tz_garden

 I'm back from Portland, and eager to get to work on the front garden renovation.  This is a large overhaul, bigger than I realized.  I have struggled with my overall vision, and the next minute been inspired. Rinse and repeat.  I thought this mid way point would be a good time to do a post on how it's going.  First, get more of this c*ap pulled out.  I left the clumpy nothing burger aloe (to the right of the solitary Aloe ferox hyb.) while it was blooming.  There was a resident hummingbird guarding & feeding from it.  Now other aloes are popping off, so the hummer is covered nectar-wise.  Yuck, thousands of leaves. Rip and toss.  Yet another 2 yards of soil delivered. Never enough.  I get overwhelmed thinking end picture, and reminded myself just get those rocks placed and dump the soil around.  No thinking about possible plants right now!  Better, I will probably pull the Aeonium, kept a few Delospermum for dogs to p...

Sophia, Ivan and I headed out to Half Moon Bay yesterday.  The main purpose was to pick up an order I placed back in November (and subsequent orders, lol) from  Hans @ Dry Oasis Plants .  Some kids were swimming, the weather was lovely - but I wouldn't call it swimming weather 😉 There are a stretch of nurseries off the highway, it's a bit challenging pulling back OUT onto the highway.  I've ALWAYS wanted to visit them, specialty succulents, orchids - I think the carnivorous plant nursery has closed. And I don't want to be a downer on it, it was fine.  But fairly tame findings all in all. Sophia and Ivan are quite knowledgeable on orchids - and let's just say there were some Trader Joe's references.   *Not a slam on TJ's we've all happily purchased plants there.   Ivan had arranged for us to visit his friend Joseph's greenhouse, located behind the main strip of retail nurseries.  He is  FloraEpiphytica  on etsy.  Things go...

I'm doing a little hunting & gathering for the front re-do spring planting, that called for a trip to Berkeley.  First stop, American Soil & Stone where I promptly tore my favorite work sweatshirt.  Appropriate.   Thankfully, it was a gorgeous day and I didn't need the extra cover for long! We are in a stretch of t-shirt weather.  I wanted this little boulder baaaaaad.  Too hard to reach down inside and get it out, why I usually trick Ivan in to going with me 😉. A stop at Berkeley Horticultural Nursery.  This clump of Phlebodium aureum, rabbit's foot fern was beautiful in the dappled sun.  Though the rabbit's foot part wasn't really showing.  And of all the -absolutely not looking for that plant, I bought this? Rhododendron lysolepis, a dwarf Rhododendron. I'm so confused by this, maybe I'll pot it and try Bonsai?  The tiny leaves got to me.  Moving on, Flowerland! Weed It and Reap!  My photo doesn't do this Cannomois ...