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ChristmasCactus2, originally uploaded by christyaz214.
Here is a better shot at my Christmas Cactus. Look at all those blooms. What better festive colors than Red and Green. There were only 2 blooms last week, and this week there are 4, How pretty this will look by Christmas.
Keeping up with a SouthWestern theme, here is a not too good shot of my Christmas Cactus! It’s full of blooms, so I’m sure to post a better shot next week. If you have never seen a Christmas Cactus here is some more info on them.
I’m taking the week off from posting! I’ve just been relaxing with the family and enjoying my 4 day weekend. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I did buy an Amaryllis plant, and hopfully it will bloom within the next couple weeks. I’ll definetly get a shot of that!
There is something about the face of a Pansy that brings a smile to my face!
I’ve been busy planting my fall bulbs this weekend, and these looked like they would brighten the bed until the Spring!
Everyone have a beautiful Sunday!
Yesterday, while we were at the park feeding the ducks, I took a shot of this Red Yucca. What I love about this plant are all the tiny red flowers. Yuccas are widely grown as ornamental plants in gardens. Many yuccas also bear edible parts, including fruits, seeds, flowers, and flowering stems. They are usually grouped together, and remind me of a match stick set on fire! This wasn’t too great of a shot, but I’m really getting much better at taking pics.
I’ve always enjoyed looking at Poppies paper thin blooms. Although these are not hardy in the Summer heat. They make the perfect plant for this time of year, because they are frost tolerant. Not to worry here in AZ. We do have days that freeze, but very few and far between.
Hope everyone is haveing a nice Sunday!
*I wasn’t able to post this pic until late last Sunday. I’m going to leave it up, because this weekend we’re getting ready for Halloween and picking pumpkins up at the Pumpkin Patch! Everyone have a wonderful Sunday!*
After a short Thunderstorm, there was a rainbow over this Saguro and Ocotillo cactus in a classic Arizona sunset. The Saguro is on the Endangered plant list, and it is illegal to harm one in any way by moving or destroying it. They are slow growing. It takes 75 yrs. for one limb to grow. They can grow over 13 ft. tall and 3 ft. around.The hole you can see in it was made by a Gila WoodPecker. When we first moved into the house, I heard this knock-knock-knocking, that’s when I first caught sight of her. This coming Spring I’ll have to get a pic of her. The Native American’s use Saguros to construct roofs. An example can be seen at Mission San Xavier del Bac on the Tohono O’odham lands near Tucson, Arizona. The Saguro blossom is the State Flower of Arizona.
Before GTS, Geraniums were not one of my favorite plants. They are, I found very hardy to hot weather. And after reading more about their origin, the Geranium has kind of grown on me! Especially when I also found out there are Chocolate scented Geraniums. I’ll have to find one of these plants!
The Geranium as it is commonly known, is actually of the genus Pelargonium. Geranium is the correct botanical name of the separate genus that contains the related Cranesbills. Both genera are in the Family Geraniaceae. Which originally included all the species in one genus, Geranium, but they were later separated into two genera by Charles L’Héritier in 1789. The first species of Pelargonium known to be cultivated was Pelargonium triste, a native of South Africa.The cranesbills make up the genus Geranium of 422 species of annual, biennial, and perennial plants found throughout the temperate regions of the world and the mountains of the tropics, but mostly in the eastern part of the Mediterranean. One can make the distinction between the two by looking at the flowers : Geranium has symmetrical flowers, while Pelargonium has irregular or maculate petals. The name “cranesbill” derives from the appearance of the seed-heads, which have the same shape as the bill of a Crane. The genus name is derived from the Greek word geranos, meaning ‘crane’.
The kids have so much fun playing with Snapdragons. I just love how they snap them open and shut. I can’t wait to see these take off in the garden. I also picked up these Bearded Iris named Blue Tide. I couldn’t get over the vibrant blue color. Other Spring bulbs I got were some Pink Menton Tulips, some Dutch Master Daffodils, and some Yellow Double Freesias. I placed the Tulips and Daffodils in my fridge for six weeks and then I’ll plant them around the middle of November.
Everyone enjoy there Sunday!
This week, while visiting my husband’s grandmother, I snapped a shot of her Mandevilla.I just love it. Of course all the good blooms were at the very top! It’s easily over 6 feet high. She’s only had it a year, and it must like the heat, because it made it through the Summer.
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A SouthWest Oasis 
