Weekly Fav... Dicksonia Antarctica

This weeks weekly fav is an epic ... dicksonia antarctica. I have long been a fan of Tasmanian tree ferns. There's something so lush and exotic about them. I received this fern a while ago at a Palm Society plant sale. I was initially drawn to the dramatic size of each frond. It seemed robust amongst others of a similar size trunk. That coupled with the beautiful green makes for a true favourite.

 The trunk is bigger than it appears in pictures but still a baby as far as tree ferns go. I have been told the secret to growth is regular feedings with fish fertilizer. I've been less than consistent with fertilizing (as usual) but have noticed that whenever I give it a stinky fish drink it sends out new growth.

The details:

USDA Hardiness Zone: (8) 9-11

Exposure: Part sun/ Part shade

Height: 12'-20'

Cistus Nursery has this to say about it: "This highly sought after fern matures with huge 6 ft+ fronds. Can achieve a considerable trunk with age. Best out of winds & under the high shade of evergreen trees. Sails through most years, but requires wrapping or lifting at 20F or so. Well worth it."

(http://plantlust.com/plants/dicksonia-antarctica/)

Fun changes to the back garden

A couple of weeks ago I got this beautiful sabal minor palm from the Pacific Northwest Palm and Exotic Plant Society. I had the classic debate ... where to plant it!? But today in a moment of clarity it hit. Remove the ugly purple heuchera. When I say ugly, you don't even understand the half of it. I should have taken pictures of it for evidence. It was about 95% burnt and really spindly. Almost as if heuchera met an ornamental kale and went through an incinerator. Okay, so maybe not that bad, but close. 

You can see how the trachycarpus are starting to get nice and large. I love this. But it has left things looking much different this year. For the first time everything underneath and in behind is becoming much more prominent. This has called for some change. I need to bring interest down near the base of the palms. So planting a bushy non-trunk forming palm like sabal minor seemed like the perfect solution for a palm lover like myself.

Here's a clearer look at the area. I like the way the palm echos the size of the two yucca gloriosa variegata. And having the raised bed, southern exposure, rocks in behind collecting heat, this palm is in the best situated spot for a southern native. Needless to say its much nicer than the heuchera which hated the hot sunny spot it was in. While I will miss the purple coloring, I am certainly pleased. I'm thinking a few nice dyckia 'burgundy ice' will do the purple job quite nicely. Either way the back garden is undergoing a constant metamorphosis.

The weekly fav!

This weeks weekly favourite is a new to me plant ... agastache 'summer sunset!' How exciting! It dawned on me that I had this old strawberry pot sitting empty in the middle of my favourite section of garden. How could that be!? And while strawberry pots are not always my favourite, I had this thought of wispy agastache 'summer sunset' growing out of the pot and gracing the poky company that dominates the sunny back garden.

I put the agastache in and decided that the agave 'protoamericana' I inherited earlier this summer would make nice company for the season.

But I really love the orange glow against the other plants in the bed. If I decide I really love this combination long term I will just plant the agastache right where the pot sits... or just buy another agastache for this spot.

Here's a better look at the area post agastache planting. The other pot in the right hand corner is not done being planted... It's awaiting some succulent magic.

The details:
USDA Hardiness Zone: 6-10
Size: 14" x 24"
Exposure: Full Sun
Features: Drought tolerant, fragrant, attracts hummingbirds
Bloom Time: June, July, August, September
(http://www.terranovanurseries.com/gardeners/agastachesummersunset-p-314.html)

favourite plant in the yard this week.

My weekly favourite is somewhat of an all time favourite ... olea leccino. I have long been a fan of olive trees and this one is a true gem. Being a Tuscan cultivator, it has the ability to handle a decent amount of cold. I planted this tree well over a year ago and it has seemed to be a pretty quick grower for me.

Here are some of the developing olives. I have no fantasized notions of table olives at this point, but I just think its pretty darn cool!

It tends to have a nice upright habit at this point. Though I did pretty significant trim to the lower branches earlier this spring.

Look at that luscious foliage!

The details: Hardy in USDA zone 8, evergreen, up to 20ft ... sounds perfect to me!

July Foliage Follow-up

It's the July Foliage Follow-up! I can hardly believe we are talking July. This is my month. The single best month of the year. I couldn't be more excited! This follow-up is a mixed bag of goodness.

This is one of my favourite spots in the garden. It's hot hot hot and thankfully all the yuccas love it! And the nearby succulent "ish" planter (ish deriving from the presence of cordyline and kangaroo paws) is loving the heat too!

And now for some real foliage excitement. A new to me palm! I have been searching and searching for a nice sabal minor with no success. But thanks to Charlie from the Pacific Northwest Palm Society I finally have a beautiful one for the garden. Now where to plant it?

 Dicksonia Antarctica enjoying the morning sunshine...

 With all the sunshine we have been having my chamaerops humilis has been exploding with new growth. I absolutely love this palm!

Bananas are not only massive but also cast one of the coolest shadows during the morning hours.

It's a palmy affair...

And it wouldn't be the foliage follow-up without some good pokes... The agaves are certainly happy.

This next one is really special ... Cyathea Australis! This was the kindest gift. It has been grown from spores of tree ferns in a particularly cold region of Tasmania!

Apparently these are rare in cultivation and that most labelled cyathea australis are in fact cyathea cooperi. I have it in the most sheltered spot of the yard and will be giving it some protection to see it through the winters.

A view I don't usually share is of the larger trees in the yard. When I saw large I really mean monster sized.

 And last but not least, olea leccino! This is one happy tree to see in the summer evening. It glows!

For more of the foliage follow-up head on over to Pam's blog digging

July bloom day!!!

It's July bloom day! I don't know whether or not to do a dance, sing a song, or both. We are here. The single most glorious time of the year. It's still early enough that I have no anxiety about the march of the seasons because I look forward to the high summer season. July has been nothing shy of a dream thus far.

My favourite bloom this July comes from the yuccas.

This yucca got soo excited about blooming that it produced monster sized bloom stalks and attempted to jump out of the soil. Though it's a yucca tragedy, I kind of appreciate its zeal - hence I have not bothered to clean it up. For a few days I had propped it up but even that attempt failed.

Another summer favourite are the crocosmia. I thought this was 'lucifer' but maybe too much orange. Either way I'm in love with it.

Schefflera are starting to bloom! It's a wonderfully happy thing to have blooming shcefflera in the garden. Blooming as in 'stinkin' or 'freaking' but also as in literally blooming. It's all around an excess bundle of happiness and wonder...

And one of my favourite "go to" plants, black mondo grass... I really love when they bloom.

Working my way to the hottest part of the yard... 'hot tamale' rose is a show stopper all summer long.

In close proximity the russelia has been a conversation piece of every summer luau.

Of course it wouldn't be summer without the alien like blooms from sempervivum. Love!

And on the subject of alien blooms, echeveria are and always will be a favourite!

And would my summer be complete without a kangaroo paw? I think not!

 And I must admit, the flowers of this creeping lemon thyme are a real joy. I think I appreciate how understated they are.

And if there is any flower that has me completely enthralled it's lantana! This berry blend and pina colada lantana are the perfect summer flowers. And they open up like fireworks!!

I'm starting to loose count of all the places I've tucked in echeveria...

Towards the shadier side of the yard hostas are livening things up in a big way!

And here's something I rarely share ... "no mans land." I don't really venture up to this part of the yard very often. But there are some great blooms worth sharing. Happy Garden Bloggers Bloom Day!!!!!