The Last Sunset of 2015

What a roller-coaster year it's been.... To all my readers, I wish you many blessings and gorgeous gardens in 2016! Happy New Year!

Last Sunset of 2015, My Beach, MRobb

Happy Holidays!

An encore presentation of the Holiday Lithops, aka We Three Lithops:

We Three Lithops, MRobb

Have a wonderful holiday!

A Simple Rainbow for Monday

Mondays always kinda...well, you know. So here is a simple, lovely rainbow from my sand dune to make it a little better.

Winter Rainbow in the Tropics, MRobb, 2015

Winter Walkabout: Garden Wrap-Up for 2015

It's been a fun year for gardening, most of the time....
My plant poster and motto for 2016 is:

And to prove that gardening is indeed beautiful and beautifying, a few more photos from my photosynthetic travels this year:

Citrus Orchard, Lago di Garda, Italy, MRobb 2015

Infrared Bougainvillea, Italy, MRobb, 2015

Koi and Turtle Pond, Heller Garden, MRobb, 2015

Mountain Saffron, Northern Italy, MRobb, 2015

And of course, some mesembs!

Bodacious Babytoes! MRobb

Holiday Art Part One: Plants = Love

It's great fun painting with the family during the winter holidays. Here's mine for the gardeners....

Plants = Love by MRobb, 2015

Another Sirmione Memory

With a swan!

Sirmione Swan_MRobb_Sept2015

Weekend Walkabout: Sirmione Memories and a Tillie Grandbaby

Today I am reminiscing about my wonderful autumn at Lago di Garda, Italy. This view of the lake from Roman poet Catullus's favorite town, Sirmione, sums it up:

Sirmione, Italy, Billboard by Yoko Ono, photo Marla Robb, 2015

In my own garden, far far away from Bella Italia, the crotons are blooming extravagantly!

Croton in Bloom, MRobb, 2015

And I am happy and proud to report that my Tillandsia intermedia has a grandbaby. Three generations of Tillie in a couple of years. T. intermedia is the one that grows upside down and can pup from either end. Mine has been pupping in pretty much a straight line. They kind of look like pale green squids:

Tillandsia intermedia, MRobb, 2014 (I think)

This Tillie looks high-maintenance but is cared for in the regular Tillie fashion. A few mistings per week, an upside-down perch, fertilizer in the water once a month, and weekly soaks. Moderate sun. Mine hangs in a north-facing window and I'm in Zone 10, USA USDA. So here's the grandbaby!

Tillandsia intermedia pup, MRobb, Dec 2015

Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy some glorious gardens while you're at it!

Lapidaria Blooms!

OK, here's Lapidaria margaretae in full bloom, as promised:

Lapidaria margaretae blooming, MRobb, 2015

Mammillaria elegans blooms!

Mammillaria elegans is a native of Mexico.  They bloom in early winter. And what a sweet "face"!

Mammillaria elegans in bloom, MRobb 2015