When I sat down to write this post, I started with a rant about what happened in the US Capitol on Wednesday. Disillusioned and disgusted as I've been with the current occupant of the White House for a long time, I was nonetheless shocked that a sitting President would actively incite violence as he did on Wednesday. However, rather than repeating what you can find in news reports, I'll just share a song from John Fogerty. A friend shared it with me just before the violent attack by terrorists on the US Capitol intent on asserting the President's will over the will of the people. Fogerty had been distressed that his song, Fortunate Son, had been used on Trump's campaign trail over his personal objections. This new song, Weeping in the Promised Land, is his own reflection on the damage Trump has wrought during his 4-year tenure.
As to the foliage standouts in my winter garden, I'll start with the succulents on the south side of our house. I took the first photos in late December.
There's a problem that stands out to me like a sore thumb here - do you see it?
Some of the leaves of Agave 'Blue Flame' were badly damaged by summer heat
The burned and tattered edges of the 'Blue Flame' Agave had bothered me for some time. On Wednesday afternoon, needing to engage in physical activity to work out my anger and frustration with the day's events, I took a knife to the damaged leaves of the agave. Here are the after shots:
I cut out many of the damaged leaves using a serrated knife. In a few cases, I simply cut away the damaged leaf tips.
They're almost magazine pretty now
However, if you look closely, there's some pitting to the outside leaves, apparently the result of the brief hailstorm we experienced after Christmas. I'd thought I've avoided any damage from the hail until I noticed this.
While cutting out selected leaves, I also removed seven 'Blue Flame' pups. Only one of these had any roots hopefully the others can be encouraged to develop some.
In addition to the 'Blue Flame', 'Blue Glow', and mediopicta 'Alba' Agaves shown in the preceding photos, this area is home to several others, most notably the following:
I planted this Agave gypsophila from a 4-inch pot in 2016, not really considering the wisdom of placing it so close to the flagstone path. I'm thinking about moving it to the recently replanted front slope nearby.
This Agave 'Mr Ripley', also originally planted from a 4-inch pot, was placed in another questionable spot along the dirt path used when trimming the hedge just a few feet away
Agave ovatifolia 'Vanzie' is several feet away from 'Mr Ripley' along the same path. I think it'll be okay there but the Kniphofia in front of it may have to move.
Prominent as succulents are in my garden, my eye was drawn to other foliage as well.
The peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa) trees that partially screen the garden from the street do a nice job imitating lace curtains this time of year
Although it's not as flashy as variegated Echium 'Star of Madiera', Echium webii is my favorite in this genus
I cut Melianthus major back to the ground in September, much earlier than usual, and I was worried that maybe I'd killed it but it's sprung back
I like how this Phormium 'Maori Queen' echoes the color of the neighbors' maple tree leaves across the street, which you see in a peek-a-boo view through the foliage
I'll close with two new succulents I received as recent gifts from friends.
Mangave 'Barney' is on the left and Mangave 'Silver Fox' is on the right. I'm still debating the placement of both.
Getting back to the subject matter at the top of my post, if you're sickened by the lies that lead to events like that we saw on Wednesday, you might consider signing the Pro-truth Pledge and, better yet, ask the officials who seek your vote to take the pledge too. You can find more about it here.
As we move reluctantly into summer here, I thought a look at some of the foliage that provides the backbone of my garden was in order. The difficulty taking photos under the glare of the sun with our second heatwave of the summer baring down on me kept the number of photos suitable for publication down to a reasonable number. To limit the focus further, I've concentrated on foliage elements that enhance or play off the foliage surrounding them.
Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt' is one of the mainstays of my garden. I have 7 of them and, over time, they've gotten very large. This one, planted beneath tree-sized Leucadendron 'Pisa', plays off the texture of succulent Aeonium arboreum outside my office window.
Another 3 'Cousin Itt' fill a broad space under a peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa) in the back border. This one spills down the slight slope that flattens into a dirt path running between the back border and the Xylosma congestum hedge that borders the entire back garden. This one is also mingling with succulents and Leucadendrons.
The 3 dwarf Agonis flexuosa 'Nana' I cut back hard in December have fleshed out nicely. The Aeonium haworthii 'Kiwi' bordering the bed picks up the color of its foliage. The red stems of the Agonis also play off the Coprosma 'Plum Hussey' in the background on the left and the Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' in the distance on the right. (The upturned plastic flats underneath the shrubs are protecting newly sown sunflower and zinnia seeds.)
Here's a closer look at Coprosma repens 'Plum Hussey'
The Coprosma and this metal screen are both supporting the one and only passionflower vine (Passiflora parritae) I've been able to keep alive. Planted in a pot in 2 years ago, it's yet to bloom.
