And here it is again, another year has passed...the only Pride of Madeira I've found in town...through downpours of Ark magnitude, gale force winds, heavy frosts...I think it helps that it's in a bit of a Hell Strip between the sidewalk and street, good drainage, reflected heat...

So pretty! I wish I had room for something like that, but from what I've read, they do best along the coast.

I had large swaths of them in FB...they loved it there. I love all echiums..had one e. wildpretii left that had not flowered this last year and that I was loking forward to for this year , in a large tub, but it succumbed to the Winter...and yet, the huge one that is pinkish in color (and I don't know where it came from, or exactly what it is), it's exposed and has just sent up a big big stalk...many surprises ut there this Winter.....maybe not all good news, maybe more VW affected stuff.

Just the opposite here. I'm hoping we get enough rain to flush the salts below the root zone. The say what we've had has only soaked in about 2 '. After the years of drought, that isn't near enough for the larger plants. Sure good to see green lawns again though...even if it is weeds. They're saying it will take 3 years of this to affect our aquafiers.

I really don't need another couple of Winters like the one we're having here...I much preferred the last two....

I love that plant too I see them often around San Francisco..so that's what its called!

Finally got around Tikoy the cat, to get some photos of my Kniphofia sarmentosa:



Indoors, Schlumbergera is in bloom:

One bloom better than none for my Crassula ovata:




A peach schlumbergera catching up with a bloom:

I do have to admit that the camellias are tough...through freezing, gale force winds, endless rain...they carry on....

Wish I had something that showy to look at. Every thing here has a couple of blooms if any.

These guys just continue on, like clockwork...we don't care for them, but there they are...

Kniphofia sarmentosa in bloom:



Crocus peeking, getting ready to bloom as well:



Indoors, Dendrobium Jonathan's 'Dark Joy' in a good bloom show:


Clivia miniata 'Solomone Yellow' still in pedicel making mode:

Yey! Some good sunshine and nice warm conditions..crocus blooms!

I got nuttin'. Altho, the gladiolus atom is sprouting all kinds of green stuff, so there is hope.

My little Purple Leaf Plum is showing some hope for the future, lately I will take it where I find it...

All right, you shamed me into it. Some rain beaten things in my gardens...

Vinidium 'Tangerine' / purple Freezias / Arctotis sweet sugar with 1Lonly Daff on the right and Dutch Iris showing color


Rhaphiolepis /Gerbera Daisy and Lobelia reseeding all over


Gelsimium and one of four Clivias blooming


One of two divisions of my 60 year old Cymbidium and Pelargonium From Sherry ( either sparkle or glitter)

Lemons anyone?

Looks like everything there is liking the rain....

So far. I have no doubt that some things will rot though. I'm going to have lots of repotting and feeding to deal with when things warm up....an opportunity for change.

At the Botanical Garden today....
I think I'm going to have to have the Darwin's Barberry...every time I see it, I like it more...












Grevillea Scarlet Sprite....








Leucadendron Winter Red...







Leucadendron Witsenberg Conebush...

That Barberry is pretty! I've never seen that one before. Wish I could grow Leucadendron here.