Succulents and More™

I just got back from a long weekend in Santa Barbara. This was an aloe-centric trip, with aloes in full bloom all over town. I’ll have detailed posts in the coming weeks. For now, here’s a teaser of where I went and what I saw. Aloe ‘Birds and Bees’ at a business park in Goleta San Marcos Growers, Santa Barbara As a wholesale nursery, San Marcos Growers doesn’t sell to the public, but many independent nurseries in California (especially Southern California) carry their plants. Under the leadership of Randy Baldwin, San Marcos has introduced countless cool plants over the last 40 years. Sadly, San Marcos will close their doors for good on January 1, 2026. I feel very lucky that I got to visit for what may be the last time. Plants destined for a garden in the Los Angeles area Outside the office building Aloe chabaudii ‘Dan’s Tangerine’ Agave salmiana var. ferox ‘Medio Picta’ Agave ‘Thorny Warrior’ ( A. xylonacantha × pablocarrilloi ) Taft Gardens, Ojai When I visited Taft Gardens l...

We’re all familiar with noodle cups: Santa brought me the cactus equivalent: a cup o’ prickly pears! The eco-friendly cup is made from pressed bamboo fibers and rice husks and is filled with a growing medium pre-mixed with prickly pear seeds (hopefully the seeds are on top). All I need to do is add water and keep it in a warm spot. I’m a sucker for this kind of thing – Santa clearly knows that. The Prickly Pear Cactus Ecocup is sold exclusively at Indigo, a Canadian bookstore chain, but Santa knew how to get me one because Santa has connections in Canada . Step 1: Remove the round piece of cardboard on top of the mix Step 2: Add 60 ml (2 oz) of water The medium is a “natural nutritional granulate and the pre-mixed seeds” Step 3: Slip the included baggie over the cup Step 4: Place in a bright and warm spot The instructions say to add 50 ml (1.7 oz) of water every 3-5 days. That seems excessive to me, but I suppose I should do what I’m told. According to label, “in about 18-26 days, ...

In my previous post I showed you some highlights from the front yard. Now let’s do the same for the backyard. To be honest, I’ve neglected the backyard for a long time, instead putting most of my energy into the front yard. Much of the backyard is in dry shade, and finding plants that do well in that kind of situation has been challenging and often disappointing.  A few months ago, I started to build new succulent mounds ( sneak peek here ). They’re fully planted now, and I’ll have an update soon. In addition, I’ve begun to revamp other areas, including the bed we see from the kitchen and living room. I’ve decided to give this bed more water in the summer and have chosen plants that will provide a “lusher” look – quite different from the plant palette in the front yard: We see this bed from both the kitchen and the living room. I’ve been replanting it with “lusher” plants. A few closeups of the same area Plants include Agave desmetiana , fern-leaf lavender ( Lavandula multifida )...

The New Year is still shiny and sparkly, so I want to focus on the good things going on in the garden right now. Soon the new will have worn off and there’ll be plenty of opportunity to go into problem areas. But not yet! This post is short on text. I’ll let the pictures do the talking. Aloe lukeana #1, dark orange flowers Aloe lukeana #1, dark orange flowers Aloe lukeana #2, light orange flowers. Both plants are about the same size and essentially look the same, but I prefer the darker flowers of #1. The most recent addition to the garden, Lophocereus schottii ‘Woolly Rhino’. The spines are more like coarse bristles, not very sharp. Over the years, quite a few people have asked me what these “flowers” are growing between the ocotillo canes. They’re actually metal tumbleweed stakes by Omar Wysong/Topanga Patina Arts. One of two Corten bowls with dudleyas. Last summer was hard on dudleyas, but the ones that survived are doing well, now that the winter rains have returned. A very whi...