I so rarely document thoroughly, before and after, that I thought for once I’d push back a little against those slacker tendencies. This small project is an easy place to start. In the last post, there were four ‘Cousin Itt’ acacias added under the fringe tree, and that was theoretically the end of it. Where we left off, I was going to leave space open to sweep in the leaves and not plant bromeliads because it’ll be messy with the tree litter, etc., etc. I am so full of shit, it still astounds me. No way can I leave something half-planted like that. In for a penny, in for a pound, always. So this morning the burning question was: What other dry shade-tolerant stuff do I have lying around?
There’s this huge potted Lomandra ‘Breeze’ that can be sawed into two big clumps. Rough treatment, but I seriously doubt one can mistreat a lomandra. We’ll see. A potted Asparagus retrofractus to billow between the two lomandras, all kind of hitting the same shade of bright green so the mix of plants isn’t too patchwork. A few bromeliads for big crazy colorful rosettes, tree litter be damned. As shallow growers, it’s easy to change your mind with bromeliads. I’ll probably remove them before they get buried in leaves over winter.
Still too bare for my taste, but if the acacias like it here they can get over 4 feet across.
This no ID rhipsalis seems to be growing in an upright clump, so it gets to be the fifth “acacia.” Very root-infested soil in this spot.
A ringer for the acacia, right?
Lost the name of the foreground bromeliad I’ve had for years.
Neoregelia ‘Dr. Oesser Big Spots’ was brought home this weekend from the sale/show at Rainforest Flora in Torrance.
Neoregelia ‘Martin’
One of the many gorgeous bromeliads at the weekend show that didn’t come home with me, Aechmea ‘Samurai.’ If only I’d had this planting scheme before the sale. Overplanning has never been my strong suit. It’s always been spontaneity or bust.
I tucked a potted variegated monstera, also from Rainforest Flora, behind the asparagus against the fence, but there may be too much slanting afternoon sun for it. If the sun isn’t too strong, I’m going to check into espaliering it against the fence.
Fatsia japonica ‘Spider’s Web’ marks the new planting for wayward paws that have been used to digging here and kicking up leaves.
I’ll keep you posted on the fate of this little acacia experiment.
What is a garden but one long experiment? The bromeliads look great with the Acacia. Mine took a couple of years to settle in and spread under the tree so you should have time to enjoy the bromeliads in that location before ‘Cousin Itt’ takes off. I made it to the bromeliad show and sale too, although not until mid-afternoon on Sunday. The plants were pretty picked over by the time I arrived but I still went home with 2 bromeliad pups and a third hefty specimen in a pot. I hope to get around to a post on my visit by week’s end. Thanks again for the tip about the show!
I love all your choices! Bromeliads in the ground — Sigh! I told myself I wasn’t going to get any more plants for the greenhouse, but a variegated Monstera would be quite a temptation, if I could just find one.
OMG…Aechmea ‘Samurai’ is to die for. No doubt the price reflected that?
I love what you’ve done with the Acacia and Bromeliads, I can’t imagine the design possibilities if I could leave Bromeliads out year round.
Thanks for admitting you are in the “spontaneity with planting” club too. 🙂 Love the cylindrical pot the Fatsia occupies!
So nice to know that others make grand sweeping statements about what they will and won’t don’t do in the garden, and then simply sweep them under the carpet (or tree, in some cases). In my generally-ample-rainfall area, I make grand declarations that I won’t water and may the fittest survive, then I water when things look wilty.
Bromeliads in the ground? I’m dying here. Looks simply amazing. Love them all, but ‘Big Spots’ really sings my song!
I had no idea you had so many bromeliads. I wish I could grow the more tropical genera. I do have an Aechmea recurvata ‘Big Mama’ that has survived outside for two winters. Maybe I should put it in the ground somewhere?
Love Fatsia japonica ‘Spider’s Web’ in that terracotta cylinder. A real eye catcher!
Ha ! In my case Cousin Itt would be moved 2 or 3 times before it had a chance to achieve it’s full girth. Agreeing with other commenters, that cylinder pot is dynamite.
@Kris, just when you think there’s no place left to plant, right? Can’t wait to read your impressions of the brom show.
@Alison, I’m so torn between keeping that monstera indoors or outdoors. I want to see it everywhere I look!
@Loree, yes, the prices were the brakes, as usual, but the show prices are always better than nursery’s. That Alcantarea odorata I instagrammed was a pricy fav.
@Alan, without spontaneity taking advantage of some spare hours, nothing would get done. Gotta work fast!
@Tim, as I said, I am so full of it, so might as well own up to it.
@Gerhard, there’s lots of them stashed all around. I’m trying to round them up for greater impact.
@Kathy, I wish I remembered where I found that pot so I could get more! The fatsia is still in its nursery pot, just cached in the cylinder.
Hurrah for spontaneous planting! Your new bed looks really great but then so did the pots. It’s fun to change things around.