It's been over 24 months since I first removed a strip of junipers along the front of a shared drive and began a new garden. One of the original questions I had was "How long will these plants take to grow?" They don't seem to grow much but looking back at earlier pictures it's obvious the plants have made steady progress.
These older posts show some of how we got here:
Beginning the Hillside Garden
New Plants in the Ground
Adding More Plants in the Front Yard
Expanding the Hillside Garden
One Year Check-in
Extending the Hillside Path
Pictures presented with minimal comments.
![A hillside succulent Garden with view in the distance](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpm6Fe3aCdIf5zbir9ohDKbkgqR4067m1ke9y5RRpb-Y8SuUl48ZLZg0q7pwTwQztJhKP6J1xXDiFBSO_IEIn6OkK8JegjDF-D1-By8BmP42yqE1agBdlnVov5vdZKNcCf0ETYz3FNZ7i/w640-h426/IMG_6227.JPG) |
Mid-March 2021
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Just for fun - below is the 'before' picture.
![Planting area prior to demolition](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrXVegN7esBaQikvMWNUdgthbpmiAn-WWG29JnPWC29nZSZV4q4j1GEINjs6vBAVJNSX5lGcNhxlx3zonDfqFdVcyDpL8EHjBut-Nm0hp9aEii9MmSiWv8tNXVsU-TCT2LFzAOUEsHEIt/w640-h426/IMG_3328.JPG) |
Prior to completing the demolition
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![Curbside succulent garden](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2T6gxfGx2i8q-DK6gXbgdfpixSvl-Jw6c0u-Nsn5se2rnre_okVhvxeBRuJU-DLN89X9LyEfnhWR0NcKmhyvwcD-JRs7jxxypAGxch-WQ_GZ6nwcsoDP4YyHGtDt40kNmZUcGc3Hgx8l/w640-h426/IMG_6229.JPG) |
Plants enjoying the late afternoon sun on a cloudy day
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![Aloe chabaudii Aloe chabaudii nestled between larger plants](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_2BCAPbX9yioc6qQ4VNq-jU0KC_7GoEydCfBdujDAWz9saLxuXUNCQjQ4yfiHALF1CKaiTMsPvgPdR2PqlMZmPUFX6HVL8F4kOPrJCtaREJ9ALbiWuGftYmm794c9nw3aBVibb_CbO_k/w436-h640/IMG_6278.JPG) |
Aloe chabaudii |
![Agave chiapensis with emerging bloom stalk](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEiLdjX4lslnAm1OtztZJvsvfeZwxYYfqvjUVdUpiTae06mwKgpMEk_YsNgCLfIDXj5DmCLaRSkz4VYKNNiJQUIf2pvR0NmHS-sjRMWYsbNbKMA0gVeJE5iJ-NljkftX-KKpXMq3bLvXZ/w426-h640/IMG_6277.JPG) |
Agave chiapensis |
Uh-oh - another Agave chiapensis throwing up a bloom stalk. The other two A. chiapensis bloomed last Spring.
![Mangave in need of division](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIRMlwTpNpXpoSK8cdvHNWheya3jXZ2BJzXOtL1hyFEOwFmeUiLtE55O71lhsLsMTrR0zkv8LW2bT-W3krr2OrWUuteM7GDxZNNoylPtaHs9eoslpdWLaii9GAYbgZkWgpmRZ-IlttWkr/w640-h416/IMG_6259.JPG) |
Time to divide these Mangave?
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![Agave celsii putting up bloom stalks](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5U5bX7d-d6Spd51AVidA6k99lBtHmxJPEwTC6k3Eyf5gvzHkz724UH99ZdqcEz5bFHq0tm1DswYcL0dwVFGhmwKi-yFB64MtOxSAucm_BllLCq5OVxnfdfDEChVM9UFqrjNw8WCFpXBau/w528-h640/IMG_6206.JPG) |
Four Agave celsii 'Nova' decided to bloom at the same time.
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![Agave acutissima in the landscape](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNlhU3mAdeSFIthNoL5l8DOl6rSRg604tF9kK2S6WAjaoQKo_VBbiet0U_FHPVpTsLCK5r4FUVPtXbC21ygwbvVl69W83zGZ_24wPxHXQOq_ghKcKcNSnJKeDJ011Y2kb1IN1t4BMQ5vV/w514-h640/IMG_6207.JPG) |
Agave acutissima |
I don't think I've ever given the Aloe acutissima above any screen time - it just never seemed very special. But looking at it now... not bad.
