded

Here's a link to a song that captures the need to look forward:

On Friday, I'll share a completely unpolitical trip down a local trail, where I walked off some of my current angst.  I believe change is in the offing and the majority of the US population will drive even the most cowardly officials to either do the right thing, or show them out the door.

All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Change is in the air

A stretch of warmer weather earlier this month prompted the development of new blooms.  Even through temperatures dropped lower over the last few days (mid-60sF/18C), they're expected to climb again this week, at least for a time.  Meanwhile, last week's brush with rain delivered just one hundredth of an inch here.  There's currently no chance of rain showing in the ten day forecast but there's a moderately decent opportunity of some as we get closer to mid-February.  I remain hopeful that our brief rainy season, which started with such promise, won't bottom out early. 

The first of my Leucospermums is blooming but I didn't elect to use any of the stems this week.  However, I couldn't ignore Hippeastrum 'Amadeus Candy'.  I potted three bulbs in a single pot and two of the stems are now flowering with the bud of the third looking ready to open any day.

I had a surprisingly difficult time finding flowers to echo the bright pink of the petal tips.  Two Grevilleas with small flowers stepped up to help.  The white jasmine with pink buds was provided courtesy of a neighbor's plant that's currently spilling over my side of our fence.

I used more pink snapdragons this week to fill the back side of the vase

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt', Antirrhinum majus (aka snapdragon), Grevillea rosmarinifolia, G. 'Scarlet Sprite', Hippeastrum 'Amadeus Candy', and Jasminum polyanthum

The 'Bordeaux' and 'Lord Lieutenant' Anemones continue to produce new blooms and two more varieties are slowly unfurling.  I used one of the newbies and 'Lord Lieutenant' in my second arrangement.

Anemone 'Mistral Azzurro' is one of the new bulb flowers to make an appearance.  It's looking paler than I recall when I previously grew it but perhaps I just cut the first 2 flowers prematurely.  Interestingly, I've learned that these Anemones, like tulips, continue to grow taller after they've been cut.

Back view

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Anemone coronaria 'Lord Lieutenant', A. c. 'Mistral Azzurro', Limonium perezii, Matthiola incanum (aka stock), Osteospermum 'Violet Ice', and Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata'

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

All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

One thing leads to another

It started with an Aloe.  You may recall mention of my plan to plant more Aloes in my north and south-side succulent gardens.  Although I haven't had an opportunity to go shopping yet, I realized that I had one in another area of the garden in need of rescuing.  I planted an Aloe wickensii, now classified as Aloe cryptopoda, in my front garden in December 2014.  It grows two to three feet tall and wide but it was small when I got it and it didn't do much for years.  If my records are correct, it bloomed for the first time in January 2022.

Its flowers are bi-color

It was gradually shaded out by the plants surrounding it and hasn't bloomed for at least the last two years.

Two views of the same plant in its original spot in my front garden

Two plants adjacent to the to the Aloe complicated the process of digging it up to be moved.  One was Agave 'Jaws' and the other was Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder'.  I didn't record the date I planted that Agave but it shows up in a post I published in January 2015.  The Leucadendron was planted in the same area in late November 2014.  They've since grown to overwhelm each other and much of what surrounded them.

This photo of 'Jaws' was taken in February 2024.  I don't have any later photos, probably because the Agave has been mostly buried under the Leucadendron ever since.  You can see one arm of the Aloe cryptopoda all too close to it on the right in this photo.

This is a photo of the massive Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder' taken earlier this month.  You can see Agave 'Jaws' wedged underneath it on the lower left.  Frankly, I knew I was pushing my luck when I planted the shrub back in 2014 but I didn't care at that point.  In later years, I just decided to wait out the Agave's first and last bloom prior to removal.

A few historical references from my photo archive might help explain how the area developed over time.

This wide shot was taken in late May 2015 when I'd "finished" laying the flagstone path and planting the area on the south side of the front garden following removal of the lawn during the prior year.  Both the (still small) Leucadendron and Agave are visible in the foreground on the left.  The Aloe isn't visible here but, according to my written record, it was there behind the Agave.

This wide shot was taken in April 2018.  Again, the Leucadendron and Agave are visible.  There was a Duranta repens 'Gold Mound' next to the Leucadendron and behind the Grevillea 'Superb'.  The Duranta was supposed to grow 2 feet tall and wide but it eventually grew over 6 feet tall despite regular pruning.  I took it out years ago. 

