susanc & seedmoney: Thank you so much for your help! The plant I painted looks like a cross between BOTH of your finds: -- the Hakea Denticulata thick fuzzy leaves and the red+orange color of the flowers... -- the Holly-leaved Grevillea has the long colorful flowers growing from the bulb clusters but the leaves are more like holly, not as thick and fuzzy. Here is the original photo I referenced to create my painting: Here is a link that might be useful: The Original Photo (my reference to my painting)

Hey Guys, it is so good to read again from all the old timers, that I have learned so much from in the past years. I come here hardly ever anymore, missing the old timers and the old friendly forum. Our garden does not look very good as well these days. Many tropicals have hard time surviving the weather we have been having lately. Most of my time and effort is taken by homeschooling my son (we just started this school year, after a not that good experience in magnet school last year) and chess tournaments (new passion of my son :-) I do wish everybody a great New Year, especially to those who deal with hardships. I would be up for a plant swap. Just to see everybody would be great! Maybe it is the motivation that I am lacking to kick me into the gardening mode again. Veronika J"s new passions: turtles and chess :-)

Jandey, I understand the butter and shoe horn technique well, and you certainly sound like a master. Like Laura said, where there's a will there's a way, and this group has a lot of will!! Love the ET Lemon Drop, still trying to get one. Dave, that's the part of my yard I call The West Lawn. It's between themed areas of my yard. On the West Lawn near the house, there are plumerias (Bali Hai, Cerise, California Sunrise, unknown yellow), plus passionfruit, banana and plantain. On the side you're commenting on are most of the fruit trees - lemon, persimmon, guava, peach, apricot, tangerine, a couple of avocados, loquat and almond. Mango, orange, lime and apple trees are all in the Farmhouse Garden section of the yard, with a bunch of herbs and some Japanese Maples. On the north side of the West Lawn, which borders "the High Country" are pine and Norfolk Island Pine. I have a Jacaranda and an Australian Flame tree at the bottoml, side by side, as I saw a pic where these both bloom at the same time - the former with purple flowers and the latter with crimson red. The Jacaranda has been a faithful bloomer. The flame tree focused on growing this, its second year, in which it almost doubled in size. I expect nice blooming from both next year. The High Country has dogwood, redbud, laurel and a berry patch (blackberry, boysenberry, blueberry, lingonberry, huckleberry, raspberry and white currants). The side of the West Lawn bordering the Swimmin' Hole has Cuban Royal, Teddy Bear and King palm trees along a fence covered in purple and yellow Trumpet Vines. Behind the fence in the Swimming Hole are several larger plumerias between the palms - Pop's, Loretta and Jeannie Moragne. Most of the plumeria are around the Swimmin' Hole, but "Na Pali (the Cliffs)" and "The Springs" all have plumeria, too. Na Pali is a terraced hillside overlooking the pool. I'm thinking of removing a huge pine there (there are five others in the High Country), and put plumeria trees all up the terraced hill, between Kentia and Flamethrower and bamboo palms. Now that should be a site! The Spings has beautiful Brazilian Tower trees, bamboo palms, and more plumeria. And let's face it, my big Shed in the back would be much for useful as a greenhouse than a shed, so that conversion will happen next year! So I really do still have room for more plumies, especially large ones, in case anyone is clearing some space and need to get rid on some.:) This yard was practically barren (except for the tall pines and some fruit trees) when I moved here a couple of years ago. Not anymore. It's not as dramatic or as nice as it sounds, though, the plants are still not that large, there's a ton to do and I'm in the early stages of a multi-year plan, it's all a work in progress. Sorry I got carried away! I love all these trees, and I left out a lot!

I don't have walls but when I do, I plan on hanging a couple of antique coffee grinders I've got around here somewhere, and I have a small collection (6) of medieval botanical drawings (hand colored) that I'd like to work in somewhere. I don't expect to have much wall space (given that I have filled it with cabinets) so I'm waiting to have those framed until I see what I have to work with.