Foliage Follow-up: Stars that get no respect

For this month's Foliage Follow-up, I found myself focusing on plants that don't get the respect they deserve.  They're not new and they're not flashy but they require little to no care to look good, which counts for a lot.

While working in my front garden, my eye was repeatedly drawn to the hedge that lines the right side of our house under the shade of the Magnolia tree.  I inherited the Pittosporum tobira 'Variegatum' shrubs that make up the hedge.  They've been sheared in a box shape by gardeners, probably for a decade or more.  I've begun cutting out some of the dead growth in the center in an effort to revitalize them.  Trachelospermum jasminoides (aka Star Jasmine), another commonplace plant, grows at the base of the hedge.  I added Festuca 'Siskiyou Blue' in front of the Trachelospermum earlier this year when I realized that the grass was struggling in its former full sun setting.  The three plant species don't produce an exciting vignette but they provide a nice place to rest the eye.

To the right of the hedge is a Duranta erecta I've featured before.  It was sold to me as 'Gold Mound' but as it's easily 4 feet tall, it doesn't fit the specs for that plant.  Whatever form of Duranta it is, its bright chartreuse color grabs attention without overwhelming its neighbors.

Another plant I've come to admire is Senecio vitalis 'Serpent'.  A friend gave me a clump of this succulent plant soon after I moved in.  I stuck it into the ground, like the Aeonium arboreum she also gave me, and the plant thrived with almost no attention.  Every once in awhile, I cut off a piece and stick it somewhere else.  It never complains.

And, speaking of Aeonium arboreum, I planted some of it in a hanging planter a couple of months ago.  The entire planter was filled with bits and pieces of succulents collected from other areas of the garden.  I recently added a Crassula coccinea 'Campfire' as its centerpiece.  For a planter constructed mostly of leftovers, I think it's looking pretty good too.

Foliage follow-up is the brainchild of Pam at Digging.  Visit her to see what foliage is catching her eye and that of other gardeners this month.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Bloom Day - September 2015

It's been hot here - very, very hot.  Monsoonal rain to the east of us raised our humidity levels, adding to the heat's misery.  My mother took me to a sauna once when I was a child as an introduction to my Finnish ancestry and for days I've been reminded of walking into that sauna every time I stepped outside.  I have not enjoyed it.

What I found in bloom when I scurried through the garden this weekend looks much the same as last month's inventory, only there's less of it.  The plants making the biggest impact are pretty much the same.

Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum' is still the star of my late summer garden

The Eustoma grandiflorum (aka Lisianthus) continues to impress.  The white form is taking a time-out but the yellow and blue forms have returned on a small-scale.  However, the 'Echo Pink' cultivar, planted from 6-packs in early May, is putting on a great show.

Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun' and Agastache 'Sunset' are looking less vigorous but still provide a good deal of color in the front garden

During a lull between heatwaves, I jumped the gun on fall planting and installed a few new plants.  I donated much of what I had left in my rain collection tanks to sustaining them during the latest heatwave.

Clockwise from top left the new plants include: Angelonia 'Archangel Raspberry', Celosia argentea 'Intenz', Euphorbia 'Breathless White' and Grevillea 'Pink Midget'

Not a flower but a remnant of a flower, the immature seedpods on the Magnolia grandiflora are as eye-catching as any bloom I've currently got:

While I've collected the dried seedpods in years past, I haven't noticed how brightly colored the pods are before they dry, exposing the bright red seeds

Two of the indoor plants in my home office surprised me with another bloom cycle.

Left to right: Hoya multiflora (aka Shooting Stars Hoya) and Miltassia shelob 'Tolkien'

As to the rest of the garden, here's what the garden still has to offer if you look hard enough:

Blue & purple flowers, clockwise from upper left: Tulbaghia violacea, Campanula primulifolia, Duranta erecta 'Sapphire Showers', Plectranthus zuluensis, Salvia 'Mesa Azure' and Salvia 'Mystic Spires'

White flowers, clockwise from upper left: Abelia 'Radiance', Crassula (no ID), Gaura lindheimeri and Gazania 'White Flame'

Yellow & orange flowers, top row: Aloe 'Rooikappie', Bulbine frutescens 'Hallmark', and Dahlia 'XXL Hidalgo'
Middle row: Gaillardia aristata 'Gallo Peach', Gazania 'Yellow Flame' and Grevillea 'Superb'
Bottom row: Leonotis leonurus, Portulaca umbraticola and 'Buttercream' rose

Pink & red flowers, top row: Bauhinia x blakeana, Bougainvillea (no ID) and Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy'
Middle row: Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun', Helianthus annuus and Pelargonium peltatum 'Burgundy'
Bottom row: Pelargonium peltatum 'Pink Blizzard', Pentas 'Nova' and Salvia lanceolata

I've been blaming the heat and dry conditions for the speed at which the flowers in my garden have been disappearing but I discovered another explanation this past weekend.

