Accessible Gardening: #21 Practical Matters for Phsically Challenged Gardeners, 0 by Agavegirl1

Agavegirl1 wrote:
Good morning all, :D

Hope everyone is having a good day and is in good health.

Jim,
Glad you liked the Star Gazer suggestion. I\'m sure you would have no problem rounding up some bulbs as they are fairly common and popular. If my climate was conducive to growing lilies I would have a yard full of these as I adore them and they are my favorite bouquet flower. Calla lilies, while lacking in scent have a certain simple elegance and grace to them as well. I always enjoy seeing them. I can not solve the mystery of why Easter lilies are called such as most of them do not bloom around that time.

Always wondered why they call certain Agaves a Century Plant. They don\'t live a century. At the maximum they live is 40 years and the minimum 20. Perhaps they should have named them Quarter or Half Century Plants??? Century Plant would be a more appropriate name for Saguaros as they don\'t get their first arm until they are at least 75-100 years old. Maybe Double Century Plant as they live to be a maximum of 200 years old.

Plant names....shrug shoulders.

In regards to all of the typical Spring and Summer flowers it kind of bums me out. As much as I love my cacti and appreciate them as oddities for their literal other worldly looks and sculptural impact and sheer scale of size I miss things that have scent and long lasting blooms that I can fill my yard or house with. Cacti flowers are awesome in their own right but there is no scent to any of them. :(
Still they\'re pretty magnificent and what a \"WOW\' you get when you see them amongst all the brown and green-ish color.

Most cacti, like lilies grow very easily by breaking off pieces and just planting them. Aloes and Agaves of course grow pups (off shoots) reproducing like mad and clump like a lot of annuals and perennials if left to their own devices.

A lot of people propagate cacti from seed. I neither have the time nor the patience for that as I am 48. I like things that grow fast so that I may enjoy them fully long before I drop dead...LOL.

It is unfortunate that Kay has not had the opportunity to spend much time in the desert. I think she may enjoy the experience. Although she could not appreciate it fully visually there are many things she could appreciate in the tactile sense. A lot of Agaves and Aloes are \'user friendly\' and all have a distinctive feel to them and the growth patterns on the leaves have interesting ridges and textures.

There are some prickly pears that are smooth and devoid of both spines and glochids as are a lot of the pole cacti. The fruit on a lot of the pole cacti is just sumptuous to eat also!

There is a group of pole cacti that bear a lot of fruit near me. The house is empty as it either belongs to a snow bird or just hasn\'t been sold yet. The neighbor of said house does not mind if I come over and \'help myself\' to the fruit. :D I often have to do combat with the birds to get at it though as they enjoy the fruit also and bring a broom with me to swat the fruit down as these cacti are about 12 feet tall and the fruit is up high.

There are some cacti covered in \'fuzz\' literally that feels like cotton. As long as you don\'t press down on it, as the thorns are just below, you can enjoy the feel. I do this often. There are also a lot of little round \'bumpy\' and \'smooth\' cacti that feel nice and are void of thorns completely.

My neighbor\'s kids come over sometimes and I give them a tour and let them explore some of these plants. My strict instructions is only when I\'m home and only certain plants. Sometimes they don\'t follow this rule, especially after I\'ve installed a new plant. I\'ve had my door open a few times and I\'ve heard several \'ouches\' and subsequent crying. TEE-HEE. :D

Some lessons about not respecting boundaries and the satisfying one\'s own curiosity despite the warnings about the consequences have to be learned the hard way. Typical kids. We were all the same way growing up.

I think Kay would have a lot of fun exploring some of these things. Oh, and Wise Cactus said she is free to give him a hug. Since he is so large and \'tree like\' in stature there are no spines on his entire base or body. They are up high on the arms. I often hug Wise Cactus myself when I see him.

I have not seen anyone grow Anise hyssop here. If there are herbs being grown most likely they are in a green house or indoors as they would shriek in horror and disgust the first moment the heat and sun blasted them and be reduced to a pile of smoldering ashes. Larkspur is popular and sage (not sure if it is the edible kind). These seem to be the only two things that are capable of growing here outdoors that are remotely \'herb\' like.

Again love your lilies. So pretty. The Spacecoast Sea Shell is most intriguing.

Hi Carrie....
so what is new with you and how grows your garden? You said you got your new garage door on my birthday...the 16th. How did that turn out? Still working on the bathroom?

Oh, didn\'t down load my pictures. Will in a second and them post them but I am immensely excited. My pole cacti that I\'ve had about a year has finally started to show growth activity of getting new arms.

BTW here are some stunning photos of a p. pear I saw in a parking lot. The red is just magnificent so I had to capture it. If it wasn\'t the police station\'s parking lot I may have helped myself to a few pads!!!

Have a great day.
Jacqueline