Replacement

The wonderful part about blogging is that there is always something going on in the garden.  There are so many things to learn about as I am designing and reconstructing our property.  And of course, they should have a class on how to blog.  When I first started this journey earlier this year, I hadn't a clue on how to set up a posting.  Since then, I purchased a top notch camera, break down the posts into one central idea, and bring my equipment with me wherever I go.  In fact, I think we all have so many ideas that go through our heads that when we walk outside into our own gardens, we sometimes forget that there is a lot going on.....and I'm proof of that. On my blogging options, I'll create a list of topics for me to write about and then when I get to it, I'll post.  Sometimes I'll have a bunch of them done and release one a day or sometimes, when I'm busy, I'll go back and look at my list to see what it is that I am needing to report.

We easily get sidetracked and forget what our "mission" was for the day.  For example, today I am adding more bark mulch around an area, checking a water line, planting a guava, and adding more soil in a pot to my fatsia plant.  That doesn't sound like much until you weigh in how much time it takes to dig a hole in our desert soil.....caliche sucks. So to prep that hole digging experience... you need water and a strong metal rod to stab into the soil. Loosen. Take shovel and dig. Repeat the first steps over again until hole is established.  For people living in the desert southwest, you do need to know this.....caliche is great soil and once you have your plant in that section and water over it, the caliche will break down and disappear from that area.  I don't think a lot of people know that....but with repeated watering that stone layer in our soil will disappear.

The Crape Myrtle on the right is the one in question...behind the nandina or heavenly bamboo.

So the last post was about editing, this post is about replacement.  As the garden is getting bigger and the oak trees are extending their canopy further over the courtyard, several sun loving plants are now not doing so well. Several homeowners have suggested that I get rid of this crepe myrtle as it is not getting enough of our sun.  But here's the problem....there is another crepe myrtle on the opposite side of this particular garden growing quite well.  To remove one would also take away the balance that they both have mirroring each other....so you can see my issue.  There is no doubt in my mind that this plant must be taken out of the garden....it looks terrible.  Those of you familiar with crepe murder(posted on an earlier blog titled "crape murder") will understand the pictures better once you see them.  They were butchered and on top of that get nothing but shade so they look spindly and ugly. Part of me thinks I should just cut them to the ground and let them grow again and another part thinks that there is a better plant to put in that spot.  I am at a crossroads with this issue.  I was able to ignore it for a long time as other parts of the garden distracted me from dealing with it, but now my focus is on that section of the gardens.  The garden that is opposite of it is shown below.  As you can see, one is lush while the other is sparse and one side looks "heavier" than the other.  Editing and replacement.....both difficult, but I do know that something must be done.  Recommendations?  You guys give lots of great advice.  Thanks:)

Opposite Side