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Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Believe it or not, I've been spending a lot of time picking out plants for the front landscaping. My problem has been I fall in love with a lot of different plants and keep changing my mind! But since I decided on a general "look" for the front yard, I've been able to narrow down my choices. So here they are, for posterity, so I don't change my mind. Again.

I already have an Island Oak (quercus tomentella). It was one of the first things I planted, and I picked it for entirely practical reasons: it's very drought tolerant and wildlife friendly, but narrower than the most common oak around here (Coast Live Oak, quercus agrifolia) and will shade the yard and still fit.

I'm also keeping two of three Catalina Island cherry. Also planted for practical reasons: drought tolerant, wildlife friendly very narrow form that I planted to screen the ugly McMansions from view. Two grew true to form (altho one seems to have a little hollyleaf cherry in the mix) and one grew in as a "weeping" form. Absolutely bizarre, but when you propagate from open-pollinated seed I guess you never know exactly what's gonna come up.

A couple of other plants I'm keeping: purple trailing lantana, and creeping Oregon grape (berberis repens), a lovely low-growing plant with holly like leaves, bright yellow flowers and blue berries.

Some plants I'm getting rid of: I was sold three plants as "repens", and they're now 6' + tall, and that's AFTER being pruned down a lot last year!
Also, Ashy leafed California buckwheat. Nice little bush, but absolutely in the wrong place.

So...

Ground covers to replace the lawn:

Dwarf coyote brush (baccharis pilularis)... nice, low, evergreen ground cover but with small flowers that drive pollinators wild.

Spreading sage "Gracias" (salvia Clevelandii X Leucophylla) a beautiful silver- leafed low growing sage with whorls of blue-lavender flowers in spring.

Low-growing California buckwheat, Seacliff buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium) with gray leaves and pinkish-cream small pompoms of flowers that fade to deep, rich rust color. Host to small blue butterflies and great nectar source for lots of bees and butterflies in late summer.

California fuchsia. A narrow-leaf cultivar from somewhere around Hollywood hills, with trumpet-shaped scarlet flowers in late fall/ early winter. (Like, blooming now.) Great 'pops" of color and loved by hummingbirds.
All can get by on water once a month.


I'm still deciding on what my accent plants are going to be, but it's going to be one of the awesome smelling sages (salvia Clevelandii and cultivars or mixes).

Also, thinking about a bunch grass. The ones of the right size are bad for pets, so I'll probably just go with a sterile fountain grass.

Foundation plants will be coffeeberry (not a real coffee bean).

Some plants in the front will go in the back. I have a spot where the downspout dumps a lot of water, so: goldenrod, yarrow, chrysanthemum.
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"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal." - Henry Kissinger


AMERICANS SUPPORT AMERICA

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Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Just a quiet, gray morning. For a change, I woke up comfortable. Nobody else is awake. After all the scheduling mishaps this week*, I get to enjoy peace and quiet all by myself.
* We had scheduled for dear daughters exercise group party on Thursday, shopping and the handyman (and temporary water shut off) on Friday and hubby's medical test on Monday. Instead, the clinic called on rescheduled him to Friday, and the handyman called and said they had sent him a bad part so he needed to reschedule for next week. At least the shopping got done, but all that meant I wound up short of sleep.

For scheduling reasons family and foothill friend and I are celebrating T-day and my b'day on Dec 1. I can't believe I will be 70. I still have lots to do. Where did the time go??

Think I'm gonna take my coffee over to the sofa and daydream for a bit.

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"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal." - Henry Kissinger


AMERICANS SUPPORT AMERICA

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Originally posted by Brenda:

Quote:

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Originally posted by SIGNYM:

For scheduling reasons family and foothill friend and I are celebrating T-day and my b'day on Dec 1. I can't believe I will be 70. I still have lots to do. Where did the time go??

Think I'm gonna take my coffee over to the sofa and daydream for a bit.

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Well, here's a early happy b-day and Turkey day wish.

I know what you mean and I'm only 60. Too fast and still so much I want to do.

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BRENDA:
Been forgetting things yesterday. Almost went out without my backpack. *L* Had to come back from the elevator to get it.

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Quote:

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Originally posted by SIGNYM:

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Originally posted by Brenda:

Quote:

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Originally posted by SIGNYM:

For scheduling reasons family and foothill friend and I are celebrating T-day and my b'day on Dec 1. I can't believe I will be 70. I still have lots to do. Where did the time go??

Think I'm gonna take my coffee over to the sofa and daydream for a bit.

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Well, here's a early happy b-day and Turkey day wish.

I know what you mean and I'm only 60. Too fast and still so much I want to do.

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Better get started on that second book, BRENDA, if that's what's on your agenda!

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BRENDA:
Been forgetting things yesterday. Almost went out without my backpack. *L* Had to come back from the elevator to get it.

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Wow, me too!

Hubby is significantly older than I am, and at this point takes responsibility for ferrying us around (family chauffeur), percolating coffee every morning, keeping the computers and electronics updated, and making the bed. That leaves me as the family scheduler- organizer- coordinator- decision maker. Aside from the fact that that hits some of my already weak points (I joked at work that I was a scheduling dyslexic, and relied heavily on one of my team leaders for that) it also hits on my crappy memory. Which is only getting crappier as time goes on. I use all kinds of aids- big family calendar, kitchen white board, diary, smart phone alarms, and lots and lots of lists... but I live with the nagging fear that I'll forget something really important some day. Throw too many things into the hopper and I kind of go into brain freeze.

I can't multitask like I used to either. I got pretty good at burning meals until I figured that out!

But it's gotten worse lately. I feel like my brain is leaking out my ears. I think it's too many things to juggle but maybe it's just me.

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