Color variation on Parthenocissus tricuspidata adds some interest to what is at this moment, a mostly wind-battered, quiescent garden. Lagerstroemia 'Cherry Mocha' dropped nearly all its leaves right after they turned, but the ones that remain glow:
Limited garden activity. Austin Rose 'The Endevour' grew lavishly in 2023 so I removed all the older canes and tied the long new canes to the wrought-iron wall topper.I left one ragged bloom:I dug out a bloomed-out Agave and of course damaged irrigation tubing when I did it--repaired but not worth a photo. The mornings are lovely, if a bit chilly. The garden and I are mostly hoping for rain soon. The cool nights have slowed Aloe flower development. Not so cool the Cybister Hippeastrums couldn't wake up.
There they are!The koi--the two surviving koi--lost 18 year old Moore this summer--are having a good autumn.
Les is 18, too. Hana is 16 or 17.
For eye candy I'll have to turn to more photos from a recent Sherman Gardens visit. Their koi, I'd wager, are just a few years old:
Good thing that Heron isn't real:
Those parasols were displayed in the Conservatory a few years back. They look great over the walkway on one side of the lath house, too: 
Andenanthos sericeus, Cyclamen, ornamental cabbage, Pansies, Senecio cadicans
To finish, a classic California juxtaposition: Christmas tree with palms. Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, I'm guessing: I hope your December is going well.
Christmas tree with palms is an inspired photograph and quintessential California.
ReplyDeleteYour Koi are very handsome. Will you add younger members the pond?
Chavli
And Santa on a surfboard! :^)
DeleteFrom what I've read, adding new Koi to a pond with relatively old Koi will kill the old Koi. Koi keepers call it "old pond syndrome". Koi being so highly bred and inbred don't have great immune systems as they age and every pond has different pathogens--new koi bring in what they are accustomed to and unbothered by that the oldsters can't handle. You are supposed to add a new koi every year to keep their immune systems able to handle new pathogens. I did not do that (didn't know I should.) Or so I've read. Which is a long drawn out way of saying I really can't at this point.
Wind battered and all, the grape ivy on the wall looks great. We haven't had nearly as much wind as you have but the persimmon trees have still littered leaves all over. I've been collecting and shredding them for my compost bin at regular intervals.
ReplyDeleteOne of the 3 Hippeastrums I planted out last year when they finished flowering ('La Paz' I think) has a bloom stalk! Thrilled as I am about that I'm wondering what's going on with the other 2 planted next to it :( So far, of the new ones I potted up this year, just 'Apricot Parfait' is getting a move on, now close to opening its second bloom.
Planted in the ground and flowering now?!? Mine in the ground flower in April!
DeleteEach photo is lovely.
ReplyDeleteVery kind of you, thank you!
DeleteOoooh, I can't wait to see the blooms open on the cybister amaryllis. *Those leaves are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteMe, too--have only seen them in photos.
DeleteQuiescent, that's such a great word. I'll borrow it for my blog :-)
ReplyDeleteYour koi are a joy--sorry for the still rhyme. Seriously, animals that are part of your life for so long *are* special.
Please do! :)
DeleteThe Koi--this is their forever home.