Baz's Garden Lives On....

[spindrift]

Although dear Baz will soon be leaving his idyllic garden behind and moving on.....yet his garden lives on in mine

He gave me this succulent during the summer of '08. When I was transplanting it today I noticed it had grown a baby....

Baby has its own pot now....

Mr and Mrs Baz - a big thank you for sharing your very special garden with me. I have spent many glorious hours in it.

[bixaorellana]

What a wonderful way for friends to honor each other -- with the gift of a treasured plant and the subsequent caring for that gift.

The parent plant looks wonderful in the big pot. Is that the same kind behind it? I believe what you have is an Agave americana. It will become huge eventually. I had one in a small space and the trick is to elevate it so that the spiny leaves are above the heads of garden visitors. It needs little maintenance at that stage, so you can continue enjoying it while it takes care of itself.

I believe you mentioned in one of your garden posts that Baz had given you mondo grass. At the time, you were fretting about it. If that's it in the pot on the right, it's looking wonderful. Is that a little baby yew in front?

[spindrift]

Bixa - I don't know whether it's the same one behind or not! I'll go and have a closer look at them in the garden. Thanks for identifying them for me. I propose to leave them out all winter. They weathered the winter last year. Should I cover them with fleece?

It's true that Baz's Agaves were huge. I think they look sensational in terracotta pots. I won't be able to buy a bigger pot than the one at the front of the picture. I wouldn't be able to lift it.

I don't know the name of the plant in front. Perhaps Mrs Baz can tell me.
She also gave me some prostrate rosemary but it's not in the picture. Other items I gave to friends.

Yes, Baz brought me that dark purple grass - it's got a difficult name. I'll look it up. It took ages and ages to grow but seems like it's on its way now.

[bixaorellana]

When it gets to the size where you'd need to elevate it, just flex your muscles, go to the telephone, then dial someone to come do it for you.

Agaves will fill any pot you give them with roots. No matter -- with the amount of rainfall you get in England, the plant will live happily even with tight shoes.

[spindrift]

Won't they mind cold weather?

[Deleted]

I just repotted what I think are three agave type plants. I sort of ripped them loose from a central mother plant that was dying and was rather disappointed by the limited amount of roots that came with them. So I don't know if they will survive or not since I just did it.... yesterday. I'll give an update a month or so from now, because such plants both live and die slowly.

[spindrift]

They are very hardy and most likely they will live. Please take pics for us.

[bazfaz]

That "black grass" is called ophiopogon nigrescens. From your photo it doesn't seem to have flourished in Winch. I got it from my niece in north London (where it is rampant). It didn't like the open ground here in the south of France but, as you know, it is happy in a pot in the semi-shade near the font door.

[Deleted]

I am anxiously awaiting the new gardening adventures at Baz Cottage. I hope that Mrs. Baz will be convinced to take the necessary before and after photos if Baz remains recalcitrant to the slightly fastidious details of such endeavours.

Not being much of a gardener myself, I don't know details about what should be planted in the autumn, but I think that certain things should go in the ground at that time. I will frankly be devastated if we have to wait six months for the spring plantings.

[fumobici]

Autumn planting means primarily bulbs you'll get to enjoy next Spring/Summer. Some seeds like poppies can be sown in Fall for next Summer as well.

[spindrift]

Baz - it's true that the Ophiopogon doesn't like living with me. But it's got to stay with me as it's a forceful reminder of you

[bazfaz]

Where we live in the south of France autumn (after the first rains) is recommended for putting in shrubs, trees and herbaceous plants. This gives them time to spread the roots in warm wet earth for a couple of months. We have found from experience that if we plant in spring the poor darlings don't have time to get established before heat and drought strike them.

In fact there is what is known as a second spring here starting soon. Plants that have been dormant all through the summer suddenly wake up and have a growth spurt. But we have had no storms yet, and very little rain for three months. According to the weather forecast we may get storms but no serious rain before we leave.

[Deleted]

In New Orleans almost all our spring blooming flowers are started by direct seed in the autumn,bulbs follow and it is also an ideal time for transpanting woody type shrubs and young trees. I planted a slew of sweet peas,nicotiana,poppies and nasturtium seeds before I left town as I wanted to get a jump start on things.

[mockchoc]

We call ophiopogon nigrescens simply black mondo grass. It's very dramatic colourwise.

I have two large agarves in terracotta pots also Baz.

[bazfaz]

In a fortnight we shall be in our new home (barring last minute disasters). The department of the Lot is. at a guess, 150 kilomtres north of us. Summers will be hotter and winters colder. We have noticed there are no oleanders there while they flourish here. Yuccas and agaves... we'll see.

The black grass didn't like being in the ground here but we are taking a flourishing pot with us (from which Spindrift got some). Next week I shall dig up some ginger lily and hope that transplants.

[spindrift]

Baz - have you and Mrs Baz already made a plan for your new garden?

[bazfaz]

No plan until we are in situ. We are taking about 50 pots of plants to start us off.

[Deleted]

Baz, if you save even the rhizome from the ginger,it will keep,it may go dormant, but will probably return in warmer weather.(You may already know this,just checking).