Front re-do Part 2
I'm waiting for another Corten steel planter for the left side of the front entry, I had to go with a square planter. My heart was set on a big round planter, but my wallet wouldn't open that wide. Oh well. I should finish the re-do today. In the meantime, I made a trip out to American Soil & Stone in Richmond to pick up some rocks. About an hour away from Livermore. If only I could pick this specimen up to put in my cart.
I can't imagine using this color palette, it was more green than turquoise in person - but very vivid!
Filled my cart until I could barely push it to be weighed. I absolutely love looking for rock and smallish boulders.
Here is one section with the bigger boulders. I've been lucky in the past to have Ivan along to help me, he can actually pick up some of those!
Back home, sorry if I bored you with all the rocks. I noticed a mangave sending out a bloom stalk. I've heard sometimes they don't die after blooming? Anyone had any experience with that? It has sent out a good amount of babies, I'm thinking this one will die.
Yay, here's to continued success with the palo blanco seeds and nice Agave macroacantha! I need to get more rocks too. Summer is slipping away though, rapidly. We usually have ours delivered by a dump trunk from the local quarry - all rip rap, nothing as fine as your hand selected specimens. Best wishes with the renovations as they proceed along.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jerry, nothing wrong with rip rap!
DeleteYou are amazing! I love rocks. So very much. What an amazing garden. I love it!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jenn!
DeleteYour garden's looking good, Tracy! I'm always enticed by the large boulders at the rock store, or at least I was until the one closest to us closed :( However, my choices were always limited by the size of those my husband could pick up. When our rock-covered living room chimney was replaced/rebuilt recently, the crew saved the rocks for me but it's all relatively small (meaning sizes I can carry) and all are flatter than I'd like but still it's something!
ReplyDeleteMy Mangave 'Bloodspot' bloomed 3 times before it became too misshapen and I divided the pups and started over with them. In contrast, Mangave 'Silver Fox' looked bad after its initial flowering and I replaced it with pups. Your blooming specimen looks like it could be 'Pineapple Express' - is that the case? I have several but none have bloomed yet but I'll be interested in what happens to yours.
Oh how great to repurpose the fireplace stones, you can never have enough rock. I believe you are correct Pineapple Express - I planted it a few years back and wasn't sure. I think it was the first Mangave I added. I'll follow your lead, if it looks decent enough I'll leave it. Otherwise replace with a pup.
DeleteRocks are never boring. I'm fascinated at that place. So many rocks to choose from.
ReplyDeleteoh me too! I'd love some of those huge boulders.
DeleteI could get in so much trouble at that place!
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha, it's true. It's probably a good thing it is a 2 hour round trip, which dissuades me from going once a week.
DeleteRocks are great and you seems to use them well.
ReplyDeleteThank you Anvil!
DeleteGreat August weather for the redo! And that's some fast germination. So many happy plants including that gorgeous A. macroacantha!
ReplyDeleteYes, a cooler August was unexpected and very welcome!
DeleteOoooh, that rock place looks super cool. I may have to take a trip out there myself! (Would need to bring a dolly and some muscles, for sure!)
ReplyDeleteIt is fun, they do have big wagons you can use. Also, they've always been kind enough to help me load the rocks in my trunk.
DeleteThis August weather has been heaven ! Hope we don't get pay back in Sept. Most days in the 70's next week for Napa -I'll take it. My in-ground Mangave 'Bloodspot' bloomed last year and still shows no sign of dying and has put up probably 10 more bloom stalks from the multitude of offsets. I have a second one that is in a pot and it is blooming now and the plant looks awful. It's headed for the compost. Also blooming this year is Mangave 'Purple People Eater' -one of my favorites -and the offsets are quite large so this winter I'm going to dig up and divide. The original plant is losing color. My Agave 'Blue Glow' bloomed last year and it is starting to die so it comes out this winter too.
ReplyDeleteOk, I'll do the same - that's good info. I worry we'll get a snap back to hot in September, but with the shorter days hopefully it won't be terrible.
DeleteMay you have a small forest of Palo Blanco trees by Friday: it would be amazing even if it takes a little longer :-D
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the Cotula in the rock. Rocks and plants make the most gorgeous combinations.
Chavli
Thank you Chavli, lol - it's funny, 2 sprouted incredibly quickly and no others have showed signs of germinating. Oh, the Cotula stops me in my tracks every time I walk by that spot.
DeleteI love Agave macroacantha, it's such a beauty. Since it's not hardy here mine are resigned to container life. I think you could do an entire post of what you saw walking around the rock yard, most of us gardeners also appreciate a good rock.
ReplyDeleteI do need to cover that agave in Jan/Feb to keep it dry. I constantly think of agave rot during those 2 months. True about the rocks, next time I'll take more pictures ;)
DeleteA rock store nearby! That's very cool, you're lucky I would say :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing it's an hour away, I'd be there much more often!
DeleteWOW!!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you Carla :)
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