Monday, March 27, 2017

Making the tough choices...(oh ya, and putting stuff In a Vase - on Monday)

I couldn't decide if was going to do an "in a vase..." post this week or not, there are so many other things competing for my attention...

For instance I keep meaning to do a "state of the garden" post, but every moment that I should be photographing I am instead working, and you've got to have the right mindset to actually stop and take pictures of death and destruction. It's not as easy as reporting on moments of beauty. Difficult decisions are being made left and right. "It looks like hell, but it might be alive" (trash it in a moment of weakness, or let it struggle a little bit longer?).

Towards the end of last week I made two difficult decisions. One of which resulted in material to kick start this week's vase, the other will be put off as long as possible, in hopes of enjoying future Magnolia (gasp) blooms, in a vase.

This is the only photo that shows the Lupinus albifrons before it was (heartlessly) cut back. And since I wasn't focusing on it, but rather that sad Magnolia laevifolia, you probably can't even see it.

Here's a booster...it's circled.

And cropped (bad photo alert!). Whatever. I hated it's long bare stem, and it had to be held upright with rebar and twine, or else it flopped over the Astelia next to it. I cut off all that luscious silver foliage. At least it's being used in a vase, and I am hopeful the stem will sprout. If not, well then I'll have learned my lesson.

So about that Magnolia. It was severely abused with the snow and ice that hit the garden this winter. In trying decide how to get it upright again (the bamboo only worked for about a week) I spent a lot of time looking at it.

And the more time I spent looking at it I realized it was not well placed. It was detracting from the garden as a whole, rather than adding to it.

I limbed it up, thinking that would make me feel better about it.

Instead it just made me want to get rid of it all together.

Damn. I know it's the right decision but it still sucks. I love this little tree!!! I will try to dig it out to rehome it but I don't think I can get enough roots. Second best option is to wait until it's blooming and at least use the flowers in an arrangement. A sort of sweet goodbye. Luckily I do have another Magnolia laevifolia in the garden so I will still be able to enjoy the flowers, just not the flowers on this plant.

But, time for happier things. The Lupinus albifrons ended up in a vase. Along with bits of Euphorbia rigida, χ Fatshedera lizei ‘Annemieke’ and seedy pods from Fatsia japonica 'Variegata'...

It's a little lop-sided but I love the colors.

On the far end of the mantle Brachyglottis greyi (aka Senecio greyi) cuttings from weeks ago are still going strong. I added a Fatsia japonica 'Variegata' leaf just to keep the color palette going from one end to the other.

The Euphorbia are such a powerful blast of color...

Can't have too many of these.

The main attraction again.

The silver Lupine.

Ya, like I said. Can't get enough.

There's also a newly completed piece of Andrew's artwork on display. The text for the figure on the far left reads "day-long endeavor" and yes, that's a bottle.

Moving to the right, "cactus fruit harvest" and the figure has a tray of Opuntia fruit on her head.

At the far right a figure reclines in a pool "cooling with eels" and the bulb figure is "dark edison at rest"...

There's one more arrangement at the end, which repeats the ingredients seen before.

Lupinus albifrons, Euphorbia rigida, χ Fatshedera lizei ‘Annemieke’ and seedy pods from Fatsia japonica 'Variegata'.

As always visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for links to other bloggers sharing their vase creations this Monday.

Weather Diary, March 26: Hi 50, Low 44/ Precip .65"

All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

22 comments:

  1. "Dark Edison at rest" — A great phrase even if it did not have all all of Andrew's work around it! Love the vases as usual. I think you should think of the stems as asymmetrical and not lopsided. And, yes, can't get too much of that gorgeous Euphorbia.

    Could you "root prune" the Magnolia and pot it up and move it around a bit to see if there is any place for it?

    When we thought we lost one of our favorite trees the nursery owner told us not to consider it dead until July. If it hadn't leafed out by then, it was a goner. He was partly joking but it has made us wait a long time before we decided something is really dead.

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    1. Asymmetrical! Of course. That's the perfect work to use. Your idea about root pruning is a good one. Very good. I don't know that I have a spot for it, but that's an excellent way to see, and if not then pass it on. Thank you! I will do it today.

      Re: possibly dead things, I've been told to wait until after our first stretch of 70 degree days. Hopefully that will come before July...

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    2. Well...maybe not. I just read that you should do root pruning in the fall, before digging in the spring. I don't think I can wait that long...

