Photos
Natives and Newcomers
Wildflowers, some native, some not, growing among the weeds in spring 2020 The wildflowers are a mixed bag, but they're better than weeds There's a strip of The Acre that borders chaparral and oak surrounding the pond. Technically, it's "defensible space" mandated by the fire department, so it's supposed to be cleared of weeds and growth in the fire season, which is roughly June to October when things are dry and hot. But during the winter and early spring it doesn't have to be kept clear, so rather than just letting it be a weed bank, I seeded it each [keep reading...]
Rainbow for St Patrick’s Day
Walked out to the front yard first thing this morning and was greeted by a rainbow. Since it's St Patrick's Day I'm sure there's a leprechaun and a pot of gold to be had at one end or the other. If it weren't for this whole "stay at home, Coronavirus" thing, I'm might actually go look for it. Might be able to trade gold for toilet paper.
Hummingbird Sage Colony
I started with two small Hummingbird sages (Salvia spathacea) in March of last year, planting them in my native garden on the south side of the house. This particular spot happens to be in the shade of a pine and a large blue gum eucalyptus, two tress notorious for their ability to keep other things from growing under them. Fortunately, Hummingbird sage is a California native that thrives on the floor of oak forests, so the pine and eucalyptus were no problem. Over the winter the sages have taken the opportunity to colonize the whole area and are now producing [keep reading...]
Lavender Rose Texas Sage
One of the many Texas sage (Savlia coccinea) varieties I have planted in random spots around the Acre. I can't remember the name of this one, but I really like it because it's a lavender-rose color (instead of the usual red or pink) and has these unusually long, tendrils that grow at the end of the flowers like a big curved horn. Makes it seem more dramatic for some reason.
Ready for the Spring Garden
This is my weekend. Transplanting tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers and onions from the greenhouse out into the vegetable garden. My goal this year, first fresh tomatoes on the block!
Bee’s Bliss Sage in Bloom
Late last spring I got a Salvia Bee's Bliss from my friend @linsaycrazyplantlady's nursery. I planted it near the rocks by the fish pond and left it do its thing. Turns out there were a couple of giant white squill bulbs lurking below the surface in that location that I had forgotten. In November the squill erupted from the ground, leafed out, and completely covered the Bee's Bliss. And so I forgot about the little sage. Yesterday while doing some badly needed weeding I noticed these little lilac flowers poking out from under the squill leaves. A closer look showed [keep reading...]
Fresh Cilantro Hung to Dry
We have so much cilantro in the Keyhole garden that we're having trouble eating and/or giving it away (and I live in an area of the U.S. where Cilantro is used in everything). The end of winter is fast approaching and some of it is start to bolt. Rather that let it all go to seed, I cut the plants back to the first set of leaves, bundled up the cut plants and hung them to dry. If you're not familiar, fresh cilantro is quite strongly scented. The entire front half of the house currently smells like the world's largest [keep reading...]
Cyclamen in Bloom, no Photo Filter Required
The cyclamens outside the family room bay window have begun to bloom. The plants are on a well-shaded slope and it's gray and raining, but the flowers are literally glowing in the low light. Amazing. Bonus: I bought them off the clearance rack at Lowe's last fall for $1 each. Booyah. Bargain! Anyone have any guesses as to the variety? The pot labels were struck out so I couldn't tell.
A Brassica Bouquet for My Bride
Yesterday was my 31st wedding anniversary. I told my wife the traditional gift was "A Brassica" and gave her this beautiful brassica bouquet fresh from the keyhole garden. Then, she ate it.
Time to Tally the Bananas
Nights below freezing has fried my tropical plants, including the Ice Cream (aka Blue Java) banana, so I cut the bunch and brought them indoors to ripen.