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Revisiting Lynda's Succulent Garden

October 25, 2014, 9:36 am
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In late July, I published a post on the succulent beds my friend Lynda created at the front of her house.  Lynda, an artist, strives for perfection when she creates something so it's to be expected that she'd fiddle with her garden beds, seeking to match the image in her head with the one before her eyes.   Earlier this month, the two of us took yet another succulent shopping trip and Lynda went back to work on her beds.


Again, only half of the contents of this trunk are mine!



Inspired by the following video, Lynda removed the rest of the shrubs from her front beds, packed her succulents more densely, and used rocks and other tools to create height variations.  Her most novel approach was to place groups of succulents within frames created by the tops of large bottomless black plastic pots, hiding the raised hedges with rocks.

 



Lynda's revamped beds look great.  Here are the beds to the right of her driveway:


Lynda added drought tolerant Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt' here and there (as shown in the upper right) for a touch of softness


Both Lynda and I coveted the Opuntia violacea 'Santa Rita' (shown here at the center of the photo) but only Lynda was brave enough to handle it (although, despite precautions, she did pay the price)



And here are the beds to the left of the driveway:

Lynda used black Mexican beach pebbles to give herself a path for use in maintaining the bed

We both bought a large Agave desmettiana 'Variegata' (shown here in the foreground) on our last nursery run - like mine, Lynda's came with lots of pups





You'll note that there's still room for a few more additions.  I expect we'll make another trip in search of succulents before the year is out.  Inspired by Lynda's efforts, I've been working on my own street-side succulent border.  I'll provide a post on that work-in-progress soon.

*Note: All but the first photo are Lynda's own.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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In a Vase on Monday: Pretty in Pink

October 27, 2014, 8:56 am
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This week, there are finally enough Camellia sasanqua blossoms to cut for a vase.  And there was no difficulty in finding flowers to complement their pink color, even though my garden relies more on yellow, orange, and blue than pink.  My garden is rebounding as temperatures cool.

Front view

Back view



I'm glad I started with a good-sized vase because, when I was done, it was stuffed full.  Here's what I included:

  • Camellia sasanqua (no ID)
  • Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink'
  • Eustoma grandiflorum 'Echo White' (aka Lisianthus)
  • Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl'
  • Lobularia maritima (aka sweet alyssum)
  • Pentas lanceolata, 4 varieties
  • Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus'


The mass of dark pink Camellia sasanqua, planted along the side of the house facing the vegetable garden, came with the house

Cuphea 'Starfire Pink' makes a great filler in a vase - and the hummingbirds absolutely love it

The white Eustoma is making another appearance after hunkering down during the heat of summer

2 of the 4 varieties of Pentas lanceolata are shown in close-up here with a stem of rosemary



My biggest decision with this vase was where to put it.  There's not a lot of pink inside the house either.  I tried it first in the dining area.

This stone wall is the back of the living room fireplace - the open cavity to the right is part of what was constructed as an indoor barbecue when this 1950s-era house was built



Not bad but as the cat likes to jump up and sleep in the alcove on the right, the placement felt like an accident waiting to happen.  So I moved the vase to the fireplace mantle in the master bedroom.




Cathy at Rambling in the Garden hosts this weekly meme.  Visit her to see what she's arranged to celebrate Monday and to find links to the creations of other participating gardeners.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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Wordless Wednesday - Be careful! Gardening may be hazardous to your health

October 29, 2014, 8:28 am
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My favorite plant this week: Leucadendron 'Pisa'

October 30, 2014, 12:11 pm
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I love Leucadendron.  I brought one, L. 'Wilson's Wonder,' here in a pot from my old garden, which lacked the sun to support more.  Once in the ground, its growth exploded and I've planted many more since.  L. 'Wilson's Wonder' was featured in a prior favorites post, which also included a peek at this week's favorite, Leucadendron 'Pisa,' then confined to a decorative pot.  This week, L. 'Pisa' finally got a new home.  I carefully dug it out of its pot and planted it in the new bed along the backyard patio.

More plants will be added soon to keep the Leucadendron, Furcraea, and Anigozanthos company



The foliage is a little spare around the base.  I plan to put an Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt,' also currently confined to a pot and showing its unhappiness with that arrangement, at the foot of the Leucadendron.  I hope that and a little judicious pruning will take care of its bare limbs.

In its pot, Euphorbia 'Dean's Hybrid' filled in around the base of Leucadendron 'Pisa'



The silvery foliage is the evergreen shrub's chief attribute.  It produces cream-colored flower-like bracts and cones but mine has yet to do so.  Maybe next spring.  In the meantime, I'm happy just to gaze at the foliage.

