Update: My new favorite front yard in the neighborhood

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Last November I blogged about a front yard near our house that really spoke to me. At the time, the highlight for me were four variegated leucadendrons (Leucadendron salignum × laureolum ‘Jester’, also sold as ‘Safari Sunshine’). This variety is hard to find, and I had a bad case of plant envy when I saw the four specimens in this yard. (In the meantime, I found one at Ruth Bancroft Garden’s spring plant sale so all is well.)

Yesterday I decided to walk over and see how much the plants have grown. It was in the middle of the day, with the sun beating down mercilessly, so the photos in this post are a quite contrasty. But if you compare these pictures with the previous post, you’ll see that the progress has been nothing short of amazing.

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November 25, 2012

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June 27, 2013

The Russian sage in the center and the kangaroo paws in the bottom right have positively exploded. You can’t see even the two leucadendrons anymore!

Let’s look at a few more photos:

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I really liked this planting scheme back in November, and I’m glad to say that it held up well for me. I’d make a few tweaks if this were my property—like remove some of the shrubs you see in the last photo and definitely repaint the house to get rid of the splotchy look—but other than that, I could be quite happy here!

Comments

  1. AlanJune 28, 2013 at 2:03 PM

    Is that nepeta next to the driveway? If so, why does everything grow so upright in CA?

    Also, I dare you to move in here and only "make a few tweaks". There's not a cactus, bamboo, or cycad in sight! You'd be happy? Right. ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)June 28, 2013 at 2:10 PM

      Yes, it's a catmint (Nepeta x faassenii 'Six Hills Giant' from the looks of it), done with its first flush of flowers. I cut mine back and it flowers again in the fall.

      I assume your catmint is less upright? It might be our dry climate.

      Your comment about me making only a few tweaks made me laugh. I have no idea what's in the backyard but there's always room for bamboo and succulents somewhere :-).

      Delete
  2. Mark and GazJune 28, 2013 at 11:09 PM

    Those plants have positively flourished and filled up so nicely now!

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  3. Candice Suter.....SweetstuffJuly 5, 2013 at 7:22 AM

    What a beautiful home and garden. They did a wonderful job.

    ReplyDelete

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