Horticulture

I call myself a Horticulturist because I have studied and actively sold and raised several plant life sine my early twenties. Being home has given me the opportunity to harvest seeds and replant and nurture them throughout the next season. SO SATISFYING!!

I am also an aggressive pruner and an active propagator. I love to propagate!!! It makes my garden with an over abundance of plants. So, come buy some!!!!

I am one of the last hold-outs from Facebook. I was told there are 800 Facebook followers in the HOYA PLANT group. Hoyas are one of my favorite plants to grow and propagate. I used to think it would be nice to have all 10 of the varieties. Little did I know thee must over 100 varieties, so, I have scaled back my goal. (At least at this writing!).

Another favorite variety of plants that I grow, collect and love, are, Carnivorous plants. I had a few for many years. Now that I have joined the Carnivorous Plant local chapter, I have learned so much and it has excelled my collecting and propagating of this most fascination genre.

There are so many other more recognizable flowers that I grow and love such as: Gesneriads such as Streptocarpus (African Violet family); Amaryllis; Orchids; Lilies, Etc.

I just planted my first Banana Plant, variety, “Ice Cream”, in 2014. It is supposed to be perfect for Southern California. I started with a little 2” pot and it grew to over 8 feet tall in just under two years. Hope to have Bananas in soon. (fingers crossed)


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A view, I assume by the horticulture it must be July, of my son, Nicholas and my daughter-in-law, Rachel in the garden. We take pictures in this area we call the ‘photo op’ area. So many wonderful views, only surpassed by those we are photographing!

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Above: I grew these Hollyhocks from seed. Once they got 7ft tall I noticed they were disappearing. OMG! I actually notice a gopher pulling down the Hollyhock until it disappeared!! I have a garden war with the gophers. It seems everything in my garden is at risk. UGH! Kinda takes the fun away. You think?
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This is one of my blooming Orchid Cactus. They are superb and make the Spring and early Summer a visual delight.

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One of the many scenic pictures of my backyard.
I call this our ‘photo-opt. It’s one of my favorite places to take memorable pictures.




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This is our driveway where we will greet you. I love the feeling of this shot.
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We call this our Smurf gate! It is the entrance to the front door through the courtyard.
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The front gate and what’s inside.
This our courtyard where so many of my special plants dwell. When we remodeled the house we had to build a retainment wall, on the left side. In some areas it is 10-12 ft. Tall. Once completed I called it our ‘prison’ wall. It was suffocating. Once I brought plants over from the old house, and added many, we created an oasis. Funny what a little imagination can do.



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