Succulent shapshots from our garden

Instead of complaing about yet another mini heatwave knocking on the door, I decided to ignore it and focus on the many pockets of beauty that are everywhere in the garden.

There's no overarching theme to this post, just a random collection of vignettes that were calling out to be photographed. I hope you'll enjoy them!

Ferocactus emoryi

Parodia magnifica--or is it back to Notocactus magnificus?

Parodia leninghausii; the brown thingies are flower buds

Leuchtenbergia principis and Verbena bonariensis

Cotyledon orbiculata flowers

Cotyledon orbiculata flowers

Dead flower stalk on Aeonium canariensis, clearly popular with spiders

Gaillardia ×grandiflora 'Goblin'

Eriogonum grande var. rubescens just starting to flower


Mexican fencepost cactus (Pachycereus marginatus) and leaves from palo blanco (Mariosousa willardiana)

Eyelash grass (Bouteloua gracilis 'Blonde Ambition')

Agave 'Blue Glow'

Agave 'Snow Glow'

Agave salmiana var. ferox 'Butterfingers' in front of Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset'

Agave vilmoriniana 'Stained Glass'

Agave applanata 'Cream Spike'

Agave guadalajarana 'Leon', the bluest agave I have

Agave bovicornuta

Agave cupreata

Agave 'Mad Cow' (a cross between Agave colorata and Agave bovicornuta)

Agave ovatifolia 'Vanzie' and 

×Mangave 'Inkblot', a new hybrid from Walter Gardens

Agave attenuata 'Boutin Blue'

Dudleya brittonii
Euphorbia horrida 'Snowflake'


Aloe marlothii × globuligemma

Euphorbia pseudocactus 'Zig Zag'

Yucca nana

Agave albopilosa

Alocasia macrorrhizos

Kalanchoe 'Fang'

Kalanchoe beharensis

Echeveria 'Lady Aquarius'

Aoenium arboreum 'Zwartkop'

Cardoon in the evening (Cynara cardunculus)

Cardoon in the morning (Cynara cardunculus)


Comments

  1. Wow!!! Great shots. Love them all.

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  2. Love the flowering cactus. We just got our first ones this year. They are supposed to be hardy in our garden. Is Agave 'Mad Cow' always that vivid red? If so, we may need to find one.

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    1. The teeth on 'Mad Cow' are a vivid red when backlit by the sun. Otherwise they appear as a duller brown. It's a very nice hybrid. I believe it was created by Greg Starr. I got mine from him, and he sells it on his website: http://starr-nursery.com/shop/agaves/agave-mad-cow/

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  3. How'd that Alocasia slip in with all the cacti? Because it's almost like "Aloe"? ;^)

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    1. The Alocasia does stick out, doesn't it? It's really just a large-leaved aloe native to the tropical jungles of Southeast Asia: Aloe casia. Just kidding :-).

      Actually, the Alocasia was a big early-summer surprise. It hadn't made any appearance in at least two years, but the massive amount of rain we received in the winter and spring woke it from its extended hiberation.

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  4. Isn't everything popular with spiders? That seems to be the case in my garden at the moment. All your photos do your gorgeous plants proud. I love the 'Inkblot' Mangave and that very blue 'Leon'.

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    1. Our garden and house is a spider magnet. I've learned to coexist with them. At least they eat mosquitoes (I hope).

      Mangave 'Inkblot' has become a favorite of mine as well. It'll be even more awesome when it's put on some size.

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  5. I love the Agave ovatifolia and Agave vilmoriniana ! I wish I could find them here!

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    1. Both are great agave species. I wish somebody would import seed and grow them in Argentina so you can get your hands on them for your own garden.

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  6. Yep, I enjoyed this very much. You've got so many stellar plants, being grown so well. I'm a touch jealous of what you can put in the ground.

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    1. I'm trying to focus on plants I can actually grow successfully instead of always pining for the greener grass on the other side of the fence.

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  7. Lovely collection! It looks like the heatwave is almost forcing you not to do much but just relax and enjoy the beauty around you :)

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    1. It's too hot to work outside but nothing will stop me from taking photos!

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  8. Oh, I did enjoy these closeups so much! Thanks for sharing them. That Agave albopilosa is such a fuzzy cutie.

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    1. Thank you, Alison. Agave albopilosa is in tissue culture now. It should become widely available soon.

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  9. Great photos of happy plants -- and "labeled" too. 'Leon' is amazing; mine had to be tossed.

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    1. I was thiiiiis close to tossing my 'Leon' (in a pot then and looking crappy) but Greg Starr, who happened to be visiting at the time, told me to put it in the ground and let it go. And look at it now!

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  10. top notch photos as always Gerhard. Leon is a real looker ! I think it's time to move Cream Spike into the ground,it's been sulking in it's pot for too long. This heat is crappy,hope you have better weather in Deutschland !

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    1. 'Cream Spike' does MUCH better in the ground. I've lost a few in pots over the years. They just don't seem to grow well in confinement, at least not in our climate.

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  11. All so beautiful! Your garden is full of wonders!

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    1. My real talent is leaving out the not-so-beautiful areas :-).

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  12. You have such a great eye for composition, Gerhard. Looking forward to actually visiting your garden some day. Is there a season you'd recommend over others? You know I'm organizing coffee in the garden events as well as a few tours for calhort now. I wonder how many would drive to Davis if I managed to twist your arm just right to be a host.

    (I'm hosting Sunday, July 23, by the way. I'm thinking of leading a side trip after to the Wave garden in Point Richmond after.)

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