Tuesday, May 10, 2011

A rare sight in Portland

Oh sure…I see the pictures on your blogs! You Californians take clumps of blooming aloes for granted. Been there, done that, yawn. Well in these parts it is a rare sight indeed. Enough to stop me in my tracks, (yes even if they are only about to bloom, rather than actually blooming). Never mind that it was at the nursery. No that made it even better because they could all be mine! Eight “about to bloom” Aloe striatula, if only I had a hundred bucks burning a hole in my pocket. Instead I rushed home and looked to see if my Aloe striatula clump was following suit. No such luck. However the next day I noticed my next door neighbors had bought one. Yay! I’ll get to enjoy the bloom in their yard, that works.


  1. Cute. I'm always thrilled when my next door neighbor plants something I don't dare to try. I can enjoy the success and not lament the failure. Thanks for the giggle.

    PS: We are 2 days away from hopping a plane to Portland! Anything exciting happening there this weekend??

  2. you are so funny! beauty is relative, though! and you enjoy so much lushness up your way! i was just up in seattle area and couldn't believe the blooming cherry and magnolia trees! so it goes both ways!

  3. So you're stalking your next door neighbor's garden acquisitions, huh? Actually, I say, "YAY!: It's nice to think the danger garden is rubbing off on them!

  4. Blooming Aloes are still unusual for me because I grew up on the east coast. I wanted to use some A. striata for a garden I am designing and the homeowner told me she didn't want them because they are "parking lot plants". =(

  5. Kate, well I can practically guarantee that there will be some rain this weekend!

    Laguna, yes you are right. We do have the lush thing going on around here...and I can grow things like aloes and agaves in containers so I'm not really complaining (much).

    MulchMaid, "stocking" is such a loaded word! Really all I did was look out the window and there it was. I suppose walking up their driveway to take a picture may be considered crossing the line by some. Luckily I've got cool neighbors!

    Kaveh, "parking lot plants"!!!! Funny, or rather sad. Like a friend I have who hates Fatsia japonica and calls it the "apartment plant" it's a perfectly wonderful plant if you don't have the negative associations.

  6. Nice find. I have to admit, even here in SF, I still wan to try growing stuff that isn't meant to grow well here too. It's the never ending chase. Matti

