tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66163311640761796272024-03-13T03:26:26.495-07:00Xeriscape NinjasTransforming the yard. One cactus at a time.Leen Isabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350224428023968781noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-58005564052511119342013-06-08T16:33:00.000-07:002013-06-08T18:47:18.860-07:00Don't fall for this gimmick!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This time of year, Home Depot can reveal some succulent and cactus treasures and other times, they'll shock you with horrible gimmicks like these below.</div>
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Behold The Kosmik cactus! A.K.A. Cacti that have been <b>spray painted or dyed neon colors</b> to fool the unsuspecting buyer! What a load of crap! I feel so bad for these little guys!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KXgGAGU1pYg/UbO3oPg3-VI/AAAAAAAAFNc/jCNWhjPsWzw/s1600/20130608_141658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KXgGAGU1pYg/UbO3oPg3-VI/AAAAAAAAFNc/jCNWhjPsWzw/s400/20130608_141658.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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These "Kosmik" colors include like neon pink, aqua, neon yelow and electric blue. If you see these in person, look closely at the spines, you'll see the <b>color has adhered to the white spines and has also saturated the green skin beneath</b>. The tag even mentions that <i>"new spines emerge as a glistening white or gleaming yellow"</i> which clearly tells you that this color was merely spray painted on top.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zHo1ueVjlC0/UbO3oU_uGwI/AAAAAAAAFNg/sCUZzTzG1ag/s1600/20130608_141705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zHo1ueVjlC0/UbO3oU_uGwI/AAAAAAAAFNg/sCUZzTzG1ag/s400/20130608_141705.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's horrible to think that they sprayed these little guys with chemicals. In this photo, it looks like some people bought them and check out the little balls of color left behind. It gives you an idea of how unnatural this collection is. Don't buy them and don't encourage this trick! So, what does a normal "thimble cactus" actually look like?<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qEz7fe4lHjI/UbO8Dn0VmDI/AAAAAAAAFN0/KbYlbB7oM3M/s1600/cactus37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qEz7fe4lHjI/UbO8Dn0VmDI/AAAAAAAAFN0/KbYlbB7oM3M/s1600/cactus37.jpg" /></a></div>
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Like this. <span style="text-align: left;">WHITE spines and if you treat them nice, they'll even have darling, little delicate flowers! While cactus are definitely exotic looking plants, these neon colors just don't exist in real life.</span></div>
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And while I'm on the subject, Home Depot is also known to sell cacti with glued on flowers. It looks like this:</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3asA2R5EG-I/UbO8v_afdqI/AAAAAAAAFN8/EPMDtC0o7Xo/s1600/msg091434297357.0916411630738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3asA2R5EG-I/UbO8v_afdqI/AAAAAAAAFN8/EPMDtC0o7Xo/s400/msg091434297357.0916411630738.jpg" width="367" /></a></div>
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The colors on the flower seem about right seem right. It even looks like what a cactus flower would do. At first, if you're not knowledgeable about cacti, you might think it's real (and hey, I've bought some before!) But on closer inspection. It's just a dyed, dry flower that has been HOT GLUED to the plant! After a while, the cactus will grow and the flower will fall off leaving you with an ugly glob of hard glue stuck between the spines. It will be unsightly and impossible to remove. Your poor plant will live with this glob for years. :(</div>
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What do cacti flowers ACTUALLY look like?<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x1m6gJ-8_kU/UbO-nEzHBqI/AAAAAAAAFOM/qiyk6tdJFKw/s1600/pink-cactus-flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x1m6gJ-8_kU/UbO-nEzHBqI/AAAAAAAAFOM/qiyk6tdJFKw/s400/pink-cactus-flower.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cactus flowers emerge from a tubular stem that can be either green or the color of the petals. The flower itself can come in variety of shades and usually has a VERY silky feel to the touch. (Not dry and brittle like the fake flowers.) </div>
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So, if you see a flower at Home Depot on your cactus, look carefully at the base. You can usually see the glue!</div>
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Don't pay extra for a gimmick. Don't encourage this foul business trick!<br />
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<br />Leen Isabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350224428023968781noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-78321841169037529072013-03-16T00:42:00.001-07:002013-03-16T18:56:30.139-07:00Things are starting to grow again!It's always exciting to see new growth coming onto your plants. :) I've been working so hard on the hardscaping that I haven't had much time to update or put any special care into any particular plant. But now that the yard is mostly done, I can refocus on cultivation.<br />
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This baby agave americana variegated kept a red edge on it's leaves. Unusual, and very nice.<br />
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This is my Shohin Bonsai bench. Mostly traditional bonsai material with the exception of the fockea edulis. Two of my rooted cuttings are doing well also. One was a crepe myrtle from the tree in the front yard. The other is a boxwood cutting. Everything is super green.<br />
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Our E.G. Waterhouse camelia has petite bright pink flowers.<br />
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These are flowers from our Coral Bells Kurume azalea shrub. The shrub is still a baby at barely over a foot tall. It's a toughie but still alive! :)<br />
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This is a flower from our Goldmine nectarine tree. The flowers are very similar to cherry blossoms, peach, and purple leaf plum. It'll be tricky to compete with the animals for some fruit. Last year we lost.<br />
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My first Japanese Black Pine. New candles are coming up. I will work on energy balancing on this guy soon. April is feeding time.<br />
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This is my third Japanese Black Pine. I bought it specifically to grow and train as bonsai. It was originally about 5 feet tall. I chopped it to about 20". It's got some movement going on in there. I like it.<br />
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Squirrel 1 - Me 0. Now we know who's taking one bite out of every avocado and running off. He isn't scared of us at all. I think he might have eaten the few we had last year nectarines too. I think he's threatening me with his stiff tail.<br />
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This wisteria was a bonsai inherited by me from my Dad's original collection. A family friend adopted it when my Dad was no longer able to take care of his plants. I didn't have the space to take any plants at that time. It turned out that the family friend was too busy to take care of it also. That was when I adopted it. When I first received it, it was just a bunch of tangled up vines that were about 5 feet long. I didn't do much. Just a little trimming and fertilizer brought this tree a long ways. It's had a tough past but hopefully it'll be on it's way to recovery now. Wisteria has a very strong and pleasant fragrance. I really love this tree it was moved very close to the house so that we could enjoy it more.<br />
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Here we are enjoying a wonderful weathered Saturday afternoon after a good lunch at Porto's. :D<br />
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Our Howard McMinn Manzanita is flowering tiny white flowers. :) Yay!<br />
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At 6" off the ground, they seem a little low for humming birds, but who knows!<br />
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<br />Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-37405501091614052172012-11-26T14:11:00.002-08:002012-11-26T14:17:33.468-08:00Patio foundation with pea gravel and decomposed granite Brick Patio Foundation project: <br />
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Instead of resting like my cat, I worked on my patio's sub base.<br />
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I removed about 6" of soil where the patio is going to be. Used that soil to build berms for my two cactus/succulent islands. A garden hoe is a must to spread the decomposed granite around. This is the first rough estimate layer.</div>
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Then landscape fabric, a couple inches of pea gravel, and a couple of inches of decomposed granite. I used 1" pvc pipes and a 2x4 to screed the DG. There is a slight slope away from the house. I dropped the level 1" every 8 ft. The longest part of the patio goes 16 feet back adjacent to the north wall.</div>
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My plan is to use a herring bone pattern with the bricks with the arrow shapes pointed towards the south east corner of the yard. That will draw the eye towards that corner of the yard. I use a low end Gorilla dump cart that has "no flat" tires. I think that is much easier than pushing a wheelbarrow around because you don't have to lift the weight nor balance the load as much. The brick patio will be nicely shaded during the summer when the sun angle is more overhead.<br />
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I watered the sub base and tamped it down. It's a great feeling to see the patio coming so close to done.<br />
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I use drip irrigation, and will leave the lines above the patio for easy maintenance. I plan to use only solar lights, and if I need a power outlet back here, I'll just use an extension cord so no need for under patio electricity or irrigation. I'll save myself future headaches by keeping it simple there.<br />
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For long portions of the patio, I duct taped two sections of pipe together. You can see the wooden stakes I used to calculate and mark the slope away from the house here. It feels so good to see a flat surface after so much hard labor work. :)<br />
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Here is a photo of the 2x4 lumber I used to screed the DG to make it the proper level. I can hardly wait to get the bricks laid.<br />
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<br />Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-91716796280868280172012-11-12T12:53:00.003-08:002013-03-16T01:01:17.370-07:00Best sand box ever! :)We finally did it! These photos were taken at the crack of noon. My wife and I moved 15 tons of 3/8" pea gravel from our driveway into the backyard and it looks amazing. I was so excited to see it today for the first time in day light that I didn't even bother to run around to trim off excess pieces of landscape fabric around some edges or tidy up the mounds of extra gravel before photographing. What can I say. I'm a gardener, not a perfectionist. I'll let the photos do the rest of the talking.<br />
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My desert roses have been in bloom since early June, and they're still going.<br />
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Here's what it looked like before the metamorphosis.<br />
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<br />Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-41061425781312754632012-11-05T14:19:00.001-08:002012-11-05T14:38:05.898-08:00Backyard building materialsMaterials cost<br />
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This is what our back yard currently looks like.<br />
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A couple of years ago, I had a slightly different plan for the yard. I asked a landscape designer and builder for an estimate of how much it would cost to execute. He said he would charge me $30,000 to do it all. Needless to say, that was not an option.<br />
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Our yard is approximately 50' x 50'. The perimeter has already been planted and mulched. I asked for enough gravel to cover 40' x 40' area with 2" of gravel. I bought everything at National Building Supply in Sylmar, CA. <br />
