My son’s favourite garden belongs to our Burning Man camp mate, Nick. Since he lives in the Los Angeles area where water is scarce, he has been trying to establish native plants. Just so you know when they flower – the photos were taken near the end of March.

Fairy Duster

Fairy Duster close up

Fairy Duster is a California native. I had never seen one before.

Giant Agave

The Giant Agave flowers once in its lifetime, about ten years. Then it dies but a new one grows. I think my dad had some of these in Victoria but he took them out when my kids were small so they wouldn’t get hurt.

Nick said that the pups (small plants that grow from the base) start growing long before the main plant flowers and dies. They can get large while the main plant is still alive.

Orange Clock Vine

The Orange Clock Vine is related to Black Eyed Susans.

Canary Island Date Palm

Nick said, “The dates are small and mostly seed but what fruit there is is good tasting.”

Aloe plicatilis

There was only one fan originally.

Kalanchoe tomentosa (Panda plant)

The leaves are soft.

Aeonium

Big flower spikes but never flowers when in pots.

Aeonium but a darker variety.

Another set

I had an Aeonium in Victoria but the neighborhood deer ate it.

Aeonium

The green Aeonium don’t do well in the summer sun.

Bamboo

Bamboo grows really well in Victoria, BC as well. It can be very invasive depending on the type.

Sedum

Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)

The cactus are mostly originally from South Africa.

Aloe ferox

a different Aloe flowering

Crassula (square post almost vine) & Spruce Cones

Jade Plant

Cape Honeysuckle

Hawthorne

I’d never seen one of these before.

Camphor Tree

close up of bark

For the camphor trees it’s the bark that has the smell, you just need to rub the bark and smell your hand. Camphor is used in cosmetics and soaps.

Houseplant style

Agave parryi

Rounded succulent

Bird of Paradise

Two Birds of Paradise

Hot Lips Sage

Do you remember the character “Hot Lips” on the old MASH t.v. program?

Calandrinia, probably type spectabilis

Pineapple guava

Close up of hedge

The hedge out front looks like just green foliage until you look closer and see the pink and white flowers. Pineapple guava usually has edible fruit but Nick says that his are usually bitter.

Asparagus fern

I grew asparagus fern in Ottawa. There’s a very short interval when you can harvest the vegetable. I always missed it. My granddad had a rose garden and would always bring in some sprigs of asparagus fern to put in the vase with the roses.

Where I live in the Pacific Northwest rain forest most of these plants have to be grown indoors. I’ll have to try and get some of the ones I liked. Thanks to Nick for identifying the ones that I missed.