Grevillea

The tree had to come down. It never should have been planted where it was. Previous homeowners put this narrow attractively shaped tree in a corner to provide some shade and interest. Hummingbirds even built a nest in it last year. However, for five years, I cleaned up after this loquat tree that was planted just outside our back door. I spent 3/4 of the year picking up after this messy tree. Narrow leathery leaves, nearly a foot long, were shed most of the year. I don't know how long it took the leaves to decompose, as I didn't put them in my compost heap, but threw them in the garden waste barrel to be picked up weekly. Then, the inedible berries cascaded and bounced off every hard surface, creating a real mess when stepped on. Perfect example of the wrong plant in the wrong place.

Nothing like a blank slate to rattle my brain. Hours were spent pouring over garden books and online garden sites. I now had a corner to fill with something and no real idea of what to put there.
There was a nebulous image floating in my mind of "the look" I wanted: something open and airy that would ultimately be about 10 feet tall, would add color and interest and not be messy. It also had to do well in a large pot. I'd had the loquat flush-cut and didn't want to dig any large holes, since there was a drainage pipe, wiring for the garden lights, and irrigation lines under the surface. The plan was to use the same crushed multi-colored gravel in this space as I'd used on the walkway in the front of the house. I loved the different colors and textures of the stone, and thought bringing the same element to the back yard was a real design winner! Believe me, I am far from being a landscape designer, as it takes me hours to come up with a plan for even the tiniest space.

I called the stone place and was able to purchase several sacks of the gravel, which I had loaded into the back of my car. So excited, I didn't stop to really think about how I was going to lug the sacks (about 70 lbs each) from my car to the back yard. My garden cart was buried under stacks of stuff in the garage. Besides, I have 8 steps that go down to the back yard on the side of the house, so the cart is not really all that manueverable. It worked great in my huge garden in Connecticut, but is a real pain to use here! Faced with making many trips back and forth, I put on my gloves and proceeded to fill a coffee can with stone and pour the contents into a 1 gallon plastic plant container until it was full. Don't ask how many trips it took to fill a 4x5 foot space with gravel, about 4-6 inches thick. I was exhausted! And even when I look at the area, I can't believe it took that much gravel to fill the space.

Armed with photos, measurements, and a book on grasses, I drove to a large garden center nearby (Plant Deport in San Juan Capistrano). Whenever I am stumped, or need ideas, I go to this nursery. The selection of everything garden-related is huge. Pottery, tools, soil, amendments, annuals, perennials, succulents, herbs, everything is right here. I knew if I just walked around long enough, I would find that special something. I considered the grasses. Walked around the trees and vines. Up and down the aisles, waiting to see what would pop up into my consciousness. Turned a corner, and THERE IT WAS! There were only two of these at the end of one of the aisles. I had no idea what this plant was, but it was perfect. One of the pots had a half-torn label on it, but there was enough of the name to go on: Grevillea Long John. Excitedly, I walked to the little shed where the reference books are kept, and found many pages about this plant. It seemed that this would be IT. I got some help loading it into my car, and got it home with very little damage. Hubby helped me plant it in the pot that I'd already prepared with cactus soil (it's quick draining).

What struck me most about the Grevillea Long John is its open habit, almost like a pine tree with these curly magenta pink sticky flowers that hummingbirds crave. Most of the plants in my garden were put there for the specific reason of providing food or shelter for the various wild creatures in the area. Grevilleas are a huge group of woody shrubs and low ground covers, native to Australia. All have these tubular flower clusters and antenna-like pistils that will sometimes bloom year-round. It makes a great specimen plant, background shrub, and can be pruned to make a formal hedge. They don't like fertilizer, and after deeply watering weekly for the first year, they need only monthly watering until the rainy season. Pruning the branch tips promotes flowering and it's rarely bothered by pests.

The newest small garden/focal point in my yard is now complete. I wanted something that reminded me of the desert, hence the gravel in the muted desert colors. Providing some counterpoint to the "dry look" is a small mosaic slate fountain that was on the sale shelf at my local hardware store -- talk about a serendipitous find! To finish the area, I added some grasses for softness and movement, and a few small succulents for added texture. The garden came out even better than I had envisioned, and it will be delightful to watch it grow. By the way, the hummingbirds discovered the garden within a week, and I love to sit on the steps, listen to the fountain, and watch as one comes to gather the nectar. Often, one will hover just a couple of feet from me, staring at me for several seconds. I get the feeling I'm being thanked for providing this sustenance, and I also feel very blessed to be visited by my "wild pets"!