Happy GBBD!!!!

 Happy GBBD!!!

I thought I'd start out with the Passion Vine.  They are blooming on the fence like crazy.  They are absolutely stunning.  This particular one is the Ruby Glow.  

 The Shrimp Plant are an often overlooked but very pretty flower.  We have them in yellow too though I prefer the orange.

 I was going to take a photo of the ice plant and the Tecoma (Yellow Bells, aka Esperanza), in the front bed but I thought it all looked so pretty together I took a shot of it all to share.  

 I thought this shot looked prettier as a whole than as individuals so I thought I'd include this one of the other side of the above bed.  It is of the Thryallis, Bougainvillea, Brazilian Pavonia and Indigo Spires peeking in the background. 

 The Palo Verdes are still blooming.   They remind me of Scottsdale.

 The Yellow Yuccas are blooming away in the desert bed as well. 

 Alongside the Yuccas is the Trailing Rosemary which is blooming right now- hard not to like a Rosemary.

 The Russian Sage in that bed are in full bloom as well- I like how they are so muted. 

 The Agastache is a tried and true favorite of mine (and the hummingbirds).

 The Mexican Flame Vine are bursting with color all over the fence...

 ...along with the Antigonon. 

 The 'Grassie Lassie' Aloes are blooming and enjoying this cooler weather.

 The Podranea Vine are a subtle yet beautiful vine. 

 The often overlooked yet bursting with color as if screaming for attention, the Purple Heart are blooming alongside the silver Dykia's. 

And last but not least, the Madame Galen's are blooming away.  I have found people either love or hate this vine.  It can get a little large.... but in the right place I think it is stunning.

Thank you May Dreams Garden for hosting.  Please visit her blog at May Dreams Gardens and look at all the other GBBD blogs!!

Happy Two Year Anniversary!

Two years.  My how time flies.  Hard to believe.  

To be fair, seventeen years in the industry, but two years here at this location and two years open to the public.  (And two years with me being involved.)  Had someone asked me two years ago if I was going to end up loving getting dirty, scratched up by agaves and poked by cactus on basically a daily basis, I would most certainly have answered "No".  Today, I would have to wonder, is there anything else I would rather do?

It is amazing to me how much I have learned in the last two years about plants.  What likes full sun, what likes shade, what likes both, the water requirements, how long it takes to establish a plant, the "funny names" of plants (the botanical names), what the deer do and don't eat (which I don't think anyone really ever can truly answer that one), perennial vs evergreen, and deciduous plants and trees.  

It used to all make my head spin, now I find myself calling things by the "funny name" and pointing out things growing in our neighborhood on our nightly walks to my husband, (who basically knows everything about plants there is to know) impressing him no doubt.  

 Before, I just used to admire pretty flowers and never really thought much about them or the trees other than if I liked it or not.  My how I have changed.... and I love it.  I enjoy watching everything grow and transform.

   I love the production aspect of it and watching all the babies grow.

It has been a learning experience and one that continues to educate me on a daily basis.  It is different every day- you just never know.  I love the variety of wildlife that appears in here as well- several varieties of butterflies, caterpillars, birds, bees, insects,  reptiles with a few field mice and raccoons here and there.  We have a few that have taken up residence- a Road Runner that hangs out in the back in the Olives.

Kermit the frog appeared one day in our fish tank and seems to be getting along with the fish- Bosephis, Huey and Casper, and then there are several hummingbirds that live in the oaks in the front and in the back.

I have learned that deer eat what they want when they want regardless of what the books say.  If they are hungry, they will eat it.  I get that.  I have found that they for the most part stay away from things that "smell", things that are fuzzy and love Hibiscus.  I also have learned that it seems to matter where you are as in some places they tend to favor Gold Lantana and in others the Purple.  Go figure.  Deer don't read you see, so they don't know what they are supposed to like and what they are not.

They sure are cute though.
So is our little visitor Noel who stops by around four o'clock on basically a daily basis.  I wrote about her earlier this week.  We are all happy the weather has cooled down enough for her to resume her daily visits.  We missed her!
Wow.  Two years!  Time flies when you're having fun!!

She's Back!!

 Meet Noel.  AKA "Tippie Toes".  

She belongs to our neighbor, Geo Growers, and she visits us from time to time.  She used to come daily for visits, but with the Texas heat has opted to stay over there and not make the walk over.  

It cooled off today (high of 56) and so she made her little walk over to visit.  She has been missed.  Here she is checking out the production area- making sure everything is doing ok.

She enjoys being scratched - here she is getting some attention from Erin. 

I have nick named her Tippie Toes cause you see, when you scratch her back, well, she goes up on her tippie toes.

She is so affectionate and sweet- she walks right up to everyone and will follows you around.  She is a great little visitor and I am glad it cooled off enough for her to come over and say hi!

 Hopefully now that the heat has passed, she will continue her daily walks and come see us.