Warm evenings

Helichrysum bracteatum
"Monster Rose"

I went out this evening to water in the plants we planted at the weekend, and they were all looking great. I put in a couple of Crinums that have been languishing in the back, just to get them out of their pots. I don't know what kind they are but hopefully when they flower they'll be white. Well I guess we'll see!

Quite a few plants are flowering for the first time right now. The Helichrysum bracteatum "Monster Rose" is tall and narrow, and each plant has several flowers. I could go for about a dozen of these plants!

Crocosmia "Lucifer"

There's a lovely big Rudbeckia nearby too, covered in buds which I think will be orange. Is it called "Cherokee Sunset"? Can't remember. Lastly, the Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) are about to flower too - hurrah!

Other plants that have flowered before, but are at it again, include the Aloe nobilis hedge, the Dahlias and the Crocosmia "Lucifer" - lots of hot orangey red going on in the garden. Drop by and see it all!

Rain held off

Red bed weeding results

On Saturday the rain started early, and I thought nobody would come to volunteer day. I was surprised and delighted to get to the garden and find Emily and Nate already there!

We started out by redoing the twig border at the top of the steps, and weeding the bed behind it thoroughly to prepare for new plantings. Nate showed me a knot that can be used to hold the twigs in place better than the square knots I've been using - it only took me 17 tries to remember how to tie it!

Now that the bed is prepared, we need one or two nice sized, evergreen shrubs to anchor that spot. It has to tolerate very dry conditions on that slope, and part shade. Bonus points for scented flowers! Since that area is next to the Yucca collection, I am leaning towards either a low Yucca, or some Aloes that need part shade, though something bushy to screen the view and sound of the freeway would be a good idea too.

We weeded the red bed for quite some time... I don't know the name of the very successful weed that grows there, but it runs on long roots just under the surface and sprouts clumps very quickly. We removed several tubs full of it, and we'll be working on that bed and it's weeds quite extensively over the winter.

Nate deadheaded Cannas in the red bed and also removed some diseased one entirely from behind the Wrong Way sign. Emily planted two Rudbeckias in the red bed.

Matt's border work

Matt also worked on the area behind the Wrong Way sign. He removed some broken concrete and planted some Calandrinias there. We have started enough cuttings of that plant to entirely edge that border in tough, succulent greenness, and we're looking forward to the bright prink flowers next summer.

You can see the part he did a few months ago in the foreground of the picture here, and the newly completed part behind that.

Operation: rescue

Yesterday afternoon I went back to the garden after calming down... Matt had been hard at work there propagating plants and I wanted to do something productive so I'd have something good to look back on on Monday morning.

And... I found the Yucca "Garland's Gold"! It had been thrown in the back border, taproot broken in half. I'm not sure it'll survive, but I took it home to see if it can make it.

I weeded the steps and lower pathway and some of the middle back bed, and back slope. I also moved about a dozen plants for the sale to better spots. We have a bunch of plants for the sale back there and need to set up a watering schedule so they look their best for the sale.

Emily was also in the garden, repairing the damage done to her poor newly-potted sweet peas. She repotted some, added new seeds, and set up some Rudbeckias and Cosmos for the sale, among other things.

Lastly, as we were leaving, Kepa was walking up with a friend to check out the garden. She offered her greenhouse to our seedling again - thanks Kepa!

Pic above shows the Brugmansia looking lovely, among other things.

Gingers on the move

Last week I sent out a call for help watering the garden to our list of dedicated volunteers, and they responded! Today I had some great help in the garden: Gina, Miyuki and Matt spent several hours getting things watered and tidied.

Gina deadheaded a mountain of Cannas. Miyuki watered dozens of plants, Matt removed the ginger (too thirsty!) and made about 30 one gallon pots of it for the sale. I set up a soaker hose that Jim donated around the Brugmansia, Fuchsia and Dahlia imperialis (Tree Dahlia) with Miyuki's help.

After that, Gina, Miyuki and I watered the Mariposa Center Garden and then set up water jugs for the midweek watering.

