Flowers Shrubs & Trees

Garden Decor Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Keeping Busy In The Garden

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read615 views

It’s been a while since my last post. I hope everyone is healthy, safe and I am praying for those who are facing hard times. To reduce exposure to Covid-19, all schools were closed starting March 16th and Distance Learning began today, April 6th. Finding balance between work, keeping the kids entertained at home and remaining sane has been challenging. My kids are adjusting well and have found ways to stay active. They wake up at 7:00 am and are asleep by 7:45 pm.

We had a very cloudy and wet week here in the High Desert. I love rain, but I am not a fan of too much rain, however, I know we need these Spring rains to ready the garden for our hot Summer days. Now it’s a good time to plant. For the past couple of weeks, I have been enjoying my Tulips and Grape Hyacinth.

Tulip Blue Diamond.

I love the display of color changes and patterns of these Tulips.

Tulip Angelique.

Grape Hyacinth are popping up here and there.

Grape Hyacinth.

I received a few Spruce Cone Cactuses as gifts recently. I love the uniqueness of this cactus and I am looking forward to watching them grow, while learning a thing or two.

Spruce Cone Cactus.

The Yellow White Lady Banks flowers have began bursting with life and colors. I planted one on both sides of the second arch by the gate leading to our backyard. I also planted one on both sides on a separate arch in the backyard. Some of these roses are just a few months old and others less than two years.

Yellow Lady Banks gracing the arches.

If I have to stay home, I figure, I should garden. Last week I planted Red Autumn Sage, Silvery Cassia, Euphorbia Rigida (Gopher plants), Periwinkle Creeping Myrtle, Dwarf Cup Flower and Amethyst Falls American Wisteria.

Fortunately for us, we have been blessed yet again, with a weed-free yard. Now we can focus on other outdoor projects.

What can you do at home?

  • Plant (divide, transplant … etc)
  • Feed your plants and apply mulch
  • Clean your gardening tools
  • Prune your shrubs/cut back dead plants
  • Clean outdoor furniture
  • Clean bird feeders
  • Clear out weeds

Happy gardening and be safe out there.

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JM Perez By JM Perez
Reptiles Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Happy New Month

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read762 views

It’s a new month and the weather has been at its best since the beginning of the year. It rained a little today, more like sprinkles to be precise.

What has everyone been up to? Well, I have enjoyed the company of my Mother who I don’t see often and her delicious cooking. I have been weeding, lending a helping hand to my neighbors and just recently, began tending to the gardens. I have significantly reduced the amount of Gaura Lindheimeri in the front garden and replaced them with Salvia Greggii Red. I planted some African Iris (Dietes Vegeta) and I am currently looking for a few companion plants.

The majority of the bulbs are emerging from the ground, a few trees are starting to leaf out. What’s blooming in the garden? So far only two plants; the Purple Leaf Cherry Plum trees and the Gopher plants (Euphorbia Rigida).

Purple Leaf Cherry Plum Blossoms.

Euphorbia Rigida, which were a gift from a neighbor, are currently blooming. The first time I saw the plant, I thought it was either an overgrown weed or a rare cactus species. Also known as Upright Myrtle Spurge, Silver Spurge and Gopher Plant, these hardy yellow flowering plants are drought tolerant and self-seeding (remove spent flowers to prevent self-seeding). The plants attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds; and susceptible to aphids, nematodes, spider mites, bacterial and fungal diseases. It is however, deer and rabbit resistant.

Euphorbia Rigida are a wonderful addition to desert landscaping. The attractive succulent-like plant features erect stems with narrow leaves and evergreen  foliage that are flushed with red in Spring and blue-green in other seasons. The flowers are bright yellow-green in Spring with orange nectar gland (the color can vary). The plant can be propagated either by seeds, cuttings or division. Be advised that this plant is a deadly beauty, as all parts are highly toxic if ingested and the milky sap may cause irritation to the eyes and cause skin rashes. Wear gloves at all times when handling the plant.

Gopher plants (Euphorbia Rigida) in Bloom.

Somewhere in my backyard, I found two pairs of Lizards in an empty terracotta planter. I am not sure if they are all resting in there or perhaps if they are stuck. I will check on them tomorrow to make sure they got out.

Lizards resting in a Planter.

Happy gardening and stay safe out there.

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JM Perez By JM Perez
Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Roses Of Sharon

JM Perez By JM Perez1 min read1.5K views

Fridays are for touring nurseries and possibly plants shopping. Today was a good day as I finally found some gorgeous Rose Of Sharon trees/shrubs from the enchanting Chateau™ series which will survive in my climate zone. For years I tried variety Hibiscus, none of which made it pass Winter. Today, I am hopeful that I can enjoy these Roses of Sharon for many years.

Chateau De Versailles Rose Of Sharon.
Aphrodite Rose Of Sharon.

Also, how beautiful is the Rose Cherub Daylily below? This is yet another cold-hardy plant with dark-green leaves and graceful ruffled rose-pink flowers with chartreuse-colored throats. It will be a great companion plant for the other variety of daylilies in my garden and humming birds and butterflies alike will love it.

Rose Cherub Daylily.

Wishing you all a fantastic weekend and happy gardening.

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JM Perez By JM Perez
Caterpillars Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Mellow Sunday

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read1.2K views

It has been a busy day around the backyard garden. The weather has been cool lately, allowing us to trim most of the dead Pine Tree branches which were on our side of the property. Summer is another synonym of fire season and it never hurts to remove any fire starters around a home. That part has been completed on our side, the neighbors just have to continue working on theirs and it will be perfect.

On Friday morning we picked up a Vintage wrought iron tripled plant stand from a local store and the set of 3 cobalt blue glazed ceramic planters I bought last month look beautiful on it. The planters are filled with a variety of Echeveria succulents. Going forward with the cleanup, I have been trimming and shaping the Japanese Boxwood as well as the Common Broom shrubs, which are hosting the Genista Caterpillars, the larvae of the Genista Broom Moth, Lepidoptera Pyralidae . Yes, it’s that time of year again. I will be using a solution first thing tomorrow morning to get rid of the pests before they completely damage the plants.

The first Donkey’s Tail Succulent also known as Sedum Morganianum,blooming.

Donkey’s Tail, blooming.

Yesterday we spent the day in Crestline, CA, shopping, sight seeing and of course, eating. It is such a beautiful and friendly little city that you can’t help but fall in love with. We stopped at a nursery and almost took the stunning Black-eyed Susan home, when I remembered that we have too many yellow flowering plants. I will be ordering the Rudbeckia “Cherry Brandy”, a new addition and different color to the garden.

Black-eyed Susan.

Have a blessed Sunday.

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JM Perez By JM Perez