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3/8" pea gravel - 15 tons x $21 = $315<br />
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Decomposed granite - 8 scoops x $15 = $120<br />
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LB 3 Rivers Rock - 1,700 lbs (1 pallet) x $0.18 = $306<br />
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Delivery $75<br />
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Terra cotta brown charcoal bricks $1.30 per sq. ft. (normally $1.90) x 400 sq. ft. = $520<br />
2nd Delivery $45. Not the red ones, the neutral ones. I just put them next to common red bricks for comparison.<br />
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<b>Grand Total $1,381</b><br />
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The only thing I need in addition is a few 1" pvc pipes, and an edging to hammer down around the outside perimeter. Oh yeah, and it will also cost me blood, sweat, and pain; the labor of love.Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-84455474677903797462012-08-26T00:38:00.000-07:002013-03-16T01:00:34.947-07:00V&N Nursery in Venice, CA reviewI went to V&N Nursery in Venice, CA recently. The staff is friendly and helpful. The grounds are clean and organized. This is definitely a nursery for succulent gardeners and collectors. Nothing is tagged with a price or plant ID so you have to ask how much everything costs. Their prices are pretty fair. I would still stand behind the "if you can buy a plant at Home Depot, then do it" rule because they usually have the lowest prices and the plants are guaranteed for a year. Their webpage is not helpful at all other than to get their address. The nice thing here is that it's usually very cool weather here since it's very near to the beach. San Diego has some awesome succulent gardens but boy are they scorching especially in the summer.<br />
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This is an interesting vertical succulent frame display they made. <br />
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They have a few decent succulent arrangements on display.<br />
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They sell some decorative gravel and rocks for potting arrangements and terrariums.<br />
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Succulents are good for relieving itching.<br />
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Everyone needs a giant dinosaur in their garden.<br />
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They carry several landscape sized plants including these large golden barrels that grow super slow.<br />
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The quality that makes this nursery stand out is the fact that they have some nice landscape sized plants for decent prices. I mean plants that are probably not going to randomly show up at the Home Depot. These include a Aloe barbarae, Aloe marlothii, Aloe ramosissima, and Yucca rostrata. There are probably several more. They also have Totem Pole cactus but that seems to be expensive everywhere unless you buy a tiny piece. There are no discounted bargain bin plants here. Overall, this is a pretty good nursery for succulents in the L.A. area that I've been to with a decent selection and prices.Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-52697515400796548402012-08-20T02:22:00.001-07:002012-09-04T15:07:51.236-07:00Backyard desert garden design concept and Turf Removal Program!Summer in the Valley has been reaching temperatures near and over 100 degrees easily for several weeks in a row.<br />
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I haven't blogged for a while because I'm a one man army weeding, pruning our crazy fast growing creeping fig. I had two Bonsai teachers tell me that bonsai can take full sun no problem but they are wrong. Not in my yard. My backyard gets FULL sun, and like most normal people, I'm not around to water my trees three times a day. All of the nurseries I visited are covered around the borders with tall shade trees. Most of the plants are under 50% shade cloth or planted in the ground.<br />
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In FULL sun? Bonsais burn like vampires in the sunlight. My shimpaku juniper has been watered every day and the tips are super brown from burning. The fig bonsai trunks are like burnt toast. Even some of the cacti are getting a little yellow on top. I recently got into collecting some aloes and so far none of them can take full sun. I had to move things around so that they wouldn't burn.<br />
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Southern California has a <span style="color: red; font-size: small;"><b>turf removal program</b></span> where the city will pay you $1 or more per square foot of turf removal to save water. Info and application is here:<br />
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<a href="http://www.socalwatersmart.com/qualifyingproducts/turfremoval">http://www.socalwatersmart.com/qualifyingproducts/turfremoval </a><br />
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This is important because you can get up to <b><span style="color: red;">$3,000</span></b> worth of rebate for removing your turf! <br />
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So here were my plans so far for the backyard desert garden design. Funny how my first idea was to build a Japanese garden.<br />
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Ignore the random looking plant list. That will change all over the place since building this design will take me a long period of time. There are five main areas. The left side is our north wall, the top is our east wall. I'm using Japanese garden aesthetics and keeping the design as simple as possible.<br />
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1 - There are three planting islands that I plan to top with decomposed granite. Four scoops of it altogether should cover both large islands for a total of about $200 for materials. Those areas are colored yellow above.<br />
2 - The terracotta colored area will be acid stained concrete slab.<br />
3 - The gray area will have a simple pergola with a flat corrugated polycarbonate 50% gray roof to protect some bonsai and more fragile succulents<br />
4 - The <strong>blue</strong> area represents decorative gravel approximately 35' x 35'. probably 3/8" sized in a cool neutral to represent water, 2" deep, which is 7 tons of material. For crushed sm. pea gravel, the cost is $540 from a local supplier including delivery.<br />
5 - The <strong>dark brown</strong> area represents a border that will be mulched and planted with traditional landscape plants and trees; juniper, pine, bougainvillea, camelia shrubs, and the likes.<br />
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Here's what our yard currently looks like. It's a mix between Japanese and desert garden. I would say 25% Japanese, and 75% desert garden.<br />
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To the north east corner is our mature avocado tree. The rest of the yard is in FULL sun. You can't see it but I have a tiny silk floss tree in the middle towards the east wall. Close to the south wall is a beautiful palo verde.<br />
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This is a close-up of the Palo Verde flower. This tree can take the heat like no other. Super nice! :) I bought one for the front yard and one for the backyard.<br />
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We chose the sample on the top left. Looks pretty dull and boring dry, but nice when it's wet. Our second choice which is also really nice is the top right sample that looks like yellow corn kernels. The reason for the cool grey color is that it's a bit darker so it will reflect less sunlight into our house, and it will be a nice contrast to the yellow planting islands that will be covered in decomposed granite which is pretty yellow. Either way, they both would look great.<br />
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Wet gravel looks more saturated in colors. The cool grey one has a more subdued beauty that you would have to get close to appreciate. It's nice to use these kinds of materials to "invite" people to come out and take their time to enjoy the details.<br />
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I'm not exactly sure what I'm planting specifically, but I am gathering some nice material. Some of it has been donated by good friends I made along the way of this xeriscaping journey. This is a sneak peak of what I got so far.<br />
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Nothing crazy or rare; just a nice big piece of apple cactus and common jade. I'm a firm believer in growing what you have success with. People often plant jade as a low maintenance shrub and neglect it. It's no wonder it turns into an ugly plant that grew randomly. There are several kinds of jade that are very nice such as sunset jade, and Portulacaria afra (small leaf jade or elephant bush). They make excellent succulent bonsai subjects. Why not put use them in a landscape and train them like Niwaki? Niwaki are basically like Bonsai, but planted in the ground instead of in a pot. Unlike the front yard project, I think the backyard will take me several years to complete.<i></i><br />
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<br />Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-40244163649163594952012-05-27T23:25:00.001-07:002013-03-16T00:59:21.451-07:00Theodore Payne Foundation nurseryWe went to the Theodore Payne Foundation on Saturday and it was very nice. Theodore Payne was an English horticulturist from London who fell in love with California natives around the mid 1890's and dedicated his life to preserving them. His nursery started out in Downtown Los Angeles and moved around several times before its current location in Sun Valley. The staff was very helpful to answer questions and show me where to find plants. They even offered me a planting guide and asked me where I live and how I plan to use the plants. The nursery was very clean and organized. The plants were separated by plant communities such as riparian (streamside) or desert, and very well labelled which makes life a lot easier. There was a nice little clearance section with a couple of gems left.<br />
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A couple of years ago I fell in love with the Japanese dry garden and really wanted to build one in our backyard. However with the Southern California heat, the water bill would be ridiculous. My plan B for the backyard was creating a garden with California natives mixed with my collection of succulents, cacti, and other desert plant material. Our backyard is still in the very beginning stages of development so I bought a few California natives to begin building a foundation to work with.<br />
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On the left side of the photo is the Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) planted into the ground on nursery grounds.<br />
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This is the desert willow flower. It's pink on the outside and dark magenta on the inside. The bell shaped flowers are fragrant and apparently blooms from April through August!<br />
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I bought a 1 gallon parajo (paradise) manzanita, scarlet monkey flowers (mimulus cardinalis), 1 gallon desert willow (Chilopsis linearis), 1 gallon Howard McMinn Manzanita, 1 gallon Coast Live Oak to add to my bonsai growing collection, a small packet of California poppy seeds, and a nice brown rectangular pot. The Mimulus Cardinalis is a herbaceous perennial, which means that it will die down to the ground during dormancy but parts of it will survive underground and it will grow back when growing season returns.<br />
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I wanted to get the Big berry Glauca Manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca) because they look spectacular in the ground, but they were out of stock. You can make jam with the berries. I will have to come back for that guy.<br />
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One of these days when I have the time and money, I will have to build one of these potting stations. Seems like a nice shady place you can sit down and relax during an afternoon after working on some plants.<br />
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This nursery has some serious native gardening courses. They have a book store, potting station, and also sell pots, gravel, and soil. It is a very well rounded nursery with a hiking trail and example gardens of the plants grown in the ground.<br />
