Golden barrel cactus, ‘Angelina’ sedum, and crepe myrtle leaf
A steady rain patters outside, and I couldn’t be happier about it. We still desperately need rain, so no complaints—let it pour!
But instead of showing a rain-washed garden (which would mean going outside in it), I’m using pics from a recent sunny morning—no rain boots required.
My xeric container plantings do fine in the rain provided they have sharp drainage. In the stock tank, which was recently planted, there’s gray santolina, a sharkskin agave, golden barrel cacti, ‘Sapphire Skies’ Yucca rostrata, and a variegated artemisia. In the taller blue pot writhes a fast-growing variegated American agave. And in the smaller blue pot, a golden barrel cactus and ‘Angelina’ sedum offer spiky and soft contrast. Basil hangs in there in front.
Aptly named ‘Bloodspot’ mangave grows in one of the washtub planters I made this summer. Something has punctured one of its leaves.
A lengthwise view of the raised beds along the back of the house. Silvery blue ‘Whale’s Tongue’ agave (A. ovatifolia) anchors the far end, and ‘Macho Mocha’ mangave stands out in a silver stock-tank planter under the white-trunked Texas persimmon. ‘Blue Elf’ aloe grows in the blue pot under the bottle tree.
Sweet potato vine, the great hider of bare spots (at least until winter), and pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) share the same color foliage. The sage’s red blooms really pop against it.
The ever-blooming bottle tree, echoing the form and harmonizing with the color of three softleaf yuccas (Y. recurvifolia) at its feet. The big one was transplanted from my former garden, and the smaller two (only one is pictured) were added this summer.
Happy Friday to you!
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Beautiful Pam! I have a vague memory of you posting about your yucca starting to bloom this summer, but I can’t remember ever seeing pictures. Have I completely spaced seeing them or did it not bloom after all?
You remember right, Loree. The big softleaf yucca bloomed for the first time in late August through early September. —Pam
Comment by Loree/danger garden — November 20, 2009 @ 11:08 am
What a treat for this agave lover! Thanks, Pam! :-)
Comment by Kylee from Our Little Acre — November 20, 2009 @ 11:08 am
Heya, Pam! Thanks for visiting my site! I haven’t been very faithful lately about posting. As usual, your photos are gorgeous! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Comment by Sheryl Smith-Rodgers — November 20, 2009 @ 2:09 pm
I always love your agaves… but the ‘Bloodspot’ mangave is absolutely amazing. :)
Comment by Blackswampgirl Kim — November 20, 2009 @ 2:45 pm
Pam, did you do the raised beds yourself? I am struggling with what to do with my front landscaping, it is very odd and high! Would you mind me sending you a photo of it? I was thinking about hiring someone to do a landscape design of the back and front in the spring and me doing the work myself. Do you do that or do you know anyone who does? I would much rather do all the work, I just need direction on this large of a scale. I have lots of deer but I plan on netting all my gardens, I don’t want to give up choice of flowers over what they don’t eat :) It seems to work well with the one flower bed I managed to get in since we moved up by Canyon Lake in May. Thanks, Pamie G.
Hi, Pamie. I did all the plantings in the raised beds, but the stonework was existing when we moved into the house. Thanks for asking about my design work. I’ll send you an email. —Pam
Comment by Pamie G. — November 20, 2009 @ 3:31 pm
Love the combination of the different containers. Glad you are getting rain.
Comment by compostinmyshoe — November 20, 2009 @ 5:04 pm
SLURP!!!
What yummy pictures of your super delicious garden! I m a HUGE fan of the chartreuse ipomea … and sedum ‘Angelina’ – well, chartreuse/yellow foliage of ANY sort sends me to the moon! And this new mangave is getting me all excited – I MUST find one!
Wonderful, as always!
Yes, you’d love ‘Bloodspot,’ Germi. Well, with that name it sounds very goth, doesn’t it? Perfect for a dramatic garden with an orange wall and a gardener who loves Halloween. —Pam
Comment by Germi — November 20, 2009 @ 5:14 pm
I love those blue pots and accents.
Comment by Sweet Bay — November 20, 2009 @ 9:35 pm
So glad you’re getting some rain Pam. You guys really needed it. Here’s to one of my top 20 blogs on the web. Love all your info my friend.~~Dee
Thanks so much, Dee. —Pam
Comment by Dee/reddirtramblings — November 20, 2009 @ 11:04 pm
Very nice–both the rain and the garden. I have a lot of dirt left over from my renovation of our driveway and I’m going to use it to build some raised beds. I keep thinking about your beautiful stock tank planters and mulling over that possibility for a spot in the front garden…I think they look best, though, with agave, and this place has too much shade for that.
Some agaves will take part shade, Susan, especially in hot-summer climates. I’m thinking of squid agave, ‘Whale’s Tongue’ agave, and others. —Pam
Comment by Susan Tomlinson — November 21, 2009 @ 7:53 am
Your “young” garden is so beautiful so soon! You’ve done an amazing job with your new place.
Cameron
Comment by Cameron (Defining Your Home Garden) — November 21, 2009 @ 8:37 pm
I’m so glad y’all got more rain. It drizzled here most of the day on Friday and Saturday. We’re all the better for it!
Comment by Cindy, MCOK — November 22, 2009 @ 1:45 pm
I love your new garden. It seems like such a quintessential SW garden to me, not that I know that many.
Comment by eliz — November 22, 2009 @ 9:31 pm
I’m still astounded at how much progress you’ve made in such a short time. It’s all just lovely, and with your planting/planning, let the rains come for those xeric ones!
Comment by Linda Lehmusvirta — November 23, 2009 @ 9:08 pm
Thank you for your kind comments, everyone! —Pam
Comment by Pam/Digging — November 24, 2009 @ 10:46 pm
Hi Pam! I really like the combination of the greens here,and the mangave is a great attraction. The stonework frames your garden perfectly too!
Comment by Grasshopper — November 29, 2009 @ 5:02 pm