Notes To Self

on

 Above:  Lavender 'Thumbelina Leigh'

It is that time of year when popping off yesterday's Hemerocallis flowers and enjoying today's is my morning ritual in May-Gray coolness.

Name forgotten, of big-box bagged origin:

'Sabine Bauer':
While strolling, I make notes to self. 
     

Note to self:  figure out how to position the tall ladder, using spare concrete blocks or pavers to level it, then climb ladder and use the pole pruner to top Pittosporum 'Ivory Sheen' as indicated.

Note to self:  decide what to plant here, now that the transplanted Lomandra has died?  The non-green colors in the area are burgundy, white and yellow, both pale and bright yellow.  Spare burgundy Festival Grass is sitting in a pot, but it needs to grow a little more.  Touchy before it grows a big root system.  Buy one more 'Iceberg' rose for the spot?     Move in the 'Confetti' Abelia on the terrace below, that is crowded by Cordyline 'Electric Flash'?  What about the new Eucomis 'Sparkling Burgundy'?  

Most of the time, a rushed choice is not the best solution.   Candidates assembled, awaiting the light bulb moment. 

Note to self:  pot up those lavender volunteer seedlings, grow them a bit, then give them away.  Its easy to give away lavenders. 

 Done!  Go ahead and grow. 

Note to self:  in the area indicated by the white scribble...

...transplant those two pieces of Arctotis 'Pink Sugar'.  If they are blooming, they must have rooted. 

Note to self:  plant something in the spot indicated by the "X"?  

No.  There are not one, but two sprinkler heads there.  

Note to self:  get those two Aloes some irrigation.  Their thirst speaks.   It hurts.  

There are zero sprinkler heads and drip tubes here:  

Note to self:  pull those two Aloe 'Roikappie' before Agave 'Mr Ripple' crushes them.  Done!  (Note these notes work pretty good.)
Note to self:  move one of the two Drimia maritima bulbs to the indicated area as soon as they go dormant and drop their foliage, which will be soon.  They need no irrigation here beyond winter rain, and that spot has none.  In the choice between somehow irrigating it, or moving Drimia there--it was no contest. 

Note to self:  are those seedlings of lavender 'Thumbelina Leigh'?  Last year, 'Thumbelina Leigh' bloomed lightly.  Flowers, for the first time since purchase in the year 2000.  

Note to self:  find a good spot for these:

Some months ago, sloppy about the fertilizer I was slinging to the rose adjacent to 'Thumbelina', the lavender accidentally got a goodly hit.  It's covered with flowers this year, a first.  Now I know what happens when you give fertilizer to a lavender.  I've never done that before.  Hopefully 'Thumbelina Leigh' does not die of happiness. 
With Leucanthemum, Carex testacea, Cuphea 'Vermillionaire'

Huh.  The black foliage of the Lagerstroemea and the black foliage of the Aeonium, with magenta, red, green.  Note to self:  looks nice.

That's May for you.  A mild, much-grayed May.  This, too:

And this.  'Thumbelina Leigh' from the other direction. May, again. 

 And the larger scene:

Note to self:  maybe now I almost know what I'm doing, garden-wise.
Or maybe its just May.   

 Note to self:  Gardening possibly somewhat figured out, though the rest of life is all still a muddle.

Do you track the changes you want to make in your garden?   How? 

Comments

  1. ksMay 30, 2021 at 10:00 AM

    I have to say, I have never seen a Lavender seedling in my garden. I think I have 4 , maybe 5 right now , and I've always had at least One. Too cold in winter ? I have a very low tech garden tracking system-a spiral notebook that has sort of high-level to do lists (i.e. not this weekend to do lists) by month and season. When I finish something I cross it off , if I change my mind I cross it off , and if I have to move it to another month /season I cross it off and add it to a more recent list. I've started my fall list which includes cutting back and and prepping for the house to be painted probably in late Sept or early Oct.

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    1. Hoover BooJune 2, 2021 at 3:03 PM

      Maybe too cold in winter. My seedlings come up with the earliest winter rains. They seem to come up most often in the ferociously hot area right next to the concrete curb.

      I like your low-tech approach. I make hand written lists on real-estate-agent-notepads (do they send them out by the dozens in your area, too?), but then I lose them. A notebook sounds like a good idea.

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  2. danger gardenMay 30, 2021 at 10:47 AM

    I have a running Word doc where I note changes I'm considering—sometimes ideas, sometimes specific plans. I move things to the bottom as I complete them. Some things never happen but it's interesting to see the evolution of thoughts. I also snap photos and keep them in the same file as the Word doc. I'm curious if your drawn on images are something you do on your phone, or at a computer?

