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Privacy, please

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In my last post I talked of making changes to the front, and I did do some clean-up.  Somehow I found myself in the back again.  Our palms back there have grown so high they don't provide any relief from seeing the neighbor's roof of a ? I don't know what that is.  Luckily the slope provides some privacy. It drives me bonkers, thankfully they don't peer over the fence, haha.  In an effort to erase that roofline from my sight, I will plant some nice tall things on top of the palm roots.  The palms don't mind, so far anyway. I've added a few things up top this way, a Banksia and uh oh I think the Azara is dead.  It's really blending in nicely with the black fence. First I scouted the slope for rocks to build up a "planting nest".  Here is one hidden, serving no purpose!   Heavier than I imagined, and it is a slope so good footing is imperative.  I rolled it up, feeling like a crafty cavewoman.   I popped in a pretty Podocarpus el...
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Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

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 We're enjoying a week of mild weather. I made plans to pick up some of the leaves and chop down perennials in the front garden.  When I walked outside, I had a sudden realization -I just wanted to be in the back garden..  I don't think that is the case all year, Springtime brings me to the front.  Then summer scorch takes a toll, and this time of year brings the blah.    You put stickers on your bins, too? Not pictured is the recycle can, it stays in the garage for easy access from the kitchen. Will share in a future post. Anyway, in this tiny section by the driveway I noticed the Mangave 'Bad Hair Day' was flourishing.  Despite this area getting doused by the neighbor's DAILY sprinklers.  This area also gets run off from the sloped bed above.   *My neighbor is a lovely person and isn't physically able to tend her garden.  She has a service who loves sprinklers and blowers.  Enough said. I'll clean up the area and fill with lo...
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We must, we must

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 get rid of rust!  Damn, the good news is we've had some rain.  I believe around 1.4" for December.  Bad news, the rust is back on a few cacti.  I neglected to notice this on my morning walks around the garden, I blame the holidays plus that nasty flu.  *The aloe shows no signs. Bad.  The older tan colored blotches are the rust from last year.  I treated with Copper fungicide and it was effective.  I should've known better and done a preemptive spray before we started getting December precipitation.  These plants are under the eaves, so really don't get winter rain.  But, they get enough humidity obviously to start up a little winter dalliance with rust.  This section is really bad, even a little soft.  I've treated with copper and will also give them a sip of systemic drench.  I'm using propiconazole.  I don't love using chemicals but will do so carefully to the 2 pots. I gave the barrels a spray with coppe...
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