Cap'n Bob & the Damsel

Home & Garden

Red Bird Seed Pods

We did two things today (other than watching football on TV): we attended Smithsonian Day at the Desert Caballeros Western Museum here in town (free admission) and we dropped by our landscaper’s new store to ask about trimming and planting seeds from my Red Bird of Paradise shrubs. In the last few days, seedpods have sprouted from the flower stems. He gave us advice on how to trim back the shrubs for winter and how to prepare the seeds for planting. Maybe next spring I will have several more of the red birds in the garden. Click on the image to enlarge.

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24 Sep 2011 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden

Patriotic Bouquet

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I bought a patriotic bouquet of lovely red and white roses with some (almost) blue accent flowers in the arrangement today when we went on our weekly shopping excursion for groceries. These are on my desk in the office tonight. Click on the image to enlarge.

15 Sep 2011 by Flowers Home & Garden Photography

More Xeriscape

Last week when we visited the Glendale Xeriscape Garden, I took this picture of a giant saguaro surrounded by a yucca (left), ocotillo (right) with an evergreen elm tree in the background. All of these are examples of low-water consumption vegetation.

The holes in the saguaro are usually burrowed out by flickers or woodpeckers but can be occupied by cactus wrens, elf owls and a variety of other desert birds. We really are enjoying learning about our desert environment. Click on the image to enlarge.

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09 Sep 2011 by Arizona Home & Garden Photography

A Musical Mesquite Tree

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I have been adding wind chimes and other garden decorations to our mesquite tree that is next to the RV driveway. When the wind blows, the chimes begin their musical serenade. Click on the image to enlarge.

06 Sep 2011 by Arizona Home & Garden

Xeriscape Gardens

Xeriscape gardening techniques are used throughout our desert communities. The xeriscape philosophy is compatible with the Sonoran Desert where we live. Designs incorporate low water usage plants such as cacti, palms, ocotillo and lantana. Xeriscape comes from combining the words landscape and xeros, the Greek word for “dry.” I photographed these lantana flowers in the Glendale, AZ Xeriscape Demonstration Gardens yesterday. Click on the image to enlarge.

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02 Sep 2011 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden

Cimarron Sage

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UPDATE: Error correction. I used Cleveland instead of Cimarron sage – the Clevelands (3) are in the courtyard not by the driveway. I edited the title and the post accordingly.

This is a close up of one of several Cimarron sage bushes that our landscape contractor planted along our driveway. They planted five of these and three of five are doing great. One, near the top of the driveway was a slow starter, but it’s going to make it. Another completely died; the contractor will be out to replace it since each bush is guaranteed. Click on the image to enlarge.

29 Aug 2011 by Arizona Home & Garden

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