A quick tour around the back garden this early April morning.
There it is!
A tidal surge of spring growth is washing up on the gravel under the pergola. It’s a small-garden microcosm and abridged version of a long, undulating path with plants billowing and spilling onto gravel, one of my favorite spring sights. Good thing the plants and I have no need to practice social distancing. Salvia microphylla ‘Big Pink,’ just lightly starting to bloom, is the big plant sprawling almost to the bricks, approximately 3X3′ at the moment, which very soon will be enveloping the legs of the chair — no big deal. There’s plenty of other places to sit.
Hello poppythis side table used to hold soaps and salts in the bath house. I think I prefer rotating plants on it under the pergola, pressed on all sides by poppies and salvias. The bath house I share with the parakeet got a spring cleaning and is outfitted with candles and stuff to read, now that I’ve rediscovered the slow pleasures of a hot baththe girth of the pelargonium corner continues to expand That agave believe it or not is an americana, about a ten-year-old pup that doesn’t offset, very uncharacteristically slow. I’m guessing it’s ‘Mediopicta Aurea’ — doesn’t like a lot of sun. Such lack of vigor is very unamericana-ishReseeding Cerinthe major and Agave ‘Dragon Toes’with some ixia thrown inPretty sure both kinds are from Annie’s Annuals — creamy ‘Buttercup’ and this one, ‘Venus’the window box of salvias and copper canyon daisies is starting to take up a little too much porch spaceA pot of California poppies in sunset shades will have to stand in for a superbloommore kangaroo paws — planted this fall/winter, ‘Regal Velvet’ took no time to settle in and keeps throwing bloom stalks. I think it’s up to ten now. Anigozanthos ‘Harmony’ is getting reintroduced to the garden, from 4-inch potsPitchers stretching higher and higherIn the southeast corner, under the fernleaf acacia, a two-year-old ‘New Zealand Purple’ castor bean is finally bulking up and leaning on Agave americana var. striata’ for support — they make a nice couple!Coulter Bush, now known as Hymenolepis crithmifolia, and Plectranthus argentatus also grow under the fernleaf acaciain the front of the house, new growth on Fatsia japonica ‘Spider’s Web’ is very similar in color to new growth on the rice paper plantA Salvia mexicana, a passiflora, and a grevillea are most definitely not maintaining social distancing‘Flying V’ passionflower has wandered from the garden and headed for the roof eaves of the garage/office — this could be incredible or disastrous, possibly both at the same time Who says I’m obsessively counting buds?
Big plan for the day is to drag the sewing machine down from the attic, see if it still works, and hunt around for suitable fabric for face masks. Then I’ll probably grab The Old Patagonian Express by Paul Theroux to read in the lookout over the laundry shed. Enjoy your day and indulge your every whim — within social distancing limits. Forward!
What a tropical paradise especially in the first photo. So much happening and it all looks gorgeous. I have the same little cactus which is also sending up flower buds. If all goes well will get 3-4. Small wonders. Enjoy those long baths.
That passionflower never ceases to impress me, as does your success with poppies. I love the Pandemic Playlist too.
What a tropical paradise especially in the first photo. So much happening and it all looks gorgeous. I have the same little cactus which is also sending up flower buds. If all goes well will get 3-4. Small wonders. Enjoy those long baths.
Lovely April in your garden.
A rainy day is also a perfect time for a hot bath. Enjoy!