I stumbled upon some horrific before shots. Well only slightly before. This before was still "after" my palm obsession started....
Before:
This must be 6 years ago. Overgrown rhodos (sad that flax used to grow just fine)
After:
Butia Capitata replaced the trachy and agaves replaced the flax
Oh but it gets better. Around the same time that the first awful picture was taken these big massive rocks were put in in order to hold the hillside up here. It also provided some additional planting space. The landscaper that put in the rock work added all the weird little balls of greenery (besides the palms and yucca). Also take not of the section to the back behind the grass....
Before:
After:
Bigger palms, massive yuccas... It's still a work in progress... I should say a work in budget. Each year small changes are made and each year it looks better.
And behind this planting here is another after. Sorry I didn't have a clear before to contrast. But if you look in the previous before you can make out this section. The arbour is the actual property line so everything behind is just there to be a potential screen for the neighbours and us. Out front you find my schefflera and dicksonia antarctica. This area gets more sun during the other three seasons that I don't like to talk about. Summertime it stays somewhat shady in the morning and late afternoon it gets the sunshine again.
Do I call this both a before and after?! These were taken today but you can see some of the bones of the hillside. It's because of these monsters that things stay really dry.
That and they are big enough that underneath and in front is full sun. Talk about microclimatology!
And I had to throw these ones in for good measure....
And while it is August 31st - the day at which I typically endure the most inner stress and turmoil - remember September is still summer! And it is the year of summer. So don't be fretting, don't be sad. Summer lives on!!! Mwahahaha fall lovers!!!
Great photos.......what a happy looking place. Looks like a beautiful tropical setting somewhere out in the Pacific!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm happy you catch the inspiration!!! My dream after all is to live somewhere tropical and one of the pacific islands could do just fine. But I often find myself torn between styles. I'm one part mediterranean, several parts tropical, part southeast asian (I suppose that's just tropical), and then a few parts desert southwest. I suppose in many ways what I describe is found in the more lush yards of San Diego.
DeleteBeautiful! Fun to see more overall shots of your place, how long have you been there?
ReplyDeleteThe forecast just keeps on supporting our claim that September is the new August!
We've been here for 9 years I think. When we moved in most of the backyard was non-existant. It was only after adding retaining walls that space was reclaimed and usable planting space became available.
DeleteI'm loving the forecast right now!!! This is perfect Septaugust weather!
Gorgeous pictures! How big were your large trachys when you put them in? I have some much smaller ones which I hope will look like yours some year soon!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I think the palms were 15 gallon. So they had maybe a foot of trunk. Once you plant one that size it takes about a year for it settle in with nice new growth but not much substantial. After that I see about 1-1.5 feet of trunk per year easily. Trachycarpus fortunei do incredible here.
DeleteGreat photo's and gardening by the ocean can be a very different experience! Love those wood boxes with steps. LT
ReplyDeleteThanks! I would love to have a seaside garden. For one I would have way more butia capitata. Where I am just a bit inland from the water I have to give some plants like butia capitata and chamaerops humilis some protection in a hard freeze.
DeleteYou have a beautiful and lush yard Louis. My how that rock bed has filled in! Rock on!
ReplyDeleteThanks!! It is really amazing how fast things grow. One nice thing about trachycarpus is that they grow year round. I have fronds open in the winter all the time. It kind of scares me actually. I try to tell them to slow down and harden off a bit more.
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