Category Archives: agaves, woody lilies

front garden retrospective

Posted on March 28, 2020 by Denise

Since I greedily planted the long, narrow front garden smack up against the fence that separates us from legions of parked cars and noisy, fast-moving traffic, it’s difficult to maneuver around for photos (and maintenance). Also, a lot of toothy … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, succulents | 5 Comments

monday’s plants 3/23/20

Posted on March 23, 2020 by Denise

Leaving the bizarro world aside for the moment, and desperately clinging to the bright side, at least this unusual March has been a good month for rain in Los Angeles. We’re just about an inch below average, which is great … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, Occasional Daily Weather Report, Plant Portraits, succulents | 3 Comments

what’s new…and what isn’t

Posted on March 14, 2020 by Denise

Burrowing into plant and seed catalogues isn’t a bad idea at the moment. Mail ordering plants and seeds is eminently doable even in a pandemic crisis, and if you’re hanging out a lot at home, so much the better for … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, Plant Portraits, pots and containers, succulents | 4 Comments

Wednesday’s plants

Posted on March 4, 2020 by Denise

In the interest of keeping a better garden record…

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, clippings, journal, Plant Portraits | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

(in anticipation of spring) cleanup

Posted on February 19, 2020 by Denise

I asked Marty to drill drainage holes in this metal cart yesterday. Without drainage it was fairly useless, accumulating water and leaves and making a slimy brew of them all winter. When I returned home late in the afternoon, Marty … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, journal, pots and containers, succulents | 5 Comments

November now and then

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Denise

My rapturous opinion of November hasn’t changed much over the years (the cooler days, the slanted light, the chance of rain!), but certain patterns in the garden do escape my notice. Perusing past November entries, I find that Berkheya purpurea … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, Plant Portraits, pots and containers | 5 Comments

San Marcos Growers Celebrates 40 Years

Posted on October 9, 2019 by Denise

On Friday, October 4, 2019, San Marcos Growers opened up its wholesale nursery gates to celebrate 40 years in horticulture. On this Field Day event, the first since 2010, the gardens throughout the nursery were seemingly shouting their own full-throated … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, garden travel, garden visit, plant nurseries, plant sales, pots and containers | 8 Comments

plants and rocks; the basics

Posted on August 31, 2019 by Denise

If your idea of a good life means being surrounded by plants, chances are you love having a few rocks around too, even if only in a haphazard, barely intentional way. Perhaps small rock mementos from travels naturally seem to … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, climate, creatures, design, essay, MB Maher, succulents | 5 Comments

revisiting the class of July 2014; (where are they now?)

Posted on July 30, 2019 by Denise

I love massing one kind of echeveria in pots and letting them multiply like crazy. Echeveria lilacina has completely filled in at the base of the shaving brush tree, Pseudobombax ellipticum. One E. liliacina in bloom is a novelty; over … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, journal, pots and containers, succulents | 5 Comments

Yucca rostrata goes with everything

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Denise

Just something I’ve observed about Yucca rostrata. Whether it’s MCM, Spanish Revival, Craftsman bungalow, Streamline Moderne, you can’t go wrong with this yucca, native to Texas and Mexico. Seen here standing tall amid a privacy buffer of crassula and foxtail … Continue reading →

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, design, driveby gardens | 3 Comments