Annual Rose Pruning and mulching aside, of course. There's a long list. Nothing gets done in summer--especially this past summer, when it was so hot for so long.
I think I'll have to hire someone to trim the neighbor's trees back to the property line. They are dropping torrents of filth and gum.
Trim this area back:
Sad little 'Fair Bianca'.I could move her to a spot right next to another, more successful Austin rose. She could then bloom her yearly three or four exquisite blooms and be easily overlooked the rest of the time. Moved!
'Marie Daly' needs and deserves a better spot:
Given!
I planted some Sedeveria 'Vera Higgins' in two of the small spaces between steps here. Add Sedum 'Coppertone' to the other two step spaces. Give each space a drip line.
Plant that Clematis in the ground. It's not dead (I hope), it's dormant: Planted, and growing!
Oooh!
Replace a dead blueberry with a new one:
Done!
Do something with all those bulbils:
4/28/13 75% given away, 25% remain
Dig this out: (Okay, gone)
Plant some low-growing succulents here:
4/28/13 A few Aloe noblis added, but still a cringe-inducing area...
Move that Metrosideros 'Springfire'. It's too close to the Yucca queretaroensis and Y. rostrata. 4/29/13 not yet...
At least little Y. rostrata has obviously grown. Here it is back in February 2011 (first row, on the right). The Y. queretaroensis have grown some too.
Deadhead the Cotyledon. It will look so much better: Done! And it does.
Dump rain water on this area until it looks better: Dumped it all--not better yet. :(
4/29/13 Winter helped, but now it's almost summer again...
Both the Euphorbia and the Maireana sedifolia need to be cut back. I've found the Maireana will come back fresh and pristine from a woody stump. Take great care with the Euphorbia due to the caustic sap.
4/29/13 The Maireana ended up dug out and replaced with an Aloe ferox. The Euphorbia is shortened, and I was really careful with it.
Dig up and replant the Agave offsets
4/29/13 I ended up tossing the offsets because they were either oddly shaped or they got badly damaged in the dig-out. I redid the area with various potted succulents and Agaves. Looks better.
Get rid of 'Tea Clipper', finally. Too much size for too few admittedly glorious flowers. Done!
Argh, 'Tea Clipper'! Walk the plank, mate-y!
A rampant root stock 'Dr. Huey' has sprouted here. Shoveled.
These roses ('Wildeve', two one 'Jubilee Celebration', two 'Lady Emma Hamilton') need to be moved. It will create planting space for some of the Agave bulbils.
4/29/13 Done, and it was painful. Agaves installed. Roses moved and adapting to their new locations.
A couple roses can go here, along the wall, after I remove that sad lawn that belonged to Cuddles. It's 90% Oxalis and dandelions now. 4/29/13 Lawn gone, and I don't miss it! A rose planted in memory of Cuddles
One of the 'Jubilee Celebration' roses will go here, where one died:
Moved and planted. And painful it was, for both of us.
Is it time to dig out that huge 'Sombreuil'? Still thinking...4/29 still thinking. A 'Climbing Iceberg' might be so very much better...
The cooler weather has fired up my gardening ambition (or self-delusion?) again--I still need to get pathways made on that slope so it can be properly planted. If I could just do one or two blocks a day, it would be done in a month... 4/29/13: still not done, but I have done some--maybe 1/3 of what is needed. It's a start...
I'd like to cut this Salvia discolor to the ground again. I do it every three years or so. After a cut-down it all grows back fresh and new.
While I was standing considering the Salvia with my camera on and ready, two hummingbirds swooped in and proceeded to have a vicious in-flight fight right in front of me. I would have gotten the photo of a lifetime. Did I take it? No, I was gawking at the salvia. GRRRRRRRRRR! 4/29/13--didn't cut it back after all this winter--too many hummers feeding on it.
I think I'll have to hire someone to trim the neighbor's trees back to the property line. They are dropping torrents of filth and gum.
Trim this area back:
Sad little 'Fair Bianca'.
Given!
I planted some Sedeveria 'Vera Higgins' in two of the small spaces between steps here. Add Sedum 'Coppertone' to the other two step spaces. Give each space a drip line.
Oooh!
Done!
4/28/13 75% given away, 25% remain
4/28/13 A few Aloe noblis added, but still a cringe-inducing area...
Move that Metrosideros 'Springfire'. It's too close to the Yucca queretaroensis and Y. rostrata. 4/29/13 not yet...
At least little Y. rostrata has obviously grown. Here it is back in February 2011 (first row, on the right). The Y. queretaroensis have grown some too.
4/29/13 Winter helped, but now it's almost summer again...
4/29/13 The Maireana ended up dug out and replaced with an Aloe ferox. The Euphorbia is shortened, and I was really careful with it.
4/29/13 I ended up tossing the offsets because they were either oddly shaped or they got badly damaged in the dig-out. I redid the area with various potted succulents and Agaves. Looks better.
Argh, 'Tea Clipper'! Walk the plank, mate-y!
4/29/13 Done, and it was painful. Agaves installed. Roses moved and adapting to their new locations.
Moved and planted. And painful it was, for both of us.
Is it time to dig out that huge 'Sombreuil'? Still thinking...4/29 still thinking. A 'Climbing Iceberg' might be so very much better...
The cooler weather has fired up my gardening ambition (or self-delusion?) again--I still need to get pathways made on that slope so it can be properly planted. If I could just do one or two blocks a day, it would be done in a month... 4/29/13: still not done, but I have done some--maybe 1/3 of what is needed. It's a start...
I'd like to cut this Salvia discolor to the ground again. I do it every three years or so. After a cut-down it all grows back fresh and new.
While I was standing considering the Salvia with my camera on and ready, two hummingbirds swooped in and proceeded to have a vicious in-flight fight right in front of me. I would have gotten the photo of a lifetime. Did I take it? No, I was gawking at the salvia. GRRRRRRRRRR! 4/29/13--didn't cut it back after all this winter--too many hummers feeding on it.
Well I'm here to tell you I get at least SIX blooms a year on my Fair Bianca..but I've only had her since about 1995 so maybe she needs more time to mature. Doesn't take up much space, that's for sure !
ReplyDeleteMine was only planted in '00. So in only five more years, I'll get an extra two flowers every year!
DeletePlants, white furry dogs...always the distractions from the perfect hummer shot! I think some of those bulbils must be liberated.....
ReplyDeleteShall I liberate some in your direction?
DeleteI feel exhausted just looking at your to-dos, and I know there are just as many awaiting me in my garden. Who needs a gym when we gardeners get such good workouts at home.
ReplyDeleteI think the gym might be easier, but the garden smells better.
DeleteThat's your weekend sorted then.
ReplyDeleteWeekend? Ha! More like my entire December!
DeleteI didn't realize just how many roses you are growing! What I'd give to be able to work like you're planning to outdoors. The ground is saturated here, so I tread gingerly around and wish I'd done much more prior to monsoon season. Happy December!
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, you don't need to go outside and water. Happy December!
DeleteToo much work! Cover it all with black plastic, throw some gravel on top and go to the Bahamas. I'll take Boris and Natasha. See, problem solved. I like the idea of just two blocks a day-sounds like a great self challenge.
ReplyDeleteBahamas? I guess I could go visit Mitt Romney's money.
DeleteI confess I didn't install two blocks yesterday, or today. Maybe tomorrow...
I can see those humming birds, in my mind's eye that is. You may not have got the photo, but the description was very vivid.
ReplyDeleteThey grab your attention when they are fighting!
Delete