Six on Saturday: Nature Takes a Hand

This week’s Six on Saturday is mostly about Nature taking a hand in the very new garden.

The weather has been delightful as October brings cool nights and the daytime temperatures have dropped into the eighties. The monsoon rains are over. After the unusually heavy rainfalls of July and August and even September, the plants, ground, and air are all drying out. But this is to be expected.

I’ve left the already established plants to their own devices. I notice some are turning brown and red in response. The ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) is one such, and I expect it to drop its leaves as the season wears on. This is a plant that is naturally deciduous much of the year in its native habitat.

And this is indeed its native habitat. I see it growing wild on the hillsides, along with saguaros, acacias, and mesquite. I’m looking forward to the brilliant red bloom next spring, which should be a good showing after all the rain this summer.

Some of the aloes in the yard are also turning, though others are still green depending on where they’re growing. Most of the agaves are still unfazed. This stand of aloes may get a soaking soon to make them happier.

As you can see, there is a lot of clean-up needed! I don’t think these plants have been tended in years. This will be an easier task with the cooling temperatures.

Next of my six things to notice this Saturday is the reemergence of a bit of bloom on Salvia farinacea. I deadheaded these rather thoroughly a few weeks ago, and they are now coming back with some flowers. Not much yet, but enough for some butterfly activity. So, Salvia blooms…

…and butterflies.

Fourthly, I am happy to announce that my agapanthus acquisition is settling in nicely. This is the dwarf variety “Peter Pan”. It receives a little shelter from the kumquat tree, but so far it doesn’t seem to need it.

I tried agapanthus once in my low desert garden, and I felt then that the climate was just a little too harsh for it. (Translate this: reader, it died.) It seemed like a near-miss, though, so I’m definitely giving it a chance here. Planted now it has plenty of time to establish before the really difficult weather arrives next May or so.

Of course, there is a rose bush for number five.

I am hoping this bud will open in time for In a Vase on Monday, but I’m none too sure. The bush is full of buds after I cut it back hard for planting. I should remove them, I know, to let the whole plant establish better. I don’t have very good will power when it comes to disbudding roses.

Lastly, the great discovery of the week! Yesterday I found a bright spot of orange near the fence. Looking closer, I was thrilled to find it was a flower on a wiry plant of Sphaeralcea ambigua, the globemallow. This is a volunteer that has sprung up, presumably thanks in part to the extra rain.

I was planning to plant some globemallow, but here it has already arrived unasked. It’s a quintessentially desert perennial with its furry gray leaves and bright orange blooms. It sometimes occurs naturally in other colors, and thanks to careful selection it can be purchased in a range of pink to purple hues.

I’d been seeing some rosettes of gray, scalloped leaves here and there, and I thought they looked rather like Sphaeralcea foliage. So now I need to go around and take a second look as it’s possible I have multiple plants, not just this one.

Am I pleased? I am indeed!

Happy weekend!

Dasylirion wheeleri