We have landscape plants around the house and courtyard and along the RV drive, but, once you go up the hill behind, it is all natural desert flora and fauna. This compass barrel cactus is about halfway between the RV drive and the north property line. We both love the natural desert in our back yard. Click on the image to enlarge.
When we were adding landscape to the property a couple of years ago, we had the landscapers install a couple of smaller saguaros in addition to the large one by the garage.
One of the two smaller saguaros is in the center of this image, flanked by some creosote bushes and a cholla cactus behind. Other than the saguaro, the shrubs and cholla were already here.
Click on the image to enlarge. Of course, you will need your free pair of 3D glasses to view the anaglyph image. If you don’t have your 3D glasses you can view the 2D image here.
When we were finishing the retirement house two years ago, we felt it to be imperative that we get our back patio screened in. Thus far, that has been the right decision. The screen keeps (most) flying bugs out and provides a relatively safe place to confine the dogs when we’re outside.
I took this image of the patio from the hill behind the house today, just after I hung up Verna’s seed bell and thistle feeders for the birds. Click on the image to enlarge.
I just love the courtyard when the red bird flowers open. This is only their second summer and I expect them to be even more mature next summer. The flowering plum tree is covered with leaves and the sage have already had their flowers. The courtyard and landscape shrubs are a colorful accent to our already beautiful little house. Click on the image to enlarge.
Over the past few days, three of these beautiful cereus cactus flowers opened up. I moved the cactus to the patio where the critters can’t come and eat the flower buds. A lesson learned from last year. Click on the image to enlarge.
The Red Bird of Paradise (a.k.a. Pride of Barbados) have been blooming all over town for over a month now. My red birds are less mature and seem to take a little longer to develop these beautiful flowers. But, they are starting to open and should be producing flowers well into second spring. Click on the image to enlarge.
