I've started a protea garden of sorts... anyone have any experience with them? Im located in southern California, and hear the weather here is perfect for them.

Those are lovely! We lived in Hawaii for a few years and I could grow anything! When we returned to Texas, I realized I wasn't going to be able to have a "Hawaiian garden" here! I do have plumerias, but they have to be dug and stored over winter.

It does look like you have the dry climate needed for proteas. I will watch this thread and enjoy your progress!

They are lovely! What is your average humidity there? I also lived in the tropics and miss all the plants I could grow.

Humidity on average is about 60%, and the wind coming through my area is just right. The planters I know a little north of me in Los Angeles are incredible, and they've managed to keep these plants alive through 100 degree summers (compared to 75 down here in San Diego). I just finished re-potting and mixing about 8 cubic feet of potting medium... I am very ready to sit, and enjoy watching them grow.

Thank you all for the kind comments

It sounds like you have an ideal place to grow them! Be sure to take a lot of photos to share with us. We don't get to see many proteas.