Bye Yucca, Sorta

The retina doctor was not overly pleased with the eye's healing progress, so I must forgo carrying heavy objects, vibrations, jarring, long periods of exercise, over exertion...in other words, gardening.  Careful, but not careful enough, even though I was doing very small, light stuff.  Planting 4" (10 cm) 'Joe Hoak's, a Grevillea 'Superb' and some Crassula bits in The Project area:
I covered the 'Joe's with cages to protect them until the roots can hold on to the soil by themselves.

The gardening crew that does most of the houses (not mine) on our street, as well as the HOA strip, took pity on me yesterday and removed some of the rotted Yucca linearifolia.  I'd been removing it bit by bit--strips of the foliage would come off, creating this sort of thing...
Despite all the rot, the root system remained stubbornly ensconced.

When I asked El Jefe to shut off the HOA sprinklers because of the water company's demand for more savings, he noticed my one-eyed situation.  Later when I went out for the mail, the gardening crew and the Yucca remains above ground had vanished.  I went out and poked around--the root system is still stubbornly ensconced.  After the first heavy rain loosens the soil, when the eye is better, I'll try to pull out the roots.

'Mr. Ripple' would look good in the space.  But not for a while, until Dr. Retina is more pleased, and the Yucca roots are gone. 
Here's two old photos of a 'Mr. Ripple' (foreground) taken at Roger's in 2010.  There's a smaller 'Mr.' to the above left, and is that 'Jaws' or 'Green Goblet', above?  What beauties, eh?  All long gone from Roger's, though last I was there, a new 'Mr. Ripple' or two have  appeared in another area.
 photo Agaves.jpg
So pretty!
 photo AgavePattern.jpg
Hold on, baby, you'll be liberated from that pot soon!
Also wanted to post a shot of the 'Mini King' Protea plant.  'Pink Ice' has grown rapidly, but 'Mini King' remains mini. 
 Oh!  Another excuse to post a 'Mini King' flower picture.  How'd that happen? 

Comments

  1. Forced slowdown is the worst, especially since you're in the "best" weather period for the work, right? From what do the cages protect the agaves? And thanks for not protecting us from more 'Mini King' bloom shots -- so nice!

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    1. Yes this is the busiest time of year for the So Cal gardener. Normally I can work all day long out there without a break as it is nice and cool. Heat oppresses.

      The cages are so the rabbits don't kick or pull the plants out of the ground while they are running from the coyotes. Just a precaution, really. Happy the Protea is not stomach-turning!

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  2. Looks like someone left you a freestanding Hawaiian grass skirt. Hope your eye healing is speedy from now on.

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    1. Exactly like, yes. I was tempted to have Alan take a photo of me wearing it and doing the hula. Uncurled, it was like a false eyelash for a giantess.

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  3. I'm sure I won't be the first to say it, but that top image, of the said dead yucca-that-was...it looks like art! Something you intentionally wove.

    Bad Hoov! Out there gardening when you shouldn't be. I hope Dr. Retina appreciated how difficult it is to resist the temptation and wasn't too hard on you.

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    1. The black hole reminded me of my eye! Dr. Retina didn't scold, but the eye did. It might not have been gardening--I was very deliberate and slow. It might have just happened. Dr. said it was "not uncommon".

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  4. I've always kind of envied the forced down-time of gardeners in colder climates but in reality I suspect that, were I in your shoes, I'd also be chomping at the bit to get outside and work too. Take care of that eye! Mr. Ripple can wait a while yet - he'd probably prefer not to swim through El Nino rains anyway (assuming that those are not a myth foisted on southern Californians to ease their drought-related angst).

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    1. The jet stream is starting to sag southwards, as it must if we are to get relief--I continue to hope!

      We do have a season of relative down time here: summer. At least I do with my nearly shadeless garden.

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  5. I hope your eye will heal soon. Maybe Christmas will force you to slow down a bit :-).

    I second 'Mr Ripple'. What a great agave!

    Your garden continues to look wonderful even in the dead of winter, which we're fast approaching. In another month, spring will be in the air, ha ha.

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    1. I hope I can get back out there soon. You up north are expected to get rain tomorrow--lucky!!!

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  6. Your garden looks wonderful dear Hoover and some great agave and protea images too. Yes, please slow down dear friend and let your eye heal properly, your sight is so precious.
    Take care.
    xoxoxo ♡

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