This is a closer look at Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset', growing next to another noID Leucadendron, with Agave attenuata 'Raea's Gold' below and the mass of Acacia 'Cousin Itt' in the background
Maybe you also noted the 3 Agave bracteosa (squid agave) in the foreground of the preceding photo. This photo provides a closer look. There are also 2 Agave 'Joe Hoak' in the background on the right.
The same plants viewed in the other direction against a backdrop of Yucca 'Bright Star'
I was afraid I went too far when I cut Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' nearly to the ground. I was thrilled to see it's also jumped into gear. There's another, smaller Coprosma 'Plum Hussey' alongside it, picking up the red color of the smoke bush's foliage.
Melianthus major is another plant I cut nearly to the ground in late winter. It benefits from the shade of the Arbutus 'Marina' under which it's planted. It's red flowers pick up the color of the tree's bark, as well as the color in variegated Leucadendron 'Jester'.
I'll close this post with foliage I've come to have a love-hate relationship with, the masses of Stipa tenuissima (aka Mexican feather grass) I have in my garden. I've 8 mass plantings of this grass, each consisting of 3 to 5 clumps. It self-seeds widely at this time of year and, since out drought became more persistent and the soil has hardened, those seedlings have become more difficult to pull out in some areas.
This grass mixes well with everything but keeping it tidy is a chore at this time of year. These are the before (left) and after (right) photos of one expanse of these plants in the back border. Many gardeners cut these down to a couple of inches but the plants look ugly for a few months afterwards and that approach doesn't eliminate the dead growth at their base. I comb the dead foliage out by hand.
This is the before and after shot of yet another section. The combing process takes a long time and the stress of the repetitive activity caused the ganglion cyst in my wrist to flare up again this week.
With all the Mexican feather grass tided up (at least for a month, after which they'll need another pass) and the heat backing off, I'm looking forward to more pleasant hours in the garden this weekend. I know a nasty polar vortex is expected to effect a broad area of the US this weekend and, in advance, I offer my condolences and send hope that it won't be too cold, too damaging, or remain around too long.
In early Spring even the most foliage-focused gardeners I know can be distracted by the colorful blooms that take the stage by storm. For someone like me who's a bit flower-obsessed to begin with, it can be difficult to even see the foliage for the flowers. I recently took time to survey the foliage in my garden in a effort to balance my outlook. I won't share every one of my foliage stand-outs (I covered many of these back in late December), just those that grabbed my attention for one reason or another this month.
The first one is a new introduction to my garden.
This is Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum' (aka Golden Full Moon Maple), a dwarf Japanese maple I picked up at my local garden center in late February. It reportedly has requirements similar to other Japanese maples; however, I belatedly discovered that my Sunset Western Garden Book doesn't recommend this species for my area. So far, it's doing alright in a protected area with morning sun exposure. I'm crossing my fingers that it'll survive our summer.
As usual, many of my top foliage picks are succulents.
I thought all the Crassula I planted here next to the Aeonium arboreum was C. pubescens radicans but only some of it's developed that variety's characteristic deep red color. I like the mix of colors in any case.
I grow a lot of Aeonium haworthii 'Kiwi'. Last year, I added a variety called 'Kiwi Verde'. I initially considered it 'Kiwi's' duller cousin but I've grown fond of it. While it doesn't have the pronounced variegation 'Kiwi' is known for, the rosettes still develop attractive red edges and it's an even more robust grower.
Agave 'Blue Flame' is making quite a statement in my south-side succulent bed this year
A couple of months ago, I added Aeonium 'Zwartkop' to embellish these 'Blue Glow' Agaves but Lotus bethelotii 'Amazon Sunset' provides a nice accent too
Albuca spiralis 'Frizzle Sizzle' has emerged from its long underground nap
A variety of shrubs also caught my eye.
This is Artemisia californica, a California native as the name suggests. It looked sad after summer's intense heat and I cut my 2 shrubs back hard. They're looking great now.
Corokia x virgata 'Sunsplash' adds a subtle note of variegation to this bed in my front garden
Melianthus major has sprung back after I cut it nearly to the ground. It provides a handsome contrast to Leucadendron 'Jester' and Phormium 'Amazing Red' here.
This is a plant I'd all but forgotten about until I cut back the ornamental grass that had threatened to envelop it. It's Ochna serrulata, aka Mickey Mouse Bush. I planted it in November 2014 and, even now, it's only a foot tall at best. It's supposed to reach 8 feet in height at maturity but it certainly seems to be making a slow start. It's an interesting plant, though, so I'll give it more time.
This is Pelargonium cucullatum 'Flore Plenum', possibly the most vigorous Pelargonium I've ever grown. It produces pretty flowers but it's the foliage that originally attracted me. Despite it's crinkly leaves, it's almost silky to the touch and it looks great when backlit.
I'll close with a succulent combination I'm particularly pleased with at the moment.
Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' and Hesperaloe parviflora make a happy combination
That's it for me this week. Wherever you are, I hope you're treated to a warm, pleasant, sunny weekend.
I took advantage of a warm, dry spell to do some clean-up in the garden this weekend. My chores started with cutting back the tall, lanky stems of Melianthus major to make way for the new growth that had already sprouted at the plant's base. I pulled the snapdragons that were covered in rust in the cutting garden, preserving just a few of the less blemished stems. I cut the Narcissus flowers that got plastered in our last rain storm to save them the indignity of a repeat performance when rain arrived again Sunday night. And I cut back the floppy stems of the Copper Canyon daisies (Tagetes lemmonii), the Moroccan daisies (Rhodanthemum hosmariense) that had their faces in the dirt, and some lanky stems of stock (Matthiola incana). All these elements were retained for use in this week's vase, or rather vases. While the Melianthus foliage complemented everything well enough, the flowers fought with one another and had to be separated.
I'd wanted to use purple and blues this week; however, there weren't enough blooms in those colors to make a splash. In contrast, the pink flowers in the garden screamed for attention.
Pink flowers were used as the focal point in this vase with purple and blue serving as accents
Most of the purple and blues were relegated to the back of the vase
The large leaves of the Melianthus made it difficult to get decent views of the vases from the top
Clockwise from the upper left, this vase contains: Camellia x williamsii 'Taylor's Perfection', noID Dianthus, Lavandula multifida, Limonium perezii, Melianthus major, Rhodanthemum hosmariense, Globularia indubia, and Matthiola incana
The last few stems of the snapdragons set the color scheme for the second vase.
I tried to give the arrangement some panache with the first Calla Lily of the season
The back is all about the Melianthus foliage
Clockwise from the left, the vase contains: Zantedeschia aethiopica, Antirrhinum majus, noID Narcissus, Melianthus major, and Tagetes lemmonii
I threw the leftover stems of Melianthus and Narcissus into a third vase because I didn't have the heart to toss them in the trash.
Both the Narcissus and the Tagetes have scents my husband doesn't particularly like but he hasn't complained (yet).
The pink and purple vase sits in the entry; the second vase is on the dining room table; and the third is in my office
During the dog days of summer, it's hard to get really excited about the garden here. The heat is oppressive and most of the plants are acting as though they're in a witness protection program, hunkering down and trying their best not to be noticed. It helps to take one's camera on a stroll just after sunrise, when the garden feels freshest, which is what I did this week.
There are plants that are adept at standing up to the heat. I got a jump start in calling those out last week with my post entitled "the good, the bad and the ugly." I complemented the Leucadendrons and showed photos of 'Wilson's Wonder' and 'Safari Sunset' but 'Pisa' also deserves recognition.
Leucadendron 'Pisa' with the sun showing through its silver leaves (left) and the cones decorating its branches (right)
In the bed opposite that occupied by 'Pisa', Melianthus major is also looking good in the early morning light.
Melianthus major is nestled in between Arbutus 'Marina', Grevillea 'Ned Kelly' and Leucadendron 'Jester' where it gets a bit of shade during the hottest part of the day
The ornamental grasses are also coming into their own.
Pennisetum 'Fireworks' also makes the most of the morning light
Seslaria 'Greenlee's Hybrid' mimics the display of Pennisetum 'Fireworks' on the other side of the flagstone path
It's probably too soon to get excited over Bouteloua gracilis 'Blonde Ambition' as the 5 small plants here have only been in the ground a few weeks (hey, it was on sale and I couldn't resist - and it's drought tolerant!) but I love that they're already sporting the flowers that look like blonde eyebrows
On the back patio, Phylica pubescens (aka Featherhead) has managed the heat thrown at it.
Okay, the 2 plants I put in the bad border were quickly killed by that miserable heatwave in June but this one in a large pot has settled in nicely
On the other side of the patio, also in a pot, I'm amazed that Duranta erecta 'Sapphire Showers' is blooming well on a steady diet of graywater from the kitchen sink.
Anything that can get by on weekly infusions of graywater alone is a winner in my book
Many of the Echeverias are blooming now but Echeveria 'Afterglow' is my favorite.
'Afterglow' has survived in this pot for about 3 years now without complaining and gets watered only every couple of weeks (if I remember)
Out along the street, the last of the three Chondropetalum tectorum (aka Cape Rush) I planted in 2013 has finally come into its own. Situated in front of the Xylosma congestum shrubs we planted in spring as a continuation of our existing street-side hedge, it's responded to the extra water provided to those shrubs. I'd like to find a few more of these to add elsewhere in the garden when the fall planting season comes around.
Rush viewed from the street (left) and from the dirt path in the garden with the late afternoon sun shining through (right)
That's it for my July favorite picks. Visit Loree at danger garden to see what plants she and other gardeners are excited about this month.
