Welcome to the garden center~Windows and Doors, Too~052710

I love this door. It is the door for one of the entrances of the garden center at the Living Desert Reserve. From here, you walk through a little water garden (yes, in the desert!) and then you enter the garden center. It's always shady and cool here, which is a welcome relief on our hot, summer days! Windows and Doors, Too! for May 27, 2010.

Branches~That's My World 052510

As I wandered around the Living Desert on Saturday morning, I couldn't help but notice how green all the trees were! I took these two photos of the new growth on a couple of them. That's My World for Tuesday, May 25, 2010.

More flowers from my neighbor's garden~Mellow Yellow Monday 052310

I wandered over to my neighbor's front yard (she is a professional landscaper) and found these delightful yellow flowers. I'm not sure what they are, but they are in full bloom right now. Mellow Yellow Monday for May 23, 2010.

Roses next door~Today's Flowers 052210

As I stood waiting for my aunt and uncle this morning, I wandered over to my neighbor's yard to see her roses. Aren't they beautiful? These are roses that do well in the desert! Such beautiful colors! I wish I could grow roses, but every bush I have planted has died. My parents had beautiful, healthy roses bushes, but I simply cannot grow them! So, I admire hers! Today's Flowers for May 22, 2010.

Cholla blossoms~Macro Monday 051710

I got up close and personal with this cholla cactus when I saw a cactus wren leave its nest in it. Believe me, no creature is going to mess with these spikes! The little blossoms hadn't opened yet and I would like to keep an eye on them and see them when they open up! Macro Monday for May 17, 2010.

Roses at the Ranch~Today's Flowers 051610

First of all, let me tell you that these are NOT my roses. Oh, no! I've killed every rose bush that I have planted in the last 35 years! No, no, no! For some reason, I can't grow roses. My parents could. They had BEAUTIFUL ones! My neighbor can. She has beautiful ones. My school can. They have beautiful ones. But not me. Period. So, I have to enjoy others' roses. These are in full bloom right now up at the ranch. I'm sure they, like my parents, put tons of horse manure on them (there are, after all, over 20 horses on the ranch!) And, look at that blue sky! Ahhhhh....a warm day, the fragrance of roses, being with my horses...what else could I want? Today's Flowers for May 16, 2010.

Heat and my sweet peas

Well, last week's heat has finally pretty much done-in my sweet peas. I picked the last full bunch of them Sunday and took them over to my aunt for Mother's Day. She and my uncle just bought a new house in Sun City, Indio. They sold their house in Rancho Bernardo and moved to the desert. We are all glad to have them nearby as they are both in their 80's, but still pretty active! Anyway, my grandfather used to grow BEAUTIFUL, full, vibrant sweet peas and this is the first year in nearly 30 years that I've had a decent spot to grow mine. I tried growing them on chicken wire, but they never thrived like this year's crop. These are on my chain link fence out in the back yard. I soaked the seeds overnight before I planted them and they immediately sprouted and grew! I'm going to pull them up this Sunday, since I have to stay home all day as my aunt and uncle are sending their new bed over and they bought separate twin beds! So, I have to be home to answer the door when our son-in-law and a friend deliver the bed. I'm thinking about planting some cosmos seeds along this fence for summer and I may stop at Lowe's today after school to check out other summer seeds. Good -bye sweet peas! They have put nitrogen into the soil and have completed their cycle. Now it is time to plant something else in their place. I will miss their beauty and fragrance. We could all smell the last batch that I picked Sunday and took over to my aunt's house. I LOVE sweet peas!

Visitor center red~Ruby Tuesday 051110

I don't know what these are, but these red blossoms were at the Palm Desert visitor center. I stopped by there one morning and admired them and some of the cacti there. Ruby Tuesday for Tuesday, May 11, 2010.

My sweet peas in full bloom~050910

My sweet peas are now past their prime. I took these photos about 10 days ago. We've had days of 90 degrees plus heat, so they are quickly drying out and going to seed. This year's crop was really an experimental one, since we got the fence put up last fall to keep the dogs from running all over our yard. We have a 6' chain link fence down one side of our yard, about 100 feet long. Our son put it in for us. I have planted sunflowers on a couple of sections, African daisies and California poppies on the section nearest the gate, and my sweet peas in the middle sections. The sweet peas are very special to me as my late grandfather used to plant them in his garden and ours. He was an old Kansas farmer with a VERY green thumb. His sweet peas were gorgeous, healthy, and very thick. I think he mixed horse manure in the soil (I have PLENTY of that, with 5 horses!)...This is the first crop to EVER come close to his typical crops! I am going to have to pull them out shortly (this will break my heart!), but I have some cosmos seeds and some Tithonia seeds to plant in their place and since sweet peas put nitrogen into the soil, the latter seeds should do very well. Ahhh....they will have done their job! I am collecting the seeds and I plan on planting them next December, and once again delight in their beauty and their sweet fragrance! And, if you are wondering, yes, I DID soak them overnight and I did throw some horse manure on them! Brenda's Photo Challenge and Today's Flowers for May 8, 2010.