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Early Spring Blooms at South Coast Botanic Garden (Wednesday Vignette)
I've been spending more time of late at South Coast Botanic Garden. That's partly because I'm curious to see if what's happening in my garden this spring is on par with what's happening at the botanic...
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The best laid plans...
Bulbs. I consider them little miracles. They come in unimpressive brown packages. You pop them into the ground and, if you're like me, you promptly forget them. Then months later, surprise! Blooms...
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In a Vase on Monday: Rain-washed blooms!
We got more rain! A rainstorm moved in early Saturday and stayed through early morning on Sunday, delivering the best soaking we've had in my location this entire season, two-thirds of an inch of...
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If at first you don't succeed, try, try again (Wednesday Vignette)
Last year, I equipped my garden with squirrel resistant bird feeders. I now have 6 of these and, after a period in which the local squirrels made repeated attempts to bypass their safeguards, I saw a...
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Bloom Day - March 2018
Last March, Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day followed a long period of heavier than usual rain and the garden was looking good. While there's no real shortage of flowers this year, there aren't the large...
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Foliage Follow-up - Standouts and Hidden Treasures
Rain and other demands on my time delayed my Foliage Follow-up post this month. As early spring brings new blooms every day, it's also easy to lose track of the foliage for the flowers. But, despite...
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In a Vase on Monday: Spring has arrived!
Two weeks of periodic rainstorms may not have made up for the overall dryness of our winter rainy season or lifted us back out of drought but it's re-energized both the garden and the gardener, at...
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Who'd have guessed? (Wednesday Vignette)
Last Thursday, our newspapers came up missing. My husband usually picks them up from our driveway before he starts his morning walk. He was much later than usual in getting started that morning but,...
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Local Spring Flower-fest
It's that time of year. New flowers seem to appear nearly every day in my garden.Appearing this week: noID Iris germanica, blooming on the back slope underneath the leaf of an agave (left), and Iris...
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In a Vase on Monday: It had to be orange
Saturday, 800+ cities in the US and around the world joined a massive group in Washington D.C. led by students from Parkland, Florida to protest gun violence and call for sensible gun control. A...
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Rain Effects (and Wednesday Vignette)
More often than not, our short rainy season comes to an abrupt end in March. While the 2017-2018 winter season doesn't appear to have set a new low as the driest on record in Los Angeles, it's right...
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Seeking Inspiration (and plants)
I visited Roger's Gardens in Corona del Mar this week seeking plants and inspiration. Fall may be the best time to plant in Southern California but spring can't be beat for enticing gardeners outside....
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In a Vase on Monday: Getting into the springtime groove
Fresh flowers are a prerequisite on Easter Sunday, aren't they? I've always felt so but I was having a hard time getting into the groove early Sunday morning. Perhaps it was the weather. We've been...
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Spring Fever Strikes Again!
I honestly don't need more plants. But does that stop me from bringing plants home nearly every time I visit a garden center? Of course not! There's something about spring that compels me to bring...
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Wide Shots - April 2018
For a week now, we've been greeted by fog and low clouds each morning. Most days, it hasn't even cleared by late afternoon. However, the conditions did make it a bit easier to take photos for this...
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In a Vase on Monday: Spring before summer
Our temperature is expected to soar to a summer-like level today, reaching 80F (26C). I know that may sound like heaven to those of you still shivering under winter's icy fingers; however, we don't...
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Wednesday Vignette & Succulent Sale
Last weekend, a friend and I attended the South Bay Cactus & Succulent Society Show and Sale held at the South Coast Botanic Garden. Afterwards, we walked the garden, ending up in the Japanese...
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Bloom Fest (Bloom Day - April 2018)
I think my garden may have already reached its peak in terms of spring blooms. At this point, it seems it'd be easier to list what's not blooming than what is. I gave up trying to take photos of...
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In a Vase on Monday: Not at all what I'd planned
When I stepped into the garden on Sunday morning, I had specific plants in mind to cut, mostly in tones of blue and purple. However, just as not all reds mesh well, I found the same could be said for...
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Foliage Follow-up: Green & Gray
Each month, following Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, Pam of Digging encourages us to celebrate the foliage in our gardens. Although I'm a bit late getting to it, the view of the Mexican feather grass...
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