After all the sad news, some cheer

There's nothing like someone in the neighborhood who makes a fun way of adding joy. This was on my walk with Nellie on a street that has seen disaster. Bright, cheerful, and makes you smile. Hand crocheted no less.

Our garden, pretty much decimated by the winds, which I am trying to consider an opportunity to be creative in new ways (when not crying in frustration of years of work down the tubes), is happily creating arches for bees and hummingbirds to enjoy. Not to mention passersby.

Being forced to deep clean every nook and cranny in the house to rid it of soot and ash residue has brought to light long forgotten items. We were VERY lucky in that our windows are super tight so we didn't get much in the way of smoke damage. Washing textiles made the huge difference immediately. But being the worry wart I am, cleaning behind everything, wiping down every surface somehow made sense. That's when I re-discovered a mosaic table top done in the dark ages of the 1990s. It was hidden under another piece of furniture (don't ask). 

I'm sure there are more hidden gems around, though I'm also taking this opportunity to ditch some stuff that simply sits around to gather dust. Sometimes it take a fire to get me to do what is right!

Unexpected blooms

Can't even remember how many years ago these bulbs were transplanted from an area that did them no justice to the front of the hedges. Every year I eagerly awaited the blossoms, only to get two or three pop up and display their beauty. I had pretty much given up and in fact was contemplating digging them out and placing them elsewhere. They must've heard me, because this year every single one decided to bloom quite robustly just to show me to have faith. After the disaster with the potted plant that died off, this did so much to restore faith that gardens are for amateurs too.

 

Arrrrrgh!

I can't tell you the number of years I've tried to grow bougainvillea. The vibrant color, the ability to climb and beautify walls, the thorns to keep intruders at bay. Every time I think I've got it sorted, the big nothing happens. Either the plants remain the same small size they started from the pot, or they grow for a bit and then just decide to call it quits. I can only dream to have something like the GIANT bushes in front of this house. Well, at least, they are there to be appreciated and admired. Dang it.

On the other hand, I've never tried to grow lovely ornamental trees because I know that failure rate would be 100%. Fortunately I don't have to as other gardeners have succeeded all too well. Have no clue what this is other than gorgeous. And to throw this out there, just because I would never wear pink or buy anything pink, it doesn't mean nature doesn't do a very good job at displaying it beautifully.

Happy face

Things are going totally nuts in gardens these days, including mine. It's hard to believe that even non-gardener that I am, some things have thrived. OK, to refresh your memories, the African Daisies, Geraniums, and Sea Lavender have outdone themselves this year.

My bottle border area with the tiny aloe I planted what seems like yesterday, has exploded and is blooming.

Even this guy is super happy with the abundance this spring.

Once you see it, you can't unsee it

As one does while walking dogs, and as a snoopy person who likes to check out gardens and other details as inspiration for my own projects (which admittedly usually stay in the still-thinking-about-it stage), I've passed by this wonderful drought tolerant garden many times. Stopping to take a photo of a particularly well designed section, I suddenly saw IT. Couldn't stop giggling all the way down the street. Make sure anyone under the age of 50 is out of the room. Take a minute. Hint: it's toward the back (click on picture to make it bigger):

Now to get your mind back on planet earth, enjoy the bird of paradise in full bloom:

These are going wild in front of a house that looks abandoned but isn't. Sadly it appears the people living there need help fixing up their property, especially the house. There are times when a magic wand would come in so handy.

Not my fault the spring has brought out so many blossoms

Probably not the last post about the multitude and magnificence of the blooming plants all around right now. If you're not into beauty, skip this one.

Can't help falling for you

My love for beautiful gardens and fabulous flowers is especially great when someone else is taking care of them and thereby doing the hard physical labor to make them look as good as they are. Hence my fascination and, let's face it, envy, of those who manage to get great results with what appears like minimal struggle, but is probably not as easy as it seems. 

I've tried to grow Lantana for a few years now, and can only get a small bush maybe knee high. This one is almost to my shoulder and in soil not suited for anything at all. How do they do it?

Some bushes just seem to explode with joy.

The palette looks like an artist's brushwork.

Beautiful blossoms are always welcome

With the past two years of abundant rain, plants that had barely survived the years of drought are making a comeback. Of course, my ignorance of actual flowers definitely shows. Irises I know. Occasionally my brain will store away a plant name if it is unusual enough, like Protea. The reason I remember those blossoms - had to look them up the first time and managed to remember they are from South Africa and represent change and transformation. And then there are the shrubs in neighboring gardens that are just so beautiful, and I haven't a clue what they are. They say ignorance is bliss, so I'm one blissful lady.

Irises:

Protea in two colors:

I am famous (infamous?) for hating pink. Even as a child I refused to wear or play with anything pink. However, I will make an exception for blossoms or anything in nature. I'm not a total monster. Just love these, whatever they are:

An intensely blooming Spring

When I step out to the Critter Café to feed the squirrels and birds, I am now greeted by so many blossoming flowers I hardly recognize the place. And please don't ask me how this all happened because I honestly haven't a clue. Just had to share:

Archway to hidden lands?

