Transformation

June 10, 2014, 8:29 pm

≫ Next: My favorite plant this week: Lupinus chamissonis

≪ Previous: In a Vase on Monday: Moody Blues

Last week my husband finished the patio table he's been working on and we put it in place in the backyard.

The table top was constructed of wood salvaged from the firewood-heated "snorkel spa" we inherited with the house.

I've previously written about the snorkel spa (here). We used it as a spa a few times but it was more trouble than it was worth. It took about 2 hours to heat up the water and, if too long passed between uses, it had to be drained and refilled, which was hard to justify during a drought, even when we used the discarded water in the garden. I used it for awhile to store patio furnishings. We disassembled it in January (as described here).

Re-using the wood to construct a patio table involved more work than my husband (or I) had anticipated. Some of the wood had warped and some panels weren't in pristine condition. He ended up re-planing the wood before putting the table together. Sanding and finishing it using a marine grade varnish was also time-consuming.

Delivery of the finished table required rearrangement of the backyard patio. I expect we'll juggle things some more but here's what it looks like now.

The chiminea was relocated to create space to move around the table. It's now on the other end of the patio with a collection of pots, most of which I had before.

I stuck a plant in the top of the chiminea, which we've never used to burn wood. It's an ailing Cordyline 'Renegade' that formerly occupied one of the pots by the front door, which I recently changed out. It was small enough to fit the space but I think I'll eventually replace it with a trailing plant, maybe Lotus berthelotii (aka parrot's beak) or Russelia equisetiformis (aka firecracker plant).

The pot formerly in that space moved to the spot previously occupied by the chiminea.

I also spruced up the seating area on the north side of the house facing the dry garden. I'd like to replace the disintegrating wicker chairs there but, for now, I made do with cleaning them and replacing the seat cushions. I also refreshed a couple of my succulent pots.

So now I'm ready for whatever summer throws my way. After the heat we had last month, we're currently experiencing the "June gloom" that usually shrouds the coastal areas of Southern California in clouds and fog for half the day. It's actually a welcome change - we'll take our moisture in whatever form it comes.

What are you doing to prepare for the summer season?

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My favorite plant this week: Lupinus chamissonis

June 12, 2014, 10:23 am

≫ Next: Bloom Day - June 2014

≪ Previous: Transformation

My favorite plant this week, Lupinus chamissonis, also known as bush lupine and silver dune lupine, is the one that was in contention with last week's choice. It's also a beautiful plant but its charms are more subtle than those of the brilliant blue Lisianthus. I originally bought this plant in April 2013, only to have it shredded by a rampaging raccoon shortly after it went into the ground. I acquired another in March of this year and placed it in my new backyard border. So far, it hasn't been bothered by any raccoons and it has grown quickly, more than doubling in size since I planted it.

It's native to coastal California, although I can't say I've seen it in garden settings here. Its evergreen silvery palmate foliage is attractive in its own right but, from April through June, it produces the lavender blue flowers characteristic of lupines.

It tolerates some drought but requires exceptionally good drainage. It needs full sun and is said to be cold hardy to 20F (-6.7C). Its seeds, leaves and stems are mildly toxic. Projections of its size vary significantly but most commentators project growth to 3-5 feet (1-1.5 meters) tall with approximately the same width. I hope mine remains on the smaller end of the spectrum and doesn't overgrow its current placement. It's useful in blending blue, lavender, purple and white plants in a border.

As I love lupine, I'm happy to have this evergreen form in my garden. It's my contribution to the weekly meme hosted by Loree of danger garden. Please visit her to find her choice this week. If you have a favorite plant you'd like to highlight, write a post about it and provide a link in the comments section of Loree's post.

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Bloom Day - June 2014

June 15, 2014, 9:20 am

≫ Next: In a Vase on Monday: Summer Sunshine

≪ Previous: My favorite plant this week: Lupinus chamissonis

It's Garden Blogger's Bloom Day. Hosted by Carol of May Dreams Gardens, it's a time to take stake of what's blooming in one own's garden and an opportunity to have a look at what's flowering in gardens across the US and in other parts of the world.

My May garden was dominated by Agapanthus and, although some blooms are now looking a bit bedraggled, the flowers still dominate my garden in mid-June.

Agapanthus in the backyard border

Agapanthus in the front yard

Most of the daylilies finished blooming last month but a few are still putting on a show, most notably Hemerocallis 'Indian Giver,' which is new to me this year.

This clump of Hemerocallis 'Indian Giver' has pumped out an impressive number of bright purple blooms this month

In contrast, this clump of H. 'Indian Giver,' obtained from the same grower at the same time and planted only several feet away from the clump featured above, hardly looks like the same plant

Hemerocallis 'Persian Market' got a late start but is still putting on a nice show

And Hemerocallis 'Spanish Harlem' is still producing blooms in the front yard border (against a backdrop of mostly dead grass)

Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum), a short-lived perennial generally grown as an annual here, has added a bolt of purplish blue to my backyard border.

