Un-Potting

The view out my bedroom window is a work in progress, mostly because it's not my property. Nevertheless I've been planting stuff there for a couple years. First it was jade from up the hill and then some big agaves that Holly gave me. I figure in a couple more years it will be all filled up.


The jade is starting to turn red for the summer but it seems to be well established now. I water it a little through the dry months but less and less.


There are also some nice weeds growing. There's some fennel and mustard and some fuzzy glaucus plant.

It's popping up all over, even under my scrap pile.


This volunteer walnut will have to be moved soon. If it wasn't so close to the wall it could stay where the squirrel planted it.


This year I also have some plants that I bought at the Theodore Payne Spring sale. I was intending to put them somewhere on my hill but things are too in flux up there right now. I'd like to put in a couple of retaining walls before I plant too much. But in the mean time I have these plants in pots that are starting to suffer from the heat. I'd rather see them growing outside my window than watch them shrivel up.

This Cleveland Sage has already had some beautiful purple blooms. Hopefully next year they can feed my bees.



This Adenostoma is one of my favorites. It looks a little spindly right now but as it grows it will form a nice mound with arching branches. These little side sprouts are new.


Ceanothus 'Dark Star'


I figure this White Sage, Salvia apiana can fill in the space between the two big agaves.


The Cleveland Sage can grow up next to the smaller agave.


This is Artemisia californica 'Montara,' Montara Sagebrush. I didn't know it smelled so good. I've seen some big shaggy clumps of this growing in Debs Park.


This fence lizards still seemed a little groggy in the morning cool. He didn't move far even when I started digging.


While I had the shovel out I figured I do something about the front hill too. I pulled out all the vinca in round two of our ongoing battle and even pulled out some jade to make room for the little Ceanothus 'Dark Star.'


I also like to see this gorgeous agave.


Now that the vinca is gone this new branch on the euphorbia is uncovered. I didn't even know it was there. Samantha gave me these pieces a couple years ago. The two downhill pieces are making a go of it but the top two still seem to be struggling. Maybe the bottom two get more water.


The hill looks cute again, although it could use some mulch.


All it took was pulling out about 30 pounds of vinca and jade.