Prune On

on
More pruning--'Brass Band', 'Irish Hope', another 'Tamora',  'Darcy Bussell', who had no flowers, 'Young Lycidas', and so on and on.   I got tired of clipping and so took a break to plant an empty spot out front.  Agave 'Blue Flame' badly wanted out of her pot.  She'll be happy now.  She got a big bucket of collected rain water to settle in.  It was nearly dark by the time I wrestled her out of the pot, packed solid with roots. 
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I note a pure blonde Agave lophantha 'Quadricolor'.  Detached from its parent, it would die since it has no (or almost no) ability to photosynthesize.  In this case, blonde is dumb.  

This has turned out to be a good Agave for the east slope as it offsets rapidly, and is so small at about a foot wide (30 cm) it handles the steepness of the slope without leaning outwards.  You never know when a plant behavior you don't like can turn out to be useful.  A big empty space will be nicely filled in a couple of years.
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I walked back into the gully.  The back corner I've mostly abandoned since the drought got bad.  A combination of drought and the neighbor's untrimmed, unhealthy Eucalyptus trees dropping their crap has ruined that area.  It looks long abandoned.
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My garden will be a mess without me.  Prune on, plant on, while we may. 
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Comments

  1. danger gardenJanuary 29, 2015 at 10:02 PM

    Since I have a habit of planting things too close together (because I want all the cool plants and will prune the branches and bring them inside/use the for other things) I often think about what this place would look like in a couple of years, if I were to leave (not that I plan to). It could get scary, quick.

    Love the yellow lophantha, your leaving it as is, yes?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hoover BooJanuary 30, 2015 at 7:39 AM

      We are our gardens. You do such creative things with the clippings maybe you should plant everything close together.

      Yes, Blondie will stay as long as she wishes.

      Delete
  2. Mark and GazJanuary 29, 2015 at 11:30 PM

    Without the gardener nature soon takes over (although I'm liking that spot, it looks lovely).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hoover BooJanuary 30, 2015 at 7:37 AM

      It kind of does look appealing in a shabby way, doesn't it? The neighbor's cat comes and sleeps on one of the chairs now and then.

      Delete
  3. Lisa C. D.January 30, 2015 at 10:03 AM

    That spot may look abandoned...but that gives to it something special...like if it was in the middle of the woods used by fairies and gnomes. At least it looks like that in the picture.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hoover BooJanuary 30, 2015 at 3:07 PM

      It has an allure in person also--am just fearful of a big branch crashing down.

      Delete
  4. Janneke January 30, 2015 at 12:49 PM

    Love your cosy spot under the unhealthy Eucalyptus trees. I'm a real fan of a gentle plea for chaos. We are just to intervene when necassary to keep the garden under control, so that it looks as natural as possible.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hoover BooJanuary 30, 2015 at 3:08 PM

      Plenty of chaos in my brain! In the garden I express my longing for order.

      Delete
  5. Teresa/ thegardendiary.comJanuary 30, 2015 at 5:45 PM

    Your cozy spot looks Devine to me as do your roses. I am looking out at a winter Indiana landscape. More ️snow is coming and that will be pretty. But, looking forward to spring!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hoover BooJanuary 30, 2015 at 6:28 PM

      Pull up a chair by the fire with a few seed and plant catalogs and relax. Spring is on the way.

      Delete
  6. Kris PetersonJanuary 30, 2015 at 8:28 PM

    Your closing comment made me think of that documentary "Life After People". Under our current drought conditions, I expect most of my current garden would cease to exist, with the possible exception of some trees and succulents. But then, maybe the absence of humans would gradually turn the drought around...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hoover BooJanuary 31, 2015 at 7:06 PM

      We all must realize that we need the Earth much more than the Earth needs us.

      Delete
  7. AndreaJanuary 31, 2015 at 12:26 AM

    Hi, i am back from a long absence. I smiled on the mention of the blond agave. But yes i learn to distinguish aloes and agaves, etc from this blog. Big aloes are not common here so when i saw them in Australia and NZ i can distinguish them. Thanks. I find aloe inflorescense very beautiful, i remember seeing your big ones here long ago.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hoover BooJanuary 31, 2015 at 7:03 PM

      Yes Andrea, I remember you! Lovely of you to stop by again. How interesting it must have been to see the plants of Australia and NZ--what a visit that must have been.

      Delete
  8. dianneJanuary 31, 2015 at 5:30 AM

    Beautiful roses and daisies in your vase of cuttings and the rose in the last photo. The garden looks lovely and that wild spot looks very inviting to me.
    xoxoxo ♡

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hoover BooJanuary 31, 2015 at 7:00 PM

      Fewer and fewer flowers now as I get closer to completing the pruning--I will miss them, but it won't be so long before they will bloom again.

      Delete
  9. LesFebruary 5, 2015 at 5:08 PM

    "My garden will be a mess without me. Prune on, plant on, while we may" could be my motto.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hoover BooFebruary 5, 2015 at 7:10 PM

      Let us take joy in the best of right now. It's all there is, anyway.

      Delete

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