Author Archives: Denise

Folly Bowl Presents

Posted on August 22, 2013 by Denise

Saturday, August 24, 2013, 7:30 p.m. $5 donation suggested. Contact: james.griffith4@gmail.com Part of a summer-long, outdoor concert series at the Folly Bowl, the hand-made amphitheater in Altadena, California, created by artists Sue Dadd and James Griffith. This just might be … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, artists, garden visit, MB Maher | Tagged , | 6 Comments

the packrat king

Posted on August 21, 2013 by Denise

If you’ve ever visited Lotusland, you’ll instantly know why I was drawn to these clamshells. Set up temporarily on a bird bath stand. I was hoping they’d hold a lot more water than they do. Sitting on the stand at … Continue reading →

Posted in garden ornament, garden visit | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

Echeveria agavoides ‘Ebony’

Posted on August 18, 2013 by Denise

Seen at the 2013 Inter-City Cactus & Succulent Show held at the Los Angeles County Arboretum over the weekend. Once again, on the show table, not the sales table. Echeveria agavoides ‘Ebony,’ intensely desirable and chronically unavailable. Is it going … Continue reading →

Posted in Bulbs, plant nurseries, succulents | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

a garden with a roof

Posted on August 18, 2013 by Denise

I miss when Sundays were neatly divided by the sections of a thick Sunday newspaper that sprawled across tables, beds, and couches. The travel section might include articles like this one on the Buenos Aires home of Mercedes Hernáez and … Continue reading →

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driveby garden; LAPD headquarters, Downtown Los Angeles

Posted on August 16, 2013 by Denise

“The first five months of this year were the driest on record in California, with reservoirs in the state at 20 percent below normal levels.” – Arid Southwest Cities’ Plea: Lose the Lawn, The New York Times, August 11, 2013 … Continue reading →

Posted in design, driveby gardens, succulents | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Bloom Day August 2013

Posted on August 16, 2013 by Denise

Not too much of a change since July’s Bloom Day post, when I predicted the Persicaria amplexicaulis would own the garden in August, and the vibrant crimson spikes have done just that. This knotweed is the legacy of foolishly trialing … Continue reading →

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A Texas shoe story as told by Ronald Rael (Prada Marfa)

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Denise

rac·on·teur /ˌrakˌänˈtər/ Noun A person who tells anecdotes in a skillful and amusing way. Synonyms narrator – storyteller Way back in January I breezily announced “ambitious plans to produce transcripts of the lectures” given by the illustrious group of artists … Continue reading →

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InterCity Succulent Show and Sale August 17-18, 2013

Posted on August 11, 2013 by Denise

Mr. Ripple and friends cordially invite you to that holy of holies in the world of desert plants, The InterCity Show and Sale next weekend, August 17 and 18, at the Los Angeles County Arboretum. Agave ‘Mr. Ripple’ Agave potatorum … Continue reading →

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gilding the jasmine

Posted on August 10, 2013 by Denise

Plant Delight’s 2013 fall catalogue has just been released and offers this gold-leaved jasmine, Jasminum officinalis ‘Frojas’ (Fiona Sunrise Jasmine) that I’ve been tormenting for a couple years. Mr. Avent suggests pairing it with colorful shrubs like loropetalum or smoke … Continue reading →

Posted in plant nurseries, Plant Portraits | Tagged , | 1 Comment

swirly skirts and aloes

Posted on August 9, 2013 by Denise

On the Xericworld forum you can expect to find some of the most technical discussions around on desert plants, but photos of a fashion shoot among aloes and agaves? That was a surprise. From the March 2012 issue of You … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, MB Maher, photography | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments