Grasshopper

We've had an abundance of these guys this season--don't seem to be causing significant damage--I like them.

Virginia Creeper

I like the round pads which attach the stem to the wall--they are STRONG too--pulled the paint right off when I removed them once.  This wall doesn't have paint--the color comes from spraying iron sulfate on the fresh stucco (which also had red iron oxide pigments in it).  The idea is that it never needs painting--very good idea with all of this sun--we'll see how it holds up. 

Bougainvillea

Common, but gorgeous.

'Tis the Season for Aloe Buds

It makes me amazingly happy to find Aloe flower buds in the axils of the leaves.  I prowl around the garden every few days looking for them!

Caesalpinnea pulcherrima

I love these!  I have both red and yellow varieties.  They need to be whacked back each year so they don't look scraggly.  I think they'll bloom all year if they get enough water.

It's Good to be Home

I LOVE Walls

Kalanchoe Buds Coming

I LOVE Walls

Gaillardia

I just returned after 9 months and was happy to find Gaillardia had naturalized in the garden.

Stay Tuned!

I'll be posting more garden photos in October, 2008 so come back for a look!

New Garden - Contrast

The new garden is looking great! We planted most of it in July right before we left for Central America. It grew well during the summer and survived this summer's hurricane with no problems.

Native Garden

I reserved this area for native plants, or at least those from Mexico. The blue flowers are a local species of morning glory, and they are truly glorious!

Vacation Rental - Website

We've been working frantically to finish every detail to prepare our new house for our first guests who arrive Christmas Day. A friend recently said that being in the house is like living inside one of my paintings--that's how I feel too. Check out our new website: El Encanto de Cabo Pulmo to see what we've been up to. We're driving back to Costa Rica after Christmas for 9-12 months in Central America. Our capable friends, Karl and Kim will manage the house in our absence.

I'm Back!

Just arrived back in Cabo Pulmo after a two month road trip to Costa Rica. We've moved out of the old house and into our new one, next door. It has a new garden! I hope to have a bit of time to wander around it and photograph to post here. The new house will be a vacation rental starting around Thanksgiving. For more info, take a look at:

http://vrbo.com/150158

New House Project

One of the reasons I haven't posted to this blog very often is that we are consumed with building a new house (and garden!) next door. I started a blog to let friends and family see what we're up to. Here's the link: http://newcabopulmohouse.blogspot.com/

I plan to start a new garden blog about the new garden, since this blog is so large that it takes a long time to load and the formatting has gotten weird and Google doesn't respond to my inquiries on how to fix it. I'll post the new link here. I suspect I'll be able to start planting in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned....

Friends for Juan Angel

We went to Guadalajara to shop for the new house we're building. We were thrilled to find more junk mariachi sculpture. Juan Angel is our original mariachi fiddler. I'll post more photos of the other friends later. We got a little carried away....

Kalanchoe

Blooms in December and January. The spent flowers look interesting too.

Winter Garden

It doesn't get much better than this!

White Crowned Sparrow

They migrate down here for the winter.

More Drama!

After watching the hawk, we saw bird feathers on the ground, then noticed this quail hiding in the corner under the window. I took the photo and we went in. About 10 minutes later we heard a ruckus when the hawk swooped in and snatched the quail. The hawk must have dropped the quail when it first hit the window.

Another View

More Desert Drama

We first became aware of this hawk (maybe Cooper's juvenile?) when we heard a big thwonk on the north window. When we went out to investigate, we found this hawk in a nearby tree. We thought it must have been the hawk hitting the window since the thwonk was louder then when doves hit it. It seemed rattled hung around in the tree recovering.

Another Fave Book

You might think that since it is written by a Brit that it wouldn't be relevant to desert gardeners--Wrong! Full of inspirational photos and good design ideas.

True Bug on Jumete

Beautiful bugs.

Tarantula Hawk on Jumete Flowers

???

Found this guy in the kitchen on a tile.

Aloe Flowerbuds

Goldfinch/Housefinch Party

Barrel Cactus

These Ferocactus latispinus bloom every January.

