Now you see it.
I am determined that this year the Lush will not be allowed to run riot over the garden becoming. What has been planted will not be buried alive.
The process of selection by elimination has already covered significant ground.
I am afraid the tall flower meadow will have to removed in the crease of the sunny utility valley. It does not fit in with my garden plans.
I plan to see if I can get a river of Red Blood grass flowing. Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra' maybe. I am not sure of the cultivar. It was moved from a full sun dry slope where it just sat there barely surviving to a full sun wet crease where I hope it will bleed profusely.
Plants grow quite well here when they are not struggling with over zealous competition.
Still, I must be prepared for a wild look to things.
This is the front roadside bed where I have been able to exert the most influence over the last five years. It certainly has more flowers blooming than my neighbor's unmowed ditch across the byway. I can say that at least.
The untouched Lush is already head high near the end of June.
I have to be determined.
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5 comments:
It's all beautiful, cultivated or not. But i know it needs some 'organization.'
bev
Your efforts are being rewarded. I will be interested to see if this grass grows better now. I haven't had much luck with it here. Maybe I need a damper spot for it.
Christopher, please, please, please reconsider your use of Imperata cylindrica anywhere. It is considered one of the ten worst weeds in the world, far worse in its impacts than kudzu. Both state and federal governments are desperately trying to prevent its spread and to remove it from commerce. Including North Carolina.
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=IMCY
I don't think it has been reported as having been found in NC (!), but
www.ncsu-feop.org/NNI/PPT/Cogongrass.pdf
William the last time I mentioned using Blood Grass and someone had a cow I did some research.
"Although the ornamental varieties, known as 'Rubra,' 'Red Baron,' or 'Japanese Blood Grass' are not aggressive, plants grown from callus tissue can revert to the invasive form (Greenlee 1992, in Dozier et al. 1998)."
http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=16
This is not the much larger straight green species that is so aggressive. Also my cold put its at the far edge of its preferred tropical range. I don't do tissue culture either.
The same article linked above also states it doesn't spread into undisturbed dense forest settings. I am surrounded on all sides by undisturbed dense forest.
Basically I do not feel like I am potentially unleashing a botanical horror that has already established itself in the straight species form in the south east.
Anything I plant here has to be somewhat aggressive to compete with the native thugs which abound. The notion that native plants are wimpy and can easily be take over is hogwash. If you look closer and think about it a lot of these alien invasive take hold where man has greatly disturbed the land already.
It's looking good. I like to see your artistry in the sunny utility valley. Also I like the blood grass to look like a river. Making sure the planted lush is protected from the wild lush would be my priority also. I can see you resting in your patio, observing all, in the future.
Sun is shining for the present.Tornado watch in Alachua till 2.
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