This was a formerly pristine Agave ovatifolia. Then the window installation guy punctured a few leaves with his ladder. Then mother nature pummeled it with hail. Poor thing.
These little green sprigs are an emerging Amsonia hubrichtii. I had just been admiring how it's starting to bulk up.
That was before the guy painting the window trim stepped right in the middle of it and broke the tips off about half the stems.
The same guy asked what he should do with the dead twig. He was laying down tarps to catch lead paint chips as he scraped, and I'd already been propping things up that I felt would bend to the point of breaking. Thank god he asked.
This isn't a dead twig but rather my Caesalpinia gilliesii and I do think it's alive! (see the little red nubbins?).
Starting it's third season in the ground is Rhamnus frangula (Fine Line Buckthorn), it's really getting some height on it.
I've started pruning at the bottom to reveal more of those fabulous spotted stems.
Such a cool plant.
One of my taller opuntia has five ripening fruit, it's funny how many people have pointed at them and said "look it's going to bloom!"
I was just about ready to give up on the Geranium maculatum ‘Elizabeth Ann’, then I spotted that little leaf to the left. There's hope.
New foliage is pushing out everywhere around the garden, none prettier than on the Schefflera brevipedunculata. No I cannot spell that name without looking it up.
Callistemon viridiflorus
I can never remember if this one is currently going by the name Metapanax delavayi or Nothopanax delavayi.
I think I might just start calling it by a common name I recently heard...Pot Leaf Aralia.
Old. But cute, and sleepy...
Very happy (and spreading) Podophyllum peltatum.
Praying hands, aka the new growth of Schefflera taiwaniana.
The Veratrum Californicum (large pleated leaves at the bottom right) sustained a little hail damage as well.
Both patches of Syneilesis are thick this year.
And after threatening to dig them up and put them in a container the Podophyllum pleianthum and 'Red Panda' are finally gaining some size. Unfortunately they've buried the P. delavayi...
Completely bored with this garden-photo-taking business.
Pug-tail fern. Okay not really but there should be such a thing.
It's is one of just a hand-full of plants left from when we moved in. Another fern, a clematis, that's pretty much it. Oh wait, and those horrid Styrax japonica.
Euphorbia 'Excalibur'
New growth on the Acacia baileyana 'Purpurea' at it's most vibrant.
I wish I could put this one in the ground without a bad winter coming along and killing it.
Sophora prostrata 'Little Baby' is becoming much more widely available in these parts. I do love this plant.
And this one, WOW!
I can't stop staring at (and taking photos of) the new growth on my Daphniphyllum macropodum v. humile. It is amazing.
The new growth on the solid green plant is even better than on the variegated one...
Although it's another version of spectacular with those little pink buds.
And not to be left out, the Quercus dentata 'Pinnatifida’ (Cutleaf Emperor Oak) is also leafing out with all sorts of spectacularness.
Tiny, fuzzy, deeply cut leaves and catkins...
It's almost too much.
Don't you think?
What do non-plant people do this time of year, since they don't have plants to ogle?
All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
Well, at least the unfortunate isn't completely dead plants, just injured ones. I bet they'll recover, and still look great this year. I fear having my house painted, I just know many of my plants will suffer like this. All your new growth is so beautiful. I wish my S. brevipedunculata had survived, but no -- dead as a doornail.
ReplyDeleteThat's so true Alison. Last year at this time I was faced with a lot of empty spots in the garden, from cold temperature deaths. Not so this year! What did in your S. brevipedunculata?
DeleteGreat plants and good shopping inspiration for the HSPO sale next weekend
ReplyDeleteI can't wait! So many plants all under one roof...
DeleteAlways a tough decision: Keep the house in shape or the garden! I am so focused on my garden right now, that I had to laugh at your query about non-gardeners in spring. Life must be so boring without a garden. And I've never seen such a beautiful oak. A plant really has to be special to stand out in your gorgeous garden.
ReplyDeleteThe sad part is it could be both, if they just looked down before they stepped/placed the ladder! When I was interviewing for our overall house painting a few years back I could see everything I needed to just watching their feet when they came by to bid.
DeleteSorry about the injured kids! Your new foliage is gorgeous esp. the oak! Delicious! Good question about what non plant people do this time of year without plants to ogle.
ReplyDeleteI guess there is baseball.
DeleteNon plant people are missing out that's for sure! Despite the little set backs you highlighted first all the beauty that followed more than makes up for it! And that Daphniphyllum such gorgeous colours on the new flush!
ReplyDeleteI swear watching that plant this spring has been better than any TV show! (well, except for the one you guys were on...which I still haven't been able to see).
