The Life of a LA Gardener: August 2011

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Business associations

The pool guy and I have been working at this same house for over two years. I dont know his name and I doubt he knows mine. Our conversation:
"hey"
"hey, hows it going"
"allright"
20 minutes go by
"there is glass on the patio. I wonder what from"
"yeah, I noticed that"
"hmm"
"its going to be hot out today"
"yeah, lucky I am in the shade"
another 10 minutes
"see ya"
head nod.
Do I know how to converse or what!

maintenance meanderings

This morning I am going to clean up the house of a rock star. For some reason, every time I go there I have to listen to Jane's Addiction on my ipod. Seriously, they have nothing to do with each other but I always wonder if I will meet Perry Farrell when I am raking leaves around the patio. Maintenance can be kind of boring so my brain wanders in strange directions.
Last time I was there a guy showed up to meet with my client. He stopped when he saw me and asked who I was. He was so surprised at seeing a woman gardener. "A woman gardener, imagine that". I never know how to respond. I have had people tell me that I can't possibly mow a lawn even when I am standing next to my lawn mower. I just look at them. What else is there to do?

Monday, August 22, 2011

Papaya

I was walking back from the car mechanic this morning and went past this papaya tree in someone's front lawn. They also had guava, cherimoya and banana trees. I have never seen the papaya flower so took this photo. You can see on the bottom there are a couple of more mature fruits, plus a baby fruit on the right side.
Tropical plants are so interesting - oftentimes their flowers are very thick and large. I wonder what pollinates it - perhaps a vampire bat?