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Magnolia stellata 'Royal Star'
Three weeks now since I broke my arm. Three weeks away from getting the cast off (and hopefully being declared healed).
Much less pain. Retail therapy: a visit to a local chain garden center produced an impulse buy, a one-hand plant-able, 4" (10 cm) size, Salvia lemmonii, native to Arizona and New Mexico, to replace the remaining Tecoma. The Tecoma produced a few flowers for hummers, but neither of the two ever performed well.
It's a hot location, so hopefully an Arizona salvia will work there.
More therapy--a small order from Annie's Annuals: Abutilon 'David's Red', Eriogonum latifolium, Fuchsia 'Old Berkeley', and a "found" rose called variously 'Barbara Worl' and 'Grandmother's Hat'. I have a rose-growing friend who loves it, so I've thought about trying one for a while. Annie's had it, a small plant for a reasonable price. It's apparently a very vigorous cultivar, so a rooted cutting should grow fairly fast.
Abutilon, Rose, Fuchsia, Eriogonum
The Abutilon is in the ground already, replacing a Fuchsia that was old and woody. Nearby the 'Lemon Lime' Nandina took over the spot where two Leucophytum brownii got too big. The soil is soft so planting them with one hand was not difficult.
'David's Red'
The Nandina foliage will echo the chartreuse of Sedum 'Angelina'. If the Nandina grows too large it will be easy to move. 'Lemon Lime is one of a group of mutants that does not flower (NO berries!) and is a compact grower.
About fifteen years ago I went to a plant swap and got several 'Firepower' Nandina for free; I still have them. They look great, produce no berries, have never spread, and are tough, tough. B&N, when puppies, dug them up, dragged them around the driveway and played tug of war with them multiple times until I moved the plants out of reach. That's how I know they are easy to dig out.
I've read that 'Firepower's are mundane and overused in other parts of the country--I rarely see them here, perhaps because the berry producing non-mutant species, Nandina domestica, has a bad reputation here--spreading, reseeding, hard to get rid of, ratty looking if not properly maintained.
A little one-hand planting, then a little look around the garden.
The Freesias are starting to flower.
Enjoying the Magnolia
The Clematis are waking up!
Some of the Clematis supports need improvement:
Grevillea 'Lava Cascade' flowering for the first time--warblers like the nectar.
Grevillea 'Royal Mantle'--bees like the nectar. The gardener likes the foliage and the flowers.
Late this past summer I limbed up Grevillea 'Moonlight' a bit. Still blooming away. Bees always at it.
After enjoying such things, a little more work. One-hand removed a Salvia (?'Blast'?) from down by the pergola because it had gotten woody and lost vigor.
Then I managed to one-hand one of the 'Austin Griffiths' into place. Last year when I dug out two of the Cypress stumps the soil got thoroughly loosened and had waited undisturbed since then, so it was fairly easy.
The other 'Austin' will take two hands, and so must wait. There are still Cypress roots to be dug out in the location where it would be best sited.
Nothing keeps a keen gardener down for long. What are the pink flowers in your last photo (zinnias)? They are beautiful. Hope the arm is healing quickly. Half way there.
ReplyDeleteGarvinea series of Gerbera Daisy, garden version of the classic florist daisy.
DeleteThanks, getting there!
You are incredible! I had the impression that your broken arm was your dominant one. Are you gardening not only with one hand but also with the non-dominant one?
ReplyDeleteYes, forced to use the one I never normally use. It gets tired quickly, but better to try than sitting around doing nothing.
DeleteWhat has been tough is two dogs who both want to be petted at the same time and only one hand. They get jealous, ha! ha!
I am impressed by your gardening determination. Our sandy soil needs extra hands to open a space to get the plant in.
ReplyDeleteThat's sandy, alright! Tough to keep sand moist as well. Your garden looks great despite many challenges.
DeleteYou do more work one handed than I do two handed! Glad to hear you're healing, and hopefully you'll be back to full (two-handed) capacity soon!
ReplyDeleteThanks! So far, so good.
DeleteI hope you do not over do ! Be mindful of your capabilities. I have Old Berkeley and it is one of my faves. I was careful about where I put it-morning sun and afternoon open shade. I do love my Fuchsias.
ReplyDeleteI'm well restrained by pain.
DeleteMy Mom & Dad had that fuchsia when I was a kid; none of them had names, but I remember it well--the gorgeous violet corolla. The whole back yard was fuchsias all from cuttings given by neighbors.
Looking back now, there were a whole lot of gardening enthusiasts in the neighborhood, all immigrants from cold climates who went hog-wild with year round gardening, citrus trees. Few have time for that anymore.
Thank goodness for 4" pots. You are doing remarkably well. I have never seen a rose offered for sale in such a small pot. How nice. This way they can really acclimate to their new placement. I can hardly wait until I can be planting and moving plants about the garden.
ReplyDeleteYes, and the price is right, too.
DeleteHere roses grown from cuttings do quite well, because of our nearly year round growing season and very mild winters. They are usually too small to survive their first winter in areas that have a real winter (frost, snow).
Soon you will be out there in your garden again, and I will hopefully be out of this cast!
You're a one handed wonder! (blog posting must be a little challenging too...)
ReplyDeleteIt is, but there's not a lot I can do anyway, so it provides activity. One finger typing is sloowwwww.
DeleteAll power to you! Being one-armed is not easy. Your story about the dogs digging up your nandinas made me laugh. Haha - no longer sure pups are easier than kids... although maybe in some instances there is some truth to that.
ReplyDeleteThey did have fun dragging those Nandina around. Dirt was flying everywhere and the foliage was all crushed. Replanted, the Nandina recovered in no time!
DeleteI'm amazed by how much you're getting done in spite of the cast. The planting is an obvious challenge, but the typing and petting and photographing would probably put me over the edge! All the best for your last few weeks of recovery!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I appreciate the kind encouragement. Staying positive really helps.
DeleteOne-handed planting. Your dedication is truly admirable.
ReplyDeleteIt's peaceful out in the garden. The trees and shrubs are alive with birds, there are late winter flowers and bees feeding upon them...to be dedicated to all that requires little effort!
Delete