With the painting in the Patch almost finished, it was time I created some more work for myself, today the Eye of Sauron cast a cold gaze on this garden scene…
The scale of this Mexican weeping bamboo and the stock-tanked golden bamboo where the Tahoe hit has disturbed me for quite some time. The plants are just too tall in front of the house, what had been my thought process here? A momentary loss of sanity? Anyway, my primal Advil taking instinct told me this was going to be one tough dig! The one-ton rock you can see in front of the feeder tank has not moved since it fell off the back of the wagon that delivered my last six yards of decomposed granite, six months ago.
“Fascinating ESP, your rock strangely resembles and parallels this similar unmovable rock on Vulcan.”
It is a really cool rock though and it looks like the shape of Texas from the right angle, with one eye shut, standing on your head, etc, etc. Today I was overhauling this area. I knew that the Mexican weeping bamboo was not going to go down, or out of the ground for that matter, without a major shovel fight, it was quite established after all…
Oh yes you had better stay rigid trusty old shovel, because a Darwin Award could be awarded to me if you snap right now! The plant moaned and groaned, and my shovel and I followed suit with an occasional “why you little…” thrown in on my part for good measure. Eventually I felt the final roots give and the beast was finally freed from the earth, it immediately started to scream and object like an unearthed mandrake root. I laid on my back looking up at the sky, seeing stars.
This extraction was easy in comparison.
B. valliceps
Nepenthes Attenboroughii
Botanists have uncovered a carnivorous plant in the Philippines that is large enough to digest a whole rat. (The plant is about a meter across with these cups at the end of stalks to catch prey).
Nepenthes northiana
Here is the carnivorous pitcher plant preparing to tuck into a rat. Can you believe this? Look at the remarkable painted coloration on the lips of these cups.
“Oh no! I told him he should have become a head-chef ” Brrr… (whiskers involuntary twitch and large teeth bite upper lip, tiny limb and small ear movements).
Stewart McPherson, one of the botanists who trekked deep into the Philippine forest to make the discovery, described the plant…
“Around the mouth of the pitcher are secretions of nectar which attracts insects and small animals. The rim has lots of waxy downward-pointing ridges which help prey fall directly into the pitcher. The pitchers are half full of a liquid consisting of acids and enzymes which help break down its prey. These plants grow in really harsh areas where soil quality is very poor — often pure gravel or sand. Catching insects allows the plant to augment nutrients that it otherwise wouldn’t have access to.” … Mmmm perhaps a mass planting in the hell-strip? That would be novel!
Inspirational image of the week:
Talking about the top of a remote mountain! I have decided that this is where I want to spend my Autumn years when they arrive, a house nestled up in the trees, a Heli-drop of deli produce and beer once a month, fast internet connection, and “raised” (ahem) vegetable beds…you get the absurd picture.
Stay Tuned for:
“Life and Death”
All material © 2010 for eastsidepatch. Unauthorized
intergalactic reproduction strictly prohibited, and
punishable by late (and extremely unpleasant)
14th century planet Earth techniques.
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Oh, you are one industrious Klingon Warrior! I can’t imagine taking on such a move. That weeping Mexican Bamboo is so gorgeous. The patch is starting to look like spring, isn’t it?
Hi Robin.
Mauratorg Kannuk!
I really hated to dig up the Mexican weeper, but it had to be done. I have been watering it heavily everyday since I transplanted it, I know it is going to look really bad before hopefully it gets better. It is a risk I had to take.
The Patch is starting to come out of dormancy, you are right… the sea-oats are on the rise, (always a tell-tale sign of spring), and the clover weeds are annoyingly popping up everywhere, yet another sign!
I saw your post on your bottle brush tree, mine have also suffered (I have two dwarf), but I did notice today that I have a few new green leaves…yes, they live, they live I tell you! This year is a year to not rip up anything you think may be dead I think, roots are more resilient then we think…take bulbine, looks dead…but is it? I have left everything alone and will continue to, until we are completely out of the frost woods. I will wait to see what the heat reanimates.
I cannot wait to trim up my agaves though, it drives me crazy to see their arms, browned, lying on the ground. (sits looking at them sharpening pruners in anticipation)!
Cheers Robin,
ESP.
ok..just where are those pinnacles? (insprational photo) china? Surely someplace in Asia? You have tickled my latent geologic curiosity gene…”where are they? How did they form?”… etc.
