Category Archives: agaves, woody lilies
a succulent garden in February
On the way to picking up a family member’s weekly box at the CSA Growing Experience in North Long Beach last week, I took the opportunity to drive slowly through the surrounding neighborhood of mostly Spanish-style homes. It was drizzling … Continue reading
chasing agaves
Last Saturday, while millions marched their way into the history books, I was driving south to San Diego to meet agave expert Greg Starr. I had been looking forward to this 2-hour road trip for some time, as a beacon … Continue reading
Posted in agaves, woody lilies, clippings, garden travel, plant nurseries, plant sales, pots and containers, succulents
Tagged Agave bovicornuta, Aloe longistyla, B&B Cactus Farm, Denver Botanic Gardens, Greg Starr, Jeff Moore "Aloes & Agaves in Cultivation", Panayoti Kelaidis, San Diego Horticultural Society, Solana Succulents, South Coast Botanic Garden, South Coast Cactus & Succulent Society
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a holiday visit with Dustin Gimbel
Now that garden designer Dustin Gimbel has branched off into ceramics, I can buy a few holiday presents and visit his incredibly inspiring garden. Coming in the little side gate, there’s this silvery vision of Acacia pendula, faced down by … Continue reading
Posted in agaves, woody lilies, artists, design, garden visit, pots and containers
Tagged ceramics, Dustin Gimbel, Frankenia thymifolia
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friday clippings 12/9/16
There. How’s that for proof of some holiday spirit stirring? You can keep the poinsettias. I’ll take my holiday colors in the form of Aeonium ‘Mardi Gras.’ And then there was that very festive plant swap meetup this past week … Continue reading
Unforgettable Fire! Natural Discourse 2016
I usually have at least a hazy impression of the origin lands of the plants in my garden. Drawing from the five mediterranean climate regions for low-rainfall plant inspiration and choices as well as arid and semi-arid regions keeps my … Continue reading
reprising a 2010 visit to the Ruth Bancroft Garden
(Ms. Bancroft is celebrating her 108th birthday this month — yes, that’s not a typo — and we’re all awaiting the upcoming launch later this fall of the book chronicling the making of her garden The Bold Dry Garden.) If … Continue reading
Posted in agaves, woody lilies, books, garden visit, succulents
Tagged The Bold Dry Garden, The Ruth Bancroft Garden
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at the Inter-City CSSA Show August 2016
The funny thing about hard-core succulent shows is there’s often non-succulent treasures on the sales tables too. On arrival, I made a quick circuit around the tables and immediately became fixated on these decidedly non-succulent leaves. And the mottling on … Continue reading
Posted in agaves, woody lilies, plant crushes, Plant Portraits, plant sales, pots and containers, succulents
Tagged Agave 'Tuxedo Mask', Agave bracteosa 'Monterrey Frost', Aloe branddraaiensis, Aloe camperi, Aloe melanacantha, Aloe sinkatana, Amorphophallus impressus, Astrophytum ornatum, Cylindropuntia ramosissima, Cylindropuntia tunicata, Dudleya palmeri, Echinocactus grusonii var. inermis, Euphorbia bongolavensis, Inter-City Cactus Show & Sale 2016, Matucana madisoniorum, Neoporteria nidus, Pachypodium namaquanum, Petra Crist, Rare Succulents Nursery, Stenocactus multicostatus, Sulcorebutia heliosa
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Bloom Day August 2016
It must be August, because the Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’ is billowing. This tender perennial becomes activated by the heat of August. I pull it out by the handfuls when it gets too rambunctious but always leave a few roots. Any … Continue reading