Volunteer Workday: Balmy Fall!

Bill trims Leonotus

What a superb day to be in the garden: the weather was just right and our gang of volunteers set about a number of tasks. Wish I got more pics - you'll have to imagine ;)

Hilary and I set up the hoses and watered a few areas - this will be the second watering this year and we saw a huge difference after the last one. Worth it.

Bill removed a number of Impatiens shrubs that looked extremely tired. Let's face it, Impatiens look best with a good bit of summer water and we're not promoting that! So out they went, and now we can replace with something tougher (but what? I'm thinking some nice Coprosmas I've been propagating this summer)

Bill and Hilary also each pruned back a Leonotus leonurus and they're ready to grow back out into lovey flowering shrubs.

Matt chops Agave

Yannicka and Bill cut the dead leaves of several Phormiums, as well as tidying up several Cordylines. It's surprising to see such tough plants looking drought stressed, but I think they'll make it.

Matt in the meantime took the dead flower stem a dn leaves off Moby Dick, our big, and now defunct, Agave americana variegata. It's been a swell ride, and it's over. But now there's room for another mega Agave and I'm excited about that.

Bill's Big Blue begone!

Matt has conquered Bill

Another fine day in the neighborhood, and since it's planting time in the Bay area, that also means plant moving time at PG. In other words, enough wetness has fallen from the sky to allow plants to be moved to better places in the garden.

We do this pretty often it seems. Usually there are a few causes.

1. A plant we bought as a 4" baby just grew as big as the label, nursery specialist or Google said it would, but at some point between garden center and hole in the ground we had decided to disregard fact and plant it too close to something else. Reality check!
2. A volunteer sprang up, seeding itself from who-knows-where, and we waited for it to disappear until finally accepting the fact that it had dug its' roots in needed to move. See yesterday's palmstravaganza post.
3. The plant was the right size, right water, right amount of sun, and spaced just so.  But then the plant next to it went rogue and grew so large it started spoiling the conditions for the first plant, causing it to pout and look sickly.
4. Some plants just need to be kept on their toes and a change of scenery is good to keep them from getting too cocky. Not feeling so smart with half your roots missing now, are you? Ha!

Finished!

Plants that got moved today were:

1. A yellow striped Phormium that went from being shaded out by the bench to a sunnier spot in the middle front bed. Hope it makes it.
2. An Impatiens from the left bed that went behind the bench. Seems a bit floppy, but they are a cheap thrill so if it dies no biggie.
3. Agave gypsophila from behind the wrong way sign to the middle back bed - we completely obliterated Bill's Big Blue, the obnoxious aster, to do this and I am not sorry. Bill was a jerk.
4. 8 Dyckias of unknown species, deep reddish color, liberated from pots on the terraces at last to frame the aforementioned Agave.
5. 4 Echeveria secunda which moved from the Triangle Garden to near the bench where they'll be much happier.

We also tied the Phormium that got run over again, turned the compost, weeded a ton at PRG, picked up two bags full of trash, and planted the final Canary Island Palm (Phoenix canariensis) there too.

Happy New Year!

Hopefully on New Years Day you were able to spend some time outside, because it was a very forgiving winter day. Sunshine, no wind, you could just sit outside without a jacket on and be comfortable!

I took my dog Bentley (photo) to the garden, and after giving the place a thorough walk and sniff through, we sat by the bench and just watched, soaking up the 2012 sun. Despite the dry weather we've had the last few months the garden is looking really good. From my spot on the bench I could see all of these things in flower: Tibouchina, Coreopsis, Ceanothus, Salvia, Impatiens and Rosa (see photo). The list of other happy healthy plants is almost innumerable.

I grew up in the Bay Area, and my mom grew roses (still does!), so I should be used to their winter flowers. Yet, I am always amazed and extremely pleased to see roses flowering during

the winter here. Especially those at Pennsylvania Garden, as they get very little care and still hang on, giving a show of flowers off and on throughout the year. Be sure to check the rose bushes, both flowering with lots of new buds (!) across from the bench by the steps at the top of the hill.

