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Retail therapy
Two weeks ago I took a relatively quick spin through four local garden centers. As I didn't find what I was looking for during that excursion, I decided to wander further afield this week, driving 45...
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In a Vase on Monday: Rain showers yield flowers
New flowers are popping up here and there throughout my garden. Plants don't follow a precise calendar but it seems at least some plants may be responding to the rain we received earlier this month by...
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Tell the Truth Tuesday (Late, Late Edition)
Okay, I know it's Wednesday. I've somehow lost all control over my week and plans are falling apart all over the place, including my effort to get this post up yesterday. I'm once again jumping into...
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Madrona Marsh: Refreshed by rain
Earlier this week, I paid my second visit to Madrona Marsh, a 43-acre natural wetlands sandwiched between stores, business offices, gas stations, and condos in Torrance, California, about 9 miles from...
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In a Vase on Monday: Rain sodden blooms
It's been raining off and on here since Thursday. The first storm delivered high drama with lightning and thunder so severe that local beaches were evacuated. Friday night through Saturday delivered...
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Wednesday Vignettes: Horizon Views
I haven't posted a Wednesday Vignette in several weeks so I thought I'd make up for lost time by posting several. All they share in common is that they capture views of the horizon taken from my...
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The joy that rain brings
Last year was one of the driest in Southern California since records have been kept but this year we're on target to reach or exceed our "old normal" standards. The rain has come in several bursts...
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In a Vase On Monday: Variations on a Theme
An alternative title for this post might be: Not all Blues Go Together. My first Freesias, a blue variety, began blooming 2 weeks ago. I wanted to use them in a vase and, when I discovered last week...
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Wednesday Vignette: Not on the menu?
The best thing about my home office is the view out my window. Every so often I look up to catch sight of something interesting. Last week, I saw a hawk land in the mimosa tree. Hawks don't come...
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Bloom Day - February 2019
By our standards, we've had a LOT of rain in the past month. Our current total, calculated from the start of our rain year on October 1, 2018, is over 15 inches! We've blown past our "old normal"...
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In a Vase on Monday: Tulips, my way
I regularly complain about my inability to grow tulips. It's not for lack of trying. I've purchased tulip bulbs several times, pre-chilling them before planting, only to have large-scale failures on...
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Tell the Truth Tuesday (Late Edition): The Sad State of my Bromeliad Bed
In October 2017, I planted a shady area along our property's northwest boundary line with bromeliads, succulents and other foliage plants to create what I called a pocket garden. It did alright for...
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Wednesday Vignette: In the Pink
Rain has continued to fall at regular intervals here and the extended forecast shows the possibility of more into May, which would be extraordinary. The most recent, relatively brief storm moved...
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A Quick Spin through the South Coast Botanic Garden
Monday brought me back to the South Coast Botanic Garden for a meeting. It remains cold here by our standards, with most daytime highs hovering in the 50sF. I've spent less time outside than usual so...
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In a Vase on Monday: New blooms take the stage
With daytime temperatures now in the 60sF, spring is creeping ever closer. The gold-toned Freesias that have naturalized to form a thick mass on one side of the fountain suddenly burst into bloom....
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Cleaning up isn't pretty
I've spent most of my time in the garden the last few weeks pruning overgrown shrubs, cutting back ornamental grasses, spreading mulch, cleaning up after raccoon mayhem, and performing similar tasks...
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First Flush of Spring Flowers
According to local news reports, this February was the coldest in Los Angeles since 1962. Moreover, it was the first February on record in which our temperature never reached the 70F mark. That might...
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In a Vase on Monday: Everything but the kitchen sink
It poured here on Saturday but as I had a busy Sunday planned I plunged into the garden and cut everything within easy reach before dashing back in the house to shake myself off. I shoved everything...
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Wednesday Vignette: There aren't enough plastic flats...
Last year, I noticed that the local botanic garden had empty plastic flats strewn over planting beds in some areas. At first, I thought someone had just failed to pick up after him/herself. But then...
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Wandering further afield
Yesterday was sunny and clear and I decided to ignore my orthopedist's advice and hike south of my neighborhood about one mile to the Deane Dana Friendship Park, entering at the uppermost level on the...
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