Category Archives: Plant Portraits

Random Senecio

Composite flowers of senecio come paired with an incredible range of leaf forms. A few portraits from one of the largest genera of flowering plants, taken at recent plant shows Senecio fulgens with an Emilia javanica-like flower Senecio tropaeolifolius Senecio … Continue reading

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Kalanchoe delagoensis x daigremontiana “Pink Butterflies”

The entire name wouldn’t even fit in the post title: Kalanchoe delagoensis x daigremontiana ‘Pink Butterflies.’ How fitting that a hybrid with a parent commonly known as ‘Mother of Thousands’ would have a name involving syllables of thousands. I’ve had … Continue reading

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June Leans In

Look away briefly, and June overwhelms winter’s carefully laid plans. Since spring in Southern California really gets going in March, by June plant growth is at full throttle. The agaves, succulents, and Mediterranean evergreen shrubs have presented a sedate, enchanting … Continue reading

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The Kitchen Garden Contained

Is it possible for a vegetable to reach celebrity status? Tuscan kale has seemingly reached a kind of stardom with both ornamental and vegetable gardeners. Brassica oleracea var. acephala, aka Italian lacinato, Nero Toscano, black kale, dinosaur kale. I grow … Continue reading

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Manly Plants

I’m a lumberjack, and I’m okay. I sleep all night and I work all day. (Manly chorus: He’s a lumberjack and he’s okay He sleeps all night and he works all day) I cut down trees. I eat my lunch. … Continue reading

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Occasional Daily Photos 6/6/11

San Diego Cactus & Succulent Society Plant Show and Sale at Balboa Park (San Diego), California. First-time visit to this amazing show in an open-air courtyard at the Casa Del Prado of Balboa Park. I’ll stick with photos of some … Continue reading

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Another Look at the Huntington

I promise this will be the last post on my recent visit here. Unless I get around to writing about John Frame’s exhibit, which I urge any steam punk aficionados in the LA area to get to post haste before … Continue reading

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Santolina ‘Lemon Fizz’

There’s no space in the garden for this wonderful santolina currently, so pots it is. Rationale No. 1: Best to be prepared in case a plant in the garden should…die… (and open up a spot for one or both). Rationale … Continue reading

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Agave franzosinii

This photo was taken by MB Maher during a visit he made to artists Sue Dadd and James Griffith’s amazing Folly Bowl last summer. Some agave, huh? I’m now fairly sure that this uber-undulating creature is Agave franzosinii, which develops … Continue reading

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Occasional Daily Photo 5/25/11

In a few weeks, the leaf margins of this flapjacks kalanchoe have flared a deep red. Which composes quite a picture with Pelargonium ‘Splendide.’

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