Milkweed

Asclepias curasavica. Butterflies like the nectar of this perennial.

Northern Mockingbird

Prickly Pear Seedlings

A tuna (prickly pear fruit) must have dropped near the base of this plant and the seeds germinated.

Aloe thraskii

I'm crazy about this beauty from South Africa. It is supposed to grow into a tree!

Transitional Iguana

This Spineytail Iguana still has a bit of juvenile green and is exploring our woodpile, looking for hiding places.

New Aloe

I don't know the name of this one, but I sure like the flowers. It is producing some seed. I think I'll collect it and try and grow some more. The tip is deformed a bit because a caterpillar was munching on it when the buds were young. Luckily I caught it in the act and saved most of the buds.

Aloe vera

This is a form of Aloe vera and it's a reliable bloomer every December. Great for cut flowers as well as for burns, etc. A workhorse type of plant here. It will survive here without any extra water. Gotta love that!

Starfish Flowers

Also known as Stapelia--these flowers attract flies to pollinate them with their distinctive odor and colors resembling carrion.

Adventures with Snake

I'll try and find out what kind it is.

Adventures with Snake

Adventures with Snake

I spent a long time with this snake as it slithered through the trees one Fall day.

True Bug on Encelia

Butterfly on Pectis

Pectis

I love this little yellow daisy annual (Pectis sp.). I lost it when Mexican gardeners helped me--it was a weed to them and was removed. I had to transplant a few seedlings back in the garden and let them go to seed, to get it established again. It seems to sprout especially well along the brick border which stays wetter after rain or watering. I like the irregular edge it gives to the paths. Now I train gardeners (when I'm lucky to find someone) to pull only the grasses.

Spiny-tail Iguana Camouflage

The green color of the babies (which hatch in wet summer) helps to hide them as they mature. In December their color begins to gray, as the leaves fall from the trees and shrubs due to drought.

Iguana Acrobat

This was in the Fall when the babies were still green.

Cactus Beetle

Cactus Beetle is my name for these voracious devils. They love to feast on Opuntias and other cacti, leaving permanent scars on the cacti. They are active in the morning and evening and I go on patrol with my barbeque tongs--grasping and squashing them.

Winter Garden

Hurricane Damage

The hurricane blew off the tall limbs of this cardon cactus, as well as topping most of our larger trees.

Mamillaria dichotoma Closeup

Dividing Mamillaria

This is Mamillaria dichotoma and this clump started as one head. It always divides into two heads, hence the name dichotoma. Notice that these heads are starting to divide again and have two centers of growth.

Butterfly in Fall

Aloe thraskii

A. thraskii is a tree aloe originally from South Africa near the coast. It seems to like it here.

Summer Blooming Mamillaria Cactus

Cochemia poselgri

This cactus blooms within 3-5 days after the first rain of the summer!

December Garden

Another Caterpillar

Caterpillar

Lizard on Ancient Cardon Cactus

Juan Angel in the Morning

Red spotted Toad

After the rain these little toads hopped around. Every night for awhile, one of them hopped up onto our patio, cruising for insects near the light.

Mexican Fritillary and Queen Butterfly

In Fall, butterflies swarmed everywhere after the rain. Here they feast on Coralvine nectar.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera never fails to put on a show in late November and December.

Mexican Fritillary and Queen Butterfly

In the Fall there were swarms of butterflies everywhere.

Hurricane John Damage

I'm Back!

I haven't posted anything for a long time because I went to California for a few months in the summer and have been busy. I luckily missed Hurricane John, though by husband, Rob experienced it firsthand. I have been in the garden with my camera and will post as much as I can. We also sold our house, but are still living in it while building a new house on the adjacent lot. I get to design a new garden there soon!

Drama in the Desert

This morning I heard agitated bird sounds and I discovered almost every kind of bird, all congregated in one tree, squawking their hearts out. Then, I saw a snake (Coachwhip) descend from the tree with a small bird which I'm guessing was a fledgling. It slithered into the bushes with the bird. After awhile the birds calmed down.

