And so the lemon cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa ‘Citriodora’ or Golden Monterey Cypress) came down last Sunday, November 1st. I couldn’t bear to watch the removal of the last two and hid out in the office. They were excellent privacy screens but ultimately too much of a good thing for this small garden and closely neighboring properties. Before they were deemed a nuisance, I treasured their scent and how they gleamed and majestically swayed in the wind, and how the birds found refuge in their boughs and a lookout from their topmost branches.
The east fence construction had been halted for a week while we waited for the dreaded appointment on Sunday, then the fence was completed Monday, November 2nd.
After the fence was finished Monday afternoon, I removed the small square of bricks, leaving the three-inch bed of sand on which the bricks were dry laid. As the light faded, I played around with raking and grading the area, which has slowly been transformed over years into something of a berm that slopes toward the house, built up from having the compost pile in the southeast corner and then all the shredded hedge clippings left to sheet compost in this far corner as well. Not to mention the accumulated tree litter, both from when the trees shed their leaves and the residue of their remains when they were gone. Two eucalyptus trees we inherited with the house, planted to screen this southeast corner, each blew down at various times. The smoke tree ‘Grace’ grew as large as a magnolia, exuberantly flinging her branches across the three neighboring back gardens, and was ultimately removed around the time I started the blog (2010ish). You could say this southeast corner has been vexatious as far as screening out the three properties that meet up with ours here. The properties are small and the screening strategies always prove problematic in one way or another, for one neighbor or another.
Sounds like a sad story so far, right? Not exactly. Along with the neighbors’ rooflines and satellite dishes, sun and sky have also poured in again. All that recovered sky is especially a revelation when filled with brilliant stars, as it was 5 a.m. this morning.
Monday night, Nov. 2nd, with the fence up, the area raked, and twilight approaching, I decided to address the berm somewhat with a spine of rocks. Not a path exactly, though it can be walked on, and not a rock garden exactly, though it has been planted. A spur? We’re calling it a cobb (after the famous one we visited in Lyme Regis, England) or a jetty, because it’s been built from rocks quarried on Catalina Island to build the Los Angeles Harbor breakwater. Piles of the rocks were always staged at the LA Pilot Station in case repairs were needed to the breakwater, and when he worked there Marty couldn’t resist bringing a few home from time to time. We call it Catalina ironstone, but I have no idea as far as its true geologic composition (what the heck is schist?). Like an Easter egg hunt, we prowled the front and back garden in the dimming light to collect the rocks, and I laid them until twilight faded and it was too dark to see. I expected to hate the rock experiment Tuesday morning, but didn’t. All day Tuesday, Election Day, I planted and found homes for all the displaced plants, many of which were bromeliads that had been massed near the base of the cypresses and in a stock tank.
The enormous astelia in the stock tank was moved under Grevillea ‘Moonlight’ near the office, in the spot recently vacated by Salvia mexicana. A variegated fatshedera was also moved out of the stock tank and planted at the base of the grevillea, along with a blue bear’s paw fern that surprised me by flourishing and sending out enormous fronds.
Tuesday night we watched season 4 of the sci-fi epic The Expanse. After the last four years, I was saving myself the needless trauma of a political horse race. You can’t choose the time you’re born in — some get the Enlightenment, some get the Visigoths storming the gates. At least we will always have heroes like RBG, who died as we all will, not knowing how the fight ends, to show us how to make the most of our time and wring as much truth and justice out of it while we’re here, whatever the outcome.
On Wednesday, November 4th, I brought in and spread 10 bags of crushed granite (3/8″) for mulch. More sci-fi viewing at night and remainder of the weeknights.
Today, November 7, it’s raining in Los Angeles. How perfect is that? And the election has finally been called today, November 7. What a week!
Have a blissful weekend.
What a transformation, Denise! I love it but I’ve no doubt you’re still adjusting to the change. I laughed at your “Easter egg hunt” as I’ve been engaged in one of my own, stealing stone (of various kinds as none of mine are of a consistent type) from various areas of the garden in an effort to create a more plant-able area in one section of the front slope. Have you any interest in an Agave colorata? I pulled a good-sized pup before our mimosa tree came down.
Wow, big big changes. I certainly understand the good and bad of increased sky and sunlight (and views of neighbor’s structures). I appreciate your taking us through the week with you. More space is a good thing.
I like the changes. Will probably take a bit to get used to the openness but the extra light keeps things looking spacious. Glad you got some rain. A good news week.
@Kris, other than the squid agaves and Arizona Star, I’m opting out of agaves for now, but thank you for the offer. I’ve got a couple plants that might interest you — a Montanoa grandiflora (https://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/view/?id=2532) I picked up but decided it would be too big for this area. Let me know!
@Loree, that was a minute chronology of the week! But it seems like the blog has turned into more of a journal and is most likely a snorefest to read, but it is what it is….
@Elaine, I think you’re right. I’m hoping to keep it spacious but now I can’t stop planting echeverias and stuff…incorrigible!
What a week indeed. I am also involved in major re-do activities and although it seems like that is the case every year, this is the first in awhile that involved hiring out infrastructure repairs. Like your project liberating plants out of their long-time container is part of the process. I think your new plantings look great , and wow-the photo looking to the east fence from the other side of the pergola is kind of shocking ! What fun you’ll have playing with that new exposure. And I’m not fooled by your pledge to ‘leave it open and lightly planted’ -what gardener can resist open ground ?
Surely all that sunny planting space and cool plants with room to thrive will make you forget those beloved golden cypresses in no time! Looks really wonderful.
What’s your sweet cat’s name?
@Kathy, I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ve been up to! As far as this new area, I think I’ll plant it up temporarily for summer and thin it down for winter…we’ll see.
@Hi Nelll — it’s been a fun distraction anyway! The cat Banksy is technically Mitch’s cat, and he is a sweet but very neurotic kitty!
If you have water flowing over the rock, it could be schist creek.
I avoided all news sources from that Monday night to Friday night, which for mental health, was wise. You stayed very busy, also wise. Saturday morning was pure relief.
It hurt to take out the golden italian cypress here, but now they are gone the garden seems more spacious and open, and the rat population took a dive. Your refreshed area looks excellent, and bravo on the metal fence, termite and fire safe! So much more light now.
Callistemon ‘Slim’ has indeed a slim footprint, and my oldest is 12′. Flowers for the hummers…if you find you need some sort of screen. Light clipping for narrowest possible footprint makes it bushier, better, not worse.
@Hoov, thanks for the rec of the callistemon. Another neighbor pointed out potential rat problems with the cypresses, which we didn’t have, but I noted that he grows avocados, infamous rat attractors! I have to say it was a relief not to worry about the cypresses in those fierce winds a couple days back.