It's been almost two years since I first had the pleasure of meeting Loree (Danger Garden) Bohl in person and seeing her magnificent garden as part of a celebration of a significant birthday. She gave me a couple of agave pups, some black mondo grass and a paddle of Opuntia ellisiana (I think.) She was clearly trying to recruit me into her dangerous plant world in a gentle way. O. ellisiana is glochid- free and the agave pups didn't have any sharp points. I potted the paddle and pups. The agaves have grown steadily but the Opuntia seemed to just sit for a while. I brought it inside the unheated glass room this winter and ignored it. When pulling out some of the plants recently, what should I see? Is that sweet or what? This is my first experience of how cacti put on new growth and I'm giddy!
Loree's enthusiasm for desert plants is infectious and I've come to enjoy many of these plants myself. I bought the next furry Opuntia last summer. The label says that it's hardy to zone 7 if kept dry enough. It got the same dry and ignored treatment this winter and look what's happening!
I'm loving this. No attention for months and they reward me with new growth. This is so different from many of the plants that I'm a slave to all winter trying to meet their needs and keep them alive. (I'm talking to you Solanum quitoense!)
Loree's plant gifts were the beginning of what I call my Danger gardenette. This changes each spring and fall as some things stay outside and others come in for the wet winter. Each spring comes a rearranging of things. Here it is taken apart with a few plants placed around.
Some of the ladies in waiting.
The Agave Americana mediopicta aurea spent the winter inside the house and got mealy bugs. I'm happy to say that they're gone now through the use of systemic insecticide. The Aloe 'Goliath' came from our recent WeHop visit.
Where should I put this stuff? Notice the big green bag of pearlite waiting to be added to potting soil for better drainage.
More Opuntia growth that I discovered while moving these around. For those of you who've experienced this a lot, this is old hat but I think it's the cutest thing ever!
It's interesting how the generosity and enthusiasm of one gardener can influence another to find joy in a previously dismissed group of plants. One of my favorite things about gardening is that I keep making happy discoveries even after gardening for nearly 40 years! It also helps that I've a memory like Teflon - nothing sticks so every day I discover something new!
Peter, these growths were waited for a long time. I love your Agave Americana, think it's a star of your cactus, excellent long striped leaves!
ReplyDeleteGood things are worth waiting for! I like that one too especially when it gets richer in color after being in the sun for a while.
DeleteWe vouch for Loree's enthusiasm, very infectious indeed (and that's a great thing!) :)
ReplyDeleteShe's a peach!
DeleteYes, Loree's enthusiasm for dangerous and strange and interesting plants has infected me too. I have the same recent growth of new pads on the Opuntia that she sent me in the mail last year. It's so heartening to see, especially since you basically ignored them. Maybe we'll both have cactus flowers this summer, wouldn't that be awesome?
ReplyDeleteI have a bunch of baby Solanum atropurpureum, which are similar to quitoense, except they have even more spines. Do you want some for your garden dangerette? Once a year Nan Ondra shares seeds from her garden, and I scored these seeds from her a couple of years ago. Lots of them have sprouted and they're doing well, but I have more than I can use.
Ah cactus flowers, maybe some day.
DeleteSolanum atropurpureum looks dangerous with that shiny purple foliage and big spines, thorns, priclkers or whatever they are all over the place. I had one a few years ago that lived through an especially mild winter and became a monster. It grew a little bit behind where my Danger gardenette is now. Neighborhood children went missing that summer and were often found stuck in Solanum atropurpureum. Good times. Sure, if you have extras I'd be delighted to have one. Thanks!
My heart is swelling with happiness to see your journey to the dangerous side of things is turning out to be so rewarding. Your grouping looks fabulous, the plants really shine when a harmonious container material/color is used throughout.
ReplyDeleteI have a "Peter pot" (that sounds strange eh?) with the Opuntia (Santa Rita?) pad backing the Aloe haworthioides, both of which you gave me last summer. Love the combo and it makes me think of you every time I see it (as does the Ginkgo which is looking fabulous this year!)
I'm now thinking that vibrant (like Little and Lewis) blue or fire engine red pots might be more interesting but I'll stay with the terra cotta/natural clay colors that I've got. The grouping still needs some work but it'll get there.
DeleteAin't it grand to have reminders of other plant people in our gardens?
Your danger gardenette looks FABULOUS. A perfect, spiky vignette.
ReplyDeleteThank you Heather! I wish that the background didn't fight so much with it (visually that is, the plants are perfectly nice to each other.)
DeleteThat's serious danger progress! You already passed Shirley's collection (her husband might sigh relief), and well on your way to Loree. But you have a long way to top Panayoti Keleidis in Denver...
ReplyDeleteWhile many of my cacti long past blooming and making seed, my potted Opuntia ellisiana is not nearly as happy as your's...no new pads, flowers, or anything. And now that June is here, it's just dry heat torture building. Your's is so lush...good job!
I've no intention of approaching the magnitude of either Loree or Panayoti. My garden is too full already and there are potted lovelies of all sorts waiting in the wings to find space.
DeleteWe don't get much heat here which I thought might be a problem for heat lovers like agaves and cacti. They seem to grow anyway, bless their hearts!
Your collection looks great, wishing all the best in finding places for them. I am fascinated by the new growth as well and often stumped as to whether it is a flower or new pad.
ReplyDelete"It's interesting how the generosity and enthusiasm of one gardener can influence another to find joy in a previously dismissed group of plants."
Seeing the enthusiasm of Loree has given me a new view of dangerous plants that I had learned to avoid very early on.
Hmmm, David may not have seen all my plants!
In looking back at pictures of my garden in years past, I notice that I did have a agave once. It was during my period of "If you want to live in my garden, you have to take whatever conditions are naturally present" attitude. Surprisingly, it didn't last. Go figure. I've always loved succulents but cacti and agaves really didn't really thrill me until recently.
DeleteIt's always good to keep some plants hidden so that they'll be surprises for future visits. One wouldn't want to be caught with her plants down!
Your waiting was rewarded! Lovely cactus. I like them, but they're too dangerous to me.. Happy gardening, Peter!
ReplyDeleteThanks Satu! Sounds like you're enjoying some sunny and warm days of gardening!
DeleteLoree does have that effect on people, doesn't she? Perhaps, years from now, she will be referred to much as we do Miss Wilmott today. I would say her influence has been good for you.
ReplyDelete