I've enjoyed Lomandra 'Platinum Beauty' since planting it. No care has been required. Just as the name claims, beautiful. Graceful in summer's heat and in winter's short, shadowy days. Breezes like to tickle it. The sun makes it shimmer.
December 2020:
Over time, only one problem emerged: where I planted it. It grew bigger than expected. The tag said 28-36" tall and wide. The tag underestimated.
As the path became blocked, a small, soft voice in the back of my mind started whispering. "Something must be done..." My first and strongest impulse is to ignore that voice, because it usually involves work or failure or both. Ignoring the voice was easily accomplished by admiring the grace of the Lomandra, the sparkle and movement it created. I ignored until I got tired of going the long way round instead of taking the blocked path. Time to listen to that small, soft voice.
Something:
Initially, removing a section of it was the plan. Straight down one side, the side encroaching into the path, shove a sharpened shovel. Remove the separated section. Plant the section in another place.
Another place: in the gully, where morning sun would back light the platinum leaves:
If only it had been that easy. Removing a section proved unworkable. The growth was so thick, so tight, the plant fibers so tough, shovel would not shove. The entire plant needed to be dug up and split some other way. Digging presented a big surprise: the heavy, slippery mass of foliage was anchored by a ridiculously small, shallow root system.
I dug further into the soil. Was most of the root system still in the ground? Nope. Got it all.
Splitting the beast was a trial. The shovel once again would not shove. I tried a pruning saw. Nope. I tried the saw together with a stream of naughty language. Nope. I tried a hori hori garden knife. Nope. I tried the hori hori as a chisel, hammering it in and rocking it back and forth.
There we go. Success!
The larger of the two pieces I planted in the gully.
I pulled out the piece replanted in the original spot, pulled off two small sections with roots attached (which was finally easy, thanks to the split), and planted them temporarily, just to get them going.
Why is it wisdom speaks not in a shout, but in a whisper? Note to self: attend to the whispers.
Of course an option the soft whisper failed to mention was to simply leave the plant where it was and cut it down to a few inches tall. Or maybe it did, but, of course, I didn't listen. Lomandra apparently recover quickly from a chop. At least I learned more this way.
Now to some early morning photos. Spring is coming. The garden awakens. Most everything is growing again.
Good for you, listening to that small, soft voice. I am sometimes so optimistic (oblivious?) about locating plants in my garden that there are days I might not hear an internal bellow. And that early-morning light is something! The saturation of the reds and oranges in your pics pleases me so much.
ReplyDeleteI need to listen to it more. Hopefully practice makes perfect.
DeleteMorning light, nothing better. :) Best wishes Jane, for a beautiful springtime.
Thank you for sharing your experience with 'Platinum Beauty'. I've got 8 of these plants now (4 of which are still small). I'll definitely follow approach #2 if they should get too big for their spots but at least I know what I face if I decide I need to divide one to get more plants. The divisions do look great in their spot in the gully! As to the rest of your photos, the garden is looking lovely.
ReplyDeleteI think cut short they are probably easy-peasy to divide. I did it the hard way. Well now I know!
DeleteSpring--it's a wonderful thing!
That is a beautiful grass. The new piece looks wonderful with the sunlight hitting it.
ReplyDeleteIt's a male plant so it doesn't reseed, it doesn't spread, it looks good all the time--it's similar more to a Phormium than a grass. Winter hardiness 10-15F
DeleteThese photos are so nice. The light in them really enhances the garden.
ReplyDeleteAs to those big grasses...they are all bears to move or split when they become anchored. It is weird how short the root system is of this grass. It is a beauty too. You had the perfect spot for that big piece.
The big grasses are fabulous but--big! Too big for me to handle. I was amazed at how big the plant got with such a small root system. It was a big surprise.
DeleteHello Hoover Boo,
ReplyDeleteAfter hard work a lot to enjoy in your beautiful garden.
Happy springtime
Marijke
Soon will be the enjoyment time, right now its work-work-work.
DeleteHave a lovely week, Marijke!
Gorgeous morning eye candy photos! Like you, I need to learn to attend to the whispers - I could feel your pain with dividing the Lomandra. I have several projects awaiting outside, that takes more muscle than I think I have. I always dread them, but when I finally get them done, it feels SO GOOD!
ReplyDeleteFor me the dread is worse than the work, even when the work is not easy. You are right, a task finally completed, feels wonderful!
DeleteBy listening to those whispers this time, you now have three plants instead of just one :) Great job on dividing them!
ReplyDeleteNow I have to find a space or a new home for the spare. It's always something. Ha ha!
DeleteLove those red flowers by the path. Are those gerbera daisies?
ReplyDeleteYes that's a garden Gerbera. There are now a few different lines of garden-happy Gerberas. The only ones that used to be available here at least were meant for florists and green-house growing. It was difficult to keep them going in the garden. The new types are easy. Flowers are not quite a fancy or large as the florist types, but I think them still very pretty.
DeleteYes, I have many of those "something must be done" situations in my garden, especially now as winter begins to melt and everything is so messy here. Gotta be a little patient in this cold climate, but then in early Mayish...I must listen to those whispers, for sure. Good advice. Your transplants will be so happy. :)
ReplyDeleteVery, very patient to have to wait until early Mayish!
DeleteImpressive list of gardening tools! And glad you triumphed over the lomandra. I have moved mine but never attempted splitting them, so thanks for the head's up!
ReplyDeleteDesperate times, desperate measures. A whole lot of tools came out for the Lomandra.
DeleteExcellent to know that 'Platinum Beauty' can be moved if needed. I have two and they're taking their sweet time, which is fine by me.
ReplyDeleteThe Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' cuttings you gave me have multiplied like rabbits and look fantastic. I think of you everytime I see them!
'Fred' has been kind of overdoing it on the offsetting here, but the range of colors he provides (peach, aqua, lavender, pink, grey...) is amazing and worth the upkeep.
DeleteStill very pleased with the Lomandra overall. One thing to note is the flowers have spines on them. While they do not penetrate the skin, merely hurt, they ouch! Wear gloves to handle.
Rabbits eating mine........grrrrrrr
DeleteRabbits?!?!? Calling all Bobcats!
Delete