龙舌兰档案-betway苹果下载101-betway苹果下载

Tips to Save Money When Shopping for Succulents

Agave, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardening, Southwest garden, Succulent Gardening

采购多肉植物，沙漠植物园植物特卖

我喜欢参加植物园举办的植物销售活动. Why? Because you can often find the newest plants (even hard to find ones) at them. Of course, you can also find old favorites as well.

Succulents, including cacti are a great way to add texture and interest to the garden at a fraction of the maintenance and water that other plants require. However, they tend to be more expensive than shrubs, vines, and perennials. 但是，别担心——我在这里用这些小窍门来帮你省钱。

Shopping for Succulents

1. 避免购买15加仑或更大容量的龙舌兰.

Why? 几乎所有种类的龙舌兰都会在生命末期开花，然后死亡. That is what agave do.

Flowering is triggered by the age of the agave. In addition, 不同种类的龙舌兰存活的时间不同——有些存活不到10年. If you buy a 15-gallon or larger boxed agave – it is safe to assume that they are much older then those in smaller pots and will flower and die much sooner.

So my advice is to purchase agave in 1 or 5-gallon sizes – they will last much longer and you’ll save a lot of money.

*额外奖励:寻找在苗圃里有不止一株植物的多肉植物. 有时候，你可以找到不止一个，这就像以1的价格得到2!

Better yet, ask a friend or neighbor for a volunteer (pup) from their agave. 许多龙舌兰品种产生了可以移植的志愿者. To learn how, click here.

我的丈夫和女儿在选购多肉植物.

2. 买小一点的仙人掌，不要买大一点的.

Columnar cacti are beautiful, but expensive. The price is usually based on the height of the cactus. 仙人掌的价格是根据每英尺的高度加上每只手臂的高度计算的.

The price for a 1 ft. 图腾柱仙人掌售价48美元.

The reason that I recommend starting out with a smaller columnar cactus such as Mexican Fence Post (Pachycereus marinatus) or ‘Monstrose’ Totem Pole (Lophocereus schottii Monstrose) is that they will begin to grow at a faster rate once planted in the ground.

事实上，小工厂比大工厂更容易建立起来.

Many columnar types of cacti grow faster in the landscape then in the wild due to the presence of water – that includes saguaro cacti as well.

Like agave, you can start some species of columnar cacti from cuttings.

I planted this Mexican Fence Post cactus in my garden 11 years ago. 它开始是一个客户给我从他们的大仙人掌2英尺切割.

Look how much it has grown! You can ask a neighbor or friend if they would mind you taking a stem (or pad) off of their cactus so you can start your own.

许多仙人掌可以从扦插开始. Simply take a piece of cacti, and place it in a dry, shady spot for two weeks and then plant it in the ground or in a pot. Wait a month before watering. 对于一棵新的仙人掌，最好是在第一年每个月浇一次水.

3. Plant it yourself

If you hadn’t noticed, many succulents are prickly. 所以，计划好如何种植是一个好主意. 决定你是可以自己种植还是需要雇人来为你种植.

对于小仙人掌，你可以用毛巾帮助你种植它们而不会被刺痛. See how here.

对于较大的仙人掌，你可以使用地毯或橡胶带. But when in doubt about whether you can plant it yourself, hire an expert.

*Years ago, 作为一名高尔夫球场园艺师, 我曾经把泰迪熊的全菜仙人掌(Opuntia bigelovii)从原本要建的地方移植过来. I would use rubber straps to carry the cholla and regular kitchen tongs to pick up the pieces that dropped off. 然后我会把它们放在其他地方.

4. 留意打折的植物.

Often, not all plants will meet the high standards of the nursery. Sometimes, 这可能只是表面上的损伤, but occasionally you will see a succulent that has not been watered correctly or placed in too much or too little sun.

This can be a great way to save money and provide a little TLC to new succulents. Research online how to care for that particular plant and soon you will have a healthy succulent growing in your garden that cost you a lot less.

*******************

我希望这些建议能在下次你购买多肉植物时对你有所帮助.

高温沙漠花园的教训

Agave, Arizona garden, Cactus/Succulents, California desert garden, desert gardening, Ground Covers, Landscape Problems, Nevada garden, Shrubs, Southwest garden, Succulent Gardening, Trees

Let’s face it. Hot summers are not surprising to desert dwellers. In fact, a typical desert garden with native and desert-adapted plants will weather intense heat with little fuss.

