Pick a Colorado Plant, Any Plant

At every Garden Bloggers Fling, attendees discuss which plant signifies that particular gathering and locale. It's always interesting to hear the ideas. Was it the multicolored Ice Plants (Delosperma spp.) blooming in so many of the gardens?



Or the tiny Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum spp.) and other low-growing succulent plants, which were also prevalent? These were particularly prominent in the many rock and crevice gardens in the Denver area.



The Ninebarks (Physocarpus opulifolius) were blooming: Who can argue with this beauty? But wait; this was one of the plants of the Toronto Fling, right?



The cold-hardy Agaves were happy in several gardens. (Is this A. havardiana?) Well, Agaves were also an Austin Fling plant.



Oh my gosh, the Poppies (Papaver and Eschscholzia spp.)!

















But Poppies are popular everywhere.



Maybe it was the masses of African Daisies (Osteospermum spp.).



Or the Cactuses, like this stunning, bright pink-blooming Beaver-Tail Cactus (Opuntia basilaris).



Personally, I'm always partial to delicate, but tough Astrantias (A. major).



And an all-time favorite that's native only to the Southwest U.S. and Northern Mexico is the shrub Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa). It looks different at various stages and in different lighting.







Apache Plume seedheads resemble those of Prairie Smoke (Geum troflorum); both are in the rose family.



Many people felt that Foxtail Lilies (Eremurus robustus) were the Denver Fling signature plant.



They were quite dramatic--like candelabra glowing over their garden beds.



But perhaps the signature plant of the Denver Garden Bloggers Fling was the Rocky Mountain Penstemon (P. strictus). That color, that form, those "pollinator pockets"!







How does one choose? All the Fling plants were fabulous!

A Garden Full of Joy and Whimsy

You know your favorite aunt whose face lights up when you come to visit...her entire demeanor exudes joy and welcoming? That's what it was like to visit the garden of Jean Morgan, near Denver, Colo., during this year's Garden Bloggers Fling, earlier this month. (If you guessed Colorado, based on my last post: 3 points; Denver area: 5 points; Garden Bloggers Fling: 10 points!)



Jean was so genuinely happy to see us and share her garden--and warm and welcoming--that this particular visit was a highlight, for me, of the entire Fling! The house and property is a historic landmark in what previously was known as "Little Bulgaria" in the town of Louisville, Colo.



Jean has lovingly cared for this garden for several decades--designing and placing all the plants herself. Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum spp.), herbs, and other drought-tolerant plants cover the entire small property, creating a lovely xeric, low-maintenance garden.



Patches of Love in a Mist (Nigella damascena) create a dreamy frame for the succulents.



Part of the joy of Jean's garden is that it's real. By this, I mean that Jean authentically created the displays herself. The garden is full of whimsical touches, like this bathtub/metal objects creation, Barney Bazooka DeChomp III.



A pump faucet washtub full of herbs and its neighbor pot with a face.



This lady statuette who is "happily dying of chocolate," surrounded by real candy bar wrappers and Chocolate Daisies (Berlandiera lyrata). (I think most of us can relate.)



Jean has a delightful  pond with a waterfall, decorated with metal friends: a heron, a turtle, a cat, a crab, lobsters, and others.



Her fabulous crevice/rock garden is chock full of xeric plants, and is home to a family of quail figurines.

Other Fling attendees had similar impressions while visiting Jean's garden; and most of us had a grand time at the entire Fling this year. Watch for more coverage in the months ahead, by visiting this link. Next year, the Fling will be in Madison, Wis., and I'm on the planning committee!

Spring Break at Balboa Park's Desert Garden

Back in March 2016, we had a family event in San Diego, so we made a vacation of it and did some sightseeing and exploring on the side. I've done a few previous posts on San Diego's botanical highlights.

Today, I'm focusing on Balboa Park's Desert Garden. I honestly only spent about two or three hours touring Balboa Park, and although there's much, much more to explore on a return trip, it's astonishing how many amazing treasures I discovered. Note that very few of the Desert Garden plants were marked (and I'm less familiar with these), so please correct me if I've identified them incorrectly.

The Desert Garden and Rose Garden are set off a bit from the rest of Balboa Park.



As you walk the bridge over Park Blvd., you notice that even the medians are planted with lovely xeric plants.



Looking back over the bridge, this offers some perspective--most of Balboa Park is on the other side.



At the edge of the Desert Garden, you get a nifty canyon view overlooking the highway below.



When I was there, the Ice Plants (Delosperma cooperi) were blooming.



A stunning sight to see after four months of bitter winter.



I always notice the lizards when I travel. I know--when you see them all the time, it's not a big deal. But we have only a few lizards in Wisconsin.



This cute, little hummingbird followed me around the Desert Garden. I think it was a rufous, although I didn't get close enough for a positive ID.



This grouping of Golden Barrel Cactuses (Echinocactus grusonii) was impressive framed by Statice flowers (Limonium sinuatum).



Blooming Barrel Cactuses (Ferocactus spp.) were plentiful, too. The yellow flowers were yummy in the California sunshine.



I love the common name of this one: Old Man Cactus (Cephalocereus senilis). It looks soft as a pillow, but be careful! I also like the Oxalis blooms floating in among the grouping: I don't know if this was intentional, but it was pleasant.



The Sennas (Cassias?) were blooming golden yellow, too. I think this is either Senna surattensis or Cassia leptophylla. These two genera seem to be under review and have similar histories and purposes. Anyway, they're glorious in bloom.



No question about the drama and awesomeness of the Torch Aloes (A. arborescens). They seem much at home in San Diego, although they're native to Southern Africa.



How about this awesome Cow's Horn Euphorbia (E. grandicornis)?



Lion's Tail (Leonotis leonurus) seems to beckon hummingbirds.



This grouping was my favorite in the Desert Garden: a beautiful Artichoke Agave (A. parryi), nestled between Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii) and Narrow-Leaf Chalksticks (Senecio cylindricus).

In this cold, wet transition from winter to spring here in Wisconsin, I'm longing for a warm, dry day. These pleasant memories help...a little.