Category Archives: Occasional Daily Weather Report

ice storm aftermath

Some quick notes on the recent ice storm, that for us on the Oregon coast descended on Saturday, January 13. A fine icy mist encrusted everything — houses were entombed in ice, including doors, roofs and siding, a very peculiar … Continue reading

Posted in climate, Occasional Daily Weather Report, Oregon garden | 8 Comments

swept away

Busy week, weather-wise, democracy-wise. There was a sweet piney scent to the air the morning of the 19th, which meant the wind had shifted and was coming from the east. I smelled it before checking the weather vane, which confirmed … Continue reading

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, climate, design, journal, Occasional Daily Weather Report, succulents | 5 Comments

monday’s plants 3/23/20

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

sweat it out

It’s great to see the garden “sweat” again. Whether glistening from morning dew or transpiration, it’s a sight for sore (dry) eyes. The leaves of the tree aloe ‘Goliath’ were a grimy, sooty mess just a few days ago. Hosespray … Continue reading

Posted in climate, Occasional Daily Weather Report, science, succulents | 4 Comments

occasional daily weather report; got shade?

Cooler with some moisture: I haven’t done an ODWR in quite a while, but today inspired me to file a report. The pavement was wet this morning. Wet I tell you! Enough drops were falling to drum some spare syncopation … Continue reading

Posted in Occasional Daily Weather Report | 2 Comments

rainy thursday 4/19/18

Would you look at that — wet pavement! The corrugated roof on the pergola starting lightly pinging about 7 a.m., and I froze stock still and listened. Could it be? The clouds seemed indecisive for a few minutes, like they’d … Continue reading

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, climate, clippings, journal, Occasional Daily Weather Report, pots and containers, succulents | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Occasional Daily Weather Report; Thomas Fire’s impact on gardens and plant nurseries

Stepping out the back door this morning, my skin instantaneously felt the difference. Running to check the hygrometer on the front porch, that immediate sense of all-encompassing hydration was confirmed. The needle registered over 90 per cent humidity. The pergola … Continue reading

Posted in climate, Occasional Daily Weather Report, plant nurseries | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

summer is overrated

Agave bracteosa ‘Monterrey Frost’ I know those are fighting words, especially depending on where you live and your opinion of winter in general, and I’m not trying to pick a fight. We all miss those long days that stretch luxuriously … Continue reading

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, climate, Occasional Daily Weather Report, pots and containers, succulents | Tagged | 19 Comments

cooling down the house with a garden; a modest proposal

I know I mostly talk about plants with a micro focus trained on their singularly gorgeous attributes, like Echium wildpretii above, but with this post I’m going to pull out of that narrow focus a bit and go wider. Normally … Continue reading

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, climate, design, Occasional Daily Weather Report, pots and containers | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

rainy day schedule and its effects on big, jagged leaves

That makes two drizzly Mondays in a row. Did our collective obsession with California winter rain last year have the unintended and adverse effect of scaring it away? Drought does bring out magical thinking in me. I’ve given up on … Continue reading

Posted in Occasional Daily Weather Report, Plant Portraits | Tagged , , | 4 Comments