Sharing a detailed pictorial tour of my garden has become an annual end-of-summer tradition around here, one that seems to get pushed back further and further each year! Rest assured that even though it's now October, these photos were taken in summer, on August 31st and September 8th...
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Today's tour is of the front and side gardens, tomorrow we'll visit the back garden. All the Agaves and Opuntia you can see here were in the ground through last winter.
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They definitely enjoyed the hot summer and — for the most part — have grown out of the damage they suffered from the repeated snow, ice, cold and wet of winter 2016/17.
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I added a couple of Gaura lindheimeri, thinking the nodding flowers would be a nice addition. They've since been removed...they kind of annoyed me.
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That Agave ovatifolia (the large one on the right, below) was about the size of the two little ones to its left when I planted it, several years ago.
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The planting area in front of the living room window makes me so happy! But before we take a closer look, let's walk around the north-side of the house...
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I'm standing in the neighbor's driveway as I take this photo, that's their house just peeking in on the left. Mahonia x media 'Charity' is the large plant on the far right, followed by (working our way to the left) a pair of Adiantum venustum, Mahonia fortunei 'Curlyque', Hakonechloa, Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Rainbow' and Fatsia japonica.
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The glowing Imperata cylindrica gets its own photo.
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This shrinking pathway is used by the mailman, however as the Agaves and the Poncirus trifoliata continue to grow he may be rethinking that.
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Both this Tetrapanax (under our ridiculously large mailbox), and the one you'll see in the next photo, are volunteers I'll be attempting to dig — hoping to get enough roots they'll live — in the next few weeks. They came from the large plants at the street-side corner of our property, visible in the north-side shot.
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The tall guy at the corner of the house is Rhamnus frangula (Fine Line Buckthorn), I highly recommend this plant! It's been carefree and has great foliage and bark.
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Of course the real stars of this area are the Yucca rostrata and pair of Agave ovatifolia...
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Last winter's blemishes are almost just a memory...
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Here's the "mailman-impaling" Poncirus trifoliata I mentioned earlier. This is its second year to have a large crop of fruit.
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Best of all the thorns just keep getting spikier and spikier!
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The summer-long flower power of my Bougainvillea has all but come to an end, I enjoyed every moment of it while it was in action.
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Dasylirion wheeleri
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I was unsuccessful in my hunt for Echium wildpretti at any of our local nurseries this year, thankfully gardening friends, Lance, and Bruce and Doug, came to my rescue...now if these tender beauties (one's bottom center here) can just make it through our winter...(truth be told I kept a couple in containers to act as insurance)...
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Agave parryi 'Ruth Bancroft' (my name for an unlabeled plant) is looking grand. I love how the Sedum ternatum 'Larinem Park’ is finally starting to wrap around it.
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Newly planted this spring (to replace a mushy Agave americana), A. montana 'Baccarat'.
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If you're really paying attention you'll remember this Agave desmettiana 'Variegata' from Tuesday's winterization post, it doesn't look nearly as large outside.
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After our harsh winter both of my Feijoa sellowiana lost all their leaves and looked rather dead, they've both sprung back nicely though...
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One more look...
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Okay I lied, another, from further back...
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Here's another survivor of last winter, looking fabulous heading into this one, Grevillea x gaudichaudii.
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An overall shot from the southeast corner, standing in our driveway.
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The Yucca rostrata were nice size plants — but not yet "trunking"— when they were planted in 2011 (see the "not so big reveal" of the front garden back then here). Oh what a difference 6 years makes!
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This Agave ovatifolia 'Frosty Blue' went in last April, a replacement better suited to my climate than the "melting" (but still alive — you'll see him in just a bit) Agave americana that was there.
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A visitor recently commented the blades in this particular Y. rostrata look thinner than usual, a little more Y. linearifolia-ish... I can see it too. Interesting...
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Walking up the driveway we'll pause to check out the fabulous blooming Aloe aristata.
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Backed by a happy Grevillea rivularis.
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Now that the blooms have faded on the Aloe there are seeds forming.
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The other "refoliated" Pineapple Guava.
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Finally we're at the end of the driveway...this year's crops included two kinds of basil, Sungold tomatoes, and three kinds of Zinnia for cutting. The Mexican sour gherkins had already been harvested and turned into (fabulous) refrigerator pickles by the time these photos were taken. I must point out the large-ish Agave americana in the round metal tub, that's the one I removed from the front garden since it almost perished over winter, it was too ugly to leave out in such a prominent spot. It's making a triumphant return however, and its pups are growing too...
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The Sungolds were amazing this year!
