Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Spring comes early in Arizona

I am so excited that February is here- and Spring seems to be as well. Walking around the yard I find so many things budding out and coming up. I have spent some weekend time, cleaning out the flower beds, of dead leaves and other debris, and there is always something new going on. The temps are reaching the 80s the next couple days so I am crossing my fingers that we don't get a late frost after this quite mild winter.

This Periwinkle vine didn't die back at all with the cold, although I did throw a rug over it on the very coldest nights. It has little lavender blooms and is growing fast with the warm weather.


And my salad bed is recovering from the rabbit attack. Here is a teeny tiny little broccoli head! I will be just thrilled if this gets to any size without another rabbit visitor eating it. I should come up with a way to cover it during the night.


And my lone Aloe from previous posts, didn't ever bloom, but the bunch of Aloe that live under one of the small Chollas are sprouting buds all over the place. They are silky smooth- soft like velvet. They are not open yet but are beautiful nonetheless. The plants though have dried tips- I wonder if it was the cold, or not enough water?

And just a little "puppy love"- Miss P gives one of the puppies (Moon Pie) a kiss!


Happy February 2009! Welcome Spring.....(I hope) ;)

5 comments:

Aiyana said...

As I mentioned in the previous post (you must have posted this entry while I was writing a comment on the previous post!)the Aloe probably got too cold, if it got below 50 degrees. It takes a couple of month before the stalks bloom--so maybe there's some hope more will sprout.
Aiyana

Diane AZ said...

Looks like your garden's doing well! Your broccoli looks so healthy. The only veggies I've had any success with in Tucson are tomatoes and peppers.

Kathie Brown said...

I'm still getting used to thinking of Feruary as the beginning of spring, but I know I saw new leaves and buds on the trees down at Patogonia lake this past weekend. Amazing!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

To deter rabbits from our plants, I make a 'garlic soup' by boiling crushed garlic bulbs (old ones can usually be obtained for next to nothing as they can't really be sold to eat). After boiling I leave the 'soup' in a glass bowl overnight, then slosh it over the plants most at risk.

It makes the house smell great too!!

Cheryl Ann said...

You know, spring is arriving early here, too (in the California lower deserts)!!! My acacias are blooming, my sunflowers are growing inches a DAY...they are now HUGE! The bougenvilla is blooming...I heard a mockingbird calling this afternoon. SPRING!