tz_garden

A good days work today (and in the sun!).  I'm replanting/changing this center bed in the back.  Here is a before shot from a month ago. I still had many frost coverings up. Dr drooling on the edge of the catnip pot.  No worries, I'll keep the catnip & catmint for him. Pretty cleared out!  I saved plants to give away, or moved them to the front.  The speedwell & small salvia plants I will keep in this bed for pops of blue blooms amongst the cactus/succulents.   They will get moved to appropriate spots.  Next step is to replant the lime tree and order soil/rocks for mounding.  I should probably get 3 yards, but 2 sounds a little more realistic for wheelbarrowing from the front around to the back.  Probably a couple days work, then to be repeated with top dressing after planting.   Found so many snails.  I need to spread the Sluggo around.  Miss having the chickens around to take care of the snails. It's difficult to get a picture of the entire bed, I think I'll m

  Yeah!  A beautiful agave macroacantha to replace the rotted one!  Can you guess - did I go get gloves and patiently remove the compostable styrofoam or just dig in?  lol Beautiful, and a boost in size! Agave Joe Hoak rebounding from the wet & cold winter.  Will take a bit before he's pulled himself together, but the new growth looks nice.  I moved him from above the pool slope (which is a bit of a brutal area) and he's been in the corner by the fence for some extra protection and heat. So pretty & unscathed ~ what a tough guy! Agave macroacantha tucked in! Lots of clean-up, hours of this... Not gardening related, but to keep my mind off of Tuesday's rain I painted the downstairs bedroom a nice dusty desert blush color.  Wall doo-dads still need to be put back up.   Another loss.  A large 3' Agave Vilmoriniana rotted, I was surprised that it made it through 11 atmospheric rivers, but the 12th was one too many.  R.I.P.  Sunny signs of spring, leucodendron always

  This post is as messy as my yard, but it's that time of year!   I am in full Spring Clean mode.  I'm thankful for the warmer sunny weather!  I had 2 barrels rot in the slope, luckily found replacements at Ace Hardware.  Roughly the same size as the barrels that met their demise, and affordable.  So much detritus after the wind storm, I filled one refuse green can and am nowhere near done.   Planted a few of these wall containers, some compartments I planted with seed - chives, nasturtiums, etc.  Will take a bit to fill in, but I do like looking at this instead of fencing.  Not very impressive lol.  They do look better in person. These smaller metal containers are lying flat on the ground until the cuttings I plucked in have some roots to hold.  The larger one, a little messy 😆.  I was out for hours, and feel like I barely got anything done.  Endless projects, but I do love that. The palm spathe filled with succulents is in a protected spot by the house, but usually sits as c

The twelfth atmospheric river didn't bring much rain, I think a tenth of an inch in Livermore.  But dang is it WINDY!  I'll start off with a bright bloom lampranthus aurantiacus.  I know orange ice plant is common, still so bright and pretty nonetheless. The neighbor's neglected pepper tree was all over the yard.  Hmph.  I have to admit I resented having to spend the time picking all this up.👎 This was a heavy one, about 60 lbs. I would guess.   The eucalyptus trees are battered at the front of our street in the green space/park.  They do consistently maintain these trees, so hopefully it won't be too bad. Here is from a nearby park, poor thing uprooted because of the saturated ground. Fences and trees down all over town, as well as power lines.  Thankfully our lines are underground, fingers crossed we don't lose power. I won't be driving anywhere else today! Spring flowers, I'm so glad for warmer temps. Dr. Feelgood dealing with the wind in his own special

A bossy hummingbird guarding the feeder outside the kitchen window.  He's taken to perching on Aloe Hercules as his throne. In between the atmospheric rivers, I've managed to get my hands dirty with Spring clean-up!  Tomorrow we are supposed to get some serious rain.  I've ordered a small sump pump to handle the flooding in the paths.   This area, outside a bedroom window and next to our AC unit has been a bit of a mess for a while.  I had a passionflower/butterfly garden that attracted gulf fritillary butterflies.  I moved the passionflower next to the fence.   In prettier days,  some butterfly attractive landing pads. I want the overall back to be cohesive, so it was time for a clean out! All the rain has helped make the digging easier, that is for sure. During  2 separate trips to Poot's Cactus Nursery in Ripon, CA I had picked up 3 large ferocactus glaucescens blue barrel cactus.  I mounded the soil, and plopped these hefty guys in.  I was very disappointed in the c