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 2023 rainfall.  This morning I checked on the garden as I almost always do, and saw a couple small puddles after the pineapple express.  Not bad at all!  I couldn't help but think of last year at this time.  We got so much rain in a short amount of time, and then a freeze immediately following.  The worst!


 I didn't have a blog going then so I thought I would post a few pictures just to be able to look back on.  The middle island almost floated away.  Aloe Hercules and the golden barrels, aloe macro all rotted.  

Several inches deep along the wall. Fish could swim in there!
I completely forgot the front yard flooded as well, it's sloped down to the street but this back area had plenty of sitting water.

Yuck!  Enough of that.  I checked in on the greenhouse, this Stenocactus multicostatus has begun blooming.  So cute, I love that it's purple.
The Erysimum has just begun blooming.  Such a dependable plant, blooms for months.  
I noticed the notocactus magnificus have begun sending out pups.  I'd love for these to form a large clump.  I'm glad they're happy.
And the Xanthorrhoea glauca -grass trees have responded so well to the rain.  Maybe I should give them a little more hydration in the summer if it makes them grow faster.  *This one got some damage from all the grasshoppers we had last summer, they even chomped on Banksia?  You'd think the leaves would be too tough.
Happy February :) Days are getting a little longer.  

Comments

  1. Kris PetersonFebruary 2, 2024 at 6:50 PM

    I hope you don't get any pools of water, much less icy pools, this year! Your Notocactus look great. I always appreciate how clean cactus and succulents look after a good rain.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenFebruary 3, 2024 at 9:30 AM

      That's true. I'll be watching the news to see how it goes there with the next wave!

      Delete
  2. danger gardenFebruary 3, 2024 at 10:09 AM

    I read your words "saw a couple small puddles after the pineapple express" and glanced down at the photos thinking "my god... she calls those small puddles!?" then I read the read of your text. Ye gads that was a lot of water!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenFebruary 3, 2024 at 1:27 PM

      haha ! I suppose I should've put a current picture first.

      Delete
    2. JerryFebruary 4, 2024 at 7:19 PM

      I had the exact same train of thought as danger. Gosh, that was a lot of water! Your Stenocactus and Notocactus are stunning!

      Delete
    3. tz_gardenFebruary 5, 2024 at 8:17 AM

      Oops, I meant to put a "today" picture but neglected to. Thank you!

      Delete
  3. Jenn JilksFebruary 3, 2024 at 11:09 AM

    That is amazing! What a lovely garden, in good weather!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beth at PlantPostingsFebruary 4, 2024 at 3:59 PM

    The pups on the cacti are "cute." Are those first photos from this recent rain or from last year? Yikes! I'm glad it's not so bad this year. Your plants look great--love the blooms. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hoover BooFebruary 5, 2024 at 3:41 PM

    Puddles or not, your garden has grown really well. The size of the plants in the post in comparison with the ones you have posted lately--impressive!

    The cacti are beautiful. The Erysimum is nice--difficult to grow?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenFebruary 5, 2024 at 4:33 PM

      Erysimum 'Bowles Mauve' is easy and incredibly long blooming - they are somewhat short lived for me. Usually 5 years for most of them. *I tried the orange 'Siberian Wallflower' from Annie's and it was a dud for me. I should give the other offering from Annie's 'Winter Orchid' a try. It's a must for me, I love a long bloomer.

      Delete
  6. JoFebruary 6, 2024 at 11:31 PM

    That's a heck of a lot of water you had there!
    I thought the flowers of the Stenocactus multicostatus interesting - they remind me of Gazanias. Can you see the resemblance?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)February 7, 2024 at 12:27 PM

    OMG, those puddles! They're like lakes! Fingers crossed it won't happen again this year.

    P.S. Your Hercules is so small compared to the photo from this year that you just posted!

    ReplyDelete

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