Fall Project 2015 #5


Above, Aloe thraskii
 I'm still supposed to "take it easy" (not garden) until the retina doctor says, so Project progress has been slow.  

I got more plants cleared out (carefully not pressuring eye, slowly, slowly) and rediscovered the edging that had become overgrown by Dymondia. 


I moved (slowly) some patches of Dymondia to empty places, planted (slowly) the second 'Superb' Grevillea where a trio of roses used to be, and planted five 'Joe Hoak' rooted offsets along the wall, and three in the bed along the street where the first 'Superb' Grevillea is planted.  (Yes, slowly!  Not pressuring eye!) 
Grevillea 'Superb' has a flower bud.  It's moving faster than I am.

The Magnolia stellata 'Royal Star' must be moved while it is dormant.  I'm currently thinking to put it near the pond, in an area that stays relatively moist.  I adored the flowers when they bloomed last year.  The flowers are not only beautiful, but beautifully fragrant as well. 
So, that's what I've been doing while I await being able to garden again.  

Every bucket, tub, barrel and jug we own is full of rain collected last week, so all newly placed plants have been watered in with stored rain.  This week unfortunately is proving dry, as is the forecast for next week.  On the positive side, Northern California is expected to get more rain soon--that's something.  
 It's been an entire month since the last post on Fall Project 2015, and now its Winter, not Fall, '16, not '15.  The eye problem and holidays delayed work I hope will be soon completed.

Comments

  1. You may be slowed down a bit by your eye problem, but you *are* making progress. Don't underestimate how much you can achieve with the slow-but-steady approach!

    I'm actually welcoming this dry spell. The fields outside the city are full of standing water because the soil (clay) is so saturated. I'd rather it remain dry another 3-4 days before we have more rain. But in the meantime snow in the mountains would be more than welcome.

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    1. It felt great to have been able to do something. Much more work waiting.

      I read 2 feet of snow is expected in the Sierras--great news! Hope you can get some gardening in before it rains again.

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  2. Hope you recover soon, so you can get into full swing with your projects again!

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    1. Thanks, M&G. Me too! (Rain delay would be okay.)

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  3. I'm glad that you're ever mindful to take things SLOWLY - the garden and the projects will be there when your doctor gives you the go-ahead to return to your usual schedule. I still have questions about the intensity of this El Nino given my season-to-date rain total but I keep reminding myself of the value of rain in well-placed intervals. All my rain tanks were full after last week's rain but toting that rainwater around is heavy-duty exercise all by itself - I'm going to have to try using hoses and gravity to move the water if the intervals between rain are extended and, for the future, I may explore a different distribution of tanks to make delivery easier.

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    1. I'm wondering too, but if the Sierra snowpack gets higher and higher...

      I'm lugging water too--but slowly, slowly...hope you work out an easier way--rain is too precious to waste.

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  4. Thats quite a lot of non-gardening you've been doing! It already looks like a lot of progress. I so hope we get more rain, and snow for the mountains. A real snow pack that lasts would be great, and I don't even ski!

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    1. A sooper-dooper snowpack would be just the ticket!

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  5. So...while you're awaiting the ok to garden, you've been...gardening? You're getting lots more done than I usually do when I'm taking it slowly.

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    1. You won't tell anyone, will you?

      All I can say is, emotional health is important, too.

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  6. Lovely images of your handiwork dear Hoover, the curved garden edges look wonderful, also that little bird is so sweet. Please take things slowly and carefully my friend.
    xoxoxo ♡

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  7. That's a handsome young Magnolia stellata. I know I speak for Dr. Retina when I urge you to wait on moving it to the pond (great idea!) until you get the gardening go-ahead -- a lot bigger rootball and bigger task at each end than plunking in some Agave offsets. A setback wouldn't be good for emotional or physical health.

    That bird is neat and sweet; seems to be checking up on the changes in your project area. What is it, do you know?

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    1. Oh, dear, I was afraid someone was going to ask about that bird. Orange-crowned warbler or female lesser goldfinch--I have trouble telling the difference. The warbler has white around the eye and the lesser goldfinch doesn't?

      Yep, I'm waiting on the Magnolia. A 5-gallon tree is a lot heavier than a 3" Agave.

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  8. I'm going to add my 2 cents on the bird...I think it's a Bewick's Wren. Beautiful, I see them all around my yard as well. Take good care of your eye, much more important than your plants. :)

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  9. Seeing what you've accomplished makes me think I need to slow down too. ;)

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