Thought I'd chime in here. I've enjoyed reading this post. I'm originally from Long Beach so it's nice to hear someone say something good about it.
My hydrangeas have never done anything above 18" and the only amaryllis I can grow are naked ladies. But Lion's tail grows well in my garden. I have all three kinds. Probably the one I like best is the annual one. It gets tall fast and I can grow a little patch of them in the flower garden for their hot orange color. Anyone interested I keep seed.
Blooming now I have plectranthus, rain lillies, and few very confused epi cactus and succulents. I've been doing my best to catch up with the weeds but it's impossible. I have those nasty little ground hugging weeds that seed profusely, they are everywhere. My daughters have forbidden me from using round-up or even pre-emergent. I guess there is still hope for the future.
