These are the flowers on a Euphorbia plant the full name of which is Euphorbia Xanthia....(good English, huh?...) They are tiny little flowers that start out mostly white with that little bit of red at the center...then as they sit in the sun they turn slightly pink and then eventually they look almost lavender/purple...the plant looks incredibly lush when it is in full bloom...I have a picture that was taken a few years ago with my old no-think camera...and here it is....
And another...taken from a slightly different angle and it may even have been taken on a different day...I honestly don't rememer...
Behind this beautiful plant is another beautiful plant--another Euphorbia: Euphorbia Continafolia, otherwise know as "The Red Tree"...(I will show some close ups of the new Spring Leaves of this gorgeous and unusual tree, just below...) In front of both of those magnifcent plants is a Night Blooming Cereus Monstrous, which has a flower that as you can see, is still there from the night before which has closed up because it is only open for one night and it was wide open at Midnight....as I believe I've said before, these flowers are full open at midnight just as daytime flowers are at the height of their openess at noon...at least this is true for certain kinds of plants in the Cactus in Succulant world...
And cause I'm so in love with these leaves and this tree..here are some other shots of these beautiful leaves...
And just because I am deeply excessive, here is one more closer-up view of these magnificent leaves...Oh my, what a gorgeous color...they look good enough to eat!
This tree gets flowers, too, just as all these plants do. I have quite a few of these plants in my garden...all cuttings from the original Mother Plant....some are huge and some are fairly small....here is a picture of the little flowers just starting to appear here and there on another Red Tree closer to the top of my garden...
As the spring/summer goes on, I will get some closer shots of these very very small yellow flowers...a macro lens would come in handy with these very tiny flowers. There are lots of wonderful creatures down in my garden...One of my most very favorite little beings that live down there are the lizards. On any given day, in just a few minutes time walking across the garden from side to side, you can see 4 or 5 lizards, especially now that it is getting really hot...Here is one who truly looks prehistoric...
He is utterly ancient looking, isn't he? Of course you see many different lizards with various coloration, and size and age, too. I wasn't as close to this next one---he was moving pretty fast---but I know as the summertime goes on I will be taking more photographs of these wonderful interesting little people...
This guy looks a lot younger than his older cousin in the picture above him...And it may have been the 'light', but you can see much more of a pattern on this guys back....
Of course there are lots and lots of birds...I have seen more Hummingbirds in the twenty years that I have had my garden than I had ever seen throughout my life, before this garden. Just yesterday I saw four in a very short space of time....For one thing I have this wonderful Waterfall Sculpture and all the birds come and drink and wash and generally congregate around it...
This birdy is one of the sweet Morning Doves that there must be hundreds of around my garden...His mate had been their with him and had just flown off to sit on the branch of a tree...and I was able to catch him (or it might be her...) just before he/she flew off, too...I love those seed pods on the plant behind him...there is much for the birds to eat here in my garden, plus this wonderful place to bath and drink from, too!
I love this next picture...there is our Morning Dove and the city is in the background. Those low buildings are a complex of Apartment Buildings called Park La Brea, which covers quite a huge area...there are two story 'garden townhouse' type apartments and then there are a number of High-Rise Buildings called The Tower Apartments, too. The Tower Apartments have the distinction of having this X configuration so that more apartments have greater views of the surrounding areas, including of course, The Hollywood Hills...
Over the years I have known a lot of people who have lived in this gated community which is right in the middle of Los Angeles...behind it in this photograph is a really big building which is located on Wilshire Blvd. And all this can be seen from my Cactus & Succulant garden...you can see how hazy it is in the background....this was taken quite late in the afternoon so the sun is, of course, going down in the west.
Same sweet bird and a closer view of those Park La Brea Buildings...A few years ago they painted a bit of color on these buildings...I'm not sure why except I think they wanted them to look more 'au currant'...and that way maybe people would be more attracted to living there because they now look like a lot of the newer buildings in Los Angeles, yet this 160 acre complex was built in the 1940's and the Towers were finished in 1950...
And here is something interesting: George had another two flowers that have come and gone...and in this next photograph, because of the way the sun was hitting this flower, you can see these little teeny tiny green bugs crawling around on the inside of the petals....
All those little green things that look like shadows or something---they are all these bugs! I do not recall ever being aware of them before, but I'm sure they have been there in some of the other photographs....this is when I wish I had my macro lens...
