Happy New Year's Eve!

Even though it feels a little bit strange for it to be ~70 degreesF on the last day of the year, it does mean that I got to do a bunch of work in the garden the last few days! Being on break from work and having nice weather meant i had a chance to get started on a number of projects in the garden. Which was great, since that hadn't been the case so far...

But rather than showing a bunch of project pictures, I got distracted by some pretty contrasts in the garden. Here's to hoping that there will be contrast in how much time i can spend in the garden next year also!

spiky and soft (agave shawii and epillbium canum)

this is one of my favorites every year - giant opuntia leaves and delicate cassia (or senna, or..)

different shades of "green" plants  (brown, green, white, blue)

a succulent that's surprisingly alive surrounded by russian sage litter that's very un-surprising

very spike & big and very small & fuzzy

 Ok, one contrast that's a "before and after" - i finally cleaned up some of the overgrown planter pipes! Here is the before:

randomness and the only place i've ever had too much sedum...

 ...and after:

replanted with the cholla back and new xMangaves... and the "chocolate chip" cleaned up too!

Hope everyone has a great New Years Eve, and best wishes for 2018!

Winter Plans & Conservatory Visit Pictures

My winter plans did not involve so much work! But work disagrees, so working in the garden has taken a back seat to work-working. I'm still sneaking in drawing up garden plans for an update to the front garden however! And some exciting things are happening inside - new windows and a new bathroom, which means room for more plants! (and a non-leaking shower). And soon the house will be painted too.

So while i haven't had as much time in the garden as i wanted (much to the gophers' relief, i'm sure), i have been dreaming more about my visit to the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers. One of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions is visiting the conservatory the day after Thanksgiving. Here are some more pictures to remind me...

There are creepy new statues that seem new?

This year, it seemed like there were more anthurium blooms?

so much texture and color and green!

sometimes i'm reminded of these plants in meetings... i have no idea why? :) 

the color on this one was gorgeous!

green and dark red... so pretty!

 I wonder what Mr. Subjective at Plants are the Strangest People would think of these? His pictures are certainly much more precise than mine!

a giant bromeliad - and so perfect

Looking over the large pond, to the new bridge. A bit more open this year

so pretty... and the overcast day made for better pictures than normal!

And then there was this! Not at the conservatory, but at SF MOMA (which has a pretty cool vertical garden/green wall) - a "physical representation of a data cloud" - you can read more here. 

Overall, it was a great visit to San Francisco!