Like a hot brownie outside......

Moist, hot, steamy........seriously???  Seriously.  Monsoon is taking her sweet time leaving Tucson.  It would be something if it just rained....but it doesn't.  The air just sits on you and the mosquitos suck your blood. The new official end to monsoon is coming to a close and this week there is rain in the forecast along with 100 degree temps.  Isn't fall around the corner?  My garden is out of control weedy and needing an extreme haircut, but with the bugs out there the way they are, it's not going to happen:(

Dog owners and poo.  Why must people who own dogs be so disrespectful to other homeowners and not clean up their mess? A young neighbor just adopted a cute puppy but have decided to not clean up after their dog.....basically there are mines all over my garden areas.  Step one.  Cayenne pepper.  Step two.  Call the HOA board.  Step 3.  Call Pima County Health if the issue does not resolve. And of course, the neighbor has been contacted and advised but he still continues allowing the dog to use the bathroom.....ugh! Rude. 

Anyhow, sorry about the negative feel to this post, but I represent Tucson today and how we are ready for our hellish heat to be gone.  Knowing that it's just around the corner only makes it worse.....like a cloudy cold winter day, our hot humid moist sunny skies will come to an end and we are eager for it to be gone.  The Greek Festival begins this week to welcome Fall and with it, her cooler temps.  Gardeners all around will rejoice for lower temps:) Keep your fingers crossed:)

The Secrets of Butterfly Lovemaking

The Queen Butterfly

Yesterday I went to visit a Tucson garden(winner for the best xeriscaped yard of 2008) for breakfast and it was really something special. The owner is leaving with her husband for Mexico to live and it was their last big hoohah before they left their lives....and garden behind in Tucson. We arrived at their home and were immediately surrounded by butterflies EVERYWHERE!!! It was like walking into a Walt Disney movie without the villains.  Okay that last line was cheesy, but it seriously was very cool to be surrounded by that many butterflies! So much to learn....here is a posting secret on how to attract the Queen Butterfly to your Southwestern Garden.

Euphorbia Trigona

Xeriscape winner 2008 in Tucson

I asked the owner how old her garden was and she told me that it was 7 years old. Depending on what part of the garden you're standing in at El Presidio, it will vary from 1 year to 3 years.  Seeing her garden after 7 years made me happy because I know that it all will come together.  Several things were interesting to note from this conversation.  I asked her if it would be hard to leave this garden when they move, and she responded, "It's just a garden.  I love this place, but I could take it or leave it." That response threw me off as I thought of my own circumstances.....after all the intimate time and energy you spend in a garden...and years of it!!!....you can just "take it or leave it"!? Maybe I will understand that statement down the road, but for now, I'll just store it in the back of my mind. She also said that she wouldn't mind putting in a pool. We all reacted to her as if she were nuts!!!  Pools in Tucson are a waste of water and a huge mess....not to mention all the critters that drown in this deadly trap!  If you had kids, maybe......but even then.....we have places for people to go and swim.  How many kids drown every year....every day...in this state because Mom or Dad or someone wasn't watching? Too many....plus so many people around here don't keep their pools clean and West Nile/mosquitos are out of control in Central Tucson.  I can't believe how green people let their pools get. Okay, I'm getting off topic:)......More pics....but still....a pool??!

Of course, there are a lot of butterfly plants out there, but one stood out on this visit....the Blue Mist Flower or Ageratum ....just read the sign below...these latin names get to be too much;) And there is another name that most people call it here in Tucson.....Greggi. This is what the owner told me that this plant was. The shot below is taken from the Tucson Botanical Gardens...and they have two varieties of this plant.  The vid shows the title Eupatorium Greggi on the tag.

Greggi/Gregg's Blue Mistflower

Apparently this greggi acts like an aphrodisiac for the Queen Butterfly.

It was funny because she views her garden the same way most people see their gardens....as a disaster.  And again, it's all in the eye of the beholder.....that's why it's good to get an outsider's perspective when in doubt.  She was extremely happy to hear from people that her garden was divine:)

A butterfly orgy

Here are several comments about this plant that I found online regarding the Blue Mist Flower or Greggi and it's invasive nature....the home owner of this particular garden also told me that it spreads......

