There are things in the garden that can change and develop in as little as a month and other things that take a year to really blossom. The volunteer palm-like tree that was there under the orange tree is one of those things that really has come into it's own in the past year. The original owner didn't even know it was there--it was perhaps 1.5 feet tall and now it's almost 5 feet tall––not the trunk, but the leaves that reach up and out. I'm hoping to be able to move it at some point before long, but since it's not next to a fence like the volunteer fig, I haven't been worrying about it too much.
I thought this was a bok choy like plant that the original owner had planted at some point and the dormant seed just developed 2 years ago) and I have been tearing off leaves to feed the rabbit. but it's taken on a life of it's own and looking like some weird Christmas tree-wanna-be in the past month.
I'm ecstatic that the cherry tree has grown another good 2 feet. The little tuft of leaves abotu 2 feet away is something that I think the tap root is trying to grow into--another cherry tree. Last year when this happened, the little tree was too close to the fence in the side yard so I uprooted it and tried to replant it 4 feet away, but it died within a month, so this time I'm going to let it be since it's not blocking the side gate.
The reddish area is the hedge against the stone wall that lines the entire backside of the yard and this clump of the hedge is not doing well. It hasn't been doing well for the past 2 years. It's not completely dead, as it has green little leaves sprouting from it, but compared to the other parts of the hedge all along this stone wall, it's withering. The rest of the hedge is about 7 to 8 feet tall. I'm not sure if this clump is languishing due to the sun, the dog/cats peeing around it, or something else. I water it the same as everything else.
Example of how the hedge is looking along the rest of the stone wall. I trim only the front side of it, facing the home, since I like how it grows tall to add privacy, but it can get a bit wide, worthy of a little pruning.
The dwarf mandarin tree is something that was really doing poorly for two years, but I've been more consistently watering it, and it's come back to life quite nicely and has gotten 2 feet taller. I would like to move this to another part of the garden and somehow give it some height.
Ah, the fig tree. Chopped to a stump, it's grown and come back to this below. Quite a stubborn little fellow. I'm actually glad it's not dead, but I know it' can't continue growing up against this fence, so I'll definitely need to get it moved. When it's dormant this Winter, I'll have to get it moved before it grows big again like it was (about 5 feet tall).
The plum tree is quite tall now. I gave it a massive trimming 2 years ago, but this time it's developing nicely, without interfering with the power line.
The California Privot tree was a volunteer plant and it's about 5 feet tall now. All around it, the Tara's Cape Mallow is getting so bushy and crowding out the lavendar--but the lavendar bush is holding it's own. It looks a bit messy now, but I don't want to trim it back much--the photo doesn't do it justice. When standing next to it, the purple flowers from the lavendar with the pink buds from the Mallow are quite lovely. Wild, but lovely.
There used to be 3 of these hydrangea bushes, but now I only have one. It's doing well and offers blooms perhaps 2 or 3 times a year. I trim it when it gets into the walkway so it grows sideways and wide.
The garden guardian below. Her first obligation is to quell the chattering squirrels and after that she fusses with squawking birds and the buzzing bees. She can only seem to catch the bees (thank goodness--I certainly don't want squirrel or bird bodies around)--which we try to discourage her from. While no one in the family can tolerate having hornets around, we don't mind the bees.
She's such a funny dog--5 years old and she still acts like a 1-year-old. She's the first dog I've had who is actually silly enough to chase her own tail. She doesn't do it often, but I've seen her do it at least 3 times. No, I don't think she's 'stupid'--I think she's so annoyed with her own tail that she wants to have done with it. It has a mind of it's own and as strong as a bullwhip. If you happen to be in her line of path, she'll whip you with it on her way past you and it is painful. She doesn't mean to, but she's a relatively happy dog and she wags it furiously when she's happy, which is constantly. She'll even whip herself with it and that's when she looks annoyed and try to chomp at it, 'Down girl!' as if she wants to beat it into submission.
Her love is without limit. Any kind word or attention and she's all over you. And she will follow you everywhere. In the house. Out of the house. In the garden. Around the garden. She's like a shadow, except in front like some self appointed court jester body guard. First thing in the morning, when I open the sliding door to the back, she runs to the power line pole to bark at the squirrels. Then she does her business and then she'll come around to what I'm doing. She'll look at everything I'm doing as if to inspect it. Sometimes she gives me a look like, 'Going to dominate that patch over here? Ok, I'll check around to make sure the coast is clear and I'll be back to make sure you're ok.' I can pretend I'm the queen of the garden and check all my subjects.
I'm convinced that all the urine markings that the dog and cats do have been keeping the raccoons and possums away. Not that they don't pass through, but I hear from neighbors how the raccoons and possums get into the pet food or the garbage or the lawn and so far they have been satisfied with leaving our area fairly clear.
The area I call Buddha's rest--the side garden with the cherry blossom tree, is in need of tending, but I've been doing some changes to make sure that I can reach all the areas. The area is covered with mulch and fallen leaves--and a lot of dog poop which makes me reticent to step foot around the area near the fence. A few months ago I placed some round cement stones.
And last week I started creating a path with square blocks between the cherry blossom tree and another tree that blossoms. Yesterday I got some more tiles to make a double row near the pathway, but the area close to the fence is still a single tile. I'm not sure if I will keep it single tile there or make it a double tile walkway as well, but already it makes it easier for me to access the parts of the side garden that have been 'closed' off to me. I was able to get to some of the branches that block access and trim them.
Below is the view from the main walkway. A glimmer of the red tile in an 'L' shape path can be seen reaching the bottom right corner of the photo.
A more angled image of that path as it goes toward the cherry blossom tree and then past it.
Another shot of the path standing at the turning point. At the end is a loose dead tree trunk that blocks the way temporarily. It's not heavy at all, so next week I might shove the trunk to the side and lay another few tiles to continue to the Jessamine vine by the toolshed. I will probably lay more tiles from the main pathway to meet this point and also branch off to the back of the shed where some weeds tend to grow. At least the cement tiles will cover some of the areas that the weeds tend to congregate.
The cactis and succulents in the front yard are really doing well. They are doing far better than the other plants that can't see to tolerate as much of the sun.
On Saturday, I got a little Myrtle plant that I hope does well. The little white blossoms are beautiful. I got a little Purple Potato Plant last week that is already looking like it passed over from the heat, despite my watering it 3 times in span of a week. Sigh.
