Making a start

I've been planning to renovate the succulent bed in front of our garage since last year but other priorities kept getting in the way.  Weather has been the latest issue but I decided I needed to at least make a start so I did just that this week.

The bed in question has been an issue for me for years now.  In 2016, after we removed the sod that originally covered most of the area in front of the garage, including the area later designated as a succulent bed, I added only a small number of succulent cuttings around the Agave attenuata that came with the garden.  I didn't formally plant the area with a variety of succulents until September 2017.  I've tweaked the succulent mix at regular intervals but these never made the difference I was looking for.  I think it actually looked its best back in 2018.

This photo was taken in April 2018.  I note that I had a small Leucadendron in the mix at that time, as well a 'Blue Flame' Agave.  I don't specifically recall my decision to remove them but I suspect I was concerned that both would get too big for their spots.

This is what the bed looked like earlier this week before I started pulling it apart.

There were already a large number of empty spots I hadn't bothered to fill as I'd been planning a wholesale renovation for some time.  You may also recall that the large clump of Agave attenuata had been reduced by nearly half back in October when the agaves were badly damaged after being covered by a plastic tarp during our annual tree trimming exercise.

The plants in that bed have never fleshed out or filled in as my other succulents beds have done.  Part of the problem may be starting with relatively small plants but I think I've also erred in failing to mix in some softer plants to blur the edges as I've done with all of my other succulent beds.

While this south-side bed is dominated by succulents, it also includes plants like Hymenolepsis parviflors, Leucadendron 'Summer Red', Metrosideros 'Springfire', Salvia clevelandii, and Vitex trifolia

View of the same bed from the other direction

The street-side succulent bed is mostly succulents but its backed by a leafy green hedge of Xylosma congestum

This bed running the length of the lower portion of the back slope is about half succulents, sharing space with an Arctostaphylos, artichokes, creeping Lantana, Abelia 'Chiapas', Ribes viburnifolium, and rosemary

So I'm convinced of the value of adding some softer plants to the bed currently slated for an overhaul; however, I'm also concerned that the soil in that area doesn't drain as well as most areas of my garden.  I've collected more rocks and I'm planning to give the plants better drainage by raising the soil level using succulent-friendly amendments.  Thus far, I've  pulled the plants I've decided I don't want to keep and and potted up half of what I want to hold onto.

This photo shows how much I've already cleared.  I plan to leave the clump of Agave attenuata as it is and probably the bromeliad on the left (in front of the pot) as well.  I'm still debating removal of the woody Abelia grandiflora on the far left.

These succulents are slated for a giveaway

I've held onto these to be replanted either in the renovated bed or elsewhere

These are some of the plants I'm considering adding to the renovated bed: A noID Aloe I got from one neighbor, a bulbil of what may an Agave parryi I received from another neighbor, an Aloe cameronii I got from a blogger friend, and one or more Drimia maritima bulbs from my back slope

There's another storm on the horizon.  Before it arrives, I hope to dig up the other plants I want to keep and get them into pots.  Time permitting, I'll also move the existing rock out of the way.  I'm holding off on a delivery of a truckload of soil until there's a decent break in the rainstorms that gives me adequate time to move the soil out of the driveway when they drop it off.  Then I need to decide whether more rocks are required before I go plant shopping.  I'm guessing I may not be done with this project until sometime in April. 

Best wishes for a good weekend, whatever conditions the weather in your area delivers.  I'll send you off for the weekend with few new spring flowers.

Anemone coronaria 'Rosa Tigrato'

Hippeastrum 'Emerald' and H. 'Evergreen'

All material © 2012-2024 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party