Repotting Bay Topiary with Root Pruning

 The multi-tiered topiary in the middle of this photo is a Bay Leaf tree that I've been training for maybe 10 years now.  It is currently potted in a large Airpot which makes pruning its roots easy.  

Hollywood Juniper Hedge

Along with Pittosporum 'Golf Ball', Sesleria autumnalis, Achillea millefolium 'Paprika' and the Calla Lily.

10 Grey Plants for San Francisco Herbaceous Borders

How can I bring supportive light into my borders, containers and vignettes? Bright white, silver and grey foliage will support any color scheme by reflexing the ambient color of your vignette back to your eye. So what are some good plants for San Francisco?

1) Centaurea gymnocarpa 'Velvet Centaurea' - shrub, with Ricinus communis 'New Zealand Purple'
2) Ballota pseudodictamnus (False Dittany)
3) Onopordum acanthium - Need a character, a real prima donna. Likes to reseed.
4) Stachys byzantina - ground cove
5) Verbascum bombyciferum 'Arctic Summer' - specimen reseeder
6) Artemisia - shrub
7) Dudleya - Succulent for rock wall
8) Cerastium tomentosum - ground cove
9) Dymondia margaretae - tight low ground cover
10) Lychnis white flowered variety- annual (Playing a true supporting role to the Wisteria, Rosa and Iris. Mid-lower right.)

Arts & Crafts Front Entry Garden - One Year Maintenance Visit

One year after planting, today I detailed this garden: staking, weeding, shearing and deadheading. This is my first garden design to incorporate those plants and ideas from my trip to England in 2012. This small front bed was a blank slate. The building's Arts & Crafts style is the theme for this planting.

Bonsai Maple Pruning Technique

Last weekend saw the annual ritual of root pruning my bonsai. I've been growing this large maple for more than 10 years now. I found it in an indoor nursery on Polk street. Five years ago I started cultivating this tree on a slab of red Arizona sandstone.



This is the from the rock's prespective. I remove the entire section of last year's root growth, about half an inch layer from the bottom.

The pruning of the limbs is primarily nipping every branch back to only two healthy buds. Some major branches up to the diameter of a pencil were removed to stunt growth or to open to growth below.

Garden Structures - Gates

Next up is garden gates, those structures that limit access and make areas more enticing. The solid oak gate is traditional in England. Old oak weathers well.

Lichen covered Oak at the vegetable garden of RHS Rosemoor.



Numerous gates at the extensive gardens of East Ruston Old Vicarage.

Color Scheme

Here a few of my color schemes for 2013. Most are inspirations from the many plantings I saw in England.

Rosa 'Burgundy Iceburb' with oregano.

Hedges

Before this trip to England in 2012, I didn't have much to say about hedges other than banality. There are a few things I retained from this experience and to have fun with hedges is one of those ideas. The gardens at Hidcote pushed my edge. In the top photo we see two different plants hedge into a single plane. I think those are Yews with a Boxwood silhouette.

Astonishing. (If you haven't noticed, this trip has also made me learn more superlatives.)

 


One comprised of deciduous Copper Beech and evergreen Holly.

Bonsai Root Pruning

Pruning the roots of this Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) specimen.

First tease out the roots with a hook and trim as you go with sharp scissors.