What's happening in your late summer garden?

Saw lots of nice hedges on this trip.

Since my work is taking care of gardens, clipped hedges are important to me (keeps me busy).

A reminder for CA narcissus lovers
--now's the time to order from Bill Welch in Carmel Valley www.billthebulbbaron.com

He has a great selection of unusual and heritage paperwhites and other narcissus. Check the Availability list on his site which changes frequently as he finishes harvesting each variety or as he sells out. In past years I have always been too late to get some of his rare ones.
I finally ordered some N. Golden Dawn which is floriferous and tolerates summer water so can be planted with annuals and perennials.

Chris

Thanks for the heads up, Chrisw99, I was wondering about when I should start ordering bulbs for fall planting. ; - )
I've missed you! Where you been lurking? Hope you had a great "summer". I was planning on going and finding the thread about all the beautiful bulbs you planted and shared with us last year.
Dale, I sure am sorry that you've got the cold too. I am comforted knowing that it will pass, eventually. My immune system is shot, and when the kids go back to school I always catch everything they carry home. They may not get sick, but I do! : - (
Those are lovely hedges, and I sure wish I had the knack of that kind of artistry. I really admire people who can do that. Next pretty hedge I see I'll take photos for you. There are some beauties in O'side (going there on vacation on the 20th), and I like to take walks with my camera. Ya never know what you're going to find!
WIB!
SW

That's right SW, especially in O'side. You may even run into a pirate while you're there. (grin)

You know I went all over Sun City today, despite running a fever, but I didn't see any cool looking hedges. I saw lots of decorative rock lawns, bushy hedges, some intermixed with clumps of ornamental grasses but not a decent hedge among them.
I sure hope I see at least one pirate. I am so glad that you get to go to the RU. I was invited to a Curry party the same day as the RU, and had to turn that down too. It's alright, I don't like curry that much. The company would have been fun though.
I'm sure I'll see some neat hedges around O'side too.
I did have to stop, since I had my camera to take a photo of these POB. I can't wait for mine to be so happy. Another year or so, and they'll look this good!
Two more photos to follow.

Look at how tall this POB is!

Last one!
I've admired these shrubs/bushes for years. Which is how I discovered that they were my Dad's favorite bush. This one is looking towards Murrieta Road. I saw seed pods, but wasn't able to ask the owner if I could collect some. I'll try again another day, at another time when they are at home or drop off a note.
WIB!
SW

Hi SW,
What does the POB mean? Aren't they Desert Bird of Paradise? Oh! did you reverse the letters?
~'spin!~

She's referring to "Pride of Barbados".

Aaahhhh, thanks Mike. I realized they are not the Desert BOP, Caesalpinia gilliesii (which is more yellow), but the related C.pulcherrima -- but I looked right by the first common name given (Pride of Barbados). There is a traffic-stopper one of the latter on Irvine Ave in Tustin, a real jaw-dropper.

~'s!~

I have both the yellow and the orange. They aren't quite ready to pick.

I think they look more compact in dry climates. They grow like weeds no matter where they are grown.

If I had more room, I would definitely have one or both. I'm currently trying to find room for some more salvias from the Arboretum's salvia sale, AND I'm in love with Hibiscus mutabilis that someone just posted on the ID forum... it "only" gets 10wide by 15high! I would have to replace my front circle (Powis Castle Salvia spathacea, and S.Navajo rose) with it, well maybe I could space the Powis Castle *around* its leggy base. I really am considering it, if I can find one locally.

~'s!~

Well, 'spin, if you find one, let me know where..I want it also. Been planning on getting seeds for it, but haven't done so yet. It did take my hibiscus syriacus 2-3 years from seed to bloom though. Fullerton Arboretum has a lovely white Rose of Sharon and when I was there last, there were seedlings everywhere beneath it....I wanted to scoop them all up, of course.

Thanks JD, for helping ~'spin!~ out with the answer! : - )
I noticed that the pods on these plants weren't ready yet, which is one reason why I want to go back and talk to the owner. I have some seed left from Dad's plant, but mine isn't even blooming yet (thanks to pup who chewed it almost to ground). Might take it awhile to get to the point where it seeds.
These in the photos above have been in the ground for a good five years or more. Dad told me not to water them until the leaves folded shut, then to deep water. I think that Dale is right about them being more compact in arid climates. flyboy will send me seeds from his plants in FL, if anyone is interested, just LMK.
~'spin!~ can you get a photo of that traffic stopper? I'd sure like to see it if you can.

Found this olympic swimmer in my pool yesterday. I was surprised he was an amputee? He was swimming quite strongly in a straight line, not in circles. After I took the photo below I released him under the banana. The owner of Wet Pets told me that the toad may grow back his foot? I don't know if he was born that way or got in an accident but I wish him a long life and a speedy recovery. Has anyone else observed or heard of toads regenerating limbs?
WIB!
SW

poor little guy...

Many amphibians can regrow their limbs. That is why scientists use a critter I used to raise for the pet stores, for research. They are trying to find out how they do it. This aquatic salamander can get up to a foot long and quickly learn to recognize who is bringing in dinner. This was one of my males, "Rex." Can you hear him demanding, "where's the beef!!?" I am probably spelling it wrong. Axylotls. From a lake in Mexico. But they are hard to find there now. In captivity, they come in all kinds of colors, even Opal and Calico!

Heck, JD, he swims better than me and I have all my legs!

Love the "hairdo", PC!!

That's a very interesting creature...I really like his looks.

They were allot of fun to raise. No room for them here though. They really look cool when they are swimming. Like little alligators.
I have high hopes for SW's little wayward toad. Good thing she rescued him, toads can drown when they can't get out of a pool and they aren't the best swimmers.

Rex is definitely an unusual critter. Never heard of them before. How many do you have ?

I'm surprised the chlorine in the pool doesn't bother the frog...

This is getting to be a long thread! I'm continuing it as the early fall garden here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1037177/

See you there folks!