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I was inspecting some native drought tolerant grasses that you don't have to mow, and a ferocactus that was not for sale, but first things first; establish a foundation to create some shade and a general plan for how the garden will be used. The drought tolerant grass goes dormant in the summer and comes back when the temperatures cool down.<br />
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<b>A few good reasons why we should build native gardens are to save water because they establish after one or two years and are fully drought tolerant. </b> The plants support local bees, butterflies, and birds. They are easier to care for because you don't have to fertilize, amend soil, or use fungicide or any other chemicals. Lastly, they are quite beautiful plants and we have a huge variety to suit our tastes.<br />
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If you live in the near area, I highly recommend you visit this nursery. They also have an uphill hiking trail behind the nursery which gives hikers a lovely view of native flowers. We didn't get to walk the trail, but we will visit again and take more photos in the future!<br />
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For more info please visit their webpage link below:<br />
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<a href="http://theodorepayne.org/">Theodore Payne Foundation</a>Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-20765609592722024322012-04-07T01:20:00.003-07:002012-04-07T01:22:59.335-07:00Grigsby Cactus Gardens reviewGrigsby Cactus Gardens is located in Vista, California. This is my favorite place to buy desert plants. The prices are very affordable and you can get stuff that you will never find at Home Depot. The staff is friendly and helpful.<br />
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They plant stuff into the ground at this nursery!<br />
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Cyphostemma Juttae (Desert Grape)<br />
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No you can't eat these grapes!<br />
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There is a "cash and carry" section where you can buy big established specimens (in a pot) for a very good price.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wn5s-Rb0ELY/T3_v9GMhO2I/AAAAAAAABR4/TRzGivEkGZI/s1600/2011-11-25+11.11.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a></div>
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This is one scaly plant.<br />
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Golden barrel with cleistocactus in the back. </div>
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Two dragon's blood trees. These are one of my favorite trees and are probably really old.</div>
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This looks like a shrub at first but it's actually large clumps of Euphorbia Resinifera.</div>
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Bottled palm (beaucarnea recurvata) planted in the ground. These caudiciforms (fat plants) have an awesome trunk that retains a lot of water.</div>
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This is a growing area. There are a lot of growing areas actually, so you can't always buy everything that you see. I'm not certain what they are saving it for. Nevertheless, your selection is still very large.<br />
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Desert bonsai materials are very attractive for those of us who want to water less.<br />
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Then there are small plants you just can't resist because they are so unique!<br />
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We call this the brain cactus.<br />
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These spines look like stars.<br />
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How can you say no to a cactus with a red cap?<br />
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This one is a show stopper with it's dense and compact spines and bright red color.<br />
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This one has nice leaves.<br />
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My wife said one of these totem poles looks like kermit the frog.<br />
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This mamillaria has a perfect crown of flowers!<br />
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This photo shows you how much pumice you need to use for desert plants soil mix. Lots! I would guess 60-70% pumice, with 30-40% cactus mix. Their webpage is very simple but you can buy plants online and they will be happy to ship it to you. I love this nursery for acquiring great plant material. :)<br />
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<a href="http://cactus-mall.com/grigsby/">http://cactus-mall.com/grigsby/</a>Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-58872792889232322282012-04-06T21:56:00.000-07:002012-04-06T21:56:13.054-07:00Rainforest Flora Inc. nursery reviewMy wife and I went to an awesome nursery that specializes in Tillandsia and Bromeliads in Torrance, CA. last weekend.<br />
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A common name for Tillandsia is "air plants" because they do not need to be embedded in soil. They absorb moisture and nutrients through their leaves and can have beautiful blooms. You can wire them to a ball wire form and eventually they will grow around it.<br />
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My favorite ones are reddish with purple flowers.<br />
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This nursery has very beautiful displays and two huge rock boulders that a lot of their airplants are attached to.<br />
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They also have a very nice koi pond, and waterfall features.<br />
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The arrangement of these plants on deadwood creates a great color and texture contrast that is very pleasing to look at.<br />
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This topiary ball consists of Spanish Moss hanging from the top with Tillandsias on the bottom. These plants can be glued and or wired onto the wire forms or deadwood without harming the plant.<br />
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They also carry some exotic tropical plants and a few succulents.<br />
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There is a large area where they farm these plants. The plants that are on sale are clearly labelled with the plant name and description of their flowers and characteristics.<br />
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This is an awesome topiary ball with a color gradation due to sun exposure. The plants that get more sun turn more reddish.<br />
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This is one of the island boulders standing in the giant koi pond in the middle of their greenhouse.<br />
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Being in this nursery makes you feel like you're in a tropical location of the world, and not California. However, Tillandsias are drought resistant. You can place them in a terrarium and mist them once a week. They prefer 70% bright light. Not scorching afternoon direct sunlight, and not shade either. I think this is a very agreeable condition for California gardens.<br />
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Eileen took a great close up shot of one of the flowers. I couldn't help but buy a few to add to a our collection that started when my aunt gave me a cluster last year along with some Spanish Moss. They are all in good health and are about to bloom soon. The staff was friendly and helpful. They sell deadwood, and small glass globes to house the plants. I only wish that they would stock more of a variety of terrariums for display and arrangements. I would definitely revisit this nursery and recommend that you do too if you are in the area. If you are not in the area, you can visit their website which is also really nice to learn more and buy some plants.<br />
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<a href="http://www.rainforestflora.com/">http://www.rainforestflora.com/</a><br />
<br />Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-49584822702251453892012-03-18T18:19:00.002-07:002012-03-18T18:19:30.945-07:00Vertical Succulent Frame - Hanging it up! pt 3This project was started in October of 2011. The vertical succulent frames are finally ready to hang. Below are some photos of how I arranged our frames in our courtyard. The stark white frame color contrasts well against the warm grey color of the wall.<br />
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Below the frames, I placed a plant bench that I made and placed a few of our potted succulents for display. Enjoy!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6B5vMHR0pus/T2Z7V2U0n5I/AAAAAAAABOY/4TxXmHVDWsw/s1600/2012-03-18-15-11-32-958.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6B5vMHR0pus/T2Z7V2U0n5I/AAAAAAAABOY/4TxXmHVDWsw/s640/2012-03-18-15-11-32-958.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The frame I talked about in my two previous posts now hangs on the left. The one on the right is one my wife designed. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oGCEJvCX6mk/T2Z7f9Gi6ZI/AAAAAAAABOw/B50wsgRrev4/s1600/2012-03-18-15-14-35-868.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oGCEJvCX6mk/T2Z7f9Gi6ZI/AAAAAAAABOw/B50wsgRrev4/s400/2012-03-18-15-14-35-868.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I drilled a piece of cement board to the back of the frame on the left. The frame on the right holds the cement board in a "rabbit" groove I created with a router. See my previous vertical succulent frame posts for details.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wider view...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vertical Succulent Frame #1</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vertical Succulent Frame #2</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gt10ln7b0l8/T2Z7cW4bqTI/AAAAAAAABOo/yDQ7-BB6ghw/s1600/2012-03-18-15-14-15-145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gt10ln7b0l8/T2Z7cW4bqTI/AAAAAAAABOo/yDQ7-BB6ghw/s640/2012-03-18-15-14-15-145.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Between the frames on the table, we have an awesome wooden fish planter. Inside I am trying to recreate an aquatic theme in the arrangement. The plant in the red pot inside the fish is called Faucaria Tigrina or "Tiger's Jaws." Behind it are "Sticks on Fire." Next to it is a large seashell arrangement given to my wife as a birthday gift. Inside the seashell, the tall red plant is called, stapelia.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vAiOTOSgFYs/T2Z7jGuHQjI/AAAAAAAABO4/4PQCILd-A-k/s1600/2012-03-18-15-14-52-189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vAiOTOSgFYs/T2Z7jGuHQjI/AAAAAAAABO4/4PQCILd-A-k/s320/2012-03-18-15-14-52-189.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the largest pot on the left, we have sempervivum tectorums. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-73ZTEEUfWKg/T2Z7mJktPHI/AAAAAAAABPA/lYArTQvThsc/s1600/2012-03-18-15-15-20-075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-73ZTEEUfWKg/T2Z7mJktPHI/AAAAAAAABPA/lYArTQvThsc/s320/2012-03-18-15-15-20-075.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This plant came to me from my aunt. It is called Ledebouria socialis. I repotted it into this bonsai tray and covered the soil with crushed red volcanic rock.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MurUpenqEFk/T2Z7phr4MCI/AAAAAAAABPI/72Yrq6M3uPQ/s1600/2012-03-18-15-15-41-636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MurUpenqEFk/T2Z7phr4MCI/AAAAAAAABPI/72Yrq6M3uPQ/s320/2012-03-18-15-15-41-636.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This round orange pot holds a single Echeveria Afterglow. The soil topping is California gold gravel with Ogon succulent ground cover. I placed a round stone in the pot on the right side to create a subtle contrast.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c3nH8pl7L_4/T2Z7zEaLwBI/AAAAAAAABPg/RMBpgc2A2vM/s400/2012-03-18-16-00-59-514.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our courtyard is a cozy hang-out now! For the floor, I'm considering using a warm earth-toned concrete paint to finish it off in the future.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for reading and for sticking with these updates! :)</td></tr>
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For more information on how to make your own:</div>
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DIY Tutorial: Succulent Frame for Vertical Display!</div>
