Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Happy holidays!

Agave xylonacantha
Things have been pretty quiet at the garden recently - we're all pretty busy with work and family obligations, but today Matt and I wandered up to PG for an hour to make sure everything is cool. I noticed right away that once again someone had broken into the shed - this time by crawling along the side wall by the loquat tree and pulling out a side panel.

We retrieved all the stuff pulled through the gap, and placed a lot of Agaves and Yuccas back there. Anyone who tries that again will have to be very determined. Agaves to the rescue again ;)

Puya sp.
After that I did some trimming and pruning, and found that Scabiosa "Ace of spades" had rotted out, so I removed it and put in.... an Agave lophantha! (Nope - John corrected me it's A. xylonacantha)

Opposite that in the middle front bed our poor Tanacetum ptarmiciflorum “Silver Lace Bush” that was such a favorite of mine had died. Someone pruned it back to stubs, and that killed it - so sad! In its place we put a Puya of some sort - TBD!

We have tons of Puyas, Bromeliads, Yuccas, Agaves and so on to plant - better get 'em in the ground soon.

Happy holidays everyone!

Sunday, December 8, 2013

5 year anniversary


Today is the 5 year anniversary of Pennsylvania Garden, the day that Matt and I went out and planted the very first plants on that nasty lot of land. Awww.

I looked back, and here's what we planted that day, with status update:
  • 4 Dietes - they rule; they're everywhere now
  • 8 Agapanthus - ditto 
  • 3 Hakea suaveolens - flowering as I type
  • 3 Kunzea baxterii - never a dull moment
  • 1 Coprosma australis (variegated) - kicks major butt
  • 2 Geranium maderense - um, not all that prolific...
  • 3 Ceanothus "King Sip" (ground covering/low) - superb border edging plant - trimmed some today in fact
  • 2 Geranium macrorhizum - bopping around int he left bed somewhere I think...
  • 2 Dianella Tasmanica - much too excitable, yet mostly dull looking. I removed and sold them.
  • 1 Aeonium - can't even remember where the original plant went, but we have dozens of them.

So yeah. Not bad for the very first selection.

Today we had a volunteer day too, and I should have brought cake except I only remembered it's the 5 year anniversary just now... oh well!

Emily, Matt, Eliot, Mary and Carlin came to help me weed the front border, turn the compost, weed and trash pick Pennsylvania Railroad Garden, cut back Stachys and Plectranthus, and generally get some biz done in the chilly December weather.

John also cam by with a truckload (literally) of Furcraea (some sort of species) which he and Matt went right ahead and planted at PRG, filling in some empty spots instantly.

Later on Matt moved an Agave parryi that had flowered by the arch up to the compost area, pulled out an Agave americana from the same spot and put it up in the dog area, and replaced the original A. parryi with a nice new one.

Good job folks - and happy birthday PG!

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Volunteer Workday: Green Saturday?

Get in the holiday spirit by
coming to the workday this Saturday

Our monthly workday is coming up this Saturday, December 7th from 10am-12; come get in the holiday spirit with a little digging in the crisp winter air! Please meetup at Pennsylvania Garden, and we’ll disperse from there. We have the necessary tools and gloves, and like always, whether you're a new or returning volunteer, all are welcome.

With the commencement of the 'shopping season' I've noted a few monikers for the days:
Black Friday
Plaid Friday
Small Business Saturday
Cyber Monday

I think we should add 'Green Saturday' 
noun Day of volunteer gardening in Potrero Hill

You wouldn't have to buy anything, or wait in a line, but I can almost guarantee that you'll have a great feeling of satisfaction after the workday!


 
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