In The Back Gully This Past Week

 Grevillea 'Ned Kelly'

Heat wave this week.  A week of temperatures in the 90F's (32 C+).  In March.  

Grevilleas at least can take heat.   I spent time on the north side of the house, where there is plenty of shade in which to work.  The Grevilleas are in the sunniest part.

'Robyn Gordon': 

'Peaches n Cream':

Aeoniums may start shutting down if the heat lasts

'Golden Celebration' in the back gully started budding and blooming before I could prune it back.  It did get a good whacking last year.  I aim to cut it back after this flush.

 'Golden Celebration' is one of those roses that is consistently photogenic:

Near that rose, native (native to this very area) Ceanothus megacarpa is so far tall and slender in habit.   It may be getting insufficient sun, though it bloomed heavily a month or two back.  I'll shorten some branches a bit when it cools down after the heat wave. In habit Ceanothus have evolved nibbled on by deer, so they handle trimming quite well:

Another gorgeous spring for Acer palmatum 'Ryusen' ("waterfall").

I wish it was somewhere in the garden I could sit admire it constantly, but it would not grow so happily in any other place.  It's nearly 10' wide: 

The back gully's Hippeastrum awakening:

The back gully's 'Valencia' orange, planted in 2023 in another of the sunny spots, has flowers for the first time.  It looks great:

'Bishop's Castle' is another gully resident and another consistently photogenic Austin rose with a powerful, sweet fragrance.  Austin quit offering this rose not long after introduction.  It may have proved a dud in other climates, but here it's been superb.  So fortunate--an impulse-purchase that worked out:

Up the stairs, away from the gully...

Last winter I pulled out a massive clump of Hippeastrum papilio, at least 50 bulbs. It was simply too swiftly prolific.  Saved one bulb, potted it, and took the rest to a garden club meeting to give away.  They were all instantly snapped up despite my warning they are vigorous to an extreme.  The one bulb in the pot quickly became two, now in flower.  The pot is currently next to the bromeliad-covered cypress stump by the back door.  The rich burgundy of the Hippeastrum matches the burgundy hues of the bromeliads--nice!   Have really enjoyed them in the pot, but will keep them in pots--just a few--and give away the rest.  

Most activity in the back gully this past week was pulling all the weeds that sprout back there, weeds from seeds blown in from the back neighbor's property.  This included  pulling what could be reached through the fence on their property.  It was fun.  Fun because of nearly two years of dedicated resistance training at a nearby gym to get my strength back after the knee surgery of April 2024.  I got most if not all of it back now.  It was a romp to work all over the back garden without pain or struggle, with confidence I would not stumble or fall.  With strength.  (I continue to take every step with attentive care.)  So very fortunate I felt, to be able to peacefully, quietly pull weeds amidst beautiful plants, when so many terrible, terrible things are going on in the world.