Moody blue palm, sunlit grasses, and popping orange mallow
Some plants need a little more time, that’s all. The adage says that in the third year, a garden leaps. For the silver Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops humilis var. argentea) I planted four years ago, the leaping growth I’d begun to despair of seeing has finally occurred.
For the first time, I see a definite increase in size, plus an overall happier-looking plant. It struggled a bit when I first planted it, perhaps wanting more water than I was giving it. A fellow gardener told me that palms like to be babied for the first couple of years, and I think mine sulked from lack of coddling. Now that it’s established and growing, I hope it won’t ask much of me. Cat-like. That’s the kind of garden I’m going for, one that doesn’t need me as much as I need it.
By the way, majestic sage (Salvia guaranitica) looks terrific paired with the silver Med fan palm, and both grow well in the part-shade of live oaks. Both happen to be deer resistant as well.
Orange globemallow (Sphaeralcea incana) is revving up for fall too, with vibrant, cup-shaped blossoms held aloft as if to catch the afternoon light.
And a row of native Lindheimer’s muhly grasses (Muhlenbergia lindheimeri) that I planted to screen my neighbor’s driveway has exploded into bloom. Like most ornamental grasses, they’re better than a stained-glass window at catching light, as are several other plants in this bed, like Texas sotol (Dasylirion texana), bamboo muhly (Muhlenbergia dumosa), and golden thryallis (Galphimia gracilis). All are strategically planted so that the setting sun shines through them.
All material © 2006-2013 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
A fine mix of happy plants, that once again won over the Death Star. I can see a planting of that orange Globemallow and blue Med Fan Palm together…oh yes, it shall be done.
Yes! That will be fabulous, David. Do it! And take pictures. —Pam
OMG…love the Lindheimer’s Muhly…LOVE!
Do you grow this one, Scott? —Pam
Love your photos in this post. Isn’t your majestic sage a beautiful shade of blue! Don’t you find this time of year, as the temperatures cool down, rewarding? I am glad your grasses are filling in.
Rewarding, heavenly, the payoff for a summer under the Death Star — yes, fall is all those things to me. It’s my favorite season, Jeanette. —Pam
I am always amazed that when our gardens are shutting down yours always looks good. Fun to see.
It’s interesting what a few degrees of latitude will do, right? This is prime garden touring season for us, Lisa. We really have two good gardening seasons, spring and fall, when the plants are showiest. Summer is green and the more tropical plants bloom well, but everything else just kind of hangs in there, waiting for fall. —Pam
I love the color of that palm! I have chamaerops humilis cerifera and it too has been incredibly slow as compared to regular green chamaerops. But it is well worth the wait. They are stunning!
That’s good to know, Louis. Maybe I’ll try the green variety sometime. —Pam
What a gorgeous palm! And I love the blue salvia paired with it-so beautiful.
Thanks, Kim. 🙂 —Pam
I also love fall and marvel at the beauty of the light this time of year. Your pics wonderfully capture the play of light and shadows. I am interested to know what camera you use, you could do a post featuring your photography skills!
Thanks for your kind words, Heidi. I use a Nikon D5000 most of the time, and a Canon point-and-shoot occasionally. —Pam
Spectacular shots, and I kept thinking of the many blue accents you have used around the garden. What continuity.
I think you have coined the perfect phrase to describe the kind of garden I am aiming for: “Cat-like”.
I know, right? I used to have a dog-like garden, but I don’t have time for all that petting and bone-throwing anymore. —Pam
Sunlight very nicely captured!
Have a beautiful week!
Lea
Thanks, Lea, and the same to you! —Pam