Everything will take full sun here.....so I'm not used to paying much attention to that....

That's one of the differences between the coast and 10 mi. inland.

yup....and it's why I'm not going to move 10 miles inland...

Ah well. There are trade offs . I couldn't stand the cold and damp. I basically grew up in Corona del Mar. Right now I'm just obsessing over this water situation...and the neighbor's dogs barking. Trying to follow the watering schedule is becoming a real pain. My garden isn't on that schedule, and yes, I'm cheating. I'm not wasting water, as I'm watering only what needs watering, but some pots need more than others, and I am skipping, and shortening showers, laundry, flushing, etc., but our park has one schedule and the city has a different one...with a hot line to report abusers. They can't really do anything about it, as only a few residents have meters. The rest of us pay through the park with our rent, but the park will up our bills if they abuse. I keep telling myself this too shall pass, but it's frustrating. Same with the dogs...neighbors have 4 yappers (illegally), haven't worked in years (keeping the attorneys busy), but needed a 3 week vacation. There is a house sitter, and a dog walker, both being paid because I got tired of being used. At least the neighbors aren't being kept awake all night, and they should be home the 20th. Ok! Done venting! The house sitter should be home soon and I can open my doors and windows, and turn off the cooler.

The whole situation sounds intolerable...I'm never angry anymore...wow...that's something. PeopATV's and dirt bikesle should not be allowed to make others miserable.

I don't know if I mentioned this before...we had neighbors across the canyon, well, not exactly a "canyon", down the hill, across the road and up another hill...few acres and kids and then grandkids on ATV's and dirt bikes.....when they first got there, before they'd even moved in, there were the dirt bikes. They had not yet moved in even and I got their number in Torrance ansd left a message stating that if they were going to want to ride dirt bikes, we would prefer it if they stay in Torrance. Things were iffy, off and on through the years and then it got really out of hand. I blackmailed them.......................yep.

County codes for cargo containers said they are legal as long as they are not visible from any road.....well, hello, they had gone to great expense and trouble to bring two in and grade a couple of level spots into the sloping hillside below the house, in front, visible from everywhere and no place else on the property to hide them, plus having to empty them, move them, etc...

I sent them a nice letter explaining that if I heard anymore dirt bikes or ATV's, I would file a complaint on those cargo containers, choice was up to them....hard to file complaints on noise...not so hard on thse containers...lol...I wonder if they know we've moved......

Have I mentioned how great our neighbors are here?

On the other hand... noisy kids with toys only last so long. Invite them in for cookies and conversation and become the cool old people.

Afraid not...the sound of dirt bikes and ATV's racing up and down the hills makes me go ballistic....just when their dirt riding kids have grown, they bring in the grandkids...this is / was a huge problem in the Fallbrook area, people from L.A. and Orange Counties move down there and the first thing they seem to do is get dirt bikes.....now, if I were deaf.......

One of the things I love most here...no dirt bikes, city living is so much nicer than I'd anticipated..

Finally my dwarf agapanthus is starting to bloom. Been waiting for awhile, have seen lots of agapanthus blooming their hearts out all over already.

Not too generous this year for my plants, I usually get about 10 stalks..anyhow two stalks better than none My area is getting too shaded by the city trees, I think that is making it harder to produce more blooms.

I would be really, really thankful for those trees.....

Just when I thought that agapanthus did not interest me, I saw, in Fallbrook, a property that was all green, everything green except for tons and tons of the darkest blue agapanthus......it was stunning and peaceful at the same time. Of course you can't do that if you have to buy every plant you see in the nurseries.......as some of us do....

Oh yes, very thankful for these trees..as much as it inhibits a bit the more profuse blooms..still thankful, for it, it is the only thing keeping my plants right now from being toast in this Central Valley heat, and it helps cool down our house a lot.

Tarev, Is that 'Baby Pete'? Looks a lot bigger than mine, but mine is new, and getting full sun.

I know it is Peter Pan ..did not even know there is a Baby Pete

Oh yeh, all the local nurseries here are carrying 'Baby Pete' now. Mine looks to be about 1/2 the size of yours, but as I said, it's a new plant so may get bigger.
I would love to have one of those dark blue ones that Sherry mentioned, but I just don't have the room for the big ones.

You know it's true, carol...where there's a will.........

Sometimes one has to compromise. I want it all, but I live in a mobile home lot in Santa Ana.

Have we thought "Roof Top Garden"?.....

yes, I do know compromise....there is much I can't have for one reason or another. I look at a friend's beautiful 2 1/2 acre garden and it does not bother me at all because I know I would not now want to try to take care of it....her day is coming.....

Yeh, I used to say I needed at least an acre. Now I've changed my mind. That being said, this tiny lot requires constant pruning to keep things under control. A larger lot wouldn't require that if it was well planned.

I need to have a small place now to keep me limited...otherwise I just keep planting.

We have a 13,000 ft2 lot and have filled it up pretty good. The only places left to dig are in the lawn and I think DH likes the lawn just the way it is. I've already taken chunks of it for fruit trees and flower beds.

One of the reasons that I liked this house and we decided to buy it is that the garage and parking are in the rear. That's important to me and not usually found in a city lot unless you're talking much, much older homes. However, we also have 3 vehicles and two trailers, a flatbed trailer and a box trailer, that need to park back there. I've extended the two beds back there as much as I can, apparently. I had plans for going about 8' farther with the one, but have now been 'advised' that the extra space is needed for maneuvering room...sigh...I'm wondering if we really need those trailers, sadly I agree that we don't want to give them up. Every inch counts here and I push it as far as I can. I have 4 vitex sitting in pots...at some point it's bound to come to me where and how I can squeeze those in....ditto with the two dogwoods, hydrangeas, etc.....I'm sowing seeds of and can squeeze in lots of 'smalls', but trees and large shrubs have become an issue and I don't want to give those up either..lol..

In time, the nature of the property will change with the maturing of trees, but for now it would look too bare for me to just have grass and a few trees...and then there's the greatest enabler of all time, my friend who hands me plants and just says, "Take this...................."...and, of course, they're plants not found in nurseries here, so how can you say no?