Friday, May 10, 2019

More from the spring garden...

When I took photos for yesterday's post I went a little crazy and snapped photos all around the garden. With so many things happening this time of year it's easy to get carried away.

Every year I look forward to the colorful new growth on my Daphniphyllum macropodum. It never disappoints.

Ditto on the variegated version.

Another one of the projects I've recently tackled is the replanting of succulents around the base of this galvanized planter. I thought the dehydrated dyckia would plump up with water...unfortunately we've been dry since Friday April 19th and the temperatures keep rising (90 predicted for today!). Sure, I've hosed it down a few times but obviously not enough. I think I'm going to have to pull them and put something else in their place.

The further away you get the better they look!

The Ceanothus 'Dark Star' has been unbelievably good this year.

I spend too much time just staring at it.

Oh! Guess what! My Akebia longeracemosa 'Victor's Secret' (worst name ever) is going to bloom for the first time!

I am thrilled.

Mahonia eurybracteata 'Indianola Silver'...wowsa!

Pseudopanax laetus

I still have many (so many) bromeliads to add to this area, but it's starting to take shape.

The blooming of Magnolia laevifolia mostly happened before the temps climbed skyward, thank goodness.

This one's been wiped out by heat in the past.

Here's another mashed up planting.

The Yucca recurvifolia ‘Margaritaville' just kept getting taller and leaning out further. I needed to move the trio of Mangave 'Inkblot' (you'll see why soon) and there was room for an agave too. I'm not sure I like it, we'll see once everything settles in and loosens up.

Poncirus trifoliata

The rare time of year when there are leaves, flowers, and thorns!

This is why the Mangave 'Inkblot' moved, an Agave 'Mateo' moved in.

I've had the A. 'Mateo' for awhile but it needed a bigger pot and more sun. Since I've had others of this variety perform in the ground I'm taking a chance and hoping it will do well here year 'round. We shall see.

Weather Diary, May 9: Hi 84, Low 54/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

20 comments:

  1. The new growth on the Daphniphyllum is so pretty, but the giant bromeliad is what took my breath away: the color against the house, the bright 'rings', the underplanting... that vignette is the complete package.

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    1. Thank you! Hopefully it will look even better when I get a chance to finish it up.

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  2. I can see why you find yourself just staring at the ceanothus. It's pretty spectacular. Your bromeliad area already looks fabulous. Love how the brown of the siding is echoed in the larger bromeliad.

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    1. The siding echo was a happy accident!

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  3. Poor Dyckias. Will you pot them up and try to save them? You've reminded me I need to take some photos of my Magnolia laevifolia flowers before they finish. I hope I'm not too late.

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    1. They've deteriorated even further since I took those photos, the 80+ degree sun has not been kind. So no, I think the dyckia are compost bound...

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  4. All the new growth is looking so healthy and lush. Hope it doesn't get too hot for you and the plants this weekend. Such crazy weather all over.

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  5. You've probably posted about it before, but the big striped plant under the garage window is *fantastic*. Those strips and colors and leaf shapes -- and big too! That's something that stayed in the basement this winter?

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    1. That's a humongous bromeliad I scored in January. Yes, it was in the basement until the temps warmed enough to take it out. It barely fits through the door!

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  6. :: Akebia longeracemosa ::

    Aptly named! Those racemes are worth the wait.

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  7. Loree, I always respect your opinion in all things, but Hydrangea 'Pinky Winky' is actually the worst name ever. But in other news, that Mahonia 'Indianola Silver' (a name which has Dan Hinkley written all over it) is so so beautiful !

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    1. Ha! Yep, that's pretty horrid. What were they thinking? And another yep, that came from Windcliff via The Practical Plant Geek.

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  8. So interesting to see the changes from when I was there just a few weeks ago.

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  9. 90F?!!! It was in the 60s here today. Mother Nature is seriously confused. I love your bromeliad bed. After repeatedly being ravaged by raccoons (with some assistance from the skunks), my bromeliad area looks awful. I need to tackle a total renovation, complete with lots of heavy, closely spaced rocks - it's near the top of my list of projects to work on once the dreaded home remodel starts and I'm spending all my time outside.

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    1. Yep! A new record high was set yesterday and we're going for it again today. I'm praying those evil masked creatures don't find this bromeliad area.

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  10. Yes, it easy to get carried away this time of year. Those Magnolia blooms are gorgeous! Congratulations on the Akebia buds/blooms--that's always a thrill to see a plant mature and bloom for the first time.

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  11. Lots of cool stuff happening in your garden. Your new monster bromeliad sure makes a statement in that bed - gorgeous.

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