Protecting the plants

[3/17] The bureaucracy is thick. The plants are not being protected as all parties involved promised they would be. Surprised? I am actually, but I am the fool. I was out there in a desperate move to dig agave that were in the path of curb demolition. Chris Kahey of Azul is not seeing how he is damaging plants and thinking only of his money and getting his job done- who cares about the community. He is not a workable person, but a lovely inspector from SFMTA is. Alison Doyle is very workable and cares about all parties concerned. Thanks to her, today a few plants are saved.


The pictures below are the silt covering the plants. Chris does not see this as damage.

I wet my finger and rubbed off the silt here:

Expansion...

(planting date was 3/16)
I just did it. I went by a number of times, seeing open ground, and thought, just do it! I added the agave, aloes, calandrinia  and aptenia. Then some DG came along for free and I added it as well. Then the most wonderful thing happened- I met some neighbors, first being Flora, and then Karen. They approve! So I will act as a supporter now and watch them do their thing. Both Flora and Karen have plants they want to add and explained how the neighborhood formed a committee to address this spot. OOPS, I imposed- but they said it's ok and Karen is the head of the committee as I understand it.

(before the DG was added- no pic with DG, sorry)
(agave ID: from bottom up: A. angustifolia,  A. lophantha (a form of) A. americana right, A. shawii left, and finally A. sharkskin up top of the picture)

Maybe the term 'expansion' for this triangle spot is a stretch.....

.......but not on this other location at Bosworth and Lyell. From this perspective, wee see the part of Bosworth that goes under San Jose Avenue. Here too there was a spot of open ground- agaves love that- so here they go. These agave americanas were donated by the lovely family in Oakland, Sally Dusan and their young adorable Oliver. Thanks very much!!

Additions

Today with Channing's help, the agave that the generous and lovely Andy and Mark donated and a few other plants I have been meaning to get out to the median, all got planted. The help of one other person is sometimes just the right thing... Channing is of course a power house and a motivator, so it all got done. Here is the Agave Andy and Mark donated from their yard a block up from me. It does not appear to be the run of the mill Agave americana though, so I will need to see if they know the name or can lead me to hints of some sort. Until then it is the A&M agave.

The Sparaxis bulbs have done well this year. Some are a bit past their prime, or maybe it is the unseasonable heat of the day today. But the colors and patterns are always a treat to see. hunk any drivers see them- actually, I hope not as they should have their eyes on the road. But these are up by the stop light, so let's imagine they get a little show while waiting, ok?

These bulbs are really cool. They look so exotic every time I see them. But this year seems particularly good. I really don't recall them looking so floriferous and colorful. Perhaps it is just taking time for them to get going, but I am so happy they are there! I think I may go in a snag some of this deep red or maroon ones for my yard, but where can I put them really... I am out of room!

And that brings me to the rest of the plants wee added today.















The other plants added are some Agave parryi ( directly below) a few aloes (second one down), and an Agave tequilana from my yard (last picture seen). I guess I have become a plant snob as my space is limited and I was thinking it is too common looking. But it is not. It really is a nice plant. 

DEDICATION.

The best way I can think to describe the neighborhood volunteers that came out today is pure dedication. Six total and three stayed to the bitter end.

A giant Thanks goes to Joyce, Kevin and Denise. Thanks for being there for the medians.

It really turned out to be a lovely day overall. DPW was out and did the lane closure by 9am, and soon after the volunteers started arriving. Kevin was first as usual- excellent commitment.

People worked hard, on hands and knees, clearing, cleaning and making the medians very beautiful and uncovering some nice plants. Each person had their own technique and  their own way to deal withe the plethora of weeds and roots.

We saved the CA poppy as best we could (although I am pleased to say it is really filling itself in nicely as it does) and some of the miner's lettuce too. (Claytonia perfoliata)

I am so pleased.

I think now, if the DPW Landscape Architects are thinking for the future, they will see that it really is good idea to run strips of landscape cloth on each side of the narrow medians and add gravel to crate a weed deterrent mainly, but at the same time create a consistent look when they do this at Diamond and Bosworth.

Wish me luck.

I have learned, that unfortunately, all I can do is ask. They do what they want in the end and on their own time schedule. I became overwhelmed and still have not shaken the sensation.

I know I must sound bitter or something, but between dealing with the MTA, DPW and other third party contractors at the Diamond and Bosworth intersection and now SO many weeds and the hard working but light crew from the Clean & Green Crew (usually 6, but 3 today) I got overwhelmed...