Eustoma grandiflorum 'Borealis Blue' stands out next to Achillea 'Moonshine'

Borage (Borago officinalis), another annual, is filling in some of the empty spaces in the border we added early this spring as an extension to the bed surrounding our backyard fountain.

Borage, planted among Salvia 'Mystic Spires, lobelia, and red-orange daylilies

The first of the Echinacea have returned.

Echinacea 'PowWow White' alongside Erysimum linifolium 'Variegatum'

Shrubs making a splash in the backyard include:

Hebe 'Wiri Blush'

Lupinus chasmissonis

Leonotis leonurus

While none of the common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) I planted last fall have done well this year, the perennial Digitalis x mertonensis and the hybrid Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame' have fared better.

My Digitalis purpurea, if they bloomed at all, produced only short, stumpy bloom spikes like this one

Digitalis x mertonensis 'Polka Dot Pippa' was attacked by aphids but seems relatively unfazed and isn't the color pretty next to Yucca 'Bright Star'?

Only a few weeks after I cut the central bloom spike of this Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame', the plant has produced almost a dozen new bloom spikes

On the southeast side of the house, an area seemed to suffer most from our May heatwaves, Verbena bonariensis and Ageratum houstonianum 'Blue Horizon' have added a welcome touch of color.

On the outskirts of this section of the garden, two plants less known for their flowers than their foliage are providing an unexpected floral display.

I usually cut the flowers off this Helichrysum petiolare 'White Licorice' in the belief that they detract from the foliage but I let them do their thing this year

Crassula radicans 'Small Red' has produced a mass of flowers this year (despite very little water)

On the largely unattended back slope, crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) and Yucca elephantipes are demonstrating their ability to take care of themselves.

I inherited this Bignonia, a plant I'd intended to avoid after it swallowed a fence at our former house

Yucca Elephantipes continues to produce one giant bloom after another despite my husband's battle to cut the plant back to a more manageable size

And last, but not least, a Phalaenopsis sitting in a pot in an area along the street I largely ignore, is proving that orchids don't deserve their reputation as difficult or demanding plants.

I water this unidentified Phalaenopis when I happen to pass by it, which isn't often - nevertheless, it somehow it made it through 2 horrible heatwaves outside in partial shade

That's it for my June bloom highlights. Please visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens to discover what's blooming in her garden and to find links to posts from gardeners far and wide.

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In a Vase on Monday: Summer Sunshine

June 16, 2014, 7:55 am

≫ Next: Foliage Follow-up - Mastering the Mimosa?

≪ Previous: Bloom Day - June 2014

I didn't plan to do it. I can't believe I did it. But I did. I cut the first 2 sunflowers to bloom in my garden for the floral bouquet composed in connection with the meme sponsored by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden. As perspective on my crime, I had recently read about a gardener who routinely cuts back her sunflowers to get shorter, bushier flower stalks later in the season. I'd wondered if that would be a good idea in my garden, where the tall sunflower stalks have previously blown over or been snapped by the strong winds that blow through here almost daily. However, I'd planted my sunflowers, Helianthus annuus 'Valentine,' from seed and, given the spotty nature of my success in growing plants from seed, I was especially hesitant to cut them, particularly as they were the only blooms I had thus far. I don't know what possessed me but here they are, front and center, in today's bouquet.

I accented them with stems of Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope,'Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold,'Tanacetum parthenium 'Aureum' and sprigs of an unidentified lavender.

A slightly blurry close-up showing the beautiful variegated foliage of Abelia 'Kaleidoscope' and the feathery foliage of the Coleonema (aka Breath of Heaven)

Bouquet photographed from the back

Even my cat, Pipig, seemed surprised.

Do I sense judgment in her eyes?

Please visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see her bouquet. You'll also find links to other gardeners' creations. I'm sure there are other surprises to discover.

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Foliage Follow-up - Mastering the Mimosa?

June 16, 2014, 4:31 pm

≫ Next: Wordless Wednesday: From not quite ripe to gone overnight...

≪ Previous: In a Vase on Monday: Summer Sunshine

I was initially at a loss for plants to feature in this month's foliage follow-up, sponsored by Pam at Digging. Then I looked out my home office window and found myself admiring the mimosa tree in our backyard, Albizia julibrissin. It recently leafed out and, although it will be a 2-3 weeks before it flowers, I think it's at its prettiest right now. I admit that the tree has been a regular source of frustration for me since we bought our current house three and a half years ago. Its messiness is something I've complained about many times and I won't repeat myself here but, giving the devil his due, the tree does provide a dramatic backdrop in our backyard.

While the Albizia makes a major statement in the garden, I find myself relying more and more heavily on succulents to add decorative touches. There are pots of succulents throughout the garden.

