Love my wild critters, but they can be pesky

The Critter Café outside the laundry room has been thriving with squirrels, big banded pigeons, ravens, crows, jays, a variety of dainty birds, and a wonderful assortment of lizards. All good. Lately, however, an unidentified critter has been wreaking a bit of havoc on the planters along the fence line. Mind you, those planters have been in my thoughts for a while, as they are slowly (finally) starting to rot away. The jade plants that were once thriving have totally given up. Fine. Just one more chore to do. (Sigh). Nothing like a nudge to get things moving. 

It started when an area was dug up and there was styrofoam scattered all over the place. If you're wondering why styrofoam is in a planter -- don't ask. You really don't want to know. Anyway, I walked out to feed my furry and feathered guests, only to come upon this sight:

Naturally cleanup is still in progress, and replacements are still being decided, but here's the next big project looming on the horizon as soon as the heat subsides a bit. Yup - ALL gotta come out. In ten years, we may actually see some progress. 

Slowly but surely, things are happening to the corner mess

The post dated November 16 showed the corner area of the yard that was seriously overgrown. While it had a certain charm, the plants there were not really doing well after our two years of super heavy rain (for us) and this year's lack of rain. The ferns have a rust fungus and there were volunteer plants that simply didn't belong there. Time to rethink. As an old cranky lady, I can only work for an hour or so at a time. Arthritic hands and bad backs don't mix with heavy yard work. But today I'm proud to say that it actually looks like progress is being achieved. In fact, a runner passing by was delighted to see the marble sink that has been unearthed. The bottle border is slowing coming back into view, along with the rock border. Believe it or not, there are slate pavers under that mess as well. Still a looooooong way to go, but we're getting there.

Garden tradgedy

I've posted before about how the last two years of heavy rain in an otherwise semi-arid area had created an over abundance of flora. One such gift was a pot that unfortunately impeded a pathway. The royal purple of the sea lavender and hints of pink from geraniums were lush and stunning in their beauty. So -- this is the before....

For some reason, after we moved the pot and were admiring the new look of the area, it didn't take long for the sea lavender to start to brown. The geraniums kept going fine, but the leaves of the sea lavender continued to shrivel and die off. I kept hoping new sprouts would take their place, but there was no luck with that. After giving it a couple of months, I finally have admitted defeat. This pot will be emptied of its current occupants and will have to have a new beginning. I grow very attached to my plantings, so for me this is a big loss. Let's hope the new batch thrives and is happy.

 

Some people just like to show off (and rightfully so)

We have a new neighbor, M. You've met her dogs Baloo and Leia. Many evening walks end with a nice chat about gardening and Baloo cadging treats. One evening the topic turned to M's parkway weed situation. It is covered in foxtails which are extremely dangerous to dogs and other creatures. The barb-shaped seeds can hook between toes on a dog's paws,  get wedged in ears, get pulled up a nose and stuck, and tragically, can enter the brain. Needless to say it is a scourge. M realized she would actually have to pull it all out by hand and her parkway section is fairly long. I naively figured it would take her weeks to get going and get it under control. Here is one small section to show you the foxtail infestation.

The next day, Nellie and I were walking by and I couldn't believe my eyes. M had not only cleared a sizable patch, but had added soil amendment AND, as if that weren't enough, she put in plantings. When queried about if she had help (no) and how she managed to do it so quickly, she responded in a very offhand way that it only took her 5 hours, and she had to stop simply because her yard waste bin was full. She then added that it should take five to six more sessions and it will be done. M works full time and still has energy for this hard labor. I'm impressed, amazed, and in awe.

Don't hate me because I'm swaleful

And here you naively thought we were done with the whole swale thing. Hardly. The following examples show you just how decorative and useful they can be.

This house has put swales on the parkway and in their front yard. Not only do they show off the plantings, but they are elegant in their simplicity.

This swale is a bit different in configuration and I suspect budget had something to do with it (like my attempt). It's mostly gravel, and while it doesn't have the pop of the top two, it does what's intended and captures water. This garden has recently been revamped and in a couple of years should be awash in native plants.

Speaking of native plants, or at least drought tolerant, this swale defies the usual standard by actually having succulents going down the center. It is also a magical addition to all the blooming foliage.

A wedding venue?

More than one person has mentioned there are elements of my yard that would make a great wedding venue. Since absolutely no one wants to hear my opinions on the very idea of weddings, we'll jut skip to the venue part. While is was suggested my backyard would be perfect, it actually is only great for dogs to zoom around and then drag half the leaves into the house. The front yard is a slightly different story. For one thing, the dogs are not let out there (no fence), and we are mindful that the neighbors don't want to see an eyesore as they stroll past. The particular feature that has captured the souls of romantics was utterly unexpected and delightful.

