Wednesday, December 2, 2009

UNDER THE MONSTER - (AGAVE AMERICANA VARIEGATA)

Lucy Corrander  -  Under the Monster (Agave Americana 'Variegata')  -  November 30th 2009  -  Sony DSC-T77

8 comments:

ADRIAN said...

Wow!

Lucy Corrander said...

Hello Adrian.

It is a bit overpowering, this plant.

I've never liked it. It is over-large, un-gainly and always tatty. But I had time to kill before an appointment so I went for a wander and ended up wandering under the leaves (well, crouching) as the light dimmed from the park . . . feeling mildly apprehensive that someone 'odd' might come along to this rather out of the way place . . . and reassuring myself that I was, in this circumstance, probably the 'odd' one!

Result? After seventeen years of saying it's ugly - I now feel rather affectionate towards it!

Lucy

easygardener said...

They are very statuesque but lethal close too. Mine is wrapped up for the winter. It is sad that any damage is on show for ages as the leaves last for a long time. They look rather sad when they are tatty.

Noelle Johnson said...

Hi Lucy,

What a huge Agave americana 'Variegata'. I love agave, but generally stay away from the americana because it does get so big. However, it is such a great accent plant for large areas.

Its Time to Live said...

AWSOME, great angle

Lucy Corrander said...

Hello Noelle.

Thanks for giving me the name for the agave. Didn't like to risk being precise until you told me but I've now added it into the title. Extra thanks!

This agave may be good to accent planting in large areas but this is sandwiched, along with another agave (same variety) and an absolutely disgusting, moth eaten, falling to bits cactus thing, between two hedges. The park is otherwise pristine - a floral clock, a bowling green, neat edges to the lawns, regimented planting of bedding plants. Maybe the council got given them and stuck 'em here because there was no-where else to put them. They are definitely a point of interest!

Lucy

Lucy Corrander said...

Thank you, It's Time to Live!

Lucy

Lucy Corrander said...

Hello Easygardener.

I'm quite lucky not to have hurt myself because I forgot the spikes and nearly got my eyebrows scraped twice as I crept out backwards from underneath the leavses. You'd think I would have learnt after the 'once'! No damage - but I wouldn't want to fall into one!

They are very exposed to the wind in this situation so I'm amazed they are not even tattier than they are. They may not be my kind of plant but I know someone who loves them so much, he makes detours to look at them!

Lucy

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...