Garden in a dry place: October 2015

For several months I have been collecting a wish list, items that I would like to grow in Southern California. Clearly, if I lived elsewhere, the components of this list would be different! Most recently, of course, my fascination with succulents and cacti has taken over. Here is what I’d love to explore at some point in our garden.

Cholla

ocotillo

Beautiful, no?

Can anyone help with this plant? is it Baccharis sergiloides?

I collected this first group on our trip to Joshua Tree with the Weigels and friends from Bogenhofen.

Asparagus, anyone?

In Forest Falls, especially in the spring, I admire the yucca for their symmetry, their giant asparagus sprouts, and their blossoms.

pachycereus pringlei cactaceae cardon

Cleistocactus

Opuntia microdasy cv. cristata bunny ears

Aloe dichotoma liliaceae kokerboom, quiver tree

Ferocactus pilosus cactaceae lemon barrel cactus

Euphorbia resinifera euphorbiaceae

Ferocactus robustus clumping barrel cactus

Mammillaria geminispina

Senecio talinoides

Boojum tree

Cephalocereus senilis old man cactus

Mammilaria elegans

Mammillaria sonorensis

Cleistocactus samaipatanus cactaceae (cucumbers anyone?)

Agave victoriae-reginae

Cereum hildmannianus knobby monstrose form (huge blooming cactus tree)

Cleistocactus cf hyalacanthus tarijensis cactaceae tarija torch cactus

Myrtillocactus cochal cactaceae

These are from the UCR arboretum. What a feast for the desert eyes!

Lastly, it wouldn't be bad to have dozens of these in my yard! It made a lovely housegift.

Our biggest gardening project this year was creating a succulent and rock garden on the east side of

Before: from the north

Before: from the south

the house. Of course it was Heidi and Becki's project - they were here for our cousin Jenny's son's wedding and couldn't imagine not slaving away in the July sun while they were here. First we got a scoop of topsoil (each of these "loads" was a bulldozer

Topsoil to create contours

scoop), and used it to develop some contour east of the walk leading to the front door. We positioned the big rocks from valley of the falls next. Then we planted cacti and succulents, and distributed a load of Yosemite rocks, 4-6". A load of 1-3"

Placing cactus

Big rocks placed

river rocks came next, then we formed the creek and filled all gaps with 12 bags of gravel/small pebbles, the only Home Depot component of the project. Somewhere along the line we decided to ditch the wood chip

Yosemite rocks filled the gaps

mulch on the other side of the walk and make that part of the rock garden too. It was an intense 2 days but we are thrilled with the outcome and love that these plants like to grow here - we're not trying to make this chaparral into a verdant lawn!

conferring (not arguing :)

Are we done? No! Let's do the other side! it's only 95 degrees!

Some of the cuttings we just stuck into the ground to see what would root. Others I had followed more of a protocol. If succulents are allowed to season for a couple weeks in a sheltered spot, they will begin to root. I just laid them on a wall in the shade. Some just

Planting the palm

East side with pebbles in place

Cleaning up

formed a callous, others formed root hairs, with others a mini succulent appeared with some roots. Those are the most fun! I also received many succulent cuttings as a gift from my Mom's cousin Herb in January. After they had cured a week or so, I put them in the ground, and had dozens of plants ready to go.