Laugh or cry? Either way I feel the pain.

I saw this and just had to share. Though I find it quite tragic to think that anywhere would have to deal with cold, I got a good laugh out of this. I just hope no palms or succulents were hurt in the outbreak of this "arctic event."  But all jokes aside, I really do feel for the folks of SoCal, I hate cold too!

First Plant Purchase of 2013

Last week danger garden posted about her first plant purchase of 2013.  It came to my attention that I had not purchased any plants in 2013. Not that this would last long, but I felt it gave me permission to spoil myself. After all, you have to kick off the plant hunting season at some point, right? So when I set off to Vancouver over the weekend, I felt a sense of freedom in my "planty" lusts. This sense of plant indulgence was heightened of course by my observing of some great plants around town. We were walking around Coal Harbour when my friend Becca pointed out some epic succulent containers that had not appeared phased by winter at all! Check out these beauties.... (I wanted to get some close up pictures but was given an evil finger wave from the buildings doorman - darn!)

But seeing such a display of happiness got the plant juices flowing deep down in my heart. I don't often share about my deep love and affection for tillandsias. And up there on my tillandsia plant lust radar is tillandsia xerographica. In fact, I would describe it as the the holy grail of air plants. Unfortunately it often is priced as the holy grail and thus I usually just admire them in the store. But like I said,  the plant juices were flowing... and home came the xerographica! I took this picture in preparations of the weekly Downton Abbey party (hence the silver tea service).

I just love the silvery almost ghost like presence the xerographica adds to tillandisa mix. And I find that buying my first plant of the 2013 season is somewhat momentous. That is because I know I have merely scratched the surface of what will be an epic year! That is coupled with the fact that I have sub-catagorized my first purchase as an "indoor" purchase.  In that way "first"anticipates subsequent indoor lusty plant purchases and sets president for a myriad of sub-categorized multi plant purchasing mania!!! What are your 2013 first(s) plant purchases?

Foliage follow-up PART 2!

This is not the official foliar follow-up frenzy. But when I woke up this morning, the sunlight was beckoning me outside. So in my bare feet and shorts I went outside to admire the the golden rays illuminating some of my favourite plants. You have to experience the garden at all time of day.  It changes with the angle of the sun, and the morning sun is one of my favourite times!  In fact, it felt quite spring like out today.  Everything felt alive with happiness. Spring plants are even starting to come up from their slumber.  And so with this happiness I decided to extend the foliage follow-up by an extra day.  Here's what beckoned me....

The morning glow on yucca 'bright star' always brings a smile to my face.

When the sun shines, I sometimes forget I'm in the "winter garden" mode.

And I'm okay with that sort of denial. After all, there is an eternal summer within me.

My poky friends have summer hearts too.

I love love love this yucca gloriosa variegata.  It always reminds me of rays of sunshine with the ribbons of gold and cream running throughout it.

And how could I forget the bones of my garden, palms!!!

Foliage follow-up! Going Mediterranean "ish"

That's right, for the January foliage follow-up I'm going Mediterranean "ish."  I can't even express how happy I feel that we are at the January foliar frenzy.  That sounds absolutely absurd coming from me, but I feel as though we have passed a milestone. That is, we are half way and a bit through January! It's as though I've drugged my way half way through the ickiest, nastiest month of all and the end is in sight! And January has been icky indeed. Not so much in terms of rain - surprisingly, but like most years, January kicked us into full winter mode. On the weekend the garden went down to 21.7F. Not a critical cold for most of my plants, but close enough to keep me on edge. But enough of that talk. Lets go Mediterranean "ish" for this foliage follow-up.

 The sun is shining, the palms are happy and subsequently so am I.

Chamaerops humilis always glistens in the evening sunshine. (notice the christmas lights? thats what I refer to as my palm insurance plan!)

Rosemary seemed to shrug off the recent cold quite gracefully. This plant has been kicking around for years and is the most fragrant and amazing of rosemary I have ever had. I LOVE it!

And I couldn't help but share the happy icy blues of yucca rostrata "sapphire skies" hence making this post merely mediterranean "ish." Though, I imagine these are quite common all over the Mediterranean and certainly fit within the theme.

But my pride and joy right now must be my Leccino olive tree. I was worried when it got cold. I thought of my young olive tree, first year in the ground, hard freezes every night for a few days... you get the picture.  I actually didn't go outside to look at it because of the nerves. Is it really hardy?! Happily I can say this plant does just fine with temperatures down into the low 20's even as a young tree. YAY!

So all in all, I am rather ecstatic this January foliar frenzy. And even more so that the days are getting longer, temperatures should start climbing eventually and before long we will be spending endless hours getting dirty in the garden! hooray! If  you're like me and love foliar happiness, head on over to Pam's amazing blog digging for the foliage follow-up.

