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Penny Carnathan
Penny’s a Nurture And Hold (NAH): Nah, I won’t pull that out yet, it’s still got a green shoot. She likes dragonflies, lady bugs and new stuff only after weeding, pruning and fertilizing.
Kim Franke-Folstad
Kim’s a Want It Now (WIN): Everything pretty, everything now. She will resort to full-spectrum insecticides in desperate situations, and believes it’s her duty and right to buy new plants every weekend.
Both advocate Plant Choice (SOMEthing besides crotons. Please!), lots of color and low maintenance. We don’t agree on everything, but we’re smart enough to learn from each other - and from you.
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Oh almond, sweet almond, I’m just nuts for you
Posted Sep 4, 2010 by Loren Omoto
Updated Sep 5, 2010 at 05:06 PM
I was dumping the sacks of chicken poop, cow manure and peat by my little veggie garden bed by the shed this afternoon when I was blasted by an intoxicatingly sweet fragrance.
There’s no place for a Glade Plug-In on the shed, so I was mystified for a few seconds. And then it hit me—yes, aaaaaaaaaaah — it was sweet almond.
It’s such a low-maintenance shrub (or tree) I sometimes completely forget it’s there. But the bees don’t. I could say I planted it out by the veggie garden instead of closer to the house, where I could enjoy the fragrance, as part of a veggie pollinating plan but, yeah, I think y’all know me better than that.
Sweet almond bush is a fast-growing, drought-tolerant, long-bloomer for sunny Florida gardens. No, it won’t give you nuts, just the fragrance. And it carries the seal of approval of the Florida nursery growers association, which named it a “plant of the year” a couple years ago. That’s always an excellent recommendation.
I first met it in July 2008 while visiting Janis “Pumpkin” Vogt’s garden. Hers was brand-new then, and I remember her proudly showing it off.
But she doesn’t have it anymore. She says it grew so fast, she couldn’t keep it pruned enough to fit in her little Seminole Heights yard. So she gave it to her (our) friend Sally. Oh my gosh, look at it now!
She says the almond gets lots of water at Sally’s house. I’m thinking all my benign neglect keeps mine smaller, which is a good thing.
I got mine in February 2009. I’d been to Scotland a few months earlier and loved all the walled gardens with the espaliered apple trees. I was really garden-bored that February and decided to try some espalier of my own.
The poor thing looked tortured. It made me sad. It was like a crucifixion in my garden. And, I swear, it screamed like Mel Gibson at the end of “Braveheart” every time I walked by. “FREEDOM!”
Besides, I needed that tomato cage it was tied to. So I set it free.
Here’s what it looks like today.
It’s hard to get a photo that really does sweet almond justice, but trust me — it’s a looker. I’ve had some trouble figuring out how to best prune it because the limbs jut out every which way (perhaps a legacy of its tortured infancy), so I’m not yet happy with the shape. But the more you snip, the more it blooms, so we have an understanding.
And the fragrance? You’ll want to dab it behind the lobes of some of your other plants.
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Reader Comments
Posted by (kgardens) on September 04, 2010
Penny that is a stunning tree/bush. My little almond bush is blooming and smelling wonderful too. You said “the more you snip, the more it blooms,” does that mean I could trim some loooong arching branches now and not sacrifice bloom? I sure hope mine gets nice and tree-like next year. Are these cold-hardy?
Posted by (Chip) on September 05, 2010
It is funny how some plants just thrive all on there own and others if you take your eye off it withers and dies. I think it comes down to a plants happy spot find that and everyone is happy!
.....“Chip”
Posted by (Iluvpumpkins) on September 05, 2010
Penny, Your Almond bush/tree looks great. If there was a HOT list for plants in Florida this should be at the top.
I just finished my Labor Day project and will email Penny photos if she wants to use them. PS look for the pumpkins, its a Fall plant garden.Pumpkin
Posted by (Chip) on September 06, 2010
I worked on my beds until it was time to go over to the kids house, so close to finishing. While I was over there I checked on the few eggplant I planted for her and The raccoons got into everything! The little devils make a small hole use there tongue to clean out the fruit leaving it still hanging on the plant so you think there still is something there sneaky little buggers those eggplant was loaded with fruit. I put those out there as a test, the kid wants a veggie garden and chickens as it is she would be giving the raccoons a well balanced meal. ...“Chip”
Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on September 06, 2010
Hmm, there’s one I haven’t tried. Sweet almond sounds like a yummy addition to any Florida garden.
I will be looking for those Pumpkin pictures. Her projects are always fun to look at.
Chip, I have a friend who lost a couple of chickens to marauding raccoons. They pulled them right out of the top of the coop.
Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on September 06, 2010
speaking of cat’s whiskers. I got one from you, Penny as a sprout—-or maybe it was Janna. It’s finally got a flower on top after nurturing it all spring and summer. Thanks
Posted by (Chip) on September 07, 2010
I did get all the beds ready at home!!!!!! I didn’t think it would ever end. Ironic the kid has soil I would kill for, but since she lives so close to a wetland has predators that would eat her garden or her chickens. I think I am going to have to go with chicken wire top to bottom. The chicken people call it “hardwaere fabric” on both chicken coop and garden area maybe call it “the fort Knox garden?” I am all for giveing nature her share but I went out there early one morning and counted 10 raccoons thats just what I seen I bet you can safely double that number….“Chip”
Posted by (Pumpkin) on September 07, 2010
My Cat whiskers are tall and full, they are the white ones. Jana did you grow and give out those cuttings?
Those ratcoons alway kill the chickens then do not eat them. When they get my gold fish they only eat the heads.
Chip, I want to see your garden? Pumpkin
Posted by (Janna) on September 07, 2010
Glad you liked the white cat’s whiskers, Penny! Pumpkin, it’s good to hear that yours are doing well, too. (Sending out good vibes for more blooms on Susan’s!)They really are easy to grow from cuttings and I think I did give out a few last year. If anyone wants one, I can start some more.
Penny, your sweet almond bush is beautiful! Guess it just didn’t want to be “tied down.”
Looking forward to some more photos from all of you!
Posted by (Janna) on September 08, 2010
Penny, Friday will be a couple of weeks that the whiskers have been in the pots - you could probably plant them. They DO root quickly…
Posted by (Iluvpumpkins) on September 08, 2010
Penny, With all this glorious rain and Mills Magic every thing will grow grow and grow. Pumpkin
Posted by (Pumpkin) on September 10, 2010
Well Penny, its Friday how did the gardening go? Pumpkin