One Year Later

by Melody Kendall

Last year about this time I was sending in regular reports on our in ground pool removal and subsequent new landscape install. This narrative was concluded in November 2020 with the note that we would install a pergola and drip irrigation in early 2021. 

Well, the pergola is in place and we love it.  After much research and concept discussions we decided on a three post open roof design. The two sides are strung with two strands of wire about waist high to espalier two Thompson Seedless grape vines Vitis vinifera 'Thompson Seedless' that we adopted from a friend. But, the best design elements are two heavy metal gates that form the back corner.  Always looking to reuse and recycle, we were given these wonderful items from a sweet friend and this was the perfect place to showcase these marvelous gifts. The final design element is a small shade sail in dark green.  We installed it so that we could remove and store it each year when we put away the furniture, so that way it will last much longer. This is my ‘go to' place in the early mornings to relax and rejuvenate.  

Our plants are all arranged by zones and irrigated in a four station drip irrigation system using battery operated hose bib timers. My husband wanted to put in an electric timer and have one station to operate all four stations. I won the argument pointing out that I am the ‘water wizard' for our landscape and am intimidated by multi-station electric controllers. Give me a simple one trick pony hose bib timer and I'm good to go. Installing a drip system is actually kind of fun. My knees and back complain, but I do enjoy figuring out the design layout. Each plant has two 2 gph emitters run on ¼ lines from the main ½ inch line that is attached to the timer which is attached to the hose bib. Each hose bib has a ‘Y' on it for double duty usage so that each faucet serves two areas. Each timer runs for 15 min every other day.  A timing schedule is posted via magnet on our refrigerator so I know just when each area should be receiving water.  I have found this to be a good idea when troubleshooting. At the writing of this article we have lowered our water consumption by two tiers compared to this time last year using this system.

Here are follow-up stories on some of the plants:

• The Agapanthus that we transplanted from the front garden, the dwarf blue, the variegated and the new ‘fireworks' variety are going gangbusters.  I don't know what the two dwarf white agapanthus are waiting for.  They are not growing, period. They are taking the designation ‘dwarf' to heart as they are the same size today as they were a year ago. They might be candidates for ‘shovel pruning' but I'm going to give them another year and see.

• The three trees are settling in nicely. While all are growing well, we liken their development to the Goldilocks story.  One is too big, one is too fluffy and one is just right.  The little maple (Acer ‘Warrenred' PACIFIC SUNSET^®) is the "just right" one growing perfectly from all angles.  The Smoke Tree (Cotinus x 'Grace') is the "too fluffy" one. In spring it shot out these ‘wild hair' branches all over its canopy. 

For the whole summer the tree has looked like a cotton ball with twigs stuck in it.  I finally could not stand it any longer and looked up how to prune Smoke trees and removed the bulk of them. We can't decide if this was the tree stretching out after being confined in a pot or if this was natural. Time will tell.  The final tree, black locust Robinia pseudoacacia 'Twisty Baby™', is the "too big" one.  Just to give you a picture, my husband calls it the Whomping Willow after the infamous tree in the Harry Potter stories. We purchased this tree because we wanted a specimen tree for that area of the garden. With its twisty growth habit and tiny leaves this plant seemed the perfect fit. 

Smoke tree

Obviously it is extremely happy where we have it as it has tripled if not quadrupled its size in one year.  We are going to wait until it drops all its leaves and then try to tame it somewhat, being very cautious of any further "whomping willow" characteristics .

• The Kniphofia are all performing well. The uvaria bloomed in June and is now on its second round of blossoms.  The Lemon popsicle bloomed in July and the ‘limelight' is now full of wonderful lime green blooms.

• The three trailing lantana are going gangbusters.  In fact, I had to uncover some of the other plants in the area because the lantana were trailing right up over and through them. I thought that I had planned for the lantana's average growth spread of 3 to 6 feet when I spaced them, but these particular plants are overachievers.

• The Bulbine frutescens or Cape balsam that were also transplanted from the front yard and, as I have said in another article, the fruit of ill gotten gains, are expanding and filling in. These plants have evidently decided this is bulbine nirvana because their size and blossom output has been amazing.

• I am not sure about the Lacy Russian Blue Sage. They are growing great and the bees just love the blossoms but they are rather woody and unruly. I'm going to follow the pruning directions and cut them back to 1 foot from the ground this fall and see how it goes next year.

• The Gaillardia continue to produce their famous bee magnet flowers right into the fall.  I'm going to prune as instructed and cut each plant back (while wearing long sleeves so I don't itch) so that these workhorses continue to grow and thrive.

I can say without reservation that our garden has exceeded every expectation. When we laid it all out we read up on the growth habit of each plant and spaced accordingly, in vain it seems as each plant has expanded exponentially. My friends ask "What is the secret ingredient that you have added to the soil?" Personally, I think that it was just the perfect storm of reputable nurseries, healthy plants with a sprinkle of pure luck. Regardless, I am sitting now under the new pergola gazing over my new domain and just enjoying the view. 

Napa Master Gardeners are available to answer garden questions by email: mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. or phone at 707-253-4143.  Volunteers will get back to you after they research answers to your questions.

Visit our website: napamg.ucanr.edu to find answers to all of your horticultural questions.

Photo credits: Mel Kendall

Information Links: UCMG Napa County-Garden design https://napamg.ucanr.edu/GardenDesign/

UCMG San Luis Obispo-drip irrigation https://ucanr.edu/sites/mgslo/files/280518.pdf

Monrovia-Thompson seedless https://www.monrovia.com/thompson-seedless-grape.html

Variegated agapanthus https://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/3784/gold-strike-agapanthus/

Agapanthus-Fireworks https://www.monrovia.com/fireworks-agapanthus.html

Acer ‘Warrenred' PACIFIC SUNSET^® https://www.jfschmidt.com/pdfs/pacificsunsetmaple.pdf

Grace Smoke Tree Cotinus x 'Grace' UC Master Gardeners Sonoma County http://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Plant_of_the_Month/Cotinus/

Robinia pseudoacacia Twisty Baby™ Oregon State https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/robinia-pseudoacacia-twisty-baby

Kniphofia 'Banana Popsicle https://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/7002/banana-popsicle-dwarf-poker/

Missouri Botanical Garden Kniphofia uvaria https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=i310

Trailing lantana https://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/1771/trailing-lantana/

Bulbine frutescens - Cape balsam https://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/2918/orange-stalked-bulbine/

Lacy Blue Russian Sage https://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/3663/lacey-blue-russian-sage/

Gaillardia https://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/1198/arizona-sun-blanket-flower/

UCANR-Gaillardia aka blanket flower causing skin to itch https://ucanr.edu/sites/poisonous_safe_plants/Toxic_Plants_by_common_Name_659/