![Agave "Blue Glow" and Agave "Red Margin"](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzeVLMbJaG6Yenrvc6tSWSBSrQnOFKAP3hxBbAlZ-NRXqLqoeJoVQZUZOi_qO4RbNValuuusdhmNw9UUiEnfh5IU79tL8XPbK7BiD4ElBoYzwFkdARODB_MWO29NK3Pdx0ut9hT2luzXT/w640-h532/IMG_6211.JPG) |
Agave "Blue Glow" and "Red Margin" side by side
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![the "Free Hugs" cactus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0N8NIWikVkbl8Jdu49xf2xlclOGZKtmP6x0QS0FNCNJ4fiPVI71AQL643DgQinczM2XFjQsr9UOXDcr0ocBwAzXEcrkZ1tQvTipimPUuraL_3WVSpPSyMKRq0duFZ4OdXx2AXp3z7mCGG/w530-h640/IMG_6212.JPG) |
Countless "Free Hugs" given since 2019
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![Looking down the hillside garden path](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7Buo3_Tu4MAf_AH0X-R0Uzu0kRZ1tC6RUtGsnrVqpRDEOua7TM-e8snE7LP8gu-cdJdjcSS_0hFRuuKl0B6Bt1v5PB_8QJSNMy38glK98ukKLqSeL3w7TsNOnAMTslDQhXULuTcnSbsa/w640-h426/IMG_6260.JPG) |
Looking down the garden path
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From the street this path is not visible so it ends up being a surprise for some garden visitors.
![Row of lavender planted above seating wall.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMCD2s0odVTxBj4eTaOGnj2wvxHDIg5Y79XpP4fZ6nMdp_z-8CHO9hCRGqC2_AyV0HfLgwvE1vAVLs88DWXPpYb9_72CrTRCVsbB54s2cTWpCzsvSXfW4XSPoslB2rr9cBK4BW01exQjI/w426-h640/IMG_6274.JPG) |
Lavender above the seating wall - a kinder planting choice
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![Agave salmiana var. ferox planted too close to seating wall](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdN7myKqwRTnT-zSucW596kpJMKSa_VPRBoSBWmrPAfFgBo8WRWDqCyIxwzbVtlZS-LzpfkIENIlSb5cNemX3ubS6yOlr4urBGW_ic3hpjMN6tliFQfqlbKWmPO4bfdPKUD9kvc800JhHb/w426-h640/IMG_6214.JPG) |
Agave salmiana var. ferox |
Too close to the seating wall and path? I'll probably ignore this situation until it becomes a ridiculous problem. To be fair... the plant was there first. The path came later.
![Agave offset](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGcF-Rv-bHInPkmWnfMzD8K-uK0riCgsDM1OaaKi8GBsLz80g8UB9uxqQU7KZqjHIrGnMHsFTQwyatA5LKd06B6JkRPN9I1oFxa3r0zXsvmblJ3vVToJYrBFTLoda1A6hgI5jP_VnmY_N/w426-h640/IMG_6246.JPG) |
So many offsets
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![Aloe mudenensis growing in dry hillside](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PiiaTokrYmilKcA5FugjiOKXhvxuVGT-vXim6jW_ESdV5gg7x7wiBdcgkdKidx539Uwu_8LriOwT3DLhTc9PR2j9h5d68PkKXkGCDBKVh2TB47bOlOIfSGbt_9ePj9G5adAtmZtHoqYQ/w640-h426/IMG_6247.JPG) |
Aloe mudenensis hanging in there!
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![Geranium](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9oEV8LAZc9FCPj8_rJ3rY0pmHFz-fu05MsUvKeJmX8OFE8FPq971gfmHfH9v7uBHq4VFqB6_6MPubkl3tKXKML1sMFWshwsBGV7_ITwx45rl949QYul53QioW_RjhX7D8T_l6M0pF8GY/w640-h426/IMG_6241.JPG) |
I've tucked in a few Geranium's here and there as well
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In the background just visible is the Fan Aloe that was planted last winter. Seems happy enough in the full shot below.
![Aloe plicatilis aka Fan Aloe](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lLI-qYhFg7Fu5j4-un_0p5b_jerQ6ckMvoHmJNz6AcpLbSetSg5GXZN_OiXAcxxgIuko1XtSQvN8PtEfzouco5Kas7HEuLAyxBaYIw1T6DGIGgm-_eoftjndTfcgeLkSxQhGyraYCY8S/w640-h554/IMG_6249.JPG) |
Kumara plicatilis aka "Fan Aloe"
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![Looking up the garden path](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4WBQPFqD3CJ9E1nsDg2tPUiDgz5HUkrKjlfX_dkMhEjpyL1DcbGGeyEWk0PAt8HSUP6kCQDS8fvm0GrzPAxyHgbp7fbIIZuKmqEWBiZTiwks3q7E__6TAzxk85Lk3OL53G0Kw9gCyVoo/w640-h426/IMG_6271.JPG) |
Stepping back and looking up the garden path
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Most of the plants in the foreground where planted over the last 12 months. The planting below this elevation feeds into the dry creek area which I'm starting to think of as a it's own "sub garden".
Until next time - get up, get out there and get some work done in the garden!
You've done a magnificent job, Hans! My local botanic garden's succulent section doesn't look nearly as good. The succulents look very happy too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kris - it was actually your garden that inspired me to start using more Leucadendron! You can kind of see at what point I received that inspiration since they sit almost exclusively below the path.
DeleteGorgeous! Are you already scheming on what to replace the blooming agaves with?
ReplyDeleteThanks! Good question. the only other one I've seen bloom in my yard did not die... it started growing side heads (if that's the right term) - not offsets. The plant took on a form that's not quite as attractive - but not terrible. I'll most likely remove a few and try to separate them... but I like the idea of leaving a bit more space between the existing plants.
DeleteYou don't miss that gorgeous Juniper? Just teasing!
ReplyDeleteYou did a magnificent job.