I hope that you find wonderful things that amaze and please you at the garden too, Happy New Year!

Plant profile: Impatiens sodenii (Impatiens)

Latin name: Impatiens sodenii (pronounced "im-PAY-shens so-DEN-ee-eye")

Common name: Shrub Balsam, Poor Man's Rhododendron
Originally from: Tropical East African highlands of Kenya and Tanzania.
Blooms: Pink, white, some varieties streaked.
Light: Shade, part sun
Water: Drought tolerant
Drainage: Excellent
Height x width: 5'+ tall and wide
USDA Zones: 10-11
Where to find in P. Garden: Under the cherry plum trees.

It has taken me a while to write a profile on this plant, but Matt suggested it this morning, and I thought "why not." Why has it taken a while?  Well, this was not one of my favorite plants when we were first given it, for several reasons. None of them particularly good reasons, I admit.

First, it was a bit of a scraggly specimen. Looking at it's tropical foliage I thought "uh-oh, this is a plant that wants lots of water and it going to die gradually and painfully and everyone will think I am a bad person..." Watching plants die is not in my game plan.

Second, it has pink flowers. Pale pink. And froofy. It is the 7 year old ballerina-wannabe of the plant world. Ugh. Speaking as an ex-pale pink loving 7 year old ballerina-wannabe I can safely say this is a phase most girls get past, and don't look back on. Unless they are reminded of it by such plants as this. *grit teeth*

Third, it's old fashioned. This ain't no cutting edge, hybrid Kelly Griffin aloe, impactfully-toothed hard-core agave of awe-inspiring proportions, or stylish, graceful and austere ornamental grass. It's an old lady shrub. WTF! NIMBY, OMG!!!!1! Blech!!!!!! >:x

Fourth, it is called the Poor Man's Rhododendron. If you absolutely love Rhodies and can't grow them are you really going to grow this? I think not - it looks nothing like a Rhodie! Impatiens sodenii is to Rhododendrons what KFC is to chickens, my friend. And friends don't let friends go to the KFC of plants.

However. Here I am writing a profile on it. Why, you ask? One reason.

It loves dry shade.

And if you know anything about gardening, you know that a plant who loves to grow with almost no light or water, and flowers almost all year round in that situation, the very death of normal plants, is a plant to get down on your knees and worship. That's right people, go out to the garden today and see that little bugger flowering in late December and think about it. It's a Christmas miracle. ;)

UPDATE: well as it turns out it does need SOME water - after 5 years of drought it was looking distinctly stringy... it does seed around and perk up with a watering, so we're not removing them.

Saturday started grey

... but became quite sunny!

I headed up to the garden with Matt around 9.30am for Volunteer Day, and met Emily and Arum there.

Matt went to town on the area in front of the bench, planting two Impatiens sodenii given to us by his dad, and moving around several Geranium macrorhizum to the front edge. He also moved several Nicotianas to a group at the top of the steps - in the winter when we remove the black sage and the Ceanothus that are not especially exciting from that area, there'll be room for something much cooler instead.

Later on we were joined by Tanya and Nathan who are new in town but they can stay: they were excellent volunteers who did a lot of weeding and seriously impressed me with their twig-weaving skills. Check out the pics (top, middle) of them in action, and the final result! Thanks guys!

Emily and Arum (pic bottom) weeded out some mint from the middle back bed, and I have to say the Scabiosas and Coreopsis there are looking fabulous. Those got deadheaded too - watch out - tons more flowers on the way! The lavender is also taking numbers and kicking butt, and the Tibouchina has come back and is flowering away right now. All in all, that part of the bed is looking quite nice.

Oh yes - how could I forget? We were also paid a visit by John whose wife Andrea sent us many plants for the sale, as well as Anna who helped us out with sale stuff too. John also brought some redwood planks we'll use for the Mariposa Center Garden to prevent mulch etc disappearing down the hill. Hurrah!

