Author Archives: Denise

Where Was The Sun?

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Denise

One of those drizzly, grey days where one mumbles phrases from Conan Doyle’s The Musgrave Ritual: ‘Where was the sun?’ ‘Over the oak.’ ‘Where was the shadow?’ ‘Under the elm.’ Not a bad day to keep to the couch and … Continue reading →

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Geared Up

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Denise

Apart from tools, very little gear is required to garden. It can be done in your bathrobe, coffee cup in one hand, spade in the other. No special shoes are required. Hats and style of clothing mostly depend on how … Continue reading →

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Phlomis

Posted on December 10, 2010 by Denise

Phlomis can be such fine plants year-round, with many kinds suited for gardens colder than my zone 10 garden. The familiar Jerusalem sage, Phlomis russeliana, is hardy to 0-10F. Mine came labeled as P. aurea, but it’s not showing much … Continue reading →

Posted in Plant Portraits | Tagged | 3 Comments

Unnamed Future Garden Project

Posted on December 9, 2010 by Denise

Yesterday started out great. I won a pair of boots from Plant Talk. I’m purposely avoiding my typical over-reliance on hyperbole because there are simply no words to adequately describe this event. Thrilling? Way beyond thrilling. In this case, thrilling … Continue reading →

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Grace’s Technicolor Coat

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Denise

I’ve been eagerly anticipating the moment when the smoke tree Grace drops her leaves, at which time we have a pruning date scheduled to rein in her exuberance. Planted as 4-inch rooted cutting in the northeast southeast corner, she’s now … Continue reading →

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Winter Whites

Posted on December 7, 2010 by Denise

The gift of Solanum marginatum from Dustin opened a chilly-looking bloom yesterday. For a solanum from Abyssinia, the White-Edged Nightshade really knows how to dress for winter. (Labeled from the grower as S. marginata, but my trusty Hortus Third says … Continue reading →

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Winter Sun ‘Variegata’

Posted on December 6, 2010 by Denise

I never met a variegated leaf I didn’t like, which might be considered the equivalent of a horticulturalist recessive trait, a weakness of character, a penchant for the flashy. In other words, not in the best of taste. Variegated derives … Continue reading →

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The Great Corgi Caper

Posted on December 4, 2010 by Denise

Maybe your local newspaper was following this story. Possibly the breaking Wikileaks news edged it off the front page. Now that Bunny and Peter have been rescued, I can exhale and indulge in some flippancy, but make no mistake, for … Continue reading →

Posted in Ephemera, succulents | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Extraordinary Pots for Extraordinary Plants

Posted on December 3, 2010 by Denise

I was in the area for work-related business so decided to pay a late-afternoon visit to the California Cactus Center in Pasadena. I’ve had aloes on the brain since visiting the Huntington and wanted to check on the CCC’s aloe … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, garden ornament, succulents | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Potting Up

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Denise

Real estate may still not be improving much, but in the garden houses are always moving, as with this Agave americana var. medio-picta ‘Alba’ that has been upsized to a new home that can be comfortably inhabited for several years, … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, Plant Portraits | Tagged , , | 2 Comments