I know there are many folks who wouldn't dream of trimming the old leaves off their trunking yucca; I’m not one of them. What’s the point of a trunk if you can’t see it? Isn’t this much better?
lil’ Sanford got a haircut too…
While it was an unpleasant job (spiders and earwigs love setting up home in those old leaves) I must say having the right tool for the task made it much easier than in the past. In prior years I’ve used my bypass pruners and the hook made it challenging to get in under the leaves flat up against the trunk. This year these snips from Corona Tools made quick work of the job (relatively speaking). No this isn’t a paid advertisement for Corona Tools, but I did receive them free in a swag bag at the NWFG Show “tweet-up”… and I’m telling you about them (and my gloves too it seems) because they might make your gardening work easier!
So did you notice that giant arm of the Echium trying to get in the photos above with Sammy? Well it and the main trunk (which in turn was just a tiny arm off last year’s blooming trunk) appear to be getting ready to flower (photo taken before Sammy’s haircut)…
The trunks (there are three) are all shooting up, turning dark burgundy, and starting to get little buds on them.
And what looks like a blooming tip is starting to emerge…
Can you imagine what three blooming spikes are going to look like? I’d better fabricate a brace to support the weight. (*update...I discovered that loopy arm on the right broken off this morning...perhaps the added weight of the rain yesterday was just too much for it?*)
In other developments…I can’t quite believe I managed to plant this ‘quicksilver’ Hebe right on top of my Eremurus without disturbing them. Not that I intended to create this frightful mess, I forgot they were there!
The ‘parrots beak’ (Clianthus puniceus) blooms are starting to open!
New foliage is always exciting to see, especially when accompanied by little flower buds like on this Podophyllum peltatum.
Aucuba japonica ‘Longifolia’
Metapanax (Nothopanax?) delavayi…isn’t this fabulous!?
And of course who doesn’t love Syneilesis aconitifolia?
I think this might be record growth for the Gunnera in first week of April.
And the mild winter has me a little afraid of the Acanthus mollis, it’s huge already!
Unfortunately not everything is experiencing happy new growth, the Blue Atlas Cedar continues its downward spiral. Knowing that I caused this is a knife in my heart every time I look at it!
How about some flowers to cheer us both up? This is my favorite stage with the Euphorbia rigida blooms, when the orange bits appear.
And the new growth pushes out all full and lush.
The Ceanothus ‘Dark Star’ blooms are starting to open…
And here’s a confession, a plant I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned having, lilac! I have a childhood fondness for these shrubs (Spokane, WA, where I grew up is the Lilac City). This poor plant was so shaded out by the big Rhododendron that it hadn’t bloomed forever, and I kind of forgot about it. Well since the Rhody’s gone it’s decided to show off…
The first (almost) flower on Euphorbia griffithii ‘Fireglow’...
And Disporum cantoniense ‘Green Giant’…
Its new growth looks a little like bamboo…
And finally Verbascum bombyciferum 'Arctic Summer'… I love it at this stage!
But I have a feeling it’s fixing to bloom and that will mean the end.
Ah well, change is good…especially in the garden.
All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Lots and lots of good stuff here.
ReplyDeleteI agree, both Yucca rostratas look much better with their new hairdos.
My Echium Mr Happy looks very similar to yours: little buds forming along the purple stem. I can't wait. My two Echium wildpretii are continuing to grow but I don't think they'll flower this year (this is year 2 for them).
I can't tell if my Echium wildpretii is going to bloom or not. This will be it's third year in my garden so you'd think it was fixin to do so.
DeleteIt's great to see the new growth in your garden Loree, very exciting!
ReplyDeleteI love the shot of the new shoots on the Syneilesis. I reckon it's a fab plant!
I have to disagree about the Yucca haircuts as I must admit that I prefer them with skirts.
It is still feeling quite wintry over here, but I did manage to get out in the garden and paint the decking (it's a horrible job and one that kills my back). I just need some warmth so that I can see my herbaceous stuff come up :)
Enjoy your weekend :)
The yucca skirts probably do at a bit of extra winter protection don't they? I guess there's that.
DeletePaint the decking huh? I'd say that means you deserve some plant buying fun gardening time soon! What a yucky job. I dread staining the patio furniture but it's one of those necessary things.
I loved seeing all your new growth. I did notice that huge Echium trunk in the first photo. That will be so fantastic when it is in full bloom. I'm so jealous of the big leaves on your Gunnera already, mine is just starting to swell. And I kind of like the mix of the little Hebe leaves with the strappy Eremurus.
ReplyDeleteI cut back the leaves and tossed a few thick layers of burlap over the Gunnera last fall, part of my winter routine. I peeked at them at the beginning of January and saw they were still growing under there!
DeleteToo bad the Hebe leaves aren't big enough to hide the Eremurus leaves when they start to turn brown...now that would have been a genius combination!
I love this time of year in the garden - it seems like multiple big changes happen every single day. I'm with you about the acanthus - mine's big too, and sending up bloom spikes already! And your lovely Verbascum bombicyferum - every time I see ANY kind of verbascum, I wonder why I can't find room in the garden for at least one. Must work on that change aspect ;)
ReplyDeleteIndeed! You almost need to do a morning and evening survey.
DeleteI looked for flower spikes on my Acanthus but nothing yet. And you DO need at least one Verbascum...
I have never named any of my plants, but obviously this is a very good idea! Have you had much success with growing a Gunnera in a horse trough? I have tried a couple in the ground but they have not done well. The Clianthus looks like it will be amazing in flower.
