Installed

 Y i p p e e  !

As I went out to water the new plantings this afternoon, I was surprised and delighted to see the signs, promised by MTA, installed and looking good.

One each of these black & yellow diagonal signs at the ends of the narrow side medians.

An additional walk sign at the opposite end of the Malta median.

Now let's see if this prevents or at least deters drive-thru's...

15'

Today I was giving my friends Channing and Keyes a tour of the medians. It is always a refreshing perspective to have someone new look at this area. I was so happy to hear that Keyes was excited to see how well the plants are holding on.

I took advantage of Channing being there and asked him to stand as a human measuring stick.

He is 5'9". So the inflorescences is more than twice his height. The magic of photoshop allows me to feel comfortable in saying it is about fifteen feet tall. Turns out back on May 31, I was wrong, it had not reached it's full potential...

Notice too, that the buds are beginning to open and the bees are getting very interested in the thousands of tiny little flowers opening their way up the stalk.

Attenuata!

Today I waited until 6 pm or so to go out and install the mother-load of Agave attenuata collected just yesterday from Nazarius and his Father. The two pictures (above and below this text) are of the same installation of the plants but from different sides. Looks totally different, I know, but it is the same exact plants.Nazarius's Father was tired of walking by the patch and being obstructed, so he wanted them gone! I had the help of Channing and it went quickly and smoothly. His boys showed up to help load and we were on our way. Even though the trip back was rough on them - some got crushed - the ones that didn't cleaned up very well.

Now for the disappointing news to add. Another car drove into the side median. Looks like they figured it out fast as they turned out less than 1/4 the way in. But what gets me is that the Yucca rostrata was directly in the path. I am guessing it will come back from the root, but I am not sure. In habitat they are tough.  The Yucca 'gold ribbons' was also in the direct path and was also topped and smashed. I had thought next year it may flower... I suppose not now.

I cleaned up as best I could, replanted what I could and moved on. I came to plant the Agaves, and so I did.




Here is a sampling of the damage, but somehow, it never looks as bad in the pictures as in person. I am going to nag Mr. Valle-Schwenk from MTA to put in the signs he said he would as soon as possible.

Parryi!

Today, I planted all 19 Agave parryi from the lovely and quick-whited, Kaye from the SFSCS club. I adore her anyway, but now not only did she donate this plethora of parryi (couldn't help it) but she delivered them! I didn't need to dig them out or anything. What a dream. They are really nice plants as well. In time, I think the center median will return to my original concept of an all agave bed. (But what to do about the Furcraeas?... they are there and just starting to kick in I feel. I don't want to move them now.) Back to the parryi...

So my plan is that by clustering the Agave parryi on each end of the center median, over time a bookend effect will appear. A. parryi seem to grow very slowly for me here in SF, but they do get lots of sun and heat out there being surrounded by asphalt and concrete curbs.

Along with the agave, were the last trays of Echeveria secunda from Clyde...whew. These really should prevent the washing out of the soil in the side median next to the sidewalk.

 


Things are looking lovely out there and I am hopeful the are      The plants are beginning to have a positive effect on passers by. I did get one 'good job' comment today by a woman and her dog. That can go a long way with me- I like when someone appreciates the plants.

Ok. Lastly today, I pulled out this specimen to try to ID it. I see this growing all over undisturbed parcels of Northern CA land. It is wild as it is popping up out here on its' own. I like it. It reminds me of a lily or even the CA native Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium montanum). I know, it just isn't even close. But I am going to set out to name this plant and perhaps even let it grow with all the other plants. It is tricky though, because it grows in amongst plants that look similar to it. It remains undetected if I don't pause and actually look for it. This means it may be in there taking the water supply form the other plant I am cultivating. This is the dilemma. It is easy if it grows in an area not close to something I planted, as I just leave it. Who knows, I may find out that it is an invasive weed that is threatening some poor native plant to the point of extinction.... I doubt that though. I know it can not be as harsh as Scotch Broom. Daing!

Any ideas?

Tequilana!

Today was so windy and harsh it seemed. But I was so determined to get the amazing Agave tequilana plants Annie dug out for me. She thinks I gave her the original plants years back, but I am not sure. Either way I am so grateful for these beauties!

What also went in today are gobs and gobs and gobs of Echiveria secunda from Clyde in the South Bay. He also had some Aloe maculata to give. I graciously accepted and dug out an amount that would  eventually cover my truck bed.
  See?


Again, another 5, 4 gallon buckets of water to start the cuttings and new plantings. It goes fast, but it does wonders this time of year out there. These came of the truck first for the picture above it.

So, as I was leaving, I told myself to slow down a second and look to see what might be putting on a show.

The cacti from Peter (see posting titled: Generosity)  are looking really good.

These are the flowers he told me would be so gorgeous. He's right. These don't yet have roots I suspect either, so they really want to grow- or just must. You know, the nature verses nurture thing.

This is the box he gave to the project...






PS: Happy Birthday Stacy!! (my sister)