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.
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| Aloe speciosa × barberae, a Nick Deinhart hybrid. The blue flowers in this photo and the next are from Salvia ‘Elk Blue Note’. |
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| Opuntia sulphurea, my favorite prickly pear species |
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| Agave sebastiana ‘Silver Lining’ and Malephora crocea, in bloom round year |
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| Aloe (ortholopha × spectabilis) × marlothii ‘Utrecht’, a Nick Deinhart hybrid |
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| Agave ortholopha × marlothii, a natural hybrid |
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| Agave ortholopha × marlothii next to Arctostaphylos ‘Ruth Bancroft’ |
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| Arctostaphylos ‘Ruth Bancroft’ and an open-pollinated Aloe bulbillifera hybrid that flowers almost constantly – a very rare trait in aloes and the holy grail of aloe hybridization |
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| Arctostaphylos ‘Ruth Bancroft’, a chance hybrid found at the Ruth Bancroft Garden (more info) |
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| Agave parryi var. truncata and ever-blooming dogweed (Thymophylla pentachaeta) |
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| Eucalyptus macrocarpa |
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| Agave ovatifolia, Aloe vanbalenii × mawii, Crassula arborescens ssp. undulatifolia, and Veltheimia capensis |
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| The Veltheimia capensis flowers are getting crowded by the aloe and the ripple jade |
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| Veltheimia capensis flower peeking through aloe leaves |
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| View from the eastern end of the sidewalk bed, with Aloe ‘Moonglow’ (soon to flower) on the far right |
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| Totem pole cactus (Lophocereus schottii) and Aloe vaombe × spectabilis |
And finally a few late-December purchases:
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| Agave titanota ‘Black and Blue’... |
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| ...has a fantastic color and awesome teeth |
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| Aloe divaricata ‘Diablo’... |
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| ...a choice selection with particularly wide and occasionally fused teeth |
In my next post, I’ll show you some highlights from the backyard.
© Gerhard Bock, 2025. All rights reserved. To receive all new posts by email, please subscribe here.
I always appreciate views of your stellar collection! My Aloe lukeana has the lighter flowers but it bloomed twice last year, months apart, so it gets credit for that. I moved my Veltheimia last year in hope of getting more flowers - the foliage has appeared so fingers crossed!
ReplyDeleteThere are two Veltheimia species: bracteata thrives and blooms in semi shade; capensis (this one) needs full sun to flower well.
DeleteAlso in addition to the yellow dogweed, I see you have some another favorite Lobelia! I need to get a plant for spring here.
DeleteDaaaaaang, those are some beauties. And the combinations are so good, too. The Veltheimia with the aloe! You've really got a bevy of spectacular singular specimens, the speciosa is so gorgeously contorted. Your new Agave titanota b&b is so good it made me laugh. The coloring is nuts. Oh my gosh, I could go on & on. I'm going to look at it all again. *When you come for a visit, I have 3 Aloes I got from Troy at the big sell off (before he went online only). They were mystery aloes from Annie's originally, I'd love to get your opinion on what they are. Some marlothii for sure.
ReplyDeleteI have one of those mystery aloes from Annie's too. They look like straight marlothii to me (at least mine does), but we won't know for sure until they're big enough to flower.
DeleteOh nice! We'll probably have to wait a while then ;)
DeleteHow I love the Veltheimia! Of course, I love all the Aloes too. My Aloe 'Moonglow' almost died in the heat last summer, but it is trying to make a comeback and has one raceme, so I continue to be hopeful. The Aloe divaricata 'Diablo' looks like a great one!
ReplyDeleteI hope your 'Moonglow' will come back. It flowers more enthusiastically than any other aloe I have.
DeleteVery pretty! And incredibly flawless specimens -- sometimes I feel like I'm operating a triage unit for plants instead of a garden. One of my mystery aloes I've decided is A. lukeana, a gift from you if I remember correctly, which San Marcos says blooms in late summer -- but not in your garden! Now I'm not so sure again. I picked up that 'Diablo' aloe recently too. And I'd love to be able to use that line "now that the winter rains have returned..."
ReplyDeleteHa, you should see my backyard hospital! You're not alone.
DeleteLukeana flowers in the fall in Southern California, a bit later here. And the flowers last for a long time.
Lots to love here! That 'Woolly Rhino' is adorable and the Corten bowl with dudleyas is dreamy! I was also starry-eyed over the sunshine. It's been dark and rainy here for weeks...
ReplyDeleteHere's wishing you a spell of bright sunshine :-)
DeleteLove the Wooly Rhino and the Black and Blue. I've started noticing those fused teeth, like on Diablo, a few times now. It's a nice look. I've got a few smaller stature aloes blooming in the greenhouse at work. It's a great time of year.
ReplyDeleteMany of those dwarf aloes have fused teeth. I think hybridizers select for that.
DeleteBeautiful images, for sure. I love the Echeveria bowl! And all the Agaves and other succulents...impressive collection and placements/landscaping!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Beth! Happy New Year!
DeleteBeautiful pics of beautiful plants šŖ“
ReplyDeleteCan you please tell me what the blue salvia next to the opuntia is? Such a dreamy colour
Thank you! The blue salvia is a hybrid called 'Elk Blue Note'. See here: https://www.fbts.com/salvia-x-elk-blue-note.html
DeleteOMG, I love the color contrast of the dudleya in the corten bowl: it is a stunner. Similarly and so very aptly named: Agave titanota ‘Black and Blue’ is an amazing looking agave. Happy New Year, filled with fine purchases. Chavli
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you, too! Here's to many exciting plant adventures and experiences in 2025!
DeleteLove the black and blue! And all the sunshine (jealous!)
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you or your readers could give me a recommendation. I need a wedding/housewarming gift for family who have moved to Tucson and bought a new house with bare soil. One of their requests is $$ for landscaping. Where should I go or can get an e-gift certificate in Tucson?
Hey AZ folks, can you help with some recommendations?
DeleteThere are many great garden centers in Tucson (better than in the Phoenix area). I would suggest Bach's Cactus Nursery or B&B Cactus Farm. Both have been there for many years and know what they are doing and can offer terrific advice. You can go to their website and find out about the possibility of e-gifts.
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