The Acquisition

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The San Francisco Succulent Expo was June 13-15, and I wanted to go on Friday.  However, I was busy getting ready for Father's Day family dinner- and mostly prepping for a friend coming to stay this week.  Sophia thankfully taking over the fussy part, I was getting frustrated.  I grabbed a ravioli and fried it in butter, just to test it out!  Mmmmmm.

Olivia made the Tiramisu the day before so it could set.   It appears I didn't do anything, I assure you I was busy.

As luck would have it, Ivan would be at the SFSCS show working with Martin Grantham.  He offered to shop for me, YES PLEASE! He was texting photos, and I'd reply with a thumbs up if I was interested.  He sent the photo below of Aloe Pachydactylos hybrid, to which I immediately thumbs up'd. 
Then received this text!

Fortunately, Ivan was able to nab some great things for me.  Even with eagle eye Gerhard shopping like it was Black Friday! First box from various vendors. 
A nice selection from Radiant Cactus. Ariocarpus absolutely love baking in my plastic greenhouse.  It's basically an oven in the summer.  
2 boxes from selections offered by Walker Young, Garden Director at the Ruth Bancroft Garden. 
He also grabbed a few things from Cactus Jungle prior to the sale, a Dyckia 'grape jelly' I neglected to grab last time I was there and regretted.  Mangave 'silver fox', Pelargonium tetragonum and a couple Yucca Filifera that he and Sophia grew from seed. 
A few of my favorites, I love the fine lines of this Orthophytum lemei. I'll have to protect this in the winter from our cold. 
These look like little aliens! Beep bee boop.
A new to me Deuterocohnia schreiteri
Hechtia -The labels reads: Hechtia sp. 28km NNW of Chila delas Flores, PUE Coll 1/17/19 sown in August, same year.  I think it's beautiful. 
Mangave 'Bloodlines'
The Rosularia is so tightly formed!
Billbergia Vittata, Bromeliad
And Gasteria excelsa, look at that chunk of a leaf! It is in flower, but the robust almost triangle leaf is what I'm intrigued with.  
A wonderful haul, thanks again to Ivan!  My plant budget is blown for 2025. And tomorrow, after a good mopping and vacuuming and fluffing the house - I'll get in a few relaxing days.  Have a great week 😊

Comments

  1. Beth at PlantPostingsJune 17, 2025 at 9:25 AM

    Oh yes, Ivan nabbed you some special plants, for sure! It's a busy time of year, isn't it? Have fun with your new plantings!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenJune 17, 2025 at 11:32 AM

      Yes, there is so much to do. Weeds, planting, watering! No complaints, it's been wonderful.

      Delete
  2. AnvilcloudJune 17, 2025 at 9:36 AM

    Your garden looks so full to me already, but I know that you know what you are doing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenJune 17, 2025 at 11:33 AM

      I don't exactly know what I'm doing, but that's where the fun is. :)

      Delete
  3. Kris PetersonJune 17, 2025 at 9:39 AM

    I'm glad you got help on all fronts, Tracy! I love the Monanthes, which I've never seen before. The rosularia is sweet too but all the plants you secured with Ivan's assistance are great.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenJune 17, 2025 at 11:34 AM

      Thanks Kris, I hadn't seen a Monanthes either - it's so cute!

      Delete
  4. Liz A.June 17, 2025 at 3:37 PM

    Of course there are no pics of you, you were taking the pictures. We know you worked harder than the rest of them :) Looks like you got quite the haul.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Carla from The RiverJune 18, 2025 at 7:45 AM

    Ivan is a rock-star!!
    I love the aliens.
    Happy Summer!
    Carla

    ReplyDelete
  6. danger gardenJune 18, 2025 at 9:11 AM

    An educated personal shopper is the way to go if you can't be there yourself!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenJune 23, 2025 at 7:59 AM

      Yes, and I like he will find things I wouldn't necessarily "see".

      Delete
  7. LisaJune 18, 2025 at 11:22 AM

    Darn fathers and their special day! Homemade ravioli? Tiramisu? Amazing! The Monanthes is adorable!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenJune 23, 2025 at 8:00 AM

      It was a fun day, glad the girls helped so much. It is cute!

      Delete
  8. Gabriel gardenJune 20, 2025 at 9:24 AM

    Mia moglia sarebbe letteralmente impazzita ad una fiera così! La porto sempre ad una fiera di cactus e succulente a Bologna, in Italia e diventa davvero incontenibile tra le bancarelle della vendita!

    Ti auguro una buona estate!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenJune 23, 2025 at 8:02 AM

      Tua moglie sembra proprio il mio tipo di persona! Inarrestabile! Spero che trascorriate una magnifica estate :)

      Delete
  9. AnonymousJune 21, 2025 at 9:26 AM

    Those photos of ravioli and tiramisu made me hungry...lucky for your house guest; I'm going to fix breakfast now.
    The "little aliens" are off-the-chart cute! Where will you plant them?
    Chavli

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenJune 23, 2025 at 8:03 AM

      Looking back on the photo makes me hungry as well, even though I've eaten my breakfast :). I feel like I should keep them in a pot, that they would "disappear" if i planted them in the ground.

      Delete
  10. Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)June 22, 2025 at 7:55 PM

    Ivan did good. Epic haul! I love the hechtia, and I'm glad you got the orthophytums.

    I'm giving the Aloe pachydactylos extra water and fertilizer to make it produce a pup for you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenJune 23, 2025 at 8:04 AM

      Nice, and you blogged about Aloe pachydactylos way back before I'd even known it existed- I'm glad you got to it first. BUT, I do look forward to a pup :)

      Delete
  11. Rajani RehanaJune 24, 2025 at 9:21 AM

    Beautiful post

    ReplyDelete
  12. Rajani RehanaJune 24, 2025 at 9:21 AM

    Please read my post

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousJune 28, 2025 at 2:35 PM

    Delicious all around! Amelia

    ReplyDelete

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I'd love to hear from you, ~Tracy

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