Tuesday, November 5, 2013

I’m thinking of a number between 1 and…

A couple weeks ago The Outlaw Gardener mentioned he had 32 agaves in his collection. That sounds like a lot doesn’t it? Especially for someone who lives in the Pacific Northwest.

At last count my agave collection (I hate that word, collection, but I can't think of a better one) numbered about 108. Lord knows I’ve acquired a few more since then. But just how many?

I decided to count. Anyone care to guess?

I counted ones in the ground…

Ones in containers…

Ones inside (for the winter)…

And outside…

I counted pups, but only if they’d been separated from mom.

And crazy collections like these (which I think have already rooted, btw) were only counted as one.

Are you ready for the scary numbers?

Front garden, in the ground = 31
Driveway in stock-tanks and planters = 7
Back garden, in the ground = 42
Back garden in containers (mostly in the s.p. greenhouse) = 22
Under lights in the basement = 49
Upstairs near windows and on the mantle = 6
For a grand total of… 157

How on God’s green earth did that happen? Seriously.

So, those of you with a plant passion: like Scott (grasses), Louis (palms), Deanne (bromeliads). I dare you to count. I beg you to count. Insanity loves company don’t ya know…

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

48 comments:

  1. That's a pretty impressive number of a non-desert gardener! I have about 75 unique agave varieties. With multiples, about 85 plants. That's more than I thought! I just updated my list: http://www.bambooandmore.info/p/plant-lists.html.

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    1. Your list is so amazing Gerhard. I wish I was that thorough! Andrew loves an good Excel project and has talked about doing something similar. The only problem is he has no time!

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    2. Loree, this is the only list I keep updated. It's in Google Docs and embedding it into your blog is a piece of cake. Anytime you make changes in Google Docs, they appear automatically in your blog.

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  2. I don't really have a passion for any particular class of plant above others. My Agave collection is still just a newbie one. I did take your advice about taking the tops off those storage containers to keep them from rotting over the winter. I'm going to cover them only when the temps are predicted to go down below freezing.

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    1. Glad to hear it Alison, I think they will be much happier that way.

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  3. Pssst. This house with an AMAZING garden is for sale.... (and you can take a peek in the backyard, too!) http://www.22pagespdx.com/3625nerosaparks

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    1. Wow that's a lot of pictures! Thanks for the link Meg. I know the owner and have been in the backyard (http://dangergarden.blogspot.com/2010/05/visit-to-ranchlandsarizona-esque-garden.html), looks like they removed a lot of containers for the photo-shoot. I pray someone who loves that garden buys it, I couldn't stand to see it destroyed.

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  4. Aaah, well Danger Garden, although I do not have a collection of one specific plant, I'll admit I have over 110 species of native plants. So an addiction? Yes. Do I need help? No, thank you very much :) (ok my husband would disagree).

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    1. I think yours would qualify more as a passion than an addiction...

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  5. Wow! You could go into business selling agave with that stock - not that you could probably bear letting any of them go.

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    1. It's kind of crazy but yes, I'm even attached to the pups. Still someday I can see the danger garden etsy shop....

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  6. I notice your Agave inventory only shows 6 inside the house. I predict that will change next. :)

    Fifty-five bamboos for me, all except two are running types. Gulp.

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    1. Not likely. Our house is tiny and there just isn't enough light for them to be happy. But hey doesn't the basement count as inside the house? There are 49 there.

      I should have included you and your bamboo "collection" in the short list of others with problems! Fifty-five is an impressive number, and the fact they're mostly running is terrifying! (to me)

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  7. Ohio is not the place to live if you love agaves as much as I do. (I've called myself an agave whore. LOL) I only have 15 or so, but it's only because of where I live (NW Ohio, Zone 5) and the fact that I've only got so much room for these, in addition to my other tender plants. Perhaps my 3-foot diameter one that I haul in and out twice a year makes up for the lack of quantity?

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    1. Kylee your 3 ft diameter one definitely makes up for lack of quantity!!! That's huge to be moving around, and it's gorgeous!

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  8. That's amazing...but think if you had an acre:-) I would think most agave fans in Tucson are even envious. (I lost some tender agaves in recent winters at the old crib, but w/ only 20 agaves of only 5-6 species, I still had or gave away another 50+ pups) Good stuff!

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    1. Think if I had an acre in Tucson!!! All the pups you gave me are still alive, yay! Just don't ask me to point out where they are as I can only identify one for sure. That's what happens when you get lots of new pups in a single season...

