Spot Watering Season Over, Fall Project Planned

Even an Aloe got some sunburn.  See the tan line? 

Autumn is almost here; at dawn, you can feel a certain crispness.  Garden plants are shifting out of survive summer mode and soon the winter growers will wake up.  There is considerable plant material to cut back in preparation for Traditional Fire Season, (September and October) as opposed to Changed Climate Fire Season, which now runs from November to August. 

Here the cutting back hasn't begun quite yet, because of hot weather and smoky air .  A quick survey of the damage from our recent ferocious heat wave, then back into the house, because breathing outside is the equivalent of smoking a carton or two of cigarettes.   Yecch. 

 Toasted Parthenocissus

It was even too hot for Dahlias

Flowers looking okay on 'Queen of Elegance' rose, but the foliage scorched:

Leucospermum 'Ebony', even in partial shade, suffered heavy damage, possibly fatal:

Besides wildfire fuel reduction, I'm planning a small project.  If you can't garden, you can at least plan. 

Little by little this summer, I reworked the former home of a Grevillea 'Superb' that was in rapid decline.  A Leucospermum 'Pompom' replaced the Grevillea, an Agave 'Blue Glow' replaced a nearby bloomed out Agave 'Joe Hoak'.  The remainder of the space was given to several smallish Aloes--capitata, peglarae, beetsileensis, dorotheae.  An Aloe gariepensis went in also, to grow until it is of a size that can be moved to the front slope. The smaller size and less vigorous habit makes smallish Aloes too small in scale and strength for the front slope.  Here, they fit nicely, and the soil is not so dry. 

Summer's project easily completed, Fall's project is not much more complex.  

It's time to update the area that hosts Ace palmatum 'Oshio Bene' as its dominant feature. 

 This is one of the most visible areas of the garden from inside the house, and so it is important to beautify it as much as possible.  Beautiful views out the windows makes the interior all the better. 

One thing became clear: from indoors, the 'Endless Summer' hydrangea blocks a lot of the bed from view.  It was in the plan to move 'Endless' anyway, because it gets sunburned every summer.  The plan is to move it closer to the wall, where it will get more shade.  The rest of the area will then be visible from indoors.  More to look at.

Moving the hydrangea means removing Abutilon 'Souvenir de Bonn'.  While I loved the variegation on the foliage,  which looked especially attractive from the back gate--the variegation brightened an area that is quite dark in mid afternoon--the gangling habit of SdB, along with it being somewhat etiolated due to insufficient light, made it a little exasperating.   

I'll miss this:

One thing about the bed that needs to be kept in mind is the extensive root systems of the Acer, as well as the Parthenocissus growing on the wall behind it.  The Acer is small, as Acers go, but its roots are competitive.  This may be why the oldest Itoh peony looks very stressed after midsummer.  Perhaps its time to move it also, if it is possible.  The second Itoh in another location is handling mid- and late summer much better. 

Not too happy:

Due to roots, the plants added to the Acer bed will be either shallow rooted, or not rooted at all--e.g., Bromeliads:

The Brom-covered stumps, one under the Acer and one across the walkway, have both been a success.  Perfect for an area filled with tree roots.  The Alcantarea imperialis (above) can eventually grow to 5' (1.5 m) and will look grand under the Acer.  Other plants that could be added are clumps of Sesleria caerulea and Hakonechloa grasses.  They may or may not do well, but can be tried.  Currently under the Acer are a few seedling Hellebores and a lot of Dichondra argentea.  Nice, but could be better. 

Plenty of Sesleria to spare:

Like the hydrangea, the Hakone grass is in too much sun, so a move may benefit it. 

And there are two large volcanic glass rocks that need a spot: 

Their grey color echos the trunk of the Acer.  Some Bromeliads are actually lithophytes (litho = rock) , so the rocks can act as more mounting places for Broms.  

A plan for the project is now clear.  Plenty of plants are waiting.  All that is needed are cooler temperatures and breathable air.  The wildfire smoke lingers.  Though the top of the sky is now a pale blue,  it remains grey everywhere else.

Got any redesigns planned for autumn?  Got decent weather to work in?