Plant Propagation

For the most part, the weather has been steadily warming up. Of course, some days are as cold as winter days, but nothing serious as keeping us indoors. Trees have put out leaves, flowers are blooming, and critters are wreaking havoc in the gardens.

Pincushion Carnival Yellow is an interesting plant I saw at the nursery. I resisted the urge to purchase a few as they reminded me of Gopher plants, which are loved by Gophers. I have many yellow flowering plants in my gardens, and I think a different variety called ‘Flame Giant’ Nodding Pincushion (Leucospermum cordifolium ‘Flame Giant’) will complement the other plants and add color to the garden.

My daughter’s Rose Mallow is blooming profusely.

It has been a joy watching the Freesias.

The ground cover roses weren’t doing well, so I moved them into planters, where they are thriving.

The Aeonium arboreum ‘Zwartkop’ have grown so much that they need their own container.

When the weather outside is erratic, we can always count on plants to boost our mood.

Happy gardening!

Mother Nature blessed us with some much needed rain yesterday. It poured and it poured and it poured, and I am sure, every living thing in the High Desert was grateful. There is nothing good about being in a drought, and it’s been a very long time since we had rain. That rainfall was really good. In some areas of my property, the soil is still wet.

The Elm trees as well as the Pomegranate tree leaves have changed color and are now falling off. The Hameln Dwarf Fountain Grass are producing abundant pinkish brown flowers while the foliage are beginning to turn yellow.

The Agave Ovatifolia are fast growing and reproducing rapidly. The parent plant is quite large now and the first offsets which were separated from the parent plant are creating their own pups. The Pine Cone Cactus have produced many branches and are growing nicely.

The Dragon’s Blood Sedum, Crassula Muscosa and Sedeveria are thriving.

The Salvia Greggii ‘Red’ below is one of the many Salvia Greggii I am growing as trees in the backyard. I am letting those in the front yard grow as bushes.

Asparagus densiflorus ‘Myers’ is such an amazing evergreen perennial; not so much drought tolerant, but frost tolerant. I have a set of three, which I bought four years ago and they are left outdoor all year round.

Working in my garden brings me so much joy. It provides comfort and solace, and I cherish every moment of peace and reflection there. I hope the rain returns soon.

Happy gardening!

We had our first rain shower of the season last Saturday and a little more on Sunday morning. It was much needed and felt good for a change. We are patiently and excitedly watching the leaves change colors, ultimately fall and dance in the wind.

Hameln Dwarf Fountain grasses are especially beautiful at this time thanks to their delicate purple looking plumes on erect stems. I have thousands of scattered seeds from these ornamental grasses, which easily and readily reseed. They have spread all over the river rock bed and I transplanted a few seedlings last month (which are thriving). I will be collecting more seeds this weekend and planting them right into the ground; and I will transplant the rest by next Spring in the back corner garden.

Temperatures started dropping last Friday and today I moved a few succulent pots (I have had for less than a year) indoors: Microlepia Fern, Dragon’s Blood Sedum, Crassula Muscosa , Sedum Dasyphyllum, and Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum’, etc… most of which are not cold hardy. The rest of the succulents will be just fine outdoors. My Sedeveria plants have survived a couple of snow storms, therefore they will remain outdoors.

All my succulents were propagated from stem cuttings.

Stay safe; happy fall gardening and have a splendid rest of your week!