12/05/2007

I fixed it.

I exchanged the barrel and the blue rectangular planter. So much better. I'm just going to put that temporary insanity behind me now.

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But unfortunately, my nursery is out of pea gravel and has been for some time. That's what I use to 'mortar' the cobbles. Bummer. I guess I'll have to find another source or wait it out.

What else is going on?

Clematis buds are swelling.

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Echium wildprettii is rising. It seems to stretch up an inch taller every day. One day someone will make a time lapse of it's bloom and we'll enjoy embedding that in our blogs.

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I want to give a shout out to this unnamed pink salvia. I bought it as a temporary replacement for the dead Mandevilla, but it's starting to get some shape and it sends out flowers after every pruning. A real trooper.

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And speaking of bloom, the Hardenbergia is putting on her show. I'll have to get an in-focus picture for Bloom Day.

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These little huckleberry seedlings are so sweet turning fall colors while still in the seed tray.

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And we bought two rain barrels--on Amazon, of all places, from a company in Austin, TX. How irritated was I when I couldn't find anywhere to buy them in San Francisco? Very.

They arrived today, and we'll set them up next week.

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11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pam @ Digging says:

I'm surprised you couldn't find a local source for rain barrels. Doesn't San Francisco have long dry periods?

Here in Austin, the city actively promotes rain-barrel use and sells big ones to City of Austin customers for only $65. I have two in my garden. But what I'd really love to have is a big cistern.

chuck b. said...

I was shocked. Maybe because people have such small yards in the City, and so few people garden anyway, having a rain barrel doesn't seem like a worthwhile investment or something. Whatever the reason, I'm very disappointed.

Anonymous said...

your writing and garden are always interesting. I am especially curious about the wire/wood deck railings. Did you make those or were they there when you started living there? At the bottom of the steps, how are those little balls attached to the wires? Thanks for any info.
Frances

chuck b. said...

We had the deck built after we moved in. The cable railing was our architect's idea, and we've been very happy with it.

Installion is not for beginners, and there are a few places where the subcontractor screwed up, but fortunately none of them really draw the eye.


I have one or two pictures from the deck construction that may be enlightening. Try opening this link in a new browser, http://www.flickr.com/photos/82479320@N00/3547702/.

Or click into my Flickr account by double clicking on any picture in my blog. In the Flickr search field type "deck", and use the drop down menu to select "chuck b.'s photos".

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised that CA does not have a rain barrel company there.

We bought ours from www.aquabarrel.com and love them

chuck b. said...

There must be one somewhere in CA. And it's not like the engineering is so sophisticated you couldn't make your own. But I called two places in town I thought would be good bets, and they said no. So, Amazon. Thanks for the link to aquabarrel.com

Frances, said...

Thanks for the link info to your deck photos. I was able to save them to my photo files to show a contractor what I want. The clear view through the wires is wonderful. I suppose your building codes allow for the use of wire so high up. That is about how high our deck is also. I want to be able to see the garden through the railing from inside. Your pictures really let one feel like they are on tours of your garden and others.

JvA said...

You can get pea gravel on Amazon.

Anonymous said...

Could your unnamed pink salvia be a coccinia?

Beautiful photos, beautiful garden.

Anonymous said...

Hey there Chuckb!
Love those overhead shots of your garden... they remind me of one of Roberto Burle Marx's gardens I am mad about.
I think your salvia might be S.'Coral Nymph' - I recenlty used it in a clients garden and it is very similar to the one in your photo.

lisa said...

Congrats on your rain barrels! I've considered them myself, but I'm not sure how they'd fare through winter and all.