Rain And New Acquisitions

We got real rain over night, nearly half an inch (12 mm).  This morning everything sparkled, washed clean.  I had done so much to jinx our chances--I'd put out rain barrels, swept the dust off the balcony so rain wouldn't turn it into mud, closed the skylight--all things guaranteed to prevent rain.  It rained anyway. 
 
Dust-free, for a few days.  Happy plants...

...including a couple of new acquisitions.  I've been looking for a decent variegated Furcaea foetida for a couple of years.  A nice 6" pot with several rosettes at San Gabriel Nursery.  

A new Aloe, A. fosteri, which came in a roundabout way via our recent walk along Moonstone Beach near Cambria.  We were enjoying the sights.  
Fisherman vs. nature

Surfer lady vs. nature

The only crowds.

When I turned to look away from the ocean...

Ooooh!  Had to cross the coast road and have a look.
One of the oceanfront hotels had a beautiful succulent garden, recently planted.



Tree Aloe against a background of Monterey Cypress

The Aloe has an ocean view. 

Hmmm.  That Aloe polyphylla should look better.  The California Central Coast is the sweet spot for this species outside of its native alpine range in South Africa.  

Okay, here we go.  Grow Nursery.  Oooh!  Does that mean they sell plants?

I found them the next day;  they are on Main in Cambria.  You go through another shop called the Garden Shed, which is a garden decor store run by a cat named Abner.  No, a real cat.   Grow has taken over the back area.  
Here's why I bought Aloe fosteri:

Ankle-high solitary rosette produces a inflorescence over 5' tall and almost 3' wide.  



Here's the little fosteri that came home with us. 

Did I take any photos?  Only a few--I was too busy shopping.  That tells you something--good stuff.  Good plants at good prices, and very affordable prices on exotic mineral specimens like geodes and crystals.  Did get one more shot, of their beautiful A. polyphylla, which looked much better than the hotel copy.

I told the employee we'd found Grow via their garden on Moonstone Beach, and asked her about the unhappy Aloe polyphylla there.  She explained the no-watering-plants moratorium had been put in place the day they installed the garden at the hotel.  That explains it.  Aloe polyphylla likes both instant drainage and lavish water.   

I think again of last night's beautiful rain, and hope Cambria (and especially that thirsty polyphylla) got a good measure of it, too.