Brad's Tropical Paradise

The Tropical Paradise looks pretty sad after the two big freezes this winter, but the daffodils are returning, which adds a cheerful note. These are King Alfreds, purchased at a 99-cent store here in Glendale a couple of years ago. All they need to keep coming back is a little fertilizer and a little water. We just got a nice gentle rain last night, which is not only good for the plants, it's good for the grout that I just put in between the flagstone on Friday and Saturday. The three cycads that you see there are dioon edule, variety palma sola. They do great in both heat and cold. I don't know why they are not planted more often here in the desert! In the corner is a mediterrean fan palm, which does very well here in the Phoenix, Arizona area. If you want to see some big, beautiful specimens, drive around Sun City!

Even though it's the third week of February, it has been very cold and rainy here in the Sonoran Desert, which is unusual. There is still a lot of damage around from the two severe frosts that we had this past winter, but the promise of spring is in the air today. Here Macintosh, the good little wiener dog, soaks up some sun nearby some blooming daffodils (narcissus) of the King Alfred variety. These were purchased two seasons ago at my local 99-cent store and will continue to multiply and come back as long as they get a little ferilizer, water, and some sunshine. The cycads at the right of the picture are dioon edule, variety palma sola. In the foreground are Cannas, which I had cut to the ground after the frost three weeks ago. They will also return and multiply every season.

Here is yours truly relaxing in The Tropical Paradise. Regular readers will remember that I had a natal plum (boxwood beauty) in the space directly behind me. The frost this winter killed 99.99% percent of it so I cut it all back. Natal plum are very slow growers, so it would take another decade, at least, for it to grow back up to cover up the tree stump. So I moved some rocks up there (my back is still complaining!) and even put a little gecko sculpture on it. I will plant something in that space that will be able to take full sun, not sure yet. Note the reddish-brown on the Phoenix roebellini and the Phoenix rupicola (where Macintosh is walking). They will be OK as the fronds in the center are still green and strong, but will need to be trimmed back. The dioon edule cycads fared well in the frost, especially my favorites, the palma sola variety! No damage at all. The best part of this yard is the artificial turf! It's been down for six years and still looks great. And no m