Forward!

I've begun to remove frost covers, which honestly weren't needed this year.

Before. Ha, maybe it was starting to take itself down!  The PVC pipe frame really worked for me, I'll definitely use this again.  

I squatted down to take a look at the buds in the ferocactus glaucescens and noticed a little ladybug.  Careful!

I'm leaving the Pachypodium lamarei "house" in tact for a couple more weeks.  They've held onto their leaves, so why not?  It will give them a little jumpstart.  

Sophia sent me this picture, she went mushroom hunting. Gorgeous chanterelle! She's a great cook, paired the mushrooms with homemade pasta (and brown butter).

Aloes are starting to wake up, Alex ferox x. capitata. *I did take the Christmas lights down, I snapped the pictures right before.

Aloe striata sending up a cute little bud.

I started placing the chimney flues and planting them with things I had in the greenhouse or things in pots waiting for a better home.

I added a good amount of superchunky perlite to the flues, for good drainage. And since I won't be able to tell how dry they are deeper inside - better to be safe.

A couple Hechtia argentea, I'm hoping these really fill out and do their fabulous thing.  

A crooked ponytail palm, I doubt this will be long term housing - but it seemed like a good idea at the time. They grow so slowly, it should be a-o.k. for a good while.

This NOidea Aloe was in the greenhouse recovering from suffering in the ground last winter/too wet. 

It's recovered nicely, and too pretty to be hidden away.  The tag was blank, washed away.  

This area is a work in progress, and I desperately need a couple yards of d.g. for a fresh layer on the pathways-front & back.  I want the d.g. dry tho - it's heavy enough!  So I'm forcing myself to wait a week or two before I order a delivery. 

A nice Aloe vryheidensis added.  It was after 5 and I was hungry for dinner so I stopped.

Oops!  I almost forgot the other cracked flue.  I added Kalanchoe orgyalis, copper spoons.  This should grow up and fill the space quickly. *and a little peanut cactus.

It looks a little sad now.

I'll share a "fail" on the interior.  I tried a sample of Benjamin Moore's color of the year Cinnamon Slate.  It looked gorgeous in their pamphlet.  Errrgh. That is way too purpley for the main area.  *I do think it would be nice in a powder room with moody wallpaper though.

I'm feeling alive with the sunny days, even if the mornings are still fairly cold.  So much to do :)

Happy Tuesday!