However, this summer has been one for the books and I’ve seen signs of heat-stress that I’ve never seen before. 是的，在我自己的花园里.

Heat-stressed Rock Penstemon and Golden Barrel Cactus

I must admit that it’s been hard to see certain plants struggling in my desert garden and I know you may have similar feelings. 那么，为什么今年夏天的形势比以往更加严峻呢?

Pink Trumpet Vine partially defoliated due to the heat

而有几天温度高于110华氏度是正常的., the summer of 2020 is one for the record books. We have experienced not just a couple of stretches of above-normal temps but, 好几段地狱般的高温. 对植物的损害往往是累积的. This means that the more days of above-average (or below-average) temperatures – the higher incidence of reaction from plants.

在你的花园里散步. 你可能会注意到一些植物正在变黄，枯萎，或者已经放弃和死亡. However, you may also note that there are some that are doing well.

Why is that? Let me show you some examples from my own garden – the good AND the ugly.

Let’s start with the ugly:

新墨西哥栅栏柱仙人掌移植

In March, much of my backyard was renovated. 这包括增加两种单独的墨西哥栅栏桩仙人掌. They are located along my back wall and as you can see, one is doing very well while the other makes me cringe when I see the yellowing.

Does the yellowing cactus need more or less water? No. Many succulents yellow in response to summer heat. 当然，这个炎热的夏天使它更加严重. 那么，为什么两者之间有区别呢?

左边的那棵下午在帕洛维德附近的一棵树下得到了过滤过的树荫. 你可以看到右边的那个没有树荫，只有下午充足的阳光. In a normal summer, 一旦气温下降，一些发黄的地方又会变绿，这是很正常的. 我希望这将会发生. As plants age, 它们能更好地应对热压力，而且它们还年轻, 压力尤其严重.

Signs of heat stress

In another area of my garden, 我有绿色沙漠勺和硬刺仙人掌, which are very heat-adapted. Yet, they do show signs of mild heat-stress that I haven’t seen before. 但是，它们会在秋天重新变绿. 其他挣扎的植物包括洋蓟龙舌兰、地鼠植物和德国灌木.

我很激动，我年轻的沙漠柳树在这张照片中茁壮成长，尽管炎热. 我有四个分散在我的景观和他们都做得一样好.

Here are some of the good:

年轻的Ruellia (Ruellia半岛)做得很好 in desert garden

年轻的Ruellia (Ruellia半岛)做得很好. 邻居的小矮人桃金娘可不是.

《betway旗舰版下载》Tecoma灌木(Tecoma ' Sparky ')

粉红毛利(毛细毛利). Will soon burst forth in burgundy plumes in fall.

金色的马缨丹整天在阳光下

羽毛的桂皮，紫色拖地马缨丹，和黄钟灌木也做得很好.

Here are a couple of exceptional performers that get full, reflected sun:

‘Rio Bravo’ Texas Sage

Bougainvillea

There are still six weeks of summer heat ahead of us. 那么，betway旗舰版下载现在应该做些什么呢?

确保植物有足够的水分. You may need to increase the frequency when temps are above 110 degrees.
Don’t fertilize. Feeding plants simply makes them work harder to produce new growth when all they are trying to do is deal with the heat.
Don’t prune away heat-damaged growth until September. While brown leaves are ugly, they are protecting the interior of the plant. Some pruning is recommended in mid-September, which I teach in my Shrub Pruning Workshop.

garden in the desert with small tree and plants

betway旗舰版下载不知道今年夏天是反常还是新常态的开始. 但是，与其认输，我建议你做以下事情:

Take a stroll through your garden and take note of which plants are doing well and those that aren’t. 如果这将成为新常态, it would be a good idea to add more of those that handle the heat well.

我不打算在我自己的花园里做任何大的改变. Most of my plants have done just fine in past summers. I’ll replace the few plants that died but am hopeful that next summer will be one with average temperatures. 如果不是，那我就知道哪种植物最耐高温.

不知不觉，秋天就要来了，我等不及了!

华丽的德国沙漠花园

A Stroll Through a Flowering Winter’s Garden

Agave, Arizona garden, AZ Plant Lady Classes, Cactus/Succulents, California desert garden, Containers, desert gardening, Hummingbird Gardening, Las Vegas gardening, Perennial, Shrubs, Southwest garden, Vines

你知道你可以让植物在一年中的每个月开花吗? In the desert garden, this is definitely true!