Have you noticed that even if you walk down the same street multiple times, there's always something new to see if you just bother to look? And the change of seasons, though not particularly as defined in SoCal as other regions of the country, still have their signature looks to announce them. Right now, honeysuckle is everywhere, and in addition to adding to the pollen count, it's creating an abundance of blooms and bees -- both very good things. Mostly the vines adorn fences, adding privacy and beauty. When I saw the arch over the garden entrance, though, all I could imagine is the doorway taking one to an enchanted land of hobbits or elves or wizards. Where would you like your enchanted door to go?

This year, more than past years, there seems to be an explosion of cactus blooms. They fascinate me because of their delicate beauty in stark contrast to the very thorny creature they spring from.

Just to prove there are gardeners and then there is moi, below is what I believe is an iris, abundant in so many gardens. Years ago, when I was still posturing as an actual gardener, I planted some so a corner of my critter cafė area would be a focal point of beautiful blossoms. Yeah. Well, that didn't work. I maybe get one or two blossoms from the wonderfully lush green. That's it. But someone a couple blocks away has what was supposed to be happening in my corner. Clearly they know what they're doing. Enjoy.

Gnomes in a tree

Sometimes the best decision I can make all day is to allow Nellie to determine the walk we take around the neighborhood. This evening she outdid herself. We stumbled upon the most amazing flowering cacti, a charming fairy garden of gnomes in the crook of a tree, and a trumpet vine bursting with blossoms. Considering I spent the day getting filthy working on a brick border along my three mile hedge (it's not really 3 miles -- just feels that way), it was refreshing to see vibrant color so powerfully on display.

Click on the picture so you can see the gnomes -- and check out the two on the upper right:

The cactus with a lavender hue is really stunning and the barrel cactus in bloom was a first for me. Awesome.

And last, but definitely not least, the trumpet vine.

And thus endeth a perfect day.

Hollyhocks swaying in the breeze

Another walk, another blossom catches my eye. This time, hollyhocks. From pale to vivid. So naturally I have to stop and take photos. Nellie and I walk on a couple of houses down, and there's a man standing in the yard with a beautiful Belgian Malinois. Of course we have to stop and do the dog greet and meet. The man then tells me that the hollyhock seeds are in the little pods on the plants and all you have to do is pinch them off and then sow them. "Well," I demur, "I don't pinch anything from a garden without permission first." And then he says, "I give you permission. I live there." Turns out he was politely stepping aside for us to go by before returning home with his beautiful fur baby. This is the wonderful neighborhood we live in! 

There is no escape...

Just can't help it. If it's blooming and rich in color, I have to share: 

Mind you - these blossoms are the size of a dime!

While these don't have quite the punch of the intensely red hibiscus, you have to admit the colors pop:

Mosaic sunburst and bursts of color

This house has been on my radar for years. It's an amazing mosaic on the side wall of the house and today I did something I wouldn't ordinarily do - trespassed on the driveway to get the shot. The colors are so vibrant and the design a bit more complex than some with the layered approach. On a gloomy day, this is truly a burst of sunshine:

What prompted me to trespass was actually a garden on another street. The colors reminded me of the mosaic so of course a picture is in order:

Someone has suggested I have an unnatural fascination with gardens. To that I say...well maybe. It's just I'm always fascinated by what people can do with the space they have. Some prefer letting it go to weeds. Others like to go with native plants as much possible, while others go for a mix. And some persist in pretending we're in England and have luscious lawns and typical English gardens. But whatever the look, they all have something of interest. Okay, okay, I do have an unnatural interest in gardens. At least it's not an unnatural interest in atomic bombs or something!

FINALLY blooming in SoCal

As if this year hasn't been bad enough, we're really behind on rain, which is pushing already dry areas into serious drought territory. The news, which used to spend every broadcast on rain levels, has pretty much glossed over the other apocalypse SoCal faces on the regular. I get it -- people are tired of bad news, the pandemic has frayed capacity for dealing with multiple bad scenarios, and water shortages have always been a hide-your-head-in-the-sand issue anyway. 

The good news is, we are finally getting some rain, and though California gardens will never rival East Coast or Midwest gardens for lots of lush color, some of the gardens in the neighborhood are starting to pop. Though mostly succulent and cactus gardens are merely different shades of green most of the year, we do get some striking color combos in spring. Here are a few:

I had to laugh when I saw this picture -- note my 2 canes I use as walking sticks:

Now, completely off the subject of gardens and bright colors, the Divine Ms. M, to whom I email my daily trips around the neighborhood, both near and far, suggested I post pictures of all the dogs I meet. But here's the thing: the majority are behind hedges and weird fences, so I don't actually get a good look - we just chat through the fence. By chat I mean they are barking/yipping like crazy and I'm telling them what great dogs they are and that they're gorgeous. BTW, that sometimes even works to stop them from yelling at me. They like compliments just as people do. Other dogs I meet are being walked by folks who are often in a hurry and think it's a bit weird that I want to stop and meet them (the dog that is). Most folks are obliging, and some even enjoy telling me about their fur-babies, and pulling out the phone for pictures seems a bit over the top, even for me. But today I got lucky. I ran into an old friend. She's gorgeous, sweet as they come, knows I always carry cookies for her, and at 17, has still definitely got IT. Meet Sydney:

If you think she looks a bit like a daintier, sweeter version of my big bear, you're spot on.