We haven't yet reached that point in early spring where every day brings new surprises but I feel we're getting closer. It's been sunny and our temperatures are back in the upper 60sF (18-20C). The warmer temperatures are gradually producing the blooms I expect in our climate at this time of year.
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| Arctotis 'Pink Sugar' is back! Those shown here are in the back garden. Those in the front garden finally threw in the towel after coming back for a few years in a row so I'll be looking for replacements in my the local garden centers. |
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| All my Hippeastrums (commonly known as Amaryllis) are grown outside so they take awhile longer to bloom than plants grown in heated indoor conditions. This is Hippeastrum 'Rozetta'. |
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| I couldn't remember what this bulb was when it first appeared. then I remembered that I'd planted 10 bulbs of a small tulip I'd never seen before. These are Tulipa humilis ‘Alba Coerulea Oculata’, currently blooming on very short (one-inch) stems. |
It's been comfortable to work in the garden, at least until the Santa Ana winds pick up in the afternoon. I focused on digging up the Sesleria 'Greenlee Hybrid' grasses in the front and back gardens this week. It's tedious work so I didn't protest when my husband jumped in to help.
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| The "before" photos of the areas covered in the grass in the back garden are shown on the left and the photo on the right is an "after" shot. As succulents are planted in the areas surrounding the bare sections, my plan is to plant both with complementary succulents but I have to go shopping first! I'll use some cuttings from my garden but this is a good opportunity to add new varieties. |
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| These are the before and after shots in the front garden. I may just keep things simple and plant more creeping thyme in the bare areas but that decision is open to reconsideration. |
There's also progress on the Agave blooms to share.
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| The bloom stalk on the large Agave 'Blue Glow' in my south-side garden is shooting up fast. The photo on the left was taken on January 16th, when I first noticed it. The photo on the right was taken yesterday. I'd guess-estimate it's now over 7 feet tall. |
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| The photo on the left here shows Agave mitis 'Multicolor' on November 22nd, when I first noticed it was preparing to bloom. It's stalk has developed more slowly and remains relatively slender. The photo on the right was taken yesterday. It may be 6 feet tall now. |
I was going to order in a truckload of mulch this week but as I currently plan to be out and about on a few days, I decided it wasn't a good time to block the driveway for the days it'll take to spread three cubic yards throughout the garden. With no significant chance of rain on the near-term horizon, that chore could wait another week, or two.
All material © 2012-2023by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party