Why can we look without seeing?
At the end of last summer, the Pittosporum tenuifolium
'Wrinkled Blue' on the right was sprouting plentiful new foliage, while
the one on the left appeared to be dying. A gopher at the roots of
Lefty? No.
The trend continued. There was a constant small puddle in the culvert below Righty, at the bottom of the slope. A leak? I kept meaning to get to it, and didn't. It was such a small puddle. When I finally checked the drip irrigation lines nearest the puddle, they were just fine. No leaks. Huh?!? Righty continued to sprout dense new foliage and Lefty continued to suffer.
Finally, a discovery: the drip manifold at the top of the slope that sent water to Lefty had been snapped off, depriving irrigation to Lefty while providing Righty with a whole lot of water. Duh. No wonder Righty was looking so happy, and Lefty, so desperate.
That's the sad truth, there. I looked, and looked, but didn't see. My bad.
What is now worth looking at, as well as seeing in the garden are the first results from our wonderful winter. New growth is popping out everywhere.
First flower of the year on Magnolia stellata 'Royal Star'
Roses are leafing out rapidly, and the winter-growing succulents look great.
This is Southern California's coolest February since 1962. February's consistently cool weather enabled the transplanted Tracheleum seedling to settle in and grow. The foliage is dramatically purple-red--will it hold that wonderful color?
Last year the Arctotis 'Burgundy' hardly bloomed at all. The foliage looked okay, so I never thought they were desperate for water. I thought they were just overcrowded, or worn out, so come autumn, I thought it was time to dig them out but never got around to doing it because it began to rain, and then rained again, and again.
Turned out 'Burgundy' just needed rain, which we got very little of last year.
Leucospermum 'Yellow Bird' preparing for a big March show
Agave marmorata is preparing also.
First flower ever on Aloe petricola
Leucospermum 'Tango'
Aloe marlothii
The neighbor's boring old Raphiolepis has a lot of new growth
The oak tree is full of goldfinches
Nice show from Leucodendron 'Blush'(?)
New growth on the Ligustrum hedge
New growth on the Callistemon
New growth on rose 'Cinco de Mayo'
New growth on Phlomis purpurea
New growth on Boxwood 'Green Tower'
New growth on baby Oak
And on baby Toyon
And the Fuchsias
Tell The Truth Tuesday is a great motivator to improve your garden, whether you want to or not. It's a Bonny Lassie meme.
The trend continued. There was a constant small puddle in the culvert below Righty, at the bottom of the slope. A leak? I kept meaning to get to it, and didn't. It was such a small puddle. When I finally checked the drip irrigation lines nearest the puddle, they were just fine. No leaks. Huh?!? Righty continued to sprout dense new foliage and Lefty continued to suffer.
Finally, a discovery: the drip manifold at the top of the slope that sent water to Lefty had been snapped off, depriving irrigation to Lefty while providing Righty with a whole lot of water. Duh. No wonder Righty was looking so happy, and Lefty, so desperate.
That's the sad truth, there. I looked, and looked, but didn't see. My bad.
What is now worth looking at, as well as seeing in the garden are the first results from our wonderful winter. New growth is popping out everywhere.
First flower of the year on Magnolia stellata 'Royal Star'
Turned out 'Burgundy' just needed rain, which we got very little of last year.
Your winter succulents look lush and happy.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Diana. Fills me with joy to look at them.
DeleteWell, you knew something was going awry with the Pittosporum, you just didn't know what. Glad you figured it out. Glad you didn't dig out that Arctotis, it's very pretty. I like that first shot of it, with the Agave (Joe Hoak?). You're having such a cool, luscious spring!
ReplyDeleteYes, 'Joe Hoak'. Hey, don't say the "S" word! I hope winter here will linger as long as possible.
DeleteIsn't it nice to see the plants so happy after years of struggling? It makes me happy, too. Another result of the constant cool and wet weather is that most all the cuttings I took before the rains started because I was worried about some plants continued survival have rooted and put out tiny leaves.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me deliriously happy. It's like Christmas every day.
DeleteCuttings rooting instead of drying up, or getting blown away in a Santa Ana wind event?!! How wonderful is that?
DeleteNot much is better than new spring growth. I will go out and look at it if it ever stops raining. Your A. marlothii is magnificent ! I have one in a little 4" pot, with no spot to plant it in the ground, so I will experiment with increasingly larger pots staged strategically in the garden.
ReplyDeleteOnly rain is better. Here, anyway. Hope that atmospheric river bends south and we get some and your region dries out a bit.
DeleteUse increasingly heavy pots, too. Until mine got into the ground it would fall over constantly. Very top-heavy plant. Mine was in a 4" pot at one time...
The Arctotis-against-agave shot is a stunner, but my favorite is the oak tree full of goldfinches. This should be such a great spring for bugs, and birds!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that Oak is providing habitat for so many birds. Makes me feel like I'm contributing something.
DeleteSo is Lefty beyond saving, or is there hope?
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks quite refreshed with the cool and the rain. This is our coldest Feb on record, after the warmest Dec and Jan. The poor plants are very confused...
I'm going to go out now and cut out some of the dead branches and see. The very sad Pitto 'Marjorie Channon's in the back managed to recover, so I think there is hope.
DeleteThis winter is the best I can remember.
It is easy to not "look" at something that is struggling when you think it should be just fine. Your garden is obviously loving all of that cooler wetter weather. Enjoy it while it lasts.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping it lasts a while longer, but I'm very grateful for this year's winter.
DeleteSeems like the whole west coast is experiencing a colder-than-usual February. It's heartening to see so much happy new growth in your garden. I'm ready for spring!
ReplyDeleteI'm ready for lots more winter. Let's hope we both get what we're dreaming of.
DeleteWhile your Freesias may not be blooming yet, so much of your garden is showing the steady approach of spring, even with our unusually cold temperatures. I've got buds on my Leucospermums but nothing like yours. 'Brandi' is getting close to opening her first bloom of the season, though.
ReplyDeleteNo, no, not the "S" word, not yet, not yet! More winter, more winter! ;^)
DeleteThat gargantuan Aloe marlothii started with you as a four-inch pot? Wow. Another in a long line of lessons in patience, realism about scale, etc. etc. A feast for the eyes, the soul, and a lot of feisty hummingbirds...
ReplyDeleteWarblers and Orioles like A. marlothii, too. :) I wasn't very familiar with Aloes when I started with them. Didn't even realize they had nice flowers!
Delete