Wet stuff from the sky, and quick front yard update

Wet stuff from the sky? What could that possibly be?

While we’re not quite Arrakis, it’s been a long time since we’ve had this in Davis:

I had almost forgotten what it looks like, feels like, smells like (the smell is always my favorite element).

Alas, within five minutes the spectacle was gone. Ten minutes later, there was no trace it had ever happened.

Except for a few drops on this Agave applanata ‘Cream Spike’:

One side effect of this brief H₂O-from-the-sky interlude was a short window of cloud cover—and the even lighting that comes with it. I continued to take random photos of the front yard until the sun came out 15 minutes later. But at least now I can give you a quick update of what things look like on September 21, 2016.

Agave attenuata ‘Boutin Blue’, frost-sensitive but doing OK on the front porch with a frost blanked on cold nights. Next to it: Aloidendron ramosissimus.

Succulent mounds where the front lawn used to be

Euphorbia mauritanica (see this post) and Bougainvillea ‘Bambino Baby Victoria’

Bougainvillea ‘Bambino Baby Victoria’

Succulent bed next to the front door

As this Agave cupreata has grown, its habit has become more open

Agave guadalajarana ‘Leon’. The bleached leaves on the outside are from when it was growing in a pot in too much shade. The new leaves look much better. I’m hoping by this time next year it will have lived up to its potential.

Agave guadalajarana ‘Leon’

Agave bovicornuta, the “big cousin” of Agave cupreata

Ferocactus emoryi

Agave applanata ‘Cream Spike’

Pedilanthus macrocarpus (with the cholla skeleton I brought home from Arizona last winter)

Asian lemon bamboo (Bambusa eutuldoides ‘Viridividatta’) and sago palm (Cycas revoluta)

Peek into a rarely seen corner of the front yard. This small area is next to the house, around the corner from the front porch. It was meant for “tropicals” but because of watering restrictions it never had a chance to live up to its potential. However, this Canna musafolia is still going strong in spite of only getting watered once a week.

Recent purchases waiting to be planted

Recent purchases waiting to be planted

I’ve wanted a Hechtia texensis ever since I first saw this specimen at the UC Botanical Garden in Berkeley in 2013 (post here). For some reason I can’t quite fathom, this terrestrial bromeliad native to the Trans-Pecos area of western Texas is virtually impossible to find for purchase. I was thrilled when a few months ago Troy McGregor, the nursery manager at the Ruth Bancroft Garden, gifted me this pup from his own plant. Thank you, Troy!

In my next post I’ll have more photos of the front yard: the succulent bed along the driveway and the areas outside along the street.