In a Vase on Monday: Windfalls

I'm afraid there are yet more dahlias in my vases this week.  I've been on the look out for new fall blooms but the usual suspects have been slow to appear.  Unfortunately, our Santa Ana winds have shown up right on schedule, bringing yet another round of wildfires.  The winds cause humidity levels to plummet and snap tall, top-heavy dahlia blooms.  Salvaging the blooms for use in a vase is preferable to throwing them in the trash.

This week I decided to photograph my vases in the new but still unfinished kitchen.  The cabinets have been painted and the countertops are installed but there's no electric lighting yet.

The tall stem in the center of the arrangement is showing off the first blooms of Senna bicapsularis

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlias 'Citron du Cap', 'Labyrinth' and 'Otto's Thrill'; Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold'; Lantana 'Lucky White'; Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl'; and, in the center, Senna bicapsularis

I managed to create one vase using "new" material.

The graceful lavender racemes shown here are Plectranthus 'Zulu Wonder', one of my favorite fall bloomers.  One of my plants has been trashed during our remodeling process but the other is looking good.

I also added a few stems of Anemone hupensis japonica, not a prolific bloomer here but always welcome

Top view showing off some late-blooming lavender lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum).  According to the nursery tags, this variety was supposed to have had reddish-brown flowers.

Clockwise from the upper left: Anemone hupensis japonica, Euryops chrysanthemoides 'Sonnenschein', Eustoma grandiflorum, and Plectranthus ciliatus 'Zulu Wonder'

Dahlia 'Punkin Spice' has had lots of attention the past few weeks but she's too pretty to allow to wither in the wind either so I threw some of those blooms into a third vase.

The only embellishment I added to the dahlia blooms was 2 stems of Duranta repens 'Gold Mound'

'Punkin Spice' can vary dramatically in color as these 2 photos show

The wind was still blowing in my location last night but the fire situation in Southern California has improved overall.  The Sandalwood Fire, which covered 1000 acres, killed 2 people and burned 74 structures, is near full containment.  The Saddleridge Fire resulted in evacuation orders affecting 100,000 people, spread over 8000 acres, contributed to one death, and burned 31 structures.  It's also blown smoke and ash over a wide area of Los Angeles County, including my own area.  It's 41% contained as of the last report.

For more Monday vases, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Fall Plant Shopping

Fall is prime planting season here and, with swaths of my garden trashed over the course of our ongoing home remodel and other areas showing the usual stress imposed by our long dry season, I'm anxious to get to work.  I probably should hang back awhile yet but as the Australian Native Plant Nursery (ANPN) in Casitas Springs scheduled a fall plant sale last weekend my friend and I decided to move up our usual fall plant shopping trip.  For me the drive each way is 3-4 hours, depending on traffic, and half that for my friend.

ANPN was our first stop.  Jo O'Connell, the owner/operator, isn't generally open on weekends anymore, which makes it difficult for us to visit.  A weekday trip would put me on the road during peak commuter hours on both legs, adding hours.

There's a plaque at the entrance in the shape of the continent of Australia, decorated with koalas.  We were met by Wallaby, the official greeter, who asks for a tummy rub as the price of admission.

I didn't have an opportunity to ask for an ID on this gorgeous tree-sized shrub but it reminded me of my own Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' - on steroids

Some of the sale offerings (left) and the cashier's shed (right).  That's Jo O'Connell in the orange shirt in the background.

O'Connell and her husband lost their home on the nursery's grounds to the Thomas Fire in December 2017.  They're currently living in what was a guest house at the back of the property but plans are in place to start construction on their new home.  As a resident, Wallaby was exempt from the no trespassing request.

Next, we stopped for a leisurely lunch in Carpinteria about a half hour further north.

Our usual lunch stop in Carpinteria is Garden Market.  We eat on the patio and enjoy the sunshine and plants, like this exuberant Leonotis leonurus.

We also checked out Porch, just a few storefronts down from Garden Market

Our next stop was nearby Seaside Gardens, a garden center we try to visit at least twice a year.  In addition to offering a broad selection of plants, it has a large area devoted to demonstration gardens.  (You can view photos from prior visits here.)

I've picked up numerous Leucadendrons and Grevilleas here but most grow into large plants and I'm running out of room for more

They have a great selection of Phormiums and Cordylines too

These 2 horses mark one entrance into the demonstration gardens

I was somewhere between the California Native Garden and the Central/South American Garden here

This and the next photo were shot in the Succulent Garden

This and the following photo were shot in the Grasslands area

Our last stop was Island View Nursery just one mile away.  This nursery is in the process of changing hands for at least the second time within the decade or so we've included it in our regular run.  While the nursery has a fairly broad supply of outdoor plants, our focus in shopping there has generally involved the succulents, bromeliads and indoor plants it offers.  It's our understanding that the nursery's offerings in that category are about to undergo a major expansion.

