Six on Saturday is hasty for me this Saturday. The last few days have been rather hectic. It is now about midnight on Friday. I am presently in Los Angeles, and will be returning to Los Gatos in a few hours. It is a long story. I did not get many pictures.

1. Washingtonia robusta, Mexican fan palm is the most familiar palm of the Los Angeles skyline. This one is very unique though. It grew under the onramp from the northbound Harbor Freeway to the westbound Santa Monica Freeway, on top of an embankment on northbound Toberman Street. It grew vertically until it encountered the underside of the onramp. It then crept along the underside of a merge lane toward the south. It resumed vertical growth after reaching the edge, and escaping from below. Countless commuters who drive past it, and perhaps also over it, are unaware of its extraordinary contortions.

2. Coleus scutellarioides, coleus is still performing nicely within Brent’s garden. Autumn is a bit later and significantly milder within Los Angeles than within Los Gatos or Felton.

3. Coleus scutellarioides, coleus is familiar among my generation because it was popular as a houseplant through the 1970s. It is likely more popular in home gardens nowadays.

4. Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Variegata’, variegated Boston fern or tiger fern is one of several species that I will bring back from Los Angeles because I can not procure it in Los Gatos.

5. Three little kittens are new residents of Brent’s garden. I doubt that they are related to those that Los Gatos is named after. They will eventually help with rodent management.

6. Rhody is normally terrified of kittens. He does not seem to be aware that they are just small cats. Now that we are about to leave, he is much more tolerant of their playfulness.

This is the link for Six on Saturday, for anyone else who would like to participate: https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/

15 thoughts on “Six on Saturday: Los Angeles to Los Gatos”

    1. Thank you. I am not so impressed with the fern yet. It is splendid amongst the rich green foliage within Brent’s overgrown garden, but it might simply look chlorotic here. We will find out. There are plenty of situations that might benefit from lighter foliar color. Alternatively, it might be nice where the interesting foliar pattern is visible closeup, such as on a deck, as a potted specimen. Rhody is always cute. He was not so keen on the overly playful kitties when we arrived, but seemed to enjoy them by the time we left.

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    1. It should perform well here after winter. I am not so keen on its foliar color though. Ultimately, it will likely be an advantage amongst all the dark green foliage in the landscapes here. I would like to eventually acquire an old fashioned Boston fern that is not variegated, just because it is what I remember.

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    1. Goodness, everyone seems to like the fern. I suppose that I will eventually learn to appreciate it, especially since everyone else does. The palm really is impressive. However, I doubt that many others, if any, are aware of it. Most or all see it only as one of countless palms that grow on the freeway embankments.

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      2. Apparently, it does; since I am the only one who is unimpressed by it. I will get accustomed to it. Brent is a landscape designer, so would not bother with it if it were unimpressive.

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  5. I’m pretty sure I must have driven by that tree hundreds of times when I lived down there but you are absolutely right, I had no idea that it was making crazy contortions down below. I’m going to have to take a detour to check it out next time 😀 That’s a cool-looking fern! Does it need certain light requirements to maintain the variegation? (And of course, one cannot comment without mentioning your excellent choice in furry photographic subjects!)

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    1. Variegated Boston fern seems to be as its name suggests, merely a variegated version of Boston fern. It seems to be happy with the same environmental conditions that common Boston fern prefers. I have not noticed any portions of it reverting to lose variegation, although I am not so familiar with it.
      The palm is easy to miss. It looks like any other that inhabits the freeway embankments. The only difference is that it is right against the rail of the onramp.
      Rhody was not so keen on the three little kittens when we arrived. They were too playful. However, by the time we left, he seemed to enjoy them.

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  6. Pingback: Six on Saturday: Los Angeles to Los Gatos II – Tony Tomeo

    1. Los Gatos, which was formerly La Rinconada de los Gatos, was named for the bobcats who were formerly very common there, although some believe that it was named for the mountain lions who, a long time ago, screamed hauntingly at night. Neither are related to the new domestic kitties in Brent’s garden, Los Gatos de Los Angeles.

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