My Bearded Iris just produced this beautiful, delicate flower today. There are more on the way, hopefully in many colors. Click on the image to enlarge.
Home & Garden
The Cactus and Succulent Show and Sale
As members that support the South Coast Botanic Garden and since we’re into Cactus and Succulents in our home garden, we enjoy going to the annual Cactus and Succulent Show and Sale. We browse the hall where the plants are on display and then visit the rooms where a variety of interesting plants are for sale.
After visiting the show, we usually go down the garden path and look at the cactus and succulent garden and then the rose garden. I took over 200 photos today and will post some of the best of them soon.
The image above is of an Abromeitiella brevifolia which was easily the most unusual thing we saw in the show today. Believe it or not, this is related to the pineapple. Click on the image to enlarge.
A Real Artichoke Farm
I blogged a few days ago about our so-called Artichoke Farm. I was joking, of course, about Damsel’s first backyard garden artichoke crop ever. Today, while we were running several errands, some road construction caused me to detour through a residential area where we found a house with artichokes growing in a planter along the sidewalk.
I counted at least 20 artichokes in Damsel’s photo (click image to see the entire photo) of just part of the artichoke patch in front of the house. It made me laugh to see this mature artichoke patch growing literally dozens of pods.
A Red Spring Anaryllis
These are growing in the flowerbed by the side of the house. I planted the bulb last year. This is the second year where these nice red flowers are blooming. There are two other flower stalks, so there will be more. Click on the image to enlarge.
Easter Lily
However you and yours celebrate this time of the year, be it secular, Jewish or Christian, may you have a joyful and blessed holiday.
Click on the image above to enlarge.
Artichoke Farm
As of a few days ago, there were two artichokes growing in the garden after all. I didn’t spot the second, smaller pod because it was hiding under one of the large leaves the plant grows. The two pods are currently softball and tennis ball sizes. I was hoping that we would get a second one since we decided to let the first one become an artichoke thistle flower.
Yesterday, I discovered a third ‘choke growing on the second artichoke plant. We haven’t decided on it’s fate yet, but there is a better than 50% chance that it will also become a flower. Today, I found a forth ‘choke in the third plant. The jury is out on the fate of that one.
This means we can have our ‘choke and eat it too! Click on the image to enlarge.
Gazania – The Treasure Flower
I love all of the spring flowers on our patio. This is an image of a gazania in a planter near the patio swing that I took today. No wonder that these are often called “treasure flowers.” Click to enlarge.