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<a href="http://xeriscapeninjas.blogspot.com/2011/10/succulent-frame-for-verticle-display.html">http://xeriscapeninjas.blogspot.com/2011/10/succulent-frame-for-verticle-display.html</a></div>
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Vertical Succulent Frame DIY Tutorial part 2</div>
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<a href="http://xeriscapeninjas.blogspot.com/2011/10/vertical-succulent-frame-diy-tutorial.html">http://xeriscapeninjas.blogspot.com/2011/10/vertical-succulent-frame-diy-tutorial.html</a></div>
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Our second vertical succulent frame design</div>
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<a href="http://xeriscapeninjas.blogspot.com/2012/02/succulent-frame-for-vertical-gardening.html">http://xeriscapeninjas.blogspot.com/2012/02/succulent-frame-for-vertical-gardening.html </a></div>
<br />Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-83986183681897076022012-03-10T21:36:00.001-08:002012-03-10T21:38:09.307-08:00Grotto Trailhead Hike in Malibu - Santa Monica Mountains<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today, Win and I went on a beautiful hike in Malibu California on one of the many trails in the Santa Monica mountains. The weather was in the mid-70s --absolutely perfect with a Mediterranean-like climate. The trail we chose was the Grotto Hike which lead us through a gorgeous mountain-side walk, over an open valley, through woods and over multiple, enormous boulders into an intimate grotto and waterfall. It was an absolutely charming experience and definitely a trail I would love to try again.<br />
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Along the way, we saw some lovely local flora and fauna some of which included: Eucalyptus, Coast Live Oak, Dasylirion and Dudleya succulents. The hike itself was 3 miles from the trail head to the grotto and back, but expect steep up & down hill treks and a quite bit of rock climbing at the end! Since we stopped for photos and to look around, the hike took us about 3 hours. :) We really took our time!<br />
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Enough talk: more photos!<br />
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Win standing at Circle X Ranch. You can find trail maps and rangers here. (And there's a restroom here!)</div>
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At the Grotto Trail head. From Circle X Ranch, you have to walk a while and past a campground to reach this spot.</div>
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Looking over a ledge, we think we see Dudleya style succulents clinging to the mountain side. </div>
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Win looking at rocks.... suiseki hunting, perhaps?</div>
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Along the trail there are many picturesque spots overlooking the Santa Monica Mountains. :)</div>
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Along the way, you'll meet little critters just hanging out.</div>
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This was a beautiful looking stem of flowers on a native plant.</div>
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Win walking through a dry creek looking for rocks. This tree and boulder were incredibly huge. </div>
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In the woods, there were many beautiful and looming trees. Look out for lovely examples of hollowed trunks and branches.</div>
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Inspecting rocks. </div>
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At some points in the walk, you'll find roots which have grown over the rocks. A little haunting, isn't it? </div>
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We took a wrong turn which involved a hard, steep climb onto a sudden drop. Here's Win looking down to where we're supposed to be. I loved the huge rock face in the background.</div>
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At the end of the actual trail, you can continue on over boulders to reach the grotto. It's not easy for unseasoned climbers or hikers, but if you're willing to get a little dirty, we didn't find it too hard at all. Here's Win making the steep climb between the rock-face and a pile of boulders. I'm waiting at the top before we continued on for a steep climb down. </div>
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Me resting at the opening to the grotto.</div>
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Win inside the grotto. Look how small he is next to this hollowed-trunked tree. A gorgeous display of roots, this guy was. Very sad but also very beautiful and alive!</div>
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The water in the grotto is lovely and clear!</div>
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Over Win's shoulder are all of the rocks we climbed over to get to the grotto!</div>
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This is about where we stopped before turning around. In the distance is a huge, moss covered wall which someone has regretfully defaced by scratching their name into it. Nonetheless, it told us that we could have kept on going, but all that rock climbing wore me out. All of these boulders were the size of an average bedroom -- while broad enough to stand and walk across, it was hard to get from one to the next without climbing, sliding or jumping. x_x</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FI32UJa3xaw/T1wXmQPCkmI/AAAAAAAACoo/4MUm5s2wAgE/s1600/2012-03-10-14-15-46-614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FI32UJa3xaw/T1wXmQPCkmI/AAAAAAAACoo/4MUm5s2wAgE/s640/2012-03-10-14-15-46-614.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And so, we headed back. Here is a picture of Win making his way over some rocks.</div>
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Once you're out of the grotto, you're back on the trail heading back. Here is a photo of what the wooded trail looks like.</div>
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Some parts of the trail are easy -- just hardened earth.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UjpRSklHFbI/T1wm_081C8I/AAAAAAAACpI/EEJ80HWgMxo/s1600/2012-03-10-14-33-34-463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UjpRSklHFbI/T1wm_081C8I/AAAAAAAACpI/EEJ80HWgMxo/s640/2012-03-10-14-33-34-463.jpg" width="382" /></a></div>
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<b>Directions: </b>*Start from Circle X Ranch which is 5½ miles from the Pacific
Coast Highway on Yerba Buena Road in Malibu. Alternately, from Westlake
Village, exit on Westlake Blvd from the 101 Freeway, and follow it south
for several miles as it merges with Mulholland highway. Turn right onto
Little Sycamore Canyon and it will become Yerba Buena Road as you cross
the county line. Proceed on Yerba Buena Road for about 5 miles to the
Circle X Ranger Station on the left side of the road.<i> </i><br />
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We would suggest driving from the PCH and accessing Yerba Buena Road from the west. Driving across Yerba Buena from the 101 is extremely long and winding. This may cause delays as you will have to drive rather slowly at times to accommodate for the bikers and other cars you'll find on the road. However, if you don't mind it, it is gorgeous and a scenic drive!<br />
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So, after a lovely hike and drive west to the Pacific Coast Highway, I am happy to report that Yerba Buena Road ends right at <b>Neptune's Net</b>! This seafood restaurant is a popular spot in Malibu which overlooks the beach. You're sure to find biker gangs miling about out front, too. A great people-watching and seafood nomming spot. :)<br />
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Grab a drink, get in line, and get ready for some good 'ol American-style fried seafood. Yikes!</div>
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Beware. the restaurant side has all the fried foods. There's a less subtle entrance on the other side for fresh foods. Over there you'll find oysters in a half shell and steamed lobsters.</div>
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Obviously, we didn't know about the "fresh seafood side" until after we ordered this sampler plate. More than half of this platter is in our fridge as I type this. On the right is a pint of chowder which was delicious. :) I recommend it.</div>
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Bottom's up! </div>
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And after a hearty meal, you can hop skip across the PCH and go for a walk on the beach. I would recommend doing the trail early in the morning, coming to Neptune's Net for lunch, then spend a hot afternoon on the beach. Coming from a Californian, this would be a perfect day here. :) To us, at least. </div>
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This was a fantastic mini-vacation for us Californians. If you're coming to California for a visit, I recommend trying out this kind of itinerary for a day!</div>
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<i>* http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/Grotto_4472.asp</i><br />
<i>More info: http://www.nps.gov/samo/index.htm</i>Leen Isabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04350224428023968781noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-91869739443227620472012-02-26T20:03:00.000-08:002012-03-10T21:39:07.546-08:00Huntington Library's Bonsai-a-ThonWe just went to the Huntington Library's Bonsai-a-Thon event with a couple of friends this Saturday. There was a bazaar where you can buy trees of all kinds, tools, pots, and books at decent prices. There were how to workshops which filled up too fast for me to get into. I thought there was going to be a bigger exhibit but there was only a small room with about a dozen trees. They have a much nicer collection in their Japanese Garden which is still in construction, scheduled for reopening in April this year.<br />
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/prostratajuniperhbg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/prostratajuniperhbg.JPG" width="522" /></a></div>
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I actually took more photos of the Suiseki stones than I did of Bonsai. This little stone below was $600-$650 and is just a little bit bigger than my fist. It was my favorite stone there.<br />
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These were nice too but probably out of my budget.<br />
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/suiseki2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/suiseki2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/suiseki4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/suiseki4.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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After the event, I felt a little inspired so I went to a nursery near there and bought four stones for $17 total. I'm not sure what makes a stone $3 versus $600. Maybe I will find out one day. The first two stones are about half fist size, the bottom two are fist size.</div>
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/stone1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/stone1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/stone2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/stone2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/stone4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/stone4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also went home and turned a gift Nana Juniper from last year that was in the form of a house plant into a semi-cascade style bonsai. This is how it looked like when I received it last March.</div>
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/nanajuniperb4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/nanajuniperb4.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
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This is it in a growing pot. I'm going to let this grow for a while without wiring it just yet. </div>
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<br />Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-29217639603841290952012-02-05T15:47:00.000-08:002012-02-06T16:49:54.916-08:00Succulent frame for vertical gardeningI helped my wife create this beauty. Our idea was to make a piece of vertical gardening succulent frame that would excite the sense of touch. Therefore, we selected a few fuzzy looking succulents such as the Doris Taylor Echeverias. The main theme in this arrangement is symmetry and repetition. Simplicity in it's formal design, the final result came out quite nice.
