Thanks, jkom! My husband has really worked hard on this bougainvillea, so that it arches over our gate. It's doing this on it's own. There is no structural support, so we hope we can continue to allow it to arch like this. It is so pretty. Our really tall friends need to duck a wee bit, but it's worth it I think :-) It is probably 'San Diego Red' or 'Barbara Karst'. It is a deep magenta pink/red. Here are some pics of our other very large bougainvillea in the back of the side yard, that cascades down to the lower yard level (you can see the Cantua buxifolia and Phlomis behind the fountain, as well as some pale yellow nasturtiums). It is most likely 'James Walker' as it is a combination of pink and orange, sort of hard to tell in my photos: And I noticed on the way down to the lower yard, my lovely Scabiosa 'Fama Deep Blue' is now in bloom: My 'Sweet Crisp' blueberries are going to really perform this year, too. I'm anxious to try this new to me variety. These are as big as marbles right now: And here's a peek at the Walk & Pick orchard walk. I had noticed all the owl poop on the walk the other day, below the gate arbor. Well, met that owl face to face last night, as he swooped down the walk right in front of me. I about had a heart attack. He was completely silent, and pretty sure it was our Great Horned Owl, since he wasn't white (that I remember, I was sort of screaming at the time): Golden Dorsett apple set: Apples and some stone fruit (apricots, apriums): The other side of the walk with pluots, plumcots, necaplums, necatrines, apricots, peaches (yup, that's Morning Glory on the fence. It is ONLY there because my husband is in love with the blue flowers, which cover the fence in a couple of months. Plus, there is passaflora on the fence, too, so I'm at both with a machete all year to keep it out of the fruit trees. At least I have a yard full of pollinators from it): And a shot from the bottom, standing in front of the greenhouse looking upward to the arbor gate: And lastly, my welcome sign in Scottish Gaelic. Translation: Hundred Thousand Welcomes (and a sad shot of the abandoned Valencia orange orchard): Thanks for letting me share my little piece of heaven in N. San Diego county. I am always in awe of everyone else's garden, so you kind words really mean a lot to me :-) Patty S.

cannot speak to heat tolerant conifers sad to say but i thought i would speak up for the surprising adaptability of Mexican conifers (Mexican oaks as well) to seemingly very different climates and localities. i have had gratifying success growing a number of species (likely mostly from areas with a summer rainfall maximum) here in the summer cool and dry (winter very wet) pacific north west (oregon coast)---including pinus montizumae, p. patula, p. pseudostrobus, p. estevezii,, cupressus montana, c. guadalupensis, and podocarpus matudae---.wonderful trees that once established seem to do well with little or no additional care.

Dav- I hear your plea. I have the same issue. We purchased a home a couple years ago. Backyard had existing pool and hardscape, surrounded by many plants and fruit trees. We had most prior landscaping removed and I had a "tropical" design done and installed. I was on a fairly tight budget (I didn't know it was "tight" at the time) so they used lots of queens, agapanthus, hibiscus, bird of paradise, etc. Essentially all the "tropical" stuff you can get at Home Depot. I began adding/replacing some elements with other plants I bought. The overall look improved as my skills increased. One of the biggest reasons for my success in "getting it" was this book: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1561582328/qid=1122653709/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-7357636-6356020?v=glance&s=books It has lots of pictures, but more importantly, he talks about colors, texture and canopy, the three things that change a garden with some tropical plants into a tropical area. Very subtle, but once you read it, you'll get it. One final caveat that has come up in talking to friends that are doing their yards. I've found I'm in the middle of the road in gardening. I don't hate it, and I do love when an area's plants finally achieve the look that I want. But, if my garden/yard were done, you would not find me whiling away my time gardening. So, I'm sort of an interested amateur. Now, this matters because as you move up the chain into more and more tropical looking stuff, the more work it takes to maintain them. You have to understand that in So. Cal, you can't just plant the jungle and forget it. It takes nearly constant care of some sort. The stuff you have now takes little/no ongoing care other than proper watering and very occasional fertilizing. Hope this helps. aiki

Lots of bromeliads in bloom at the moment; Aechmea gamosepala and A. g. 'Adolph's White', A. kertesziae, A. cylindrata, A. fasciata, A. 'Pioneer', A. 'Covata',A. caudata, A. distichantha, A. recurvata v. benrathii, A. r. 'Orange', Billbergia nutans, B. x windii, B. 'Bill', Portea petropoliteana v. extensa is still in berry, Deppea splendens, Fuchsia boliviana, Tibouchina heteromalla, T. urvilleana, T. organensis, Nerine bowdenii, Impatiens soddenii, I. 'Central Coast Rose', Mandevilla splendens, Aloe buhrii, A. arborescens, A. thraskii, A. striata, A. spinossissima, Anigozanthus flavidus 'Harmony', Bougainvillea, Magnolia stellata, M. denudata, M. soulangeana, Veltheimia bracteata, Echeveria imbricata and E. pulv-oliver, Senecio mandraliscae, Cotyledon orbiculata and C. macrantha, Erythrina x bidwillii, Tecoma x smithii, Tecomaria capensis, Pittosporum undulatum, Protea 'Pink Ice', Leucospermum cordifolium and Leucodendron 'Safari Sunset', Crowea exalata, Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender' and P. comosus, P. zuluensis, Calandrinia grandiflora, Cestrum aurantiacum, Heliconia scheideana and H. latispatha, Gordonia axillaris, Justicia carnea and J. aurea, Kalanchoe tubiflora, Edgeworthia chrysantha, Greyia sutherlandii, Grevillea 'Superb' and G. 'Robyn Gordon', Phaedranthus buccinatorius, Distictis 'Rivers', Thunbergia grandiflora and T. alata, Hardenbergia violacea, Brugmansia 'Charles Grimaldi', Ruella macrantha, Cymbidium orchids, Camellia sasanqua, Eucalyptus ficifolia, Cyclamen, Senecio tamoides, Delostoma rosea, are some of the things that are still going strong in the garden. The first heavy fall/winter rains have already finished off the Tree Dahlias and Tree Daisies/Montanoa grandiflora. The first of the native blooming Ribes sanguineum, Ceanothus, Arctostaphylos, Calif. Poppies, are also starting to bloom here locally.