4/7/12

April garden

I usually have flowers in April from annuals I planted the previous fall, but not this year. It's very sad. On the other hand, I spend a lot of time complaining generally about insufficient flowers. I have this idea that moving to a bigger, sunnier lot in the suburbs will ease my frustration. Probably not anytime real soon.

This is one of the first plants I bought six years ago when I started the garden. Some commercial variety of Tiarella cordifolia, I presume. J'adore. Once upon a time, I had several clumps of it. Now just two or three. So I'll have to divide it this year and propagate some more.

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I got the birdbath right, for now. Right, as in "standing straight up". I don't see as many birds using it nowadays. I think that's because shrubs have grown over head and it is not quite so exposed. So either they don't see it, or they do not feel safe using it. Move the birdbath or cut the shrubs?

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We had some rain on Monday, but we are moving in to the long dry season. When the moss DISAPPEARS.

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I moved some things around. The Beschoreneria in the upper-middle of the picture is in a pot. They don't need any water so I dropped it in a hole under the buckeye. I took the monardella and freesia out of the pot with the Phormium 'Black Adder' and I'm just going to let that green succulent fill in around it. I forget the name. Sedum something.

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The gray leaves talk to the artichoke planted nearby. And the artichoke talks to another Phormium 'Black Adder' nearby it.

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Maybe probably too nearby.

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And then there's another Beschorneria and two cordyline. I take this picture constantly. Sorry. It's a small garden. I have taken many different pictures over the years, but there are some I seem to take over and over.

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Camassia is the springiest thing flowering right now. I have three clumps of various ages and sizes.

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Up above the garden Ceanothus 'Ray Hartman' is still going strong.

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And neighbors.

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I think I mentioned the buckeye didn't flower, right? Oh well. Maybe next year.

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I don't know if you remember, but awhile ago I let a passionflower engulf the princess plant. That was a fun experiment, but I'm happier with out the passionflower. It was all leaves anyway. Now I have a place to hang glass ornaments, which I would like to buy many more of. I should investigate something besides twine to hang them with.

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Not all twine-like supports are bad. I guess it depends on the size of the ornament.

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3 comments:

Christopher C. NC said...

Try fishing line for your glass orbs. It is clear, can't really see it, strong and won't rot.

We have tiarella and camassia in bloom too.

Jenn said...

Take a look at beading supplies. There's a material that is wire coated with a plastic/polymer of some kind. One brand is TigerTail. It is part of a system with small clamps, a special crimper tool (you can get away with using a pair of needle-nosed pliers) and would make a strong support with a very thin profile.

Fishing line will degrade - I have no idea how tigertail compares but my gut tells me it would be more durable.

Anonymous said...

my wild birds seem to like the birdbath that is under the bushes- it hides them from predators above. a trickle of water will attract birds. i have heard of hanging a water-filled milk jug with a little hole in it, just above the birdbath. not so pretty but will drip and splash. cynthia