Rock on?
I spent all of Monday editing the slope, poaching plants from crowded spots in the back garden, and rocking. Buckets and shovelfuls of rocks. I felt like I accomplished so much, and turn around. Bleh. It feels like I didn't do anything. Usually I feel excited to share, but I'm feeling very underwhelmed with my efforts right now. FILL IN! GROW! DO SOMETHING!
I removed several things that weren't singing for me. Aloe 'David's Delight' is the only thing I can remember now. I'll use it up top somewhere. I've been meaning to ground this Trichocereus
Now with the fence gone everything is getting more direct sun. This area was completely shaded in winter, what a change that will be!
I left this clump of Echeverias 'Mexican snowball'. Looks like it could use a little iron?
I'm happy to report I used a few "repeaters" throughout. 7x Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer' for one.
5x Lechenaultia formosa, for 3. A small Australian subshrub. From Flowerland.
I need to figure out a way to keep the top of the "retaining wall" clean. Either dig a little trench and rock it in or just put pots on it?
A few favorite new things you can barely see... Agave chazaroi from elsewhere in my garden, needed more space. This gets 3-5' wide, can you imagine?
2x Grevillea 'Kings Fire" from Waltzing Matilija. 
Agave 'Burnt Burgundy', an online purchase. It's alive, I promise. It has been yellow it's whole life. Maybe some iron? Ha ha ha.
A latest obsession, 2x Adenanthos x cunninghamii. I adore regular Adenanthos and have several, but this one feels super velvety special. It grows to a polite 3-5' tall. From Berkeley Hort.
Also grounded Aloe Ferox, pink. From fairviewplants on Ebay. As small as my hand, I've had it in a 4" pot for a year now I believe. Eventually this should look lovely at the top of the slope. 
Double checking that things look good from the top, and bottom of the slope was definitely more time consuming than worrying about one view point. The house up there looming at me is "off", if only it was a darker color. Oh well, all things in good time. I can't wait for it all to grow up and fill in. 
In farm news, the veggies are growing. I grabbed a bunch of Arugula and picked some tomatoes... the timing for that was spot on!
And various Dyckias, for two.
Delosperma, that stays tight & tidy. From Berkeley Hort.
Although I don't think CA has warnings about produce at this time. Still -no thank you! Hope you all are having a great week.
Ha, I am thankful I can go out and pick a salad too. ;-) So happy I garden and grow my own.
ReplyDeleteI love it all. I do like the photo with the pool in it. It is just a cool shot.
And of course I love seeing that cat.
xo
Garden produce is the best. Now with the warning of getting sick from store bought stuff, I'm enjoying it even more so!
DeleteYou are definitely back in full swing.
ReplyDeleteIt took a bit, but I'm feeling myself again!
DeleteWhenever I feel like I haven't gotten anything done, I stop and list the things I actually did. I think your list kind of proved that yeah, you got quite a bit done. Just because it doesn't look like it doesn't mean a lot of work didn't go into it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I started up my laundry this morning, and saw how filthy shorts & tanks were - I realized I did actually get things done.
DeleteFunny, I seem to be hyper sensitive to earworms these days…
ReplyDeleteHey, shout, summertime blues
Jump up (up, down) and down in my blue suede shoes
Hey, did you rock 'n' roll?
Rock on…
ROCK ON! There's always a song, if you try :)!
DeleteIt looks like everything is doing well to me. I cannot get succulents to grow for me. I have a yucca rostrata in a pot and it just sits there. And an aloe I planted earlier in the spring is alive but hasn't budged.
ReplyDeleteYucca rostrata is so dang slow, it's painful! I bet 2nd year your Aloe will take off.
DeleteNo thank you indeed! I'm jealous of your home grown arugula, that's been the hardest one for me to forgo, well, and raspberries. I love your term "grounded" and I'm going to start using it. Also--didn't it feel great to bust that pot open? I've only done it a few times, but relish the energy it releases.
ReplyDeleteAny time I can bash something I'm in! Oh raspberries, I turn into a fruit whore in the summer. And haven't had a good watermelon yet.
DeleteWhile some of those plants look small to you, the shear volume of changes you've made in a short period (didn't you only just return from vacation?!) looks daunting to me! I do understand your impatience,though, as I suffer from that same disease.
ReplyDeleteI know we are very like-minded with chores. Suffer, hahaha yes!
DeleteGosh, your garden design and your plant selection are fun! I don't know where to start because I love it all, but 'Burnt Burgundy' Agave and Lechenaultia formosa and 'Kings Fire' Grevillea really caught my eye. And of course the pool. :) (I've lost any desire to have salad greens right now, no matter the source.)
ReplyDeleteThank you Beth. Yeah, I've been cooking more vegetables than normal for this time of year. I miss my salads!
DeleteYou have the coolest plants - Lechenaultia. And, having part of a kitty cat butt really accentuates the Grevillea 'King's Fire' - lol. How nice to have a garden companion just as interested in the plants as you are. I am astounded by how much your veggies have grown already.
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha, yes I wasn't sure, but Dr. insisted on getting his tail in the shot. The veg garden is off & running, although started so late I really don't know how much we'll get to eat?
DeleteI'm very familiar with the "fill in, do something" phase" -- it'll pass, probably too soon! So cool that you have new vantage points to check the plantings. I hope you're wearing a pedometer because your steps must be off the charts!
ReplyDeleteYou are right, and nothing better than when things fill in better than anticipated! The step count is up from going back & forth lol.
DeleteMi ricorda l'aiuola del giardino con Trichocereus e Echeveria che però in inverno devo coprire! Poco distante ho anche l'Indian Summer. Fino a li mi hai ricordato le mie piante ma poi mi hai fatto vedere cose che non posso permettermi nel mio clima come quella Grevillea incredibile, mai vista prima! L'Aloe ferox la sto provando da un paio d'anni e ha resistito ad una settimana con notti a -6 gradi. Tutto il resto non posso nemmeno provarlo nel mio freddo clima, che invidia! La scarpata è bella, vedrai che crescerà in fretta! Bello anche il tuo orto!
ReplyDeleteUn caro saluto!
Sono andato a controllare cosa comportino -6°C: è una temperatura appena più rigida di quella che abbiamo qui. Mi trovo proprio al limite per la sopravvivenza invernale di alcune piante. Il tuo giardino è splendido; senza dubbio riceve molta più di quella meravigliosa pioggia rispetto al nostro! Grazie Gabriel, un caro saluto!
DeleteTracy, I'm overwhelmed just reading about your accomplishments. You really have achieved a lot with your garden. I laughed at your phrasing of poaching plants from (yourself). Agave 'Burnt Burgundy' is actually striking in its location. Take a minute to breathe.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, thank you Susie. I need to go searching under skirts more often - there are plants that have been buried over the last few years!
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