Manic Monday mish-mash
A small field toasted with the orange-red of blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata ) and punctuated by the lemon-yellow flowers and green trunks and leaves of Parkinsonia aculeata , variously known as retama, Jerusalem thorn, and paloverde.
This lovely vista greeted us on our way to one of the featured gardens on Gardens on Tour a week ago. How much nicer to see this natural meadow than a boring mown strip along the road.
Have you seen the featured plant in Horticulture this month? It’s Yucca rostrata ‘Sapphire Skies,’ a gorgeous sphere of thin, blue leaves that is both heat- and drought-tolerant as well as cold-hardy. I’ve been wanting a Yucca rostrata since seeing a stunning, 10-year-old specimen (named Sammy!) at Danger Garden, one of my new favorite blogs. The plant profile in Horticulture clinched it for me. I started calling all my favorite nurseries and located the cultivar ‘Sapphire Skies,’ which is bluer than the standard blue-green variety, at the Great Outdoors. I bought two.
Well, here’s one of them. At $14.99 for a one-gallon pot, it was affordable. It was rootbound, unfortunately, but I believe it will recover. Now I only have to wait 10 years for the effect I’m after—a puffball of shimmering, blue foliage on a thick, four-foot trunk. (Cue impatient drumming of fingers…)
Here’s a white-winged dove I spotted nesting on the side of a downtown building’s balcony. I’d popped out to take in the view and noticed her nest perched on a narrow ledge. She was holding absolutely still, hoping I wasn’t able to see her.
You can see why I called this post a mish-mash. It’s all over the place, but before I end I have to point out one more bird image you won’t want to miss. It’s a pair of owlets in a nesting box in Sheryl’s garden at Window on a Texas Wildscape. Incredibly cute! I’m still waiting for owls in our own roosting box, but until then I’ll be enjoying Sheryl’s.
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
I saw that Yucca in something, think it is really interesting. Love interesting foliage colors. The gaillardia is beautiful.
And wouldn’t they look great together, Janet—that icy blue and hot orange? —Pam
I’ve been doing “Mish-Mash Monday” posts a little while now (and am working on one as we speak)… glad the idea is taking off OR is just so good it occurred to both of us! 🙂 Love the bird and the yucca.
I had forgotten, Monica, although perhaps my subconscious remembered about your mish-mash Mondays and liked the idea! —Pam
Pam, “mish-mash” does indeed have a great sound to it and adding “manic” is even more alliterative! 🙂
Love the photos of the fields. They would make a beautiful painting… just wish I could paint! I like the idea of Mish-Mash Monday… I always feel that way on Monday myself. LOL -Jackie
We’ll just have to paint with real flowers, Jackie. Thanks for popping by. —Pam
Oh my gosh…Sammy is blushing! He’s going to go and get a big head now, oh, wait, he already has a big head. I’m so happy to hear you tracked down a couple, I bet with your green thumb and Austin’s heat yours will catch up with Sammy in no time!
Sammy is modest enough to blush? Well, now he has a couple of new friends here in Austin. They look up to him like a much older big brother and hope to be just like him one day. —Pam
I grew up with one of these in the corner of our yard in El Paso. It’s still there, huge and round, looking great. My mother would occasionally trim the dead fronds–a painful, prickly chore! Funny the plants you take for granted where you grow up, only to find that someone covets them 🙂 Hope you enjoy yours.
You’re so right, Lynn. I grew up taking crepe myrtles for granted and only through reading garden blogs learned how much they are coveted up north. It made me look at them with new appreciation. —Pam
I have fallen in love with yuccas just as I did with sedums. Resplendent in the fact that they are evergreen, thus enjoyable year round. A lot of bang for your buck.
Brenda
Exactly! They’re a wonderful alternative to traditional evergreen shrubs. —Pam
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of acquiring a plant you’ve been pining for. Congratulations on your new yuccas. 10 years will make them impressive, but they’re still beautiful now. I quite like the Monday Mish Mash idea. Lately I feel like all I have on my mind is mish mash, I might even be tempted to make it a daily thing.
Ah, yes, it feels good to have these new babies. And I’m doing my part to jump-start the economy too! 😉 —Pam
The company I work for planted a lot of Yucca rostrata over the years, particularly near the ocean front where its exotic appearance fit in. I think in the past few years the southwestern look has fallen out of favor, at least here. However, I did decide to try ‘Sapphire Skies’ this year to see if it would sell, and it has. The price was right and I think people are mixing it in with all kinds of other exotic looking plants, not just southwestern ones. BTW, great shot of the dove.
Thanks, Les. You are right on that a few specimen plants like Yucca rostrata can be mixed with other kinds of plants for a shot of drama here and there. That’s the look I’m going for too, not a desert-scape, which would look out of place in Austin—or at least on my lot. —Pam
Hi Pam…So glad to hear the weather is delectable! The field of gaillardia and Jerusalem’s Thorn are wonderful…I look forward to seeing where in your garden the Sapphire Skies Yucca are planted. Danger Garden was a treat, thanks, Gail
I’ve planted one, Gail, and I’ll post a picture tomorrow. The other I’m saving for a stock-tank planter. I’m glad you enjoyed Danger Garden too! —Pam