L. 'Pisa's' foliage is particularly beautiful when backlit by the sun




According to San Marcos Growers, L. 'Pisa' is hardy to 20-25F (minus 6.7 to 3.9C) and prefers full sun and moderate water.  In its former position in a pot, it got morning shade and afternoon sun.  In its new position, only about 8 feet away, it gets sun from early morning to mid-afternoon, at least this time of year.   Hopefully, it'll be happy with the new placement.  Estimates of its height range from 4 to 8 feet (1.2 to 2.4m) tall and 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5m) wide.  Mine is currently about 3 feet tall and almost 2 feet wide.

A hybrid of Leucadendron floridum, Leucadendron 'Pisa' is my favorite plant this week and my contribution to Loree's favorite plants feature at danger garden.  However, I can't resist showing you another silver conebush, L. meridianum 'More Silver,' a recent purchase.  Isn't she pretty?

Leucadendron 'More Silver' has her feet in the ground but her body in a tomato cage, which provides protection against the malicious raccoons until her roots are firmly established


Click here to see Loree's favorite and to find links to what other gardeners' are drooling over this week.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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Wide Shots - November 2014

November 1, 2014, 3:21 pm
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The big news here is that we got rain!  According to my rain gauge, it totaled about 1/2 an inch (1.3 cm).  That may not be much in the views of those of you in other parts but it's a fabulous start to our short rainy season.  The clouds are mixed with blue sky now but we had brief showers off and on this morning, which complicated the task of taking photos for this post as the light was gloomy one moment and sunny the next.

The Vincent Thomas Bridge spanning the Port of Los Angeles early this morning

The bridge a few hours later



Without further ado, here are today's wide shots of my garden, taken in connection with the meme sponsored by Heather at Xericstyle.  We'll start with the backyard.

View from the back door when the sun was shining

View from the backyard patio looking south

View from the far side of the patio

View from even further back, showing the bed formerly occupied by a "snorkel spa" and my newest backyard bed, partially planted just this week

View of the backyard looking north



You may have noticed cages of various sorts within the beds in the backyard.  I'm using tomato cages, gopher cages and similar contraptions to protect recently installed plants from my ever-present and unruly raccoon and skunk visitors.  For the most part that's working, even if it's not attractive.  Once the plants are firmly rooted, I'll remove the cages.  As you may can see in the next set of photos, they're in the south side garden as well.

View of south side borders, photographed from a pathway behind the backyard border

View of the same borders from the south side patio

View of the side garden looking through the arbor toward the harbor from the front yard



Although it's not readily visible, most of my efforts during the past month have gone into the front yard as my husband and I continue work to prepare the area formerly covered with lawn (and lawn-like weeds) for planting.  We finished digging out the area to the left of the walkway, which was a combination of hard-packed clay, rocks and decomposing rock.  The back half of the larger area to the right of the pathway has also been cleared of grass roots, sod netting, and mountains of rock gravel but we still have work to do in the front half of the area.

The front of the house, photographed from the driveway

The area to the left of the path, which we've dug out and replenished with imported topsoil

The partially completed area to the right of the front pathway

The back area has been cleared and new topsoil has been added but the area adjoining the front pathway still requires work before we can add pathways and start planting the cleared area



Although there's plenty to do before I can do much planting in the front yard, that hasn't stopped me from picking up new plants when I find those on my "must have" list.  The vegetable garden, still woefully neglected, has become the staging area for many of those new acquisitions.

Plants in need of a home can be seen stacked up against the first raised bed



I've done a little clean-up and planting in the dry garden.

The Cuphea in the foreground look sad now but they should quickly rebound from their severe pruning



The back slope got about an hour of work.  It needs much more but it's not a priority for me right now.




The only area other than the front yard that has received much attention is the street-side succulent border and it still needs more work.




That's it for this month's wide shots of my garden.  I'll end this photo-heavy post with a couple more pictures of the view from our backyard.

Rain in the bay beyond Angel's Gate, the entrance to the Port of Los Angeles

View of the harbor a few hours later


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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In a Vase on Monday: The Eustoma Makes a Comeback

November 3, 2014, 9:01 am
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When the nighttime temperatures began to cool, I was delighted to notice signs that my Eustoma grandiflorum was preparing to make a comeback.  The white form, planted from a 6-pack, never really got off the ground before the heat struck, causing blooms to shrivel before they were ready to open.  The blue forms, E. 'Borealis Blue' and E. 'Echo Blue,' got an earlier start so I was able to savor their blooms for several weeks before they too hunkered down to wait out the hot weather.  I tucked an unopened bud of E. 'Echo White' in last week's vase.  This week's vase, prepared in connection with the meme "In a Vase on Monday," hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, contains both white and blue forms of the beautiful double-flowered varieties.