ReplyDeleteI only name the ones with personality to justify it. There are these 2 yucca, then Clifford our big leaf magnolia, Mr. Big the biggest agave in the collection, and I also named my newest palm Louis after Louis at http://parallel49palms.blogspot.com/ I'm not sure if I've told him that yet!
DeleteMy Gunnera is very happy in the stock tank, I can keep it suitably moist there.
Wow you are so much further ahead than we are in the UK (where it snowed again yesterday and was 1c today).
ReplyDeleteIt is funny people views about trimming both palms and yuccas. I must admit falling into the trim category as they are such stately plants, and deserve to be kept looking that way.
I am so sorry about your extended winter. Having been in that same spot the last couple of years I can sympathize!
DeleteSammy's haircut is very nice. I agree, if you've got it, flaunt it! Got trunk? Your plants look ahead of ours but then your warm days were abut 10 degrees warmer than ours. For some reason, I've lots more weeds than you do - must be a weather thing, right? Syneilesis aconitifolia is gorgeous! I'm going to get one this year and I promise to clear out a big space for it instead of letting it fend for itself among the thugs. (Doesn't do well in that situation.)
ReplyDeleteAnd in turn my plants are behind Heather's and Scott's here in Portland...I live in a cold pocket!
DeleteYou must get a Syneilesis aconitifolia! I'd offer to divide mine and give you a couple but I just did that to take some up to my mom and obviously they don't like being divided (dead)...or maybe I'm a failure...
Wow Loree, so many gorgeous plants there I don't even know where to begin...
ReplyDeleteAs for the Yucca, ones left untrimmed only seem to work if the trunk is large or long enough, or on more naturalistic planting schemes and setting. Smaller specimens look better trimmed. Sammy looks handsome!
Sammy is blushing!
DeleteEverything looks so good! I really like Sammy's haircut too. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Heather! Like I mentioned above to the Outlaw I feel like my garden is way behind yours and Scotts!
DeleteBravissima to all the goings-on in your garden. There is nothing quite like the nostalgic scent of lilacs.
ReplyDeleteGlad you understand Ricki!
DeleteYou didn't tell me that it was important to name rostradas! No wonder mine didn't make it through the winter -- they felt unloved.
ReplyDeleteI can see why you got the (second?) Ceanothus -- those blooms are great!
Don't tell them but the other 5 in my garden haven't been named...
DeleteActually this makes 3 different Ceanothos. Would have been 4 but one went bye bye last summer (my choice not its)
I'm green ... with envy. Your garden looks richly textured and healthy. Mine is brown right now. No green, no daffodils, nada. Anyway, very jealous.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry balsamfir...maybe you need to do a little plant shopping therapy?
DeleteI like the post-haircut yucca - it makes me think of a fan dancer. The other pics are great, too - spring has definitely made its presence known in your garden!
ReplyDeleteYes indeed. And now that the rains have returned everything is even greener!
DeleteHaha...your wonderful patch of Syneilesis aconitifolia makes me feel slightly silly for being so giddy about mine returning...with a grand total of 3 stems...haha!
ReplyDeleteI once had only three stems...those things multiply pretty nicely! be patient.
DeleteNever thought of trimming Yucca--I know there's a trunk under the linearfolia. Too much else to do. Yours look great, and all the other plants as well, I can see what you mean about a good spring.
ReplyDelete"too much else to do"...like trim your huge rose collection? I understand...
DeleteDid you go back for those half off Agaves at Garden World?
ReplyDeleteNope. I decided I needed to find a place to plant all the others I have first!
Deletesimply beautifully captured shots...lovely!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kalyan!
DeleteSo glad you have been out enjoying this fantastic start to spring! What a treat to have your lilac produce blooms this season. Cheers, Jenni
ReplyDeleteI'm going to resist the temptation to cut those lilacs and bring them in to the house. Or at least I'm going to try to...
DeleteLOVE the new growth of the Gunnera. And love all the plants, everything is so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you Lisa.
DeleteEverything you ever post makes me so jealous of all your plants. Well, everything except the Syneilsis, I think I'm the only horticulturist on earth who doesn't love it. The Ceonanthus is absolutely gorgeous and the Verbasicum is stunning too.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, yep I have to say you're the only person I've ever heard from that doesn't like Syneilsis.
DeleteEverything looks beautiful!! So funny- haircut for Sammy. Ha. Yes, he looks better I agree. I prefer the trunk to show as well. You have so many things showing off right now- I love the 'Dark Star' blooms. Always been a fan of the Acanthus mollis. Ours are starting to bloom right now.
ReplyDeleteA fellow Portland garden blogger says her Acanthus are starting to bloom too...but there's nothing happening with mine.
DeleteI agree with being able to see the trunks! It definitely makes for a prettier garden. Yours is looking great! Love the photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cassidy...still so much to do though!
DeleteI hadn't thought about exposing the burgeoning trunk on my Yucca rostrata. I'll have to go take a look and give it some consideration. Your looks very nice. I'm not a fan of trimming up non-trunking yuccas and sotols, which is commonly done in Austin, and especially not of pineappling agaves (horrors!). But the Y. rostrata looks quite elegant that way, and doesn't it develop a trunk naturally as it gets taller?
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more about NOT trimming non-trunking yuccas and sotols, as well as agaves! The horror.
DeleteY. rostrata does naturally develop a trunk, it's just personal preference as to whether it stays natural with brown leaves creating a skirt or those leaves are trimmed. I think if I had a larger garden with more tall Y. rostrata I might consider leaving it, but when you've got a small space and only 2 with trunks I want to show them off better and open up some space around them.