Three Weeks On

 

'Silas Marner'

 My main gardening achievements over the past three weeks were a little watering, draining saved rain into the soil around the Syzygium hedge, and planting new Cordyline 'Burgundy Spire' in a pot. 

Cordylines have done better potted here than in ground.  

'Burgundy Spire':

A tiny near-dead bit of Cordyline 'Festival Grass' took years in a pot to regain its health and grow after losing it in the ground.

A test of patience:

Mostly I just looked around out there.  I'm using a cane to walk.  Task speed is slow motion. Carrying even a small watering can is difficult.  Moving the new Cordyline from the driveway to the patio for repotting took a couple of days.   

At the moment the plants are moving faster than I am.  Dahlias that slept in pots since October are waking up.

Striking Hippeastrum in the meantime:

As expected the Eriocapitella (Japanese Anenome) is starting to re-infest the Dahlia's planned planting bed.  I hope to be able to wield a shovel soon enough to keep it banished.

'Indian Summer' Alstroemeria flowered lightly all winter, but cranked up production the past few weeks:

The 'Miners Merlot' Euphorbia hasn't died yet.  It's flowering with interesting colors.  The leaves lost their rich burgundy hue, turning blue-green.  The flowers are a mix of rosy pink and sulfurous yellow-green. 

A 'Wendy's Wish' Salvia that struggled all last summer stopped struggling and exploded with growth and flowers:

Roses look great at the moment.

The 'Cupani'  Sweet Peas are flowering, finally.  The 'My Navy' cultivar is MIA. 

Leucospermum 'Blanche Ito' was iffy last year because of a leaking irrigation valve--too wet.  It appears to have survived that. 

The roses loved our wet February.  Their flowers are oversized and heavily petaled.

'Drop Dead Red':

'Brass Band':

A Trachelium is growing up through 'Julia Child' rose--when they are able to bloom simultaneously the effect will be striking--maybe:

'Firefighter' with a backdrop of black Aeonium is rather nice:

Clematis loved that February soaking, too.

Seedling:

'Etoile Violette':

The volunteer Stock seedlings turned out to be all lavender--but it's a lovely lavender:

Acer 'Oshio Bene' leafed out in just the past three weeks.  It needs a clear-out of dead twigs, something I may be able to do this year, once my knee recovers.

Three weeks on.