Stormy August

Below is sampling of some storm pictures from this past month. We've received almost two inches of rain so far, which is pretty good for us.

It Rained

We finally had a humdinger of a storm last night, about an inch of rain dumped on us over an hour. The knock-out rose on the deck seems to have appreciated the temporary change in humidity.

Return To The Arboretum

In case you didn't get enough pictures out of the last post, here are a few more from our recent visit to the Arboretum.

Including:

- A huge mass of sunflowers, so tall they're leaning over the trail

An heirloom rose blooming in the rose garden.

- Another rose in full bloom, despite the heat (albeit, cooler in Superior).

- A new fountain they're working on building, opposite the greenhouses and rose garden.



- Blooms on an African orchid, same that I bought at a local nursery, lately.

- Butterfly landing on what I think was a zinnia.



- View across the wash from the susension bridge.

Back To The Arboretum, Pt 1

For those of you that took heed of my advise to come back here, congrats, as you'll be treated to some bonus Brenna and family pictures here for your trouble.

I'm going to milk these shots for all they're worth, and post a few installments, so come back soon for more.

The first shot here is of some prickly pear cactus, ripe for the picking (I guess).

You could tell it's rained a lot here this monsoon, everything was extra-greeny, and we thoroughly enjoyed the shade, as it was still warm, despite the clouds.

I stumbled across what looked like a peach tree along the main trail, hidden behind some pomegranate shrubs. I didn't realize they even had any fruit trees there. It smelled heavenly.



Here we all are (except me, someone had to take the picture), resting in the shade.



One of my favorite trees there, by the new Australian exhibit. Of course, they don't have the thing tagged, so I don't know it's name, but I love it's shape and the fact that the limbs weep.

Mega-Sized Yard Update

With the temperatures dropping, the humidity rising, and rain on the increase, the yard has greened up nicely. Here's hoping it stays this way until the cooler months of October and November arrive.

Below is a quick run through of what's going on outside these days.

I bought this oddity at the local nursery about a week ago, and still need to pot it. I can't remember the common name, but it's scientific one is Eulophia Petersii. I know this because I wrote it down on a card while I was still at the nursery, in hopes of finding some care instructions online. Native to Eastern and South Africa, this little guy puts out five foot tall stalks of orchid like blooms, given the right conditions (which we have here, hot and drive, with short supplies of water).

The knock out roses are coming back to life, after losing nearly all of their leaves during May and June. Beautiful color, and I see some buds on here.

I just recently transplanted my plumeria, and it's already outgrowing the pot it's in now. I can't wait to see if it's large enough now to bloom next Spring.

My yard, for the most part, has no rhyme or reason to it. I sometimes will randomly stick things where a hole has been left by a dead plant, whether it makes much since or not. I got this twenty dollar pittisporum at Lowes on clearance for four, and stuck it next to my Turk's Cap (at right). Why not? Four O Clock's are in the foreground.

Here's another twenty dollar plant for four, a Photinia, nicely nestled between a wall and my Chinese Pistache tree, almost permashade, which is what it needs to survive in our harsh climate.



One of my favorites, a Japonica something or other. It puts out bright red, star-shaped, blooms in the Spring. And I like the shapes of the leaves, also. It's doing well where it is.



Something has bored holes into most of my pomegranates, which are pretty good size this year. Bummer.



I'm almost done with the grape cover on the north side of the house, just have to lay the bamboo roof on the extension (at the end of this run). The grapes are already benefiting from having the extra shade.



An arrangement of moss roses and dusty miller.

A Winter Cassia, greening up nicely in the humidity. This plant can supposedly grow into a small 10-15 foot tree, and blooms yellow most of the cooler months. Some scrawny looking roses in pots are in the background.

A wide view of the back yard from the porch, looking northwest.

A view of the south side of the yard.