Wednesday, April 24, 2013

The Colors of Tucson

Lovely Herb Garden

Blooming Cactus

Pink Fairy Duster





Desert Spiny Lizard






We took a trip to Tucson early this week and visited several gardens.  The Tucson Botanical Garden has a wonderful exhibit in the spring.  It is called Butterfly Magic and their greenhouse is alive with tropical plants and Butterflies from Costa Rica.  It is a bit steamy inside, but well worth the visit.  The orchids and other rainforest plants are in bloom, and there are butterflies everywhere!

Out in the desert garden at Tohono Chul Park, spring is showing off many colors.  The pink cactus blooms remind me of the colors of the roses that always grew in my mother's garden when I was young.  She grew a rose called the Peace Rose -  it was always my favorite, and it had a sweet fragrance.  Peace - Something this world could use more of right now...

Back to the colors of Tucson...  Even the lizards are showing their best colors.  Ahh spring!  There is nothing like it!

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Now Blooming

Globe Mallow

Bachelors Buttons

Passion Flower


Mexican Bird of Paradise

Penstemon

Blanket Flower

                      Not a Hummingbird!


I love my yard in the spring. There are flowers that come back every year to be enjoyed, and then there are surprises.  ( I am always throwing down old seeds in the garden on a rainy day to see if they will sprout).  I don't remember planting the Bachelors Buttons, so when they started blooming I was thrilled.  I love their blue-purple color.  The other surprise I found in the garden yesterday, was not a flower, but a Gila Woodpecker on the hummingbird feeder.   Looks like he stopped by for Happy Hour.  It made me laugh...