Tea Tree Two

My first tea tree is a dwarf. And pinker (less red). And nearer to the pond. This guy I bought in January with the bonus cash we earned at Armstrong Garden Center for buying all our Xmas stuff there (tree, garland, wreath, poinsettias). He was supposed to go in my pretty ceramic pot on the patio, but Tea Tree Two just didn't like it there. Not enough direct sunlight. Now he's in is in-ground home near the back fence where the massive pencil plant used to be.*

* There's a long story about the pencil plant removal. Short version: I like the way it looks (succulenty) and grows (vigorously), but the abundant milky white sap it ultra-readily oozes is either poisonous or I'm highly allergic to it or both. And once on, it's almost impossible to get off the skin. Since the violent reaction is delayed, you don't even know it's on you until it's too late. (No good, baby. No good.)

Flowering Cacti (from Texas)

Yay! This is the first time this cactus has bloomed in the almost seven years I've had it. I bought it in Austin, Texas at the spectacular cactus show held at the Zilker Botanical Garden. It seemed happy — but flowerless — growing in my Austin yard near a big-ole boulder. Then it was in a pot for the move. Looked fine but lacked flowers. Then it had a super-sunshiny spot in my California backyard. Still looked fine. Still no flowers, though. It wasn't until I moved it to its current, shadier spot near the rhubarb and fennel that it was happy enough (or stressed-out enough?) to flower. I didn't even know what kind or color of flower to expect! These big red ones are very cool (in my book). There were three altogether. I'm very pleased, very pleased.

The other cactus I bought at Zilker back then just finished blooming. Its flowers are modest, but it lets 'em rip every year. This is what it looked like on April 3.

(I wish I could tell you the names of these cacti, but I had posted them to my old garden blog, which no longer exists. If I figure them out, I'll update this post.)

Persian Berry Iris & Flower Crab Spider

Western Tanagers on Cinco de Mayo

It's my niece Hayley's twenty-first birthday (perhaps better known for Cinco de Mayo celebrations), and a beautiful pair of Western Tanagers very quietly pay our loquat tree a visit.


Click here to see the last time I caught a picture of a Western Tanager in our yard.

Hummingbird at Iris, Pond, Juniper

Hummingbirds don't usually seem interested at all in irises, but they seem to adore these super-tall yellow ones that grow in our pond. (This is the first year we've had so many blooms.)

Today I happened to have my camera when this female came to feed and have a little drink from the pond.

My favorite picture is actually this one of the same hummingbird perched in one of the Hollywood Juniper trees near the pond.

Seeing Double. Two Beards: Better than One?

This Victoria Falls iris is extra-neat. One of the falls features a double-beard! (Bee isn't fazed.) Click on the image for a better look.

Better Together: Victoria Falls & Belvi Queen Irises

Belvi Queen Iris (& Friends)