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/leensframe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="591" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/leensframe.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/leensframecu.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/leensframecu.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's a nice close up of the Doris Taylor Echeveria.
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Here's a shot of it next to the first one I made to see how it looks as a pair. The first frame has plenty of healthy looking new growth and is ready to hang on the wall. I will wait another month before hanging both of them up in our courtyard.
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To read how we created these frames. See our previous posts by clicking below.<br />
<a href="http://xeriscapeninjas.blogspot.com/2011/10/succulent-frame-for-verticle-display.html">DIY Tutorial: Succulent Frame for Vertical Display! </a><br />
<a href="http://xeriscapeninjas.blogspot.com/2011/10/vertical-succulent-frame-diy-tutorial.html">Vertical Succulent Frame DIY Tutorial part 2 </a><BR><BR><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script>Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-73744435822254930602011-11-14T00:59:00.001-08:002011-11-14T01:20:54.590-08:00Succulent strawberry pot plantingI planted my first succulent strawberry pot today. To keep the weight light weight, I filled a large volume of the space with a 12" tall piece of PVC pipe with a cap on top. I used a circular saw to cut a longer piece of pipe down to fit the pot, making it 6" shorter than the top of the pot.<br />
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The drainage hole in the pot is big enough but if I put this pvc pipe in and water it, the water can't access the hole if I water the side pockets. Only the planting on top will have access to the only drainage hole. So I cut notches in the bottom with my dremel tool so that.<br />
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Here's the pot with the finished pcv pipe.<br />
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It took me an hour and a half to plant a couple of different types of sempervivums and echeveria elegans into the side pockets using my cactus mix.<br />
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I put a thin layer of 1/4" red lava rock on top of the plastic cover so that the soil for the top planting would not fall through the openings.<br />
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It took me about 2 hours from beginning to finish. I used the 1/4" red lava rock as a topping to fill in the gaps. In time the succulents will fill in that space and cover up the topping but for now, I'll give it some room to grow. Here is another side of the planting.<br />
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The finished pot is still heavy but considerable lighter than it would have been had I filled the whole thing with soil. This pot will be a nice addition to our container garden! :D<br />
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<br />Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-21829592242061423762011-11-12T22:46:00.001-08:002011-11-12T23:31:39.632-08:00Potting Queen Victoria Reginae Agave<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I bought two of these Queen Victoria Reginae Agaves for $20 each by luck. They are not in pristine condition but still very acceptable for the price. They are about 9" wide each. They are extremely slow growing so they usually sell for much more. These agaves are known for their beautiful spherical symmetry. When they are under-watered, they maintain a compact form which looks nicer than the open form. I potted both of them tonight so I will share my notes on how I did that. Since they have a spherical form, I decided that the best pot shape should repeat this form. The color of the leaves are dark so I want to contrast the plant against a light colored pot. I wanted an understated pot so that it would not draw attention away from the plant.<br />
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I bought two terracotta pots for $7.50 each. These agaves like a well draining cactus mix so the first thing I did was use a diamond circular cutting bit to cut a bigger drainage hole. I bought this bit at Home Depot a while back to cut through tile. The hole is now 1" wide and it will improve drainage a lot.<br />
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Next, I put a plastic piece of screen to keep the soil from spilling out. If the pot had raised feet, I would wire it in but since it doesn't, I'll just let the soil hold it down.<br />
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I line the bottom inch with a drainage layer of 1/4" red lava rock. This will hold the screen down, add weight to the pot so it will be less likely to fall over, and improve drainage.<br />
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My cactus mix consists of 40% Miracle Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix and 60% perlite. I believe in the "more white than brown" rule because it will help prevent over-watering. Sometimes when it rains and the pot is exposed, you can just leave it there if your soil is fast draining like mine is. As long as it doesn't rain for several days continuously, the plant should be just fine. I'm in Los Angeles so we're not known to receive much precipitation but still... You never know. The last thing you want to worry about is root rot.<br />
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I removed most of the old soil from the plant's nursery pot. The roots looks mostly healthy, I only removed a few loose, dead roots. I left a little bit of the old soil near the base of the plant on it. I did not do any root pruning because I don't think it is necessary yet and it will fit in the new container just fine the way it is.<br />
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After packing the soil in around the roots and filling in the gaps, I made sure that it was as centered and upright positioned as possible. I used 1/4" California Gold gravel as a topping. This gravel is gold and turns into a deep orange when wet. It preserves the contrast between the pot and the plant which is nice and looks natural.<br />
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I am very happy with how these turned out.<br />
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Keep an eye out because sometimes you can find great bargains on plants and pots. If you fall in love with a plant immediately, be patient and don't buy it right away because you might be able to buy it elsewhere for much cheaper. I've seen these plants in this 9" size sell for over $100 each at another nursery before. These two are not in perfect condition because some of the leaf tips are a bit dinged but nothing major. However my total cost minus the soil and topping was only about $60 including tax.<br />
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<br />Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-8171015983358236342011-10-31T00:54:00.000-07:002011-10-31T01:20:45.181-07:00Vertical Succulent Frame DIY Tutorial part 2This is part two of my Succulent Frame project. "It's all about the details." is what one of my great bonsai teachers told me. I will be covering the types of plants I used, construction details, and how to apply design concepts for the succulent arrangement. <br />
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This is an update with details from my <a href="http://xeriscapeninjas.blogspot.com/2011/10/succulent-frame-for-verticle-display.html">vertical succulent frame DIY tutorial</a> in the last post.<br />
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Specific <b>plant names</b> that were used include:<br />
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Aeonium Zwartkop<br />
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Anglicum Sedum<br />
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Echeveria Peacockii<br />
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My apologies for not knowing exactly what Sempervivum I used because there was no label on it ...<br />
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... but there are tons of them and most of them are very well suited to be used in these vertical succulent frames. Here is an example of several different kinds<sub>1</sub>:<br />
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Sedum Makinoi 'Ogon'<br />
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and lastly but not least is Echeveria Perle Von Nurnberg<br />
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<b>Construction Details</b><br />
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This is the back side of the frame without the cement board covering it. This shows the rot proof heartwood spacer nailed to the sides. The cement board will sit directly on top of these spacers. This is an easy way to make an edge for the cement board to sit on without using a router. The backing board is cement board normally used for a support under tiling projects in the kitchen or bath room. This type of board will not rot or deteriorate when exposed to water. <br />
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Here you can see the galvanized L-Brackets I used to attach the side wall to the back of the frame. I also used a waterproof wood glue between the side wall and frame. If you look closely, you will see a staple holding the green plastic coated hardware cloth. <br />
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Using a compressor and pneumatic staple gun, I put a staple spaced about every 3" apart all the way around the edge of the hardware cloth. The wood frame is sealed with three coats of an outdoor grade decking wood sealer.<br />
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After that, you put the cement board on top. Pre-drill the holes into the cement board before you put the screws in. I used hardiebacker screws designed for the cement board here. They come with a specific screwdriver bit. <br />
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Every cutting fitted in between the 1/2" openings in the hardware cloth except for the Echeveria Perle Von Nurnberg. I had to cut a bigger opening to fit the stem in. Notice the four sharp edges of the wire pointing towards the center of the opening. This might bite into the stem and that's not good. The black item above is a short section of 1/4" polytube drip line. Here's what you do with it...<br />
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Cut a slit on one side of the tube with a pair of pointy scissors. Then wrap it around all four sides of the opening. This will protect the sharp wire points from biting into the stem of your larger stems.<br />