Later, in the afternoon, I heard squawking again on the other side of the house and I saw a number of different bird species harassing the snake. The Gray Thrasher was actually jabbing the snake repeatedly with its sharp beak as the snake slithered into the bushes. Wow. It all happened too fast to get a photo.

Prickly Pear

All of the Opuntias are growing now. Each one of these cute little polka dots consists of a zillion little spines.

Hooded Oriole Nestling

Looks like it will be ready to fly in the next few days. The net is to keep the palapa roof from blowing apart in a hurricane.

First Day Out of the Nest for Hooded Oriole

Hooded Oriole Nestling

Quail Babies

Quail Family

I think these guys just hatched a few days ago. We see them everyday.

Zamia Strobili

Zamias are primitive plants with cone-like reproductive structures called strobuli. They are surprisingly hard and inflexible to the touch. This is the "first time" for this plant.

Moth?

These are active in the daytime.

Rain!!!

Well, it was enough to get excited about, but not enough to have much effect. I'm guessing that we got around 1/4". Better than nothing.

Flycatcher

Carpenter Bee at Palo Brazil Flower

Hooded Oriole Nestlings

I had to peek. This nest is on the palapa (palm thatched) roof of the garage so I climbed the ladder. There are two nestlings and you can see the beak of one in the center of the photo. I wanted a shot of both of their little heads bobbing up with open beaks, but I didn't want to disturb them too much, so this will have to do.

Aloe Hybrid

There aren't many flowers this time of year so this is a treat.

Hooded Oriole Dad Feeding Babies

We can always tell when the eggs hatch since the Oriole parents start making non-stop flights to the nests with insects to feed the hatchlings. This nest is under a Coconut Palm leaf and must be like a roller coaster when the wind blows. We hear the babies cheep cheep cheeping for more food all day long. When their noise stops, we'll know that they flew off. One time the fledglings stayed in our garden for 2 days after fledging. We could find them by their begging sounds.

Snake Attacks Cute Little Bunny in Afternoon

We heard alarm cries from the bunny and discovered that a Coachwhip snake had pinned the bunny tight to the ground. We watched for about 15 minutes and the bunny was alive, but struggling. I checked back in 30 minutes and both were gone. We haven't seen either one of them since. We'd seen the snake drinking from the birdbath the day before. Drama in the desert!

Cute Little Bunny Hops Away in Morning

Cute Little Bunny

I accidentally watered this little bunny in the morning.

Western Whiptail

They can really dig.

Whiptail

Queen Caterpillars

Flower of the Day

Ferocactus

Coral Vine

Native vine blooming with warmer weather.

Queen Caterpillar

Munching on Jumete, Asclepias subulata.

Quail Exploring

It is nesting season for California Quail and all seem to be paired and looking for nest sites. I've never seen one come up to the house like this one. Recently, I saw my first Quail family of the season, crossing the road with a column of tiny fluffballs struggling to keep up with the parents.

Caesalpinia pulcherrima

Bloom with warmer weather.

Guaicum

Guaicum

I don't know the common name, but it's a small tree, always blooming in late May or June. They have gnarly, old trunks, and I've never seen any seedlings.

Gulf Fritillary Caterpillar on Passionfruit

Passionfruit Tendrils

Starfish Flower

AKA Stapelia. These amazing flowers stink to high heaven and use the stench to attract flies which pollinate them. They bloom with warm weather. I used to have lots of plants, but decided that it was a bit gross to have all of those flies buzzing about, and decided to thin my collection. The flowers are about 6" across.

Echinopis Oriole

Echinopsis Oriole

Gray Thrasher

Girly-girl

Stamens from one of my favorite Echinopsis, E. Oracle.

Zamia

New Zamia Leaves

We're excited to see these leaves--it hadn't grown any new ones for a couple of years. I've been giving it more water and it is responding!

Hungry Rabbits

So far I feel lucky since the rabbits haven't eaten any of my favorite plants. You can't blame them since there is so little to eat out in the wild. We've had only 1.5 inches of rain in almost two years so there's little green. Yesterday I sawed off some pads of a large spineless prickly pear and put it on the ground next to this one as an offering.