One of the most popular programs that I teach at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix is ‘Flowering All Year’. During the presentation, I teach students how to incorporate plants in their gardens so they can enjoy colorful blooms all year long.

Sadly, many desert dwellers miss this opportunity. Drive down a typical neighborhood street in winter, 除了五颜六色的一年生花，你很难找到盛开的植物. As you’ll note, the focus in our gardens is typically on plants that flower through the warm season.

So, how can we change that? 这很简单——添加一些冬天会开花的植物. Believe it or not, there are quite a few plants that fit the bill.

I invite you to come along with me on a virtual tour of the plants I showed to the students in the class as we walked through the winter garden in mid-February.

在betway旗舰版下载开始散步之前，我要坦白一件事. 通常，我在上课前会提前到达，看看有什么盛开的花朵，这样我就可以计划betway旗舰版下载的路线. But, my daughter’s bus arrived late that morning, so I was running a bit late. As a result, I didn’t know what we would see. 值得庆幸的是，有很多东西可以看.

Plants for Cool-Season Color:

紫丁香藤(堇菜科)

生机勃勃的紫丁香藤从不让人失望. 开花出现在隆冬，为无色的冬季景观增加了一个受欢迎的缓解. Here it is planted in a tall raised bed and allowed to trail downward. In my garden, it grows up against a wall with a trellis for support.

Whale’s Tongue Agave and Mexican Honeysuckle underneath an Ironwood tree

墨西哥忍冬(Justicia spicigera)

Several perennials and small shrubs do best in the desert garden when planted in filtered sunlight. Desert trees like Ironwood, Mesquite, and Palo Verde are excellent choices for producing filtered sunlight. Mexican Honeysuckle doesn’t do well in full sun. 结果，它在铁木树的树荫下茁壮成长. I love the texture contrast in this bed next to the Whale’s Tongue Agave.

Weber’s Agave (Agave weberi) and Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata)

Desert Marigold is a short-lived perennial that resembles a wildflower. Yellow flowers appear throughout the year on this short-lived perennial. I like to use them in wildflower gardens or natural desert landscapes because this yellow bloomer will self-seed.

来自冬季花园的烟花(Euphorbia 'Sticks on Fire')和大象食物(porulacaria afra)

Firesticks (Euphorbia ‘Sticks on Fire’) and Elephants Food (Portulacaria afra)

灌木、藤蔓和多年生植物并不是唯一为风景增添冬季色彩的植物. Colorful stems of the succulent Firesticks add a splash of orange all year. I am a fan of the use of blue pots in the garden, and here, it adds a powerful color contrast with the orange.

'Winter Blaze' (Eremophila glabra) from winter garden

《betway苹果下载》(Winter Blaze, Eremophila glabra)

Lush green foliage decorated with orange/red blooms is on display all year long with this Australian native. Several types of Eremophilas add cool-season color to the landscape, 这个值得更多的关注. There must be a blank space in my garden for one…

Blue Bells Eremophila and Mexican Fence Post Cactus

蓝铃草(Eremophila hygrophana)

Blue Bells is arguably one of my most favorite plants. It resembles a compact Texas Sage (Leucophyllum spp.)，但没有那么大，而且全年开花. For best results, plant in full sun, but well-drained soil is a must.

Valentine Bush (Eremophila maculata 'Valentine') from winter garden

Valentine Bush (Eremophila maculata“情人节”)

My favorite choice for winter color is Valentine Bush. Red/fuschia blooms begin to appear in January and last into April. For maximum color impact, use them in groups of 3 – 5. 他们是低维护-修剪回一半大小在四月中旬开花后. No other pruning is required.

Aloe ferox

从冬天到春天是沉香的旺季，许多品种在沙漠花园中生长得很好. Most require filtered sunlight to do their best, 但“蓝色精灵”芦荟在阳光充足和阴凉处都很好.

迷迭香(迷迭香)

People from colder climates are often surprised to note that rosemary flowers. In the desert, we are fortunate that we get to enjoy their blue flowers from winter through spring – the bees like them too!

Shrubby Germander (Teucrium fruiticans ‘Azurea’)

Toward the entrance to the garden, I was delighted to see Shrubby Germander. A star in my own garden, this shrub has flowered all winter long and will continue to do so into spring. 这些花是可爱的长春花颜色.

Chuparosa(爵床californica)

当betway旗舰版下载走到终点时，一株鲜红的丘帕罗萨灌木的花朵吸引了betway旗舰版下载的目光. 一只蜂鸟正忙着喝尽可能多的花蜜. 我喜欢在有自然主题的景观中使用这种灌木，因为它有蔓生的生长习惯. 它从冬天开花到春天，是蜂鸟重要的花蜜来源.

Of course, blooming plants aren’t the only way to add color to the garden. Garden art can play a vital part in adding interest. The Desert Botanical Garden is host to a traveling art exhibit with various animals made from recycled plastic. This group of meerkats greets visitors to the garden.

I hope that you enjoy this virtual tour of winter color in the garden and will add some to your own.

What plants do you have that flower in winter?

驾车游览风景:西南花园的冬季美景

小龙舌兰非常适合容器

Agave, Arizona garden, Cactus/Succulents, California desert garden, Containers, desert gardening, Nevada garden, Succulent Gardening

I have a confession to make.

我没有任何装满开花一年生植物的容器. Shocking isn’t it?

这有几个原因, the most important one is that I prefer using relatively fuss-free plants that look great all year in my pots.

我对高维护的容器没有多少耐心. In particular, ones with flowering annuals that need frequent irrigation. 更不用说花的凋零和季节性的更换. 但是，我喜欢他们的样子.

红天竺葵和白鲈鱼

我倾向于不让一年生植物在自己的花园里开花，这与我的过去有关, it’s nothing scandalous.

It does have to do with my work in the past. 五年来，我负责管理45个锅. 每个容器里都装满了五颜六色的鲜花.

Believe me, keeping all of those pots looking beautiful was a lot of work! Countless trips to the nursery, fertilizing, watering and replacing them twice a year got tiresome. 更别提我在装花的时候，在路边绊了一跤，把脚摔断了.

所以，我更喜欢在我的花盆里种植多肉植物，这可能并不奇怪.

Victoria Agave ‘Compacta’

Much of my inspiration for using succulent plants in containers come from those at the Desert Botanical Garden as shown in the photo above and below.

Agaves are some of my favorite succulent plants and the smaller species do very well in containers.

In an article I wrote for Houzz, I list my ten favorite small agaves for Houzz 适合在花盆中生长.

我希望你喜欢它，并找到一个完美的适合你!

10 Small-Scale Agaves Just Right for Containers

驾车游览风景:西南花园的冬季美景

Agave, Arizona garden, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardening, Drought Tolerant, Landscape Design, Perennial, Shrubs, Southwest garden

我喜欢住在西南部的原因之一是那里美丽的户外空间. In particular, I am struck by the color and beauty in the winter landscape.

Now, for those of you who follow, know that I often take photos of ‘problem’ landscapes I drive by.

Well, not this time! 我被周围的冬季美景吸引住了，以至于我没有注意到任何景观错误.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do and are inspired to create your own!

Valentine bush (Eremophila maculata“情人节”) 是我最喜欢的灌木吗. 我喜欢它鲜艳的红色，从1月到4月，它装饰着风景. Even when not in bloom, the foliage looks lovely.

Golden barrel cacti (Echinocactus grusonii) with their sunny yellow color are a great choice. I use them often in my landscape designs due to their drought tolerance, 低维护(它们不需要)和它们全年添加的黄色.

Large desert spoon (Dasylirion wheeleri) add great contrast with their spiky texture and gray-blue coloring.

This is a great pairing of plants that I plan on using in future designs.

黄色的，芳香的花 feathery cassia (Senna artemisioides) 它们以冬天的颜色而闻名吗. Nothing else brightens a dreary winter’s day as much as the color yellow. The silvery foliage of this cassia adds great color contrast and give off a silvery glow on a breezy day.

In the background, you see the pink blooms of pink fairy duster (Calliandra eriophylla). 它们形状独特的花朵看起来像一个鸡毛掸子，蜂鸟发现它们无法抗拒.

Bursage (Ambrosia deltoidea) is a native groundcover that needs little water and provides nice color contrast.

pair of boulders are decorated with blue bells (Eremophila hygrophana).

这种组合做得很好，但种得太紧了.

在开着黄花的羽毛桂皮的背景下，一对大圆石被装饰着 blue bells (Eremophila hygrophana). 这些灌木有可爱的灰色叶子，全年开紫色/蓝色的花. 这是一种新引进的植物，受到了很多关注.

A golden barrel cactus offers great contrast along with a pair of agave.

Here is one of my favorite landscapes in this particular community. I like the combination of cacti, flowering shrubs, and perennials that create a pleasing landscape.

A trio of flowering firecracker penstemon (Penstemon eatoni) easily catches your eye. They are one of my favorite perennials in my own garden and flower January through April in the low desert.

another winter landscape, firecracker penstemon

In another landscape, 炮竹是作为一种野花种植的一部分, backed by desert spoon and purple trailing lantana.

Ornamental grasses add great interest to the winter landscape and pink muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris) is one of my favorites. 它们在秋天出现的酒红色羽毛在冬天会褪成迷人的小麦色. Soon, they will be pruned back to 3 inches in preparation for a new growth cycle.

Some landscapes look attractive using a minimum amount of plants. The key is to use a variety of different plants – not just shrubs or cacti. In this one, a blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida) overlooks a planting of purple trailing lantana (Lantana montevidensis) and desert spoon. 虽然马缨丹还很嫩，但树冠为它提供了一些抵御霜冻的保护.

在你的风景中固定角落是很重要的——特别是那些靠近车道的角落. Here is an example of how to combine plants that look great throughout the year. When warmer temps arrive ‘New Gold’ lantana (Lantana ‘New Gold’), bursts forth with colorful blooms that last until the first frost. In winter, 金色桶形仙人掌吸引了你的注意，让你不会注意到霜冻损坏的马丹花.

小叶(foothill) palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla)

这条街边的植草也吸引了我的注意 小叶(丘陵)帕罗弗德 (Parkinsonia microphylla) trees, Valentine shrubs and purple trailing lantana. 我要指出的是马缨丹通常在冬天不怎么开花，但在温和的冬天，它们就会开花.

red-flowering chuparosa (Justicia californica)

一棵几乎没有叶子的牧豆树哨兵地伫立在一株开着红花的植物上 chuparosa (Justicia californica). This shrub has lovely green foliage and tubular flowers that drive hummingbirds crazy with delight.

正如你所看到的，即使在冬天，西南部的风景也充满了美丽和色彩. Unfortunately, many homeowners only use plants that bloom spring through summer. 这使得它们在冬季的几个月里都处于无聊的环境中. 所以，在你的花园中添加一些这些凉爽季节的美景来庆祝冬季吧!

Progress! 沙漠景观改造一年后

Agave, Arizona garden, AZ Plant Lady, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardening, Drought Tolerant, Landscape Design, 诺艾尔·约翰逊景观咨询公司, Southwest garden

Have you ever renovated the interior of your house? 看到旧的、过时的元素被剥落，换上新的油漆、地板等. can leave you feeling refreshed and even excited. Well, 我可以在户外空间做这些, 帮助客户建立沙漠景观, create an updated look. The key to this is NOT to tear everything out and begin from scratch – instead, 决定哪些应该保留，哪些最好移除和替换，是一个令人愉快的难题.

I get so much satisfaction helping people create an attractive desert landscape, and even more when I get to see them several months later once the plants have a chance to begin to grow. Last week, I was invited to re-visit a new desert landscape that I designed, exactly one year after it was completed and was very pleased with the results.

I’d love to show you photos of the finished product, but first, 让betway旗舰版下载看看我用了什么.

正如你所看到的，当我第一次来的时候，房子的内部也在翻新. The front yard consisted of two palm tree stumps, a few agave, overgrown gold lantana, and boulders.

The landscape rock was thinning and mixed in with the river rock while the asphalt from the street was crumbling away.

我觉得可以重复利用的景观部分是巨石和金灿灿的马缨丹. 此外，河石还可以被重新利用. All of the rest was removed.

为新的沙漠景观元素创造结构, 添加了更多的巨石, and the existing contouring was enhanced by elevating the height of the mound and a swale in the front center. The circular collection of rip-rap rock serves to mask the opening of the end of a french drain which helps to channel water from the patio.

A saguaro cactus and totem pole ‘Monstrose’ (Lophocereus schottii Monstrose) were placed for vertical interest and the gold lantana that were already present were pruned back severely to rejuvenate them and others were added to create visual continuity. Along with the cactuses, other succulents like artichoke agave (Agave parrying var. truncata) and gopher plant (Euphorbia biglandulosa) 用它们独特的形状添加纹理.

原有的河石被移除, washed off and replaced along with the crumbling edge of the street, helping it to blend with the natural curves of the desert landscape.

Anchoring the corners with a grouping of plants is a very simple way to enhance the curb appeal of a home. 这些志愿者收集的龙舌兰树桩和老棕榈树树桩对这个地区没有任何好处.

This corner was built up slightly, creating a gentle rise in elevation. 一块巨大的圆石连接了原有的圆石, and a beautiful, 洋蓟龙舌兰标本是从主人以前的住所移植到这里的. Angelita daisy (Tetraneuris acaulis) 当他们填满的时候会增加全年的颜色吗. ‘Blue Elf’ aloe 种植是为了在冬天和春天开花时增添一抹受欢迎的色彩吗.

走进前院，角落里长满了蔓生的迷迭香灌木. The dwarf oleander shrubs were also taken out as they were too large for the smaller scale of this area.

Mexican fence post cactus (Pachycereus marginatus) 帮助固定角落，并将以适度的速度增长，增加更多的高度，因为它的增长.

Year-round color is assured with angelita daisies and ‘Blue Elf’ aloe, which won’t outgrow this area.

Moving toward the front entry, this area is somewhat underwhelming. The natal plum (Carissa macrocarpa) adds a pleasant green backdrop and is thriving in the shade, so should stay. However, the Dasylirion succulent should never have been planted here as it needs full sun to look its best.

这个领域的解决方案非常简单. Pruning back the natal plum to a more attractive shape makes them an asset. A lady’s slipper (Pedilanthus macrocarpus) adds height and texture contrast and will grow in the bright shade. We kept the trailing purple lantana (Lantana montevidensis)，因为它提供的颜色. Rip说唱摇滚被放置在地面，以增加一些兴趣.

Moving toward the backyard, another old rosemary shrub was removed from the corner in the background and replaced with ‘Blue Elf’ aloe and angelita daisy, repeating the same planting from the corner area in the courtyard, helping to tie these separate areas together.

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) 是沿着房子背阴的一侧添加的，在那里它们的尖刺形状创造了有趣的形状. 保持其吸引力的关键是在基地周围出现新的增长时将其消除.

The corner of the backyard is a very high-profile spot and faces the golf course. 房主想去掉夹竹桃树篱以改善他们的视野. 成群的龙舌兰看起来有点凌乱，因为志愿者的龙舌兰被允许保留和生长. 金马缨丹和小马缨丹确实增加了观赏价值 ‘Firesticks’ (Euphorbia tirucalli ' s Sticks on Fire) and can be reused.

一团龙舌兰被移走了, 是什么打开了这个区域，让betway旗舰版下载可以添加两种芦荟, which will decorate this corner with yellow blooms in winter and spring. The existing gold lantana provides beautiful color spring through fall. 这组植物的中心是水景.

It’s been over 20 years that I’ve been doing this, and I never get tired of seeing the transformation. 我喜欢成为其中的一部分，并将新旧结合，形成无缝的设计.

Thank you for allowing me to share this particular project with you!

寻找灵感:低维护的沙漠景观

Beautiful Agave: A Fourth Generation Begins

Agave, Arizona garden, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardening, Southwest garden, Succulent Gardening

我最喜欢的多汁植物是龙舌兰，虽然有很多不同的种类, I’ll never forget the first one I ever grew. It was an octopus agave (Agave vilmoriniana) that planted years ago while in college studying for my horticulture degree. 尽管那是很久以前的事了, I have a daily reminder of that first agave plant in the form of one of its descendants growing in my garden today.

This agave is the ‘grandbaby’ of the first one that I grew all those years ago and it was with a feeling of sadness when I noticed it sending up its flowering stalk late in winter, signalling that it was nearing the end of its life. At the same time, there was also a sense of excitement about new birth with the promise of a new generation of agave babies on their way.

The age that an agave is when it flowers varies between the different species, with some living for decades before they send up their towering spikes. With octopus agave, 它们通常活不到10年，这个奇妙的过程就开始了.

Watching the rate of growth of the flowering stalk of an agave never ceases to amaze me – they grow several inches a day.

Golden yellow flowers began to open along the length of the giant stem much to the delight of bees who happily pollinated the blooms.

Pollinated flowers soon gave way to tiny octopus agave along the stem.

And a few weeks later, 它们已经准备好采摘准备为我的花园培育新一代的章鱼龙舌兰.

There are probably over a thousand small agave growing along the stalk. 然而，我只选择了9个代表下一代. I’m not likely to plant all of them in my garden once they are rooted, 但是，选择比你计划的更多的一些是一个好主意，以防一些没有成功, 或者你也可以捐出一些.

