tz_garden

 just another way to say I'm in the middle of a mess.  I've been continuing the overhaul of the front garden.  I need to get mid and smaller sized plants in, then top dress. In other words, I've got nothing to show, lol.   Pointing -"That mess right there, needs to go!" So, I decided to show some pretty things that are happening here and there.  I need it.  This Banksia has several cones at the moment - but the most developed cone with it's cheery yellow skirt I can see from my upstairs bedroom window.  It's utterly ridiculous and I love it.  I've added a few different Banksia to the front, and I hope they are half as lovely as this one. *younger version repeated in the slope back there.  The sun doesn't hit the slope 100% at this time of year, but the little snippets are nice.  The greenhouse Ariocarpus are happy and putting on one last show.  The Platycerium Superbum filled out over the summer months.  Captain Handsome! ...

I'm about 35%? through the front garden changes.  I guess.  Below, late summer mess.  This was about the time I was seriously READY to make some changes.  Also around this time, I had a nice woman stop by to tell me she had submitted my garden for the Livermore Beautification award.  *I think she actually shared this info with Ivan first, when he was chopping down the cherry tree.  It warmed my heart to hear that, what a nice gesture.    In the midst of my destructing the front, I keep thinking about this Beautification Committee coming by to check things out... what must they think? Ha haha, maybe I can show them the backyard and they'll forgive me?  Friday, I started ripping everything out at the bottom of the stairs -by the sidewalk, where the raccoons love to dig - then remembered to snap a photo.  The poor Aloe ferox, blocked from sunlight and drenched in leaves! The iris patch has gotten out of control, a few lining the path is acc...

Happy Wednesday!  I should've titled the post ~playing with dirt & rocks.  2 yards of screened fill, 1600+ lbs of boulders and 1 yard of black lava rock.  Thankfully I parked my car on the street before delivery ;).  Usually I have it dumped in the street, but considering the effort pushing the wheelbarrow up the sloped driveway - I thought why not give myself a break? I was waiting on the tree service to get our street tree (Chinese elm)  trimmed & laced up "aggressively".  I'd say they understood the assignment! So much better. To work I go! Except - I thought I was prepped for this, but all that stuff in the middle has got to go. No, that's not going to work. I spent most of the afternoon finishing up prep work that I should have already had done. I should've just cleared everything from the start - it's too hard to work around plants that "might" stay.   While I was removing more plants, I came across this insanely loooong bender boar...

 The last garden we visited, Ann Nichols! We arrived around 1:45p, it was quite warm in Piedmont - Lakeshore.  I messed with the photos a bit to tone the sunlight down. The famous palm covered with tillandsia & bromeliads. You could tell immediately which house was hers, every available inch filled with texture and vibrant color.  My tweaking with the first few photos looks very 1972 Sunset magazine. Two gorgeous Aloe polyphylla, so fussy in my garden - and absolute spiral perfection in hers! And by fussy, I mean dead. I had to walk up to get a closer look at Rhododendron Vireya (maybe Ring of Fire?). Gosh, that's pretty. The garden is very deep, you walk up & up along the side of the house. I met Ann here, she gave me a nice warm hug.  And told me firmly- "You can't steal David!"  David works alongside her every Monday, how lucky she is!  It is evident she spends every day in her garden, it's immaculate.   Do you think she heard about the...