I hired the very talented Dustin Gimbel to create a design for the west slope some time ago--okay, nearly two years ago. He produced the design promptly, including several options. My part of the project, preparing the site, dragged on and on. Now after much delay the canvas is ready, but I'm feeling stuck on how to proceed.
I was planning to use plants already on hand, partially to save money, but mostly to use plants already here that need good places in the ground, not bad places in pots. However, the 22 'Blue Glow' babies are still babies; the largest is maybe 4" in diameter. At $16.99 for a one gallon, the going rate around here for 'Blue Glow', getting more plants would be pricey. Arrrgggghhh! Must everything be so complicated?
I decided a good first step would be to simply plot out where 22 'Blue Glow' would fit onto the slope, in some approximation of one of the sketches above.
So I put what where? I'm lost in the translation.
One step at a time. The step of taking a circle of cardboard 42" across, the approximate size of a 'Blue Glow' up on the slope, thereon to plot them out. Do I pull out the A. americana 'Medio-picta Alba'? Oh, probably.
Do you ever feel stuck, or lost, and unable to get something done? I do. I struggle with constantly.
Ah, the collision with reality! I get caught there all the time. I make up lists, spend hours researching plants, draw up diagrams, revise those diagrams but, when I move to put the "final" plan in place, the plants aren't available; there are roots/pipes/rock in the way; I find a wonderful plant I didn't know about; I second guess my original choices; or something. I went out last weekend to find some very specific plants for a small, new bed in the backyard and finding, literally, nothing that was on my list, I began to improvise. A friend called yesterday when she located a key plant on my original list but I'd already mentally moved on to a more ill-defined plan B. I freeze up most often when I expect perfection on the first pass. Whatever you create, I know it will be beautiful - and, if you don't like something, you can change it. Dirt is very forgiving.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly work harder at it than I do. I usually just get frustrated, give up and go throw the tennis ball for Boris.
DeleteThat might be a good name for a garden blog: Dirt Forgives
How frustrating! This happens to all of us, I think. Such a beautiful A. americana 'Medio-picta Alba!' could it take the place of maybe the center furcraea? The design is beautiful and will look just as nice with mostly plants already on hand. You create beautiful spaces and this one will be no exception. Give it time and it will happen.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the Medio-picta Albas in the pots--I have plenty of those--if there will be pots.
DeleteI wish I had your confidence in myself! LOL.
Good luck dear Hoover, it would be great if the baby "Blue Glows" were much bigger, they probably might not survive in the ground just yet. You may have to re-think the layout with what plants you have that will survive. I would not think that you are a person who would feel stuck or lost or unable to get something done, I think you do a marvelous job with your garden and all of the work and care you put into making it beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI, however do struggle, feel stuck and lost in many aspects of my life, I haven't been able to write a poem for my blog in almost three months...I feel no inspiration
xoxoxo ♡
You will find inspiration again, Dianne. I am sure of it! We must be patient in our efforts.
DeleteDo I ever? HA! Constantly! Right now, I have half-finished curtains hung in my BR, one curtain over the LR French doors waiting for its mate (curtains are a big problem for me), and several light fixtures missing throughout the house because I just can't seem to find anything I like in stores. As for the garden, I have a barely-started re-potting project going on on my side porch (bags of soil and pots everywhere), more light fixtures missing in the front garden (why does everything have to be so modern looking?), and an entire back yard that is still totally "native". About five minutes ago, I was out "gathering" honeysuckle clippings from my neighbor's yard, whose climber is now prostrate on the sidewalk. Instead of going out to plant them right away (it rained yesterday, so the soil is malleable - hooray!), here I am writing to you.
ReplyDeleteProcrastination? I prefer to think of it as a need for inspiration, which is the reason why I read garden blogs anyway. I'm the sort of person who weighs all the options (the more there are, the longer I take - yes, I'm a Libra, and so is my husband = double trouble) to make sure I'm making the best possible decision. In your case, at least you have professional design to go by, which takes a lot of the worry out.