Tunas

Tunas are the name for prickly pear fruits.

Dove Baby

They left the nest for good a few days later.

Dove Family

Opuntia linguiformae

AKA Cow's Tongue Opuntia. This one is putting on the best flower show ever.

Dove Mom and Baby

She has another baby on her other side.

Soft and Spiky

Aloe Flowers

I call this Aloe Superior since I snatched a tiny plant from a big clump at a motel in Superior, Arizona, home to the fabulous Boyce Thompson Arboretum. I like it because it blooms several times a year. Usually, more water, more flowers. I've tried to find out its real name, but it is probably a hybrid of unknown parentage.

Abutilon aurantiacum

This is a native shrub I've come to admire. I'm giving a little water to several and letting them grow to see what happens. Looks quite promising....

Pencil Euphorbia

Euphorbia tirucalli--beware! If you touch this plant, then touch your eye, you will immediately
suffer agonizing pain in your eye for about 45 minutes. I speak from experience. Otherwise, it's a great plant. Very tough. I love tough plants.

Stairs

Evening

Agave Vegetative Sprouts

Agave Patterns

Two agaves bloomed recently and both show a similar pattern of vegetative sprouts on the lower flower branches and fruits higher on the inflorescence.

Gulf Fritillary Butterfly Egg

Gulf Fritillary Egg on Passionfruit

Coconut Palm Fiber

Flower of the Day

Another fabulous Echinopsis.

Sunrise

Afternoon Light

White Winged Dove Mom

Dove Nest in Coconut Palm

I got on a ladder to photograph this last week. I think they haven't hatched yet.

Opuntia macrocentra Flower

Aloe La Paz

This Aloe is terrific since it keeps blooming and blooming! The birds love it too.

Brown Towhee

Brown Towhee checking out the house.

Barrel Cacti

Native Barrel Cacti with fruits from last Fall.

Dove Love

Ground Doves.

Old Man Cactus

The older branch tips get kind of whiskery.

Euphorbia pseudocactoides Fruit

Oriole and Aloe Flowers

He just finished drinking nectar.

Prickly Buds

I have to pay attention so I don't miss these when they bloom. They'll probably only be open for one day.

New Fishtail Palm Leaf

Prickly Pear Flower

Opuntia macrocentra

Lots of new growth.

Stretching?

Male Xantus Hummingbird

This guy is hanging out on our clothes line, singing away.

Leonotis nepetifolia -- Lion's Tail

I was lucky to see this annual in its natural habitat in Tanzania last spring. It grows well here and the birds love it. It reseeds too, but isn't really a pest.

Plumerias Awaken

I hadn't been aware until this season of how many plants are dormant here in the winter. I had thought that if you gave most tropical plants water, they would grow. Not so. Many plants simply didn't grow at all until March (when it got warmer), even though they had plenty of water. This Plumeria started growing leaves and flowers a few weeks ago. It is tapped into out septic system and gets no supplemental water or fertilizer. I took it off the drip system a couple of years ago.

Verbena

Lately, I've been "getting into" Verbenas. I made the pot a few years ago. It has my secret language all over it.

Rocks Help Transplants

This is a transplant of annual: Sphaeralcea coulteri and I have found that putting a few rocks as mulch around the base of transplants seems to help them start growing sooner. I've gone from pulling this plant out as a weed, to transplanting it where I want it.

Flower of the Day

This is a new record for my Echinopsis: three flowers open at once! This one opens at night and closes around noon. These flowers opened for two days.

Cactus Fruit

I love the patterning and texture of this Ferocactus latispinus fruit. It is ripe and contains a zillion tiny, hard, black seeds. You can plant them and get a zillion cactettes.

Aloe lineata

Not many of the Aloes bloom in the Spring so this one is special.

Opuntia

All of the Opuntias (Prickly Pears) are coming to life--I guess they like the warmer weather.

Flower of the Day

Astrophytum trio.

Cut Flowers

A new bouquet of Euphorbia psuedocactiodes!