Two views of the indoor plants area, composed of 2 huge quonset hut-type structures

As these exterior photos show, the nursery is in the process of adding 3 more structures of similar size.  We were told that they would be used to house an expanded selection of airplants and other bromeliads

So, I had a list of plants I was looking for.  I found none of them on this trip, although I came close in one case at Seaside.  (Right species, wrong cultivar.)  Do you think I came home empty-handed?  Don't be silly.  Here's my haul:

On the left, are Grevillea 'Poorinda Leane', purchased at ANPN, and Cordyline 'Can Can', purchased at Seaside.  In the middle, all purchased at Seaside, are: Plectranthus cordifolium 'Caroline's Citrine', Daphne odora 'Leucanthe' (yes, I can be nuts sometimes!), and 2 Hemizygia 'Candy Kisses'.  On the right is Begonia 'Escargot', which came from Island View.

I'm glad we made the trip last weekend.  Our Santa Ana winds are blowing again and there's another major fire burning to the north of us, relatively close to my friend's home, as well as my brother's house.  We could smell the fire here this morning even though we're a good 50+ miles away.  Wildfires have been a fact of life here but they're definitely more frequent and more vicious than those in my childhood years.  The current fire is still only 13% contained with 7500 acres burned.  Twenty-five homes in the valley I grew up in have already been destroyed.


All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Wednesday Vignette: Surrounded by mess

While our remodel project is moving ahead with increased speed, the mess surrounding us gets steadily worse.  This week, we've been preparing to have the house's exterior painted.  The team's first step was to scrub the dirt off the facade but, before they could start, we had to move everything away from the house, which in effect meant moving these items into my garden.  I know this isn't a forever situation but, as a neat freak, a legacy of growing up as the daughter of a hoarder, this stresses me out, making my garden a source of anxiety rather than the refuge I'd like it to be.

The photo on the left shows the scene that currently greets me the moment I step out the door of our temporary kitchen.  The next 2 photos show my cutting garden steps away.  Among other things, 2 of 3 my rain barrels have been deposited in these spaces, as well as the 2 benches that formerly sat on either side of the front door.   Passage through the garden has become difficult.

The plants I had in pots have taken major hits since the remodel began and I've emptied more and more of them as the process continued.  They've landed under the citrus trees in the cutting garden, along with the plastic flats I used to deter critters from digging there.  The good news is that the raccoons have been steering clear of the garden for a few months now.

This is what landed in the area in front of our garage.  We hope the guy who removed the paving stones from our back patio to accommodate the kitchen extension will agree to lay a new trash can path for us using them.  Work on my renovated bromeliad/succulent bed is halted until I can clear space to work. 

If it wasn't for the fact that this bench occupies the middle of the path, it could be a comfortable spot to sit awhile

I appreciate how nice the exterior walls look cleaned of their dirt and grime but I look forward even more to completion of the painting process, which will allow me to restore a semblance of order to my garden.  Meanwhile, the entire renovation experience has me considering adopting a more minimalistic ethos.  I may not be a hoarder but I've got more stuff than I need.

The protective film's finally come off the new kitchen window.  I'll have a nice view from the kitchen sink once the weather station is put back on the roof and the construction workers clear the debris from the back patio.

For more Wednesday Vignettes, visit Anna at Flutter & Hum.


All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Sprinting to the finish line

I had a different kind of vase in mind this week but the dahlias in my cutting garden wouldn't be denied.  Although I still hope I'll have them around for a few weeks yet, it feels as though they're putting on their final push looking toward the end of their season.

Dahlia 'Citron du Cap' was the starting point for this vase but 2 other dahlia varieties quickly got on board

I hadn't planned on using the stiff  Pittosporum foliage either but yesterday morning my husband went crazy trimming it to clear space for the painters we expect to start work on the outside of the house this week so it ended up here

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlias 'Citron du Cap', 'Labyrinth' and 'Terracotta', noID white Cosmos, Pittosporum tobira 'Variegata', and Tanacetum parthenium

One vase containing dahlias wasn't enough so here's another one.

I was cutting Abelia for inclusion in the first vase when I decided it'd look even better with Dahlia 'Enchantress'

Again, 2 additional dahlias jumped on board, along with a few foxglove stems.  I pulled most of my remaining foxgloves 2 weeks ago but the 2 plants I left in place are still flowering.

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlias 'Enchantress', 'Diva' and 'Hollyhill Karen Lee', Abelia grandiflora ' Hopley's Variegated', and Digitalis purpurea

Even after filling 2 vases, I had leftovers that landed in a third vase.

One of Dahlia 'Punkin Spice's' stems took a nose dive and I couldn't just leave her hanging

The Coprosma was originally intended for the first vase but it got booted by the Pittosporum

Clockwise from the left: Dahlia 'Punkin Spice', Zinnia elegans, and Coprosma repens 'Plum Hussey'

For more Monday vases, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

A lot of work but not much to show for it (yet)

Temperatures cooled dramatically late last week, making it much more pleasant to work outside.  Roofers overhead made it unpleasant to spend time inside.  So I got started in earnest on my fall garden clean-up.  While it wasn't a bad summer overall, the garden is still looking a little sad, partly due to neglect on my part, especially in providing supplemental watering, and partly as a result of lots of extra feet treading through it, not to speak of the dust and debris that's accompanied the ongoing work on our house.

