Is it possible, could it be? could some rain have finally fallen on the Central Texas area?
These Graptopetalum paraguayense, always manage to hold on to a few precious drops in their 4-6 inch rosettes. The patch in the top right picture took a beating when my agave “beanstalk” http://east-side-patch.livejournal.com/5201.html died in here last year, but they have rebounded quite well.
“How can they be so succulent”?
This easy to grow succulent is also known as the “Mother of Pearl”
or “Ghost Plant” because of its gray or pearly leaves.
Leaves break off easily and are used for propagation.
And yes, I do still have the fallen beanstalk, It is now lying at the side
of the house looking pretty sad. I am thinking that I will allow all the
remaining pups drop from the “trunk”, then polish and drill some
holes in it to form a unique 15ft wind instrument?
The potted agave offspring are growing well in leiu of my total neglect.
The rains brought with them fresh new growth on my canna lilies and hoja santa plants.
The rise in water levels also partially submerged one of my tropical water lilies.
The rosemary all around my property also went into a blooming frenzy, with the recent moisture.
“Call me Bubbles darling, everybody does!
Champagne, champagne for everyone!”
This “Buck’s Fizz” was lining the bottom of one of my bird baths.
I am not quite sure what oxygenation process is going on in here but it was pretty amazing with the sun hitting it, millions of tiny golden bubbles!
Sticking on a water theme, I spotted a gathering crowd, holding a convention on one of my tropical water lilly pads. What on earth are these tiny, real tiny bugs?
“Blub, Blub, whatever those tiny bugs are, I want to eat them… j j just can’t seem to reach”!
This is the last of my first generation goldfish. This one must be about six years old.
He is so tame he fetches a tiny ball on my command.
And here is my pet hover-fly “Brundle” resting a little while on a cedar stump. This hover-fly was really busy in the (insert East London accent) “blooming rosemary.” I followed this fly with the camera for about 15 minutes (as one does) before it conveniently stopped for a rest and some light refreshment on this cedar stump, right beside me.
Click then click again to see full resolution image.
Did you know hover-flies are second only to bees for pollinating? This one was hovering around a
bunch of real honey bees and wasps, trying his very hardest to look and act like them. Some
species of hovers even go so far as to wave their front legs in front of their face to mimic
the jointed antennae of the potter wasps!
One rule of thumb for identifying hover-fly gender is, if the eyes meet at the top of the head,
it’s a male specimen, like Brundle here. I have had no luck in finding out what that
golden ‘blob’ is on his back, any ideas anyone?
“Huh, what? on my back? where? I don’t see it, get it off!”
Poor Seth Brundle!
(You knew that image was coming)!
Remember these dragon scales?
Well I recently received a whole bag-full of these succulent pieces (thanks JuJu) to
transplant into my middle bed. I decided that these would make a great mermaid
looking hairdo for my botox lady. The color will work out great against her green-brown skin:
Here are all the tiny new plants in their new home (and role) as hair follicles.
Can’t wait to see how this turns out!
I just hope I don’t have to plant a comb-over on her to “fill in” some areas…
“And why is that?”
Other stimulus packages noted in the patch this week:
A volcanic chunk of glass catching some setting sun.
Some cave-dwelling stonecrop, and a chandelier bulbine flower in curling decline.
New Salvia jewel and the first flowers starting to form on my mountain laurel.
Who would think those large Kool-Aid blooms start out as insignificant as this.
Aloe sending out a new flower spike and the rather gaudy blooms of Nemesia fruticans
There is something satisfying about having all the ornamental grasses and plants clipped back. I couldn’t bring myself to chop down my mexican feather grass around this circular bed. I am thinking I may line more of my pathway edges with this grass.
I am already seeing new growth on some of the grasses I cut back only a couple of weeks ago:
And to finish on the subject of haircuts…
Stay Tuned For:
“Pieces of Eight”
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