Succulents and More™

The large cow horn agave ( Agave bovicornuta ) in the front yard started to push a flower stalk last fall , but it took a long break over the winter, seemingly in suspended animation. Now that daytime temperatures have warmed up, the flowers are finally continuing their development. It won’t be long before the first flowers open up—maybe another week or ten days. Agave bovicornuta Flower stalk Developing flowers By the time an agave starts to flower in our garden, I’m usually ready to try something new—a different agave species or something else entirely. This time it’s a little different, because Agave bovicornuta really is one of my favorite species. Look at it: the apple green leaves with cinnamon-colored hooked spines, and the pronounced bud imprints! Leaf detail Agave bovicornuta is a solitary species so there won’t be offsets; propagation by seed or tissue culture is the only way to get more. But I do have a variegated form of Agave bovicornuta that’s been waiting in the wings...

My friend Justin and I just got back from a crazy, wonderful whirlwind trip to Arizona. Our goal was to see as many plants in flower as we could, and we lucked out: Arizona is definitely having a superbloom this year. We were amazed by the sheer number of wildflowers on hillsides, in the flats, and right along the road: brittlebush, poppies, lupine, desert marigold, owl’s clover, phacelia, fiddleneck, desert chicory, bluedicks, and especially globemallow in all shades from white to purple. It was a feast for the eyes the likes of which I hadn’t seen before. While my typical instinct is to take as many photos as I can, I gave myself permission to relax and focus on enjoying the moment instead of trying to frantically document it. This resulted in far fewer photos to share than usual, but in a higher level of personal satisfaction. I can tell you this: It’s an extraordinary experience feeling the desert wind in your hair while you look out over a seemingly endless expanse of wildflowers...

My friend Danny goes by “Danny Aloehill” on social media. That’s a very a convenient handle because nobody needs to ask him what his favorite plants are (hint: not geraniums). Danny has one of the most comprehensive private aloe collections I know of, and I was finally able to see his garden when I drove to San Diego in February . Because of an unavoidable last-minute change of plans, Danny couldn’t be there, but he gave me permission to poke around as much as I wanted. Danny lives on a small urban lot, not even 5000 sq.ft., but he has managed to squeeze an astounding variety of aloes into the front and the backyard. He’s been growing succulents and aloes for more than 15 years, but his collection really took off about 10 years ago when he moved into his current house and started this garden. A stint at the Huntington , where he worked in the Desert Garden, helped Danny expand his expertise. Bungalow built in 1910 Currently, Danny has about 150 different aloe species. “My heart really ...