I caught sight of a squirrel hanging out in the flower bed alongside the backyard fountain.  He was eating something but what?  Upon investigation, I discovered that he's developed a taste for Gazanias.  There's evidence that he and his brethren are chowing down on Gazanias throughout the garden.

Daytime temperatures dropped below 90F (32C) at last on Sunday and Monday was the first day in a week we didn't turn on the air conditioner.  I woke up early this morning to rain - 0.35 inches (9mm) of rain so far.  Things are looking up.

Visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens, the host of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, to see what other gardeners have going on.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: More Succulents!

We had another horrific heatwave all last week, or maybe it just felt horrific because we've had one too many of these events within the past 2 months.  After temperatures in the upper 90sF (35-37C), Sunday finally brought a little relief with a high of 88F (31C).  There were still pink Eustoma grandiflorum to be picked but even I'm getting tired of them, pretty as they may be, so I tried another succulent arrangement.

Thoughtful guy that he is, my husband had picked up wire in the gauge recommended by on-line sources for use in succulent arrangements the last time he visited the hardware store so I didn't have to make do with wire hangers this time

I clipped a wide assortment of succulents, many of which I can't identify.  I keep fairly good records of the plants I put in the garden but succulent sellers are notorious for offering plants without labels or, worse yet, with labels that say "Asst Succulents."  The sheer number of hybrids on the market probably contributes to the confusion.

"Assorted succulents" from my garden

My arrangement included the succulents shown here, some of which I can't identify.  Proceeding clockwise from the upper left: grayish Graptopetalum paraguayense, shown with an unidentified Crassula with light pink flowers and Crassula radicans; Aeonium arboreum, shown with the variegated form of Portulacaria afra; a deep teal-colored succulent I've tried and failed to identify (and which the seller was unable to identify at time of purchase); what may be xGraptosedum 'Vera Higgins'; Graptosedum 'California Sunset'; and Senecio vitalis 'Serpent' (Included but not highlighted are Rhipsalis ewaldiana and a no ID succulent)

I put the arrangement together using the same technique I showed in my prior succulent vase post (which you can view here), although I wired only those cuttings with short stems and/or particularly heavy heads.  The vase's basin is dry.  Like my prior arrangement, this one looks different from each side.  I placed it on the dining table where it can be viewed from all angles.

As it turned out, I'd clipped succulents I didn't use in this arrangement so I put together a bouquet of leftovers, using my onyx vase.

As the stone vase sweats when filled with water, using succulent cuttings that need no water works well

Key ingredients in this arrangement included Aeonium 'Kiwi' and Sedum nussbaumerianum with Graptosedum 'California Sunset'  (Included but not highlighted here were Aptenia cordifolia, Senecio vitalis and Rhipsalis ewaldiana)

The stone vase is currently sitting in the front entryway.

At least this heavy vase won't fly off the table when the front door is opened during our afternoon high winds as another vase recently did

The succulent arrangement I created 2 weeks ago didn't look too bad but some of the plant cuttings were a little frayed about the edges and, as I needed the white vase, I took it apart.

Photo taken immediately prior to dismantling of the vase

About two-thirds of the cuttings were tucked into the garden.  I tossed cuttings of the Oscularia deltoides and Aeonium arboreum as I already have enough of both to start a small nursery.

I removed desiccated leaves and wires prior to planting the cuttings.  Many of these, like the one shown here, were already producing tiny roots.

Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, the host of the "In a Vase on Monday" meme, to see what she and other gardeners have put together this week.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Lynda's Succulent Garden Revisited

In July last year, I posted photos of my friend Lynda's succulent garden.  Being both an artist and a perfectionist, she's continued to futz with both her design and her plant selections, which is good for me as every time she's planning a change usually means we make a trip to our favorite succulent garden center in Orange County.  In advance of one such trip, I took photos of the succulent beds in the front of her townhouse.

Her succulent beds are enclosed within tiered, brick-lined planters along the right and left sides of her sloped driveway.  Here's the first tier on the right side.

The bed is tightly packed but the plants are very happy

Close-up of Agave desmettiana, Graptoveria 'Fred Ives', Euphorbia tirucalli and Crassula capitella 'Campfire' 

Agave 'Blue Flame', Agave Blue Glow', more Graptoveria and Euphorbia, and Sedum rupestre 'Lemon Ball'

Another view of the plants shown above plus what I think is Agave pgymaea 'Dragon Toes'

The second tier planting bed on the right side featured (past tense) Opuntia santarita.  As it had become impossible to weed around the Opuntia, it was destined for removal when I visited.

Lynda intends to replace the Opuntia with another Agave 'Blue Flame'

Agave desmettiana, Euphorbia tirucalli and Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi 'Variegata' among other smaller succulents (Let me know if you can name the plant in front - I can't identify it Thanks to Jane, the plant in front has been identified as Crassula arborescens 'Blue Waves' aka Crassula ovata undulata)

The condemned Opuntia sandwiched between 2 Euphorbia tirucalli

Manfreda x 'Silver Leopard' backed up by Euphorbia and an unidentified Aloe

The succulent bed on the left side of the driveway is wider and serves as a divider between Lynda's property and that of her neighbor.  

