Surprise, Not A Surprise

Surprise! I was flabbergasted to see a flower bud on this badly neglected little succulent, Rhombophyllum nelii dolabriforme.
Native to the Cape province of South Africa.  Common name:  "Elk Horns".
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Surprise!  My cherry crop:
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All two of them.  Two more than I expected this year.
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Surprise!  The 'Meyer' lemon that I hacked up, threw in the garbage for a few days, then rescued and replanted has quite a bit of healthy new growth.
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Surprise!  An Echeveria completely dried up has recovered completely.  All it took was water.
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Surprise!  Haloragis erectus 'Wellington Bronze' was a complete dud when first I planted it.  Its descendents, seedlings that have appeared here and there, have proven to be fine little space fillers.  You fooled me, honey.  Thank you. 
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Tomatoes--in April?!?!  Surprise!
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Surprise!  After sitting most of winter, slowly drying up, the 'Blue Glow' bulbils are growing roots, starting to photosynthesize again, and yes, grow.
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I made the attempt to be creative in my re-purposing of a landscape light as a wee succulent pot--the succulent didn't like it at all.  However, (Surprise!) apparently a bromeliad does:
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Speaking of bromeliads, what is more surprising than that some of them bloom pink and blue?
Aechema fasciata.  The pink is the bracts, the blue-violet the actual flowers.
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Speaking of blooms, the size of the Aloe pseudorubroviolacea stem is--a surprise.
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 I love a garden that surprises me.  

One thing that is not a surprise?  The piggy habits of the Samoyed.  I explained to Beloved that feeding a Samoyed at the table creates an adorable begging monster--or in this case, two of them.  Beloved has been feeding them at the table.  
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Not a surprise!
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Comments

  1. So many lovely surprises in your garden dear Hoover, the flowers on the succulents are beautiful, so too Boris and Natasha.
    xoxoxo ♡

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  2. Just one of those surprises can make a day - you're clearly having a good spring (heat and drought and begging puppies notwithstanding).

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  3. You have a garden load of pleasant surprises. Mine is more of a mixed bag.

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  4. The resurrection of the Meyer lemon, and the flower on that little elkhorn succulent are wonderful - the 'Blue Glow' bulbil health is fabulous! It's a good time for surprises.

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    Replies
    1. We give to our gardens, and they give back.

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  5. Love your "Elk Horns" ....now the search! Thanks for great post, as aways

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    1. It's a cute little plant, and can take a lot of water (not in winter, though). And a lot of abuse, which I have given it.

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  6. Love your garden updates! It's delightful to read about your "surprises", because I certainly can relate.
    The thing is - spring is too slow! I can barely contain myself from yanking out anything not showing proper April spirit and leaping out out of the ground!
    Happy gardening,
    Suzanne

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    Replies
    1. Well, if Spring happened all at once, it wouldn't last very long. Patience, grasshopper?

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