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MONOCARPIC

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I noticed some of my Sempervivums were blooming, which means they are preparing for their final exit.  Hopefully to leave many pups in their memory. This one stuffed into a crevice of a boulder is a favorite.  and some more in a back bed. They've proudly sent their blooms up for all to see. I've grown to be fond of them,  the way they clump and slowly creep.  I do remember scraping them from the concrete stairs at our first house, convinced they were "old lady" plants. Now that I am an old lady, I like them.. so maybe I was right.  The Sempervivum growing in shadier areas look a heck of a lot better than the ones scorching in full sun. Off topic, but noticed the Crassula perfoliata v. falcata were beginning their summer burst. Somewhat matching the bracts on Pedilanthus bracteatus behind by the fence there. Back to the monocarpic (flower, set seed & die) Credit to   Loree  for starting the Agave watch trend.  I still think she hides away ...
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Maintenance

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Time for a little cleaning up around here. First up, let's get that bowl of Bromeliads separated and potted.  They have been crammed in a pot together (with a little sphagnum moss) since last August. The horror! I mixed up bark, charcoal, coco coir and got to work! Shoot, I thought I had a before.  Oops.  The only search for Bromeliad in my photos turn up a little pineapple I grew 4 years ago.   Did a little sweeping up in the shade house, and placed the newly potted plants here & there ~that looks better! Trust me.   Full view, *the little red bowl of water is for the cat.  In an attempt to convince him fresh water is better than the salt water from the pool.   A work in progress, but feeling better about it. As I was walking the back pathway (along the bottom of the slope) I was noting things that looked nice, and things that didn't.  Yes, there are a lot of pots on the little wall - August is here and it's not a good time to ...
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Garden lull

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I feel a little like I'm on pause.  Maybe the daily news, perhaps just mid summer?  Although the weather has been perfection this year - basically 80-85 every day.  The most mild summer ever.  Eryngium 'blue glow' (I think) is really showy this year, the thistle starts off silver and slowly turns blue-purple. The bottom of the foliage gets a little bedraggled, that's the only con.  I FINALLY saw one of the black squirrels!  I'd heard of a family of black squirrels that live near the College Ave. neighborhood.  A gorgeous neighborhood that once included the  Livermore Sanitarium , before it's closing in 1965 and then later demolished.   Years ago, Sophia and I were walking the Arroyo trail and popped in the "Sanitarium" neighborhood.  An older feller stopped us to give us the history and that this building was part of the original Sanitarium - he said water tower.  ? Who knows. The cute little garage is round, maybe he was on to...
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Dance with the Devil

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Went for a visit yesterday with my usual cohorts, Sophia & Ivan to the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden.  I had never been, they visited approximately a year ago.  The garden is in the middle of fixing a retaining wall, so we had to enter in a roundabout way through the main campus.  We parked and were walking down to the nursery to pick up some plants I had ordered online.  When we saw THIS.  These, there's actually 2-one male, one female.  Leucadendron argenteum.  To say I lost my mind would be an understatement.  Sophia was laughing at my response to seeing a full grown specimen.   In the sunlight, it looked like a shimmering metal tree - and yet, the foliage is incredibly soft.  I'm beyond infatuated.  *Mine have grown well, having been planted in 2024.  But I'm well aware I'm taking a chance on them living - they like it a little cooler, more coastal conditions and a bit warmer winter than they'll get ...
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