Changes in the gardens after 2 days of rain...

Cubanelle Pepper

Teracotta planter was planted with Sweet Basil seeds, and the black pots are planted with Milkweed seeds.

This Ferocactus latispinus' spines have also turned a dark cranberry color in the last week or so...isn't it pretty???

I have very little of this Sedum Rubrotinctum, but the color changes nearly year-round...so sweet!

Buds on the Mammillaria ready to burst!!!

The Thimble Cactus is looking quite stately with it's new black spines pointing straight up from it's mass of white stars (something new)... I LOVE this cactus.

The ever changing Kalanchoe daigremontianum...the one I feel so happy with all year long...with it's changing leaf colors...now with some new ones for me to enjoy...kind of bronze on the outer leaves and a lovely blue inside...is it Tiffany Blue? No...but more of a Robins Egg Blue...just gorgeous!!!

And, lastly, my variegated Jasmine on the fence is flowering and smells devine!!! How much better could it get around here??? Today I am thankful for my garden areas and the space to have them in.

My plants after one night at 32 degrees F.

Baby Emily fell asleep in the car, so I quickly took a few shots of some of my plants. Most are doing great, but a few suffered damage with the one freezing night here. Below, my Thimble Cactus is putting out some blooms (it's happy).

The Perle Von Nurnberg below is very happy...with a touch of water with the rain we have had today!

The collards are on week three of growth...lookin good...seemed to thrive in the cold air, thank God!!!

My hibiscus look the same as always! These peach ones, which I have been wanting to show for the last month, just seem to get to the bud stage, and then rarely open. Anyone know what is going on with that? They get the same amt. of sun, water, and fertilizer as my red ones, which you can see open fully and are usually covered. The peach and red are all planted in one row.



The hybrid Kalenchoe...the ones with 26 petals on each blossom...are looking good right now all bloomed out. I had planted about 15 of these plants in three different colors last year, but the sun and water situations took most of them out. These two are the best two left.


The Prickly Pear pad (ONE PAD) I had planted about 8 months ago (saved from the one that was cut down in the neighborhood)...is growing quite nicely...it has 8 pads now!!! No damage to it from the cold.

These next two are blurry (sorry)...but show my favorite plant...Mother of Millions...with damage...the leaves became white and waterlogged. I am hoping the whole thing wasn't taken out. It looks kinda rough. I think it will recover...I am gonna hope so anyway.


My Angelwing Begonias were really damaged. They had been under the covered front porch. I should have brought them in, but I couldn't think of everything! I have cut them back severely in hopes they will live.

Last but not least...the Christmas Cactus is gorgeous right now!

Happy upcoming week to all!
xoxo- Julie