![\"DSC03547\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gardenescapades.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/DSC03547-e1424031647989.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nAt a visit to Springs Preserve outside of Las\u00a0Vegas, I\u00a0saw a bunch of interesting plants.\u00a0 The above agave was about to bloom, looking like a huge, blue asparagus.<\/p>\n
The amazing agave above had bloomed earlier and the\u00a0top of the flower stalk was covered\u00a0with dozens of new plants!<\/p>\n One of my favorite plant families\u2013Bauhinia, the orchid trees.\u00a0 The leaves are wonderful and the flowers just add to the beauty.\u00a0 Sadly, I\u2019ve yet to find one that is hardy\/happy in Seattle.\u00a0 But seeing the beautiful leaves above will keep me looking!<\/p>\n I got seeds off this legume\u2013didn\u2019t get the name, so it will be a surprise.\u00a0 It had typical pea-family leaves, but the new ones had a\u00a0 blue\/gray bloom to them.\u00a0 The seeds are big and super hard, so I\u2019ll need to boil them or something to get them started.<\/p>\n The structure of agaves is irresistible, and yet I need to resist it.\u00a0 Christopher Lloyd put this in perspective in one of his books.\u00a0 He warned against\u00a0adopting plants that require too much effort for your region\u2013he felt the work involved is rarely worthwhile and the effect is less than natural or effective.\u00a0 I tend to agree.\u00a0 While I would love an arid looking xeric garden with agaves, yuccas and cactus, it likely would be impossible and not worth the failed efforts.<\/p>\n Palms are a similar story\u2013delectable color and form, and yet there are only a few that thrive in Seattle and they are tough to work effectively into a landscape.\u00a0 I have grown palms from seed for the house and greenhouse.\u00a0 Talk about slow growing!\u00a0 I have a seven year old seedling of a similar looking palm to the above, and it is only a foot tall and has only a few strap-like leaves and no hint of a trunk.\u00a0 The poor thing probably just wants some sun and warmth.<\/p>\n I am assuming this is a salvia, but I didn\u2019t see a nametag.\u00a0 The bees were out and loving it, and the color was the perfect foil for all the yellow flowers that seem to predominate the desert flora.<\/p>\n Close up of the same salvia showing interesting flower form and brilliant blue color.<\/p>\n Here is an Ocotillo\u00a0near Parker, growing with a gray Brittlebush.\u00a0 These are amazing shrubs\u2013the Ocotillo with striking, vase-shaped form and loads of spines, while the Brittlebush is bright gray and displays prolific yellow daisies.\u00a0 The Ocotillos were just leafing\u00a0out while I was there and I\u2019m told the flowers are brilliant hummingbird magnets.\u00a0 I look forward to seeing that some day. I golfed on a gorgeous county course in Parker and the scenery was inspiring.\u00a0 These palms caught my eye in the morning light.\u00a0 Often palms are manicured to the point of obsession, so it was nice to see some that still held their ruff of old leaves.<\/p>\n The friends who live there and who generously hosted us are trying to grow native plants on a very steep slope at the back of their property.\u00a0 I gathered Palo Verde <\/a>seeds for them and ordered seeds online of Brittlebush<\/a> and Honey Mesquite<\/a>.\u00a0 I\u2019ll try to start some in the greenhouse and I\u2019ll pass the rest of the seeds on to them to direct sow.\u00a0 I\u2019m also going to try some\u00a0evening primrose\u00a0seeds and sand verbena to share with them.\u00a0 Pictures below of these found blooming in the desert in one special place.<\/p>\n I spent a week in Nevada\/Arizona and just got back yesterday.\u00a0 Temperatures there saw highs in the 80\u2019s and lows in the 50\u2019s\u2013very mild\/warm.\u00a0\u00a0 Parker,\u00a0Arizona was my home base for\u00a0most of that\u00a0time.\u00a0 There had been significant rains over the weeks prior, and the desert was starting to\u00a0green up and bloom. At a visit to Springs … Continue reading Desert visit<\/span> <\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"