Blue Ginger

 The Blue Ginger (Dichorisandra thyrsiflora) is looking great!

Blue Ginger (Dichorisandra thyrsiflora)

It's not really a ginger although it resembles a ginger plant.  It's actually related to spiderworts (Tradescantia).

Lighting and Thunder!

 We had an incredible lighting and thunder show, just before sunset this evening.  The lighting and thunder are very unusual for Southern California, but reminded me of living in Missouri and Kansas.  Plus we received 1/4" of rain!

Lighting strike over the Santa Barbara Channel

Looking east at sunset.

Sunset

Some Of The Amazing Plants of Laurel Carlisle!

 Here are a few pictures of the amazing plants grown by Laurel Carlisle.  She has a great collection of begonias (non-tuberous), cactus and succulents.

B. Mr. O'Flaherty

Mike Flaherty with B. Mr. Oflaherty

b. ferox brown under a bench in a shade house!

I love the texture of the leaves of b. ferox

B. Little Brother Montgomery and B. Mr. Hunt

Another Acorn Woodpecker Brood!

The Acorn Woodpeckers are raising another baby in the stalk of an Agave Salmiana.  I've been watching birds fly back and forth for a couple of weeks, and today I finally got a good look at the baby.

Acorn Woodpecker

Acorn Woodpecker

Paul Carlisle's Tuberous Begonias

 It's always a treat to see Paul Carlisle's tuberous begonias.  I think he is the best tuberous begonia grower on the west coast of the United States.  He grows healthy plants with nice big blooms and the variety of colors is mesmerizing.

Mike Flaherty visiting Paul Carlisle

Male Hooded Oriole

 This morning I got some video of a male Hooded oriole at the feeder.

Tillandsia secunda

 On the dead pine tree trunk, Mike has planted an assortment of begonias, orchids, bromeliads, tillandsias and an ivy.  At the top is this Tillandsia secunda that has a large inflorescence with offsets (pups) all over it.

Tillandsia secunda

Tillandsia secunda

Tillandsia secunda

Mike planting the dead tree trunk with an assortment of plants.