This is where the plants from Annie's Annuals went

As May is drawing to a close and daytime temperatures are climbing into the upper 80s, the planting window is about to close for summer. As it is, putting new plants in the ground now is pushing things. But can you do when you have a tray of new acquisitions (a.k.a. the plants I bought at Annie's Annuals & Perennials last Saturday) to find a home for?

Here is what I did with them:

The purple-flowering Geranium maderense went in the backyard. This is the spot that used to be occupied by Borinda papyrifera, a bamboo I removed in June 2014. The small potted tree is the cut leaf emperor oak (Quercus dentata 'Pinnatifida') I brought back from Portland last summer. It has put on quite a bit of growth even though it's generally a slow grower. The agave on the right is Agave montana, the one on the left Agave victoria-reginae.

Geranium maderense

The 2nd Penstemon palmeri I bought on Saturday went in the desert bed to the right of the 'Sonoran Emerald' palo verde (behind Aloe 'Erik the Red')

The original Penstemon palmeri (bought in February 2014 at Annie's) is to the left of the same 'Sonoran Emerald' palo verde. It put on quite a show this spring and is pushing a 2nd wave of flowers (much smaller, though). To the left is Agave ovatifolia.

Asphodeline lutea went in the planting strip outside the front yard fence between Aloe excelsa and Grevillea plurijuga ssp. superba

Glaucium grandiflorum, so small it's hard to see, is now behind ×Mangave 'Macho Mocha' outside the front yard fence

Glaucium grandiflorum. It's reputed to be a fast grower, not that you can tell at this point. This was the largest plant I could find at Annie's.

The red-flowering Channel Island buckwheat (Eriogonum grande var. rubescens) went in the planting strip inside the front yard fence. This spot here looks quite bare at the moment, but I have high hopes for Athanasia pinnata (left) and Caesalpinia pulcherrima (behind the light). Both should have filled out by the end of the summer.

The vegetables went in these two vegetable beds in the backyard, together with some fennel my mother-in-law shared as well as sweet hot peppers and basil I'd bought elsewhere

Not all the plants I bought at Annie's went in the ground. Mimetes cucullatus, Leucadendron sessile, Aeonium glandulosum, Echeveria diffractens, and Euphorbia bravoana are in pots for the time being. I want them to put on some size before deciding where they'll go. I won't make any decisions until the planting window reopens in October.

While not related to my recent plant purchases at Annie's Annuals, here are some recent odds and ends from around the garden.

This slipper plant (Pedilanthus bracteatus) came to me from Rancho Reubidoux via my friend Luisa of Crow and Raven. I planted it behind the 'Sonoran Emerald' palo verde where it has room to spread.

Rebutia krainziana is a small cactus I bought in 2012. Despite my best efforts to neglect it, it has survived.

The water meter cover you see in the photo above and below was covered by dirt and rocks until last Sunday. My wife and mother-in-law dug it out and built a frame of composite lumber to keep it accessible.

The only thing I contributed is the potted Agave americana 'Lemon Lime'. Hopefully it'll become fierce as it grows and keep nosy folks out.