Saturday Night!

 Years ago, a friend's Grandfather had a stroke.  He regained some powers and lived on for years.  However, he could only speak 2 phrases post the stroke. "Saturday Night!" if he agreed, or "Son of a bitch" if he didn't.  I find I say one phrase or the other to myself every now and again.

The Opuntia is being cute this year.  Sprung some new pads and flowers!  I usually remove a few pads, my plan is for it to spread along parallel to the fence.  Obviously it won't be perfectly equidistant, but a girl can dream. 

It is getting H-O-T around here, I dragged the hose around and gave some things a drink yesterday.  These Hechtia argentea are finally beginning to do their silvery star thing.  In fact I should think about removing one before they get larger.  As the summer hits, I'm hoping the burgundy fades and more of that gorgeous silver is present. 

This Agave 'Cherry swizzle' was disappearing down a clay pipe it was planted in... I could hear the Mario Brothers video game pipe sound effect every time I looked at it.  I could not get that sucker out, Ivan to the rescue.  Look at those roots, in one year it grew 3' roots.  I find that thrilling!

I tamped new gritty soil in the pipe,  and put 'Cherry Swizzle' back in to place.  

I had a couple more clay pipes hanging around from David @slow_boat on instagram.  This neglected Hechtia was a good choice.  It's basically spiky stabby velcro- my glove got stuck to it multiple times while trying to plant it.  Better potted, than in the ground where it can catch my ankles!

It's definitely suffered some burnt ends while in the pot, my bad.  It might be the only plant in my garden that has actual geographic origin listed on the label.  

A few snaps while I watered,  I can't wait for this area to fill in. 

This Centaurea gymnocarpa is killing it down there by the sidewalk.  Common as heck, but to me it looks like a thistle + fern had a baby. 

Floppy yes, but doesn't mind a haircut.

I love a full garden.  I struggle with the empty spots, and have to keep reminding myself that things will grow. And then I plant something in the space anyway.

Having the cherry tree gone, letting more sunlight in has been the biggest change for me. 

The tweed suit Rebutia I showed last post has bloomed.

The squirrels are getting larger (and bolder) by the minute, they love Queen Palm nuts.

In April, I slipped the Feijoa, pineapple guava some fruit tree fertilizer.  It really boosted flower production.  The petals are sweet and delicious, to me they taste like a strawberry.

When Ivan was cleaning up the pepper tree, he found this bird's nest (empty).  Likely bush tit nest, made from spider webs and plant material.  This typically holds a clutch of 6-7 eggs and both parents live in there even after the eggs hatch. Somestimes 2 "helper" birds move in as well. A full house!

 

I need to preserve it. 

Happy Mother's Day.  To celebrate, I'll be visiting David's garden and a few others on the Garden Conservancy open tours.  Oakland-El Jardin De las Ranas, Berkeley-Aging Gracefully, Albany-Architect's Home & Garden and Keeyla Home & Garden. I haven't been to any of these, besides David's.  I'm looking forward to it!