I Can Stop Tomorrow.

Hello. My name is Mark R. and I'm an addict—of succulents. It's been less than one hour since I went outside and looked at my succulents and tried to think of ways to squeeze more in-between those which I've already planted. Aw, Lord, give me the strength…

[icanstoptomorrow]

Agave filifera

I pulled this hairy Agave as a small pup, from my own garden, and planted it in my neighbors’ garden just last year. I’m amazed by its growth rate! 

The combination of its spines, highlights, shadows and hairs make for a real visual treat, especially from directly above. But it also has a great profile to enjoy.

[icanstoptomorrow]

A Scene from My Garden I

I am downright crazy about that Aloe capitata var. quarziticola (upper-right). It’s a perfect fit and is doing so well. Looking forward to seeing its beautiful bloom!

[icanstoptomorrow]

Haemanthus albiflos (from the Amaryllis family)

I don’t have a lot of experience growing bulbs in my garden. This was a gift from one of my garden design clients. Not knowing what to do with it, I brought it home, potted it up and let it sit. Guess that’s all that’s required in this case! I’ll definitely be looking for a spot in the ground this year to re-plant it! What fun it is to watch these sweet ‘paintbrushes’ reveal themselves.

[icanstoptomorrow]

One of my neighbor’s rad plantings. Good job, right? I love the way it matches the house’s trim color.

[icanstoptomorrow]

Here’s my purdy Boophone disticha. Someone told me that it shouldn’t be looking like this at this time of year, but oh well, there she is. It’s super fun to look at. This plant has not yet bloomed for me. (And that makes me realize that I should look for a book on Boophone plants.) 

[icanstoptomorrow]

Here’s a beautiful palm (don’t have the smarts to ID it) that I saw on the same run in Brentwood. I call all the silvery-sheeny palms “Bismarckia.” This one stopped me in my tracks!

[icanstoptomorrow]

I was on a run in Los Angeles (Brentwood area) last week when I spotted this fantastic cluster of Agave victoria reginae. One in back is blooming and the others are just lookin’ all royal n’ stuff.

[icanstoptomorrow]

Check out the color of this blushing Achmea recurvata blooming and pupping in my garden!

[icanstoptomorrow]

Sweet airplant bloom in the kitchen window.

[icanstoptomorrow]

Here’s a recent bloom that lit up the front yard for a few days.

[icanstoptomorrow]

I took this shot of the front yard garden last week to show people that Agave ‘Blueglow’ is starting to wave his bloomstalk ‘goodbye’ to me. I’m very sad to see the beginning of the end.

Anyway, that impressive bloomstalk is almost as tall as Aloe ‘Hercules’ now! Cuh-razee!

[icanstoptomorrow]

So you don’t have to get on your hands and knees to see it… I bring you another truncated Haworthia. Too kewl for skewl.

[icanstoptomorrow]

Cray-cray, cresting sedum.

[icanstoptomorrow]

Feel Good Aeonium #1

Come on. Doesn’t that make you feel better just looking at it? Magnify it. Feast your eyes. Because it’s simple and delicious: Feel good.

[icanstoptomorrow]

Here’s another recent rediscovery while weeding. Again (same ol’ story): abandoned, forgotten, exiled, don’t even know who she is anymore… probably owes me money…

And now she’s pupping and all colorful and I want her back in my life again. I LOVE HER. And I LOVE AND WELCOME HER BABY. 

Is this a Neoregelia? Help! I’ll swear, if you tell me I’ll never forget again. Anyone?

[icanstoptomorrow]

This is one of those plants that was more like a hand-me-down from a friend. I didn’t exactly think of it as a gift. (Well, what’ll I do with it?) So I stuck it under the manzanita and forgot about it. Then recently, I was in there weeding and I saw it from above and was like: Wowwee, man! I love the banding, the colors, the sculptural shapes. I thought of adding some vodka and a straw to one of them. That would be cool, right?

I don’t have a ID tag/stick anymore. Can anyone help identify them? Is it a Hohenbergia of some kind? Calling all smarty pants. 

[icanstoptomorrow]

‘Dappled’ 

I bought these Bilbergia ‘Strawberry’ for the garden last year and I’m so happy they’re thriving out there. I’m really enjoying all the visual texture they provide.