I think this one is 'Borealis Blue' but its flowers and those of 'Echo Blue' look more alike now than they did earlier in the season



With one exception, everything I've included in this week's arrangement has appeared in one or another of my earlier arrangements.  The exception is Barleria obtusa, also known as Bush Violet.  I vaguely remember growing this plant in my former garden but I haven't seen it in years.  I came across it at the local botanic garden's fall plant sale the weekend before this past one and scooped up 2 pots.  The plant sale had been dramatically scaled back in comparison to prior years' events but finding this plant made the visit worthwhile.

Barleria obtusa is a drought tolerant evergreen shrub from the Acanthus family that blooms in fall through winter



In addition to the Eustoma grandiflorum and Barleria obtusa, here's what I included in my vase:

  • Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink,' scheduled to be pruned back hard later this fall
  • Lobularia maritima (aka Sweet Alyssum), a self-seeder enjoying its own comeback
  • Pentas lanceolata 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom,' which recently began another flush of bloom
  • Plectranthus ciliatus 'Zulu Warrior,' which is just about to end its annual bloom cycle
  • Pseuderanthemum 'Texas Tri-star,' also on the pruning "to do" list
  • Tanacetum parthenium, represented by the last fresh stem left in my garden


The Cuphea 'Starfire Pink' in the front yard gets a temporary reprieve on pruning until my other plants recover from their shearing - I can't leave the hummingbirds without their favorite food source

Plectranthus 'Zulu Warrior' is shown here with Pentas 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom'

Pseuderanthemum 'Texas Tri-Star' flowers sporadically but its real beauty is in its foliage



This vase is sitting on the dining room table where I can enjoy it while eating my breakfast.

Although I do need to find a more autumnal table runner



Please visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see her vase this week, which marks the 52nd week she has hosted this meme featuring flowers collected from her garden in the United Kingdom.  In addition to her vase, you'll find links to the creations of other participants in this popular weekly event.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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Wordless Wednesday: Late Trick-or-Treaters

November 5, 2014, 10:22 am
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My favorite plant this week: Dyckia Marnier-Lapostellii

November 7, 2014, 8:40 am
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My favorite plant this week is a recent acquisition, Dyckia Marnier-Lapostellii, a succulent plant from the Bromeliad family.  I picked it up during the round of San Diego County nurseries a friend and I made in mid-October.  I usually wait until I have more experience with a plant before I name it a favorite but this one grabbed me from the moment I saw it and, since then, it has given me more reason to be impressed.

Dyckia Marnier-Lapostellii in its nursery pot



It's said to grow slowly to just 1 feet (30.5 cm) tall and wide.  My new plant is almost that large already so it's a mature specimen.  The leaves twist, giving it a claw-like appearance, like something that might be found crawling about in the depths of the ocean.  Its leaves are covered with white scale-like hairs and sharp spines run along their edges.  When wet the plant takes on a purple/burgundy color, as I discovered when it rained here last week.

The same plant after a light rain



I read that, if watered from above too frequently, it can lose its usual silver/white color but, when I checked it earlier this week, it was back to its pre-rain color.

Dyckia restored to its ghostly silvery white color



I'm not sure it wouldn't be better in a pot but, after risking those spines to get it planted in the ground in my dry garden, I'm planning to leave it where it is for now.  All Dyckia have vicious spines but this one was particularly difficult to handle.  It's reportedly best grown in cool sun and I'm also concerned that it may get too much sun where it is, which can turn the leaf tips brown but I'll keep a careful watch on it.  According to on-line sources it wants more water than many spiny succulents, requiring regular water in summer but limited water in winter, another reason why it may ultimately require a move to a pot.

Dyckia Marnier-Lapostellii hails from Brazil and is named for a scion of the famous Grand Marnier liqueur family.  This chameleon of a succulent is my contribution to Loree's favorite plants meme at danger garden.  Visit her there to see her favorite this week and find links to other gardeners' favorites.

All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party


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My Street-side Succulent Bed

November 8, 2014, 8:39 am
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A couple of weeks ago, I provided an update on my friend Lynda's succulent garden.  Well, Lynda didn't go shopping alone.  I, too, have been adding to my collection of succulent plants.  While some of my purchases have gone into our dry garden, the bulk have been added to the street-side succulent border I first show-cased in July.  It's still a work-in-progress, and probably will be for years to come, but it has filled in somewhat since I shared my first photos of the area so I thought I'd provide an update.

Wide shot taken from across the street

Side view of the border looking south



I've added some larger plants, mostly various types of Agave, but I've filled in with smaller succulents, including cuttings, so the border still looks sparser than I'd like.  It's easier to view in segments.