All this watering! Came to find out that our sprinkler has only been on for 15 minutes a week the last 2 months. That explains a lot! Hopefully our pal Robert can set it for at least 45 minutes for us from now on.

I spent until 3.30 watering and trimming, moved some Thymus and had a nice chat with Juana about bees. She also gave me a good gardening book and some pruners! Thanks Juana!

Photos from top to bottom show lovely Rudbeckia hirta flowers from Matt's dad, gingers (Hedychium coronarium) all potted and ready to sell, and a nice combination of foliage in the Moby Dick bed with purple Cordyline, variegated Echium candicans, blue-green Euphorbia rigida and my favorite little Tanacetum ptarmiciflorum “Silver Lace Bush” that is doing so much better in the shade!

Vinca, thy name is weed.

Among the pantheon of gardening mistakes I have made, one had a light shed upon it yesterday.  Namely, the planting of the supposedly happy-go-lucky blue flowering periwinkle known as Vinca major.

More like "nasty-go-evil"! It was slow to get started, due to the dryness at P Garden, and it's preference for damp, shady spots. Just as I had planned - it would not get out of control and would be a good ground cover. At least, that's what I said to Matt when he spent a lot of time telling me it was a bad idea.

Yesterday however I noticed a patch of it had taken a firm hold and Matt went on to spend a lot of time telling me "I told you so" which as we all know is one of the most annoying things a person can say. On the other hand he was so delighted to be right that he helped me yank it all out and as a result we have cleared a spot for a yellow bush lupine to be planted shortly.

In other news, Emily came back from her trip and spent several hours watering (that's me watering at left, too). The ground at P. Garden is dry, dry, dry - all the way down as far as you can dig and then reach for the digging bar (about a foot) so this is it plants: Who needs more water to make it? Right now I am looking at the standard roses, the Brugmansia, the ginger, the yellow wallflowers I recently put in, and the Dahlias that Emily's looking after. We shall see who can make it on once a week water... fingers crossed.

Emily also planted some baby burgundy Cosmos in the left bed, and some Zinnias and Rudbeckia hirta "Cherokee Sunset" in the red bed.

Photo shows yellow Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) "Coronation Gold" with California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) "White Linen" and some calla lilies in the background.

What you can get done in 6 hours:

1. Water all the plant sale plants. Using a watering can. Why doesn't the hose reach all the way to the back of the garden? Hateful hose. Must buy another 100' long one.

2. Rearrange same after getting prickled too many times by the drought-loving Agaves at the front, while trying to reach past them to the water-hungry roses at the back.

3. Plant two Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan) in the middle back bed.

4. Plant two types of Pelargonium by the wrong way sign. It's hot and dry and the geraniums love it there. And to think I looked askance at geraniums at one time in my life. Hah!

5. Cut back the over-enthusiastic corn marigolds by the brick path.

6. Notice that some Irises I forgot about are flowering, and they're the most wacky combo of lavender/pink and yellow, but that they are right behind the lavender Watsonias so blend right in. Note to self: move 'em!

7. Receive 2 lovely Acanthus mollis (Bear's Breeches) from lovely John and plant one of them behind the bench. Long-held desire: satisfied!

8. Weed, weed, weed.

9. Deadhead, deadhead, deadhead.

10. Chat with Gary. Greg. Frank. Rick. Boj, Michelle and Bundy. And 6 other people whose names I didn't get but who were enjoying the garden heartily!

11. Sort out several Aeoniums for Fumiko.

12. Pot up and Aloe.

13. Water the front bed.

14. Notice new flowers: Cistus, Dianella, Ursinia!

15. Plant Iberis (Candytuft) under the cherry-plums.

16. Move all the plants for the sale left at the front, to the back. Note that 27 pots need to be unpotted/weeded/sorted/repotted. Note that am too tired. Go home. Sit down on couch.

17. Realize you left the car behind. Go back and get it.

Photos from top: Purple shades in the middle back bed. Leptospermum in flower. Irises showing their colors.  Drosanthemum bicolor (Dew Flower.)