A new Aloe striata and an unidentified stacked Crassula in a pot on the main patio

A collection of succulent pots on the southeast side patio

I planted this birdbath with succulents a couple of months ago but I recently swapped out an ailing Aloe in the center for the Agave victoriae-reginae shown here - it and the Oscularia deltoides in front will fill in (eventually)

The struggling Aloe deltoideodonta moved into this pot, which I hope will provide a more hospitable home

This recent acquisition wasn't labeled but I think it may be Aloe variegata

Echeveria pulvinata 'Ruby,' purchased at a succulent show in April, is happy in the partial shade alongside the dry garden

I've also been planting more succulents in the ground in areas in which herbaceous plants and shrubs have failed to thrive. This started when, as I may have mentioned before, I placed pieces of an unidentified Aeonium given to me by a friend in the hard-packed soil underneath our citrus trees for lack of a better idea as to what to do with them.

I've cut pieces of these plants for other areas of the garden dozens of times without any apparent harm to the source plants

Later, at a loss for plants that could survive in the poor, fast draining soil of the sloped area beneath our Ceanothus hedges, I tucked pieces of Aeoniums in there too.

I'd estimate that these Aeonium, planted from a few single stems, have been in place about a year now, steadily multiplying

After seeing an entire border of Aeonium outside a design studio in Orange County, I think I may fill in the remaining space along the stacked rock wall under that hedge with Aeonium.

New ground for additional Aeoniums

This is the look I aim for (photo taken at a design studio adjacent to Laguna Nursery)

If the drought continues here, as it's expected to do, I expect you'll see even more succulents in future foliage follow-up posts from me. Please visit Pam at Digging for her foliage highlights and to connect to the contributions of other gardeners.

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Wordless Wednesday: From not quite ripe to gone overnight...

June 18, 2014, 11:06 am

≫ Next: My favorite plant this week: Leonotis leonurus

≪ Previous: Foliage Follow-up - Mastering the Mimosa?

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My favorite plant this week: Leonotis leonurus

June 19, 2014, 11:41 am

≫ Next: A Case of Mistaken Identity

≪ Previous: Wordless Wednesday: From not quite ripe to gone overnight...

One of the best things about the weekly favorites posts sponsored by Loree at danger garden is that they encourage a closer examination of what I have growing in my garden. My favorite plant this week, Leonotis leonurus, came with the garden. Frankly, it looked pretty scraggly when we took possession of the property and I seriously considered pulling it out. Having limited knowledge of the plant, I cut it back lightly but was unimpressed by the results. I cut it back harder last fall and, while it's still a bit spindly in the middle, it's looking pretty good this year.

Leonotis leonaurus in my backyard border

This photograph shows the shrub's bare mid-section

There are signs of new growth at ground level. I'll cut it back hard again this year in the interest of beefing it up further.

New growth at ground level

My plant sits at the point at which our back border slopes downward. The drainage is good but water retention is not so the plant's drought tolerance is an advantage in this setting. The plant is said to grow 4-6 feet (1.2-2m) tall and almost as wide. Mine is close to that tall but much narrower. Like other plants in the mint family, the foliage is aromatic when crushed. The evergreen foliage is attractive but it's the flowers that draw the eye. The deep orange tubular blooms are fuzzy and arranged in tiered whorls around a square stem. They're very Dr. Seuss-ish.

I know the plant by the common name of Lion's Tail but, in researching it on-line, I discovered that it has many names, including Lion's Ear, Lion's Claw, Minaret Flower, and Wild Dagga. I also learned that it has medicinal and mild psychoactive properties. Leourine is used to treat respiratory tract infections caused by streptococcus, and bone and skin infections, among other things. I can't claim any personal knowledge of its psychoactive features but smoking the dried leaves and flowers is said to have a mild calming effect. It also reportedly has an unpleasant taste that can numb the mouth and irritate lungs and throat.

San Marcos Growers rates it as hardy to 20-25F (to -6.7C); however, it has been known to come back from the roots in areas with colder winters, where it can be been treated as a perennial rather than an evergreen shrub. There are over 40 comments on the plant on the Dave's Garden site, the vast majority of which are positive.

Leonotis leonurus is my contribution to Loree's collection of favorite plants at danger garden. Click here to see her favorite of the week and to find the selections of other contributing gardeners.

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A Case of Mistaken Identity

June 21, 2014, 10:24 am

≫ Next: Summer Solstice Pool Party

≪ Previous: My favorite plant this week: Leonotis leonurus

When asked for input about trees, I generally respond that "I'm not a tree person," an inept way to explain that I'm not particularly knowledgeable about trees. I grew up surrounded by palm trees and a few fruit trees but the prominence of trees in the gardens of my childhood diminished as residential lots shrank and the area in which I grew up developed, with roads and commercial buildings gradually replacing ranches and orchards. The first garden of my own, a jungle in some people's views, contained just 3 trees, a birch, a Japanese maple, and an Arbutus unedo. In contrast, the garden I inherited at the end of 2010, contains more than a dozen trees, most of which I'd had no prior experience in growing. This is a very long-winded way of explaining that I've been entirely wrong about the identity of one variety of these trees. The tree I'd believed was a California pepper (Schinus molle) is, most probably, an Australian willow (Geijera parviflora).

