FW: OLEANDERS or not
- To:
- Subject: FW: OLEANDERS or not
- From: C*
- Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2000 15:28:17 -0800
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From: CooperTaggart <coopertaggart@earthlink.net>
Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2000 15:27:07 -0800
To: Charles Dills <cdills@charter.net>
Subject: Re: OLEANDERS
I always enjoy the bottom part of your messages, Charles, which say "it's
possible to disagree without being disagreeable" sadly you left that off
today....
I love a debate, and take none of this personally as there is room for all
esthetic differences here. I however would enjoy the bromeliads in your
garden (they grow nicely in my garden, on a shaded area of the hillside, and
I find many to be much more able to tolerate dryness than would be
expected.) My point was not that you should like the plants I listed, but
rather not to dismiss them out of hand without thinking about the context
(i.e. how they are used). I think that point may have been missed.
Regards,
Laura
on 11/27/00 10:00 AM, Charles Dills at cdills@charter.net wrote:
> As they say, differences of opinion is why horse races exist!
>
> Personally, for some obscure reason, I don't like the California
> pepper or Century plant. I dislike Bougainvillea, not because of the plant
> but because people don't take care of it. It is a vigorous grower and in my
> opinion needs just as vigorous pruning.
> While I'm a bromeliad fancier (and therefore am in a miniscule
> minority) I really don't care much for succulents.
> And most particularly I don't care for "Naked Ladies". If I were to
> plant any I would plant them in the middle of a profusion of green
> straplike-leaved plants like clivia.
> Now that I've probably offended at least 78.2% of you, I will
> retreat to my yard work.
> ---Chas---
> *****-----------------
>
>> I'm going to add to the top ten by making one top ten of useful climate
>> appropriate plants that we take for granted in Southern California. These
>> all speak to me of California, many are plants that have adorned gardens
>> since the mission days:
>>
>> Schinus molle California Pepper tree
>> Nerium oleander Oleander
>> Olea europea Olive tree
>> Agave Century plant
>> Agave Swan-neck agave
>> Bougainvillea, esp. San Diego Red and Orange King
>> Opuntia ficus-indica, especially as a hedge
>> Rosa polyantha "Cecile Brunner"
>> Artemisia "Powis Castle"
>> Crocasmia crocosmiifolia Montbretia
>>
>>
>> Twelve more, some ubiquitous, some not.
>>
>> Rosa damascena (I think) "Belle of Portugal"
>> Aloes----all of them!
>> Salvias--------all of them!
>> Euphorbia, esp. cotinifolia
>> Leonotis leonurus
>> Rosa banksiae "Lady Banks' Rose"
>> Plectranthus-----as John McGregor has already commented, approaching salvias
>> for breadth and usefulness in our climate
>> Crinum lilies, all of them but esp. that wonderful one with the maroon
>> leaves
>> Cardoon--------------------my favorite architectural weed
>> Echeverias
>> Aeoniums
>> Sedums
>> Amaryllis belladonna "Naked Lady"
>>
>>
>> While all of these plants are relatively common, they also, for me, have
>> history because of their presence (surviving in our climate without too much
>> life support), and a certain kind of resonance because of their history,
>> living on around old cottages and Missions. I love that these are plants
>> that survive, giving us the outline of old gardens long after the gardener
>> has moved on.
>>
>> Sometimes a way to keep an interest in the plant is to be looking for the
>> new varieties of it--------a deepened color or a leaf variegation can
>> reinvigorate the interest.
>>
>> Of course I love the new and unusual too---------------as context is
>> everything (Sean says this much more eloquently than I)------------the rare
>> and precious have their place. But let's not dismiss the old friends too
>> quickly!
>>
>> Best Wishes,
>> Laura
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> on 11/25/00 10:21 AM, T.L.Miller at tlmiller@mac.com wrote:
>>
>>> On 11/25/00 9:22 AM helene.pizzi (helene.pizzi@tin.it) said:
>>>
>>>> What a pity so many of us have oleanders on our hate lists. Perhaps it is
>>>> because they have not been to Rome in July and August. Hundreds of these
>>>> easy-care very neglected city landscape plants suddenly burst into bloom.
>>>> They bring cheer to a city baking in searing heat and do not mind the
>>>> pollution. The 'autostrada' which follows the coast up to France (and
>>>> other superhighways too) has oleanders as highway dividers and they
>>>> certainly add beauty to the scenery.
>>>
>>> Being born in Florida, I have been around oleanders nearly all my life.
>>> Here, in the St Pete/Tampa area, they and the tropical hibiscus are
>>> probably the two most popular flowering plants. Oleanders are commonly
>>> used along highways. They seem to be trouble-free and add color while
>>> adding a measure of safety by slowing cars that are out of control . In
>>> my neighbor's back yard, oleanders usually are caterpillar (orange/black)
>>> food every year.
>>>
>>> On a Mediterranean cruise about three years ago, I looked hard for colors
>>> other than the ones I see here -- white, dark and pale pink, but didn't
>>> notice any.
>>>
>>> Tom Miller
>>> ...........................................................................
>>> .........................................
>>> If you like tropical plants like hibiscus, please see:
>>> <http://www.trop-hibiscus.com>
>>> ...........................................................................
>>> .........................................
>>> "Liberty is the right to do whatever the laws permit."
>>> Baron de
>>>
>>> Montesquieu.................................................................
>>> ..>
>>>> ........
>>> .........................................
>>>
>>>
>
> ******************************************************************
> It's possible to disagree without being disagreeable.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
> Charles E. Dills 1371 Avalon San Luis Obispo CA 93405
> [Mac G4] cdills@charter.net 805-544-1731 cdills@fix.net
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> ******************************************************************
>