The most prominent specimens in this northern-most section are Agave 'Blue Flame,' Agave 'Blue Glow' (still relatively small), Calandrinia (Cistanthe) grandiflora (no longer in bloom), and a Chondropetalum tectorum that probably doesn't get the moisture it needs in this setting

Close-up of one Agave 'Blue Glow'

The next section is dominated by an Agave desmettiana 'Variegata' but there's also a Dyckia, Senecio cuttings, and a variety of Graptoveria and Graptosedum

Close-up of Graptosedum 'California Sunset' (left) and Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' (right)

The centerpiece of this section is Agave Impressa, which is surrounded by Dudleya and more Graptoveria

Close-up of Agave Impressa, which got a bit of sunburn during the height of summer

I'm happiest with this section, which contains, among other things, another Agave desmettiana 'Variegata,' 2 varieties of Kalanchoe, Euphorbia tiriucalli, and various types of Aeonium

The same section, viewed from the side

Close-up of Kalanchoe marmorata

Close-up of Kalanchoe thyrsiflora

This last section contains a variety of Aloes, another Agave 'Blue Flame,' Senecio amaniensis, 3 unidentified Sansevieria, and Graptopetalum 
Close-up of Senecio amaniensis with a couple of bloom spikes
Close-up of an Agave pup given me by Lynda - she thinks it's A. pygmae



A few things are bugging me about this border.  First, the plants are more of a hodge-podge than I'd like but that's what comes of trying to make do with cuttings on hand.  Succulents, even small ones, can be pricey.  Second, I haven't managed to hide the drip irrigation lines.  I'm trying to decide whether to cover them with cactus mix, add more groundcover materials or stone, or simply wait for the plants to get larger.  Third, the Pittosporum hedge with which the succulents share space presents a problem.  The hedge material was in horrible shape when we moved in and, after experimenting with cutting back a couple of the shrubs last year, I hacked them all back severely in January.  They've yet to recover and I'm toying with the idea of removing all or part of them.  But that's a big job so I'm going to wait and see if our rainy season gives them a boost.  The shrubs, which I think are Pittosporum rhombifolia (now classified as Auranticarpa rhombifolia), also tend to become chlorotic if not regularly treated.  On the other hand, no hedge or a see-through hedge exposes the area beyond to view from the street and I'm not sure I like that.  I've dabbled with that area now and then but it hasn't received a lot of attention and it's something of a mess.  However, I've slowly been adding succulents there too, so it may eventually become a logical extension of the street-side border.

View of area behind the street-side succulent border

I've added cuttings of Aeoniums (in plentiful supply), Crassula 'Campfire,' and Senecio here

Close-up of Crassula 'Campfire'


It's coming together, albeit more slowly than I'd like.  Patience isn't one of my virtues.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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In a Vase on Monday: Sunshine on a Foggy Morning

November 10, 2014, 9:23 am
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Our marine layer is back.  This is good because it brings temperatures down and the latter part of last week was more like summer than fall, with temperatures once again soaring near 90F (32C).  The downside is that the fog that accompanies the marine layer means a gloomy start to the day.  That's when it helps to have a plentiful supply of yellow flowers in the garden, as I happen to have at the moment.  When I saw that one of my yellow roses was approaching its peak, I knew this would be the centerpiece of my bouquet for "In a Vase on Monday," the meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.  What I didn't realize at the outset was that my vase would be all yellow.


Back view



I thought I'd add some purple but, in the end, I decided that the yellow flowers were fine on their own.  Here's what ended up in the final vase:

  • 'Buttercream' rose
  • Erysimum linifolium 'Variegatum'
  • Euryops 'Sonnenschein'
  • Senna bicapsularis 'Worley's Butter Cream'


I inherited 3 of these 'Buttercream' rose shrubs with the house, none of which did much of anything all summer

The Erysimum with its creamy edges seemed the perfect foliage accompaniment for today's vase

This dwarf Euryops has suddenly produced a flurry of compact-sized yellow daisies

Senna bicapsularis (aka Cassia bicapsularis) is in its glory now



I featured the Senna before, when the shrub was just beginning to bloom.  It's in full bloom now.

It's a bit tall and billowy for the site along the fence at the top of the stairway down the slope but I hesitate to move it.  The Grevillea lavandulacea a few feet away hides the Senna's bare legs from view.


The Euryops provided a bit of a surprise.  It hasn't bloomed much at all this year and it was in bad shape at the end of our last heatwave.  I gave it some extra water then and later, after the rain, it exploded into bloom, lighting up what is otherwise a relatively dark area.

Euryops 'Sonnenschein' offering more blooms than I've ever seen on it



I had cut some purple flowers, which went into the "reject" vase, now sitting in the guest bathroom.

I cut flowers of Solanum xantii, a California native, with the idea of including it in the other vase but it didn't add anything and I was afraid the cat might get at it and suffer poisoning.  The Eustoma was saved from last week's vase.



The sunshine vase ended up on the dining room table, where it can be viewed from two directions.




Today, it's more cheerful to face the vase then the view, which is still foggy.

