Purple Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceumis) one of the most appropriately named plants that I can think of, with a true "fountain" shape. But it really isn't purple, is it? More like a burgundy. Hmmm.... wonder why it wasn't called Burgundy Fountain Grass? Anyway, it is at it's glory this time of year and truly adds a fall feeling to the garden. It is starting to show up on some invasive plant lists, but I have never had much of a problem with it spreading in my gardens (unlike it's cousin, the green variety), so I will continue to grow it and recommend it for people in our area.
I was in a discussion the other day with some gardeners and the question came up; what is the biggest pest you have in the garden? Gophers, aphids, rose slugs? I have to admit I can deal with all those problems. My biggest pest? Our seven month old German Shepard, Tilly. Luckily she is not much of a digger, except maybe to hide a bone from our other dog. But if there is anything full and lush, like these ferns or tall wispy grasses, she sees it as an invitation to jump right in it and stomp it down to make a temporary resting place where she can keep an eye on me just in case I may suddenly have the urge to play with her. See that enthusiastic, energetic look she has? She is like that from the first thing in the morning until she collapses at night. If she could talk she would be saying "Wanna play? Wanna play? Wanna play?" Where is our other dog? Hiding from Tilly, no doubt.
Just to illustrate what a mild, cool winter we have had, the foxgloves (digitalis purpurea), that stop blooming as soon as the weather heats up, have not gone out of bloom since I planted them last spring. I guess that's one advantage to this lost summer.
There is nothing I don't love about artichokes. I love to eat them, I love their foliage and I love their amazing blooms. They add a lot of interest to the garden and I grow them mixed in the perennial beds throughout the gardens. The even make great cut flowers in all stages of their development. Not a lot of plants in the garden can deliver on that many levels.
At the front gate of my SJC house is what has always been a problem planting bed. It was kind of a joke because every time I pulled up and saw it I commented that "I had to do something with this spot." It originally was a huge bed of Bird of Paradise, which although I like their easy nature and beautiful flowers, I am not crazy about the foliage and a whole bed of them as the first thing you see when you pull into the driveway was a bit much for me. I had made attempts to plant a number of combinations of other plants in this thin soil and shallow bed, but none of them were too happy and those that were became a feast for the many rabbits that hang out there. Last spring I finally just added to an existing clump of BOP with some of my old standbys from cuttings of other plants that were flourishing elsewhere like green agave and green aeoniums, threw in some native deer grass and waited. I lost one clump of deer grass, but everything else seems to be quite happy, rabbit resistant and flourishing. I need to fill in to cover some more of the bare soil and add a little color, but I am at last happy with this easy, drought tolerant bed that greets me when I come home!
I would like to think that I am a conscientious gardener, taking into consideration the adaptability and appropriateness of the plants I choose to use in my gardens. For the most part I am, but I also have a romantic side that explains why I would buy and plant a hosta when I know darn well that it will never survive in our climate. Those showy foliage darlings of east coast shade gardens that we gardeners on the west coast covet so, show up in the nurseries every spring even though they are pretty much an expensive annual here. The one in the picture above has been there for a couple years, slowly getting smaller and smaller until it will disappear all together I suspect. Best to enjoy it while it lasts and look for a more appropriate replacement soon.
After being away for a couple weeks it is nice to come home to summer weather! The first order of business in the garden is to give all the large, established plants a long, slow soak to assure they are deeply watered enough to hang in there through the warm temperatures of late summer and early fall. A dripping hose for a long period around the bases will do a lot to bring relief to the palm trees and screening hedges until the rains replenish the deep soil moisture in the ground. Even the drought tolerant plants will welcome a good long drink around this time of year. And that is about all I have the energy for today!
There are three ways I like my succulents; all alone as an accent, mixed in with other plants, and grouped together. That says a lot about the versatility of this family of plants.
In my front garden along the street I am developing a drought resistant, low maintenance garden and since it is a fairly large space it is perfect for planting succulents in groupings.
The repeating designs make a pronounced statement throughout this garden bed and I am fortunate that I have the space to experiment with this type of interesting structure. There are still some spots that need attention and I look forward to finding other succulents to plant "en masse" in this garden this fall.
