New addition(s)
thanks to Gerhard I have a few new pretty things for the garden! He asked if I would like to try an Aloe 'Birds and Bees' and I jumped at the chance. Livermore is fairly close to Davis, about 83 miles according to Google. USPS did a nice job and I received the package in one day. To recover from 24 hours in a box, and because we were 90° I potted the Aloe, placed under an umbrella until I find the perfect sunny focal spot!
And a beautiful x Dyckcohnia 'Zebra', the coloring!
I'd just been sprucing this area to the side of the pool, re topping it and adding moss rock. *steps up to the "hot plunge" as my Dad always calls it, ha ha ha. Perfect, not too close to the walkway.
Which meant I kept having to stop to plant or pot up things I found. Agave attenuate pup, I found 3.
Since I was already sweaty and dirty, I thought to attack the mess of the stock tank. I believe this is 4' round. I forgot to take a real 'before' picture, about 1/3 of the way to clear. I've treated this like the garden of 2nd chances. Popping cuttings or pups in.
Opuntia microdasys, I couldn't throw it out. There was even a Dudleya caespitosa in there!
😍😍😍I'm a fool for those cones - and Vincent in the background😍😍😍.
Now comes the real questionable part. I lack the patience (and truly the talent & correct rock) for a proper alpine garden. So I thought let's just do a rock-ish situation. I started piling any leftover rocks I could find in there, plus a Banksia. *This isn't all going to stay, was just working it out.
Alternatively to using the Banksia, Abies koreana 'Aurea', Abies koreana 'Horstmann's Silberlocke' or Picea abies 'Catharine's Golden something'. Yes, I'm pushing it with these conifers but so far they are fine as long as they are mostly kept in the shade. Fingers crossed.
Obviously a work in progress. The rocks are sinking as I type this. I need to fill with more soil - and pick rocks that are somewhat the same tone. Although does it matter too much if only the edges show? I think not. That middle rock was a heavy monster, just about as much as I can lift.
Please criticize away, or give advice - I know this isn't right as it stands. I hope you have a great weekend. I'm excited that Sophia and Ivan are coming for a visit. We're attempting homemade Bao Buns for dinner and going to the Highland Games in Pleasanton. Anything fun over your weekend?
I'm adding a final photo of Dr. Feelgood pondering and yearning, because I love it so much.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you too... cannot wait to see how it all looks in a few months and more. :-)
ReplyDeleteCarla
Thank you Carla!
DeleteGerhard is a very generous gardener/blogger! I love the look of your pool-side bed. I'll be interested in updates on your forays into conifers. I fell in love with a noID blue fir a neighbor had in the middle of a succulent bed last year but I just realized that I haven't seen it in quite some time...
ReplyDeleteOh no, I hope it didn't die. I am sticking with these 3 and see how it goes? They did make it through the 2 weeks we had of 100's, that's promising. Gerhard is great, and generous! Thank you, that area by the pool needed a little attention.
DeleteMaybe try an angle closer to 60 than 90 to relate with all the horizontal rock and landscape lines behind? And I find it helps to create an outline and then shove all the rocks within it as a cohesive mass; think building a sandcastle vs. decorating a cake. The topdressing will help a lot to tie it together, have fun!
ReplyDeleteThat's a good thought, I didn't describe the spot accurately but there are 3 different pathways to view that tank. I like how you described an outline first, that is helpful. The heavy rocks are compressing the soil. I'll need to add more soil & gravel to build it up.Thanks for the tip anon!
DeleteIf I was your neighbor, I’d constantly be sneaking peaks through the
ReplyDeletelattice top of your fence: “What’s she up to now?” And I’d never be
disappointed!
Ah, that's SO nice! I'll admit to peeping into other intriguing gardens. Can't help it!
DeleteGreat plants and I really like all the different textures and colours of the pebbles, gravel, rocks and wooden beads that surround them.
ReplyDeleteThank you Graeme :)!
DeleteI have always admired the different forms and textures of the various succulents and love seeing your new additions. Gerhard Is a good friend! Hope everything does well!
ReplyDeleteThank you Lee !
DeleteAw, that was nice of Gerhard! Especially grooving on that Dyckchonia 'Zebra'.
ReplyDeleteSo great!
DeleteI have no experience with crevice garden in a pot though I always wanted to do one and never got around to it. It's good for me to see how you manage the process, maybe it will give me a nudge in the right directions.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if deciding exactly which plants will go into the crevices would help with the rock placement.
Chavli
That's true - sometimes the rocks will do that for me, but not this time! Ha ha, that's fine - I've been distracted and haven't really been "looking" at it for a few days, that can be a good thing. Having some plants in hand is a good idea, I like that!
DeleteTracy, your succulents are wonderful, all of them! I wish I had the right soil for them. I tried growing the 'Silberlocke' Korean fir here in my clayey soil and it didn't make it, hope yours does better. I'm very curious to see how your alpine rock garden in a tub develops--I'd like to try one myself.
ReplyDeleteThank You Elemaza, fingers crossed on the fir. Do it!
DeleteI too have a Hechtia epigyna from Gerhard, it's a great plant. I love what you're doing with the stock tank and also your label "rock-ish situation" experimenting and doing creative things like that is what keeps gardening fun in my book! (literally as it's what I encourage in Fearless Gardening).
ReplyDeleteHow great is that, Gerhard's Hechtia's far & wide! It's so hot today, I decided to stay in and ironically am thoroughly enjoying Fearless Gardening RIGHT NOW! I ordered it after finding your blog and it's been waiting for me. I'm on Garden Visit, creating a very personal garden. I am loving it so very much.
DeleteI'm impressed, too, by the USPS's speedy service. It isn't always like that. The hechtia and dyckcohnia (and of course the aloe) look like they fit right in.
ReplyDelete:)
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