Friday Headache Miscellany

After a few weeks rest, 'Wildfire' has returned to its habit of endless bloom.  I added Arctotis 'Pink Sugar' at 'Wildfire's base--the color combination could be better.  Oh well.  Next winter I'll switch out the 'Pink Sugar' for 'Burgundy', which will look better.  The 'Pink Sugar' looks great with pinked-up Aloe peglarae, so that will become the Aloe's new neighbor. 
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Speaking of neighbors, one of mine got rid of their lawn and did this new arrangement.  Nice!
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Speaking of new, my recently planted Grevillea 'Austraflora Fanfare' has new reddish growth:
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Speaking of red, Aloe dorotheae is blooming.  It is the reddest Aloe in the garden:
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Tomato red!
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Not red but blue, Senecio mandraliscae is at its best now.  In summer, sections of it die and ooze brown and black goo, and so in summer I'm always tempted to pull it all out.  In March I'm always glad I didn't.  By April it starts to bloom its horrible ugly flowers and I'm tempted to pull it all out again.  What a headache of a plant.  If it wasn't so blue it could not get away with this nonsense. 
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Blue about the sweet peas not blooming.  Grrr!!  They were in full flower this time last year.
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But 'Fred Ives' has created a full miniature forest of flower stems.
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Some of the stems have a new plant at the tip (circled in red) which can be cut off and rooted.  Go, Fred!
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A Wind Event day, so I'm stuck inside, and have a bad headache besides.  This blogging made me feel better.  Thank you!  
 

 

Comments

  1. Me, too. Headache and heat are keeping me inside. Do you think it is the Santa Ana weather? The morning was gorgeous, worked outside till noon. Sweet peas, the same story. no growth, no bloom. I heartily sympathize with you. Lovely arctotis, both you and Kris praise it, must be great.

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    1. Yes, fun coincidence that Kris also highlighted 'Pink Sugar'. The sweet peas have lavish growth, just no flowers. At least it's not just me then--thanks.

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  2. Please don't use the word "Wildfire" anywhere near the top of your posts, as I immediately got nervous for you... then realized it wasn't an actual fire. :)

    That isn't one of those spray-painted Aloes? So red!

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    1. Thankfully the early if insufficient rain shut down the fire season. We should always be so lucky.

      No, no paint involved. Quite amazing!

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  3. Gorgeous orange roses!

    Yes, a "Santa Ana=headache" kinda day...feels like summer!

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  4. I hope your head feels better soon! We didn't get much wind - just a breeze that helped keep the temp hold at 80F - but the humidity has been near zero, which is irritating both the plants and me. Your garden looks good despite the wind. I don't imagine many flowers can hold their own with that rose. I'll be interested to see if that Grevillea spreads as wide as it's reputed to grow.

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    1. Finally better. It was just above breezy here but painfully itchy-dry. I am fascinated by the Grevillea--that shaggy growth--it's the only plant here I can call "shaggy", really. I fervently hope it will be the success that 'Cousin Itt' was not.

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  5. Yes, feel better soon. (Spring + wind + allergens headache, maybe? They're miserable.)

    I wish Aloe dorotheae weren't so tender -- I'm afraid our inland foothill winters would be too cold. Such a beautiful plant...!

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    1. You said it, dry+pollen= sneeze sneeze sneeze! :(

      Now you know Aloe dorotheae stays quite petite--under 12"--easy to bring indoors for cold nights! Tempted?

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  6. The senecio is one of the few ways to get that blue in the garden and you are lucky to grow it in ground. Your neighbor's new landscape looks so stylish and will keep well without extra watering.

    When we lived in CA I had those headaches which were the worst I remember. Low humidity and desert dust not a good combination. Glad to hear you are feeling better.

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  7. Headache here too, looking at your photos made me forget it for a bit.

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  8. Enjoyed your great tropical pictures again. Your sweet peas will be flowering soon, be patient.

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  9. Beautiful colours in your plants and flowers, the shades of red are lovely. Your sweet peas look very healthy, I hope they flower soon.
    I hope your headache goes away too.
    xoxoxo ♡

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    1. Thank you Dianne. I hope you are improving daily in your recovery.

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  10. I'm with you on the Senecio mandraliscae. The flowers are about the ugliest thing in the plant kingdom. But the blue is so intense, there's nothing else like it.

    Love you A. dorotheae. Might try one this year in a sunny yet protected spot.

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