Succulents and More™

Standing around in the pouring rain is not something I do on a regular basis. But when it involves checking out cool plants and yakking with friends, the normal rules don’t apply. Such was the case last Saturday when fellow plant nerds Kyle and Justin and I made the drive to Richmond to visit common friend John’s aloe-centric garden. I’d blogged about John’s garden in July 2021 ( here ) and was eager to see how his plants had grown. Rain may cause discomfort in humans who linger out in the open, especially when they foolishly choose inadequate clothing (me, looking sheepish in the mirror), but it does something wonderful: It makes even muted colors pop. The photos in this post are vivid proof, and this is a superb example: Royal blue pot overflowing with Aloe cameronii flushed tomato soup red John’s house is painted a vibrant turqoise which can be seen from a block away. When people ask him how they can tell which house is his, he can confidently say, “Trust me, you’ll know.” The co...

When plant people think of Richmond, California, they immediately think of Annie's Annuals . I do as well, but I also have a plant friend who has created an amazing aloe garden on a residential street. The planting areas in front of and next to John's house aren't huge, but they're packed with wonderful specimens you're not going to see just anywhere. Every time I visit, there's something new to see. This is what the garden looked like the last time I stopped by: Aloes in front of John B's house Take a look at these two Google Streets images. The difference between 2018 and 2021 is astounding: John took advantage of the extra time spent at home during the pandemic and revamped the street-side plantings, adding not only more plants but also more rocks. I don't think there's another garden like his anywhere in town. The vibrant turquoise of the house is a great backdrop for the plants. John was very patient and provided IDs for the plants in these phot...