Where I’m @ now
Don’t call it a comeback … call it gingerly dipping a toe back into the social media pond. After many months of friendly encouragement (Thanks, Jan, Kathy), I’ve decided to give Instagram a shot. I’m getting used to how it all works and feel like a total greenhorn, but I plan to address the same interests as I did here at RR, while looking into some new ones. Similarly, I’m hoping to see some RR faithful there, along with new friends. Find me at: instagram.com/reubix2x
Big Thanks!
The RR Open Garden event this weekend was a success! We had quite a group of visitors; some new, some expected and some we hadn’t seen in a good while. Because the day was very toasty at over 100°, I rented a Mexican paleta (fruit-sicle) pushcart for the occasion. How better to offer our visitors “a cold one” upon arrival! My three vendor friends who worked the event did well and it was satisfying watching their wares move off to new homes. Thanks, Vickie, Stephen and Rob for all your efforts ensuring that the day went smoothly. You guys are awesome! Near the event’s end friends from Long Beach descended and we had a great dinner at the Mission Inn. It was a delicious end to a very busy — very warm — and very long day full of conversation with friends new and old. The photo above was taken at sundown; the event’s mascot, a dessicated but complete agave I love silhouetted against the darkening sky . . . this is the best time of day at the Rancho; I love it.
Throwaways
Trimming, snipping, pruning, raking and dead-heading; all are enjoyable aspects of gardening. But all of these activities lead to piles of plant debris that must be dealt with. As a creative person — an aesthete, if you will — I love these garden byproducts, these piles of dessicated or dead plant material. If someone were watching they might see me sifting through these heaps of what most consider trash. And if they were to ask, I’d say I was in search of a particularly attractive seed pod that had caught my eye earlier; my imagination taken by a dried-yet-graceful stalk, a dead but still lovely flower, by a leaf with spots in a surprising color. These five photographs are of plant material I waylaid on the way to the green trash can. Each was shot against a neutral background of corrugated cardboard, then treated to Photoshop enhancement. Each has been titled and sourced as well.
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THE OVERSEER
(Discarded agave cores; found in neighbor’s trash area)
—O-O—
Furreal
Isn’t this flower gorgeous? It’s the first of several that will appear on a snakelike succulent Paul planted in our hypertufa mini-volcano. A gift from garden designer Dustin Gimbel, the handmade volcano has played host to this plant for a couple years now. It’s been well-behaved in its spot against the fence, contentedly growing and sending out ever-lengthening sinous arms dotted with small but prickly prickles. While puttering around a week ago I saw something on the plant that I could only describe as surreal. If you’re someone not fluent in artspeak, the word surreal can be attached to things that are dreamlike, bizarre or disorienting in their strangeness. So, what was this strange thing, you ask?
Succulent Show Stand-outs
My reason for attending the Gates Cactus & Succulent Society‘s show and sale this weekend was not to buy plants, I didn’t need any; rather it was to take in the juried plant show. Held in a separate tented area the show was very well-attended and there was no lack of entries. But I had notes, exacerbated by the fact that I was not feeling tip-top upon arrival. First, the show tent was very dark. Saturday was already overcast, so an opaque tent only added to an overall dim/dank feel. Second, entries were presented too closely together; making photography difficult. This caused viewers to be on top of each other as well, something I did not relish. Also pain-inducing: A winner in several categories expounding on her entries in a voice that channeled both Truman Capote and Angelica Pickles. Try though I might, I could not shake this winner and her entourage, nor could I shake the lady in a fuchsia bedazzled sweatshirt who insisted on inserting herself into my photos! As I said, I was not feeling well. So, I took a deep breath and shot when I could find an opening, moving quickly. Honestly I didn’t have much hope for the photos. But whattaya know, they weren’t bad — hooray for auto-whatever digital cameras! What didn’t work out were my efforts at shooting the entry labels next to individual plants. Hence this post will not contain plant names; rather it will feature photos of the plants I found most interesting, in categories of my own devising. Let’s get started, I’ve got a lot to show you.
—O-O—
MY GATES SHOW WINNERS
At least three of the plants above were overall winners; in fact, the tallest of them (lower left) was the Oddball Plant winner. I’m not sure I would’ve picked it since there were far odd-er entries under the tent but no one asked me. Still, it’s pretty bizarro, kind of like a tall root wearing a feathered hat. Moving clockwise from it: A seeming snap-off, -on puffball cactus; what appeared to be an ancient and lovely gnarled bonsai; a perfect dome of albino rosettes; a brainy offering surpassed only by the vessel that contains it. Let’s keep it moving, there’s more . . .
An Exploding Blue Surprise & More
I’m often asked why I prefer hand watering to drip or some other irrigation system. The short answer is that I prefer to water everything myself because I’m afraid I might miss something. See, if I entrust the watering needs of my garden to someone — or something — else I might miss the baby’s first step, its first word, its first exploding tassel-topped purple turban. Okay, so I mixed things up there a bit but what I’m referring to is shown in the photo above. While watering I looked up at my favorite super-tall blue cactus and noticed that its fruit had somehow . . . exploded?