The joys of gardening.

@edgarblythe,

There's a tomato problem in the east, back with a link..

@ossobuco,

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/opinion/09barber.html

@ossobuco,

Adds, I don't mean to pull authority, CJ, even if I could - I continue to learn.
Once in a while I react when told something like the virtues of mulch. My personality in the way again.

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This is the back yard (I rent, so it's not mine, but I work it). It's dry and shady and urban, a little oasis.

liriope, bergenia, moneywort, hostas and others

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs143.snc1/5289_139516639971_743754971_3367947_4658798_n.jpg

liriope, brunera, hostas, etc

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs143.snc1/5289_139516664971_743754971_3367952_5041025_n.jpg

A newish coneflower (not sure which variety)

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs123.snc1/5289_139516679971_743754971_3367954_2533191_n.jpg

Japanese anemone buds....

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs123.snc1/5289_139516689971_743754971_3367956_7279611_n.jpg

....and flowers

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs123.snc1/5289_139516719971_743754971_3367962_5587243_n.jpg

Japanese forest grass and variegated leucothoe

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs143.snc1/5289_139516699971_743754971_3367958_4676462_n.jpg

one of my favorite trios - japanese maple with carmel and citronella heuchera

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs143.snc1/5289_139516729971_743754971_3367964_1229918_n.jpg

and hens and chicks in a bed of creeping thyme (sounds like dinner)

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs123.snc1/5289_139516709971_743754971_3367960_3843692_n.jpg

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That looks so nice littlek. I hope you have a bench or better yet a hammock
there where you can sit and relax.

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There's a chair which often has bird poop on it. It's not a relaxing seat. Also there are some patio chairs in the yard. I could drag one into the grass and enjoy. I'd love a hammock, but the trees aren't going to work for one - maybe a freestanding version.

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@littlek,

Interesting collection of olants, k. Kinda resembles my gardeningstyle-- well, sort of.
Been busy here, also.

Irises came today and were forthwith set out.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/nekonomad/nekonomad0244A.jpg

Those shown here are the yellows.

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Look what happens when I neglect to place my tried-and-proven
brick squirrel guards by next morning:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/nekonomad/nekonomad0246A.jpg

Remedial action has been taken. It was a close call;like, none of
them were damaged or pulled up.

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This year's irises are in place now,
and for the remainder of the season will be
devoted to weed harvest and tidy up. Happy gardening, all.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/nekonomad/nekonomad0250A.jpg

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It looks so nice, neko. Yes, happy gardening to you too!
I am trying to propagate new sprouts from my plant, as I can't
find any to buy right now. I just love that plant; it has this gorgeous
fuchsia colored flowers and requires hardly any water. So hopefully I can
propagate some new plant from the old one.

These are not mine, but I hope one day it will grow to this stunning height

http://www.geographylists.com/calandrinia_spectabilis.jpg

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Oh, you say the sweetest things, cal. But I hope you can fit in some gardening into your schedule....

Now here's the latest over my way.
...

It's the Nanking cherry's time for some grooming so that
it won't overwhelm the irises to the front of it. Most of
this year's growth will come off.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/nekonomad/nekonomad0281A.jpg

More later; stay tuned.

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Oy, looks like winter is around the corner, Neko. Here we had a nice sunny
day - 82 F to be exact. A bit hot for this season but we're not complaining.
Here is a picture of my drought resistant Aloe Vera plant....

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/1231/img6142l.jpg

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@CalamityJane,

Jane:
Do you keep it outside during the winter? - it looks happy in its pot.

As for here -

Pruning done, and not a minute too soon;it definitely looks and
feels like winter now. I made a foot or so clearance between the top
of that Nanking cherry bush and the pine branch to enable them to fit
together in an eye pleasing fashion.

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@neko nomad,

You did a lot of work, neko, you're ready for the winter now.

Yes, the aloe vera stays outside - it never gets too cold here on the coast.
Look, I was in a neat nursery yesterday with ossobuco (she was visiting Southern California) - nice plants, eh? http://www.flickr.com/photos/cedrosgardens/show/

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@CalamityJane,

Gorgeous is more like it.....

Grizzled and scarred Oldtimer's been with us for thirty one years this month and is blooming almost a month later than usual:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/nekonomad/nekonomad0291A.jpg

I thought I lost it last year, when it fell off a table, losing
a large branch and the pot it was in.

And that occurred while it had been recovering from an attack by a squirrel.

We regard it as a family member.

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It looks like new, neko. Isn't it a christmas star?

I know what you mean with "family member". When I first came to the United
States, I was given a small ficus plant. Today, 20+ years later, I still have the ficus and it's about 10 feet high now and in a huge terra cotta pot. It's survived a major move from NY to CA and everywhere I moved to since, the ficus came along. That's the reason I haven't planted it in the ground and keep it in a pot,
so I don't have to leave the plant behind.

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@CalamityJane,

I don't know Christmas Cactuses that well; dear late MIL gave it to us as a tiny rooted cutting. The name is vaguely familiar - perhaps I saw some potted ones at the supermarket once.

Tidied up the new irises and applied some crushed
limestone. Had to take a break at this point and put off
finishing the job until tomorrow.

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@neko nomad,

Hello there, neko.
I'm watching this thread, with my usual interest, from the side-lines.
I can't tell you how hugely impressed I am by the amount of work you put into your garden, every single year!
You are what I call a devoted gardener.
I wish I had even a small fraction of your commitment! (But alas, the endless drought has knocked a fair bit of that out of me.)

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I picked a bowel of strawberries yesterday. The make a great bedding plant to infill empty areas and have the bonus of deliciouse fruit.
If i want an area for something else i simply pull the strawberries out.

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@msolga,

Here's another one, Ms.O:

This year's new irises, the historic tall bearded Hamas, in the front, have
set root and are ready for the winter.
They'll be companions to a well established peony bush.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/nekonomad/nekonomad0299A.jpg

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The joys of gardening.

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