Phormiums from Phoenix

Today Matt and I planted five or six nice big bunches of deep red Phormium at PRG, along the back edges and filling in gaps. 

These were recently donated by Phoenix and will do the usual Phormium thing: look a bit sad for a while, then bounce back to become fantastic, tough plants. 

I'll add some pics tomorrow. Thanks Phoenix!

Plans for more condos

As Emily mentioned to me recently, Socket Site reports Plans For Condos To Replace Prized Potrero Hill Hardware Store are in the works, and as you can read a "contemporary five-story building with 65 dwelling units over a ground floor of residential/commercial flex space" are slated to replace Center Hardware at some point in the probably not distant future.

Sad face.

The furore of comments aside, one thing was nice to see:

"The Planning Department questions the amenity and quality of the rear yard facing I-280 freeway and believes this compromises the exposure to the units facing onto it with a foreground of concrete, noise, and pollution…. The existing Pennsylvania Garden to the south presents an opportunity and amenity that the project should embrace."

 We will certainly miss Center Hardware - they have supported the gardens for many years and we needed them on countless occasions for supplies. A sad day.

Donation!

Aloe ferox in bloom

I got an email from Phoenix last week about some Phormiums and Dietes he needed to be rid of, and not only that but would dig up and deliver to the garden (bless you!) so naturally I said yes.

Today around 4pm I was feeling very sleepy from a long weekend but determined to get them in the ground before the next rain storm, drank a quick cup of coffee and dragged Matt out to the garden.

The Dietes turned out to be variegated! Score. We planted 4 big clumps in the front border, one in the left bed and one in the brights bed. Then we put the Phormiums (loads of the deep red/brown kind) in pots for next week - we'll plant those at PRG.

Too dark for photos - sorry! But above is something inspiring from this year :)

Post rain weedorama

Matt and I hit the garden for the volunteer day and kicked out some serious weeding. 

I turned the hot, steaming compost piles (reignited after being rained on this week) and removed piles of nasturtiums and horsetails from the front bed. When that was cleaned up, I rearranged some society garlics, and Matt rescued an Agave filifera and arranged the pups near it. 

Matt staked the recently planted Phormiums, then dug up a big Phoenix canariensis (Canary Island date palm) volunteer and potted it for planting tomorrow. Volunteer Emily cut back the Salvia elegans (Pineapple Sage) by the bench, and Anna and Mary planted loads of Agapanthus in the triangle garden. 

Good times.