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Here's where we end today's tour. Come back tomorrow for a look at the back garden...
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Weather Diary, Oct 11: Hi 57, Low 45/ Precip .16"
All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
Today's tour is of the front and side gardens, tomorrow we'll visit the back garden. All the Agaves and Opuntia you can see here were in the ground through last winter.
They definitely enjoyed the hot summer and — for the most part — have grown out of the damage they suffered from the repeated snow, ice, cold and wet of winter 2016/17.
I added a couple of Gaura lindheimeri, thinking the nodding flowers would be a nice addition. They've since been removed...they kind of annoyed me.
That Agave ovatifolia (the large one on the right, below) was about the size of the two little ones to its left when I planted it, several years ago.
The planting area in front of the living room window makes me so happy! But before we take a closer look, let's walk around the north-side of the house...
I'm standing in the neighbor's driveway as I take this photo, that's their house just peeking in on the left. Mahonia x media 'Charity' is the large plant on the far right, followed by (working our way to the left) a pair of Adiantum venustum, Mahonia fortunei 'Curlyque', Hakonechloa, Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Rainbow' and Fatsia japonica.
The glowing Imperata cylindrica gets its own photo.
This shrinking pathway is used by the mailman, however as the Agaves and the Poncirus trifoliata continue to grow he may be rethinking that.
Both this Tetrapanax (under our ridiculously large mailbox), and the one you'll see in the next photo, are volunteers I'll be attempting to dig — hoping to get enough roots they'll live — in the next few weeks. They came from the large plants at the street-side corner of our property, visible in the north-side shot.
The tall guy at the corner of the house is Rhamnus frangula (Fine Line Buckthorn), I highly recommend this plant! It's been carefree and has great foliage and bark.
Of course the real stars of this area are the Yucca rostrata and pair of Agave ovatifolia...
Last winter's blemishes are almost just a memory...
Here's the "mailman-impaling" Poncirus trifoliata I mentioned earlier. This is its second year to have a large crop of fruit.
Best of all the thorns just keep getting spikier and spikier!
The summer-long flower power of my Bougainvillea has all but come to an end, I enjoyed every moment of it while it was in action.
Dasylirion wheeleri
I was unsuccessful in my hunt for Echium wildpretti at any of our local nurseries this year, thankfully gardening friends, Lance, and Bruce and Doug, came to my rescue...now if these tender beauties (one's bottom center here) can just make it through our winter...(truth be told I kept a couple in containers to act as insurance)...
Agave parryi 'Ruth Bancroft' (my name for an unlabeled plant) is looking grand. I love how the Sedum ternatum 'Larinem Park’ is finally starting to wrap around it.
Newly planted this spring (to replace a mushy Agave americana), A. montana 'Baccarat'.
If you're really paying attention you'll remember this Agave desmettiana 'Variegata' from Tuesday's winterization post, it doesn't look nearly as large outside.
After our harsh winter both of my Feijoa sellowiana lost all their leaves and looked rather dead, they've both sprung back nicely though...
One more look...
Okay I lied, another, from further back...
Here's another survivor of last winter, looking fabulous heading into this one, Grevillea x gaudichaudii.
An overall shot from the southeast corner, standing in our driveway.
The Yucca rostrata were nice size plants — but not yet "trunking"— when they were planted in 2011 (see the "not so big reveal" of the front garden back then here). Oh what a difference 6 years makes!
This Agave ovatifolia 'Frosty Blue' went in last April, a replacement better suited to my climate than the "melting" (but still alive — you'll see him in just a bit) Agave americana that was there.
A visitor recently commented the blades in this particular Y. rostrata look thinner than usual, a little more Y. linearifolia-ish... I can see it too. Interesting...
Walking up the driveway we'll pause to check out the fabulous blooming Aloe aristata.
Backed by a happy Grevillea rivularis.
Now that the blooms have faded on the Aloe there are seeds forming.
The other "refoliated" Pineapple Guava.
Finally we're at the end of the driveway...this year's crops included two kinds of basil, Sungold tomatoes, and three kinds of Zinnia for cutting. The Mexican sour gherkins had already been harvested and turned into (fabulous) refrigerator pickles by the time these photos were taken. I must point out the large-ish Agave americana in the round metal tub, that's the one I removed from the front garden since it almost perished over winter, it was too ugly to leave out in such a prominent spot. It's making a triumphant return however, and its pups are growing too...
The Sungolds were amazing this year!
Here's where we end today's tour. Come back tomorrow for a look at the back garden...
Weather Diary, Oct 11: Hi 57, Low 45/ Precip .16"
All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.