Category Archives: succulents

the spell of the present

Though we may occasionally argue about what a garden is, I think we can all agree that what a garden does is cast a “spell of the present.” I loved this eminently quotable piece from Diane Ackerman a couple days … Continue reading

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Occasional Daily Photo 6/5/12

The spent, dried, bleached-out bloom of Allium schubertii embellishing a mossed basket of succulents and bromeliads.* Might be a ho-hum occurrence for many gardeners, but I never thought I’d see the day I’d get this allium to bloom, much less … Continue reading

Posted in Bulbs, Occasional Daily Photo, pots and containers, succulents | Tagged , | 5 Comments

summer notes

Though I’ve been practicing lots of garden math — some addition but mostly subtraction and a little light division — the garden still seems almost unchanged and very familiar this summer, and I haven’t decided yet if that’s necessarily a … Continue reading

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Wrapping Up the Venice Garden & Home Tour 2012

“The Venice Garden & Home Tour is an annual fundraising event, benefiting the children of the Neighborhood Youth Association’s (NYA) Las Doradas Children’s Center in Venice, CA. This self-guided walking tour showcases the unique homes and gardens of the creative … Continue reading

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, design, edibles, garden ornament, garden visit, MB Maher, pots and containers, succulents | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

mother’s day 2012

And my mom is on a bus heading north on the Atlantic seaboard to join up with a cruise off the coast of Canada. But there were birthdays to shop for yesterday, so naturally (selfishly?) I headed for a destination … Continue reading

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saturday’s clippings 5/12/12

Quote of the week: “I can’t believe I burned down a tree older than Jesus,” philosophized a 26-year-old woman who torched a 3,500-year-old bald cypress known as The Senator last January, one of the 10 oldest trees on earth, while … Continue reading

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No. 24 on the Venice Garden & Home Tour

“Beautifully restored craftsman set in low maintenance and low water ‘Sonoma’ style gardens. Garden design by owner Craig Boelson” This bungalow, which the owner described as slated for demolition when he took over the property, had lots of things to … Continue reading

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Venice Garden & Home Tour 2012 (street view)

A little prelude to upcoming posts on this tour held last Saturday in Venice, California. None of these homes were on the tour. They just happened to be located in the neighborhoods we toured through. Venice oozes a love of … Continue reading

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, design, garden visit, MB Maher, succulents, The Hortorialist | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

succulents in spring

Prowling around the garden yesterday with this or that new plant in one hand, spade in the other, looking for planting opportunities where I already knew none existed, it seemed more constructive to put the spade down and pick up … Continue reading

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freeway wildflowers

Two Sundays ago, on Earth Day, in fact, I bounded out of bed early to head for a strip of wildflowers I’d been watching gain momentum for weeks and which looked to be approaching peak bloom. Instead of driving miles … Continue reading

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