How is your garden looking today?

These photographs are a feast for the senses.

Tak, your Japanese style garden in lovely and calming. Perfect for a cup of tea and lazy contemplation.

Piff, the wall, the greenery and flowers are wonderful. I guess that's why you can put up with all the rain. I know Pearl has been known to eat your flowers when she gets out of her field. Has she been up to any orneriness this year? I love big Pearl.

Francis, roses almost make me tremble with pleasure. Roses and champagne, this is what heaven is made of, as far as I'm concerned. The total sensory experience of a rose is consuming for me. The touch of a petal, like a baby's skin; and the scent is something to give thanks for and to treasure. Littlek, do you think Francis will hire us? I would be happy to live in his garden.

So, back to New Mexico, here is a picture of portulaca, which I have planted in front along the walk to the front door. I don't have any pics of the flowers here, so I copied one from google images. Portulaca are wonderful little things, requiring poor soil and little water. They will die if they are pampered. I love them because they are lovely, almost dainty looking, but tough as nails. They are the perfect plant for a desert landscape.



portulaca in bloom

Portulaca is another childhood favorite! I almost typed that in the coxcomb discussion. I love it!

If we could live in Francis' garden and work, I'd be happy.

Let's get out our resumes. I can work like a mule...unless it gets too hot.

I can work like a pack horse. Even in the rain, if it's light enough.

<portulaca, portulaca.... I love to say that word even>

Reminds me of a friend who liked to keep saying, "Ziziphus jujuba, ziziphus jujuba!!"

Portulaca...we call it "rose moss." My mother loved it. She'd line up several little pots of it across her breakfast room window like little soldiers...just so she could watch the bumblebees work over it every morning while she drank her coffee. It always reminds me of her now.

Francis, the roses and peonies are gorgeous! Pink has never been my favorite color in the garden, but those roses could change my mind! What a wonderful color!

c.i., you'll have to bring some of your wines over to the Wine Cellar thread. I've been thinking it's just about time to open up the place again.

the flowers are looking lovely - what gorgeous gardens you all have, mine is very small but I love it.

these are flowering today:

[/IMG]
climbing masquerade roses - I bought a weedy little spindly plant in a sale for £1.20 a few years ago and it has rampaged along the fence, covering it in flowers.

[/IMG]



[/IMG]
my lovely climbing Albertine rose which is beautiful and absolutely covered in flowers in June IF the rain doesn't spoil it, it doesn't cope with rain well and the buds are spoilt


[/IMG]
a new geranium set to sprawl amongst the pinker purple ones

Oh, the rain is endless, I don't know how anything grows without sun. Your Portulacas looks sweet. Have you started any Bougainvillea yet? I wonder if those grow in your high desert. It does wonderfully in Phoenix. One of my favorites (Of course, it doesn't thrive here.)

Pearl's wickedness, Diane, is documented in that first photograph... the "Vandalized Frosty Curls." I rec'd three for Mother's Day, each more than two feet across and full... beautiful... wonderful clumping grass. I'd immersed them in a trough prior to planting. Unfortunately, that trough was just close enough to her fence that by getting on her knees, twisting her neck and stretching, she was able to drag them under. Grass... Horse... chomp, chomp. She is a simple horse with simple tastes. She didn't eat them (gray grass doesn't taste good) so then she ripped and shook them apart. I found their mangled remains strewn across her pasture. The shoer called her fat and thinks I should send her to Jousting School. I'm thinking about it.


Vivien -- Your roses are beautiful and the blue geranium is stunning. I don't think I've seen one before.

Jousting school, what a delight! (memories of Arezzo, where they have a jousting festival, not that I've seen the festival).
Picturing Pearl all dolled up...

Vivien, your roses and geranium are lovely. The garden doesn't have to be large, just peaceful and calming. Beautiful pics.

Oh, naughty Pearl. How can such a big horse make like a contortionist? Jousting. Hah!

Diane, Pearl is considered by us to be "Yard Art" so I don't feel it's too weird to mention her on this gardening thread. We think she adds a lot to the neighborhood... sort of like a big shade tree.

Oh absolutely Pearl is yard art. Can you post some pics of our big girl? Everybody should have a Pearl in their lives.

Here's one... it's from last year and doesn't show her off very well, but you can see that she's outstanding in her field.

Pearl is beautiful - kinetic art

It's been raining here since Sunday. With a little sun, the garden would be lovely. With a little sun.

Thanks, Vivien -- she's a good mower, too.


eoe -- If only we lived in Camelot and the rain came while we slept.

You should catch some of that rain, eoe, you know, like in barrels or such, and use the rainwater for your indoor plants.
I keep a couple of barrels of melted snow in the garage for African violets and Christmas Cacti, which thrive on it.
This way you can avoid mineral salt buildup in the pots. We have a tweny five year old Christmas actus, which, despite showing its age,still gives a few flowers occasionally, but it has a dignified mature look, much like a bonsai tree.

Good idea, neko. I don't get enough sunlight in my home for serious houseplants but sometimes it gets pretty dry here and they kick on the outdoor watering restrictions. That's a good time for rainwater. Geez. It's supposed to rain like this all week. Wish I had a big barrel. Might have to make a Home Depot run...

Piff, Pearl is a delight. Thanks for the photo.

eoe, if it rains too much or the skies are cloudy for longer than a couple of days, I almost go crazy. The sun, for me, is a real necessity.

Neko, can you show us a photo of your ancient Christmas cactus? It must be magnificent.

Diane, you're welcome. The sun is a wonderful thing and really raises spirits, doesn't it? Odd though, I was surprised to see that readers of Arizona Highways reported their favorite weather as rain in the desert. Go figure!

I like your new avatar. It reminds me what I've meant to tell Sozobe -- I haven't moved the Million Bells hanging basket yet from its temporary perch by the entry. I can see it from my computer desk and it's been visited every day by a darling little ruby-throat who seemed delighted to find it. I think I'll buy another for the spot I'd meant to put this one on the other side of the house. These plants will be much less trouble to care for than those messy sugar water feeders.

I'm so pleased.