A Gorgeous October Day, Unfotunately In February

The rose foliage certainly looks like February

Gorgeous warm dry weather, "dry" being the bad part.  Last winter's perfect rainy season isn't being repeated this year.
 
 The flower stalk on the gift Aloe 'Vera' continues to develop.  Hopefully the plant is also growing a root system to replace the one it lost when it was removed from its old home.  The stress has colored up the foliage beautifully.

It's Aloe marlothii time, too.  This candelabra of flowers is over 3' (1 M) wide.

 All the small plants purchased recently are now planted.  The empty place in the gully where I pulled out the old woody Salvia got a new Callistemon 'Little John' purchased from the Lowe's death rack for $3.  

The "death rack" is stocked with damaged, sun baked, or otherwise abused plants that are usually about to die.  Most are not worth buying.  There were plenty of bloomed-out potted Tulips on the rack, for example.  Tulips are annuals here.  

If you have some plant knowledge, however, bargains can be found.  'Little John' will recover remarkably well given frequent watering.  The plant on the right was in dire shape a year ago, but looks decent now.  The new plant is on the left:

 Hmm.  Really should do something with that trellis.

To the right of the new Callistemon is the Grevillea 'Superb' that had terrible Chlorosis and just would not grow.  
 March 2019 (when it had started to improve):

After many doses of chelated iron and nitrogen, it's growing now with vigor.  Flowers, too.  It will get more since the cypress are gone, which should make it even happier.
Same plant as above(!), yesterday.  Worth the effort.

 Speaking of Grevillea problems, after the same care and attention given to 'Superb', 'Kings Fire' continued to malinger.  Pulled it yesterday, finally.  
We tried 

 There's an 'Iceberg' rose in a pot waiting for a place in the ground, so that's a replacement option.

Grevillea juniperina 'Lava Cascade' is opening more and more lava-colored flowers and is suddenly mobbed by bees.  In trying to get a close up, it was clear the plant was really mobbed. In this neighborhood the bees have always been gentle, but bee life is not easy, so I gave them space.

Big event: the Leucospermum I grew from seed is showing color in its first flower.  Yellow, like the parent 'Yellow Bird'.  The tips of the pollen presenters have a slight fuzziness to them, which 'Yellow Bird' does not possess.  There will be dozens and dozens of flowers to cut for the vase.  The plant is enormous, sprawling, and needs cutting back.  Pruning is not recommended for Leucospermums, but it was a free seedling--if it dies from shock, 'Yellow Bird' will be producing more seeds.  It's also taking over what is supposed to be a veggie patch.

The Leucospermums at the garden centers are in the $70 range this year.  Yikes!  Growing from free seed is a bargain.

'Tango' continues...and I'll be checking for seeds...

 ...and a reminder from the Hellebores that it is indeed February, not October.

Two more weeks to cast removal.  Right now that sounds as almost as welcome as rain would be.