Random Shots, Random Thoughts

This past weekend was mild for July.  High temperatures were in the low 70's (~22 C), so I was outside gardening for hours.  I'm enjoying the progress of my Ligustrum hedge.  Late August of last year:
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Eleven months on...
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The gully project (which included the new Ligustrum hedge) also brought a long-neglected Duranta erecta 'Golden Buddha' back into view.  It was hidden away behind the rampant Carolina Laurel Cherry hedge.  It looked awful when re-exposed, and I thought about pulling it out.  Laziness won the day, thankfully.  I moved a dripper to give it regular water, and voila!
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The chartreuse sweet potato vine I planted a couple of months ago is doing great.  Extra water and a big serving of Osmocote.
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It's not quite my dream ideal as a focal point at the bottom of the Gloomy Stairs, but it will do for this summer.  I'm jazzed I actually have a focal point at the bottom of the Gloomy Stairs. 
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It is usually too hot in July to be out there taking pictures of roses.  Not this past weekend.  'The Prince':
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The Clematis ('Polish Spirit', I think) I planted as the focal point for the family room windows recovered from its move and is blooming.  Not the most spectacular flower, but again I'm just happy to have a focal point--any focal point--at this--point.
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'Bishops Castle' continues to bloom, and bloom, and bloom.
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'Princess Alexandra Of Kent' got the spot where the Eucalyptus stump was.  It took her a while to recover, but finally a bloom again, rather an odd one, like a tea cup on a saucer.
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Jacsegra without too thrippy petal edges.
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'Souvenir de la Malmaison', nodding off.
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What did I even do out there on a July afternoon?  Deadheaded a lot of dahlias and roses, watched Monarch butterflies flitter by, smelled the roses, pulled a dead Calocephalus brownii.  It was just good to be outside without fainting in the heat. 

Comments

  1. Isn't it great to be able to get lots of small things like deadheading done at this time of year (as opposed to the big things like moving big shrubs or building and planting up a whole new bed)? I'm not knowledgeable about California gardening, but I don't think of it as rose heaven, so it's just great to see all your roses. I love them, looking at them and smelling their perfume, but I don't grow them because of all the work. I love Dahlias too, and I do grow them, so can I queue a request for pictures of them please?

    That purple tuteur with the golden sweet potato vine is lovely. It brightens up the bottom of your 'Gloomy Stairs' as you called them. Hope you continue to get nice weather.

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    1. I've got only 6 or 7 Dahlias, and I thought I'd posted too many pics of them already, but I'll get some tomorrow. The Monarchs were partaking of them today, but I could not get a good picture. Yes it was great to get out there and groom a bit. It was looking pretty scruffy in spots!

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  2. Sounds like a wonderful and relaxing day in your garden! Hooray for mild July temps!

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    Replies
    1. And they are already gone--hot again. But fun while it happened.

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