Tree in backyard (prior to January haircut)

How did I mistake the two? I can't really explain it, except to say that Schinus molle is far more common in the general area in which I live. Many of the pictures posted on-line as S. molle also look similar, at least from a distance, to those growing in my garden. (See the images of S. molle posted here and here.) Moreover, the only Australian willow I knew of, Agonis flexuosa, looks nothing like my trees. There are some similarities between S. molle and G. parviflora. Both have limited water needs, have pendulous branchlets, and produce cream-colored flowers in spring. However, their bark and trunks are very different and, after seeing a mature California pepper at a botanic garden, I realized I was probably off-base in identifying my trees as S. molle. After seeing drawings of the leaves of both trees in a recently acquired book, I was certain of my error.

Close-up of the tree's leaves and flowers

I've yet to see G. parviflora in either a nursery or a botanic garden so I'm hesitant to be definitive about my trees' identity, although I can say with a degree of certainty that they aren't S. molle. For one thing, the scattering of red berries characteristic of the California pepper tree during the summer months aren't evident on any of my trees.

The good news in the discovery of the classification error is that, of the two, G. parviflora is the more well-behaved tree. The Sunset Western Garden Book says that it "combines the grace of a willow with the toughness of a eucalyptus." Unlike the California pepper tree, its roots aren't invasive and it produces minimal litter (discounting that created by the local crows when they pull pieces of the tree out for use as nesting material). It also isn't known to be susceptible to scale infestations and root rot like the pepper. So, while I'm embarrassed by my mistake in identifying the trees, I'm gratified that the trees I have are unlikely to present significant difficulties for me. I trust that they'll take no notice of my temporary failure to recognize their true nature.

Current photo of one of the trees at the front of the property

Happy first day of summer to all of you in the northern hemisphere! I hope the new season brings only pleasant surprises.

UPDATE: Based on comments provided by Max below and examination of additional on-line photos, it appears that these trees are Agonis flexuosa after all.

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Summer Solstice Pool Party

June 22, 2014, 10:53 am

≫ Next: In a Vase on Monday: Fuzzy Flowers

≪ Previous: A Case of Mistaken Identity

It's probably my imagination but the birds seemed particularly active in the backyard on the afternoon of the summer solstice. There was a lot of activity at the fountain, although that didn't seem to make it much easier to get good photos. As soon as I approached the living room window, the little devils would fly off and my attempts to patiently lie in wait holding my camera didn't yield results. Here are the best of my pictures of the avian pool party.

This Hooded Oriole was especially camera shy

I think this assembly is comprised of House Finches and a Lesser Goldfinch, although the yellow bird on the top tier appears larger than a female Lesser Goldfinch should be

This male House Finch spent a lot of time enjoying the fountain by himself

I hope your summer solstice was as enjoyable.

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In a Vase on Monday: Fuzzy Flowers

June 23, 2014, 8:26 am

≫ Next: Wordless Wednesday: New Orchid Blooms

≪ Previous: Summer Solstice Pool Party

Since Leonotis leoanurus is currently making a splash in my backyard border, I thought I'd try using a little of it in my bouquet for "In a Vase on Monday," a weekly meme sponsored by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden. What I learned is that too many fuzzy flowers create a fuzzy arrangement that looks out of focus in photographs. (Try to say that 3 times fast.) My initial effort included both the flowers of the Leonotis, which look a little like orange tarantulas, and some equally fuzzy Ageratum houstonianum. It was a bit much.

First attempt with Leontis and Ageratum in the vase

I pulled the Ageratum and was left with what I think is a somewhat more refined composition, although not one of my favorites. Perhaps I should have removed the Agapanthus too and stuck with hot colors?

Second version, sans Ageratum

In addition to 2 stems of Leonotis leonurus, I used:

3 stems of Agapanthus (no ID)
3 stems of Bulbine frutescens 'Hallmark'
4 stems of Coprosma 'Evening Glow'
2 stems of an unidentified Hemerocallis (possibly 'Sammy Russell')
2 stems of Sollya heterophylla

Close-up of 2-decker flowers of Leonotis Leonurus

Close-up of Agapanthus, which are slowly beginning to wane in my garden

Close-up of Coprosma 'Evening Glow' and Bulbine 'Hallmark'

Close-up of the unidentified Hemerocallis

Close-up of the delicate blooms of Sollya heterophylla

I know the daylily won't last but there are several other buds on the stems and my hope is that they'll open at intervals over the course of the next several days. I'd been wanting to try daylilies in a vase for some time and, seeing them featured in vase in a recent blog post by Loree of danger garden, encouraged me to take advantage of the current overabundance of red-orange daylilies in my garden.

