Daily Dose Blogger Bios
Firm and Succulent!
Will you check out my plucky Agave attenuata variegata? This is by far the tenderest of the agaves... it's soft green leaves striped with yellow get easily scorched, and it was my first succulent to succumb to the frost. But look! NEW GROWTH! I've also spied swollen leaf buds on my Aeonuim 'Zwartzkop', and I think my yellow striped bamboo is going to be in full glory by summer.
Now I'm deep into redesign mode - this is an opportunity to play, afterall! I've come full circle, people.
It's normal California weather now - warm to downright hot during the day and extra chilly at night ... no freezes in sight. I haven't cut away any of the frozen foliage, even though it is killing me to see the wilted and forlorned plants - it's like they're blaming me for not tending to them like I should have. (I tend to anthropomorphize everything.) I am investing in plenty of special anti-freeze cloth for plants next year, and if there is even the tiniest hint of a frigid wind from the north, I'm swaddling away.
By the way, David and Ellen at Deep End Ranch had fewer losses of lemons than first estimated. In fact, their lemon groves were the least affected in their area, so they are getting top dollar for their fruit! When I asked you readers to think good thoughts for them, I had no idea how powerful you are as a collective force. I'm glad you're on my side!
Ivette, my poor geraniums (geranii?), actually scented pelargoniums, are sooo sad. But getting better - there's a tiny bit of new growth under the brown mush.
Please, may I start cutting off the dead stuff now?
Yours hopefully,
sumcool
Oh, and another thing. When will Doino start publishing you? There are lots of us out here who would subscribe if there were a garden section in the mag.
s-cool, my dear, I am in the same boat - I have what used to be a glorious swath of deep burgundy 'African Queen' geraniums looking like brown leaf soup. I actually think we are safe cutting back our pelargoniums ( that is what these geraniums really are - a much more tender plant than the hardy true geraniums). I couln't stand it and cut pack my 'Chocolate Mint' clumps in my front yard - and lo and behold, they are growing back from the little stumps, and even from the roots. Since you're in the central valley, you might get another cold snap that would take out the new growth - but then you'd be where you are now, no worse. So let's get out our felco #6's and cut! I will if you will ...
As for your second comment - from your lips to God's (and by God I mean Deborah Needleman) ears, baby!
Germi
Thanks for a great blogg. I have been following Elysian Landscape's maximalist approach in all the magazines and enjoy all your gardens. So here is my pet peeve: I want to design our small front garden but cannot find a landscape designer to do it. I have a budget of $5000. I even tried UCLA but they would not give me any students names as they said it is illegal. The student has to be apprenticed to a landscape designer.
Can only the elite enjoy well designed gardens? Do you have any suggestions? I have tried to do it myself but clearly donot have green thumbs. Do you know anyone in the LA area or maybe you would consider doing it privately?
Thanks
Hopeful gardener.
Ivette, I'll get down and dirty and do it (cut back the pelargoniums)tomoorw, weather permitting.
Thanks for telling me what I want to hear.
Dear Hopeful, you said the magic word - maximalist! You really have been following our exploits, haven't you? Now, I'm sorry to have to admit this, but I have to be honest with you - gardens are expensive. To have the kind of gardens you see in the magazines - even the small ones, you're going to pay about the same as you would pay for a bathroom or kitchen remodel. I'm sorry! It is unfair.
You know, this is a great topic for a longer post - you've inspired me.
By the way, UCLA is weird. Illegal? What are they talking about? Maybe it's because their program is exclusively for landscape architects. Try Pierce College in the Valley, Cal State Pomona, or Mt. San Antonio College - all three have exellent landscape design programs with emphasis on plant knowledge. Just between you and me, most graduates of UCLA's program don't know their plants! Most grad students would be happy to design your garden just for the experience. Best of luck!