And remember the Morning Doves that built the nest next to my Carriage Lamp near my front door? Well, here are the two babies....
as you can see they are still not quite mature and the parents 'hover' quite a bit and are ever watchful in the nest with them and sometimes staying nearby, guarding them...these parents are so very devoted.
More To Come.....
***Update: 4:52p.m. - Look who I saw late this morning down in my garden? One of the wonderful Lizard People, in close-up! I just had to add him here....
And yes, there will be even MORE to come....(lol)
- had this to say:
Such beautiful colors! I am not much of a gardener but I do admire others handiwork. I love the lizards. I don't know why I find them so appealing. Perhaps because they remind me of my favorite vacation spot where they are quite prevelant.Michele sent me.
- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 3:11:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
You must be up late, Lady of the Hills. I'm here early this morning from Michele's. Wonderful pictures, thanks for sharing your garden. Another think I could do with a digital would be take pictures of all the birds in my back yard, maybe I should get one.
- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 3:34:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
What a fantastic garden you have.... I'm SO envious... and I love the way you call the animals in your garden people. That's just SO sweet.
Great photo's BTW.- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 4:52:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
More gorgeous photos, Naomi. We enjoy them so much. The bird babies are sweet, and I don't even mind the lizards as we have quite a few of them around here too.
I cleaned out the pool skimmer today and found 3 frogs; a momma and 2 babies, one of which didn't make it, I am sorry to say. I sat the other two out on the concrete surround, with orders NOT to jump back into the pool! Do you think they will mind me?- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 6:26:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Hi Naomi.. as always you have really great and interesting photos. Ooooh, I was glad to see the baby doves before they took off!
I don't know how you remember the names of all the plants, if i were to tell you the worst part of my memory is "names".. of any sort!
the bugs on George's flower look like some sort of aphid. I wouldn't think they'd like cactus but one never knows!- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 6:42:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Thank you for visitng my blog....I am not religious either, but merely sold on the creators provision in this world through His existence; parallel to the exquisite beauty captured in these photos. Will visit you again, please do the same
Donna- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 7:18:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
We have many of these doves in Kuwait as well. Interesting flowers and lovely garden too.
- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 12:54:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
I love the floral pictures!! I also have morning doves that visit me everyday in my backyard...I love watching them, they are so cute! We get lots of birds due to all the foliage we have, sitting and watching has become a favorite pastime of mine.
Always a pleasure my dear!- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 1:40:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Hi OOLOTH, I hope that you are having a great weekend. Lovely post as always.
- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 2:04:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Good morning. I see your babie doves are growing up !
- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 2:10:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Michele sent me today, Naomi.
Your post freaked me out, Naomi. Nearly half the pictures you took were of subjects that I'd photographed this week also. I got a bunch of lizard pictures at my parent's house though they weren't so primordial looking. I got a few pictures of a morning dove today--I've got 4 or so living near me. Not nearly as many as you have.
I don't have any of those Red Trees here though and you must surely love them since you posted 5 pictures with them in it just in today's post.
As always, I love your pictures and the little green bugs were especially cute.- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 4:49:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Wow - all very vivid.
- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 7:16:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Your Euphorbia photos are beautiful. Lizards are fun to watch, when you can catch sight of them. I love all the photos of your garden and all the information that goes with it.
Thanks, Betty :)- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 7:41:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Hey! I love that flowering tree. We haven't planted the *tree* yet. That may be the one. It's beautiful!
- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 7:44:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
I'm joining the land of the living again after a nasty flu. How delightful to come back to this post. I especially enjoyed the Ed Wood monster lizards. The Almighty does have such a sense of humor as well as beauty! I appreciate you appreciating that fact!
love,
lucyd- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 7:59:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
I just got your comment on my blog about what kind of Hoodia I've been taking
http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/detail?prodid=316923&previousURI=/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/search?ActiveCat=499^Query=hoodia
This is the url (sorry I didn't make it a link but you should still be able to cut/paste it. i just looked at it tonight!) It works pretty good!- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 8:49:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
what a beautiful enviornment you have around you. i love that you share it with me.
if you want to play along with our game how about the letter T...- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 9:53:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Lovely pictures.
I love the flowers and cacti. I can see the beuty in the lizards but do struggle with them, however a certain son would chase lizards all day if he could. (so would a Hubby actually!! lol) When we holiday-ed in Spain that is all they did.