"It's funny how plants habits change locally. I was butterfly gardening in Tucson in very lean soil with little watering. Eupatorium Greggi did very well, but I wouldn't call it invasive at all. On the other hand, it was one of the best butterfly attractors in the garden."  From Lisa

"I don't have any, but have been looking all over for them. I saw a patch of this at a local business and was extremely impressed because there were more queen butterflies on that one patch than I'd ever seen flocking to flowers before. They absolutely went crazy over it and it was such a beautiful sight, I vowed I would find some and plant it. At least give it a try, it may do better here in texas at attracting butterflies than elsewhere. I've learned and am still learning , that different plants do better in some states and areas than others, and obviously, butterflies in texas may like mistflower better than butterflies in another state. I think it has to do with soil pH, and climate, and a lot of other things."

So....butterfly gardening....hmmmm:)

Lesson 2-Genus?

The Desert Rose

Today was a busy day with class and a garden show in Tucson.  It was hot and nasty outside....when I say nasty, I mean to say humid.  I thought monsoon was over!! I have decided to break my next several posts up over the course of a week as there was a lot of information today in class, on plants, butterflies, and on a new threat to the garden....my neighbor's dog.  I didn't think I would become THAT gardener complaining about dogs....but now I see why they do....I'll update you on that situation in the next posting.

 Potted, this Desert Rose makes a nice addition to the garden

Today we studied the science and latin of the plant world in a nice cool room with a Professor from the UA.  It was an interesting presentation, but there were times when I found myself thinking about other things....like why are these latin names important?:)  We spoke of species genus, common names, cultivars, specific epithets and more:)  For example, if we see the latin name, "microphylia", it literally means "small leaf".

Or that any plant with "Virginica" in the latin description refers to "from the East Coast". "Florida"=flowers, etc.  Plants are also classified according to their fruit and flowers and not by their leaves.  For example, the "bean family" is quite a large group of plants that cover bushes, vines, trees, etc.

Traditional Ramada Garden In Tucson

Here's a quiz for the desert southwest gardener....see if you can answer these questions.  Answers will be at the end of this post.

1. What are the 3 most common types of plants used in the desert SW landscaping?
2. Is the aloe an agave?
3. What is a common plant from the Spurge Family?
4. Are mushrooms plants?
5. Bamboo belongs to which plant family?
6. The Mint Family is called: a. Lamiaceae  b.  Cactaceae  c. Agavaceae  d. Poaceae
7. What does it mean EXOTIC SPECIES?
8. Is a Psago Palm a palm?
9. Cycads are related more to the Pine family or the Palm Family?
10. Of the vegetation type, the desert is said to be: a. xeric b. mesic c. aquatic d. amphibious

There was a lot to take in today, but it was extremely informative and I have a stronger grasp on terminology. There was some new information and it will be helpful down the road.

Ready for the answers?  Here we go....

1. Fabaceae(the legume family-mesquite, coral bean, etc), Cactaceae(the cacti family), and Agavaceae(the agave family).
2. Aloe is not an agave.
3. The Pointsetta is of the Spurge Family.
4. Mushrooms are fungi and not part of the plant family.
5. Bamboo is considered to be from the grass family.
6. Mint=Lamiaceae Family
7. Exotic Species=non-native species
8. Psago Palm is not a palm.
9. Cycads are related more to pine than to palm.
10. The desert is considered a xeric climate.

Until my butterfly posting.....happy gardening from Tucson, AZ!!:)

Who's in the garden?

The Life Cycle.
This pic, moth and pupa pic were taken from the Curious Naturalist
All other pics and vid are from my camera

Rustic Sphinx Moth

Enough of this 100+ degree weather!!!  I am so sick of watering every 3 days here....it's getting old!! And the mosquitos need to die.

Tonight, while watering the plants after work, I notice that my Tacoma stans bush has lost its' leaves.  I've seen this before and I know it's the work of the hornworm catepillar.

Several signs that point to them are their dark square like droppings around the area.  Looks like it's from the movie Aliens.

You will also notice giant green catepillars on the bush that look dangerous....remember the rule, where there's one, you'll usually find another:)

They won't harm this bush at all and it will grow back so I let them do their damage.

Do you see two?

I had difficulty taking these shots as the sun was setting and I think that this is a common problem snapping shots during this time of day....I've heard it's hit or miss.

Camouflage

I didn't notice the bare branches today until after I started watering.

