Blooming

When we returned from Hawaii, our garden was abloom. The ignored epiyphyllum in the side yard.

Yup, the blooms really are that large. Read Call it orchid cactus or epiphyllum, it's a plant that hangs around in the LA Times.

Rob named his blog, Are you cereus? after the plant. He also has a website with fantastic photography featuring epiphyllums. Don't miss it.

The LA Times article mentions the difficulty of finding specimens for sale because they are rarely sold commercially. I bought mine at the Huntington Library Annual Plant Sale. Coincidentally, this year's sale is May 17-18, 2008. I am headed over there for members' only day (for the plant sale), May 17. Let me know if you want to come along as a guest. The rarest stuff goes the first day.

The Japanese irises had popped open in our absence, too.

The sea pink aka sea thrift are a bit past their prime.

I love this bed of roses outside the Redondo Beach main library. They have just a hint of shell pink.

These orchids are 2 months past their prime, but still lovely. They look like they might be the same type Wandering Scientist showed in You're So Vein.

Iris choose these orchids at Trader Joe's for mother's day. She made me pay for it, though. No need to adjust your monitor. The pot contains TWO types of orchids, one white and one pink.