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 elongatus, blue fern pine. Take that ugly roofline!
And this gorgeous Adenanthos sericeus, the form is so different than the fluffier versions I have. I really like the upright tighter growth, does anyone have any ideas about the differences? Ivan found this at Flowerland a few months back. Grows 8' tall, mostly shade, low summer water - Get over here!!!
For comparison, I have 4 other Adenanthos sericeus and they are all soft & fluffy like this one below.
Did the same, drag/roll a small boulder up to the top to create a planting area. I had extra soil from the deck being built, so I filled with that. I've had good luck with the Australian plants working in the slope soil. Not so much if I use any type of bagged product, even bagged cactus stuff. I have had luck with the Ruth Bancroft Protea mix, but $$$$.
After, I'll need to get a couple bags of rocks to cover the bare soil. Hope springs anew (for privacy).
In other news, the neighbor's olives are dropping and the squirrels are going to town on the pomegranates I couldn't reach. Each little aril will sprout a new tree, how fun!
Also, this Hakea petiolaris will not stand up. It is a bit of a windy spot. If you're keeping track, this will be the 3rd try for me and petiolaris. I've had much better luck with other Hakeas.
So I moved it over to the left of the shade house. The root ball was tiny, which contributed to the constant fainting. I don't have high hopes.
Then, I just started making messes everywhere! It was 70° and I think the weather went to my head. Pulling out the metal edging to replace with more of a rocky border to match the other beds.
All of the activity caused Dr. Feelgood to lose his mind, my favorite shot of the day. As Sophia said, it looks like a Tom & Jerry action shot! *There was nothing in the tree, he was absolutely crackers.
It is really windy here today, and I can't stop thinking about the fires in Southern California. I so hope the hardworking firefighters gain more control today. Incredibly scary, and my heart goes out to all the people dealing with the losses.
That's a nice selection of evergreens to provide some privacy. I had a similar issue with an allegedly dwarf Eucalyptus which I planted to screen the view over the top of the fence - it decided it wanted to get all shrubby a few feet above the fence so you could still see the tops of the neighbours' heads. I got rid of it in the end.
ReplyDeleteThank you - I think Eucalyptus like to go all shrubby, or enormously tall.
DeleteThat's what happens when the weather gets nice. You get busy with all the projects you wanted to complete before. I hope you're not too sore from all the exertion.
ReplyDeleteNot bad, a little creaky ha ha ;)
DeleteI like your landscaping along the fence. Like you said, something to fill in the open areas for a screen would look good. Is it easy to grow plants around the palms?
ReplyDeleteI've added 4 or 5 plants plopped on top of the palm roots and so far so good!
DeleteWhat a contrast- your greenery, while meanwhile I started my day shoveling snow and feeling lucky because it was only 2 inches. It never got to freezing, alas. You must be sore from moving that rock. I wouldn’t have tried!
ReplyDeleteShoveling snow is no joke, it's hard work! After thinking about wanting to add something there for months, I finally took action.
DeleteThe neighbors would have to go to some effort to peek over the fence! I have so much to do, but it's too muddy to even start.
ReplyDeleteThankfully they don't spend much if any time in that covered area, I just love the idea of being in a secretive space. We are normally getting rain at this time, so I'll probably be muddy soon as well!
DeleteBoth the Podocarpus and the Adenanthos are good looking plants and I hope they do well for you. (I've never grown either one.) I also hope the Hakea has finally found the right spot to grow tall and straight. Have you looked at the Protea fertilizer sold by Waltzing Matilija? I just received a bag by mail order but I haven't tried it yet.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kris. Yes I have used at least half the bag of WM fertilizer, lol! If the Hakea stands a chance, it's in this spot. The root ball was incredibly tiny, so odd for such a large tree.
DeleteAh, thank you Anvil - keeps me out of trouble!
ReplyDeleteI adore my blue Podocarpus. They get pretty gloriously big--it might be too close to your fence.
ReplyDeleteYou've been doing great work on your garden. Here too windy to do much except worry.
I've had good luck leaving Proteaceae in their nursery pot for a year at least--to let the root system get larger. They've all seemed to have a small root system at purchase.
I adore that Adenanthos sericea, have killed three of them. I'm guessing too small a root system insufficiently watered. The best one I've ever seen in California, a glorious perfect 10 footer was growing at the Long Beach Aquarium near the otter pool. So, right at the ocean. I have Adenanthos cuneatus 'Coral Drift' in the garden since 2015, it's thrived without any help.
Ok, I'll keep the warning in mind - I do plant too close to fences, a bad trait. Your dead on with Protea, they are usually lackluster in the root department. Oh no, 3 have died! Dang, well we will see how this goes then. I'm off to look up Coral Drift!
DeleteThat Adenanthos sericeus is going to be AMAZING against the dark fence! Another plant I wish I could grow (and did for awhile, in a large pot).
ReplyDeleteOh no, another loss of Adenanthos sericeus! I'll try not to get any more attached to it.
DeleteHello, peeking neighbors, hee hee, I have a neighbor who uses a bird bath to step up on to talk to me while I work in the garden, thank goodness it is a neighbor who is a friend as well.
ReplyDeleteA cat going crackers makes the best belly laugh.
Carla
Well, that kind of neighbor is welcome! Oh we laughed so hard at him racing around :)
DeleteÈ sempre bello imparare nuove piante qui da te! Non posso permettermi di usarle nel mio clima ma alcune sarebbero interessanti vicino ai nostri laghi!
ReplyDeleteComplimenti alle rocce che hai spostato!!
Ti auguro una buona settimana!
Intorno a un lago sembra meraviglioso. È stato fantastico sporgersi nel deserto, devo farlo qui. Buona settimana, non vedo l'ora che arrivi la primavera!
DeleteI love that first panoramic view in the first photo, your back garden looks amazing; hadn't notice the neighbor's roof till you mentioned it... but of course, you see it daily.
ReplyDelete"The palms don't mind" being planted over, but it can't be easy for new plants to get established there. I hope that gorgeous Adenanthos sericeus is happy and thrives: truly a drool worthy specimen.
There's nothing more hilarious than a cat going bonkers chasing absolutely nothing at all. It's the Dr. way of releasing pent up energy... like gardeners moving rocks around :-D
Chavli
You're right about getting them established, I may be taking a bad gamble. Haha, you got me there! Thank you for the positive thoughts on the Adenanthos.
DeleteThere's a dwarf form of Adenanthos sericeus. Maybe that's what your shorter ones are?
ReplyDeleteI love following your progress. You get a lot done, whether you realize it not!
Oh thank you - now I've googled the dwarf versions and didn't get any clarity. There are pictures of both forms labeled dwarf. I bet you are correct, sir. Thank you - hope you're enjoying your trip!
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