A Rescued Rose
My wife used to look at me funny when I would dig plants out of the dumpster, but she doesn't anymore. I rescued this rose from a trash bin last fall. She wasn't much to look at back then — just a stick really — but she turned out to be a real beauty.
Avocado Time!
When you live on the avocado highway, these things literally just fall off the trees
Thyme Finds a Way
The oregano has pretty much taken over my Italian herb garden, but thyme isn't giving up. This one popped out the garden fence to flower in peace.
Camellia in Bloom
Usually the camellias are just a deep green, leafy backdrop for my tropical garden. But once in a while it flowers and outshines all the plants around it. This is one of those occasions. The pink and white of the bloom really set off from the green shades behind it, so the flower is visible from dozens of yards away.
Keyhole Garden Progress – April 23, 2020
Weather took a turn from cool and damp to hot and dry, all but putting a spike in what remains of the romaine. For the spring replacements we brought in Genovese basil (front left) and yellow pear tomatoes (mid left, can't see them yet). The cucumbers are fruiting and the frying peppers are really leafing out now that they're no longer in the shade of winter's lettuce.
Wild Poppies Along the Road
Just some wild red and golden poppies growing alongside my road. After years of battling wild mustard, these guys are a nice change.
Keyhole Garden Progress – April 13, 2020
Not much new this week. The lettuces continue to putter out and what remains of the bok choi looks like it's about to bolt. On the other hand, the tomatillos and cucumbers are flowering and I've got a couple of yellow pear tomato (the wife's favorite) seedlings getting ready to move into the bed, so we're in good shape.
Cleveland Sage Blooming in April
Cleveland Sage in bloom in San Diego County, Calif. Ahh... April and the native sages are all blooming profusely following last week's rain. This one is a Cleveland Sage (Salvia Clevelandii), which both looks amazing and smells incredible. Check out the snake-like whoop-de-do the flower stem on the right is doing for no particular reason. Nature's funny that way.
A New Member of the Family
Walked out into the yard today and saw that one of the girl ducks has hatched a new duckling. First of the season. Welcome little duckling!
Romaine Lettuce with Freckles
One of the early spring veggies to make it through last week's torrential rain is this cute little Romaine lettuce called Freckles. Assuming they make it through my current gopher scourge, these guys should color up the veggie garden's "greens and onions" bed.
A Rescued Rose
My wife used to look at me funny when I would dig plants out of the dumpster, but she doesn't anymore. I rescued this rose from a trash bin last fall. She wasn't much to look at back then — just a stick really — but she turned out to be a real beauty.
Avocado Time!
When you live on the avocado highway, these things literally just fall off the trees
Thyme Finds a Way
The oregano has pretty much taken over my Italian herb garden, but thyme isn't giving up. This one popped out the garden fence to flower in peace.
Camellia in Bloom
Usually the camellias are just a deep green, leafy backdrop for my tropical garden. But once in a while it flowers and outshines all the plants around it. This is one of those occasions. The pink and white of the bloom really set off from the green shades behind it, so the flower is visible from dozens of yards away.
Keyhole Garden Progress – April 23, 2020
Weather took a turn from cool and damp to hot and dry, all but putting a spike in what remains of the romaine. For the spring replacements we brought in Genovese basil (front left) and yellow pear tomatoes (mid left, can't see them yet). The cucumbers are fruiting and the frying peppers are really leafing out now that they're no longer in the shade of winter's lettuce.
Wild Poppies Along the Road
Just some wild red and golden poppies growing alongside my road. After years of battling wild mustard, these guys are a nice change.
Keyhole Garden Progress – April 13, 2020
Not much new this week. The lettuces continue to putter out and what remains of the bok choi looks like it's about to bolt. On the other hand, the tomatillos and cucumbers are flowering and I've got a couple of yellow pear tomato (the wife's favorite) seedlings getting ready to move into the bed, so we're in good shape.
Cleveland Sage Blooming in April
Cleveland Sage in bloom in San Diego County, Calif. Ahh... April and the native sages are all blooming profusely following last week's rain. This one is a Cleveland Sage (Salvia Clevelandii), which both looks amazing and smells incredible. Check out the snake-like whoop-de-do the flower stem on the right is doing for no particular reason. Nature's funny that way.
A New Member of the Family
Walked out into the yard today and saw that one of the girl ducks has hatched a new duckling. First of the season. Welcome little duckling!
Romaine Lettuce with Freckles
One of the early spring veggies to make it through last week's torrential rain is this cute little Romaine lettuce called Freckles. Assuming they make it through my current gopher scourge, these guys should color up the veggie garden's "greens and onions" bed.