Category Archives: Plant Portraits
Wednesday Vignette 9/21/16
The aeoniums are losing that shriveled and squinty, “Anybody seen my sunglasses?” look they acquire over summer, plumping up again for their favorite season that’s just ahead. An old post from January 2013 “comparative aeoniums” shows them at their happiest. … Continue reading
Posted in Plant Portraits, succulents
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Muhlenbergia capillaris ‘Fast Forward’
I recently picked up a gallon of Muhlenbergia capillaris ‘Fast Forward,’ which may or may not be the answer to a pink muhly lover’s prayers. The PR is it’s more uniform and blooms earlier, possibly as early as August, depending … Continue reading
at the Inter-City CSSA Show August 2016
The funny thing about hard-core succulent shows is there’s often non-succulent treasures on the sales tables too. On arrival, I made a quick circuit around the tables and immediately became fixated on these decidedly non-succulent leaves. And the mottling on … Continue reading
Posted in agaves, woody lilies, plant crushes, Plant Portraits, plant sales, pots and containers, succulents
Tagged Agave 'Tuxedo Mask', Agave bracteosa 'Monterrey Frost', Aloe branddraaiensis, Aloe camperi, Aloe melanacantha, Aloe sinkatana, Amorphophallus impressus, Astrophytum ornatum, Cylindropuntia ramosissima, Cylindropuntia tunicata, Dudleya palmeri, Echinocactus grusonii var. inermis, Euphorbia bongolavensis, Inter-City Cactus Show & Sale 2016, Matucana madisoniorum, Neoporteria nidus, Pachypodium namaquanum, Petra Crist, Rare Succulents Nursery, Stenocactus multicostatus, Sulcorebutia heliosa
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a week in plants, continued
I so rarely document thoroughly, before and after, that I thought for once I’d push back a little against those slacker tendencies. This small project is an easy place to start. In the last post, there were four ‘Cousin Itt’ … Continue reading
Posted in journal, Plant Portraits, plant sales, pots and containers
Tagged Acacia 'Cousin Itt', Asparagus retrofractus, bromeliads, dry shade, Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Web', Lomandra 'Breeze', Monstera deliciosa 'Variegata', Neoregelia 'Dr. Oesser Big Spots', Neoregelia 'Martin', zone 10
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a week in plants
Last week was a good one for plants. I finally found some Acacia ‘Cousin Itt’ in small sizes, under $10 each, to plant under the Chinese Fringe Tree. (Chionanthus retusus, as distinguished from our native Chionanthus virginicus.) This great, mediumish-sized … Continue reading
friday clippings 6/24/16
Little Diego next-door has taken upon himself the challenge of learning drumming. In the last couple months, he’s been practicing on whatever is handy, whether it be pots, pans, buckets, gates. It was hard to tell at first how invested … Continue reading
Stipa ichru
The Peruvian Feather Grass may save the world from Mexican Feather Grass, Nassella (formerly Stipa) tenuissima. Whether the world needs saving from the rampant reseeder MFG depends on your point of view and where you garden. (More on that here.) … Continue reading
last of the poppies
I’m just now starting to see photos of poppies in bloom showing up in gardens in colder climates, but by June the annual poppies are usually finished here. In my garden, as June continues the mild, overcast weather of May, … Continue reading
don’t forget the lilies
Lilium ‘Black Charm,’ whose first bloom opened June 1st. Against the backdrop of my increasingly scrubby, grassy, agave-filled garden, lilies look like something that glided in on a red carpet. When they’re in bloom, I always crave more. Beautifully easy … Continue reading