Monthly Archives: February 2011
Pelargonium tomentosum ‘Chocolate Mint’
Temps dropped into the high 30’s last night, not enough to damage tender pelargoniums, but cold enough to need a blanket for the couch (Hitchcock’s Foreign Correspondent in the queue. If only Jimmy Stewart or Cary Grant had the lead … Continue reading
Weird Plants
It lives! Emergence of the aroid Pinellia tripartita, or ‘Dragon Tails.’ New shoots emerge almost a crime-tape yellow, maturing to a lurid yellow-green. The aroids seem to have weird covered, having in common, whether small or gigantic, jack-in-the-pulpit flowers. Amorphophallus, … Continue reading
Blue Intentions
In small gardens, a few feet of ground mean everything. This is not whining, merely observation. (Gardens, unfortunately, never respond to whining, but only to cold, clear-eyed observation.) I had some blue intentions for spring for the main garden border … Continue reading
The Occasional Daily Photo
MB Maher’s 4X5 portrait of musician Frank Fairfield (banjo, fiddle, guitar), who has another album coming out this year. (Debuting a fluid, non-binding category of miscellaneous images.)
Polygonum aubertii ‘Aureum’
The Silver Lace Vine. Or, as this one is called, the Golden Silver Lace Vine. The new growth in spring bears colors more often seen with Japanese maples. Shrimp-pink stems, lemony-tart leaves. Tangy. (Guess I’m still hung over from Sunday … Continue reading
Tulip Porn
Tulip ‘Brown Sugar’ It would push me over the edge to have to write catalogue descriptions for tulips. A groundwork of deep apricot etched in grenadine feathering reaching just shy of the margins, emanating from a central upward brush stroke … Continue reading
The Tree Collard
Just another brassica, right? Let’s read the label, shall we? (Plant label: “Tree Collards. Evergreen. 8-10′ tall. Old American heirloom. Very nutritious, high in protein. Excellent steamed or boiled. Full-part sun, water regularly.”) No, that was not a typo. That’s … Continue reading
Agave ‘Cornelius’
When I got home last night, Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element was streaming from Netflix. (Sidebar: TV is amazingly complicated these days.) First thing this morning, I was of course snapping photos of the Agave ‘Cornelius.’ Or “Corneeleyoos,” as Mila … Continue reading
Foliage Follow-Up February 2011
This Salvia canariensis var. candissima from Annie’s Annuals is furrier than the species and has been incredibly difficult to photograph. Ever since I read a recent trashy news story on how beauties like Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe shaved their … Continue reading
Bloom Day February 2011
What was I thinking, sleeping in on Bloom Day? Getting straight to the point… Grevillea ‘Superb’ Pelargonium echinatum Abutilon Anigozanthus Salvia chiapensis Ammi majus Tulips The first flower of Salvia iodantha wagneriana in honor of Bloom Day. Thanks, Carol!