Bouquet on the dining room table, where its colors complement a nearby picture on the wall

Please visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see what she's cooked up this week and to find links to other gardeners' contributions.

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Wordless Wednesday: New Orchid Blooms

June 25, 2014, 10:40 am

≫ Next: The Front Porch Gets Dressed Up

≪ Previous: In a Vase on Monday: Fuzzy Flowers

Miltassia Shelob 'Tolkein'

Unidentified Phalaenopsis

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The Front Porch Gets Dressed Up

June 26, 2014, 11:13 am

≫ Next: My favorite plant this week: Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin'

≪ Previous: Wordless Wednesday: New Orchid Blooms

As summer sets in here in Southern California, it becomes more and more ridiculous to continue planting. If a heatwave hits, new plantings frequently die, even if they get extra water. Every year I make a vow to stop planting between June and October. And every year I break my vow, although my purchases do taper off a bit. This year, the month of June has been relatively pleasant, at least by comparison to the miserable May we had, but July is seldom pleasant so I've tried to shift my attention to activities that don't amount to throwing money away. This year, those activities involved replanting the pots on the front porch (which can always be moved if the heat gets too intense).

I didn't take any "before" photos so the following picture, taken last December showing one side of the porch, is the best one I can provide to show what I started with. The pots shown in this photo weren't looking nearly this good earlier this month.

The front pots were originally created to adorn the front of my mother-in-law's house when we prepared it for sale but I moved them to our house after the sale. The ivy geranium (Pelargonium peltatum 'Pink Blizzard') took the sunny setting in stride but the Cordyline 'Renegade' struggled and the Calibrachoa eventually died off. One of the Cordyline has been repotted and placed in a shadier location and the Pelargonium have been moved elsewhere. The back pots were intended as temporary holiday decorations and they were definitely past their prime.

The ceramic pots, benches and bench cushions remain but I changed out the pillows and swapped out most of the contents of the pots to create a sunnier front entry.

The two sides of the front entryway are near mirror images of one another.

Bench #1

Side view of bench #1 with a close up of the replanted blue pot, which now contains Pennisetum 'Purple Majesty,' Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope,' Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit,' Calibrachoa 'Peach' and 'Papaya,' Lotus berthelototii, Zinnia 'Profusion Apricot,' and leftover lime Alternanthera

Bench #2

Close up of one of the 2 back pots, which contain 3 varieties of coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) and yellow Calibrachoa

I'm planning to stick to succulents for any further planting I do between now and October - or at least September. Probably. It's a real possibility. Well, it's a goal anyway.

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My favorite plant this week: Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin'

June 27, 2014, 9:05 am

≫ Next: Trapped By His Own Greed!

≪ Previous: The Front Porch Gets Dressed Up

Anagallis monelli, with its intense blue flowers, seems to be relatively well known, although I only became acquainted with it last year. I came across a hybrid, Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin,' on a nursery tour of Carpinteria, California in March of this year and picked up 6 plants in 4-inch pots for the new border my husband and I had created as an extension of the small bed around our fountain. Developed and patented by the University of New Hampshire, A. 'Wildcat Mandarin' are sold under the Proven Winners name as an annual but they're technically classified as a tender perennial. Whether they'll last beyond this year remains to be seen but I'm very happy with how they've performed thus far.

They're not tall. They're said to grow 6-12 inches (15-30 cm) high but mine are at the shorter end of that spectrum. They make a good filler between plants, spreading farther than the 10-14 inches (25-36 cm) described on the label even after I trimmed back the trailing stems to encourage the plants to bush out some. In my garden, they complement the Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope' and Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame' grown nearby.

The flowers are relatively small but plentiful. The plants are self-cleaning, making deadheading unnecessary. They have flowered without a pause since they were planted and proved their heat tolerance during our May heatwaves.

There's not a lot of information available on the plant on-line. Most of the sellers report the same statistics. When scanning pictures of the plants I Googled on-line I was surprised to find that quite a few came from my own blog, including pictures of 2 bouquets in which I used the flowers. (I'd only remembered using it once.) I can attest to the fact that it performs well as a cut flower accent in a vase.

Bouquet posted April 28th showing Anagallis with a rose, Tagetes lemonii, and Abelia 'Kaleidoscope'

Bouquet posted May 26th, shwoing Anagallis with Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame,' Tanacetum parthenium, and Leucadendron salignum 'Chief'

This little powerhouse plant is my contribution to Loree's regular feature on favorite plants at danger garden. Please click here to see her favorite this week. You'll also find links to other contributing gardeners' posts. Post a description of your favorite plant this week if you have one and link up.

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Trapped By His Own Greed!

