Baja Fairy Duster

This is one of my favorite plant names. It may become one of my favorite natives too. I transplanted a seedling to my garden about six months ago. They have long taproots so it is not easy to transplant mature plants. The seedling is growing new leaves and is about 8" tall now. This photo is from a "wild" plant. Hummingbirds love it too. I also have a couple of seedlings of a pink species too.

Echeveria

I'm crazy about the color gradations in these!

Madegascar Palm Not

Called a Madegascar Palm, but not a palm at all. It is Pachypodium lameri. Anyway, it's especially happy since it has been getting extra water.

Awesome Bug

I found this magnificent bug on a leaf of our Guanabana tree yesterday. It wasn't eating, just hanging out--I moved it to take its portrait. Guanabana is related to Cherimoya. The flesh is creamy white tropical ambrosia, if you've never been lucky enough to try it. I just noticed a few flower buds so I'm hopeful that we'll finally get some fruit.

Flower of the Day

Astrophytum ornatum

Yankee Weeder -- the Best

This is called a Yankee Weeder or Cape Cod Weeder and was given to me by my dear Canadian friend, Eileen. It is the total best. Great for loosening weed roots between thorny plants. I've also learned not to plant thorny next to thorny--thorny next to leafy is much easier to maintain, weedwise.

One More Day

This is Day 2 for these flowers. We have to enjoy them while we can.

New Shredder

This is the new/old shredder we got on eBay, and hauled from San Diego to Marin-- then friends brought it down to Baja. Our soil has very little organic matter and needs all the help it can get.

Room With a View

When designing gardens I like to consider the view from all windows.

Tune Plant Color with Water

One of the many things I love about succulents is that often you can tune the plant color by giving it more or less water. This Aloe gets redder with more drought stress.

I Love Purple

There is very little flowering now, but we have some summer color.

Fiddler Serenades Tree--New Leaves Pop

It almost seems like Juan Angel's (Johnny Angel) music caused this Palo San Juan (Forchammeria watsonii) to leaf out. It happened in about 5 days. These are wonderful evergreen trees, in the Caper family, believe it or not. In the spring, some trees look sickly and start dropping their leaves. We've learned not to worry since this usually signals that a complete flush of new leaves is on its way. Seems odd to have it flower and leaf out in August, but what do I know? I'll have to start keeping track of individual trees bloom times.

Palo San Juan Fruits

They do sort of resemble capers.

Flower of the Day

The flower buds on this native Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus brandegeei) started in June and I tossed some water on it a couple of times last week to give it a jolt. The native Hedgehogs in the "wild" are not blooming yet--they have buds, but are hoping for a little rain first. No real rain yet this summer-- just a few drops a couple of times. We're all hoping it will come soon, but then so will the mosquitos.....

Summer Fruit

Pomegranates are amazing shrubs for the desert (native to Iran). We've had one for 6 or 7 years and at times we've been really mean, by cutting off its water--sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. Despite everything, it always looks great and has flowers and fruit after the summer/fall rains. This is a flower bud, the scarlet petals will pop out of the center in a few days. The calyx becomes the outside of the fruit. We have some nearly ripe fruit--can't wait to sample them.