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    1. Hoover BooJune 2, 2021 at 3:08 PM

      drawn-on images--computer with photoshop.

      You point out a valuable thing, recording the evolution of ideas for the garden. I mull over a plant choice, change my mind, change it again and again, and then sometimes come back to the original choice. Ha ha! Be a good thing to see if I'm thinking in circles or not.

      Delete
  3. Lisa at GreenbowMay 31, 2021 at 2:44 AM

    I get a fresh sketchbook each year to keep track of my garden. I talk to myself in it. I take lots of pictures.
    May is the most rewarding month in the garden. I think it is somwhat because here the garden is almost fully filled in and the blooms begin. Our winter color-starved eyes are so happy to see things blooming and all greened up.

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    1. Hoover BooJune 2, 2021 at 3:12 PM

      A sketchbook a year is another great idea. All kinds of good tips! April-May-June are the best here--biggest chance for mild weather. October can be very beautiful with the best roses of the year, if we don't get too many Santa Ana Wind events. It's mid-summer to mid-autumn here that hurts the eyes--everything is bleached out, dried out, browned out. It must be wonderful where you are to go from sleeping plants to the moments when they wake up, then really get going.

      Delete
  4. Denise/agrowingobsessionMay 31, 2021 at 8:43 AM

    Your garden looks beautiful, confident and assured -- it's obvious you know what you're doing! But please, no ladders...

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    1. Hoover BooJune 2, 2021 at 3:13 PM

      Point taken! I can either cut at a much lower (safer) height, or hire a guy. Will do.

      Delete
  5. Kris PetersonMay 31, 2021 at 11:55 AM

    Note to friend: Please consider getting some help trimming the tall Pittosporums. The thought of you standing on a tall ladder leveled atop concrete blocks scares the heck out of me.

    Thanks for the heads-up about giving a dash of fertilizer to lavender 'Thumbelina Leigh'. I'm very bad about tracking possible changes. I previously attached a list of proposed "to dos" to the online file I use to track what I plant but never actually referred to it ;)

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    1. Hoover BooJune 2, 2021 at 3:17 PM

      I don't want to fall again--no. Will hire it out, I guess.

      You seem like you get everything done that needs doing anyway. Some gardeners are just more organized. 'Thumbelina Leigh' has been a very nice lavender. Because it is so short, it doesn't split open and have bald spots like taller ones. I fixed the spelling. It's been so long since I bought it, I remembered the name but not the correct spelling!

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    2. Diana StuderJune 14, 2021 at 2:49 PM

      Me too. I won't go up ladders. Sometimes if you pick the strategic ascending branch, and cut it low where you CAN comfortably reach - then the rest will be the height want. Once gone, the too tall bit won't be missed.

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  6. luv2gardenMay 31, 2021 at 9:43 PM

    Even though much about gardening ins serindipitous I think you do quite a lot to help it along. Always looks great with lots of cool plants.

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    1. Hoover BooJune 2, 2021 at 3:18 PM

      You are right, much of gardening and much of the best of it is serendipitous! Part of the delight of it.

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  7. Beth at PlantPostingsJune 1, 2021 at 1:00 PM

    Love your notes to self...and your accomplishments! I agree with Kris, re: the pruning. With that said, I was precariously balanced on a step ladder the other day, pruning the tallest branches of my lilac shrub, in the rain. That was not smart. But I'll bet it will look better next spring. LOL.

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    1. Hoover BooJune 2, 2021 at 3:20 PM

      I grew up climbing ladders, so while I'm careful, the Pittos are just so tall now hiring a guy looks like the wise move. They can be nicely trimmed with one of those pole pruners you pull on with a rope, but those things are too heavy for me.

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  8. JasonJune 1, 2021 at 4:34 PM

    Yes, I often write up a similar list of things to do or just to figure out. Good for you giving away the lavender seedlings, I just did the same with some hellebores.

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    1. Hoover BooJune 2, 2021 at 3:23 PM

      Very true, sometimes thinking by writing a list really helps.

      Its fun to give away extra plants. I gave my neighbor some sweet pea plants this winter, and she gave me some beautiful carrots from her garden in return.

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  9. Mark and GazJune 2, 2021 at 1:10 PM

    You more than know what you’re doing, you’re a master gardener :)

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    1. Hoover BooJune 2, 2021 at 3:24 PM

      Well, we all think our garden can be better than it is right now, don't we? It's a constant learning experience.

      Delete

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