Happy New Years - going tropical

The dandruff has decided to fall from the sky once again, and so I have decided to bring some more SoCal warmth on this New Years Eve!  Looking back on this year, it has certainly been wonderful.  But usually at this time of year we look forward.  We look forward to new beginnings, we set resolutions, we hope, we dream.  If you're like me, your mind drifts off and gets lost in a sea of dreams. I guess that's just apart of me.  I love to dream.  And part of my dream for 2013 is to live life with a sense of vibrancy. That is, to love more, to laugh more (like the hyperventilating tear inducing type of laughter), have luau's for the heck of it, and just soak it all in.  That type of dreaming, that type of living to me is expressed in a tropical garden!

My gardening wishes are that we would be BOLD!

Forget caution... this planter is more of a celebration.

Embrace your plant lusts! Why not plant a palm!?

I hope to embrace the lush side of things.

Stop and enjoy the little things.... like the way sun illuminates your favourite plants.

I hope we pick plants that evoke a feeling.

Why not plant an avenue of palms?! In fact, such a walkway invokes the spirit of my dreams for 2013.

It's no surprise, but I think that spirit can be summed up in the word summer! I kept saying, "this is the year of summer" over the past months.  Maybe a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy.  Because my heart says "live like it's summer!"

That best describes my wishes and dreams for 2013.  I hope this year would be filled with joy, warmth, memories with loved ones, and that God would bless you all this coming year.  Now there's just one thing left, party hearty!!!!

An agave lover on Denman Island

Over the years I have shared thoughts and pictures with a group of wonderful people on the The Cloudforest Gardener: Northwest Palms and Subtropicals forum.  It has been a great way to ask questions about plants, and meet like minded "planty people" like myself.  I understand when Thomas Hobbs says: "I have a double dose of appreciation for plants;" and these folks certainly share in this double dose appreciation theory -  Particularly Linda from Denman Island.  For years I have drooled over her pictures of an xeric style garden full of agaves, opuntia, and succulents... (and olive trees!!!).  Linda kindly shared some pictures with me of her fabulous Denman Island BC garden.

Check out these amazing agave parryi. These beauties have been growing in her garden approximately 6-7 years.

Linda's garden has been going since 1998 when her house was built.  When asked about her love for succulents, Linda tells me it goes back to her early years spending her allowance money on succulents!!  In other words, she has always been a plant lover.

One of Linda's particular loves ... the "vicious ones!" This comes in handy with the deer population on Denman Island.

Much of Linda's fabulous collection has been seed grown as agaves and succulents were not as readily available when Linda's collection was building.

I always love seeing great plant combinations like these.

And speaking of an epic succulent garden .... This is the kind of garden I could only dream of! It looks more like something from San Francisco than B.C.

I asked Linda what plants she considers "staples" in the garden.  And to my joy and surprise, she tells me phormiums!! I don't have any of her phormium pictures, but Linda has had much success with them in the garden. To me, this goes to speak for a great microclimate with excellent drainage.  Being tucked closely along the East side of Vancouver Island certainly makes Denman Island a coveted growing region by PNW standards.

And Linda's garden certainly is a testament to both a great microclimate, but more than anything a loving gardener.

And check it out, she even has palms!!! This chamaerops humilis is certainly a favourite of mine.

Epic!!!

So I want to give a big thanks and shout out to Linda for sharing these wonderful photos of her fabulous garden! It is truly inspiring!

foot in mouth - "winter? say what?"

Twas the week before Christmas, 

When out of the sky, 

Some dandruff was falling, 

While sleeping was I.

When up I arose from my slumber with care, 

I looked out the window and cried a sad tear.

For out of my window with a sad sad surprise, 

The dandruff was sticking on roofs quite close by.

I put on my sweater, 

I let out a sigh, 

I went out to see the dandruff from sky.

I looked t'ward the neighbours, 

All snowy and cold,

The dandruff had covered the roof,

Darn the cold!

I remembered my words, 

"Winter? say what?"

Reality struck me, 

It's just my luck.

But then something flickered,

The leaf of a plant, 

Not covered with snow, 

Not even a scant.

I looked to the palms, 

All happy and green, 

A microcosm of warmth, 

Had set them a sheen.

I remembered the trees, 

The wise old sages, 

They keep me quite warm, 

and buffer winter storm.

Filled with relief, 

I let a shriek, 

"No snow here today!"

I said with glee.

My heart warmed, 

As I drunk my coffee, 

I made it through winter snow one, 

without harm.

Then out from sky, 

something grand appeared, 

Golden and glistening,

Glorious sunshine!

"Goodbye,"

 I said to the dandruff on roofs,

And like in a dream, 

The temperature rose.