Winter Solstice

Inside, I've been getting ready for Christmas.  Wrapping & such.  Outside, mostly picking up leaves before we get our first rain of the month! Always nice to start with a pretty photo, and the Nemesia surprised me with it's winter bloomin'. 

I didn't feel like I was getting very far, until I realized one of the bins was filled!

Aloe suprafoliata bloom is beginning to open. 

Book aloe, aptly named.  

I decided to give the Lotus berthelotii a haircut, it was out of control and full of leaves -in the Pseudopanax crassifolius pot. 

better.. I noticed that the middle Pseudopanax leaves are growing upright, and the outer two are growing down. Curious. 

Then onto something kind of fun.  I had moved a bunch of newly planted plants to make way for the forklift.  I decided I liked the path a bit wider. I've been struggling to get the green bin through the path to the left there.  Anyway, my idea was a small mountain of sempervivum ciliosum 'Borisii' in that empty dirty pile to the left.  I had 5 from a plant sale at UC Davis.  Last week, I got an email from Mountain Crest Garden that they had restocked 'Borisii' - and yay, I have a bunch of points there.  

I placed an order, and in just a few days the little lovelies arrived!

It doesn't look like much now, BUT JUST YOU WAIT!   Haha, just kidding isn't it disappointing to put little plants in the ground, and somehow they get even smaller? I had so many, 25 or something and I thought there would be a bigger impact. I wanted to give them room to pup and fill-in, but maybe I should push them all closer together? Obviously will top dress with rock or d.g. 

Without the cherry tree & tulip tree, the sun is hitting the front garden in wonderful ways.  *Mostly planted, some things still in pots.  

I'll do a deeper dive when I actually get the front fully planted,  so many empty spots right now!  I did get the Aloe 'Samson' and Aloe decurva grounded (from the Ruth Bancroft/San Marcos sidewalk sale).  

And poached a San Pedro & Silver torch cactus from the back, it's so densely planted you can't tell I took anything.  

Aloe decurva had a little pup in the pot,  this photo of it growing on a rock inspired me. It's so beautifully stressed.

so I plunked it in a little crater cave with a rock to brace it.  The rain could rinse all the soil out, 

so let's see? 

I'm so happy that the shortest daylight day is almost done, even a second more sunlight is a step in the right direction.  I'm hoping for a mild January and February for everyone, but you just never know.  

Merry Christmas to all, I hope you have a great week!  I'm so grateful for all of you stopping by, and reading your blogs is something I look forward to every day 💚💚💚