As for the Blue Glow (I'll have to google that one), do they have to be planted TODAY? Do not confuse patience with procrastination.
Funny coincidence, just finally got nice curtains for the BR myself, only took--brace yourself--14 years! (Shhh! Don't tell anyone.) All your projects sound interesting, even if they are not yet complete and I am sure you'll get them done faster than I got the BR curtains. I should post a photo, they do look great.
DeleteProcrastination: a need for inspiration--I think you are on to something there.
Oh we do get that feeling every so often, frustrating isn't it? I suppose one the main considerations are the eventual size of the Blue Glows. Although you have 22 they are still babies and will entail lots of gaps for quite some time.
ReplyDeleteThe Medio Picta Alba looks in the way of the design but it also looks good where it is. Decisions decisions!
I'm not great at decisions. It's a wonder I get anything done at all.
DeleteAs a long-time reader of your blog, I find it hard to imagine that you ever feel unable to get something done - you are so incredibly productive! You've done an amazing job clearing that slope, which looks enormous. What a great, almost blank, slate. As for the lonely agave, unless you have two more stashed away that you could potentially use as replacements for the ones in pots in Dustin's design, it prob does have to go or the symmetry will be all out of whack? It's so big and beautiful though and I'm the last person to be offering opinions; I'm really indecisive about plant positioning. Whatever comes to pass, I love your garden and I love Dustin Gimbel's designs so I can't wait to see the two coming to life together!
ReplyDeleteIt's way easier for me to do stuff that doesn't involve any actual thinking. Throwing dead plants in the compost--that I am good at.
DeleteI do have more of that striped Agave--that one is fairly generous with offsets.
Thanks for your kindness!
Plant those babies! Then find some similarly blue sedum (or comparable) that will quickly spread and fill the spots between the babes. Once they start getting bigger the filler plants can be pulled out. (I really like the "use plants I already have" approach. Getting a potted plant into the ground feels good -- less pots to baby!)
ReplyDeleteI overthink lots of projects too. Sometimes I jump right in though (which is probably the only way that somebody plants 35+ different types of running bamboos in their home garden...)
Well the whole intent was to have an actual "design" instead of another MPBG (My Personal Botanical Garden) situation. I am determined, and finding it daunting.
Delete35 different running bamboos! Oh, boy!
I know what you mean! I also feel like a deer in the headlight sometimes, not knowing how to start a project or how to proceed. I usually find that the best thing to do is wait until you have it all figured out in your head.
ReplyDeleteDustin gave you many choices, and that doesn't make it any easier. So many wonderful plants to select from! Plus so many others he didn't list. Unless you're like me--I don't mind changing things around after a while--you do want to get it right the first time around.
The first step is to pick the plants you want. Then figure it how many to buy and in which sizes. Cost is a real issue with such a large space so you may not be able to start out with larger specimens. That could be frustrating because it's only human to want a design that has instant impact.
Maybe get specimen-sized plants (15 gallon size?) to go next to the semicircular planters and smaller ones to fill the rest of the space? At least you'd have some impact from the get-go. Furcraea macdougallii would stunning. Or how about Dasylirion longissimum?
Oh, I would take out that 'Mediopicta alba'.
Deer in the headlights, yep, that's it! Too many choices.
DeleteI think the M-P-A needs to move, just wondering how to do it without serious injury. I could wait on planting anything for another two years--it should bloom by then, surely.
I ended up going to a local succulent nursery today to see what they had--nothing, as it turned out. Might have to make a trek to San Diego.
Have you tried speaking with the designer? I'm sure he'd have solutions! :)
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea. What do you suppose he would suggest?
DeleteThe bones of that slope are handsome enough that I don't think starting with small plants should be a problem at all.
ReplyDeleteSome of them--most of them--will certainly be pretty small. The problem could be with the planter, not the plants.
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