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Design and Implementation

This exposed urn looks like a koala tummy.

This is so silly that I sort of like it. I mean, I found it to be sufficiently amusing to get a picture of it to send to Brent. It is a nice large urn, with an Aeonium arboreum that is a bit bolder than any of mine, and delightfully blue Senecio mandraliscae. It has nothing else going for it, but perhaps its simplicity is an asset. It might look junky if it contained any other well planned but comparably maintained material.

My only personal criticism of its design is that it is located on otherwise useful pavement, where pedestrian traffic must divert around it; but I am merely a horticulturist, not a landscape designer. For all I know, it could be there to intentionally soften the expansiveness of all that useful pavement, without occupying too much of it. I would also say that the urn should be outfitted with species that are more tolerant of the partial shade of its particular exposure, but obviously, these two simple species are reasonably happy there.

My more realistic criticism is of its implementation. Is it really too difficult for so-called maintenance ‘gardeners’ to maintain this as the landscape designer who designed it thought they should be able to? Must landscape designers design their landscapes with the expectation that their work will not be maintained as expected? Although it is delightfully silly, it might be more visually appealing if the Senecio mandraliscae cascaded a bit more over the edge. Alternatively, it could be confined to the upper surface of the urn if a third perennial were allowed to cascade somewhat over the edge; but again, I am no landscape designer. The urn is nice, but might be nicer with a bit of foliar color, form and texture over some of its exterior.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 6 Comments

Six on Saturday: 6 X

Rhody, Carson and I are still here. We should be in Washington now. We were supposed to leave at about midnight between last Tuesday and Wednesday. Now, we plan to leave at about midnight between Sunday and Monday, and stay in the Pacific Northwest for as long as initially planned. I wrote about the delay earlier. It is why I posted no pictures of our trip yet. Instead, there are three ‘X’s and three eXotics, although the last might really be an undocumented native species. The first three ‘X’s are between generic and specific names of three interspecific hybrids. By next week, I should get six pictures from Oregon and Washington. Incidentally, the Official State Flower of Washington was nicely named after Rhody.

1. Prunus X subhirtella, winter flowering cherry was featured for the garden column last week, or later in some papers. This picture was not used. I did not want it to go to waste.

2. Pelargonium X hortorum, zonal geranium is nothing special, but I happen to like this red too much to discard it after it was clobbered by a car. I can only hope it was a Buick.

3. Freesia X hybrids, freesia is likewise nothing special, but got my attention just after I mentioned feral freesia in the garden column. It is misplaced but too colorful to be feral.

4. Vinca major, greater periwinkle is an aggressively invasive naturalized exotic species. Less pretty aggressively invasive naturalized exotic species would replace what I remove.

5. Allium triquetrum, wild onion is supposedly another aggressively invasive naturalized exotic species. It is so established that I had always considered it to be a native species.

6. Thuja plicata, Western red cedar is supposedly a naturalized species, but could be an undocumented native species. No one seems to know; but it is not aggressively invasive.

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/

Posted on by tonytomeo · 8 Comments

Horridculture – Traditional Delay

Rhody and his Roady, . . . still waiting to leave.

This article is scheduled to post at midnight between March 19 and March 20, which is precisely when we were scheduled to leave for the Pacific Northwest. We were supposed to arrive on the Kitsap Peninsula late in the afternoon, and likely continue to the coast the following morning. Now, we will not leave until midnight between Sunday, March 24 and Monday, March 25. I know that it is only five days later, but it changes the entire schedule. I should still be there in time to prune the apple trees prior to bloom. I do not know when we will return now, but it will likely be about Thursday, April 4.

Then, two and a half weeks later, we leave again for eleven days in Beverly Hills in Los Angeles County, and Buckeye near Phoenix in Arizona. That would involve leaving Wednesday, April 24, and returning on Saturday, May 4. That should be before the weather gets too warm in Arizona to prune the mesquite trees there comfortably. I suppose that the second trip does not necessarily need to be delayed just because the first trip was. We could still leave on Wednesday, April 17 and return on Saturday, April 27 as originally planned, even if that leaves less time between the two trips. Perhaps I should not worry about this until we return from the first trip!

This seems to happen annually. Regardless of how intent I am on leaving on time, we encounter a delay of some sort of another. Ultimately, we leave at about the same time annually, but only after planning to leave about a week earlier, just as we planned for the previous few years. I can not complain, of course, since the delay is justified, but that is another topic for another post.

Posted on by tonytomeo

California Poppy (not a plant profile)

Escholzia californica

California poppy is the Official State Flower of California. It is native to all but Yuba, Sierra and Imperial Counties within California. It is also native to portions of Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Alaska, Sonora and Baja California.

Although rare elsewhere, a few isolated colonies inhabit several other states and Canada. It naturalizes efficiently in many other regions of other continents.