This closeup, taken in June 2021, shows the Agave, Aloe, and Leucadendron coexisting in peace

You can still see all 3 plants in this wide shot taken in October 2022

By late September 2025, the Agave and Aloe had already been swamped by the larger shrubs

Before I dug up the Aloe cryptopoda, I pulled as many of the Agave 'Jaws' pups as I could, while also prying out many of the dead leaves at the base of the mother plant.

'Jaws' is a pupping machine.  I've pulled many pups in the past and I pulled 11 more on this occasion.  I gave up on 2 others after getting stabbed repeatedly. 

The Leucadendron required more effort to tame and I had to bring out my new electric pruner.  I ended up tackling it in two separate phases.

This was my tools lineup.  The blue battery-powered pruner is on the left.  It was a Christmas present from my husband and I don't know how I've lived without it this long.  I have developed arthritis in both my wrists (or, more accurately, in the base of both thumbs), which makes them hurt much of the time.

These photos reflect the first round of trimming from 2 different angles.  Previously, it was virtually impossible to walk between the Leucadendron, Grevillea, and Lomandras (the grass-like plants shown on the right).  I'd also all but forgotten that there was a narrow flagstone path between the bed occupied by the Grevillea and Lomandras and the bed occupied by the Leucadendron, Agave, and Aloe among other plants.  (That path can be seen in the 2015 wide shot shown earlier.)

I took out still more of the Leucadendron on my second pass, especially the dead material at the shrub's base.  I plan to make a third round at cutting back the plant's flower-like bracts next month but, for now, I'm allowing them to shine.

While at it with the electric pruners on the Leucadendron, I decided I should use the opportunity to cut back my Grevillea 'Superb', which has grown into a giant.  According to my records, I planted it in November 2013.

This is the first photo I have of it, taken a couple of weeks after it was planted.  The Nandinas behind it were planted by a prior owner, which I removed as the Grevillea grew larger.

This is what the Grevillea looked like in early January

It hurt me to cut as much of my ever-blooming Grevillea 'Superb' as I did but many of the branches had grown long and gangly.  It's come back stronger after prior prunings and I hope the same will be true this time.

I then moved on to my south-side succulent bed to plant the Aloe cryptopoda I'd retrieved from its shady foliage cave in the front garden.  At that point, I thought that was all I had left to do, but, as I said at the outset of this post, one thing always seems to lead to another.

The removals of several 'Blue Flame' Agaves and one bloomed-out 'Blue Glow' Agave last year had left plenty of space so placing the Aloe wasn't a problem.  This is a view of the Aloe in place from the front of the bed.

Here's another view of the Aloe from the back for the bed.  Take note of Agave 'Mr Ripple' in the lower right corner of the photo.

When planting the Aloe, I decided there was cleanup I needed to address at the back of this bed too.

'Mr Ripple' had produced 2 pups, one relatively large that threatened to tear the ankle of anyone walking the path behind the bed.  To remove the pups, I had to cut back the Delosperma 'Violet Wonder' groundcover stretching over them and creeping into the path.  That done, I also gave a minor haircut to the Pennisetum grass leaning into 'Mr Ripple'.

And then I discovered that I couldn't ignore the state of affairs with the Salvia clevelandii 'Winnifred Gilman' just to the left of 'Mr Ripple'.  I'd planted 2 of these shrubs in 2016 from 4-inch pots.  One died a couple of years ago and I removed it.  Now the second was in deep decline with only a little fresh foliage left.

It looked like this back in June 2025.  The blue flowers were vibrant and the plant adds a nice fragrance in the garden (if being a little heavy for use in indoor spaces).

This is how the area looked after I was done with it.  I cleared the dead foliage from 4 Hesperaloes (aka red yucca) in the process.

I left just a few stems of the Salvia with fresh green foliage in place.  It looks geeky but I'm hoping that it'll produce some final blooms this coming June before I pull the rest of the plant out.  At that point, I'll also need to cleanup or remove the Aeonium haworthii 'Kiwi Verde'  surrounding the Salvia's base.  Whether I replant the Aeonium cuttings or plant something else entirely there has yet to be determined.

Closeup of what's left of the Salvia and raggedy Aeoniums

And then, in another part of the same bed, I need to address still another problem.

I've pruned Hymenolepsis parviflora (aka Coulter bush) back hard in prior years but it isn't looking like it's going to rebound this time, as shown on the left.  Like the Agave 'Blue Glow' that once stood in front of it (shown on the right), it may have to go.

A gardener's work is never finished.  I hope you enjoy your weekend and avoid any weather-related issues.

All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party