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Friday, February 10, 2012

Around the Block: Aloe and Agave Blooms

Let's take a break from the Plant ABC's today with a few photos from around the neighborhood.  I enjoy reading the posts by Loree at Danger Garden showing yards and gardens from her neighborhood and all around Portland, so I decided to give it a try.  Far from "nailing it" on my first few trips around the block with a camera, I didn't like any of the photos at all.

That doesn't mean I'm not persistent or will give up easily.  Finally, this past Tuesday, I spotted this pretty bloom which I think is an aloe.



A wider view of the garage side garden which goes all around the edge of their corner lot.  The large agave in the background is in front of the house on the other street.


They lost several beautiful cacti specimens during the big freeze in February 2011.  It's nice to see their garden looking so good now and that the fountain grass survived the winter demonstrating just how mild the weather has been here compared to the last two years.

Several blocks away, this Agave bloom appeared a few weeks ago



On Tuesday I went back by and took another shot as the bloom is now over six feet tall and beginning to open.


 
This beautiful agave will eventually die when it finishes blooming, but it looks like they have several ready to take its place.  A number of large agave plants died all over the neighborhood last winter so I'm taking note of which ones survived.

That's the scoop from around the block this week.  The nicest yards and gardens in the neighborhood are very natural and as we get closer to spring it should be easier to get better photos.
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14 comments:

  1. RohrerbotFebruary 10, 2012 at 3:13 PM

    That Agave is amazing!!!! What a monster! Love it. Beautiful structural plants for our yards. And wildlife love the stalks they produce:)

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    1. Shirley FoxFebruary 10, 2012 at 6:11 PM

      There are so many large agave plants in the neighborhood and I'm learning to appreciate them more now.

      Interesting about the stalks, I hope the deer leave them for a while at least.

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  2. Desert DwellerFebruary 10, 2012 at 5:28 PM

    Your pictures are just fine, as they show not just the plants but their contexts, which is so very important! So are "winter" shots...the bones are most visible now, even though winter missed you. And with all those striking oaks, I have to pull my eyes back to the agaves and other plants you are also showing...

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    1. Shirley FoxFebruary 10, 2012 at 6:16 PM

      Thank you DD, maybe I will post some of the shots I originally didn't like. There are plenty of oaks in them, the neighborhood known as much for all those "twisty" oaks as for the deer.

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  3. Lucy AbbottFebruary 10, 2012 at 5:47 PM

    Wow! Thanks for the little tour around the neighborhood. I love that agave! SO VERY DRAMTIC!

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    1. Shirley FoxFebruary 10, 2012 at 6:18 PM

      Thanks Lucy, that's not even the largest agave around, I need to get out and take more photos since this seems to be a hit.

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  4. HolleyGardenFebruary 10, 2012 at 8:02 PM

    Sad that it will die after blooming. But it looks like its bloom will be magnificent!

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    1. Shirley FoxFebruary 12, 2012 at 1:39 PM

      I do remember thinking it was sad when I was a child and an agave across the street bloomed. We called them "century plants" back them.

      I'll try to get it in full bloom soon too.

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  5. Steph@RamblingWrenFebruary 10, 2012 at 8:31 PM

    Great pics and tour of the neighborhood. I always like to drive around my area to see what is blooming and covet other peoples plants:)

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    1. Shirley FoxFebruary 12, 2012 at 1:35 PM

      Thanks, and yes it is fun so I plan to keep it up.

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  6. Gardens at Waters EastFebruary 11, 2012 at 1:43 PM

    Shirley, I so enjoyed the tour around your area. For me it is interesting to see the differences in gardening there and here along Lake Michigan. The lake places an important part in the life of the garden here on the shore and I try to use it as a backdrop in many photos. I think I would miss the water if I lived down your way - especially with all the drought problems this year. See you again. Jack

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    1. Shirley FoxFebruary 12, 2012 at 1:34 PM

      Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment! I used to travel to Green Bay on business and there are significant differences in gardening, especially the temperatures. The coldest I experienced there was about -15F without adding wind chill.

      I've seen the lake from several vantage points and it is beautiful and your garden is in a lovely location. I did not get much time to visit the surrounding area, but would love to go back to visit Door County--in the summer of course.

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  7. danger gardenFebruary 12, 2012 at 1:41 PM

    Great post! I love the small variegated Agaves in that first group of pictures, but WOW the blooming ones really are traffic stoppers aren't they? The Agaves still look so healthy too, it seems many times when they are this far along in their blooming the plant starts to decline.

    Thanks for the tour! I look forward to more...(and thanks for the link too!)

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  8. Shirley FoxFebruary 15, 2012 at 8:46 AM

    Glad you enjoyed that, I do plan more of the same. There is a lot to show around here.

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