Talk about a tight squeeze!

 

Yellow Aloe arborescans 'Lutea', AKA Yellow Torch Aloe

     I was taking pictures of this yellow Aloe arborescans 'Lutea', AKA Yellow Torch Aloe, when I noticed some bees flying around it.  

Yellow Aloe arborescans 'Lutea', AKA Yellow Torch Aloe

In the picture above, yellow arrows are pointing to the bees.

A bee in the bloom of a Yellow Torch Aloe

The bees were just small enough to squeeze into the tubular shaped flowers to get to the pollen and nectar.

A bee in the bloom of a Yellow Torch Aloe

A Quick Walk Through Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden

Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden

    I went for a quick walk through the Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden.  It's a great little garden in Santa Barbara that fills one square block.  When I worked near downtown Santa Barbara, I would eat my sack lunch in this garden.

Hibiscus

Hibiscus

Paper white narcissus

Erythrina bidwillii AKA Bidwill's Coral Bean 

Iris

Asparagus densiflorus 'Myersii' AKA Asparagus Fern 

Red fruit on a Asparagus densiflorus 'Myersii' AKA asparagus fern 

     The fruit on the Asparagus densiflorus 'Myersii' AKA asparagus fern look festive for the holiday season!

Some Of My Favorite Cactus!

      I like cactus and different ones for different reasons!  Here are a few from my collection.

Gymnocalycium horstii 

     I like the smooth surface of this Gymnocalycium horstii and how it contrasts with the large spines!  This plant is about five inches in diameter.

Gymnocalycium Pflanzii v.marquezii

     This Gymnocalycium Pflanzii v.marquezii has a very rough texture, like fine sandpaper.  This plant is also about five inches in diameter.

Mammillaria elongata Copper King

     This Mammillaria elongata(AKA Copper King), in a six inch pot has been easy to grow.  I've had over five years and it has doubled the number of finger-like stems.  Below is a close-up photo showing the coppery spines.  They grow radial fashion and are less likely to poke you!

Mammillaria elongata AKA Copper King

Mammillaria plumosa AKA Feather Cactus 

     The spines on this mammillaria plumosa (AKA Feather Cactus) also has spines that grow in a radial pattern.  The spines are very soft and hence the name Feather Cactus.  Below is a close-up of the feather like spines ad blooms.

mammillaria plumosa AKA Feather Cactus 

Mammillaria gracilis fragilis AKA Thimble Cactus 

     I've had this Mammillaria gracilis fragilis AKA Thimble Cactus for over ten years.  It was a small scraggly plant on the freebie table at a plant show.  I thought it was interesting because of the cylindrical shape of the stems and combination of small radial spines and bigger outward pointing spines.  The cylindrical or thimble shaped stems easily breakoff and root into a new plant.  This is the type of plant I avoid bumping into as you can see in this close-up photo!

Mammillaria gracilis fragilis AKA Thimble Cactus

 

Matucan madisoniorum 

     Here is another cactus that I have had for a very long time, Matucan madisoniorum.  This stem is now ten inches tall with a rough surface and it produces a few long spines.  I think the orange-red flowers "shoot out" from the top like fanfare trumpets!

Fuchsia Bloom and Seed Pod

 

Fuchsia

     This fuchsia bloom caught my eye and then I noticed the seed pod.  It looks like a small grape!

Fuchsia seed pod

Fuchsia blooms and seed pod

It's caught the eye of the cat statue too!