Each baby agave are referred to as ‘bulbils’. 它们现在还没有根，但种下后很快就会长出来.

我在三个花盆里装满了专门为仙人掌和多肉植物配制的种植混合料, 也就是说这里排水很好, which is important when growing succulents. 每个锅里放了三个龙舌兰宝宝, which I placed in the backyard in an area that receives morning sun and filtered shade in the afternoon – placing them in full sun all day would be too difficult for them at this stage as they still need to grow roots.

我现在的工作是保持土壤湿润, 但直到根开始形成时才会浸湿, 哪个需要大约3-4周. At that time, I can start to space out the watering to every five days or so. Eventually, I will move them out of the pot and transplant them into the garden or into a large container (2 1/2 feet tall and wide) where they can make their new home.

I’m not sure where I will plant each new octopus agave, 但我会把其中一株移植到原株所在的地方, continuing the cycle of life.

The baby boom isn’t over. Soon, I will be welcoming another set of baby agave into my garden as my King Ferdinand agave 它的花梗也发出来了吗. 这个物种在风景中有些罕见，花了很长时间才开花, so I am very excited to welcome its babies next month.

在家度假:一个现代的，低维护的花园

Agave, Cactus/Succulents, Containers, Garden Travels, Landscape Design, Southwest garden, Southwest Texas garden

你的景观风格是更自由自然还是更现代, contemporary kind of garden with straight lines and right angles? 在最近一次访问奥斯汀时，我有机会参观了景观设计师B. Jane, which looks as if it came straight from the pages of a magazine with its resort-style design. 如果你有这样的花园, 当你可以在家里度假时，为什么要离开家呢, low maintenance garden?

The front of B.一座巨大的花园为她增添了光彩 crepe myrtle位于她的两扇前窗之间，这有助于她从房子里看到风景. The flat pads of a prickly pear cactus add rich texture contrast among the softer shapes of perennials.

An agave nestles between asparagus fern and silver ponyfoot (Dichondra argentea)这是一种地被植物，我在betway旗舰版下载在奥斯汀游览的花园中看到过. It is a type of Dichondra, and I liked it so much, that I brought some home and now have it growing in one of my large containers by the front entry. 银色的马蹄沿着地面爬行，也可以被用来拖在罐子的两侧.

A live oak tree (Quercus virginiana) 种植在一个圆形的区域，覆盖着腐烂的花岗岩. 芦笋蕨类植物增加了外缘的柔软度，创造了很好的纹理对比.

Walking toward the backyard, I was quite taken with the square step stones and dark grey beach pebbles – this is a great look that is worth replicating.

你可以从庭院桌上的盆栽植物上看到, 这个花园以简朴为主, which is filled with native or adapted plants that flourish with little fuss. Low maintenance doesn’t mean that a garden is dull – often the truth is just the opposite as you will see as we continue on our tour.

一个长方形的游泳池沿着后院的中心延伸, and colorful balls reflect the colors used throughout the landscape, which is a brilliant way to draw attention to them. A ‘Sticks on Fire’ succulent (Euphorbia tirucalli ' s Sticks on Fire) basks in the sun, which is a plant that does beautifully in hot, arid climates.

Now, we are at the point in the tour where I became seriously envious. This is B.’s office, which is separate from her house – she simply walks by her beautiful pool on her way to work in the morning and enjoys a glorious view of her garden while she works. 我有没有说过我在餐厅工作, 直到我的孩子离开家，我有自己的办公室(房间).

一组装满各种植物的容器，包括 hibiscus, rosemary, and basil – (yes, basil) 为泳池边的角落增添了乐趣.

竹子被用来帮助提供隐私，远离邻居，灌木玫瑰增加了受欢迎的流行色彩.

即使是狗在B也有自己的空间.他的花园有一小块草地，还有自己的消防栓!

这个座位区真不错? I love the splash of red and the bamboo backdrop.

Just the perfect spot to sit with my friend, Teresa Odle, who blogs at “Gardening In a Drought” 我和我还有另外两位作家，为betway旗舰版下载的新博客共同写作， “Southwest Gardening”.

I must admit that I am drawn more toward more naturalistic gardens, filled with curves and staggered plantings but, 我喜欢B的现代线条. 简的花园和度假胜地的氛围. 你可以找到更多关于B. Jane and her creations here.