California poppy naturally blooms almost exclusively orange. Modern varieties that bloom yellow, red, lavender and creamy white were developed relatively recently. Naturally white and lavender California poppies are extremely rare in the wild. To Californian children, they are supposedly good luck, like-four leaf clovers are to Irish children. I remember finding a few of each at the Portola Monument in Montara when I was a kid. I did not see either again until I found a white California poppy at work a few years ago. Of course, modern varieties take the fun out of that tradition.

California poppies are now blooming splendidly. Unfortunately, they are neither as common nor as profuse as they were only a few decades ago. They are displaced by naturalized exotic vegetation, including naturalized forage crops and cover crops. Also, exotic vegetation, including flowers within home gardens and orchard trees, distracts the pollinators that they rely on for pollination. We dispersed California poppy seed at work while the weather was still a bit rainy, so should get more blooming later in spring. Hopefully, they will disperse a bit more seed for the following spring, although I suspect that they would already be naturally established there if it were a good situation for them.

California poppies can get somewhat unkempt within refined landscapes, particularly if they stay long enough to disperse their seed. That is why we want more within unrefined areas.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 4 Comments

California Lilac (not a plant profile)

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus

Ceanothus of all sorts are collectively known as California lilac. A few uncommon species are also known by alternate names that might confuse those who are unfamiliar with them. Most species happen to be native to California, although most are not exclusive to California, and a few are not native to California. The species with the most extensive range is native to the eastern half of America, which does not include California. Incidentally, it is known more familiarly as New Jersey tea.

Ceanothus is not actually related to lilac. It merely blooms within the same season, with tiny flowers in floral trusses that are smaller but sort of shaped like those of lilac. The most traditional lilac bloom with lavender floral color, but a few cultivars bloom with pale blue floral color that sort of resembles that of some of the Ceanothus. Most Ceanothus bloom is richer blue, and some is pale white. The most fragrant of Ceanothus bloom is only mildly fragrant, and only in abundance. Most Ceanothus bloom lacks fragrance or smells rather dusty. Lilac, of course, is famously fragrant.

California lilac is therefore neither notably Californian nor a type of lilac. Nonetheless, during spring, we appreciate its bloom, both within refined landscapes and in the wild. It does not last for long, but it can be impressive, particularly among wild specimens that can grow larger than those within confined landscapes. The blue floral color of the majority of wild specimens and perhaps all cultivated specimens is comparable to that of native lupines, and contrasts splendidly with bright orange California poppies that bloom at about the same time. California lilac that grows wild need no maintenance, and although individual specimens do not last long enough to get old, they reliably replace themselves like so many native species do.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 18 Comments

Six on Saturday: Shabby Spring II

Some of these Six are leftovers from last week. Some might have been late last week, and are a week later now. African daisy and calla bloom somewhat randomly, so technically, may not qualify as late. Likewise, candelabra aloe does not bloom quite as randomly, but is not always punctual either. I should be more observant of bloom schedules. Evergreen clematis and bridal wreath spirea are more likely to be blooming late. I am more certain that flowering quince should have bloomed earlier. Only calla and candelabra aloe were grown here. The others were originally acquired from nurseries many years ago, so I can not gloat about growing them. Incidentally, Rhody and I will leave for Washington early Wednesday morning, so my next two ‘Six on Saturday’ posts should be from there.

1. Clematis armandii, evergreen clematis bloomed while I was not looking. This picture is from last week. Bloom lasted a bit longer than expected, but is presently deteriorating.

2. Osteospermum ecklonis, African daisy also bloomed last week, but of course, is rarely without bloom. It blooms a bit more profusely in phases between now and late summer.

3. Aloe arborescens, candelabra aloe typically blooms for late winter. These vivid orange flowers are resilient to wintry weather, and contrast splendidly with blue California lilac.

4. Zantedeschia aethiopica, calla grows wild within a portion of one of the landscapes. It could do the same elsewhere if we were to relocate some of it, which is why we rarely do.

5. Spiraea prunifolia, bridal wreath spirea seems to be blooming late. I do not know for certain because I do not remember when it typically blooms. Foliage develops afterward.

6. Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Double Take Orange’ flowering quince also develops its foliage after bloom. I am more certain that it is blooming late. It typically blooms with forsythia.

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/

Posted on by tonytomeo · 19 Comments

Horridculture – Inexhaustible Resources

Wild cucumber is not a particularly substantial vine. Except for its tubers, it is quite delicate.

Wild cucumber, Marah fabacea, is also known as manroot because it develops massive tubers that can weigh as much as a man. Such tubers can supposedly weigh more than two hundred pounds, and some sources claim that they can weigh twice as much. That is a lot of storage.

Their thin leaves, slender vines, tiny flowers and fleshy fruit are not very substantial, and can not be very consumptive. They are quite watery, and leave minimal debris when cut and dried, or when they die back after frost.

So, why does wild cucumber store so much resources within their massive tubers? I have no idea. I realize that it is a survival technique, but this is major overkill. No winter is long enough to justify such extreme storage. No summer is dry enough. No wildlife is voracious enough. No forest fire burns the same place more than once in a season. Furthermore, no gardener is diligent enough.