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  2. So much artwork can be derivative, I love that Andrew's is unique. I don't know of any other art that has his look or tone. I can relate to not wanting to take the time for pictures. I'd rather be working. I spend the day lately keeping a sharp eye on the outdoors to see if the sun is coming out, and then I rush out there to see what I can get done. I can't be bothered with the camera. I hope you can dig enough roots and save the Magnolia.

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    1. Andrew definitely has his own, very strong voice. I've seen some of his early work and he can do the "pretty picture" thing as well as anyone. But having created his own world, with it's way of communicating things, is so much more interesting! Linda's idea (above) of root pruning is a good one, I am hopeful.

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  3. I'm sorry you're dealing with all those difficult choices in your garden. At least the Lupinus albifrons got a chance to show its beautiful foliage in a vase. As always, I love the mantlescape as a whole, including Andrew's wonderful artwork.

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    1. Thanks Kris. And what is gardening if not balancing out the good, and bad....

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  4. Andrew's work always makes me smile. Sorry about some of the tough choices you're having to make. I've been pretty busy with evening classes so haven't done much outside yet. Fortunately, the garden is forgiving.

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    1. When's spring break? I think most of our schools are experiencing it this week. I hope you get some spring break time in your garden.

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  5. Finely arranged, per usual, Loree, The silver lupine is stunning. Did you prune it eliminate it? Harsh garden problems - tough decisions!

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    1. I pruned it in hopes of it sprouting new, fuller growth, below. If I wanted to eliminated it I would have brought out the shovel.

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  6. Nice mantle, as always. It's great that Andrew let's you showcase his amazing, whimsical talent here. (He does know, right?) :) Love, love, love.
    So, as a moody gardener, I think that as hard as it is to come to a decision to axe something in the garden, I'm sure you know deep down that your intuition is right and you'll be happy with getting rid of the tree. It's a process of revelation, agonization, determination and then resolution. Ok, so maybe I'm projecting, but (from the photos, at least) I think you're headed in the right direction.

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    1. Ha! Yes, he knows. We have a lose agreement that I can share anything he brings upstairs. No trolling the basement studio for things.

      A "moody gardener"...I like that very much. And yes, I think I am too, it was poor placement. I'm glad you agree.

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  7. I've been meaning to do a post-winter damage report for weeks and keep running into the same problem. If I'm out in the garden I'm cleaning up the damage, not photographing it. I'm still watching so many plants, waiting for them to do something one way or another, or for me to lose patience. I did notice the Lupinus albifrons I thought had fried last summer is growing near the base, so yours should resprout with ease. Lupinus sericatus has a lower habit. I'll be bringing some seedlings to the swap, just fyi.

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    1. That's great news, about your Lupinus albifrons. One of mine is fine, it's in an area where it's tall gangly growth isn't out of place. One snapped in half with the snow and ice...so I am hoping it sprouts new growth. And then this is the other. It's a learning process for sure. I felt the worst about possibly killing something that made it through winter...

      Yay! Lupinus sericatus seedlings! I almost ordered a couple from Annie's but just couldn't rationalize the expense...

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  8. Sometimes spur of the moment decisions work out the best... I am sure we all shared your gamut of emotions as you went through the decision processes and I for one was puzzled for a time about the orange 'hoop' but then realised what it was!! Your lopsided arrangement really works well, and as always you have such an eclectic collection of things on display - I am fascinated by them, and the artwork is so unique. Thnaks for sharing everything

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    1. Sorry about the orange hoop! I can understand your confusion.

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  9. Every time you post your mantle I look at mine and berate myself for it's vast display of emptiness. Ever since the mirror I had above it fell down in the Napa quake I've neglected it. And still haven't fixed the mirror either.I MUST have one of those Lupines.

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    1. One word = Annie's (for the Lupine, oh and get this one too: http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/view/?id=4012 the same foliage, only bigger!)

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  10. Wow, the silver Lupine is something else. In the close up picture is almost look like it's metal artwork. I love Andrew's drawing. I was just commenting the other day about the sweet fruit of Opuntia, and here it is served on a tray... I get a sense of deja vu.

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    1. That Lupine can look like metal artwork in the garden too, it's fabulous! Good luck getting your tunas!

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  11. Bad placement of woody plants is inevitable. It's good you have the courage to face the problem head on. There were a number of blooming Magnolias in central Illinois that got zapped by several days of hard frosts. Very sad.

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