One of our spectacular Foxtail (or Fox Tail depending on which Google site you trust) Agave plants decided it was time to bow out and send up its spectacular bloom, which then becomes an arch. First it bursts into fuzzy blossoms that the bees adore, and then starts to make little agave babies over time. While it is wise to pull out the plant and let others take over its space, I don't have the heart to do it -- yet. Besides, there are so many people who marvel at the arch and it's just too fun to speculate all the purposes it could be used for. We'll see how much longer it can survive.

The following is the progression of the arch. In many ways, it looks so much sadder, but when you look closely, you see all the new buds beginning for it's reincarnation. Pretty amazing.

Back by popular demand

 OK - really only one person mentioned they missed the blog, but then a couple more said they liked it, so here we are. And if all six of my loyal following come back, what a wonderful world it will be.

So what's been happening here? For one thing, California has experienced more rain in the last two years than we have in far too long. Bone dry reservoirs are now filled, and rivers that were too lazy to flow are now gushing. All good. It's meant not having to stand outside with a hose to water the garden, which has exploded. 

Speaking of gardens, of course I can't leave well enough alone. There were a ton of wine and beer bottles left over from an earlier project, and rather than haul them to the recycling center, they had to be put to use. So, I attempted to make something fun and decorative, using some barrel hoops and a mosaic bowling ball to throw in some drama. Add some aloe, and voilá:

My latest insanity

Once again, I've been thinking about our water situation (or lack thereof) and realized the brick border along the three mile strip of hedges and parkway is not enough. Yes, the border keeps the water where it's supposed to be, but there is one more thing that would help. Looking around the property, I realized the leaves from the native oaks would serve admirably. One tiny problem though, they are too hard and large to allow water to pass through easily. So here's where it gets crazy:  I pour some leaves into a big tub and then hand scrunch them up into tiny bits. Those bits go into rain water to soak. Rinse, lather, repeat. Once I have a large tubful, the saturated leaves go under the hedges in a thick layer. One tub does approximately 3 feet. I can do 2 tubs a session (which basically means in a day). And my poor hands look like claws at the end of the day. 

Now before all you fixers out there go "but you shoulda/coulda done...," please allow me to answer your suggestions.

1.  Just get chips from a landscaper. We even have free chip drops of tree wood chips in our town. But they are too twiggy and woody for the area I need them for, and the chip drops are HUGE loads. Too much to deal with.

2.  Take the leaves, dump them somewhere and run over them repeatedly with your car. That actually IS a terrific way to crush the leaves but nope. No place to safely do that and it actually adds too many steps to get the same result (or close enough).

3.  Use a hedge trimmer to break them up. Good idea IF I had a hedge trimmer and a container to withstand the torture. Or if I knew how to actually use a hedge trimmer. Or liked them (hint -- don't like them).

4.  Just dump the leaves whole and call it a day. As noted, they are too thick and large for the job. Also, I've discovered that whole leaves don't pack as well to give the depth required to do a good job of retaining moisture and keeping weeds at bay. They leave bare spots in no time, as evidenced here:

So -- from bare dirt to deep crushed leaf mulch:

 And only two more miles to go....

Too cold for tiling, but not cold enough to keep me from craziness

As I've mentioned before, the weather has to cooperate for doing mosaics or any tiling outdoors. If it's too cold to even wash the tile to prep for cutting, then it's too cold to actually get creative. So I turn to other activities to move other projects along. On a whim yesterday I decided to tackle the infamous thicket behind the mosaic planter box. It needed a good clearing out (just how much I'm still not sure) to realize my cunning plans for it's future look. Well, as whims go, not a bad idea. 

I happily started on clearing out the plastic and cardboard I put over cactus roots so they would die off and not re-sprout. So long to the large, decaying jade plants that were carelessly tossed in the area after the first clearing out to make way for the planter box. But here's where I should've stopped and been content. More cactus needed to be cut back. As always, the idea is to keep the most distance between me and cactus as possible. In this case, a loooong pole with a saw blade. To get the cuttings into a pile and the large tub for disposal (unlike jade and other soft plants, cactus is not allowed in yard waste bins) a long rake and shovel were used. Clever right? It seems no matter how carefully planned, cactus spines find their way into my skin. There must be something in the laws of physics that defends against such perfidy, but it doesn't work! 

That aside, now the only decisions are whether to cut back more jade or leave as is and work around it for my art installation. BTW: "art" is probably too strong a word for what I hope to do, but it sounds classier than putting stuff in made from rusted barrel hoops and other cast-offs. So yeah, we'll go with art.

So this is the thicket mess before clean-up:

The area cleared enough to make more decisions:

It's gonna be a long slog.

