A little pruning...

Finally got out in the garden for a few minutes today. We purchased some pretty garden ornaments at the NoHo Arts and Theatre Festival last weekend. A few of these got placed around the back garden. Joe particularly liked his ladybug made out of shiny copper with jewel stones for eyes.

For some reason, the pink climber rose near the front door bloomed a few weeks ago and then when into decline, dropping leaves and looking poorly. I trimmed off some dead stems, removed a few black-spotted leaves and did a general cleanup. I am looking to remove this rose anyway, as the 2 yellow Bankside roses are starting to get established on the same trellis, but I had hoped to keep this one around until they were better established. It has never been a great grower in this location, so time may have eventually caught up with it.

Books on Rose Pruning and Maintenance

Magnolia, I care not for ye...

It is magnolia blossom time here in Southern California. Amidst all the purple of the jacarandas, there are huge white blossoms hanging from the others.

I have never been a big fan of Magnolia trees (Magnolia grandiflora), but they are difficult to avoid here. Just 2 major blocks away runs Magnolia Boulevard. It has entire blocks that are lined in its namesake tree.

The flowers seem overly large and cumbersome without a hint of delicateness often found in flowers. They also leave quite a mess when they drop their seed cones and waxy leaves. I agree with the note in the link above that "the old leaves that accumulate under the tree seem to take forever to decompose." The tree seems too large a choice for its typical tree lawn usage here in Los Angeles, but enough people seem to enjoy them, so they stay. I can't say, though, that I have seen any new ones being planted recently.