the view from here

Here's looking out from our back deck-- and then continuing through that arch on the left. The most beautiful of seasons-- a recent 3-day heat wave burst many new things into bloom.

irises begin

The first two to bloom!

a beautiful day in the park...

On Saturday we took a hike (along with Tony's mom, Alice) out in Sunol Regional Park, a place Tony & I both remember fondly from our youths. It was a spectacular day-- with the oaks very newly leafed out, and more wildflowers than I can remember --more different varieties than we've perhaps seen at one time.

Totally recommend it, if you can possibly get out in the next weeks. (We like the Little Yosemite trail.)

spring, sprang, sprung!

Oh, but it's beautiful out there.

Perhaps the new season will bring more garden blog posts!

1) just an ornamental cabbage gone to flower
2) ceanothus, aka 'California lilac'
3) magnolia ('Susan'), Sycamores behind
4) the Other Lilac
5) "Snow in Summer" with scabiosa

taking succulents to a new level

I've grown increasingly interested in succulents over recent years, so I was excited to see photos of this project appear in both my Sunset & Garden Design mags this month. (You *must* click to enlarge it.)

Really, how great is this?
I have to go visit this place, Flora Grubb Gardens,
I keep hearing of, in SF...

photo via http://floragrubb.com/florasblog/
taken by Caitlin Atkinson, with Flora.