I don't remember where I was, or whom I was talking to, but I was recently singing the praises of Adiantum venustum, aka Himalayan maidenhair fern. They thought it too delicate too precious...I tried to convince them it was anything but...
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Way back in October of 2011 I wrote about my experience planting a Mahonia × media ‘Charity’, on the north side of our house, next to the neighbor's driveway. The post included several photos of those ferns, back when they were first planted — from a 4" pot — tiny babies, just specks in the gravel! My work that day was a comedy of errors — but that was almost 6 years ago. In the mean time everything has grown and amazingly, I haven't changed up these plantings at all, it's a great experiment in just letting things get on with virtually no interference from the gardener. Here's a photo of how they look now...
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And then...
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Ha! Can you even?
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And it's not like these things are spoiled. I water them only when I realize how hot and dry it's been. Out of sight out of mind?
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I originally planted a pair of Hakonechloa, but one of them was a little too exposed to the evening sun and ended up sulking with the extra rays and lack of water. This one's fine...
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The sulking one was replaced by a Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Rainbow', which is doing great.
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The Mahonia fortunei 'Curlyque' got a bit knocked back by winter. Ice build-up broke a few stems and it lost a couple feet of height.
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Thankfully the plant as a whole couldn't have cared less.
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The Angustifolia’ Hart’s Tongue Fern definitely has stayed compact, the Adiantum want to swallow it.
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Then there's the Mahonia × media ‘Charity’ it was so small when I planted it! Now...
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Then...(2011)...
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It's a bit prickly to be planted so close to the neighbor's drive, and we like our neighbors! Then again we back into our driveway, better to step out onto your own property (the edges of our driveways are the property line).
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At the end of the thin stretch of "north-side land" was an ugly wooden fence...no more! Now it's nothin but foliage...
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The rest of my garden changes so frequently (plants in, plants out), I love having this time capsule of almost 6 years undisturbed growth. Once again (just because I can!)... now...
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And then...
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Moving towards the front garden we must stop and admire our rebuilt ($3,000 later) chimney...who knew it was on the verge of falling over?....
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And look! That little volunteer Sedum is still going. Happy happy.
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The Fatsia japonica has put on a lot of growth too...it barely met the 8th run of bricks back in 2011, now look at it!
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Funny the window blockage isn't as bad as it looks, when viewed from the inside.
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And I like it's legginess.
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The bloodgrass at the far NE corner of the house gets great early morning and evening light.
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I'm tempted to take this end-of-month "love-fest" out into the front garden but really, do we have time for that? No. No we do not.
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Let's just pause to admire the Rhamnus frangula (Fine Line Buckthorn)...
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And look back at the subjects of this month-end "favorites"...what are you admiring at the end of July? Please tell us about it...
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Weather Diary, July 27: Hi 78, Low 59/ Precip 0 (day 40, no rain)
All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
Way back in October of 2011 I wrote about my experience planting a Mahonia × media ‘Charity’, on the north side of our house, next to the neighbor's driveway. The post included several photos of those ferns, back when they were first planted — from a 4" pot — tiny babies, just specks in the gravel! My work that day was a comedy of errors — but that was almost 6 years ago. In the mean time everything has grown and amazingly, I haven't changed up these plantings at all, it's a great experiment in just letting things get on with virtually no interference from the gardener. Here's a photo of how they look now...
And then...
Ha! Can you even?
And it's not like these things are spoiled. I water them only when I realize how hot and dry it's been. Out of sight out of mind?
I originally planted a pair of Hakonechloa, but one of them was a little too exposed to the evening sun and ended up sulking with the extra rays and lack of water. This one's fine...
The sulking one was replaced by a Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Rainbow', which is doing great.
The Mahonia fortunei 'Curlyque' got a bit knocked back by winter. Ice build-up broke a few stems and it lost a couple feet of height.
Thankfully the plant as a whole couldn't have cared less.
The Angustifolia’ Hart’s Tongue Fern definitely has stayed compact, the Adiantum want to swallow it.
Then there's the Mahonia × media ‘Charity’ it was so small when I planted it! Now...
Then...(2011)...
It's a bit prickly to be planted so close to the neighbor's drive, and we like our neighbors! Then again we back into our driveway, better to step out onto your own property (the edges of our driveways are the property line).
At the end of the thin stretch of "north-side land" was an ugly wooden fence...no more! Now it's nothin but foliage...
The rest of my garden changes so frequently (plants in, plants out), I love having this time capsule of almost 6 years undisturbed growth. Once again (just because I can!)... now...
And then...
Moving towards the front garden we must stop and admire our rebuilt ($3,000 later) chimney...who knew it was on the verge of falling over?....
And look! That little volunteer Sedum is still going. Happy happy.
The Fatsia japonica has put on a lot of growth too...it barely met the 8th run of bricks back in 2011, now look at it!
Funny the window blockage isn't as bad as it looks, when viewed from the inside.
And I like it's legginess.
The bloodgrass at the far NE corner of the house gets great early morning and evening light.
I'm tempted to take this end-of-month "love-fest" out into the front garden but really, do we have time for that? No. No we do not.
Let's just pause to admire the Rhamnus frangula (Fine Line Buckthorn)...
And look back at the subjects of this month-end "favorites"...what are you admiring at the end of July? Please tell us about it...
Weather Diary, July 27: Hi 78, Low 59/ Precip 0 (day 40, no rain)
All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.