DeleteOuch! You really did get one of those nasty hail storms the other week. Drats. I hope they'll bounce back. Good warm weather is surly on the horizon. Really loving the emerging foliage of your Quercus dentata 'Pinnatifida’. That is pretty cool. Non-plant people are boring. There. I've said it.
ReplyDeleteLucky for you only plant people will be reading and they'll all agree.
DeleteI am envious of your beautiful garden. I'm glad the painter didn't hurt your Caesalpinia gilliesii. I had 2 that I thought I'd lost during a long-lasting cold spell, but happily, they're both back and starting to blossom!
ReplyDeleteThe Red Panda and the Praying Hands, just wild!
How do people go through Spring without becoming plant people? Seems impossible!
I dug one out last year because I thought it was dead, only to hear they leaf out late. How exciting that yours is already about to bloom!
DeleteNow that's a spring celebration (minus the injured parties)! That Daphniphyllum is astounding - too back it's a moisture lover. I'm really impressed by the Acacia too but the mature size presents a problem.
ReplyDeleteOh your stupid neighbor! I would love to see that acacia in your garden.
DeleteI've been meaning to do a post like this. But there's just so much happening this time of year, it's hard to pick! I wish that acacia was reliably hardy here. Glaucous foliage AND purple new growth! Yes, please! I think I've finally fallen for Daphniphyllums, too. That new growth is amazing.
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to see how a daphniphyllum does at your parents place, perhaps there's one in your future?
DeleteOh my...some blemishes but really it is - The Vibrant, The Bizarre and The Exotic! I Love your garden...you find the most fascinating plants and then group then in great combinations. I do love the bark on the Fine Line Buckthorn.
ReplyDeleteSo is Lila in the bizarre or exotic category? ;)
DeleteThanks for the kind words.
Try this on for size: entertaining no-plant people for well over a week this time of year. I'm ready to go plant shopping and looking. Top of list: that oak.
ReplyDeleteOh my, you must be going crazy! Thank goodness the HPSO sale is just around the corner.
DeleteYou are not short of things to ogle, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteI have house scaffolding and tree felling in my future this year. I am dreading it. Workmen always seem to have such big feet.
Oh my, that does sound worrisome.
DeleteThat new growth is quite amazing. I have many agaves that bear the damage of weather and careless gardeners. It's odd how workmen just can't see what we see! When ATT came to dig for some buried wires and they began to pull up my bluebonnets I held my head and said- "Oh, no, my bluebonnets" Your what, they said. You would think all Texans knew what bluebonnets were. I know they were just babies but.....
ReplyDeleteYour story is so true!!! It amazes me sometimes I feel like I'm talking a foreign language.
DeleteOh yeah, that Quercus is something special. I love new growth on Oaks in general, but that one is incredibly nifty! Too bad about the damage from the workers--that is so annoying. But your plants look great, and it's obvious your garden companion is impressed, too. ;-)
ReplyDeleteShe wishes I would plant more soft grasses that she can wiggle her way into and lay in the middle of on a hot day.
DeleteThat aralia is awesome. And the first doggie photo totally looks photoshopped. Too stinkin' cute.
ReplyDeleteAh, Lila says thank you.
Deletewow, i'm in love with that Cutleaf Emperor Oak!
ReplyDeleteMy too Fifi. Are you going to the HPSO sale this weekend? Perhaps there will be one waiting for you there.
DeleteFun seeing what's popping in your garden. So many beauties, but the best of all is Lila. She just gets more and more adorable.
ReplyDeleteI think I "need" that Oak.
I had a guy here putting up solar shades, and I placed the ladders, not them. When workers get near plants, paranoia is wise.
I should have done that. The window guy knew I was worried and we'd talked about my helping when the storm windows came off. Then he went and did it without my knowing (we were in the basement because the upstairs was all torn up).
DeleteI just have to love all your plants...too much perfection, even with the unfortunate ones.
ReplyDeleteAw, Lila, so cuddly looking. Isn't it odd how contractors never even seem to see our plants? Even when we ask them to be careful? Plant blindness is a terrible thing.
ReplyDeleteThat sucks about the hail! My agaves that got hailed on a year ago are finally outgrowing all of their damaged parts.
ReplyDeleteLove that "praying hands" new growth. I had that impression and then read your description. It's so creepy, but so cool.
Laughed out loud at the "pot leaf aralia." I wonder whether that'd grow here in Austin? We have so few interesting foliage plants for shade here.
Lila, what a face!
ReplyDelete