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  9. At this moment, my top 3 genera are:

    Anthurium - 238 (219 mongrel seedlings; 14 named varieties/species)
    Schlumbergera - 124 (114 mongrel seedlings; 8 named varieties)
    Agave - 42 (19 unique varieties/species)

    I'm thinking it's probably a good thing that Agaves can't really be bred indoors like Anthurium and Schlumbergera.

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    1. Schlumbergera is my new favorite genus name. Now to research what they actually are... :)

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    2. mr_s I had no idea you had so many agaves, nice job...and wowsa on the anthurium!

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    3. Alan:

      Holiday cactus.

      danger garden:

      I wouldn't have guessed they'd be #3 on the genus list either. There's been a lot of plants coming and going (mostly going) in the last couple months, though. It's very likely that Agave wouldn't have been third if I'd counted in, say, July.

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  10. This makes my 53 peonies seem sane :) How do you keep from buying duplicates without your handy dandy Excel spreadsheet?

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    1. Totally sane!!! I have a pretty good handle on what I've got and if I do end up with a duplicate (actually I have several) then that means I get to experiment!

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  11. OMG...it's kind of dangerous to start counting...and I agree..."collection" has the unfortunate connotation in my head of curio cabinets full of dusty figurines and tchotchkes! Therefore...I think "collection" should only refer to inanimate objects :-) I actually did start a list of the grasses I had after our conversation the other day...but hadn't thought to actually COUNT them! It's not as bad as I thought...although I've probably forgotten some. 17 species, 48 varieties/cultivars, and 140 actual plants...gulp!

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    1. Yes!!! Oh the word curio says it all... that's it exactly.

      140 plants...and it's not as bad as you thought? YAY...I love you.

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  12. HAHAHA!!! this is excellent!!! I think this could get interesting. The palm count doesn't number that much, but for the PNW I think it would be equally impressive. I might just have to post this on my wall later today. stay tuned... :)

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    1. Plus palms are bigger Louis. Okay, I'll be watching!

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  13. Wow! You may have an addiction problem if... Like Alison, I don't have a passion for any particular group of plants. It's also a problem because I love them all and can't say no to any. Guess that makes me a plant slut.

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    1. I'm right there with you. I certainly spread around the love, but will always have a special spot (in my heart and garden) for the agaves (thanks for the inspiration to do what's turning out to be a fun post!)

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  14. I guessed 150, so I was close, but no cigar. I admire your commitment. It IS fun to add ever more varieties of certain plants. I do that with Acanthus, Kniphofia and Kalanchloe on a much smaller scale.

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    1. I think that's an incredible guess ricki, you know me well! I will be interested to watch your kniphofia collection in particular.

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  15. Agaves, so easy to collect so not at all surprised you amassed so many, and I bet the figures will just get bigger :) if we had the room I would acquire more myself.

    Now how many Scheffleras do I own, hmmmm.....

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    1. Hopefully, a crazy bad winter could play havoc with the ones in the ground. And yes, count your scheffleras, I want to be green with envy!

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  16. That is an impressive no, I may have that many primulas but I have 10 agave and I'm not that keen on them

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    1. Wow I am really surprised you've got that many agaves, good for you! (see I knew I liked you, even after your negative reaction to the Ruth Bancroft Garden)

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  17. As Martha would say, "It's a good thing." And all I can say is, "Keep up the good work!" Great shots, BTW!

    Good on you!

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    1. Oh Martha! Wait, I might even have more agaves than she does!!!

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  18. i am happy to learn from this blog that there are others out there who suffer along with me in this addiction. i prefer to call my collection as an array
    have fun,
    Jeff

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    1. Thanks for commenting Jeff, it's always good to hear from another addict!

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  19. Wow, such variety! I have maybe around 60 (lots of seperated pups) BUT only 9 varieties. And 3 of those varieties are still teeny babies I grew from seeds I ordered online, so you can imagine there's a LOT of repitition. You just don't see them in nurseries here (apart from attenuata), which is really unfortunate because they do so well in the heat/drought.

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    1. I wonder why that is? The locals just don't like them? Too expensive to import? Although heck if you're growing them from seed (good job) they could too!

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  20. That's a lot of agaves, I'd guess I have about 40, including pups and multiples. Since they will all eventually reach max size in my climate I need to leave as much as 9-10 feet of space for some. Not hauling those in for the winter!

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    1. Indeed. And don't you for one minute think I'm not jealous!

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  21. Beautiful photos!
    Greetings, RW & SK

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  22. I absolutely love the diversity of shapes and textures in your garden, very beautiful.

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  23. Wow wow that is certainly a lot! I have to try to count mine, maybe 40. But about a dozen o mine are really huge.

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  24. "Collection" is too museumy, while "addiction" is too clinical. Obsession might be closer, but it still sounds like something you need help for. How about "enhanced grouping"?

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