Gardening in 2023

[PeppermintPatty]

 

[Supernatural]

My gardening experience goes to a wonderful back garden full to the brim with vegetables. In the early 90s, I planted frilly lettuce, two kinds of tomatoes (Beef and Pink Ladies), onions, snow peas, carrots, beets and courgette plus a cold frame that I'd built from leftover supplies found in the partially demolished shed, I had to remove to bring grounds up to par with city's rules (which I never found out what they were -- all this ruined my back worst then before, youch!

This cold frame for the strawberry plants. Out of all of this, carrots and beets, never flourished. The rhubarb plant went walkies. Out front amongst a rockery, had tea roses and alpine miniature conifers. Had worked for days on end fixing that front yard.

One large flagstone was found where I'd planned the rockery, so my hole was dugged already after removing that monster with a mini digger. Then removing the encroaching under the house with huge roots, the large stump.

Application over application of stump destroyer powder which had to be mixed. Nasty! After we sold the house, I'd left instructions how to take care of rockery but the new owners with pictures 5 years later on Google Earth, all my masterpiece rockery was gone

So far this year, I've one potted Sunflower in concrete naked jungle called back garden. I've yet to install artificial grass carpet, paint the fence, install either net or chicken wire to enclose it properly for kitten to have a place to go get fresh air. At 7x7 the plans with hubby were to build a tiered staircase type unit for small flowers but it didn't happen. Hoping for hanging baskets.

 

[MarkD]

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Love that Clematis and they all look happy.

 

[squatting dog]

 

[Lilac]

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OMG, that is so true! Especially this last week in the yard mowing by hand since riding mower is the shop.

 

[Trila]

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Those are beautiful pictures PP!

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Those are beautiful pictures PP!

Thank you.

 

[MarkD]

We walked the dog earlier in the week at the Blake garden where I was very taken by the contrast in textures of these two plants growing in a fountain at ground level.



The fountain is at the center of a somewhat formally laid out area of the garden which is just visible on the left margin of this next photo.



The center fountain is visible here as seen from further away ..



.. as it would be seen from where my wife shot the next photo of me and the pooch.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

One plant I’ve really been appreciating this year is this Clematis armandii ‘Apple Blossom’. Apparently the vines can reach 25 feet and this year I think they have. I never give it any extra water beyond what little rain we get. So I guess that is why it is blooming so abundantly. The flowers are described as “intensely fragrant” and even to this nearly nose-blind person that is accurate. The flowers are pink in bud and when they first open m, soon turning white.

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Great apple blossom clematis pics. That’s gorgeous. I want one after seeing yours and reading about the wonderful fragrance. Clematis are one of my favourite types of plants.

 

[MarkD]

Great apple blossom clematis pics. That’s gorgeous. I want one after seeing yours and reading about the wonderful fragrance. Clematis are one of my favourite types of plants.

Normally with our low rainfall and water restrictions I have a hard time making them happy. Otherwise I’d grow more of them. Always happy to see yours. Hint, hint.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Normally with our low rainfall and water restrictions I have a hard time making them happy. Otherwise I’d grow more of them. Always happy to see yours. Hint, hint.

They do require a lot of water. My BEST growing clematis places were right under the garage downspouts. Since the roots love the shade, they grow underneath the garage. They get plenty of rain from the downspout and I plant hostas all around them which die off at the end of the year so I can better maintain them. A great clematis combo.

 

[MarkD]

They do require a lot of water. My BEST growing clematis places were right under the garage downspouts. Since the roots love the shade, they grow underneath the garage. They get plenty of rain from the downspout and I plant hostas all around them which die off at the end of the year so I can better maintain them. A great clematis combo.

Thanks for the info. My C armandii only did well this year because record rain. It is rooted below a lemon tree so it has shade but it’s just several feet from the bank of a creek ten feet below to creek. Trees manage to find a way down to that water table but too much to expect from most vines.

Another garden I’ve been enjoying is much less formal, seemingly wild but actually someone’s guerilla project along the bay at the Albany bulb.

This flamboyantly painted bench is a focal point here but there are many nursery raised natives and other dry tolerant plants. That’s a young buckwheat in front of it.



Looking through giant buckwheat to the same bench.



Lots of paintings and sculpture made from stuff found at this former landfill.





Overall view reveals how dry the area really is. Whoever is minding it carries in water to get plants started.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Ten feet is a bit far to expect clematis roots to travel but since it’s done well this year, it’s root system may have expanded enough to do better other years too.

That area looks very dry. It must take quite a bit of effort to keep that garden watered but clearly they do. Nice photos.

 

[MarkD]

Ten feet is a bit far to expect clematis roots to travel but since it’s done well this year, it’s root system may have expanded enough to do better other years too.

That area looks very dry. It must take quite a bit of effort to keep that garden watered but clearly they do. Nice photos.

I like the way you think. I may even give more than usual with the hose next year if the rain goes back to normal.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

I like the way you think. I may even give more than usual with the hose next year if the rain goes back to normal.

For the look and smell of a gorgeous clematis like that? Surely it would be worth it.

 

[Trila]

My Lycoris flowers are booming everywhere! I (literally) have several thousand plants, each plant has 3-9 flowers! I've been outside taking pictures. Of course, the camera doesn't look as nice as seeing them in person. Some of these pictures are from this morning, some from last week, and others are from previous years.....