The harbor below us is invisible in the fog



Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see what she's created this week and to see what other participants have managed to find in their gardens.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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Wordless Wednesday: Hummingbird on Break

November 12, 2014, 10:29 am
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Bloom Day - November 2014

November 15, 2014, 7:23 am
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One of the great things about Bloom Day is that it provides a record against which to compare current events in the garden.  As I've been blogging less than 2 years, I have only last year's posts to look at but, by and large, 2014 has closely paralleled 2013 in terms of what's blooming in any given month.  That isn't true for November, however.  Last November, I had early blooms of Agapanthus, Alstroemeria, and Iceland poppies, none of which are blooming yet this November.  In addition, some plants that were still blooming last November, like Grevillea 'Superb' and Plectranthus ciliatus, have already thrown in the towel for the season this year.  Still, here in coastal Southern California, I know I'm lucky not to face the frost and snow already hitting many areas of the country.

Yellow flowers are making the biggest splash this month, as they light things up under gloomy skies.

When Senna (Cassia) bicapsularis 'Worley's Butter Cream' blooms, I wonder why I don't have more of these shrubs in my garden

Like the larger variety, this Tagetes lemmonii 'Compacta' tends to flop but I love the flowers for their color and their scent

All it took was a little rain to send Euryops 'Sonnenschein' into a paroxysm of flowers 

Gazinia 'New Day Yellow' produces large blooms for the size of the plant

Even the succulent Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' is getting into the action, producing a large flower stalk



There are also flashes of orange and red here and there.

Aloe 'Johnson's Hybrid' is a relatively new acquisition - I wish I'd bought more  (It looks especially nice with the Alternanthera tenella, doesn't it?)

This unidentified Aloe (maybe A. 'Pink Blush'?) is a vigorous bloomer with stalks that stand straight

Senecio fulgens (photobombed here by a flowering Echeveria) is producing another round of blooms

This Bougainvillea provides a dash of red in the front yard

The Gomphrena haageana blooms keep coming

Hemerocallis 'Spanish Harlem' keeps on blooming, albeit usually producing only one flower at a time

The recent heat took a toll on Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy's' foliage but the flowers keep coming



Adding more red and orange, berries are popping up everywhere.

Heteromeles arbutifolia, named the official native plant of Los Angeles a couple years ago, is starting to produce a mass of red berries

Berry production on Nandina domestica has been in process for some time

Even the chlorotic Pittosporum (Auranticarpa) rhombifolia is producing berries



Although the yellows, oranges and reds draw the eye, pink flowers are making a stand in the garden as well, outnumbering their splashier and flashier companions.

After struggling with the heat in early fall, Camellia sasanqua is now hitting its stride

Close-up of Camellia sasanqua bloom

Flowers are usually present almost year-round on the Arbutus 'Marina' but, after being pruned early this year, they're only now returning in force

As you can see here, my Arbutus are making up for lost time, making the hummingbirds very happy - the flowers look coral here but they're really more pink

Bauhinia x blakeana has begun another bloom cycle since the temperatures cooled

A Geranium sanguineum I have no record of planting has begun blooming

Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl' has pumped out more flowers since the weather cooled too

This Pelargonium peltatum (aka ivy geranium) has decided that it wants to climb

The Pennisetum 'Fireworks' have settled in comfortably despite regular digging around their base by raccoons and skunks

All the Pentas lanceolata are blooming - this one is 'Nova'

Even the 'Pink Meidiland' roses, shown here with Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink,' have produced a few blooms despite a sorry performance earlier this year



There is a scattering of blue and purple blooms too.

Ageratum houstonianum 'Blue Horizon' looks better now than when I planted it in spring but I don't know if I'll grow it next year

Aster x frikartii 'Monch' is taking its own sweet time to get established but I love it anyway

Barleria obtusa has a sprawling habit, which makes it hard to photograph

The beautiful Eustoma grandiflorum 'Borealis Blue' is back in bloom

Lobelia erinus may not be exciting but it self-seeds freely here and, after disappearing during the peak of the heat, it's reappearing all over (shown here coming up in a pot underneath a blueberry shrub)

This new Osteospermum ecklonis is 'Berry White' - I like it just as much as '3D Silver,' which has been a mainstay in my garden

Salvia leucantha is coming to the end of its bloom cycle

Solanum xantii, a California native, is one of my latest finds - the purple color is even brighter than it looks here



There are only a few white flowers, making me wonder why I haven't added any Argyranthemum to my garden this year.

Eustoma grandiflorum 'Echo White' isn't quite as double or as vigorous as the blue form but it's still pretty with its bright green throat


Hibiscus trionum (aka flower of an hour), sold to me by my local botanic garden, turns out to be a weed in parts of the country but it has been well-behaved here thus far

All my Leucanthemum x superbum (Shasta daisies) were hit hard by the heat this year but they're slowly making a comeback


That's it for my November Bloom Day round-up.  Please visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens, the host of the world-wide gardening event that is Bloom Day, and you'll find photos of what is lighting up gardens elsewhere this November.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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Foliage Follow-up: More Please!

November 16, 2014, 1:11 pm
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As we get closer to being ready to plant the area formerly occupied by lawn in the front yard, I've spent more time deliberating on my plant choices.  What's clear is that I need more foliage plants.  In compiling my wish list, I started by looking at what I already have.  In the sunnier area of the new space, I want to add more of these:

Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope'

Alternanthera tenella

Duranta 'Gold Mound'

Pelargonium hortorum 'Mrs. Pollock'



In the shadier areas, I'm thinking of more:

Ageratum corymbosum, grown more for the foliage than the flowers

Asparagus densiflorus 'Sprengeri,' which is likely to spread on its own

Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata' (even if it does tend to get leggy over time)



Although I'm not really ready to do any planting yet, that hasn't stopped me from buying plants.  Those selected specifically for their foliage include:

Leptospermum 'Copper Glow,' which is new to me

A wider view of Leptospermum 'Copper Glow,' which doesn't do it justice

Another Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder'

For comparison purposes, this is my existing Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder,' which is just starting to develop its winter color

More Lomandra longifolia 'Breeze'



I'm itching to start planting but that event is still probably 2 or more weeks away as we're still digging.

The neighbors have been speculating about what has been variously referred to as an archaeological dig and a burial ground



This foliage overview is my contribution to the monthly foliage follow-up sponsored by Pam at Digging to recognize the importance of foliage in our gardens.  Click here to see her post this month and to find links to other foliage-focused posts.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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In a Vase on Monday: It was better in concept...

November 17, 2014, 8:49 am
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For a change, I went into the garden to cut flowers with a plan in mind for "In a Vase on Monday," the meme sponsored by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.  Maybe that was the problem.  Usually, while I might identify a focal point ahead of time, I otherwise approach the garden as a blank slate.  This time, I began cutting flowers of various kinds I'd identified in advance, only to find that they didn't combine well when I took them in and tried to create an arrangement.  I took out a vase to fill with rejects early on and ultimately ended up with 2 reject vases and one larger vase I'm not thrilled with.

The larger vase was constructed of flowers and foliage I hadn't even considered on my first pass through the garden.  It's a hodge-podge construction with an emphasis on pinkish-coral tones.

Front view

Back view



The vase includes:

  • Aloe flowers (noID, possibly Aloe 'Pink Blush')
  • Arbutus 'Marina' flower stems
  • Calibrachoa (noID)
  • Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' flower stem
  • Rose 'Pink Meidiland'
  • Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Honey Crisp Coleus'

The Aloe flowers pick up the deeper tones in the roses

The flowers of the Arbutus' Marina' trees look like miniature hot-air balloons and are loved by the hummingbirds

The flower buds of the succulent Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' have a coral blush but open with yellow petals

The centers of the 'Pink Meidiland' rose mimic the colors at the center of the Graptoveria flowers

Close-up of the variegated leaves of the coleus



Reject vase #1 contains Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl,' a couple of raggedy stems of Rudbeckia hirta 'Cherry Brandy,' and Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Fire Fingers Coleus.'


Close-up of the small Leptospermum flowers



Reject vase #2, my favorite of the day due solely to its sweet perfume, contains Erysimum linifolium 'Variegatum,'Lantana (noID), and Lonicera japonica, a weed that grows on the steep side of the back slope.


Close-up of Lonicera japonica, inherited with the house



The vases all found places to roost.

The larger vase sits in the front entryway

Reject vase #1 landed in the guest bathroom

Reject vase #1 sits next to my PC, where I can appreciate its scent



Please visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see what she and other contributors have rounded up now that the weather has turned cold in many areas.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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Wordless Wednesday: They're back!

November 19, 2014, 8:25 am
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My favorite plant this week: Echeveria cante

November 20, 2014, 8:04 pm
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To avoid walking through the bare soil in the front yard, I've been passing through the north side yard when moving between the front and back gardens.  This takes me by two new Echeveria cante I picked up at the local botanic garden's fall plant sale.  In a semi-shade location along the gravel path that bi-sects the dry garden, their silvery blue-green foliage gleams.




I bought the one on the right during my first pass through the sale.  It's somewhat larger than the one on the left, which I went back for on the second day of the sale.  They should eventually grow to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall and 1-2 feet wide.  According to on-line sources, they usually remain solitary rosettes, seldom forming pups.  They're generally propagated by seed.

Close-up of the larger Echeveria, surrounded by stones dug out of the garden to protect the plant from the resident raccoons

The second Echeveria was purchased to provide symmetry at the entry to the dry garden.  When the rosemary in the background is in bloom, the succulent nicely mirrors its ice blue flowers. 



The volunteer propagator at the sale warned me (twice) against planting these succulents in the sun.  San Marcos Growers recommends growing them in "cool sun," by which I assume they mean morning sun, or bright shade.  Mine get a touch of sun in the morning and spend the rest of the day in the shade provided by the house's shadow.

The smaller of the 2 Echeverias gets its brief moment in the sun



The blue-green leaves have a whitish coating that gives the plant a celadon color with a blush of lavender.  The plants also have a a pinkish-red edge along the leaf margins.




Like most succulents, the Echeverias have low water needs.  San Marcos Growers claims that the plants, which originate from Mexico, are hardy to at least 25F (minus 3.9C).

The colors of the ocean and the afternoon sky, with its vague promise of rain, nicely mirrored the plants' colors late this afternoon.  

Clouds over the Los Angeles harbor


However, the sunset some 45 minutes later, was distinctly pinker.  Although it's dark now, things are looking brighter - it just started to rain.

View looking east at the harbor just a few minutes after our 4:47pm sunset



All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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In a Vase on Monday: Rose goes along for the ride

November 24, 2014, 9:47 am
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As Thursday is Thanksgiving, I thought this week's vase should feature colors evocative of the holiday.  The berries of the Heteromeles arbutifolia are turning bright red so those seemed an obvious choice.  Late last week, I also noticed that the 'Joseph's Coat' climbing rose had a promising bud so I targeted that as well.  When the time came to cut materials for my vase, the rose, buffeted by winds, was already past its prime but I elected to use it anyway.  The berries are the real stars of this week's arrangement.




The vase contains:
  • Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope'
  • Gomphrena haageana
  • Heteromeles arbutifolia (aka Toyon), berries
  • Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder'
  • Rose 'Joseph's Coat'
  • Tagetes lemmonii

The petals of the Gomphrena dry slowly starting from the base of the flower, taking on a texture like tissue paper

Toyon is the official native plant of the City of Los Angeles - why LA found it necessary to name an official plant I can't explain but at least it garners an oft-overlooked plant some attention

Close up of the bracts of Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder,' which redden in winter

My bedraggled 'Joseph's coat rose with one of the few remnants of Tagetes lemmonii



This cheerful vase landed in one of my standard spots across from the front door.




To see other floral and foliage concoctions, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for this week's line up.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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Am I a plant shopaholic?

November 26, 2014, 7:25 am
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The friend I joined on a 6-nursery trek through San Diego County in October and I took another trip last Saturday.  We'd planned to visit 3 or 4 nurseries but only made it to 2, which was entirely my fault.  I spent so long at the first nursery, Seaside Gardens in Carpinteria, we didn't have time to make the other stops we'd planned in Santa Barbara County without sacrificing our plan to swing by Sperling Nursery in Calabasas on the way home.  Still, I managed to fill the trunk and backseat of my friend's car.  In my defense, I do have a lot of area to fill now that our front yard is finally (mostly) ready for planting.  I'll provide an update on the progress my husband and I've made there in the near future but, for now, I thought I'd share the highlights of last Saturday's trip.

I've posted photos of Seaside Gardens before but there's always something new to see.  Half the 3-acre nursery is devoted to a demonstration garden, which is worth a visit all by itself.  I started in the Australian area and meandered through the adjoining South African and Mediterranean areas.

Unspecified variety of Banksia

I'm not a palm aficionado but I stopped in my tracks when I saw this one, which I think must be Bismarckia nobilis

There were several impressive Duranta repens grown as small trees.  This one had a mass of Tagetes lemmonii at its feet.

The garden has a large group of mature Leucadendron, underplanted with Osteospermum

I think most of these were Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' - who knew they could get that big?

Lomandra longifolia, which I've used extensively in my own garden as a grass substitute

The most beautiful mass planting of Russelia equisetiformis I've ever seen anywhere


Next up was the succulent and desert plants area.

The sun was high in the sky so my photos are over-exposed but the view is still glorious



Aloes were in bloom everywhere - I think this one is A. arborescens

Aloe saponaria

Aloe wickensii

Ponytail palms (Beaucarnea recurvata)?

Cotyledon orbiculata (aka Pig's Ear)

Dasylirion longissimum

A mass planting of Kalanchoe (no ID)


I checked out the grasses too.

I loved this low-growing grass, Tripsacum floridana, but it wasn't available for sale

These tall grasses looked wonderful in the sun


There were also lots of interesting plants for sale, including:

Grevillea 'Little Honey'

Grevillea 'Long John,' which is said to be similar to the smaller G. 'Bonfire' I planted in my garden a few months ago

Grevillea 'Ned Kelly' - mine hasn't yet bloomed

Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon,' which is similar to the G. 'Superb' in my garden

I was very tempted by this Phylica pubescens until I saw the $400 price tag


I was on the look-out for Grevillea 'Peaches and Cream,' which Seaside didn't have; however, I managed to pick up a dozen small succulents and a half-dozen other plants before we left.  After lunch, we drove back south and stopped at another of my favorite nurseries, Sperling, in Calabasas.  I didn't take many photos there - I was too busy plant shopping.  In preparing this post, I discovered that the Sperling property is up for sale, a prospect that I've feared since I heard that the founder had passed away.  I'm very afraid that the 10+ acre property could be sold to a developer, which will be deeply disappointing as this is a truly great nursery.

