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Rain Delay
My husband and I got busy with another project late last week. It involved removing one of the large 'Blue Flame' Agaves in the south-side garden, although upon deliberation, not one I'd originally...
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In a Vase on Monday: Hip, hip Hippeastrums
As expected, the Hippeastrums have finally jumped into gear. I used two of them in my arrangements this week but four have blooms at present. The difficulty now is finding suitable companions to show...
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Housebound
Given our climate, I'm seldom housebound by inclement weather for long; however, the relentless rain and cold temperatures associated with the most recent atmospheric river has kept me inside almost...
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Aloes in bloom - South Coast Botanic Garden in early February
I took advantage of the one day break between our first and second atmospheric rivers last Friday to visit South Coast Botanic Garden, which is about five miles from my home as the crow flies. It was...
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In a Vase on Monday: Soggy flowers
We got more rain than expected last week, albeit the only snow nearby was in the mountains to the east of us. Photo from our back garden looking east. The Port of Los Angeles is in the foreground and...
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New plants and garden chores
Happy Valentine's Day!I took advantage of a week of dry weather and sunny skies to tackle a few garden chores. The first involved finishing up the job that resulted from removal of a battered and...
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Bloom Day - February 2024 (Late Edition)
In my coastal Southern California climate, we generally see the early signs of spring by mid-February. This year is no exception, although colder-than-usual temperatures and a late start to our rainy...
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In a Vase on Monday: Rhapsody in blue
Ominous rain forecasts followed us all weekend but both Saturday and Sunday were relatively sunny, if not exactly warm. The onset of rain was pushed back several times but Monday will almost certainly...
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Walking the neighborhood
During the atmospheric rivers that have meandered through Southern California at frequent intervals this month, I've stayed close to home, squeezing any required errands in between rain showers....
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Making a start
I've been planning to renovate the succulent bed in front of our garage since last year but other priorities kept getting in the way. Weather has been the latest issue but I decided I needed to at...
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In a Vase on Monday: What's better than one zombie?
The answer is two 'Zombie' Hippeastrums of course! We had a few days of warmer temperatures and my Hippeastrums, all grown outside, have begun to open one after another, with 'Zombie' leading the...
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Striking Succulents
After all the rain we've had this month, my succulents are looking squeaky clean. I thought it's a good time to show off some of those that don't get regular coverage (although some of those that do...
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I've got the blues
As any regular reader of my blog knows, I have a pronounced affection for flowers. I'm especially fond of blue flowers. I'll grow - or at least attempt to grow - any plant known to produce blue...
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In a Vase on Monday: Spring is off to a bright start
Even though our daytime temperatures are back in the mid-50sF (that's cold for us!), I can feel spring advancing its pace. I've already found buds on some species tulips. I thought that seemed early...
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Surrounded by a ring of fire
Reference to a "ring of fire" may conjure a number of images in your mind. If you're a student of geology, you might think of the path of volcanoes and seismic activity rimming the Pacific Ocean....
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Tiny transient plants
It's been a busy week for appointments and, with rain complicating matters on Wednesday, I got relatively little done in the garden. However, I did spend several chunks of time pulling weeds,...
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In a Vase on Monday: New spring blooms keep coming
At this time of year new spring blooms seem to pop up almost daily. I'm trying to pace myself when it comes to tossing them into floral arrangements but I ended up with three arrangements this week...
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Wild and Weedy Wednesday: Marsh Parsley and Clover
Last year I periodically joined Cathy of Words and Herbs with posts featuring wildflowers/weeds. Well, the relatively abundant rain we've received this winter has already brought out a couple of...
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Bloom Day - March 2024
Is spring already working up to its peak in coastal Southern California? It certainly feels like that's the case. We've had more than a week of sunny skies after regular rounds of rain since January....
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In a Vase on Monday: The Leucospermums show off
It's been a bit windy but the combination of sunny skies and slightly warmer temperatures has sent spring into hyperdrive. I didn't even have to give much thought as to what to cut to fill a couple of...
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