(view on North side of house)

(view going down to the pond)

(view on South side of house)

They were one of my Dad's favorite flowers! Notice how they don't have any leaves? For this reason they are also called Naked Lilies. (note: naked ladies is a different flower)

I've spent years dividing and planting them everywhere. They line the trails through the woods and around the fields. They are by the house, the barn, and along with driveway......they are everywhere!

 

[RadishRose]

Very pretty, especially bordering the path.

 

[Trila]

Very pretty, especially bordering the path.

 

[Trila]

We had a rain storm come through last night, and it broke all of the Lycoris! All that is left is one or two here or there. The rest are gone for this year. I guess I took those pictures just in time!

 

[MarkD]

My Lycoris flowers are booming everywhere! I (literally) have several thousand plants, each plant has 3-9 flowers! I've been outside taking pictures. Of course, the camera doesn't look as nice as seeing them in person. Some of these pictures are from this morning, some from last week, and others are from previous years.....

(view on North side of house)

(view going down to the pond)

(view on South side of house)

They were one of my Dad's favorite flowers! Notice how they don't have any leaves? For this reason they are also called Naked Lilies. (note: naked ladies is a different flower)

I've spent years dividing and planting them everywhere. They line the trails through the woods and around the fields. They are by the house, the barn, and along with driveway......they are everywhere!

That is a lot of bulbs! Have you been growing and dividing them for a long time to accumulate so many?

I’m growing Nerine bulbs and have gown a red spider Lily once but I don’t think it liked our long dry season.

 

[MarkD]

I hope to see this in bloom again at the UC Berkeley bot garden next month. Anyone recall what this sort of flower is called?





Also looking forward to seeing how many of my Brunsvigias bloom again after doing so for the first time last year:

 

[Trila]

That is a lot of bulbs! Have you been growing and dividing them for a long time to accumulate so many?

I’m growing Nerine bulbs and have gown a red spider Lily once but I don’t think it liked our long dry season.

....about 20 years! I have spider lilies, too, but they don't thrive or multiple as well for me. I have moved them around many times, looking for a place that they are happy. After about 10 years, this is all that I have.....

 

[MarkD]

We had a rain storm come through last night, and it broke all of the Lycoris! All that is left is one or two here or there. The rest are gone for this year. I guess I took those pictures just in time!

Thank God for photography. Nothing in a garden is guaranteed except for change itself. I enjoy looking back at peak moments for plants no longer here or no longer as vibrant.

Speaking of which I recently came across these photos on my camera from several years ago. I have grown Echium hybrids mostly every year out along the front path as well as just inside the side garden. But I don't think I've often grown E. wildpretii. So I'm glad to have these photos of it. Aren't its pinky/red flowers striking? The Mr Happy hybrid growing between them has blue/lavender flowers and gets much taller. The other parent of Mr Happy is E. pininana, the tallest of the lot. But Mr Happy is very variable, and taking anything from one season to two to flower. Pininana takes longer and gets very much taller under good conditions (wet).

A real Jack and the Beanstalk moment. My neighbors love seeing these.

I've posted this one before but this is E. pininana growing in my friends garden just below Mount Sutra, one of the wettest places in San Francisco. They also have one of only five licensed and grandfathered in wells in the whole city. I think it's flowers are bluer than those of Mr Happy.

 

[Trila]

Thank God for photography. Nothing in a garden is guaranteed except for change itself. I enjoy looking back at peak moments for plants no longer here or no longer as vibrant.

Speaking of which I recently came across these photos on my camera from several years ago. I have grown Echium hybrids mostly every year out along the front path as well as just inside the side garden. But I don't think I've often grown E. wildpretii. So I'm glad to have these photos of it. Aren't its pinky/red flowers striking? The Mr Happy hybrid growing between them has blue/lavender flowers and gets much taller. The other parent of Mr Happy is E. pininana, the tallest of the lot. But Mr Happy is very variable, and taking anything from one season to two to flower. Pininana takes longer and gets very much taller under good conditions (wet).

A real Jack and the Beanstalk moment. My neighbors love seeing these.

I've posted this one before but this is E. pininana growing in my friends garden just below Mount Sutra, one of the wettest places in San Francisco. They also have one of only five licensed and grandfathered in wells in the whole city. I think it's flowers are bluer than those of Mr Happy.

Wow! Those are amazing pictures!!!!

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Thank God for photography. Nothing in a garden is guaranteed except for change itself. I enjoy looking back at peak moments for plants no longer here or no longer as vibrant.

Speaking of which I recently came across these photos on my camera from several years ago. I have grown Echium hybrids mostly every year out along the front path as well as just inside the side garden. But I don't think I've often grown E. wildpretii. So I'm glad to have these photos of it. Aren't its pinky/red flowers striking? The Mr Happy hybrid growing between them has blue/lavender flowers and gets much taller. The other parent of Mr Happy is E. pininana, the tallest of the lot. But Mr Happy is very variable, and taking anything from one season to two to flower. Pininana takes longer and gets very much taller under good conditions (wet).

A real Jack and the Beanstalk moment. My neighbors love seeing these.

I've posted this one before but this is E. pininana growing in my friends garden just below Mount Sutra, one of the wettest places in San Francisco. They also have one of only five licensed and grandfathered in wells in the whole city. I think it's flowers are bluer than those of Mr Happy.

This is so spectacular. You two look like shrunken humans in a giant Beautiful garden.
I came here to post a picture of a small little sunflower and I’m embarrassed to post it now.

Here’s my silly photo.