June 28, 2014, 9:51 am

≫ Next: In a Vase on Monday: Forget-Me-Not

≪ Previous: My favorite plant this week: Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin'

That sounds like the headline of a sensational story in a supermarket tabloid, doesn't it? Well, this isn't that kind of article but the title is descriptive. This is yet another account of the extent to which my resident squirrels will go to consume the seed I put out for small birds. My husband created a cage to enclose our largest feeder years ago when it became apparent that the squirrels were consuming far more of the seed than the birds. Then he fortified it with metal sides when the squirrels ate through the original wood slats. More recently, when the squirrel managed to push in through the bottom, my husband reinforced that with more metal. But, earlier this week, I looked out of my home office window and saw this:

The squirrel was once again sitting inside the cage surrounding the feeder, eating away

When I came outside, he tried his usual freeze posture to avoid detection

When my continued approach made it clear that didn't work, he scrambled to escape - and failed

He tried hiding from me - he's still there on the opposite side of the feeder

You can just see his tail at the top of the feeder and his little face peaking out at me on the left

Now, he's moved to the right to see if I've gone away yet

I went back into the house to see if he could get himself out of the cage without help. He tried to find a way out but, failing that, settled down and began eating seed again.

After probing the bottom and sides of the cage for an exit strategy, he gave up and resumed his former activity while I watched from the house

I came out again and we went through a second round of hide-and-seek.

Are the paparazzi back again?!

As the bottom of the cage around the seed canister was still secured, I was fairly certain he must have entered by pushing up the plastic dome cover at the top. I pushed it up on the side farthest away from me several times to give him an escape route but he was too panicked by my presence to take advantage of the exit. I returned to the house again to see if he'd work it out on his own. He did try.

You can see him sitting on top of the feeder below the plastic dome of the cage in this photo taken from inside the house

After another 30-40 minutes, I got some heavy gloves, took the hanging cage down, put it on the ground, and lifted the top off. He was gone in a flash and hasn't been back yet. Lesson learned? I doubt it.

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In a Vase on Monday: Forget-Me-Not

June 30, 2014, 9:15 am

≫ Next: Wide Shots - July 2014

≪ Previous: Trapped By His Own Greed!

In early May, following our first major heatwave, I mail-ordered plants I'd had on my wish list when they finally became available. As the price for shipping is the same for 8 plants as it is for 5, I added 3 Chinese forget-me-not plants, Cynoglossum amabile, to the order as a spur-of-the-moment selection. When the plants arrived, we were entering our second heatwave and all that came to mind was "what was I thinking?". I'd never grown them before. They aren't heat or drought tolerant. And I had no place identified for them. I plunked them in pots in a partially shaded area that had been left bare by the loss of other plants following the May heatwaves. To my surprise, they thrived. They began blooming about a week ago.

I selected them as the focal plant for my next bouquet because they're prolific bloomers. In addition, the turquoise tint to the flowers doesn't do anything for the purplish-blue Agapanthus flowering above them so cutting them doesn't prompt the usual angst I feel when taking fresh blooms from the garden.

Cynoglossum amabile situated below Agapanthus in my backyard border

As this Friday is Independence Day and we have guests coming to watch the firework displays visible in the harbor area and beyond, I thought I should create a red, white and blue bouquet. However, there's very little red in my garden. I found just one true red flower in bloom, a coneflower (Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit'). I added some blue Salvia, white Shasta daisies and feverfew. The result didn't thrill me.

The stiff form of the coneflower, which seemed in stark contrast to the looser form of the other flowers, bothered me more than the color (which matched the canisters behind the bouquet in the picture above very well!). I pulled the coneflower and replaced it with a stem of my blue Lisianthus. The new mix meshed much better with the blue and purple vase I'd selected.

The revised bouquet contains the following:

4 stems of Cynoglossum amabile 'Blue Showers' (aka Chinese foret-me-not)
1 stem of Eustoma grandiflorum 'Borealis Blue' (aka Lisianthus)
3 stems of Leucanthemum x superbum 'Snow Lady' (aka Shasta daisy)
3 stems of Salvia 'Mystic Spires'
2 stems of Tanacetum parthenium 'Aureum' (aka golden feverfew)

Close-up of Cynoglossum amabile and Tanacetum parthenium

Close-up of Eustoma grandiflorum 'Borealis Blue'

Close-up of Salvia 'Mystic Spires' and Leucanthemum x superbum 'Snow Lady'

The coneflower was banished to the guest bathroom with some other floral remnants.

The bathroom gets a tiny red, white and blue bouquet, which looks bigger than it is with flowers duplicated in the mirror

And my featured bouquet ends up on the dining table, replacing last week's edition.

This is my contribution to the weekly meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden. Please click here to see her composition and to find links to posts by other contributors.

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Wide Shots - July 2014

July 1, 2014, 3:27 pm

≫ Next: Happy 4th of July!

