If you've been reading my blog much you've no doubt gathered that the weather here in Portland, Oregon, has been nothing short of glorious for 3+ months (my definition of glorious, not everyone’s).
In previous years the “end of patio season” deadline has been defined by the coinciding of our fall vacation and the return of the rains. And in fact most of my tender succulents and dry-loving plants were already tucked away in the basement by this time last year.
This year is different. We've already enjoyed our travels and the sun just keeps on shining! However a few forecasters are predicting rain for as soon as the end of this week, I’m left wondering when exactly the deadline is. Many of my fellow zone-pushers have already begun the great migration indoors and undercover, I know I need to get going...
So before it's all torn apart, I thought I'd take a few pictures of how the garden looks in early October…
So much growth has occurred here since these were planted last spring. All the Agaves and the purple Dyckia will be staying put for the winter.
This variegated Agave attenuata will definitely be pulled before the temps dip into the mid 30's. We'll see how I'm feeling about the Euprhobia 'Sticks on Fire' then, right now I'm thinking I may let them pass on. It's a sickly little thing.
Nasty winds over the last few days have taken a toll around the garden, this Eucomis couldn't withstand the force and nearly got punctured on some wicked Agave spikes.
Here's the surviving branch of my Echium x wildprettii 'Rocket' after the other one bloomed. Will it live through the winter to bloom in 2013? Only time will tell...
From newly planted to overgrown in just four and a half months!
Ditto. Can you make out the sort of tangley growth in the lower middle, it weaves around, over and under it's neighbors? That's my Banksia marginata, it's grown a lot, I just wish it were a little "sturdier"...
Thousands of potential babies atop the leaves of this Kalanchoe. I'll take cuttings to overwinter inside.
Inside with these Graptoveria too...
This corner of the garden is showing the signs of not enough water. With so many dry-loving plants I sometimes forget about the ones that get thirsty.
Guess what? The trellis has been purchased, Hydrangea is coming out. Now it's just a matter of when.
This Acacia pravissima was planted in the summer of 2011, just a small 4" plant I thought it might die over the winter. Instead it's now taller than the house. Only marginally hardy here (it will live for a few years but inevitably there will be "that" winter) I wonder how long it will last?
Let's take a peek at the front garden too shall we?
Does everyone else see a big empty space here too? (to the left of the Yucca rostrata) I finally dig out the Verbascum olympicum...luckily I've got several plants ready to go into that spot. I just have to decide which one!
One of the huge and amazingly spiky Opuntia pads sent to me by the Desert Dweller last spring. The other one has produced a couple of new pads but this one remained solo. I love those big white spikes!
Another "empty" spot where a 3-armed Verbascum olympicum came out. Unfortunately it grew, and took over, and the Ceanothus 'Joyce Coulter’ suffered a little deformation in the mean time (you can see two bare branches in the middle of the photo, with big massive green growth at the end). Dorky, I think it's coming out.
But that's a job for another day, right now I need to start cleaning up and hauling containers. I wonder if I should just make the Chiropractor appointment now?
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