My actions.  Nothing.  Nature comes first.  Bats will eat these critters or they'll grow to be moths....but I know one thing.....they aren't doing anything to the bush, and I know it will come back:) They are fun little surprises to have in the garden:) 

Twilight Tuesday

One picture to rule them all.....with my new camera....here is the night shot I was waiting for.....the night blooming cactus....and the dragonfruit behind.....I. Love. My. Camera. There were more flowers coming and I'm glad I made this purchase to capture shots like this. It justifies the expense:)

The Tucson Botanical Gardens

Entrance of the Garden

Close Up Experiment

Today was my first class at the Tucson Botanical Gardens.  It was more of a nuts and bolts class about volunteering and the history of the garden which dates back almost some 50 odd years.  It was also today that I got to use my camera for the first time on the job.

Nancy, our historical guide

I won't go into the details of Rutger Potter and his wife Bernice as it is like everyone else's story in life, but I will tell you what I discovered at this class today.

Pomegranate

Grapefruit

1. I sat with wonderful people from all walks of life who are all passionate about some aspect in gardening....whether it be butterflies, plants, the community outreach program, education, or the many other activities that are related to just gardening.  I never thought about it until today....and discovered that my niche is "plant" related.  Next week's class is super focused on plants and their latin names....I personally look forward to this presentation as a plant doctor from the UA will be presenting. He has the reputation of freaking people out with his passion for plants and their behaviors:)  I can't wait to meet him. Again it is interesting to note that the word "garden" means different things to different people....it's not just about the plants and collecting them:) There are those volunteers who come for the social part while others are there for the plants. I sat next to a funny lady who works at T.B.G. and she said to me, "This place is bizarre because you have those who just want to volunteer, laugh and work together while you will meet those who are just scientific doctor nerds."  That sounds like my kind of place:)  Almost everyone in the class has their own garden and some just want to be working in the garden community together....amen:)

The Tropics Green House

Example of art in the garden

2.  It all starts from nothing. A man, who loved gardening, made his home an oasis and that it comes down to you, some dirt, and experimenting. I visited this garden in the 90's and what a transformation it has undergone!! Trees have grown and so has the garden!! The place is located in a crappy part of town, but when you enter the gates, you don't feel like you are in an ugly neighborhood.  Your personal garden can "screen" that nastiness away and create a bubble of joy and happiness. I came back to my place today thinking that life was good and that it will all be okay. I felt rejuvenated and hopeful.

Example of color in the garden

3. I discovered something inside of me that has been locked up for many years.....a passion that I can share with others about gardening. This has been something I have only celebrated by myself and it's nice to know that I am not the only one that feels that way.  Best of all, as a volunteer, I can do as much or as little with T.B.G as I like.  I am not an organized religion person(for example, Catholic, Mormon, etc.).  I am, however, a spiritual person.  My parents told me, when I moved to Tucson, that if I wanted to connect with good people, I'd have to join a church.  I really didn't like that advice, but the meaning behind it is solid.  "Find what you love and join."  Today it was wonderful being around people seeking the same thing. And I think gardening is religion with Mother Nature as our guide.

Example of wildlife in the garden

I look forward to the upcoming sessions that run until November.  Happy Gardening everyone!!

An example of the odd in the garden

Forgive my shaky hands as I "perfect" my video technique. Unfortuneatly, I will always have shaky hands....I sometimes feel like Katherine Hepburn.  This Canon camera is super amazing...the video on the IS 20 is superier to any mobile camera I have.  I will be able to do so much with this feature from the camera.  I have to work on my lighting a bit...I still don't have that down.

Catalina Island

Avalon, Catalina Island

I found some more pics from several other places that are truly amazing to visit in California.  Another trip one can take is out of Dana Point in Southern California to the Catalina Island.  Spend a day or two in the city of Avalon....

Keep your eyes open on the waters to catch some amazing sights of marine life!!

Did you know these guys glowed green in the dark because of a bioluminescent plankton?

Our vessel for the day

My friend Kristen....what an amazing day!!

We practiced putting sails up and down off the coast.

About the plants....thick succulent juicy plants grow around the cliffs similiar to the ice plant. These are plants that can tolerate the salty air, wind, and sandy(or rocky conditions).  These plants do well in Tucson, but only in planters and also protected from our winter frosts. They need plenty of sun:) See example below..

 

To make many of these beautiful plants....snip an end off and stick it in the dirt...that's how easy they grow:) Happy Adventures!!