Love the new color on your house and am insanely jealous that you have those lovely lime green creatures frisking about in your yard. Wish you’d come dig up MY bamboo patch. Its only about 25′ x 25’… good exercise..
Hi Cheryl.
Those pinnacles I found here…
“Аллилуйя, Аватар!” (10 фото)
It appears we need a universal translator, or perhaps “Pavel Chekov” to aid in the geographical land-mass identification of this amazing future ESP retirement home! (I wish I could be a little more informative).
Glad you like the new Patch color, and you do not have anoles?
25’x25′ bamboo patch? Oh no, that will be all you I am afraid! Like I need more exercise! Good try though!
Dodging the bullet…
ESP.
There are always amazing things going on in the patch. Love the new color scheme. Well done on the bamboo removal. Makes me glad now that I didn’t plant this in front of my window, which I recently denuded and is still waiting for inspiration. Something green and low- what are you going with? This weeks job I think. Ah the throbbing mass of craneflies in the corners of the walls. It’s about that time and anoles caught in the act. Everything is coming back to life in the garden. What about that pitcher plant- Had no idea they grew so big.
Argggh! Do you mean to tell me those pinnacles are , gasp, not REAL? No, there must be some real ones. In Asia somewhere. Really? And yes, we have no anoles. Dang. We do have Alligator lizards, and western whiptails and fence lizards but they are fairly secretive. I have not actually seen any lizards of any sort for about 2 years on this place. I’m hoping they are simply hiding.
Hi Cheryl.
No, I think the pinnacles are very real just not sure where they are on the planet! Anybody?
Hi Jenny.
There has been a lot of activity in the Patch the last four months, but I can now say it is finished! (fireworks are ignited, the crowd goes wild). I am much happier with the bamboo removed from the front, it just looks so much more spacious and intentional. To replace the bamboo I am planting bush sage (for correct scale) with bamboo muhly in front, to reference the future hell-strip.
That pitcher plant is just amazing! The rat picture is really quite bizarre.
That rock don’t weigh a pound over 500. You must be thinking in kilos again. It’s a relatively easy move any where you want it. Pry it up with a digging bar placed over a smaller rock for leverage. Prop it up with a rock or something. Put a couple of pieces of rope under it. Lay a well made dolly on top of it. Tie the rock to the dolly. Grab the end of the dolly and pry it up and over on the wheels. If you tie the rock down low on the dolly you will have plenty of leverage to do it. Move it any where you want and lay it back down.
Given the choice of digging out the bamboo or moving the rock, I would move that rock any day. I wish I lived closer, you could borrow my dolly. It’s a good one, I built it.
Hi Bob.
I knew I could trust you to deliver some analytical insight as to how to move this rock! Too funny.
Spock’s voice…”Bob’s rock moving logic is sound ESP, you would be wise to listen.”
Thanks for this Bob…really…and I just bet you have the dolly from Hell. You know I am into product development…is your dolly special? Patentable? (Hmm, perhaps I should rephrase that!)
See you at Diana’s place, for the next GoGo? I’m driving right? :-)
ESP.
Oh yeah, your driving. By your self.
I thought so!
I saw my first anole yesterday in my new garden and was so excited. We had them coming out of our ears in the old garden, but so far I’d only seen the Texas spiny lizards over here. The anole was hanging out on the warm brick wall; I’m sure he or she is in hibernation mode tonight.
I’m green with envy over your Mexican weeping bamboo. Mine still looks just awful. One little sprig of green at the base is all that remains of its summer glory. I hope it will rebound with warm weather.
The Salvia leucantha and bamboo muhly will be nice out front, and yes, much more in scale. The colors will be fab with your new house color.
And, man, you’ve really got me beat on the number of stock tanks. I have only three. Must take a trip out to Callahan’s soon and pick up another one or two. You can’t have too many! Can you?
And I have never had a Texas spiny lizard in the Patch! Happy you have seen an anole, if there is one I am sure there are a bunch more…or will be.
I have been amazed at how well the weeping bamboo has done since I transplanted it and cut it back by about a third. I think I transplanted at the perfect time, all the deep soakings helped it to settle in I think.
It looks like I have some trampled leucantha returning from the dead, so I will wait and see just how many new plants I will need to fill-in the gaps, and yes, I think the color will provide a good contrast to the house, being on the opposite side of the color spectrum.
Really…can you have too many!
ESP.