With the amount of work a project this size actually needs, it got to me I guess. Ah, I complain. But the real story is how much the volunteers did out there today. One picture I made the mistake of not taking, was the pile of greenways scooped up and loaded off to the side for the DPW pick up. It was about 30 bags total. Lots and lots of weeds. 

I end with a sort of not dramatic enough for how hard we worked, before and after picture.

Maybe it is dramatic after all- can you see the Agave parryi in the weedy picture? it's there...

Transplanted

In preparation for the DPW landscape architects who have decided to re-do the medians closest to Diamond St, I moved some more cherished agave. They have assured me they will replant the ones I left there to be transplanted by the 3rd party contractor hired to do the job. But I digress... with the help of Sean whom I met working with DPW, we moved 2 truck loads and some lava rocks as well. The names of agaves moved is below. Now I trust [as the Landscape Architects were directed to do by the head of DPW who likes this project] the drip system does go in and the plants may have a chance to make it. In the meantime, with Sean's help, I bucket out water as often as I can, still hoping the water truck actually comes when we ask them to. Lots of I hope and I trust is going on, and well, just shrugging it off to chance really. I wish it could be different, but lots is out of my control on this...

A. blue flame
A. cornelius green form
A. mediopicta
A. mediopicta alba
A. shawii
A. parryi
A. salmiana butter fingers
A. striata
A. sticta
A. sp. (I have yet to ID this one from Marsha- it is seen in the lower left  picture, between the A. butterfingers in the background and the A. mediopicta in the foreground)

Aloe City!

Last Saturday, I was invited to Larkspur to remove some Aloe maculata. I looked over the bunch and said I'll take them all! There were more than I could eat! I removed a truck load and was on my way. Katharine was super nice and generous and made the experience so great. The following morning, Noel invited me back to get what I think is an Aloe arborescens. It isn't bushing out like it characteristically does, but it is a lovely plant. This took center stage. I removed Noel's aloe at 9:30, met with Denise and Kevin at 10:00 and we planted all the aloes- and some.

Here is the 'tree' aloe from Noel installed. I wanted to replace the Agave americana to the left that is very thirsty, but with good thoughtful encouragement from Kevin, we decided to place Noel's aloe alongside the agave for moral support. Maybe I won't feel so bad for the neighbor directly across the street who came out to thank me for the work so long ago. I want her section to look nice!

We planted a flat of Aptenia I had rooted, and a one gallon Bulbine, and 2 Senecio mandraliscae. Oh, and a truck load of the Aloe maculata, don't forget!

The water saga continues... with the brown out all over SF, and the promise from the DPW landscape architects redoing the medians at Diamond and Bosworth that will include a drip system all the way up to Elk, I am hesitant... This is to happen in September.

Happy

...kind of a Pharrell Williams type Happy really. DPW was out early and by the time I arrived at 8:45am, had coned off one lane and were headed back down blocking the second lane. It made a fantastic difference for working out there. The Clean & Green Crew were out, some of the volunteers were out- including 2 new ones. That is Happy inducing enough right there! But the tasks completed were:
1) the lava boulders were moved up stream toward the Elk end
2) the asphalt got broken up in a section for new planting
3) the weeding of the (almost) entire median from Chilton up was done
That is a wonderful feeling....
Not so picture heavy today as I was in the dirt with the C&G Crew and the volunteers. This team included 6 workers, Brian their manager and Mitch the Big Boss. The the lovely group of Bosworth Median Volunteers included the lovely Sally, Heather, the new gal Giovanna and sit down for this cause I was so honored- Jean Conner! Yes, the expert had arrived and worked hard. The boys included the new guy Ed, Kevin and sit for this too, Paul from the Diamond Heights median project. Daing! a great group.



Our weed debris was taken away by DPW people and that made ALL the difference. We were able to pull and toss out our weeds into the coned off lanes and the C&G crew swept it all up and bagged it. So by 12:30 I think it was, all this was completed. Done.

Gymnocalycium saglionis

But because it was a picture-light-day, don't go looking for who's who in these two pictures above, but do look at the sweat little cactus flowers in this third one...

When all the Bosworth volunteers and the C&G crew were gone, I took advantage of the lane closure and moved some bigger heavier Agave parryi with my wheelbarrow up to the Elk Street end in preparation for the Diamond/Bosworth intersection re-do claiming the two medians from Bart up to Lippard. The DPW landscape architect is working with me to reuse the agave I planted out here one year ago, so wish me luck on this. I say that because it isn't the DPW landscape architect doing the work, but a contractor they will bid out an hire to complete the job. I will share the plans as soon as I am given the go ahead to share publicly.

But again, a very deep sincere thanks goes to those who were able to come out today and work so hard,

T H A N K   Y O U   A L L .