Author Archives: Denise

thinking of Kris

Posted on March 7, 2026 by Denise

When the blog Late to the Garden Party, a steadying presence appearing on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, abruptly stopped at Monday, I wrote yesterday: “Hi Kris — what a disturbance in my world when there’s no Wed/Friday posts by you.  … Continue reading →

Posted in clippings | 7 Comments

another spiral aloe

Posted on February 28, 2026 by Denise

Some plant failures just don’t let go. Three tries is generally considered reasonable, but after that? After that, reason doesn’t have much to do with it anymore. At my local nursery, coming upon a few gallons of the spiral aloe, … Continue reading →

Posted in journal, Los Angeles garden post 2024, succulents | 4 Comments

rain journal; Year of the Horse

Posted on February 21, 2026 by Denise

Because so rare, rain is a big deal in Southern California and stirs up intense feelings. Will it be too much? Not enough? Will the roads flood? Will there be mudslides? Will it be more than we can handle or … Continue reading →

Posted in journal, Los Angeles garden post 2024 | 5 Comments

Star of the dry garden, my awkward Grevillea ‘Moonlight’

Posted on February 4, 2026 by Denise

Within a day or two before leaving the Long Beach garden last spring, Grevillea ‘Moonlight’ sheared off an enormous middle branch, violently bifurcating that luminous, stately canopy into goofy ears. The tear was rough and I assumed possibly fatal, but … Continue reading →

Posted in journal, Los Angeles garden post 2024 | 10 Comments

A quick ‘Hallelujah’

Posted on January 31, 2026 by Denise

A couple years ago I gave a friend’s new garden some Bilbergia ‘Hallelujah,’ which were recently returned to me, fattened up but congested with conifer debris. Too messy to deal with, was the verdict. Too true. I let the bromeliads … Continue reading →

Posted in journal, Los Angeles garden post 2024 | 7 Comments

my museum rats

Posted on January 15, 2026 by Denise

In a completely unexpected twist, both my granddaughters have parents who work in museums. In terms of time spent, both kids are bonafide museum rats. In Oregon we volunteer at a small museum, and in Los Angeles we’re constantly exploring … Continue reading →

Posted in artists, journal | 6 Comments

a cautious welcome to 2026

Posted on January 1, 2026 by Denise

A pot of posole bubbles on the stove as the garden soaks up last night’s downpour. I’ve moved on from coffee to green tea to quiet a scratchy throat. The spicy posole will be therapeutic as well. Then maybe a … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, Los Angeles garden post 2024, plant nurseries, succulents | 8 Comments

rainiest December in LA history

Posted on December 26, 2025 by Denise

Los Angeles is having its rainiest December ever, which has everyone on edge because wildfire-scarred land doesn’t absorb rain well and tends toward runoff. A good portion of this rainy munificence fell inconveniently on heavy travel days over the 24th, … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, climate, creatures, Los Angeles garden post 2024, succulents | 7 Comments

notes from the December garden/Los Angeles

Posted on December 12, 2025 by Denise

December temps have been in the 80’sF, astonishing even to this lifelong Angeleno. Fairly quickly I’ve re-adapted to the prevailing attitude that keeping track of the weather is mostly irrelevant here. I left checking hourly weather forecasts behind in Oregon … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, journal, Los Angeles garden post 2024, pots and containers, succulents | 8 Comments

resuming rambles around town

Posted on November 26, 2025 by Denise

Spending winter in Los Angeles means I get to indulge a lifelong passion for looking at old stuff that goes way back to thrift-shopping in high school. (Seriously, we were dressing like Annie Hall before the movie came out.) Other … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, commerce, journal, Los Angeles garden post 2024, pots and containers, succulents | 7 Comments