A Garden Grows in California

28 May '08 1:33 am

Lovely. The broken concrete courtyard makes me think that perhaps I should think of my pieces of broken concrete as an opportunity instead of a problem.

28 May '08 4:54 pm

I totally agree Maxflax. Put that concrete to work for you. Better yet, put someone else to work moving that concrete for you. Some of the folks at this site have non-gardening partners with tractors and tools to help them with the heavy lifting. I've found that my Lia isn't much help with moving concrete. She mostly just looks at me incredulously when I make such requests.

Jack I promise I will make a real effort to put a drawing together this summer and download it here, but first we're popping over to England for almost three weeks of hard garden viewing. It won't be long now. Two more weeks after this one, most of it graduation related.

28 May '08 9:16 pm

29 May '08 2:16 pm

I've had some camera problems. (Dropped it.) So I've been experimenting with one of Lia's. These photos are mostly recent but some go back to May and even April. Sorry if I repeat any, but I don't think I have.

The pictures start with the fountain in the Gravel Entry Garden, moves to the Broken Concrete Courtyard and then around to the Corner Deck and the Rock Garden in front of it.

29 May '08 9:39 pm

I'm sorry about your camera!
Nearly summer is nearly winter down here. Sad

At least I can enjoy your glorious photos. The pelargonium is gorgeous. The echium close-up is a beautiful photo. The island bed photos are lovely, the strappy red plant (a flax?) provides a great contrast, and I always love dogs in garden photos. The other two dog photos are so adorable. The marmalade bush is spectacular. I've never heard of it. I wonder if it goes by another name here?
I'm feeling quite inspired now. Smile

30 May '08 1:20 pm

Really lovely,photos,Mark-the portrait of Fletcher is particularly beautiful.
I wondered what the marmalade bush is too-at first I thought it was Lantana,then I enlarged it-it looks a bit like bougainvilla.
Broken concrete can be great,Macflax.Some people use it as garden edging,with soil built up inside it,and it can be cleaned and used for paths with concrete poured into spaces between.The way Mark has it really suits the informal,natural look of his garden.
The two photos are from my ex-neighbour's prize-winning garden-I wrote about it on another site-www.Winsfordwalledgarden.com,under'Garden world'
Dixie.

30 May '08 4:12 pm

I still hope to fix that camera but Lia's new old camera is working out okay in the mean time. Yes the strappy leafed pink/red one is a flax, though we call them New Zealand Flaxes or just Phormiums here. My tallest pink phormium is 'Guardsman'. The yellow one is 'Yellow Wave' and the little pink one is 'Rainbow Warrior'. We had our annual garden/studio party (or "studio/garden" party as Lia likes to call it) recently. There were a couple of professional garden designers there and both were of the opinion that Phormiums were overused and no garden needed more than one. My jaw really dropped. I couldn't disagree more. I used to have three on each side of the center arch but now have three on just the one side. In a climate like ours where there is no snow, you don't have to have clipped boxes give the garden bones, but you need something. I think phormium fills the bill admirably.

30 May '08 4:47 pm

Hi Dixie. I saw your message come in while I was replying to MacFlax, but I got called away to dinner and then a dog walk. I completely agree with you about the look of Marmalade Bush's flowers. They look just like Lantana and the stems, also like many Lantanas, are not substantial. I read that they want a sunny, well drained spot with a supporting wall or other structure. Even then they will die back in frost but often return if dead wood is cut back.

Arthur and Norma's garden is beautiful, containing both formal and wilder bits. I particularly like the photo showing the raised bed. I think placing the bird feeder or house just beyond really ties the garden to its background. This garden really reminds me of my friend Carol's garden who developed a very nice English Rose Garden over the course of twenty-five years before moving away.

30 May '08 9:30 pm

Yes,I agree too,Mark-about grouping of flaxes.They give a structure and pleasing contrast of foliage to the garden as a whole,and repeating something gives a flow.My garden is bigger than a suburban one,but I haven't got around to counting how many yellow waves there are-probably about eight I think.They look good with the red flaxes too.
when we were in NSW Australia some years ago,Macflax,our hosts gagged when we commented about the whole hillsides covered with lantana-it is considered a bad weed!
You have to be brave to have a bright orange plant in a garden,however I think where it is placed besidee the steps is very effective,Mark.
Dixie.

1 Jun '08 12:41 am

..especially the one with the birdbath. I think that is the one you had to move out of concern for visiting little ones. In this photo the birdbath seems at just the right height for the plants around it. The phormiums here do exactly as you say, providing unity as well as wonderful folliage contrast. Is that "Breath of Heavon" I see in the foreground? Whatever it is, it makes for a great contrast. I think that bird house (or feeder?) in the distance really deepens the view by providing scale as well as a focal point.

A Garden Grows in California

Photo-Catch-Up-Time for Late Spring, Nearly Summer

garden update

Thank you, MacFlax.

Streptosolen jamesonii = Marmalade Bush

phormium

Nice view