I was outside earlier in the week, and the sun was behind some clouds. In fact, it was forty degrees so I thought I would take some pictures of a couple of plants we have around the house. The only good time to take pictures is when the sun is not shining. The bright sun although lovely to live in makes big shadows in the images.
Here is some of the plants but we don’t have too many in flower right now.since they think it is still winter. (and it is)
Here is the first plant. It is a Cardboard Palm. It gets its name from the stiff cardboard-like leaves. The one pictured is quite a large example.
The plant here is a Giant White Bird of Paradise. This particular is a young plant and has not bloomed yet.
Pictured is one of my favorite succulents. If you brush it the wrong way you come away with a wound you would swear will be fatal. We are very careful around these guys. In the background, you can see a Natal Plum and an Hibiscus which will bloom all summer. Yes, we have river rock instead of grass in the yard. We are required to have zero scape in the front. We have some grass in the back yard.
The only flowering plant right now is the Birds of Paradise. They have been blooming their hearts out. In the background, you can see more Natal Plumb
These are Norfolk Pines, and we have two stands of them in the front yard
The last picture isn’t of the plants but of the Gulf that will give you an idea of the kind of day it was. Hope you enjoyed it.
Fiction Favorites 
I’m envious of your foliage and your weather.
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Thank you. We like it. The downside is when the temp hits 39 we act like it’s below zero.
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Conversely, where I live, if the temp hit 39 today we’d act like it was suddenly summer
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LOL
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Nice collection. Interesting that you’re required not to have any scape in the front. Why is that? Also I know what you mean about the sharp plant. They had stuff like that in the Home Depot I used to work in. A lot of people in the gardening department got cut when they had to squeeze by those plants.
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Our Home Owners Association rules stipulate the zero scape since we need to conserve water. We live on a desert
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That makes sense. Never really dealt with an HOA since I lived in a complex. The worst they had was no laundry on the patio/balcony and try not to be naked in front of the windows. Also no fishing, swimming, or dumping in the pond.
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Wow! Pretty restrictive.
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They are lovely…trees and shrubs and bushes!
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Thank you.
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Lovely, John!
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Thanks Billyray
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Some dark cloud coverage, but looks like an otherwise beautiful set of plants and homes. What a great place to call home!
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I don’t like to come across as jealous, but the truth is I am. Okay, a little. Thanks for sharing, John. These pictures have added sunshine and a smile to an otherwise arctic day. We can’t expect w.i.n.t.e.r. to be over till…who knows when? Last year it snowed on my daughter’s birthday: April 15th. 😦
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I had a birthday party canceled when I was a kid because of snow in Detroit. That was in May
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That’s too bad. I remember snow in June, before summer holidays. We had three kinds of weather that day. That’s was in north eastern Ontario (close to the Quebec border in Canada). 😦
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BRRR
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That was in the early 1950’s. Brr, Indeed.
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Great plants! I am one of those people who thinks lawns are overrated. But that’s because I’m an adult and I don’t like the upkeep of lawns. On the flip side, I have very fond memories of being in my bedroom in the summer, window open, freshly cut grass scenting the air as my dad exercised his push-mower over our lawn. Here in Florida, my husband turned our backyard into a jungle by planting native palms and trees and using river rock for pathways. It’s very Zen 😉
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Sounds wonderful. I used a push mower until last season on our Bermuda grass but finally bought a power reel mower. (privilege of the aged) Thanks for reminding me of the fresh grass scent
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Beautiful, John. Your walk through the garden was wonderful. I love those Natal Plums, as well. When will these gray clouds leave?
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Who knows when the clouds will go. More this weekend. 😦
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Yes, my girl’s weekend in Galveston was destroyed by fog, mist, wind and rain at the beach house. However, we still enjoyed our time.
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Always the company not the weather that makes it enjoyable
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