I started in the front garden, clearing out masses of dead peppermint geranium (Pelargonium tomentosum).  The heavier-than-usual winter and spring rain promoted a major growth spurt, with the vines tumbling down the moderate front slope to mingle with succulents.  When the rain stopped and the summer's heat came on, a lot of it died.

I didn't take a "before" shot so you'll have to take my word for the fact that there was a tangle of dead peppermint geranium engulfing the base of the Arbutus and several feet beyond where the area slopes down

After 2 nasty run-ins with fire ants on my back slope I'd completely avoided the area for well over a month.  When I ventured down there again this week, I could smell molding lemons when I was just half-way down the stairway.  Once again, I failed to take any before photos.  Although I did take precautions against fire ants, these were ineffective and I picked up a couple of dozen stings for my trouble but at least the moldy fruit is gone.

I still need to cut back the dead growth of the Euphorbia 'Dean's Hybrid' but that's a project for another day.  In addition to clearing out the rotting fruit, I picked several bushels of lemons to lessen the load on the tree's branches.  I gave the bulk of what I picked to the roofers, with some also going to friends but plenty of fruit remains on the tree.

I also cut the bedraggled Centranthus ruber under the lemon tree down to the ground and cut back the crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) that was threatening to strangle the Pittosporums marking the property line between us and our neighbor on the south side.  I cut away some of the ivy that always threatens to engulf the area and cut the Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri) down to less than 12 inches.  I love the poppy but it's too big for that area and now than the Ceanothus arboreus is finally assuming tree-like proportions, I'm afraid the poppy needs to go.  I bet that'll make the fire ants really mad!

Meanwhile, I made zero progress in cutting back the ivy and honeysuckle that dominate the steep upper area of the slope.  Benefiting from the plentiful rain and the mild summer, both plants have recovered and have now taken back most of the area I previously cleared.

After more than 2 years in place, the parrot's beak vines (Lotus berthelotii) I used as a groundcover along the pathway extending from the south side of the house into the back garden were overgrown and twiggy.  I pulled them all out this week.

I took this "before" photo when I was already part way through the process

You couldn't even see many of the flag stones here before I went to work.  I've also cut back the shrubs on the left (Agonis flexuosa 'Nana'), which appear to be suffering from thrip damage.

I cut out some of the dead undergrowth and trimmed back the Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt' on the right

I pulled the grasses (Sesleria) I'd planted under the rosemary years ago and made a first stab at trimming the rosemary

In all, I filled 3 jumbo green bins and, since that was picked up yesterday, I've almost filled another bin.  A friend and I have plans to make the rounds of at least 2 nurseries in Santa Barbara this weekend so I'll be on the look-out for fresh Lotus bethelotii, among other things.  I have a list of plants I "need" but I'm not going to lay any odds on the prospect of my sticking to that.

I hope you have something nice planned for your weekend too!  I'll close with a photo of our new roof, which was finally completed yesterday.

It took nearly 2 weeks but the new roof is done!  The crew was diligent about cleaning up their debris, which I appreciate.  Our new wood flooring has been ordered and the siding is going up on the addition to the kitchen as I type.  The contractor thinks we should be done by Thanksgiving.  Fingers crossed.

All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Wednesday Vignette: You can't keep a grasshopper down

Grasshopper or katydid?  She has short antennae and doesn't look like a walking leaf so I'm assuming she's a grasshopper.

This little character has been hanging around my cutting garden for weeks now.  When I first spotted her she was balanced atop a lush Dahlia 'Hollyhill Karen Lee', which she quietly nibbled until it looked as though it had received a crew cut.  When the dahlia's stem broke, I tossed the flower in the compost bin, only belatedly wondering if she'd managed an escape.  I found her yesterday perched on this sad-looking Dahlia 'Terracotta'.  She looked a lot like how I feel, surrounded by dirt and a general mess.

It's taking a long time to finish our roof.  The crew worked on it steadily all last week, even returning for a couple of hours on Saturday morning to button down the garage roof in advance of rain.  We got all of 5/100ths of an inch, enough to transform the dust that's covered everything into a dirty film.  The roofers were back on the job Monday morning.  Whether they'll finish today is anybody's guess.

This is how things looked at mid-day on Tuesday.  I've learned the hard way that roofing isn't just hard on the exterior landscape - it also generates a lot of dirt inside the house.

Interestingly, while searching for indications as to the identity of my small green visitor, I came across a discussion of the green grasshopper's role as a spirit animal.  According to this summary: "When a grasshopper spirit animal comes leaping into your life, it signifies your need to make a tremendous leap of faith."  Although I can't say I'm one to look to psychic signs for guidance, I've decided to view her presence as a positive.

View of the harbor from the back garden: the marine layer is back!

There's light on the horizon.  Our remodeling project will get finished, eventually.  My garden will be restored to health, in time.  Cooler temperatures and rain will return, if not immediately then soon.  Congress and the voting public will constructively address the circumstances confronting our nation.  I'm going to make sure my green friend finds another dahlia to perch on before her current roost is tossed.

For more Wednesday Vignettes, visit Anna at Flutter & Hum.


All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party