It was time to pull one of the nearly bloomed-out Geranium maderense. It was falling over into the pathway. It was seven feet!:
For a seven foot beastie, the root system was tiny:
The roots are surface roots, too. They pull right out, no digging required. In a few weeks, dozens of seedlings will appear. You really can't beat this Geranium for free and easy garden drama. It is only necessary to buy one plant--seedlings will appear after bloom. Easy-to-identify seedlings that are easy to move and easy to pull at any size. Beautiful foliage, then a massive cloud of bloom, then poof! Dead. Part sun is best--full shade and they are wimpy.
Now there is a fine empty space at the foot of the Japanese Maple. A Helictotrichon sempervirens, Blue Oat Grass, grew there for quite a few years. I never quite liked the pale blue grass with the burnt orange foliage of the maple, though separately they were both favorites. The Helictotrichon finally died, and a volunteer seedling G. madierense filled the spot nicely for a year and a half. Now a spot for something new. Maybe the Corsican Hellebore (Helleborus argutifolius) I planted in too-small of a spot?
After pulling out the Geranium, I was astonished to see a rooted rose cutting along the wall. My faithful photo aid, a white poster board, makes it more visible:
I must have stuck it in there a year ago, before the Geranium covered it up. I completely forgot about it. I know it's a cutting for two reasons: first because there was never a rose planted in that spot, so it can't be Dr. Huey rootstock sprouting, and second, because of the plainly visible cut end:
It's got a new branch and new basal, too--the pinky stem and the little pink stick on the left side.
So...what rose is it? I have no clue. None at all. I'll move it into a place where it can get sun. Bloom baby, bloom! And grow a big root system, and die very old and grand. Leave the Hollywood Starlet lifestyle to the Geranium.
For a seven foot beastie, the root system was tiny:
The roots are surface roots, too. They pull right out, no digging required. In a few weeks, dozens of seedlings will appear. You really can't beat this Geranium for free and easy garden drama. It is only necessary to buy one plant--seedlings will appear after bloom. Easy-to-identify seedlings that are easy to move and easy to pull at any size. Beautiful foliage, then a massive cloud of bloom, then poof! Dead. Part sun is best--full shade and they are wimpy.
Now there is a fine empty space at the foot of the Japanese Maple. A Helictotrichon sempervirens, Blue Oat Grass, grew there for quite a few years. I never quite liked the pale blue grass with the burnt orange foliage of the maple, though separately they were both favorites. The Helictotrichon finally died, and a volunteer seedling G. madierense filled the spot nicely for a year and a half. Now a spot for something new. Maybe the Corsican Hellebore (Helleborus argutifolius) I planted in too-small of a spot?
After pulling out the Geranium, I was astonished to see a rooted rose cutting along the wall. My faithful photo aid, a white poster board, makes it more visible:
I must have stuck it in there a year ago, before the Geranium covered it up. I completely forgot about it. I know it's a cutting for two reasons: first because there was never a rose planted in that spot, so it can't be Dr. Huey rootstock sprouting, and second, because of the plainly visible cut end:
It's got a new branch and new basal, too--the pinky stem and the little pink stick on the left side.
So...what rose is it? I have no clue. None at all. I'll move it into a place where it can get sun. Bloom baby, bloom! And grow a big root system, and die very old and grand. Leave the Hollywood Starlet lifestyle to the Geranium.
Now very cool...I've considered getting that Geranium from Annies...but just couldn't bear the idea of it dying after flowering...I'm such a softie!
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