≪ Previous: In a Vase on Monday: Forget-Me-Not

Summer is not a good time for planting here in Southern California. Ideally, gardeners here use the hot, dry months of summer to plan next year's garden, much as gardeners in colder climates use their winter months. While I'm not always faithful to the "no summer planting" rule, when it's too hot to bear working outside I do try to spend some time planning for the fall planting season, which is generally our best time to plant.

In September of last year, I began participating in a monthly exercise, initiated by Heather of Xericstyle, focusing on the "big picture" of the garden, rather than individual plants. Frankly, I've gotten carried away with it, producing wide views of most of the major sections of my garden. The posts may try the attention span of my readers but they've been very useful in forcing me to look at my garden as a whole, rather than as a collection of plants. The photos are also useful in kick-starting my planning process.

The backyard in July looks much like it did in June, although both the Agapanthus and the red-orange Hemerocallis are waning. The Agapanthus got an early start this year and many look like over-used mop-heads now. I've already cut more than two-thirds of them back. The new border, which extends from the fountain to the southeast side yard, has filled in nicely but some of the annuals are losing their gusto. I've also begun evaluating which of the perennials are worth retaining and which will be relocated or sacrificed in the fall.

View of the backyard from the patio door

View of the backyard looking southeast from the main patio

View of the backyard looking northwest toward the mimosa tree, which has begun flowering (and dropping litter)

The biggest changes to the southeast side garden area were made to the bed that formerly held the Eucalyptus tree (removed in February 2013). The combination of heat and rampaging raccoons damaged or killed many plants in that area so, despite the early onset of summer heat, I replanted in June, using annuals, succulents and a few perennials.

Southeast side yard photographed from the small patio - the replanted area lies to the immediate left of the arbor

Side yard photographed looking in the direction of the arbor and the street

View from a dirt path running along the back of the side garden

View of the side garden looking through the arbor toward the Los Angeles harbor

This month, I took some photos of the area I refer to as the "glen," an area sandwiched between the southeast side garden and the street, accessed by dirt paths. It doesn't photograph well and I've given it relatively little attention thus far but, with work, I think it could be a nice area. The earlier heatwaves did it no favors, even killing off the drought tolerant Dymondia margaretae I planted 3 years ago.

Glen photographed from the dirt path running parallel to the street behind a hedge - the remnants of the mostly dead Dymondia can be seen in front of the seating area

I added more Aeonium cuttings to the sloped area on top of the stacked stone wall in June

I've given very little attention to the front yard this year, except for the patio area surrounding the front door. The lawn on either side of the front pathway has me exasperated. Removing chunks of it may be my top priority fall/winter project.

Front of house photographed from the driveway

The left side of the house, which seldom gets photographed because my husband's truck is so often parked there

The vegetable garden now contains vegetables - or at least corn, pole bean and pepper seedlings. The raised beds also contain sunflowers, although I've only had a few blooms thus far.

Vegetable garden, photographed from the driveway - the first raised planter contains herbs, sunflowers and strawberries

Vegetable garden, photographed from the dry garden area - the middle raised bed is dominated by corn and rosemary while the closest planter contains more corn, beans, a pepper plant and a few varieties of basil

The dry garden hasn't changed much either. My beloved Echium handiense aren't doing well, however, and may have to be replaced by more drought tolerant selections.

Dry garden, photographed from the beginning of the path leading to the slope

Dry garden, photographed from the backyard - the 2 plants that look like sticks with a few leaves are what remains of the Echium handiense

The slope has been woefully neglected and shows it. Even the foxtail agave (Agave attenuata) I planted in early spring is suffering from a lack of water. I need to do some serious work down there but that probably won't happen until the fall. At least the peach tree, uncovered when my husband cut back the Yucca elephantipes along our property line, seems to be holding its own (even if there are no signs of fruit).

Slope, photographed half-way down the stairway - the peach tree is to the right of the lemon tree

That's it for this month's review. I'm taking notes to guide my fall planting and renovation plans but a lot depends on whether this year's promised El Nino brings rain and there's no guarantee of that.

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Happy 4th of July!

July 3, 2014, 8:50 pm

≫ Next: In a Vase on Monday: It started with a rose...

≪ Previous: Wide Shots - July 2014

Best wishes for a wonderful Independence Day! Here's my version of safe and sane fireworks:

Phormium 'Dark Delight' and Hebe 'Wiri Blush'

Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit'

Amaranthus cruentus 'Hopi Red Dye'

Leucanthemum x superbum 'Snow Lady'

Argyranthemum frutescens

Agapanthus

Salvia 'Mystic Spires' and Borago officinalis

Eustoma grandiflorum "Borealis Blue'

And the finale:

Cuphea x ignea 'Starfire Pink'

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In a Vase on Monday: It started with a rose...

July 7, 2014, 8:45 am

≫ Next: The Gardener Goes Inland

≪ Previous: Happy 4th of July!

