Botanical Garden. San Francisco (Part 1)

Sorry that I have not posted for a while. The truth is I hadn’t taken many photos of plants or flowers for a while. In my other blog, I upload photos of my travels and art frequently, so please visit me there too!

I visited the San Francisco Botanical Garden recently, and I hope that you will enjoy these photos.

I brought my sketchbook to draw.

But it was such a pretty place that I spent most of my time walking around and taking photos.

I wouldn’t mess with this guy…

I found the succulent garden

Another photo from the succulent garden

A couple of roses

And some yellow flowers which I think were in the fragrant garden.

Thanks for dropping by.  More photos in Part 2.

A few more photos…

I am getting confused with names of succulents. They are either Sedeverias, Sedums, Graptoverias, Aloes, Crassulas, Kalanchoes, Aeoniums  or some other “similar” sounding names…

Whatever they are called, I love them. Here are a few more from the balcony.

This photo prompted me to write the opening paragraph. I love this baby… but I cannot tell you the name unless I hunt for its tag…

Sometimes I come across Blue Chalk Stick as the name of this lovely plant. I think it’s easier to remember than Senecio…

 

Kalanchoe… I think this specie is easier to recognised by the shape of its leaves.

Echeveria and sedum… someone asked if this blue grey bloom was a ghost plant in an earlier post.  That would be an easier name to remember…

Sedum (probably)… wearing my Learner Gardener’s hat, this plant should not be classified as a succulent. Unlike the others, it loves water, so it messes up my watering routine. 

Visit Teri’s Painted Daisies on Monday for Cactus Monday links.

Vegetables

are less confusing, I think...

There truth is I’ve given up on vegetables. They also mess up my watering routine and I don’t cook enough… These are my last few photos.

Have you seen a lonelier chilli?

Vietnamese mint makes me feel good as a gardener, like I’ve done something right. It just grows and grows and keep growing….

Oregano is also a happy plant on my balcony.

I love the smell of Rosemary. I cannot help but touch it.

Happy Gardening!

I’ll be taking a break for a little while. Please visit my other blog, as I will still be Enjoying the Good Life.

Watery succulent

Happy Cactus Monday.

I am glad I remembered today! Visit Teri’s Painted Daisies for more Cactus Monday Links.

Graptoveria

 

Does this look like it could be an evil man-eating giant flower one sees in the movies?

I can’t decide if I like it or not…It belongs to the Graptoveria on the left. I had forgotten what its flowers look like, so I was a little surprised when it bloomed.

I love Sedum Gold Mound. It is one of the first few succulents I started with.

Here’s a more interesting variety:

This is a photo I took while hiking in Korea. I have no idea what this flower/plant is, but it’s an interesting and unusual variety. I love the colour and shape. The flower was very low to the ground…

Maybe you have seen it in your part of the world?

Happy Sunday.

Today’s Flowers

Spring flowers

It’s Springtime in Australia and a few flowers have bloomed and more are on the way…

Tiny Crassula Anomala flower

Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana with it’s silvery green neighbour Eremophila Glabra. This is an Australian native which flowered a few weeks ago (during winter).

 

Poor Graptoveria Debbie has suffered in the recent hailstorm… it’s scarred but it will look better when the flowers bloom

 

It’s neighbour is slightly ahead… surrounded by jelly beans.

Have a nice weekend.

Succulents

Happy Cactus Monday. Hope you had a nice weekend.

I hope you enjoy these photos:

 

My pink jelly bean which has been with me for almost a year.

These are not mine, unfortunately.  They are growing at my tennis club. They sure look a lot like jelly beans. I love them a lot; they look so juicy!

 

Graptoveria – love the drop of water in the middle.

This jade plant is growing at the tennis club. I am not sure if I like it. Jade plants don’t appeal to me, but I think the yellow leaves do stand out.

Sedeveria Pats Pink given to me at Christmas last year.

That’s it from me.

Wishing you a nice week.

Visit Teri’s Painted Daisies for more Cactus Monday links.

Around my balcony in recent times…

I have had these succulents as space fillers in bigger pots. But because they are small, I seldom see them. A few days ago, I decided that they need their own space, so I re-potted them. Now that they are not overshadowed by bigger plants, I enjoy seeing them every time I go onto the balcony.

I was sad when I had to deadhead my Kalanchoe blossfeldiana plants a few months ago. But now all of them are starting to bloom again. This Kalanchoe plant (above) has the most little red flowers.

I got a wine box from the local bottle shop, and it has been a successful herb planter (above). I love having herbs in the garden, mainly because they smell so good.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Fertilizer Friday comes early for me this week!

Please click on the link for more Fertilizer Friday posts (from Friday and onwards).

My first succulent topiary – Part 2: adding succulent plants

Related post: Part 1: topiary form

Having completed my topiary form (which I wrote about in the previous post), it is now time to put it to the test and complete my succulent topiary.

I gathered the succulents that I will use. Using the stick end of a paint brush, I made holes in the moss, then insert the succulents. The completed topiary is shown below…

I will have to leave it in a horizontal position for a couple of weeks to allow the roots to grow in the moss.

Some pictures of my work-in-progress:

Making my topiary (work-in-progress): top 2 photos: gathering plants from my garden and leaving the cuttings to dry out for a couple of days before planting;
bottom left: the back of my topiary form – showing the picture frame, wire mesh and sphagnum moss; and bottom right: making a mess planting the succulents!

Fertiliser

Because the moss that the succulents are planted in does not provide the nutrients required, I asked a team member at Bunnings (a garden centre) for advice. He called a horticulturist friend, who recommended using Powerfeed concentrate by Seasol, diluted to 50% strength. Hope this works to keep them healthy.

Tutorial

Here is a great tutorial I found that also includes photos: Classic SoCal Succulent Wreath