Lynda added beach pebbles to create a pathway she could use when weeding the bed

Agave 'Joe Hoak' provides a focal point in this bed

Aloe cameronii (with what may be a crested Euphorbia in front)

Lynda has used plant repetition and contrasting foliage texture and color to great effect.  Since last July, she has removed the Abelia 'Kaleidoscope' that formerly shared the beds, added lots of rock, rearranged plants and added new ones.  It looks great now and I have no doubt that it'll look great next year too - only probably different.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Wednesday Vignette: Puffy Clouds

We're in the middle of yet another nasty heatwave.  It didn't cool down much at all last night.  At 7:30am today, it was already 85F (29C).  The temperature hit 90F (32C) before 9am and continued to climb throughout the day, peaking at just over 99F (37C).  For the last few days, there have been clouds in the distance to the east and warnings of flash floods from thunderstorms in the mountains and deserts.  No rain is expected here but late yesterday afternoon the sky was full of fluffy white clouds.

As the sun set, the clouds turned a lovely pink.

View looking west

View looking northeast

So even heatwaves offer some compensations.

Visit Anna at Flutter & Hum to discover what images have caught the attention of other bloggers this Wednesday.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Are painted lawns a sensible response to the drought?

California has been in a serious drought for 4 years but the public response changed dramatically in 2015 when the governor declared mandatory water restrictions.  Water districts were ordered to reduce water use by 4% to 36%, depending upon their history of prior use, with the goal of reaching a 25% reduction in urban water use by 2016.  The battles and finger-pointing that accompanied the announcement have moved into the background and Californians have made surprising progress in meeting the new requirements.  As of July, California as a whole had exceeded the goal, achieving a 31.3% reduction.  People are taking shorter showers, gardeners are changing out their plants for less thirsty specimens, and many lawns are going brown.  Local garden centers are advertising artificial lawns but I've seen relatively few installations in my own area to date.  However, I recently saw a brown lawn go green overnight with the help of a coat of paint.

Painted parking median at a local mall

When I first noticed the painted lawn at a nearby beach city mall, I didn't think it looked too bad, at least from a distance as I stared out the window of the restaurant where I was having lunch.  A couple of weeks later, when I was back at the mall, I brought a camera and took a closer look.  Again, if you're passing by quickly, it doesn't look too bad.

But a close inspection reveals its drawbacks.

It hasn't stood up well to foot traffic.  The color seems bluer than it was when the paint was first applied but, with sun exposure, perhaps that's to be expected.  When the rain returns, the grass will presumably return to green on its own, assuming the paint doesn't cause permanent damage, but as our rainy season is short it will as quickly revert to brown.  What do you think?  Is lawn paint a reasonable option for public spaces?  And does it make sense for use by homeowners?  

I'm linking to the garden bloggers' Q&A hosted by Ricki at sprig to twig.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Back in the Pink (Again)

The pink Eustoma grandiflorum (aka Lisianthus), still going strong in the back garden, was the obvious choice for my vase this week but when I went out to make my selections for "In a Vase on Monday," the meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, I was determined to look further afield.  Then, I saw this:

And this:

I'd already planned to redesign this area as another succulent garden but hadn't planned to tackle it just yet...

I could show you a lot more photos of this sort but there's little point.  After a relatively long (and peaceful) break, the raccoons, a whole family of them by my guess, had a party in my garden, conducting an industrious scavenger hunt for grubs.  Only a few areas were left untouched.  I've cleaned up some of the mess but not all.  This was especially frustrating as I'd spent most of the previous 2 days on garden clean-up and replacement of some of the plants I lost to the heat and dry conditions this summer.  Discovery of the raccoons' activity knocked the wind out of my sails.  This is a long-winded way of saying, I gave up the idea of scavenging for flowers and fell back on the Eustoma as the centerpiece for this week's vase.

Front view

Back view

Salvia lanceolata (aka Rocky Mountain Sage) adds a hint of the coming autumn to the arrangement, which includes:

Clockwise from the left, Eustoma grandiflorum 'Echo Pink', Salvia lanceolata, Russelia equisetiformis, and Zinnia.  (Included but not highlighted: Tanacetum parthenium and Leucanthemum x superbum)

The arrangement is sitting in the front entryway.

The cheerful arrangement takes some of the sting out of the morning's unpleasant surprises

Last week's arrangement remains on the dining room table, virtually unchanged.

Just the dormant Aeoniums are showing signs of decline

For more floral and foliage arrangements, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.  I'm headed outside to do more clean-up.  For those of you in the US, happy Labor Day (and may the raccoons steer clear of your garden)!

All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party