There aren't many roses in bloom in my garden at present and those that do appear don't last long so, when I saw that 'California Dreamin' had a bud opening, I clipped it and, as Cathy at Rambling in the Garden does, I wandered about my own garden looking for suitable partners to go in today's vase. I didn't start this week's project with selections in mind as I often do. I wasn't even sure there was much out there that I hadn't already used in one form or another. So I was surprised how well this vase came together.

Unlike many of my bouquets, this one was no struggle to photograph. In fact, this one wasn't capable of producing a bad photo.

Photo taken from above the bouquet looking downward

This bouquet may be my personal favorite thus far. Here's what I used:

1 rose bud ('California Dreamin' rose)
3 stems of Bulbine frutescens, yellow variety
1 Dahlia 'Fringed Star'
2 stems of Digitalis x mertonensis 'Polka Dot Pippa' (with the persistent aphids removed)
1 stem of Grevillea 'Superb' containing 2 mature flowers
3 stems of Leucadendron salignum 'Chief'
3 stems of Origanum 'Monterey Bay'
2 stems of the always useful Tanacetum parthenium 'Aureum'(aka golden feverfew)

Close-up of 'California Dreamin' rose

Close-up of yellow Bulbine frutescens with Digitalis x mertonensis below

Close-up of Dahlia 'Fringed Star,' which has a lot less pink than than the photo attached to the bulb package

Close-up of Grevillea 'Superb,' the blooms of which start out a yellowish peach and turn pinkish coral as they age

Back of the bouquet, which highlights Leucadendron salignum 'Chief' and Origanum 'Monterey Bay'

The vase in this case is a decorative teapot given to my mother-in-law by one of her neighbors several months prior to her death. I brought it home last year when my husband and I cleared her home for sale, planning to use it to hold flowers. This is the first time I've done so and, even though it isn't a family heirloom, it reminds me of her.

What better place for a teapot masquerading as a vase than the kitchen. It brightens the mostly white space, doesn't it?

The lemons from the tree at the bottom of our slope even make a nice accent

If you have a vase of flowers collected from your garden sitting on a countertop this morning, post a picture and link up to Cathy's "In a Vase on Monday" meme at Rambling in the Garden.

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The Gardener Goes Inland

July 8, 2014, 8:26 am

≫ Next: Mostly Wordless Wildlife Wednesday: The Scrub-Jay Rules (the fountain)

≪ Previous: In a Vase on Monday: It started with a rose...

My nursery and garden center forays generally keep me close to the coast. Last Saturday, following spontaneous recommendations received from 2 neighbors at different points in time, a friend and I ventured inland to check out a nursery new to both of us, H&H Nursery in Lakewood, California. The nursery itself isn't new. According to its website, this family owned and operated nursery was established in 1976. Getting there involved a 20 mile drive and 2 separate freeways. Its location under a grid of electrical wires isn't particularly scenic but the 5.5 acre growing operation was impressive.

The back half of the property was occupied by hoop houses used for growing

A peek into one of the growing areas

Another growing space

This appeared to be a staging area

H&H is a general nursery, offering everything from bedding and house plants to trees and succulents.

A view of the indoor plant area

A particularly nice looking Schefflera

Gobs and gobs of shade plants

Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia)

A mix of cactus and succulents, including barrel cactus, which I don't often see in local nurseries

The large barrel cactus come at hefty prices - I didn't notice the prices on the smaller ones

More succulents

Note how everything is labeled

There were also decorative items, although not so many that the plants took second billing.

I'd have loved to take one or more of these glass globes home but they were pricey

There were an unusual number of Chihuahua dog statutes of various kinds, perhaps signifying a soft spot in the heart of the owners

In addition to the sheer size of the operation, I was impressed by the evident helpfulness of the staff, the wide selection of plants and their overall good health, the ready availability of plants in 4-inch pots (the size at which I prefer to buy), and the reasonable prices for plants in large pots. I was tempted by numerous plants.

Clerodendrum ugandense - I passed because the one I thought I killed appears to have revived

Russelia equisetiformis - I don't need a 3rd one but this one in a hanging container certainly looked good

Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder' - now I know where I can find them if I decide to add more to my garden

Dendromecon harfordii - an extremely drought tolerant plant under consideration

Agave 'Blue Flame' - I may add one or more of these to my dry garden this fall

Agave guiengola 'Creme Brulee' - I'm regretting my failure to take this one home. Look at all those offsets!

Aloe elgonica hybrid - I think I may "need" this too

Lagerstroemia 'Muskogee' - if the ailing Arbutus in my side yard fails, I may buy a lavender crape myrtle like this one

Unlike any nursery I can recall visiting, everything appeared to be labeled, even the succulents in 4-inch pots. I can't say I conducted an audit in this regard but there wasn't a single plant I personally picked up that didn't have a label and I consider that utterly remarkable.

What isn't remarkable is that, despite a recent statement on this very blog that I didn't intend to buy any plants other than succulents until September or October, I did just that. Here's what I took home: