Monday, June 5, 2017

Garden update: the Agave dish planters

Back on March 27th I came to terms with the fact (and then confessed) that one of my Magnolia laevifolia was going to be done away with. Sad bent thing that it had become...

Wrong plant, wrong place with winter issues compounding it all. The shovel came out on May 9th and that was that. I did wait long enough to enjoy the blooms indoors  these photos are from March, I didn't take any photos the day I did the deed.

As these things go...the fact I'd already decided what would go in its place did help the process along. You see my original Agave dish planters were looking a little tired, not having been refreshed since 2015, and the Nolina ‘La Siberica’in front of them had grown up to the point they were barely visible. Photos from 2015...

Back then the Nolina just sort of caressed the edges...instead of hiding everything.

The day I dug the Magnolia, I decided in addition to the dish planters this long suffering Agave (NOID, a pup from my brother's plant) would join them in the corner. The poor thing had been sitting in this nursery flat in the basement since early December. It usually spends winter in the stock tanks along the drive but this winter was just too much...

Planted! And the moving of the dish trio completed.

These are new tops, extras I picked up awhile back. That's why they're so shiny.

My assistant helped, as usual...

After that initial push I was distracted by other things that needed to get done and it wasn't until May 26th that I tackled the fun project of planting up the dishes. I'd decided to take advantage of my Mangave wealth and work some of them into the design.

And then I went full crazy and mixed it up with spikes and shiny black leaves.

I've learned to stop the soil where the rim flattens out, letting the gravel top-dressing cascade down and fill in.

The finished "dishes" in place...

I'm happy with the result.

Raoulia australis, Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkopf', Mangave 'Man of Steel' and Agave salmiana ferox. Obviously this is not a long term planting, I'll be changing things up as the plants outgrow their space.

Around back a couple of Kalanchoe tomentosa 'Chocolate Soldier'. Oh, and I love that I accidentally captured the fern dish planters in the background of this shot, against the garage.

Aeonium 'Kiwi', several cuttings of Echeveria setosa 'Arrow Shaped' (I think), Mangave 'Bad Hair Day'...

And (back row) Mangave 'Catch a Wave', Agave angustifolia 'Marginata', Opuntia erinacea 'Browse Cherry' and hiding around behind that some chocolate Sedum.

To my eye they look good from every angle...

A nice replacement for a less than happy Magnolia laevifolia.

Weather Diary, June 4: Hi 68, Low 53/ Precip 0

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

30 comments:

  1. There is always some good comes out of removing a plant. I have admired those dish gardens and when I saw the empty ones I caught myself saying, "wow! those kept their condition well" before I read about the new tops. That was smart. They look beautiful with their new planting.

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    1. Thanks Jenni! I'm thinking maybe I'll use the new ones to plant up some sort of winter version, since these obviously aren't winter hardy here.

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  2. Oh Yes! A vast improvement over the Magnolia. Well done.

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  3. Those look great. The dish planters a so clever.

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  4. Considering the winter you had, your garden is looking great, Loree! Your refurbished dish planters look wonderful, although I couldn't help wincing at the thought of weeding amid some of those spikes so I hope the dishes remain relatively weed-free. You've encouraged me to plant my hanging hover dish with something tougher than the Pelargoniums that perished due the a lack of water since our rains ended.

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    1. You know I've never had a weed come up in one of the dishes, if I do I've got a pair of nice long tweezers. Can't wait to see what you come up with for your Hover Dish!

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  5. They look divine with their new plants! You always combine plants extremely well!

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  6. Those are planted beautifully and they are such a great feature in your garden. Nice combos.

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  7. They look great in every angle indeed! Love the concept and mixed planting, should fill in nicely. Plus points with the use of opuntia which I rarely see used in mixed succulent plantsing!

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  8. Much, much better. The proportions are perfect!

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  9. Another trio of killer combos. I really need to work on something similar. I definitely have enough plant material waiting to be put to use.

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    1. Do it! I would love to see what you come up with.

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  10. Very nice--perfect, really. From the surrounding plants, to the staggered heights, to the Agaves and companions--I like it very much!

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  11. They look terrific and accent that corner much better than the former tenant. The scale and textural contrast of the containers themselves make the whole space pop. You also have the perfect size pavers; they are in scale with all the grown-up plants.

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    1. I love those pavers and I'm so glad we ordered extra so they could be worked in around the garden after we finished the patio.

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  12. You did a nice refresh with the three planters. And any post with Lila is a winner!

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  13. Nice combos. This is your "In a dish on Monday" post, I see. I like that they're up front where they're easier to appreciate.

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    1. Damn! Why didn't I think of that title?

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  14. Excellent looking dishes. I love that you added Aeonium for contrast and I enjoy the wider shots of your garden.

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  15. Love how that big agave owns that corner now and anchors the new planters. And so good to see Sammy -- I was wondering how he fared this past winter.

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    1. Sammy is a super-star! He took a really bad winter his first year here just sitting on the (new, then) patio in his nursery container. Tough kid!

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