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<b>Design!</b><br />
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Most people think too hard and confuse themselves or have no clue where to put what. Some people just randomly put plants wherever they land. As for me, I like to apply design techniques because I learned them really well. Here's what the final arrangement looks like so you can see it before I draw over it to demonstrate how I applied design concepts:<br />
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Use a basic shape for example:<br />
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Three Perle von Nurnberg Echeverias represent pinks and purples form a triangle. :)<br />
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I placed Sedum Makinoi 'Ogon' along in a C shaped curve. This curve brings the bright yellows into the composition.<br />
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I arranged the Sempervivums in a S-Curve. These basic curves create an organic element to design and are very elegant. They are a good contrast against straight edged shapes. Speaking of <b>contrast</b> , the magic word...<br />
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Our vision scientifically tends to get drawn into areas with the highest contrast. This means as a designer, you can create contrast to guide your viewer's eyes! Where this red circled area is, I placed the highest tonal contrast putting the dark deep shiny purple Aeonium Zwartkop rosettes next to the chalky white Echeveria Peacockii. There is also a color contrast since Sedum Makinoi 'Ogon' is yellowish and surrounds the deep purple Aeonium Zwartkop.<br />
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/sizecolortexture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/sizecolortexture.JPG" width="260" /></a></div>
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Next in my mind is size, color, and texture contrast in this area under the blue circle. The largest succulent is the Echeveria Perle von nurnberg which is placed next to tiny strands of Anglicum sedum. Again, Sedum Makinoi 'Ogon' the yellow is placed next to the purples in the Echeveria Perle von nurnberg to provide a color contrast in addition to size contrast. And finally, the rough textures of the Sedum sets it apart from the large smooth petals on the Echeveria.<br />
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/succulentframehr.jpg">Click here to see the high resolution image of the final arrangement.</a><br />
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I think if you can use a few of these ideas in your designs, you will create a more well balanced, thought out, and harmoniously composed arrangement. I hope this will help you fellow succulent lovers out there. Good luck and don't forget to have fun while you work!<br />
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<sub>1. Image Source: <a href="https://www.simplysucculents.com/">https://www.simplysucculents.com/</a></sub>
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<br />Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-80779972123289926052011-10-25T01:31:00.000-07:002013-03-16T01:06:07.433-07:00DIY Tutorial: Succulent Frame for Vertical Display!<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1503145700"></span><span id="goog_1503145701"></span></a><br />
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Welcome to my "how to build a vertical succulent frame and make a succulent arrangement" tutorial. <br />
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This is actually the first vertical succulent frame that I made complete with a plant arrangement.<br />
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The size is 20" x 16". The top frame is a 1" wide by 1/2" tall custom frame that i sealed with three coats of wood sealer a while ago.<br />
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I joined another wood frame using a 2" wide canvas stretcher bars to build a depth for the box to contain the soil. The two frames were combined to make a 2" deep box using rust free metal L-brackets and some waterproof glue.<br />
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A piece of hardware cloth (wire mesh) coated with a green plastic was cut a couple of inches bigger than the size of the frame opening so that I can cut out the four corners and fold the sides parallel to the box wall. I stapled to the folded sides of the hardware cloth to the side of the frame. The backing board is cement board normally used for a support under tiling projects in the kitchen or bath room. The board is screwed on to the back of the frame using rust free screws designed for the cement board. If you're handy with a router you can cut a rabbit to hide the side edge of the cement board. <br />
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You can see a little of the details in the frame I used here. I thought about drilling some drainage holes in the back but decided that it probably won't matter much. The soil is a mixture of 50% cactus mix and 50% perlite. Cactus mix already has perlite or pumice depending on which kind you buy but I like adding more perlite because it improves drainage and keeps the mix light weight which is important since we will eventually hang this vertically.<br />
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I pack the soil in with a chopstick and covered it with green sphagum moss. This holds the soil in and fills the surface with a nice green color which will fill in any areas that are left open in between the succulents. You can see that the moss really holds the soil in when you stand it up.<br />
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I wanted to make this succulent arrangement for my wife. She likes pinks and purples and floral shapes so I decided to go with that color scheme and use yellow as a complimentary color to make accents. The most affordable succulents I found were actually from The Home Depot. For pinks and purples, I used three Echeveria 'Perle Von Nurnberg' in a triangle shape'. The little green succulents on the bottom right is a kind of Sempervivum. For yellow, my plan was to use Ogon. Then the plan was to cover the rest of the frame with a ground cover Sedum. I left the plants in their little pots and roughly arranged them here using the idea of applying S-curves and or C-curves in groups of plants. You need tweezers and a steady hand to plant these little succulents. <br />
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It took me about three hours to remove all the soil from the plant
containers, and plant everything. I decided to use a few Aeonium Zwartkops (Dark Prince) that are almost black with a deep purple sheen to add a bit of drama. The planting process is tedious but not difficult. Just remember to be patient and enjoy the process since you are making a masterpiece ;).<br />
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Here she is! I misted the surface only to take a nice photo. However, I will not water this for a week so that the cuttings have time to heal and form callouses. Now we will keep this in the shade and flat on a table for 3-6 months until every cutting is rooted into the soil. Once the succulents are rooted, they will not be easily pulled out of the frame. At that point, I will attach a couple of wall hangers and hang it up in our courtyard! In the mean time, we will enjoy it flat on a table for a while. Here is a high resolution image if you want to take a closer <a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/succulentframehr.jpg">look</a>!Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-67555112987553301282011-09-20T20:53:00.001-07:002011-09-20T21:41:58.157-07:00California Cactus Center Nursery, Pasadena, CACalifornia
Cactus Center is an awesome nursery in Pasadena. Their nursery is
organized and clean. It's a good idea if you're a succulent lover to
take a day to visit the Huntington Botanical Gardens Desert Garden
before you visit CCC to get some ideas on how you can design your
residential xeriscape! However if you aren't sure if a plant is okay to
use in landscaping, the friendly staff members will be happy to answer
all of your questions.<br />
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There selection of succulents is
gigantic here, but why not buy something you can't buy at your local
Home Depot or Lowes? Like this Aloe ramossissima. :)<br />
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I
was afraid to ask them how much some of the plants were because I think
their prices are on the high side. Perhaps there is a high demand for
succulents and cacti in the area and people in the local neighborhood
have deep pockets. Nevertheless, this is a great place to get some
inspiration for succulent dish gardens. We love succulents because they
offer a very wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Look at this
nice Discorea elephantipes:<br />
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They
sold a couple of these plants that were a small fist size for $99
each. The cauldex has fissured textures and makes you just want to
touch it. This guy will grow a vine, which sometimes people may
consider putting it near a trellis so that it can climb up. This is
very slow growing so big ones are very expensive if someone is willing
to sell them.<br />
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The plant below is called Euphorbia
lactea variegata. Now, I take it back. On your lucky day, you may be
able to find this at Home Depot for a very reasonable price. Keep your
eyes peeled. This plant is a beautiful organic modern sculpture built
by nature. It looks very much like a piece of sea coral.<br />
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You
can buy this at Home Depot but I just included it just for kicks. This
funny cactus is called Old Man of the Mountains (not to be confused
with Old man of the Andes which is more green with curvy spines). The
rest is up to your own interpretation. ;)<br />
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Try to say this ten times fast, "Operculicarya decaryi", from a 3/4 top view.<br />
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Now we are getting into a controversial area in the subject of Bonsai. There is a term coined by Rudy Lime called <a href="http://www.nctimes.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/article_7679066c-bb08-5efa-ab81-6297d787d0b3.html">S.M.O.L.A.</a>
which stands for succulents as a medium of living art, which brings us
to a very interesting subject matter. This is a recent phenomenon that can be called "American Bonsai."
