Happy April, Garden Lovers

I am tired of reading my friends' complaints.

There is snow where there should be crocus blossoms.

The bunnies are hopping through drifts, seeking sustenance.

We have no such problems here in the desert Southwest.

This volunteer desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata) is nestled comfortable beside these rocks.

The bunnies sniff but don't seem to be that interested.

The ground squirrels are clambering up the barrel cacti, pulling out the tuna and sucking the juices.

They often leave their trash behind; do you see the empty tuna on the top of his brothers?

This golden barrel cactus provided protection for the bluebells. 

Old friends are returning, too.

These clusters were planted the first year we arrived.

For the next five summers, I watched and waited and nothing happened.

Suddenly, this year, these appeared.

I'll post pictures if they turn out to be more than these green leaves.

The prickly pear cacti (Opuntia) are getting ready to bud.

The soft-in-appearance-but-dangerous-to-the-touch new paddles are green and attractive.

This year I managed to remember the existence of those pesky glochids; 

I kept my un-gloved. hands away from them. 

Proving that the right plant in the right place works every time,

this aloe's stalks are three feet high.

The goo inside the leaves soothes my pricked hands after a day in the dirt in the desert.

I can use it with impunity; more just keeps coming.

This year I put gladiolus bulbs right into the dirt.

To my amazement, they've begun to send up signs that flowers might be on their way.

The damianita to the right are in full bloom.

They are unattractive without all those yellow flowers, but they're so pretty right now that I forget how much they annoy me for eight months of the year.

This is Euphorbia Antisyphillitica and yes, they did use its sap to treat syphillis.

Those delicate pink flowers don't last very long, but they make me smile every time I see them.

This is the last full rose bloom left on the plant.

One full cycle has already bloomed and blown.

Never fear.

There's another bud right below it. 

I grow veggies, too.

This year, the cherry tomato plant never got further than a flower pot.

Still, it seems that the fruits are on their way. 

This is how the pots look without a tomato growing in their midst.

I'll have to replant them when the heat sets in, but, for now, these double petunias are simply gorgeous

(if I do say so myself).

There are special tools used for trenching, and I hired Rillito Nursery to use them and to connect a drip system to the containers around the house.

 I'm using a bit of my inheritance to pay for it, and I've felt G'ma's approving smile as I watch the workers ply their trade.

Everything was going along swimmingly until Dave pointed out the new home for migrating bees in my yard. 

He thinks they are resting before moving on.

If they are still there by Friday, he suggests I call someone.

Until then, I'm going to enjoy the spring.