郁郁葱葱、五彩缤纷的花园是奥斯汀独特之处的化身

Agave, Cactus/Succulents, Containers, Garden Travels, Landscape Design, Southwest garden, Southwest Texas garden

我喜欢那些意想不到的、在betway旗舰版下载日常生活“正常”之外的古怪事物. 这就是我爱上奥斯汀这个城市的原因, Texas, 它以“怪异”而自豪.” Another reason this Texas capital city appeals to me is their beautiful gardens and rich gardening culture, and my friend, Pam Penick’s shady, colorful garden personifies the uniqueness that is found throughout Austin.

Pam Penick (facing front wearing a hat) greeting garden visitors.

On a recent visit to Austin, 我参加了花园博客的纵情活动, 美国的园艺博客在哪里.S., Canada, and Great Britain, gather and tour gardens within a particular city. 今年的Fling是在奥斯汀举办的，而我最期待看到的花园之一就是Pam的花园.

作为两个西南地区的资深博主, Pam and I have been friends for several years and I was fortunate to have hosted her in Arizona four years ago, while she was researching for her latest book, “The Water-Saving Garden.” For years, I’ve wanted to visit her garden and now was my chance.

Pam’s garden flourishes underneath the filtered shade of beautiful oak trees. However, the shade does present some challenges in that there aren’t a lot of colorful plants that will flower in shady conditions. But, 帕姆熟练地克服了这个障碍, using her unique design style that she describes as mostly contemporary.

Concentrating flowering plants in the few areas that receive bright sun is one way to add needed color to a shady landscape. 这里，这个颜色鲜艳 autumn sage (Salvia greggii) contrast beautifully with the blue-gray leaves of a whale’s tongue agave (Agave ovatifolia). While both of these plants flourish in full sun in this Texas garden, they do best with filtered or afternoon shade in the low desert region.

在没有开花植物的地方, texture is introduced with the use of spiky agave and yucca plants. Elements of color are added using garden art such as these blue balls.

I love blue pots, 我在帕姆找到了志同道合的人, who has them scattered throughout her landscape.

当你穿过花园时, you need to pay attention as Pam adds lovely detail in unexpected places, like this rusted garden art.

There are garden trends that are unique to specific areas of the country, 我找到了几个我称之为, 挂在墙上的“口袋花盆”. 就在眼睛的高度，betway旗舰版下载很容易发现这些小容器的微小细节.

Walking along the driveway, toward the backyard, the soft shape of bamboo muhly (Muhlenbergia dumosa) adds a beautiful blue backdrop, and in front, a container filled with Dyckia 蓝色的心会增加兴趣.

A sage green garden gate led the way into the backyard.

A potting bench sits along the wall in the side garden where four “Moby Jr.的鲸舌龙舌兰种植，来自帕姆的原始“莫比”龙舌兰- I have one of the babies growing in my front garden.

砌块被巧妙地排列成一堵矮墙，里面填满了各种多肉植物.

The garden sits on a slope, which provides a lovely view from the upper elevation where a blue painted wall adds a welcome splash of color as well as a touch of whimsy with the “Austin” sign.

The shadows from an oak tree make delightful patterns along the wall while planters add a nice color element.

在奥斯丁，不适合做园艺. They have to deal with thin soils that lie atop rock, which is quite evident along the back of the garden.

Blue bottle trees are a popular garden ornament throughout the South as well as other areas of the U.S. Here; they serve the same purpose as a flowering vine would.

As I got ready to leave, I walked among the deck that overlooked the pool where I am greeted by more examples of Pam’s unique garden style. 我可以诚实地说，在此之前，我从未在我的花园里看到过章鱼罐.

I had a wonderful time exploring this shady oasis and the innovative ways that Pam has introduced colorful elements. 我邀请你去看看她的博客， Digging这是我最喜欢的电影之一.

花园灵感:西南风格

三代开花龙舌兰

Agave, Arizona garden, Cactus/Succulents, Containers, desert gardening, Southwest garden, Succulent Gardening

植物可以做一些惊人的事情, and the dramatic process when agave send up their flowering stalk, definitely qualifies. Yesterday, 我注意到我的章鱼龙舌兰(龙舌兰)已经开始吐出它的肉芽.

I must confess that I had mixed feelings about it. My first reaction was excitement in getting to view the impressive growth of the fleshy stem and the flowers that will follow. 但后来，我感到难过的是，这标志着我的章鱼龙舌兰的终结开始了.

You see, this agave is the ‘grandbaby’ of the first agave that I ever planted, back in the late 1990’s, 在我亚利桑那州的花园里种了三代龙舌兰.