More strong wind this week, with the typical damage.
Leaf clean up is now easier due to a battery-powered leaf blower purchased a few weeks ago. The quietest one available, it's rated at 57 db. I like it. Human speech is about 60 db. Average gas powered leaf blower is 95-115 db. The unit is heavier than most other battery-powered kinds because of the sound-dampening construction. For my purposes, a fair trade off.
Unaffected by wind, two roadside clumps of Aloe arborescens are beginning to open flowers.
Here in the garden, also unaffected by wind are emerging Aloe flower stems, graceful, curving, and when new, delicate in contrast to foliar heft. A. cameronii:
A. suprafoliata:
A. hardyi:
A. ferox:
A. 'David Verity':
A. rubroviolacea, with the colors that gave it its name:Especially anticipated is A. 'Moonglow' because the five rosettes on the front slope all flower in unison. Their moment is brief--two or three weeks, but the effect is glorious.
A. vanbalenii, a massive clump with dozens of flower stems, also puts on an impressive show over a more extended period.
A. capitata x ? planted from a garden seed at least 10 years ago.
Here is its parent, unfortunately a shy bloomer. I moved it to a location with more moisture, hoping for blooms. No success as yet:
Ditto for the variant A. capitata var. quartziticola, its gorgeous coloration making flowers superfluous (though still hoped-for):
Relatively new A. lukeana still hasn't flowered, but because of its very dry location--maybe next year:
Several years yet to reach blooming size for this Aloe purchased as a two-leaf seedling in a 2" pot from IKEA. May be A. marlothii, maybe ferox.
The grand A. thraskii with its ballooning skirt of leaves, now topped with several flower stems. Many other Aloes will be flowering as winter and then spring arrive, wind or not, rain or not.
Must include the magnificence of another xeric plant, Agave ovatifolia 'Vanzie'.
Wind doesn't bother 'Vanzie', either. Wind better not dare!
To end, a Happy Birthday to our darling Sammies. They are twelve years old today.
Natasha:
Boris:
Aloe capitata var. quartziticola is looking fantastic on the green mat of ground cover. I did a quick google search and found this Aloe in full orange bloom at the Ruth Bancroft garden. The bloom is definitely worth the wait: this is a real show piece.
ReplyDeleteChavli
Both the plant and its flowers are gorgeous. Unquestionably my favorite Aloe.
DeleteBest wishes to Boris & Natasha! May they be healthy and happy throughout the coming year.
ReplyDeleteI hope the pretty blue tripod trellis wasn't badly damaged. Our winds never got that strong but a friend in the valley described them as "raging" there this week.
I knew you had a lot of aloes but you really have a LOT of aloes. Mine are slowly coming into bloom too but I've got relatively few by comparison. I think my to-be-renovated succulent bed needs more of them - and maybe my back slope too. It'd be nice to have more of that winter color.
Thanks! They are twelve now...yikes!
DeleteThe tripod is pretty old and the wood is starting to crumble--I either need to make a new one or find one to buy. The wind was roaring here we got 60 mph gusts.
Aloes have proven to be great plants--as you say winter color but also food for nectar feeders of all kinds, and beauty for the gardener. :) Last I counted there were---70? Aloes in the garden--how the heck did that happen?!?!
Happy Birthday to Gorgeous Boris & Natasha! Such beautiful dogs. Your aloes are spectacular, all those lovely blooms. I had no idea you had so many.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea there were so many Aloes here either. They just keep appearing for some reason. ;^)
DeleteLovely aloes, cute pups! Happy birthday to Boris and Natasha!
ReplyDeleteThey say "Woooo woooo!", which is Samoyed for...a lot of things. :^)
DeleteHappy birthdays - twelve is impressive.
ReplyDeleteThanks! We do are best for them.
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