Sunday Best – Evening Primrose
Six on Saturday: Arborist’s Report
Both of only two grand valley oaks at work are deteriorating. Sadly, the prognosis for the smaller of the two is not so good.
1. Quercus lobata, valley oak is obviously distressed. It should not start to defoliate until after cool weather later in autumn. Even then, defoliation should be more symmetrical.
2. Upon closer inspection, fluffy and newer interior growth is evidently comprising most of the canopy, while the exterior of the canopy is notably sparse. It is not a new problem.
3. The defoliated portion of the canopy appears to be completely necrotic. No foliage can be seen. If the tree survives, removal of this portion will severely disfigure its symmetry.
4. This significant cavity is developing on the formerly flawless trunk. The interior wood is badly decayed. Sadly, the tree may not live long enough for this to become a concern.
5. Cupressus macrocarpa, Monterey cypress, next to the valley oak, is likely succumbing to cypress bark canker. A few trees have already been removed. It is also a slow process.
6. Meanwhile, in other news, a collared mountain lion was seen on surveillance video in the neighborhood. We all know that they live here, but it is different to actually see one.
Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.
Sunday Best – African Daisy
Six on Saturday: Just Some Random Flowers
Some of these might be redundant to earlier posts. I am still somewhat disheveled from last week. I should recover next week.
1. Pelargonium X hortorum, zonal geranium makes another appearance, but in another color. At least I think that this is a new color here. I can not be certain. We have several.
2. Salvia guaranitica ‘Amistad’ friendship sage is a bit new and trendy for my taste, but it sure is pretty, and popular with hummingbirds. Incidentally, someone else selected it.
3. Lagerstroemia indica ‘Twilight’ crape myrtle is another species that I would not be so keen on if it were not so pretty. It has many attributes, which is why it is overly popular.
4. Osteospermum ecklonis, African daisy blooms in several colors here. All of the others have single flowers. This is the only one that blooms with these odd semidouble flowers.
5. Lathyrus latifolius, perennial pea is a naturalized roadside weed. It certainly is pretty, though. I think that it usually dies back by now, but is doing so a bit slowly this summer.
6. Hydrangea macrophylla, bigleaf hydrangea is blooming with exceptionally big floral trusses. I should have put something else in the picture with it to demonstrate its scale.
Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.
Sunday Best – Yellow African Iris
Six on Saturday: Disheveled
Life is presently hectic here. Consequently, I did not prioritize six pictures for this week.
1. Acer macrophyllum, bigleaf maple leaf against a backdrop of sawdust looks malicious. Sadly, the tree needed to go, for a variety of reasons. Someone got some good firewood.
2. Chamaedorea plumosa, baby queen palm is reaching the saran ceiling. Now, it needs to relocate outside. The problem is that it has always been partially shaded by the saran.
3. Canna X generalis ‘Tropicanna’ canna was supposed to be ‘Alaska’. Fortunately, I got real ‘Alaska’ from another source. ‘Tropicanna’, although not planned, is a nice mistake.
4. Amaryllis belladonna, naked lady maintains some degree of modesty by being out of focus. Actually, I do not know why that happened. I am very fond of this white bloomer.
5. Heather has it made in the shade while she takes a break from rodent control. She can lounge about as much as she wants to, now that there are not many rodents left for her.
6. Rhody is difficult to get a good picture of. Nonetheless, any picture of Rhody is always the best of my ‘Six’. For this picture, he is on the porch of the home of one of his friends.
Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.
Sunday Best – Morning Glory
Six on Saturday: Degradation
These are a few less than glamorous pictures from work, featuring normal deterioration, insect infestation, and desiccation. It will all work out in the end.
1. Agapanthus orientalis, lily of the Nile is slowly finishing its bloom cycle. Its florets are shriveling as its seed pods are growing. Blooms might stay until they look about like this.
2. Passiflora coccinea, red passion flower vine rarely has much intact foliage on it. Fuzzy caterpillars defoliate it as fast as it can grow. The caterpillars are active most of the year.
3. Ceratonia siliqua, carob seedlings succumbed to a very brief lapse of irrigation during warm weather. Fortunately, there were already more than enough, and enough survived.
4. Hesperoyucca whipplei, our Lord’s candle generated hefty pups as its original rosette bloomed and died. The pups are now dead. Maybe this subspecies really is monocarpic.
5. Agave attenuata X ocahui ‘Blue Glow’ agave is demonstrating how it is done properly. Now that it is generating young pups, the original rosette will likely bloom and die soon.
6. Trachycarpus fortunei, windmill palm abandones an old leaf below for every new leaf that it extends above. I cut the old leaves off to keep it looking tidy. It is notably healthy.
Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.
Sunday Best – Angel’s Trumpet III
Six on Saturday: Auditorium Terrace & Overlook Deck
This will very soon be a rather significant construction project at work.
1. These plans do not represent the scale of this project well. The Auditorium Terrace is already present, but is in need of renovation. The Overlook Deck will be completely new.
2. In the process of renovation, four disfigured and deteriorating London plane trees will be replaced with specially grown high-branched red maples for the Auditorium Terrace.
3. Orange mesh designates where the new Overlook Deck will be. The top of the mesh is at the same level of the deck. The wire is where the rail will be. It is higher than it looks.
4. Stumps of the many trees that were cut down for this project are trying to regenerate, and will likely continue to do so for many years. Tanoak and bay trees do not die easily.
5. Our only palm here, a windmill palm, will be displaced by the project. Fortunately, we planned ahead, and nested it into the ground still within its big tub, rather than plant it.
6. Strangely, what we thought were three alders are now blooming with prominent white flowers. They are some sort of dogwood. They were in too much shade to bloom before.
Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.
Tony Tomeo 