Raindrops!

Raindrops on Plumeria Blooms

     Over the past seventy two hours, we have received 9.6 inches of rain.  That's a big deal since our yearly average rainfall is about 18 inches.  No damage in the garden but the rain has thrashed a lot of blooms.  The forecast calls for more rain tonight and tomorrow morning.  I like looking at the raindrops on the plants.

*** Update, the 5 day total was 11.2 inches of rain!  

A New record for the month of November. ***

Raindrops on Alstroemeria Leaves

Raindrops on a Viola

Raindrops on Alstroemeria Leaves

Raindrops on Floating Frogbit (these leaves are 1/2" in diameter)

Raindrops on a mix of Alstroemeria leaves and Plumeria buds

Euphorbia bupleurifolia Blooms

 

Euphorbia bupleurifolia blooms

     Here is a close up photo of a couple of blooms on Euphorbia bupleurifolia, AKA Pine cone Plant.  It's a euphorbia, native to South Africa.

Euphorbia bupleurifolia

Happy Halloween!

 I hope your night is a treat and not a trap!

Silhouette of spider caught in a Venus Fly Trap

Sighting of Osprey Sitting!

 

Osprey on top of a light post

     I was walking on the Santa Barbara Wharf and saw this Osprey sitting on top of the light post.  A guy in his early twenties asked me if it was a vulture.  I explained that no it was an Osprey, a type of fish eagle.  He thanked me and thought it was cool. 

Osprey

Drosera scorpioides a Pygmy Sundew

 

Drosera scorpioides a Pygmy Sundew

     Drosera scorpioides is a small carnivorous plant native to south-western Australia.  It's known for its sticky, dew-covered tentacles that trap and digest insects. Like my other carnivorous plants it requires full sun, low-nutrient soil and is kept consistently moist with distilled water.  This plant is about 2.5 inches tall. 

Drosera scorpioides a Pygmy Sundew

        In the photo above, you can see the dew on the tips of the tenacles.  In the pictures below, the tenacles have wrapped around the abdomen of the insects. 

A Flying Insect Caught in the trap of a Drosera scorpioides 

A Flying Insect Caught in the trap of a Drosera scorpioides 

Plumeria Seed Pods!

 

Seed pod starting to from on a plumeria

        I was removing some old blooms from a plumeria and saw this seed pod forming!  It's only about an inch long now and will continue to develop for about nine months.  

        Here you can see the pod surrounded by blooms.  This plumeria that is very fragrant and has nice looking blooms.  

Plumeria pod starting to grow.

        Soon after finding the first pod, I found this second smaller seed pod on another plumeria.

        The seed pods take about nine months to develop, so if all goes well I'll have some seeds next summer (2026).  Then maybe some seedlings in the summer of 2027! 

        I've grown a plumeria seed pod once before and it was many years ago.  The first time I saw a pod, (each side was about two inches long) and I didn't know what it was.  Initially I thought it was an abnormal growth?  Then after some research I learned what it was.  I kept an eye on it and watched it continue to grow and then ripen.  Then the first pod split  and released thin papery seeds.  I collected several seeds, grew them in seed trays and eventually grew three healthy plants.  

        I thought I took pictures of the pod, seeds and seedlings, but so far I haven't  found any pictures and I'm not really sure how long ago it happened?  Meanwhile, I'll watch these seedpods continue to grow!  

Aloe castilloniae

 

Aloe castilloniae

        This little Aloe castilloniae got my attention with it's green recurved leaves that are scattered with red teeth!  It's just under 2 inches tall now and will grow in a vine like fashion sprawling over the pot.  A bloom is comin out and will be bright orange-red.

Plant Sale in Santa Barbara!

 

      If your in the Santa Barbara area, mark your calendar Saturday October 25th for a Plant Sale at Diane's!

Sherman Gardens - Begonias, Cactus and Succulents!

 

Begonia Mr. Hunt

    Begonia Mr. Hunt can a challenging begonia to grow and it's looking great in Sherman Gardens.  They have several of them growing in the garden.  Here are some other begonias in their collection.

Begonia conchifolia var. rubrimacula

Begonia 'Brad Thompson'

Begonia 'Little Darling'

Some begonias outside one of the offices

Some begonias along the Donor Wall

    I always enjoy spending sometime in their cactus and succulent garden.

The gardeners were doing some work in this section.

Bog Garden of Carnivorous Plants

Bog Garden of Carnivorous Plants

    In a corner of Sherman Gardens is bog of carnivorous plants.  The bog is created by putting a liner in the ground like you would do for a small pond.  The flat stones hide the edge of the container/liner.  This keeps the moisture in the container creating a bog environment so that these carnivorous plants thrive.

Sarraceni (American Pitcher Plant)

Sarraceni (American Pitcher Plant)

Eye Catchers at Sherman Gardens

      Here are some plants and blooms that caught me eye on a recent visit to Sherman Gardens.

There's something abut this otter that makes me smile!

Here's  bee flying into the Passion Vine bloom

Tropical Conservatory

The red blooms on this Chenille plants are quite striking.  I like the variety plants in this corner of the Conservatory.

I think this orchid has really interesting edges on the bloom

Japanese black pine, one of the bonsai in the Bonsai Garden