Natasha and Harry want breakfast. And a walk. And play-time. And training sessions for Harry, in which Natasha "helps" by barking at Harry. And training videos must be watched to help Harry. He's still destroying this and that, but less and less.
Thankfully, Aeoniums grow fast:
And there's gym visits, mandatory for the strength to handle Harry, and the garden. And suddenly Natasha and Harry want dinner. And a walk...Gardening (and garden blogging) has been neglected the past few months. A lot of my time has gone to the dogs.
The winter blooming Aloes haven't noticed. The wonderful October and November rain we got not only washed them clean of summer dust, it also gave them extra vitality to produce flower stems.
Aloe striata:
A. suprafoliata is blooming:The white version of A. ferox, flower stems just peeking out:Aloe capitata seedling:The Aloe capitata seedling that has never flowered. It's in a very dry spot--I should move it.Amidst Aloes, the Drimia maritima foliage emerges. The rain did it. I chopped all the old growth off Salvia 'Marine Blue'. Fresh new foliage has emerged (that rain again!). A. rubroviolacea coloring up:Unfortunately it looks as though 'Eric The Red' has Aloe Gall Mite. I need to get out there and chop off the infested area and treat the Aloe with systemic insecticide. There's also an Oak and a trash palm sprouting adjacent--those need to go, too. I stop to get a photo of one of the 'Blue Glow' Agaves--so lovely!Aloe alooides has it's first flower stems ever! I bought it as a 2" seedling back in 2014. While the winter blooming Aloes are the big event of our winter, the 'Cara Cara' oranges are also going to ripen soon. Yummmmmm.Verbenas appeared on the front slope:New and lovely roses blooming. Our big November storm has left the soil moist for weeks, and the roses noticed. Grevillea 'Moonlight' did, too:As did 'Frequent Flyer' TB Iris:'Pink Gruss an Aachen':The original 'Gruss an Aachen':'Princess Alexandra of Kent':Hydrangea 'Shooting Stars', pristine this December:
And what appears to be a Lagerstoemia seedling with black foliage, as unexpected as a TB Iris flower in December:
The irrational happiness of a thoroughly soaking rain continues long after the rain is over.
And what appears to be a Lagerstoemia seedling with black foliage, as unexpected as a TB Iris flower in December:
Your garden does look refreshed from the rain, like an early spring. I love seeing that Aloe alooides that began there at 2" - it looks perfect. Uhh, am I supposed to chop my Iochroma? Mine isn't as tall as yours but it is considerable. *I'm seeing now, that yes is the answer. Thanks for the prompt, I wouldn't have thought of it. The roses are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteActually on the Iochroma I read doing it just as weather warms up in spring is best. Or in late summer while there is still warm weather ahead. I would think in your slightly colder winters it's not the right time, (and frost? You get frosts? Would that damage new foliage?) I chop mine back to keep it a reasonable size. With all the winter Aloe flowers I don't worry losing the nectar source (the Iochroma flowers) for the resident year-round hummingbirds. Here the Santa Ana winds we usually get in Nov/Dec snap the weak wood of the Iochroma, so that's why I do what I do.
DeleteEven in a raggedy neglected garden, a beautiful rose makes it all okay.
"A lot of my time has gone to the dogs". Funny.
ReplyDeleteRain is the essence of life, so that happiness you feel seems quite rational to me.
What will become of the 'Lagerstoemia seedling with black foliage'? Will you pot it up?
Chavli
Well you are a gardener, so you know what rain does. Though I see on the news the PNW was supposed to get 10 days straight of atmospheric river level rain? Hope it's not too bad for your region and you garden.
DeleteI'd pot up that seedling, yes. I'll see what happens and if it leafs out next spring. It would be fun to see if it develops into an interesting shrub/tree.
A bearded Iris in bloom! That, your roses, and the other blooms are glorious. The garden can get along by itself for awhile while you work on getting Harry in line. I'm still working on Meeko and she's been here nearly 16 months now, but then cats don't respond all that well to training.
ReplyDeleteThe Iris was a surprise, for sure. The funny part about that Iris is I had it for many years then gave away a bunch of it and got rid of the rest because it just offsets so darn fast and so lavishly. Then someone was handing out free iris at a garden club meeting and I took one--I now wonder if I'm getting back an offset from ones I gave away some years ago! That would be a hoot!
DeleteMeeko's a beauty. Cats are another level of complexity. Dogs are easier, plus you can go for walks with them, though there used to be a neighborhood cat that would take its owner for walks.
Glad to see the dogs are still allowing you a bit of gardening time!
ReplyDeleteDogs are pretty kind, all in all.
DeleteThat November rain just when we arrived was a fine welcome back, though it did bring carpets of weeds. Past few days it's been blue and dry, but no wind thank goodness, into the 80s yesterday. It sounds like you and Natasha are whipping Harry into shape! Yep, that atmospheric river flooded parts of Tillamook...
ReplyDeleteCleaned up the air for you. After the Oregon coast, SoCal air pollution must be a bit of a disappointment? Even though its far better than it was. It's more Harry whipping me into shape while Natasha barks at us, but I'm shaping up (somewhat).
DeleteSorry to hear Tillamook took damage. No one needs that.