Even in coastal Southern California, planting during the summer months is a risky business. Every year I promise myself that I'll stop planting at the end of May. And almost every year I break my promise. Sometimes I manage to confine my purchases to annuals and succulents. Sometimes I focus on pots, which can at least be protected if the heat soars to an extreme. The terrible
heatwave that struck here at summer's start should have underscored the need for caution but, after a bout of depression over the destruction it left behind, I found myself touring garden centers during the cooler weather we've enjoyed the last two weeks. Before I knew it, I was racking up a bill at the cash register.
So here's a look at what's come home with me since the heatwave struck.
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| I planted Zinnias from 6-packs after tearing out the dead sweet peas. That was planned even before the heatwave struck so I felt little guilt over it. |
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| However, after staring at the crispy Cordyline 'Renegade' that formerly occupied this area for awhile, I pulled them out when I came across Yucca desmetiana 'Blue Boy' in 4-inch pots. I filled in around the small Yuccas with 2 Coprosma kirkii and Graptosedum 'Darley Sunshine' and Sedum lineare 'Variegatum' planted from 6-packs. (There's still a half-dead variegated Coprosma in there that will come out if it doesn't recover.) |
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| I bought numerous Sedum and other succulents in relatively inexpensive 6-packs. Shown here from left to right are: Sedum adolphii, S. lineare 'Variegatum' (mixed in with an Aloe and Aeonium cuttings that were planted earlier), and S. reflexum 'Angelina'. |
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| The plants in the southwest-facing area of the front garden were pulverized by the June heatwave. I had it in mind to replace what had been there with a Leucadendron and some Phormium so when I found what I wanted at Roger's Gardens last week, I snapped them up. The photos at the bottom of the collage above are close-ups of, left to right: Artemisia vulgaris 'Seafoam', Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' and Phormium 'Tom Thumb'. |
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| At another nursery, I found a Leucadendron 'Safari Goldstrike' in a 1-gallon pot. It might go into the front garden or possibly in the back border but I want to see how it handles the heat in a full sun exposure before I put it in the ground. I've put it in a large pot on the back patio for now. |
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| I found Leucadendron galpinii (left) in a 1-gallon pot for the first time at the same nursery so I brought it home too. I'm probably going to bite the bullet and use it to replace my sad-looking Adenanthos (right) in the back border. |
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| A few other strays ended up on my nursery cart as well (clockwise from the upper left): Catananche caerulea (the bumble bee approves the purchase), Duranta repens 'Lime' (aka 'Gold Mound', hopefully it won't exceed the size estimated by the growers as another of my specimens has), burgundy Pelargonium peltatum, and Salvia greggii 'Mesa Azure' (which has done very well in another location of my garden) |
Am I done? I'm not committing myself to assurances I may not be able to keep.
All material © 2012-2016 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
