Now, Texture

 

The Zamia adds visual interest through texture

A couple of years ago I began paying attention to color combinations, developing a shaky understanding of them that is slowly improving with practice.   Last year,  the focus was on choosing tough summer bloomers to make summers here less grim.  I've now learned the basics of a happier summer:  Cosmos, Catharanthus, Dahlias, Pentas, Salvias, Zinnias.  I erred getting Zinnia and Cosmos seeds sown two months late this year.  Next year, the plan is to do better.  

A few Cosmos flowers soon, I hope! 

The new effort is to increase foliage texture in the garden, prompted by the pleasing effect of the Zamia furfuracea in the first photo of this post.  Most of the foliage in the garden is small or fine, because small, fine leaves need less water and are less damaged by Santa Ana winds.  So what to use for foliage contrast?  Standing in the garden, staring at a beautiful Agave ovatifolia, drawing a complete blank on plants other than the Zamia with big, bold foliage that hold up to Santa Ana desiccating winds and baking summer sun...

Oh.  Duh!   The answer was right in front of me:  potted Agaves.   Okay.  Must source some pots and select places.  I've got plenty of spare Agaves, and yes, even spare pots.  A project!  Whoo-hoo!

Also to do, I think one more branch (for this year) off the Oak tree:

Let's photo-shop-chop one off:

I think that works.   

 

I note two Leucadendron phenomenon.   First, I chopped several feet off 'Harlequin'.  Each cut stimulated the sprouting of  between eight to fifteen new branches.

Great!

The Leucadendron 'Pom Pom' by the mail box, so utterly glorious this spring, decided to die.  I haven't done anything to it at all.  Just relished it's beauty.  

Not so great: 

Sigh.  Well... I've got an Alyogyny that needs a place in the ground...