I did make a quick round of the gift shop, a place I rarely get to when visiting Sperling


If I didn't have my husband hard at work laying paving stones in our front yard, I'd ask him to make me a replica of these wooden deer

And I took note of a new collection of small-sized Agave specimens, 2 of which came home with me


That's it for Saturday's jaunt, which lightened my pocketbook but produced a haul of 35 plants (not including 4 my friend sent home with me).  Since Saturday, I've spent all my free moments planting but still have a lot left to get in the ground ahead of the rain storm forecasters are predicting for early next week.  I'll share photos of some of the new additions soon.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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My favorite plant this week: Yucca 'Bright Star'

November 28, 2014, 10:44 am
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After admiring my Yucca 'Bright Star' this morning, as I do pretty much every time I walk through the backyard garden, it occurred to me that I've never featured this plant as one of my favorites.  A terrible omission on my part!  As Loree of danger garden is featuring her, now monthly, favorites feature today, it seemed a good time to rectify the situation.




I put in 3 plants in mid January of this year.  They've grown wider since but not appreciably taller.  At maturity, they're said to get 1-2 feet (30-60 cm) tall and 3-5 feet (1-5 meters) wide.

Yucca 'Bright Star' shortly after they were planted

My 3 'Bright Stars' today



They've always shown some pink - more than I generally see in the plants for sale in the local nurseries and garden centers.  However, the pink color is intensified now.  Could this be a response to the cooler nighttime temperatures?  Despite a few cool days, our daytime temperatures have been stuck in the upper 70s and low 80s (Fahrenheit).

Photo from May 2014

Photo from September 2014

Close-up taken this morning



The history of this plant is interesting.  It was discovered in the UK in 2000 by Albert Timothy Crowther on what was thought to be a Yucca gloriosa and was reproduced through tissue culture.  Although initially sold as a variant of Yucca gloriosa, it's now thought to be related to Yucca recurvifolia, a native of the Southeast United States.

Whatever it's origin, it's perfect for my garden with its low water needs and ability to withstand high summer temperatures.  According to San Marcos Growers, it's hard to 0-10F (minus 12 to minus 17C).

Yucca 'Bright Star' is my current favorite and my contribution to Loree's favorites round-up at danger garden.  Earlier favorites featured this month included 2 drought tolerant succulent selections: Echeveria cante (featured on November 20th) and Dyckia Marnier-Lapostellii (featured November 7th).  You can see Loree's favorites wrap-up here.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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In a Vase on Monday: Sunshine for the Blues

December 1, 2014, 8:53 am
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My blue Eustoma grandiflorum were once more demanding attention so they were the starting point for this week's vase.  I'd thought I'd stick to blue tones but 2 of my yellow 'Buttercream' roses were also blooming and, with rain on the way (yay!), I thought I might as well cut them and bring them inside.  I wondered if the contrast would be too stark but, with the addition of some cream-colored foliage, I think the flowers play off one another rather well.




Here's what I included in the vase this week:

  • Ageratum houstonianum 'Blue Horizon'
  • 'Buttercream' rose
  • Duranta repens (no ID)
  • Erysimum linifolium
  • Eustoma grandiflorum 'Borealis Blue' and 'Echo White' (aka Lisianthus)
  • Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata' (aka mint bush)
  • Westringia 'Naringa' (aka coast rosemary)



The Ageratum began blooming again once the temperatures cooled but the Westringia blooms all year

These yellow roses also appear to appreciate the cooler weather


It turns out that the tiny flowers of the Duranta don't make good cut flowers - they've been dropping one at a time since they went into the vase

Even without flowers, Erysimum linifolium makes a great foliage accent, in this case mirroring the color of the Prostanthera foliage

The Lisianthus look good with everything


This week's vase, created in connection with Cathy's weekly challenge at Rambling in the Garden, is sitting across from the front door.   Last week's vase, minus the rose and the Copper Canyon daisies, is still in good shape so it landed on the dining table, where it complements my new tablerunner.


Last week's vase, or what's left of it


As today is December 1st, I also have a wide shots post on my "to do" list.  The photos have been taken but the post may be delayed a day.  I'm backed up on blog posts as I spent all my free time in the garden over the long holiday weekend in an effort to get as much planted in advance of the rain storm due on Tuesday as I could.  Yesterday, all we got was an occasional light drizzle and today looks like more of the same.


The view over the Los Angeles harbor late yesterday afternoon - these clouds brought just light drizzle and a rainbow



All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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