The good news is that if you forget to water any of these succulent
Bonsai for a couple of days, they will be A Okay! In fact some prefer
to be watered very little compared to traditional Bonsai in a well draining soil. This is great news
for Southern Californians. The tiny leaves make this awesome plant look
like a giant tree! Here is a side view:<br />
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The
word "caudiciform" simply means large form. These plants are also
sometimes called "fat plants". Some are very slow growing and some
aren't. I will now bombard you with one of my favorite caudiciforms
called Fockea crispa and Fockea edulis.<br />
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These
plants are rare so they are quite expensive! I love the outer-worldly
look of these plants and their movement. I had to haggle the price down
so that I could afford to buy a couple small ones shown below. The
awesome thing about CCC is that if you buy a pot and plant, they offer
to pot it for you free of charge or if you feel inclined, you can do it
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Fockea crispa looks the same as Fockea edulis except the edges of it's
leaves are wavy. Fockea edulis is considered to be the more rare
plant. CCC also has very nice pots, rocks, and toppings to dress your
arrangement up. Don't forget that the plant will take the shape of the
pot over time so if you want a wide bodied plant, put it in a wide pot. If you
want it to grow the body downwards more, put it in a deeper pot. Each time your
re-pot these guys (each year or two), you can raise them a little bit to show
off more of the fat body. If you tilt the planting angle at every planting, eventually
you can end up with a "reclining nude" style. Take that
traditional Bonsai! :) It's fun isn't it? <br />
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Overall,
whether you buy something special or not, this place is definitely worth
a visit because of their wonderful succulent Bonsai displays and rare
plants. To be honest, if you do plan to buy something, I recommend that
you know what your Home Depot and Lowes stocks so that you don't pay
premium for common succulents. Do your homework and save more money!<br />
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<br />Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-55533670208501931182011-09-16T01:16:00.000-07:002011-09-17T10:04:58.910-07:00Cactus Jungle NurseryWe visited what I think is the largest supplier of succulents in Berkley, CA in the Bay area, called <a href="http://www.cactusjungle.com/">Cactus Jungle</a> on September 3rd, 2011.<br />
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The weather up there is much cooler than in Los Angeles especially in the Valley. The staff members were very nice and friendly. They had a couple of dogs under blankets that were also very friendly and well behaved.<br />
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The nursery is small but very very clean, extremely organized, and had a very good selection of plants. There were some nice little displays of terrarium containers, hanging baskets, air plants, and sand to decorate them with. We loved this little ornamental house with the succulent roof display.
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They had some bigger stuff like these agaves, and both column and barrel cacti. One thing I wish I took a picture of is the Dr. Hurd Manzanitas they had. It was quite nice. I wasn't expecting it but they have veggie and herb garden plants there also.<br />
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I was very happy to see that Momma Lim had a very pleasant visit. She bought this iceplant with purple flowers and was very excited about it.
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There was also a nice little room with rare plants including aloe dichotoma, adenium obesum (dessert roses), Cyphostemma juttae (the desert grape which I resisted buying) and several others. I bought a trichodiadema bulbosum in a tiny 2.5" container for $6.95. I think it will take several years before I will be able to see any raised roots. It will make an interesting little succulent Bonsai in the future.
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It's interesting because with the weather being much cooler and more humid up there, I don't think they have to water nearly as much as where we are in L.A. When it rains hard, they might have to cover the cactus up to prevent root rot. It was a very nice nursery overall. I would definitely recommend visiting if you're in the area.
Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-29671697911035313422011-09-12T14:26:00.000-07:002011-09-17T10:04:21.120-07:00Fuji Bonsai Nursery in Sylmar, CAThis is the best Bonsai nursery I've seen so far. It is owned by Roy Nagatoshi who has been working with Bonsai for forty four years. He teaches class worldwide and started learning Bonsai from his father. His classes are on Saturday and Thursday mornings starting at 9am and can go on as long as 2pm sometimes or whenever the last person is done working. Roy is a very friendly guy, not pushy to make a sale, and very informative and enthusiastic to chat even when he is in the middle of working on a tree. I felt bad about interrupting him with a bunch of questions but he was always smiling when he answered my questions. He was preparing six grafted Junipers to use as material for the <a href="http://www.gsbfconvention.org/workshops.htm">34th Golden State Bonsai Federation Convention</a>. He had a genuine enthusiasm to meet other Bonsai enthusiasts so he kept the conversation alive by asking me some questions in return. There is a nice Bonsai Gallery in the front.
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This is a very nice example of one of his <a href="http://www.bonsaiforbeginners.com/root-over-rock.html">root over rock</a> style for Japanese black pine.
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Having visited many Bonsai Nurseries, I notice that there is a shortage of stock of Japanese black pines. That is not the case here as you can see. Roy will not sell a tree if it is in a fragile condition or is in the process of recovering from work done. For example, today he had some nice boxwoods but the branches were very short and leaves sparse so he told me that they will be ready for sale in a year.
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Seeing beautiful bougainvilleas like this one makes me want to grow some myself especially since they fit nicely into the drought tolerant group of plants. It's amazing how a vine can turn into a tree!
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Some of his trees like this boxwood have a 2 feet wide diameter at the base of the trunk. Boxwood is a commonly acquired plant but it is spectacular when you can transform it into a $275 Bonsai. :)
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Roy has an incredible collection of California Junipers. We all want one but they are extremely difficult to obtain. Some of these trees are over 200 years old and cost $18,000 if someone is willing to part with their precious tree. The natural deadwood gives these trees a very rough and ancient look. In my dreams I would buy one and never sell it.
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Roy's Dad did grafting work on this California Juniper about 30 years ago and you can't see the scar any more. It's completely healed over and looks very natural. Most of these junipers have been grafted but there is one that is 100% pure California Juniper that is gigantic. Why didn't I take a picture of it? Perhaps, next time... I don't think any of his California Junipers are for sale.
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There is a plethora of chinese elm here, but this is an exceptional example of rock clinging style mass planting. This stone is about 3 feet wide by 4 feet tall with tons of elms planted onto it. Very impressive that it is sustainable.
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This nursery has the best selection of pomegranate pre-Bonsai material I've seen. The pomegranate I bought from San Gabriel Nursery looks like two straws coming out of the soil. It's quite sad in comparison. This is one of the most incredible Bonsai I've ever seen.
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/pomegranate.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/pomegranate.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
Finally, this is a one of the fine examples of Yaupon Holly Bonsai. Roy has a bunch of these little guys and they look great as small to medium Bonsai. I fell in love with them so I just had to get one.
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/yauponholly.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="574" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/yauponholly.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
I bought a 3 gallon Shimpaku Juniper for $45, a 1 gallon Yaupon Holly for $30, and a bag of All Purpose slow release granule Fertilizer 12-12-12 fertilizer for $8. Roy told me to put two teaspoons every 2 months for the 3 gallon juniper and 1 teaspoon for the Yaupon Holly every two months. The visit was very pleasant andI will definitely make an effort to come to his class sometime soon.
Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-3983680568701029622011-09-10T23:39:00.000-07:002011-09-17T10:04:34.649-07:00Kimura Bonsai NurseryI visited Kimura Bonsai Nursery in Northridge, California today. They have some nice starter stock there and some trees that particularly interested me.<br />
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This Operculicarya Decaryi caught my eye because of the nice size of the trunk. I'm glad to see that they have succulent Bonsai material even though this one is not for sale. I can't wait until my plant grows bigger. :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/operculicaryadecaryi.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/operculicaryadecaryi.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 500px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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The Yew since I have to train a Niwaki at home...<br />
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/yew.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/yew.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 500px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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And, these two Atlas Cedar because I killed one and I really like the dense foliage. :(. I am looking for pre-Bonsai material so these were not a buying option although they were nice to admire. One was blue and one was green but now that I look at the pictures, I'm not sure which was which. I like the blue one more. Some day, I will buy another one.<br />
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/atlascedarcascade.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/atlascedarcascade.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 500px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/atlascedar.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/atlascedar.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 500px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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I also really liked their Cork Bark Elm which I didn't take a photo of but I just couldn't justify spending $85 on a medium size starter stock at the moment. Bob Pressler is the owner there. He offers Bonsai classes and also does landscaping so he is very knowledgeable and willing to answer questions. He has a twisted trunk Pomegranate pre-Bonsai material that were cuttings from John Naka's tree. There is a nice large bonsai display area in the front of the nursery which is a great place to look for inspiration. There is a very good supply of Junipers as pre-Bonsai that is tempting to buy there like the San Jose Prostrata and the Foemina.<br />
This is their webpage:<br />
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<a href="http://www.kimurabonsainursery.com/">Kimura Bonsai Nursery</a><br />
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Has links to his Bonsai blog which is very well updated and to his landscaping portfolio page with nice photos.