Seriously, these things are impossible to kill. The vines pull up quite easily, with no resistance. The tuber simply makes more. Secondary vines pull up as easily as the first. The tuber simply makes more. No matter how many times the vines get pulled up, the tuber simply makes more. It never exhausts its resources. Removal of the vines deprives it of its ability to accumulate more resources, or replenish what is used to generate the vines, but it has enough to generate vines for many years.

The only way to eliminate these weeds is to dig up their massive tubers, which are fortunately not very deep underground. Even then, the tubers do not die. This one sat around through last summer, and is still viable. I suppose that we should dispose of it with the trash, since we can not compost it.

This wild cucumber tuber is bigger and much heavier than Rhody, but is smaller than average.
Posted on by tonytomeo · 19 Comments

Heather

Heather is not related to Calluna vulgaris. She is feline, since she is a kitty, who is employed here as the only mouser within the maintenance shops. We did not hire her as such. She merely assumed the job. At the time, after Darla retired, we were in desperate need of a mouser. We do not know where Heather came from, and she can not tell us. She seems pleased to remain employed here. We are pleased to be without rodents.

Her technique is as mysterious as her origin. No one knows how she prevents rodent infestation. She does not seem to catch any. Instead, she seems to passively repel them, as if rodents vacated and will not return because of here presence. Skunks, opossums and raccoons are also notably absent since her arrival, and the raccoons were vicious.

Heather temporarily lived within the nursery when she first arrived and decided to stay. Shortly afterward, and after being named, she decided that she preferred the automotive shop across the road. If she had settled there originally, she might have gotten a lame name, such as Lexus, Tesla or Mercedes. Now, she is quite established here, and lives in a luxurious penthouse in the automotive shop mezzanine above the locksmith shop. She does not seem to venture away from the safety of the shop buildings or the surrounding fenced yard. She has several friends here, including Rhody.

Fortunately, Heather does not seem to need anything more than she can figure out on her own. I know nothing about providing for a kitty. She does not seem to mind at all. Actually, she seems quite happy here, and purrs when petted. She seems to enjoy looking cute for those whom she meets for the first time, and for pictures such as this.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 9 Comments

Safety First

OUCH!

You should have seen the other guy.

Actually, this blood was not contributed by someone else. No one else was involved. Perhaps that was the problem.

I can not sharpen blades. I tried for a long time years ago, before eventually realizing that it would be best to rely on someone else to sharpen my blades. Those who know how to do it make it seem so easy. I have no idea how they do it so well, but I know that they do because it is how my blades get sharpened. It is an enviable ability.

Well, I neglected to get someone to sharpen my blades for a very long time. Naturally, my overused and worn pruning shears are beyond mildly dull. As most of us know, “A dull blade is more dangerous than a sharp blade.”.

The blade did not cause this damage directly. As I wrestled with the dull shears, they unexpectedly slipped past the stem that I was cutting so suddenly that I bashed my thumb against the accordingly damaged latch on the opposing handle. The injury was not bad; but I was too annoyed by it to stop what I was doing, which is why the blood continued to get messy.

I only took this picture so that I could later brag about rescuing a school bus full of Girl Scouts from an attacking polar bear, or something like that. I just have not gotten around to doing so yet. It might have been a grizzly bear.

Because these particular pruning shears are so worn, with a broken latch and a chipped blade, they really should be replaced rather than sharpened. They are the cheapie sort that can not be repaired. The blade can not be replaced. They performed exemplarily longer than they should have.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 14 Comments

Six on Saturday: Shabby Spring

This should have been done earlier. While most who participate in Six on Saturday have been posting pictures of early spring bloom, I have been posting less colorful pictures of dormant corms, their barely visible new spring growth, some windmill palm foliage and a sliced weirdly yellow beet. Some of the few flowers that I posted pictures of were oddly pallid, which was sort of why I thought they might be interesting. Now that I am posting floral pictures, early spring flowers are beginning to deteriorate. The first two are rather shabby. The third has not been quite right for a few months. I should have found fresher flowers.

1. Eucalyptus cinerea or pulverulenta, florist silver dollar got an identity crisis. I learned it as cinerea. I am now told that it is pulverulenta. Regardless of its name, bees enjoy it. We thought we added another tree of the same species nearby, but it is the other species.

2. Tecomaria capensis, cape honeysuckle really was prettier earlier. Its bloom is not too profuse, but it is distinctly orange. Goodness, I really should have taken a better picture.

3. Rosmarinus officinalis, rosemary is badly infested with mites, but blooms regardless. It is right across the road from the silver dollar, and just as popular with the honeybees.

4. Lavandula stoechas, Spanish lavender is the only lavender that self sows here. It does not become invasive though. Its bloom may be blue, pink, white or, obviously, lavender.

5. Tulbaghia violacea, society garlic is one of my least favorite of perennials. It stinks! It is not so much to look at either. It has been here for many years though, and will not die.

6. Grevillea rosmarinifolia, rosemary grevillea seems as popular with hummingbirds as rosemary and silver dollar is with bees. Hummingbirds are prettier than this odd bloom.

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/