Really? Who needs more boxes...

Turns out, I'm always finding projects that have nothing at all to do with what I should be focusing on. I'm sure there's a fancy medical term for keeping busy doing all the minor stuff and none of the important stuff, but I'll leave that to you to figure out. 

You may recall at the beginning of the whole chicken-adopting-me series that I referred to an area of my front yard as "The Thicket." Triangle of doom would be more accurate. Cactus, aloe and agave abound. They are all pointy and nasty. That's actually not bad as it prevents people from tromping through my yard as a shortcut to the sidewalk. However, to soften the look, I planted rows of jade to line said sidewalk. For several years that was a great move. The jade grew tall and lush. Then this year came along. Much of the jade just flopped over, creating a hazard for anyone trying to push a stroller or walk a dog. One area was particularly problematic for us trying to get the waste bin out. While hacking away I noticed that a particular cactus I absolutely hate was growing out of control and closer to people than was polite. So it had to go. With jade, there are no tears at their demise as they never really go away. If you throw them willy nilly into the thicket, they magically take root and grow. If you wish to be more precise, just wait one day for them to heal over and then plunk them into the ground or a pot of your choice. This was the aftermath.

So not pretty. As I'm digging out roots and attracting more cactus spines than the law of physics should allow, my mind was going round and round to figure what to do next. And then the notion dawned: build a huge planter box. Sure, that's the most important thing that needs to be done around the house. Forget the entire notebook of important tasks that have been put off for close to a year (or much, much longer). Go ahead and do something that could wait for a very loooooong time and no one would notice. Well....

It's 5' L x 22" D x 22" H. and made completely with reclaimed materials that have been languishing in the backyard forever. At the moment, it's not pretty at all. Since this photo, the area has been cleaned up a bit more, the box is now level, and it sparked another non-priority task which will use up a bit more of the mess in the back and make me feel very smug all at the same time. But back to the box. Two choices: paint or mosaic. I'm heading toward mosaic, but it depends on how lazy I want to be. And as for what gets planted in it -- I'm a little over jade and would prefer something...else. What though is a toss-up. Stay tuned.

A little tease...

 As I've mentioned in previous posts, I often have the most fantastic ideas for my yard -- in my head. Often the execution of those ideas are pretty good too. But too often, either my ignorance for what would happen given time and growth means my projects take on an altogether different look (and not necessarily for the better), or some catastrophe comes along (like wind storms) and destroys the first vision. 

Ignorance is the culprit in the case of my corner in the front yard. I knew the succulents and ferns would certainly grow, and weeds are a problem, but I didn't reckon with the rate of growth for either. And with all the enthusiasm of a rank amateur, I wanted to do some kind of pebble art piece. And so I did.

 

As you see, it's a bit twee and subtle, but I loved the bottles and rocks together and for a good month or two I smiled every time I walked by. I hadn't forgotten the Deodars which shed needles year round and come winter the weeds would be a bit of a chore. So regular cleaning was on the to do list. What I hadn't counted on was the explosion of the ferns in a short couple of years, basically covering everything and creeping past the rock border, and the amount of debris from the trees. 

 

They say that as you grow older you get wiser, but so far that hasn't worked on me. So needless to say, I have another cunning plan to replace the cute little rock necklace and try to make a bigger statement. This is the tease. It involves more rock, some slate, a couple of pots, and some hoops. And absolutely all the elements going into this new look are free finds! When it's done of course you'll get the final version. In the meantime, can you guess what's going to happen? (Hint: neither can I).

Now just a bit of a humble brag here. I am constantly amazed and incredibly flattered when passersby tell me how much they love my garden. Even the slightest praise gives me the incentive to keep going, because all I see is the work that still needs to be done. During walks around the neighborhood I've seen enviable gardens and wish for the knowledge and wherewithal to create artistic, lush, or just whimsical wonderlands. Being told by someone they enjoy seeing what's new provides incentive to keep plugging along in my blissful ignorance. Thank you kind neighbors!

Potted Plants Solve a Delicate Problem

Well, if you'll recall from 2 posts ago I mentioned, not without some pride, that after 5 years I finally planted some flowers in the iron bed in my side yard. Yup - well that lasted all of a month. Today I realized they weren't thriving and as with so many of my cunning plans, it had gone south. Now, I'm nothing if not flexible when it comes to my gardening faux pas, so I decided to pot them in an array of pots on my back steps.