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I am currently growing pre-Bonsai material and nursing my Dad's Bonsais back into shape. The only bonsai that looks presentable is my Bougainvillea that I bought late last year. Here it is:<br />
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/bougainvillea1.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/bougainvillea1.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 440px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-10925331751866870062011-09-10T21:09:00.000-07:002011-09-17T10:03:12.429-07:00Chinese Yew Fukinaoshi<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/chineseyewbefore.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/chineseyewbefore.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 667px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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I finally got around to begin training our Chinese Yew (Podocarpus macrophyllus) today. It is a 10ft. tall multi-trunk conifer. The ground around it is temporarily not level, it's right up against a tall wall and short fence, and one side (the right side) of it is hard to reach without stepping onto the neighbor's yard so the pruning process was very difficult. Since we bought the house a year and a half ago, it has been a tall shrubby box which is quite unattractive.<br />
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I found this description about the Yew tree:<br />
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"Known for its incredible longevity (estimated to be well over 1,000 years), the Yew can be commonly found growing on ancient sacred sites, that often predate the construction of its neighbouring church. The Yew is meant to protect the living from evil spirits and protect the dead on their journey to the other world, it also represents eternal life, death and rebirth. Simply being in the presence of an old Yew can fill a person with a sense of timeless awe and it is easy to see why pre-Christian Pagans worshipped these magnificent trees."<br />
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I used the method of Fukinaoshi as described in the Niwaki book by Jake Hobson with the intention of training it in the monkaburi style, where a branch is trained above the gate, or sometimes driveway, of the house. The basic idea is to remove dead branches, epicormic growth, water sprouts, suckers, undesirable small branches, and thinning out foliage. Then train the branches horizontal, and refine pads into zig-zag cloud shapes that taper upwards.<br />
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Monkaburi style<br />
<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/maki.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/maki.gif" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 283px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 425px;" /></a><br />
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Cloud pruning<br />
<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/cloudpruning.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/cloudpruning.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 465px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 338px;" /></a><br />
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This is how far I got after 4 hours of pruning. Not done yet but almost there.<br />
<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/chineseyewfukinaoshi.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/chineseyewfukinaoshi.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 667px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-18889559125214914502011-08-29T23:22:00.000-07:002011-10-10T23:13:04.124-07:00Drip irrigation set upI spent the last week learning how to set up a drip irrigation system for our back-yard using 1/2" poly tubing. Unlike a traditional sprinkler system that is expensive to set up, requires lots of trench digging, wastes more water than necessary, and complicated plumber skills, drip irrigation is very do-it-yourself friendly. This will save me some time so that I can spend it on other things like shaping and taking care of the trees and plants. It will also keep everything alive while we go on vacation.
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We have no sprinkler system so I'm setting up a simple drip system connected directly to the hose bib with a 4-way manifold attached. I measured that our hose bib outputs 4.5 gallons per minute (or 270 gallons per hour). We have a clay-like soil. I am using all DIG brand drip irrigation parts bought from Home Depot. While you browse at HD, grab one of those free DIG pamphlets because they tell you everything you need to know to set your drip irrigation system up. We only have small trees and shrubs, potted plants, hanging baskets, a few window boxes, and we have a strip of ground cover in the front yard. I only read what applies to the kinds of plants we have. Setting up the drip irrigation system isn't rocket science, it just takes a little bit of research and is very inexpensive compared to hiring a professional to install a traditional sprinkler system. Here are some important notes I gathered from the free DIG pamphlet:
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http://www.digcorp.com/
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- You should not exceed 220 GPH (3.6 GPM) total through a 1/2" line, and no more than 25 GPH on a 1/4" line.
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- For small trees and shrubs in clay soil, use one 1GPH dripper; for loamy and sandy soil, use one to two 1GPH drippers spaced every 12-18" apart.
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- For hanging baskets, pots, and boxes 1-25 gallons, use one .5 gallon dripper. Or use one sprayer on a spike for a 5-25 gallon sized plants.
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I'm using mist sprayers for my potted plants because most of my soil is so coarse that a drip emitter would pass the water straight through the soil to the drainage hole before the roots get to absorb any of it.
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My hanging baskets have more dense soil that can hold more water so I will use a .5 gallon per hour drip emitter.
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All the small trees and shrubs are using two 1 gallon per hour drip emitters except for the Manzanita because it's not recommended that they be watered by drip irrigation. I will hand water the Manzanita when it's thirsty.
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I will use jet spray emitters for the ground cover in the front yard once I'm done with the back-yard.
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To automate everything, I bought a 9001EZ, 3/4" Hose end timer connected to a 4 way hose bib manifold. This allows me to attach a hose to hand water anything that has special watering needs. In the future, I will call a professional to install a carbon water filter to remove the chlorine out of the garden water and use mycorrhizae applications to optimize tree and plant growth.<br />
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Useful resource links:<br />
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You can set up a very easy drip watering system by getting these parts at any Home Depot or Lowes. You can use drip emitters, micro sprinklers with all different kinds of spray patterns, misters which are good for pots, and even soaker hoses. In addition, you can get a timer and you're set to go on vacation!<br />
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http://www.digcorp.com/DIY/781-Drip_Irrigation_&_Micro_Sprinkler_Kits/jobs<br />
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For those of you who have a sprinkler system, you can get this retrofit adapter to attach to a sprinkler head and it will allow you to convert it to a drip system.<br />
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<a href="http://www.digcorp.com/DIY/782-Retrofit_Drip_Kits_&_Heads/jobs">http://www.digcorp.com/DIY/782-Retrofit_Drip_Kits_&_Heads/jobs</a>Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616331164076179627.post-4432488221328415392011-08-01T21:09:00.000-07:002011-09-26T10:52:34.076-07:00Landscaping Momentum - Dry Japanese GardenYesterday, my neighbor Arnolfo came over and offered me a bunch of his big specimen, I should say landscape sized cacti. It was very kind of him. One of the cactus is called Ming thing (Cereus validus f. monstrose), another was something that looks like notocactus, and a blue column called pilocerus palmeri. I have to give him some avocados when they are ready.<br />
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<img src="http://www.darkproductions.org/plants/arnolfo.jpg" /><br />
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I just can't stop thinking about our backyard so I worked on it a little bit on this long weekend of mine. I just can't focus on drawing anything else at the moment. I was sketching out some character designs for one of my comic book characters and the drawing was going nowhere. It just wasn't working. So I went out and bought five bougainvillea plants yesterday. Today my good friend Yuho helped me to go buy the last tree I need for the backyard; a juniper prostrata from Ben K bonsai nursery. Once I get the trees into the ground I can begin to train them into the shape and grow them to the size that I want. The sun has been scorching our backyard and that is what keeps us from being able to enjoy that really nice big space. We desperately need some shade trees. We're in temperature zone 9 and it gets hot!<br />
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/landscaping/masterpanarama.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/landscaping/masterpanarama.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 141px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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This time, due to budget constraints, I have to start with only the bare essentials, which are just the trees. We'll save up for the gravel for the dry garden idea later. I still plan to create that Japanese garden look, but with plants that are hardy in our temperature zone 9. This means instead of Azelia shrub balls, I will substitute with bougainvillea. I am still using pines, a juniper, kaki persimmon,and camelias so those are still traditional. However, I'm also using a Dr. Hurd manzanita in the very back southeast corner so things will definitely be interesting. I'm excited to move forward. I think it'll take about ten years to grow everything to what I have in mind. :) I made this drawing to visualize what I want our dry Japanese Garden to look like on the south wall.<br />
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/landscaping/jgardenrender.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/landscaping/jgardenrender.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 233px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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The blue balls are bougainvillea shrubs. The darker taller shrubs will be camelias. The two trees in the back are Japanese Black Pines and in the far back on the right side will be the Manzanita. The black silhouette of the tree in the front will be the juniper.<br />
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<a href="http://www.darkproductions.org/landscaping/juniper.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.darkproductions.org/landscaping/juniper.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 500px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 423px;" /></a><br />
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This is a prostrate Juniper in a 15 gallon pot that I paid $85 for from Ben K Nursery in Rosemead, CA. Bonsai benches or stands will be along the back wall. I drew a stone triad but again, that is maybe an idea for later when we have money.Nguyen Donghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259835829565029263noreply@blogger.com0