Since we were late to the grand flower opening at home this spring, we may have missed some of the cactus and other blooms in our xeriscape garden, but, not to worry – there are plenty more flowers coming soon. Verna snapped this photo today of a prickly pear cactus flower on the west side of our yard near the fence line. There were several flowers open today and there will be many more over the next few weeks.
Keep an eye out for more flowers when they show up here.
Happy 104th Birthday in Heaven to Kate (1920-2013). This photo taken in July of 2013 a few months before she passed into her Heavenly repose. We miss her still.
Verna snapped this photo of the San Francisco Peaks just north of Flagstaff, AZ as we approached along I-17 today. We made good time, had light traffic and are now camped at the Flagstaff KOA. After getting settled in, it started to snow lightly. Verna also took the photo (below) looking out the RV door at a nearby tree as the snow fell. Click on either image to enlarge.
Our neighbor, Tim, brought us this Ocotillo a few years back. Since being transplanted here, it has flourished in our backyard. This spring, it has a very showy coat of fine green leaves. The flowers at the tips of the canes haven’t started blooming yet, but they likely will do so this summer.
More about Fouquieria splendens:
These peculiar desert plants bring a sense of wonder to the arid landscapes they thrive in with their distinctive and stunning appearance. They are popular in xeriscape gardens and can be found in many commercial landscaping designs in regions with warm, dry climates. Plants are sometimes grown in medicinal gardens for their healing properties.
Ocotillo may appear to be a cactus because of its spiny branches, but this is a flowering desert shrub. When in flower, the vivid reddish-orange blossoms become heavy, tipping the branches and making for a striking display. Pollinators enjoy the nectar and the blooms are like magnets, drawing hummingbirds and flying insects to them when in bloom. If you’re interested in adding more resilient, unique, and pollinator-friendly plant species to your water-wise garden or landscape, ocotillo is an excellent choice!
(From Gardeners Path)
We took the dogs to the groomer today and while we were waiting for them to be finished, we took a little drive up through Constellation Park to the county line between Maricopa and Yavapai Counties. The weather was scattered clouds and a couple of rain showers although we stayed dry.
Verna took this photo of Vulture Peak off in the distance from the county line looking west-south-west toward the vulture mountains. This mountain is an icon when visiting Wickenburg and is very prominently seen from all over town and when approaching the Hassayampa Valley.
Click on the image to enlarge.
Upon completion of our after-dinner walk today, we arrived back home to see (and hear) a curve billed thrasher atop the big saguaro cactus serenading the neighborhood with a spring mating song. Click on the image to enlarge.
