Spotlight around the garden
Before Halloween I took a few photos of whatever caught my eye, starting with the whale’s tongue agave in the tractor-rim planter. Hello, gorgeous!
Somebody is watching me from the far end of the Berkeley sedge lawn.
Hello, deer. Oh, and the Wheeler’s sotol that replaced the ‘Green Goblet’ agave (killed by Snowpocalypse) is getting some size on it and looking good. Another bonus: bucks don’t bother rubbing their antlers on a sotol’s flexible leaves. No more agave caging required!
In the back garden, this potted squid agave needed more than a year to recover from its near-death experience during Snowpocalypse. But it finally did. I’m glad I found the patience to give it time to look a little slumpy and sad. I waited, pruning off the lower arms that turned brown, and eventually it perked up. Back to full squid glory! Firecracker fern and foxtail fern add low, soft texture around it.
I acquired this replacement ‘Monterrey Frost’ squid agave after losing a big one to Snowpocalypse. It’s one of my favorite agaves for bright shade.
Near the Circle Garden, ‘Fireworks’ gomphrena adds purple-pink globes.
And in the lower garden, the blue-bottle “ocotillo” seems to wave at a pair of bristling Yucca rostrata.
The back of the house as seen from the lower garden steps. I don’t often photograph from this viewpoint.
Up on the sunny deck, another squid agave — an old one that barely survived Snowpocalypse — basks in the sun. Its companions are a spineless prickly pear and cascading ghost plant thriving in the squid’s shade.
Inside, a fall bouquet with a few squash and mini pumpkins glows with rich fall color. I’m looking forward to cooler weather soon that reflects the season, predicted for Friday — a drop from 82F to 61F for the high temps. Bring it!
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Digging Deeper
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All material © 2024 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Looking great, Pam! I was particularly struck by how good the first squid agave looks in its tall pot. Mine are all in the ground (proliferating like rabbits) but I think I should try elevating one in a pot too.
I love squid agaves in pots! It’s pretty much a go-to for me as a focal point in my understory garden. Helps with drainage too.
That agave is so big and beautiful! I like how you set it in that rim planter – gives its presence more of a spotlight.
I really like that brick wall in the front. The landscaping is very pleasing. And, hahah, it invites pretty visitors (even if they require plant cages on other plants).
Your garden looks so good!
Thank you, Nancy. I really neglected the garden this summer because of the record heat. I’m glad it held on pretty well without needing much attention from me.
Everything looks good, but the whale’s tongue agave and the potted squid steal the show!
They do, Paula. Such hams!
I thought sotol needed full sun. Is yours in dry shade?
It gets about a half day of sun, and the rest is bright shade. Good drainage is essential for Wheeler’s sotol, and it does like a lot of sun. But mine’s doing well in part sun. I’ve found Texas sotol — the green one — handles quite a bit more shade with no problem so long as it has good drainage.
A tractor rim planter is such a clever idea! You have inspired me to think in new ways for garden materials.
It’s cheaper than trendy Cor-ten steel rings! I got mine off Craigslist ages ago.
I enjoyed this article and your outstanding photos!! Thanks for sharing!
I especially loved the ocotillo blue bottle tree!!
Thanks for visiting, Susan!
I was thrilled to see photos of your garden again. I’m thinking of adding gomphrena to my yard next year.
Do it! It adds so much color and hangs in there all summer, even under tough conditions. Mine got a little thin and dry by midsummer during this challengingly hot and dry summer, but it quickly perked back up in September.
The garden is looking good, Pam! Question: How do you keep leaves out of your Agaves?
I use a battery-operated blower, and that does the job. I have more trouble getting leaves and acorns out of sotols. My leaves are pretty much all from live oaks, so they’re small and slippery and just don’t get hung up in my agaves.
Garden looks great, Pam!
Thanks, HB. 🙂