Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Wednesday Vignette, a river of blue senecio

There are many plants I wish I could grow in my Zone 8 garden and Senecio serpens, aka blue chalk sticks, is definitely on the list. Sure I've managed to take cuttings and over-winter a few plants, but what I really want is a blue river like this...

Can you even?

These photos come from a garden I visited during the Bromeliad Summit, in Santa Barbara. Anything is possible in their dreamy climate, including  river of Senecio serpens.

Weather Diary, May 21: Hi 66, Low 50/ Precip trace

Wednesday Vignettes are hosted by Anna at Flutter & Hum. All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

25 comments:

  1. Oh, that's beautiful, Loree! I know it's not quite as exciting, but maybe you could emulate at least the color of that snaking, blue swath using Acaena 'Blue Haze'...? (I know, not quite as exhilarating, but still...)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do love the purple Acaena, but it doesn't love me. I struggle to keep it alive.

      Delete
  2. Isn't it fabulous. I have one little Senecio out there. I should plant that today. Thanks for the reminder. Gorgeous photos & inspiration. You keep us up on things. Thx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nancy SarpolaMay 22, 2019

    Gorgeous! and exotic looking!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am so with you on that plant! Was just wondering how I could have a swath...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you live in a swath-friendly climate I know they respond well to propagation by cuttings.

      Delete
  5. I've long admired those mass planting of blue Senecio too. Oddly, it's one succulent that hasn't done particularly well in my garden but maybe I didn't plant it densely enough. I wonder how the gardener responsible for the display handles their ugly flowers?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh I imagine the staff is out cutting the second the ugly flowers appear!

      Delete
  6. A favorite houseplant of mine, but oh, to have a 'river' of it would be amazing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is a pretty easy houseplant isn't it?

      Delete
  7. Looks dreamy. Mass planting are always a good idea if one has the room for it. If only you could find a good substitute that would thrive a zone 8 garden. Or persuade Andrew to move :-D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The subject of moving has come up a time or two...

      Delete
  8. I bought about a zillion S. serpens in eeny-weeny 2" pots and have my very own river slowly filling in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wonderful idea ! :)

      Delete
    2. I hope to see that river in person someday...

      Delete
  9. That is awesome. Yes, I remember seeing rivers of Blue Chalk Sticks in the San Diego area, and I had the same reaction. I can't even think of growing this plant in my climate, of course, unless I grew a few in pots and overwintered them. Not the same effect. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. That is stunningly beautiful ! I have some in a hanging basket ... it is one of my favourite succulents . Beautiful blue ! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Such an unreal color for a plant to be!

      Delete
  11. Saw a similar effect at the Kuekenhof garden in Holland except they used blue muscari. Truly stunning. Are so many plants you can use to get this effect such as Blue Fescue or the Creeping Veronicas. Not quite the same but will still give you the river effect.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sadly I'm stuck on the chalk sticks...

      Delete
  12. AnonymousMay 23, 2019

    Lovely to look at. All of my rivers are gravel and even those are beyond my ability to maintain. But oh so delightful to delight over here.
    rickii

    ReplyDelete
  13. Puts my Iris river to shame. Hard to get all my flowers to bloom at the same time which rather ruins the effect. Clearly not a problem here.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment. Comment moderation is on (because you know: spam), I will approve and post your comment as soon as possible!