From Susans to squid agave
Tried-and-true black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’)
Let’s take a break from pink, shall we? Here are some mellow and not-so-mellow yellows blooming in the garden. Also some greens, natural and manmade.
‘Helvola’ water lily from the container pond
‘Powis Castle’ artemesia’s silver-green mediates between the pinks and oranges in my front garden. Filled with frosted, green glass instead of water, a concrete birdbath—inherited from previous owners at my last house—complements the artemesia’s cool green.
Nearby, kidneywood tree’s flowers waft their sweet scent across the garden. The flowers are emphemeral, showing up several times a summer after a good rain. The tree is airy and hard to photograph, but I like the airiness because kidneywood (Eysenhardtia texana ) won’t ever shade out the sun-loving plants like iris, artemesia, and flame acanthus that grow beneath it.
The cattle-trough planter I made in March is filling out and looking good. That silver/purple/and cool-green combo is looking better and better the hotter it gets. Clockwise from left: squid agave, black sweet-potato vine, manfreda, euphorbia (gopher plant), purple heart, and silver ponyfoot. They’re growing in morning sun/dappled shade.
A closer look at the purple connection between the manfreda and the purple heart leaves.
Squid agave. I bought it partly for its apt name but also for its fun shape and smooth “skin.” It isn’t sharp-toothed at all, unlike so many agaves.
The combination of the birdbath filled with green glass and the artemisia is simple smashing. I see you do subtle too. 😉 I like the contrast in shape and colour of the plants in your cattle trough. They have all filled out nicely from when you planted them!
Thanks, YE. Subtlety sneaks into my garden every now and again. 😉 I have to stay on my toes so it doesn’t take over. —Pam
I like that squid agave. I like agaves because of their architectural shape and ease of care. I got some baby sisal agaves in the scrub 5 years ago and planted then in my planter and they are now striking at 5 feet.
Sisal agaves sound interesting. Is that what sisal rugs are made of? —Pam
Didn’t know there was a non-poky agave. Very nice complement of cacti in your cattle trough.
Yes, there are a few. Twist-leaf yucca is another one I like. —Pam
Hmmm, I really like that birdbath with the green glass and the artemesia. Much better than changing water all the time!
Thanks. I used to have water in it, but the hot, western exposure just evaporated the water every day. So I came up with the water substitute and like it even better. —Pam
Your photos are stunning. Make I ask what kind of lens you are using?
Thanks, Callie. I use a Canon Powershot A-80. Thanks for stopping by. —Pam
Love the squid agave and water lily. I also love the idea of filling the birdbath with coloured glass. When I first looked at your photo, I thought there must be a pump making the water bubble up like that. But surprise! No pump, no water. Fantastic. I see your echinacea are in full bloom. What a difference a few thousand kilometers makes. Up here in Toronto, I’ve got at least another month to go before I get my first blooms. Thanks for dropping by my blog. I’ll be back to check out more of your fantastic photos soon.
Cheers.
Irena
Thanks for visiting, Irena. So your echincea won’t bloom for another month? With your short growing season, I’ll bet your garden goes crazy when summer finally arrives. —Pam
We are on the waiting list at the Natural Gardener for a squid agave – apparently they don’t come in very often! Looks lovely.
Have you checked at Barton Springs Nursery? They often carry them. —Pam