Getting stuck in (the ground) today

Things that got the dubious pleasure of being planted in P. Garden today include:

2 Solanum laciniatum (Kangaroo apple)
2 Heuchera (Coral Bells) "Snow Angel" and a dark purple one.
2 Impatiens niamniamensis "African Queen"
1 Bougainvillea (top - the "before" pic. Wonder what the "after" will look like!)
1 Hardenbergia violacea (Purple Coral Pea vine - below)
1 Cactus of unknown sort

Also: Digitalis purpurea (foxglove), Iris, Fragaria vesca (Alpine Strawberry), Cineraria and 3 Gasteria bicolor (Lawyer's Tongue) - all from craigslister Emma - thank you so much!

Hopefully the Bougainvillea and Hardenbergia will cover up the nasty chainlink fence, and deter people from climbing over it back there. I found several needles too - I should buy thicker gloves...

Our neighbor from up the hill David came by and offered us a lovely wooden garden arbor, which looks fantastic at the top of the steps. Thanks! He also brought us a massive bag of gorgeous lemons from his tree (how I covet that tree!) and I met his pretty daughter Julia too. Good times.

On top of that, Ron the Iron Maverick came by and man, is he a double espresso! In no time he had the arch picked up, put in place and staked. Then he put bricks on the steps. Oh and he added landscape stones to some plants on the hillside so they don't slide off. Oh and he shored up the downhill side of the path to the steps. Oh and he moved a big branch for me, and experimented with wavy bricks and, and, and... most of this time I was standing gabbing away with his lovely wife Gina and his dog Tank, so you know I felt like a loser when he drove off. What can I say - thanks for giving up almost a whole Saturday to P. Garden - I truly appreciate it :)

I did manage to scrape all the leaves and junk out of the gully and form them into a compost heap of sorts (left - not one that will decompose into usable compost as apparently cordyline leaves have a half life of 763,000 years), as well as weaving the front round border edge from all the leftover branches. I have to say branch weaving has been my favorite project at P. Garden - it doesn't murder my back, and they results are instant, useful and look good! I have spied more branches at Jackson field round the corner, and will try to get some (before they are wood-chipped) so I can weave edges for the remaining three borders.

I also extended the front edge border so the compost pile is gone (left.) The compost-and-branch pile is gone at last! What on earth shall we plant there?

Serious rain now

It is chucking it down right now. I no longer fear drought for the Bay area, let's just put it that way. But on to the planty happenings...

A neighboring craigslister replied to my plant begging ad and we went over in the rain this morning to pick up a nice collection of Zantedeschia (Callas) Cannas, a cool Bolivian Fuchsia, ornamental grass, borage, (Borago officinalis) lovely African blue basil (Ocimum kilimandscharicum x basilicum 'Dark Opal'), a Bougainvillea, a Wisteria, 2 standard roses, a Hydrangea and something else I am racking my brain over now!

Anyway, Kepa was also kind enough to offer the use of her greenhouse for our Leah-donated Australian seedlings. Hopefully the little sprouts will do even better with more light. Thanks Kepa!

A break in the rain and we went out to plant. Hydrangea in a shady spot. The 2 standard roses either side of the top of the steps Matt dug yesterday. Cannas in what's fast becoming canna-opolis (i.e. by the water supply) and holes dug for other things when the rain stops. Diana and her handsome Labrador Billy drop by, as does Jim with George the Rottie.

But wait! That's not all...

I was scanning craigslist earlier in the day and spotted a post from a guy called Jared giving away lots of perennials. I'd emailed him quickly, and he replied ready to give us a lot of stuff as he was moving house. We hightailed it down to Pacifica and our ghast was flabbered: a big collection of very cool stuff ready to give away!

Among other things we got a variegated Echium, Clivias, big Tibouchina, Aloe, Agave, ferns, bromeliads, Solanum laciniatum, Anisodontea (false mallow), Impatiens niamniamensis "African queen" - all sorts of cool stuff. Hopefully with labels on them. We stuffed the car full, sat some things on our knees, and made off. Thanks very much Jared - sorry you had to part with your plants, but lots of people will enjoy them.