Before you go thinking I've gone over to the twee side of cute, I will explain that the pots serve a very important purpose. My 16 year old Shih Tzu, Sassy, has trouble navigating the stairs to get to and from the yard. She's OK going down, but I noticed that she has a tendency to try and swan off the stairs when she comes up. One night she almost took a header and only swift action on my part saved her from landing on her head. To avoid future acrobatics, I took a bunch of flower pots and lined the stairs to guide her. Well they looked forlorn with nothing in them. So today I planted the lot with some of the marigolds that were struggling in the flower bed and hope to nurse them into full glory on the steps. And yes, before you say anything, one of these days I'll get around to tiling the steps. But give me a break -- it's only been 20 years since they were put in.

Now, just because puttering with pots is truly not my style, of course I had to do some ripping up of weeds and such. There is a corner of my front garden that I've made major changes to twice. Well, maybe the third time will be the charm. So halfway weeded:

And fully de-nuded and ready for ????. Well yes, of course I have an idea, but making my ideas work is often another story. I will say that it involves a Rose Parade float part and after that - who knows?

Now for something completely different. The worst part of the pandemic is STILL not being able to fuss over all my dog buddies going by and getting to meet all the new dogs being walked. How is one supposed to resist all the furry cuteness and not do an enthusiastic meet and greet?!

It's Official - I'm FREEEEEEE

So -- retirement is official and I've had time to start multiple projects. Mostly really boring stuff like cleaning out closets and drawers and cabinets (hard to believe how many are in a house!), but every now and then I take another shot at the garden. After installing a bed in the side yard 5 (count 'em 5) years ago, I decided to see how actually planting something in it might look. I don't know why I chose marigolds other than I really think they are very cheerful flowers, but here they are at last. I've already decided to dig some of them up and pot them and eventually plant either African daisies or mung beans or something, but for what it's worth, here's what it looks like now.

Also, as I was noodling around in the back yard, I noticed the irises made it into bloom. What amazes me is the color variation in them.

Mind you, the entire back garden needs to be re-vamped since our magnificent Chinese Elm had to be butchered back. What was once an oasis of shade and calm under a huge leafy canopy is now very sunny and hot. That meant taking out many plants and transferring them to nooks and crannies so they could thrive, and finding sun-loving plants to take their place. Yet another challenge (and I'm loving it).

Successes

It seems I'm usually writing about projects in progress or projects in my dreams. Well, there are finished bits around the yard, so don't think I'm simply incapable of finishing anything. Though --- truth to tell, there is always the prospect of endless tweaking - a little detail here - a bit added or removed over there. Though friends kindly refer to my work mode as "organic," Attention Deficit Disorder would probably be more accurately descriptive.

So let's look at some successes. I did manage to get the pile of broken concrete sorted and installed by the edge of the footpath, along with a large portion of the brick pile. With dollops of black river rock in between the pavers, it's a successful start. The challenge is to figure out what to do with the rest of what I've got. The biggest concern is the curve in the footpath (not shown) as that happens to fall at a critical section that needs to be sturdy enough for the yard waste bin rolling over it. No doubt something will come to me...I just hope it doesn't take another ten years to materialize.

Many people walking by comment on my side yard, which is set up for the local critters to enjoy. Years ago, what little lawn remained was torn out and mulched with free, I repeat, free, wood chip mulch from the tree company. They are only too happy to dump their chips at your house rather than pay to dump them. Anyhow, the side yard is our buffer to a busy street. Since it is somewhat private because of the large hedge, squirrels, banded pigeons, crows, songbirds, doves, the odd coyote or two, and any other critter who happens to need water, nuts or seed is welcome. The bed frame was hanging out in our back yard for a long time. It seemed so obvious that it needed to be a vegetable bed (get it?) that it was put together in one day. The joke is that nary a vegetable has yet to grow there. Maybe this coming year? The table at the foot of the bed was also hanging out unproductively in the back yard, so naturally it was pressed into service to complete the vignette.

It seems that just when I need something, I manage to find it on the street waiting for trash pick up. The bird feeder is hanging from a birdcage stand someone was throwing away. The bird bath is on a discarded plant stand and the pot with seed in it is on a stray garden stool. Seriously, if you're into recycling at all, just walk a dog around your neighborhood and you'll find the most amazing things to work with. 

The banded pigeon is one of my favorite visitors and I've noticed some amazing things about them. At first we only had the one and unlike the garden variety city pigeon, they are very large and heavy. After a few weeks, more of them came and now we have 20 - 30 at a time. One arrives first and scopes out the place. Then, as if they all got a text that it was safe, the others come in looking like a B-52 bomber squadron. They are so heavy you can almost hear the Crape Myrtle groan as they land on its delicate branches. They hold their own against cheeky squirrels and commanding crows. It all makes for happy viewing out the kitchen window. Frankly, it's more uplifting than the morning news and makes a great start to the day. That and coffee.

So there are a few of the successes that will still get tweaked and fussed with, but are really done and everything is working. At least the critter population is happy.