{"id":35367,"date":"2012-11-28T18:37:22","date_gmt":"2012-11-28T22:37:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/agrowingobsession.com\/?p=35367"},"modified":"2012-11-28T18:37:22","modified_gmt":"2012-11-28T22:37:22","slug":"how-to-gift-wrap-an-agave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/agrowingobsession.com\/?p=35367","title":{"rendered":"how to gift wrap an agave"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><big>I had some time late yesterday afternoon so decided to dip my toe into holiday retail.<br \/>\nIn truth, all I did was look at plants.  And even bought a few.  <em>For myself<\/em>.<br \/>\nThis season of giving is off to a roaring start.<br \/>\n<center><\/p>\n<p>But look, Christmas trees in the background. See?  I <em>was<\/em> holiday shopping!<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014524.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nAstelia and echeverias<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014519.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014515-001.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nAgave &#8216;Blue Glow&#8217;<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/rogersgardens.com\/\">Roger&#8217;s Gardens<\/a> in Newport Beach is where I like to drum up some holiday spirit.  There&#8217;s lavish holiday displays, antique glass ornaments, beautiful table linens, stationery, wonderful gift ideas &#8212; but I just wasn&#8217;t ready for the full holiday immersion yet.  I stayed outside with the plants.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014513.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nTree aloe, Aloe bainesii, Yucca &#8216;Bright Star&#8217; <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014502.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nAloe marlothii, Yucca &#8216;Bright Star,&#8217; Agave &#8216;Cornelius and Agave desmettiana &#8216;Variegata&#8217; in the background<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014484.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nMore tree aloes, with aeoniums this time and fountain grass.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014483.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The large slope currently planted with fountain grass, potted magnolias, and other grasses is changed out four times a year.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014488.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I know this because I eavesdropped on the tour given to a troupe of Girl Scouts who straggled into the succulent section while I was taking photos.  The guide told the Scouts that succulents were the most popular plants at the nursery currently and briefly explained how they tie in so well with our mild temperatures, rainfall patterns, and extended seasonal drought.  <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014497.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nAgave lophantha minus the Girl Scouts.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014506.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nThere must be a way to gift wrap barrel cactus.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014487.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nAloe marlothii getting its turn to star in a big urn.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014459.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nCordyline and phormium<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014445.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nEnormous potted Ligularia dentata.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014430.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Agaves and aloes liberated from containers, showing what they can do in the landscape, planted inside the nursery grounds.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014398.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014405.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014417.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>One of the plants I brought home, Carex trifida &#8216;Rekohu Sunrise,&#8217; very broad-leaved with a lovely habit of growth.  Zones 7-10.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014419.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nOr ask for Variegated Tataki Grass.   Can you tell it hails from New Zealand?  Via the nurserymen at Monrovia.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014437.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nYou can tell from the abundance of terracotta, without a pop of glazed orange or lime green anywhere, that Roger&#8217;s Gardens concentrates on classic mediterranean style &#8212; French, Italian.  <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014441.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014590.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Whatever the style, their plantmanship is first rate.  Outside the nursery, the entire perimeter bordering the sidewalk is landscaped to maximize drought tolerance.  Mediterranean fan palms.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014581.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nUnderplanted with the crown of thorns, Euphorbia milii<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014596.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nPalms, agaves, and leucadendron<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014604.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014540.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nThis agave looks a lot like A. guadalajarana.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014545-001.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nAgave &#8216;Blue Flame&#8217;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014546.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nA leucadendron bursting with holiday cheer.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i52.photobucket.com\/albums\/g23\/botanizeme\/november2012\/P1014608.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Photobucket\"><\/a><br \/>\nI&#8217;ve rarely walked along these plantings and have mostly driven by when arriving and leaving.<br \/>\n<\/center><br \/>\nRoger&#8217;s has been helping me ease into the holiday spirit for many years, and never fails to do the job.<\/p>\n<p><\/big><\/p>\n<p><em>for Deanne<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I had some time late yesterday afternoon so decided to dip my toe into holiday retail. In truth, all I did was look at plants. And even bought a few. For myself. This season of giving is off to a &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/agrowingobsession.com\/?p=35367\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[28,33,842,36,898,27],"tags":[374,130,1499,496,2483,1427,2479,2486,2480,1693,2485,2481,2484,80,2487,2482],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paNJ2E-9cr","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/agrowingobsession.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35367"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/agrowingobsession.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/agrowingobsession.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/agrowingobsession.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/agrowingobsession.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=35367"}],"version-history":[{"count":98,"href":"http:\/\/agrowingobsession.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35367\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":107559,"href":"http:\/\/agrowingobsession.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35367\/revisions\/107559"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/agrowingobsession.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=35367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/agrowingobsession.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=35367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/agrowingobsession.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=35367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}