Have a good day- Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 10:27:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
What a delightful post, as always! Do I need to repeat myself and tell you I love your pics? Definetely! I'll tell you again, I love your close-up's and love your lizard! I haven't been able to photograph one of those, although I see them around here all the time, but they are fast! Have a great day! went to a special little concert last night, I posted a pic ...
- Monday, June 5, 2006 at 1:15:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Hi Naomi,
I've been busy with art shows and not in blogland that much. GORGEOUS new look to your blog. Kudos to the designers!
I have several favorite subjects to paint, particularly nature (floral, old trees, birds, skyscapes) and pets. I also adore photography but only have time to past a shot or two on my site. (The most recent posts are two nature photos, but nothing as sweeping in colour and breadth as all of these photos here!). I particularly like the bird photos silhouetted.
I had to speed read your post. I also design jewelry and commmissions are waiting for me to finish. I'll be back this month in and out to read more. Take care!- Monday, June 5, 2006 at 4:36:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Oh, and I name the birds and animals that regularly visit our yard, but I'm not revealing (yet) what we named the pair of morning doves that visit our deck lol. If I remember to do a post on that, I'll credit you back!
Your gardens are so lush and glorious, I could spend all year painting and photographing there! You have special talent w/ your gardens.- Monday, June 5, 2006 at 4:39:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
These are breathtakingly beautiful.
No other words can describe them.- Monday, June 5, 2006 at 5:01:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Hi Naomi,
Thank you for visiting and especially thank you for your words. I am very glad you like my posts. I love yours as well... you have an eye to catch simple things and then show the extraordinaire about them. Love that!- Monday, June 5, 2006 at 9:48:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Hi Naomi,
Stopping by to see how things are going in your neck of the woods. 1 word describes mine: HOT!!
Enjoyed reading this post, but there aren't any pictures showing up. I know Blogger was having problems earlier, but don't know about now. Hopefully they will show up later & I'll check back.- Monday, June 5, 2006 at 2:13:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Hi again Naomi,
Just wanted to let you know that the pictures are showing up now. The morning dove is so beautiful; I love birds.
Anyways, I'm trying to lay down, but "someone" (who shall remain un-named) has decided she wants to wake up!
I wanted to let you know about the pics...beautiful.- Monday, June 5, 2006 at 4:47:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
I always love your photos. A bit behind on my reading, so I'm going to catch up. Michele sent me over this evening.
- Monday, June 5, 2006 at 5:54:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
As always-great pictures. I don't know how you got that lizard to stay still long enough to get such a great picture-I am impressed. Have a great day!
here from Michele- Monday, June 5, 2006 at 6:10:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
I saw that you stopped by my blog and to answer your question, yes, water moccasins are very poisonous.
It is best to stick with lizards :)- Monday, June 5, 2006 at 6:36:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Beautiful pictures as always, Naomi! Your garden looks a paradise! Flowers, lizards, birds!
The most amazing is that near this luxuriant nature, you see the big city! What a wonderful view!- Monday, June 5, 2006 at 7:16:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Truly wonderful pictures Naomi!! Those sweet birds and I adore lizards too. We have some here but they look different. Yours are more prehistoric looking than ours!!
Thank you for another great post. I truly enjoy coming here to visit (as so many others do too)!!!- Monday, June 5, 2006 at 7:40:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Those leaves do look yummy!
I caught a blue-bellied lizard in my yard recently.
I kept him for a day, then let him go.
He was so happy when I let him go! He ran away SO fast!!!- Monday, June 5, 2006 at 10:46:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Euphorbia- I didn't know that's what that was- thanks! I love the pics you share. I miss the lizards- I don't see them here in the I.E. as much as I did a bit more west in L.A. county. Guess I have to look harder! Thanks for the reminder of beauty all around.
- Tuesday, June 6, 2006 at 8:04:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
I had a hard time getting into the comments of the "T" post. Tennessee Williams, birthplace was Columbus, Mississippi. Nyssa and I lived there for fifteen years.
Love these flowers too.- Wednesday, June 7, 2006 at 6:42:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
I had a hard time getting into the comments of the "T" post. Tennessee Williams, birthplace was Columbus, Mississippi. Nyssa and I lived there for fifteen years.
Love these flowers too.- Wednesday, June 7, 2006 at 6:43:00 AM PDT
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