And then there’s the dodge of leaving projects directly underfoot so you’ll theoretically have no choice but to finish them. Does this trick ever work for anyone else? I just end up with a lot of stuff underfoot. Like these old iron cafe chairs I fished out of the mulch pile to be repainted for extra summer seating. A giant fumitory, the ever-weedy Corydalis heterocarpa, has other designs on them while I take my sweet time getting around to repainting them.
Pam at Digging runs this show, the Foliage Followup that follows every Bloom Day. There are a core group of bloggers that have agavemania of the worst kind, and I don’t think Pam would take exception to getting tagged with that label. So this agave is for you, Pam, a new Kelly Griffin tissue-culture hybrid, Agave pygmaea ‘Dragon Toes.’ Out of a group of maybe eight agaves, I ultimately chose the slightly smaller agave with the extra pup. It’s embarrassing to admit how long this decision took. At least five solid minutes of sober and methodical deliberation. Two slow-growing agaves or a slightly larger single slow-growing agave? Hmmm….no contest, really. Agavemania in its basest form feeds on quantity.
An agave from last summer’s cactus shows, A. parrasana ‘Fireball,’ might be my favorite for the moment.
A wrought iron stand keeps the really prized agaves out of the reach of their worst enemies, snails and slugs.
Still haven’t found a suitable spot in the garden for Aloe peglerae, but its protected spot on a plant stand under the eaves seems to suit it fine for now.
Prostranthera ovalifolia ‘Variegata’ has just started blooming tiny lavendar bells. A shimmering shrub that always seem to die young in my garden.
Visit Pam’s blog to discover the astonishing array of beautiful leaves March has on offer.
That ‘Dragon Toes’ is simple perfection! And I can see why you are smitten with A. parrasana ‘Fireball’…such a perfect thin highlight, almost like it was drawn on each leaf.
Here in Europe galantomania seems to be the recent trend. I do not suffer from that – or rather I do not succumbt to that sort of mania as the snowdrops are so extremely expensive and on top of that difficult to settle in unless they are very fresh. Therefore I simply do not open that door.
However recently I find myself acquiring a small succulent every time I go to the supermarket so I guess that I have been struck by agavemania …….
As to leaving projects under foot I think it is like doing lists when the clutter threatens to overwhealm you. That does not work for me. I instantly loose courage at the sight of such a list and find something else to do which is very very very importnt …
Happy Gardening
Jytte
http://www.danishknitdesign.com
If you wait a little while longer, the corydalis will have overgrown the chairs, then that project will be a case of out of sight, out of mind.
Please don’t be embarrassed: I’m heartened to hear you agonized over the agave selection. This is appropriate and commendable behavior, in my book. Aloe peglerae has such sweetly optimist upward curves. She’s a delight.
Loree, it’s so rare that a new agave shows up at nurseries. It was a tossup between a good price on lophantha Quadricolor, which I’ve wanted forever, but the DT won out.
Jytte, I’ve read accounts of European snowdrop mania, huge excitement over subtle differences in detail. In the long run, I think any collection that can ultimately be composted can’t be too bad of a mania.
Les, that must be the subconscious plan. Small cars could be buried under that corydalis!
Jane, thanks for the backup! That aloe looks so good in the pot, but I’ve seen it look dessicated and lonely in the ground so am hesitant to plant it.
Oh dear god, another adorable agave with an adorable name! Who can possibly resist these gorgeous plants? Certainly not me. I’m off to research Dragon Toes now.
I like Les’s take on the corydalis and “underfoot” project, there’s always much that can be done in the garden in the Spring so you might just have to hope it gets “hidden” for awhile! Love the shape of leaf and color of ‘Dragon Toes.’ I’m new to Agaves (via Danger Garden mostly) and excited to try them during our hot summers. Thanks for sharing your choices…