12. June 2017
Today's vase was made up in a glass for a refreshing afternoon. From one side...
28. February 2017
Today's vase was quite a flamboyant concoction. It began several days ago when I salvaged a broken stem of Hippeastrum "Red Pearl". Last autumn I planted "Red Pearl" directly out into the North Border. It has grown well: a little more slowly than my potted Christmas bulb and much more quickly than the Hippeastrums already in the garden. It is a luscious red, very classic.
16. February 2017
I am experiencing some difficulty uploading lots of pictures right now - just in time for Bloom Day, unfortunately! So instead of a comprehensive view of what is blooming, here is a look at the most noticeable flowers, plus one or two deserving special mention. First are a couple of more or less everblooming plants - the ones that show up in almost every Bloom Day post. Above is Eremophila hygrophana; below is Russelia equisetiformis "Big Red".
03. January 2017
With the possible exception of lilies, I don't think there's a more regal garden flower than Hippeastrums. I have begun to use them to replace both border tulips and, to a degree, lilies, in this garden where neither can grow consistently. It gives me a chance to have my cake and eat it, as winter-bloomed container bulbs can then go out into the garden. Last year's "Naranja" actually bloomed again after it was planted out - no mean feat as it had already opened two full heads of flowers! So...
17. December 2016
Well, this post is two days late as the holidays have kept me busy, but it seemed a shame not to go ahead and post for December's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. Not surprisingly, given the mild weather, there is plenty to choose from! Most of the bloom is from long-flowering plants enjoying the cool temperatures, not to mention a bit of much-appreciated moisture. (A little more would be even more appreciated!) I have put in only a few cool-season bedding annuals so far. The most noticeable are...
16. November 2016
It is the middle of the month now, the middle of November at that! Time for a look at what is blooming in the garden with Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens. This is a lush season here in the desert, as temperatures are quite comfortable. It might be even lusher if we could get some rain, but so far that hasn't happened. Perhaps a little later... Meantime, here is what the garden is doing. This month I divided the plants according to seasonality, only to find that...
08. November 2016
This week we are celebrating the third anniversary of the "In a Vase on Monday" theme with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden. For the occasion she set a theme of "three". I decided to combine three sets of three flowers, based on color and, more loosely, type. Earlier I had ambitions of creating three separate vases, but I decided that was a bit beyond my energy level as I'm still getting over the flu. So today's arrangement is a threefold celebration, but in one vase. First of all, there are the...
17. October 2016
For me, yesterday's Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day coincided with a chance to visit Summerwinds Nursery, an opportunity which unabashedly ousted my Bloom Day post till today. After all, this is the start of planting season here and the tables were loaded. Every minute I could spare today went to planting, and there is still plenty left to do! Meantime, I didn't want to miss my Bloom Day post altogether. So out I went with camera in hand, only to find my flower photography preempted by an even more...