Cap'n Bob & the Damsel

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More Signs of Spring – Plum Flowers

Plum Flowers

This is one cluster of a couple of new flower clusters opening on the flowering plum tree that we recently had replaced. The old tree was destroyed by the monsoons last summer when its trunk snapped in a microburst.

The new tree, at our request, is a more substantial one than the little sapling that it replaced. The little trunk was two or three inches in diameter and the new tree is more like six or maybe seven inches. In addition to the new little flowers, purple leaves on the tree are appearing.

There will be some rain coming to town this weekend to nourish all the spring flowers that will be coming soon. I can’t wait for spring flowers everywhere. Click on the image to enlarge.

26 Feb 2015 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Daffodils

Daffodils

I just love it when these show up before spring really gets here. Yesterday, while shopping for a few things, I saw that the flower concession stand featured cut daffodils. I picked up several bunches and this morning they were all mostly open.

Last year, as I recall, the flowers lasted for several days, perhaps up to a week, before they would begin to wilt. I’m hoping these will do as well. Click on the image to enlarge.

25 Feb 2015 by Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Desert Marigold

Desert Marigold

We were out along the side of the driveway this afternoon, trimming up some of the unwanted shrubbery and a cats paw tree. I always bring my camera so I can get a before and after photo of our work, which I did, but those will be for another time.

What attracted my attention was our first wild Desert Marigold of the spring has opened up the hill a few steps from where we were working. I walked up and took the above photo of the new flower. Even though it’s only the middle of February, we have seen this and other desert wildflowers in bloom.

Here’s an excerpt and a link to the Wikipedia article on this flower:

Baileya (the desert marigolds) is a genus of plants in the aster family Asteraceae. All are native to the southwestern United States and to Mexico.

They are typically annual, though B. multiradiata may be perennial. The leaves, which may range from being entire to deeply lobed, mostly occur in a basal cluster. From this arises several flower stems, up to 18 inches (50 cm) in height, usually carrying a single yellow radiate flower each, although B. pauciradiata may have 2-3 flowers on a stem.

Desert marigolds typically have their main bloom in the spring, extending through July. Summer thunderstorms may enable a second bloom in October and even into November.

17 Feb 2015 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Anna’s Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

There are a bunch of hummingbirds that frequent Damsel’s feeders. I took a photo of this little male Anna’s Hummingbird sipping at the west feeder last evening. I was not aware that this variety’s range was limited to Baja California and the west coast until the 20th century when urbanization of desert areas expanded their range. Moreover, I had no idea why it was “Anna’s” hummingbird. See the following Wikipedia excerpt:

Anna’s hummingbird (Calypte anna) is a medium-sized stocky hummingbird native to the west coast of North America. This bird was named after Anna Masséna, Duchess of Rivoli. In the early 20th century, Anna’s hummingbird bred only in northern Baja California and southern California. The transplanting of exotic ornamental plants in residential areas throughout the Pacific coast and inland deserts provided expanded nectar and nesting sites, and the species was able to expand its breeding range greatly.

15 Feb 2015 by Arizona Critters Home & Garden Photography

Garden Maintenance Day

Beavertail Transplant

Today was a beautiful spring-like day with temperatures reaching as high as 80°. It seemed like a perfect day to get some chores done.

The first task was to spray nearly three gallons of Roundup™ on all the weeds sprouting just about everywhere on the landscape. I have a two gallon spray container wherein I mix the concentrated weed killer with water. The container is one of those that you pressurize with a built-in pump. I sprayed most of the areas where the weeds had started sprouting, refilling the spray tank once.

The photo that Damsel took is of me putting the finishing touches on transplanting a Beavertail Cactus (opuntia basilaris) that had been growing in a pot in the courtyard. The paddles were rescued from a beavertail up near the north property line last year. This set of paddles had flowers last spring while in the courtyard pot and we’re hoping to have more this March through June.

You can see the finished item in the inset to the photo above. Click on the image (courtesy Damsel) to enlarge.

09 Feb 2015 by Arizona Home & Garden Retirement

Rose Quartz & Cactus Rescue

Rose Quartz

We found a large, rather flat piece of rose quartz up in the back of the lot today. We have plenty of rose quartz rock laying around, but this almost looked as though it had been cut. Click on the image to enlarge.

Bob found the stone while up in back rescuing a queen-of-the-night cactus that a palo verde branch fell on in the microburst last summer. The queen cactus is in a pot (image) waiting for the cut to dry up so it will (hopefully) take root and can live closer to the house or maybe in the patio.

We also rescued several paddles (image) from a tree-like prickly pear (image) on the new lot that toppled onto its side, presumably in the same microburst that took down the palo verde branch. Those will be taking root in a pot for the time being before being transplanted to the west side of the property where our cactus garden grows.

08 Feb 2015 by Arizona Home & Garden

Yellow and Orange Gerbera Daisies

Yellow and Orange Gerbera Daisies

I bought a bunch of orange and another bunch of yellow Gerbera Daisies to combine in the vase on the sofa table today. The colors are highly compatible together but look more like fall colors than winter or spring. Regardless, they are very pretty flowers. Click on the image to enlarge.

05 Feb 2015 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden Photography

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