As one commenter noted, my website, weedingwildsuburbia.com, should be called weddingwildsuburbia.com. In preparation for the big day (25 days to go, omg) I am now turning my attention to removing the spent wildflowers, mostly globe gilia (Gilia capitata), and cutting back the California poppies (Eschscholzia californica). It has been a wonderful and long-lived display due to this year’s cool, wet spring, and still most of the clarkias (Clarkia amoena, C. purpurea, C. bottae) are yet to come.
The monkeyflowers (Mimulus) are at peak, though I’m watering them regularly and making full, beautiful bouquets to extend the bloom period. I’m also singing to the sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) in hopes that they will bloom on time just to put a stop to the terrible noise emanating from their sower. Tidying up the yard, and … this is really hard to admit but … Let me explain.
Yesterday I went with my daughter to a nursery – Persson’s Nursery in Pasadena, one I recommend to others for both native and non-native plants – and bought … it is hard to say and even harder to write … yes, yellow, orange and white profusion zinnias, rudbeckias, coreopsis, and red dianthus. While at the nursery I had the same devilish feeling I get when I succumb to the bright orange package of Reese’s Peanutbutter Cup and throw it on the belt with the non-fat yogurt and dried oatmeal. Come to think of it the zinnias are the same color as the candy package. This is deep and if you don’t believe we are manipulated by “big business,” think again.
Any diet, even a diet of native only plants, can be subject to the occasional lapse. Pretty plants are hard to resist for us gardeners, and besides, it's not like you ran out and planted a flat of Vinca major or Genista monspessulana in the garden. We'll chalk it up to temporary insanity due to stress. Go ahead, have a another Reese's 😛
Dear CVF – thanks for the kind words but don't tempt me with the Reese's… luckily the dress I'm wearing to the wedding can accommodate nearly any size.
You've mentioned cutting the Ca poppies a few times, how exactly do you do it? Below the flower or all the stem? I have read this in some sites but there's never a picture of the cut poppy. By the way, I found your blog when searching about bitter celery that I also planted. I too had to compost them.
RV – Check today's post for a better description of what I do with the poppies.<br /><br />As for the celery – not really worth it in my mind. My peas, tomatoes, lettuce and herbs are easy, easy, easy and oh so tasty!<br />Thanks for commenting.
I'm actually getting really sick of the orthodoxy of Lawn is Pure Evil. Pure Water Sucking Evil. We bought a neglected little house in Oakland six months ago, and have *never* watered or applied chemicals to the front lawn. It's doing just fine, and the song birds like to eat the grass seeds. <br /><br />Frankly, I think a lawn is less of an eyesore than some randomly plonked down
Hi Lisa and Robb – well I guess I see lawn as something of a green desert. My St. Augustine gets no chemicals at all and hasn't for years, yet still looks really good. I don't water much either. It's just that I like plants better than grass. Lawn is more comfy to walk on bare foot, and my dog loves to roll on it when he's not pooping on it – and yes the bare feet and poop thing
I love the "weddingwildsuburbia" comment! Some events pass with nothing but photos and memories, but you're going to have some tangible improvements to the garden to show for it.<br /><br />As I look out my window I see the local birds feeding on lettuce that has gone to seed as well as chili peppers that I left on the plant last fall. Humans aren't the only species that can
Barbara, I just have to laugh since I recently set Cosmo and Zinnia seed in my veggie garden and told myself it was to "attract pollinators". Yeah, right! It's good to know another hard-core native gardener has moments of weakness, too. Those cell paks will serve their purpose for the wedding, attract a few skippers and by next season no one will ever know they were there.