I have a new passion...you see this missile-like looking thing in the picture above? Well that's my new passion! And here below is a closer look at that passion with the sunset "happening" in the background...Oh my, you can't beat that....
And as you can probably tell from the above photo this is not a missile, at all. What is it? Well, it is the beginning of the flowering of an Agave plant that is in my garden down below....and it really has quite a long way to go before all is said and done....
The very beautiful Agave is a rich deep dark green....and it is a most elegant plant---and quite large, too....
The picture above was taken before there was any evidence that a flower was about to begin it's very long journey and ultimately, the death of the whole plant. But this whole evolution will take a good year...maybe longer....if all goes as it usually does with these Agave flowerings.... And below is a close-up of this very beautiful plant....
You can see the arms a bit closer and the special shape of this particular Agave...It is probably eight feet across and about six feet or more high....Here is another view of the beginning of the flower as seen on Sunday....
This picture above is just about in the middle of what has grown so far....it will get really really big....maybe 20 to 25 feet high....but before we get too far ahead of ourselves....here is a closer look at the top of this stalk....
Just how beautiful is this....? I tell you nature is just fantastic! The numerous colors in this stalk---the shapes that come from the very act of it's growing....beautiful....!
And one more view of this stalk from above, looking down from my deck, which is where I was when I suddenly saw that something quite special was in the works....It is of course sad to me that this plant will die and that the signal for this impending death is the stalk beginning to grow right in the center....But, what a glorious journey this demise is going to be....as you will see.....
And, just for good luck, here's a bit of a closer look at this stalk from my deck up above....
There definitely will be....
More To Come....
- had this to say:
What a glorius swan song this flower will be! As ever, your photos are wonderful and the close ups do indeed pick out all the wonderful hues to this stalk. What colour will the bloom be I wonder? I imagine it to be either a fiery red or orange or the purest white.
- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 3:15:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Nice. I really like all the subtle coloring in picture #7.
- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 5:26:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
so neat that you get to garden all year long! i bring a lot of my plants in for the winter here, and believe it or not, still have some of my petunias in bloom outside. but we've had mild winter weather until just a couple of days ago. i have an amaryllis that my mom gave me for my b-day that's about to bloom, just in time for the holidays! isn't it fun tending to and watching things grow?!
- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 6:13:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
I clearly can see your passion for this exiting plant - both in the picture and in the writing. Thanks for telling me something I didn't know. We don't have such "exotic" plants in Norway.
- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 7:00:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
I am totally amazed at your garden!
I love all those gorgeous plants.
Thanks for sharing.
Kendra- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 7:17:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Love all photos, but the first and the second photo are fantastic, Naomi! Really, this beautiful Agave looks like a missile! And the sunset from your deck is just gorgeous!
I love so much desert's plants and your garden is breathtaking!
Have a good day!- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 7:23:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Love all photos, but the first and the second photo are fantastic, Naomi! Really, this beautiful Agave looks like a missile! And the sunset from your deck is just gorgeous! I love so much desert's plants and your garden is breathtaking!
Have a good day!- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 7:25:00 AM PST
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had this to say:
Another extraordinary plant. The colors are awesome and that sunset....really beautiful. You certainly are surrounded by nature there and the best part is....you know how to enjoy it and share it with us.
- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 8:38:00 AM PST
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had this to say:
Fabulous, reminds me of a Yukka that we have in our front garden that puts up a stalk like yours once a year and then blooms into some amazing white flowers which are quite short lived. One is then left with the hardened and dead stalk which of course has to be removed ready for next year!
- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 9:21:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
wow! that's stunning. but also very sad :( but stunning :) life is after all bitter sweet. we'll end thinking of the sweet.
- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 9:26:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Your garden is beautiful! What wonderful colors--and your photography is very nice.
- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 9:53:00 AM PST
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had this to say:
How exciting! None of our agaves have blossomed yet, so I'm going to really enjoy watching yours! :D
- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 10:53:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Oh HOW COOL is THIS? A plant that lives it's whole entire life with the goal of producing ONE flower? EVER? And then... poof. I hope this flower lasts a good LONG time! And I can't WAIT to see more of the progress this makes! This is truly an exciting plant!!! Now I know who I'm jealous of.... LOL! I want some of these wonderful things you have! And they would all die here for sure! BEFORE they got to the flowering part! Thanks AGAIN for sharing!
- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 12:18:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Beautiful and sad at the same time.. you didn't mention how old the plant lives before it starts to produce this flower??
I love the close up of the step near the top.. the muting of colors is beautiful to say the least!- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 2:09:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
These pictures make me homesick they really do sigh.
Hey just a quick note to say I FINALLY updated my blog ( two posts even whoo go me) and I am still around and alive and now trying to catch up on reading blogs which could take awhile I think.
Have a fantastic day. Do I get a gold star now for finally pulling out my head LOL- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 2:30:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Dearest, Darling, Beautiful Naomi,
As par usual you post is stuffed with goodies. You are most loved and appreciated!- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 3:32:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Those first two pictures certainly makes it look like a missile!! Yes, nature is fantastic and quite amazing!! Great pictures Naomi and informative too. I never knew that about this plant. Very interesting!!
- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 3:50:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Here from Michele this time.
Say it isn't so... how hard to know the beautiful plant will die after flowering.
The shadow reminded me of that stinky plant at Brooklyn Botanical Garden that rarely blooms but grows this large cigar shaped bud just prior to blooming.- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 4:02:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Wow! That is sooooo cool!
- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 4:41:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
I don't know if this is a typical californian plant, but I have only seen them there. They are really beautiful !
- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 7:41:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
The colors in the top of that agave are glorious. I hate to see it die, but what a way to go!
- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 9:04:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
If you want to see more about beautiful landscapes in Turkey go to my travel blog, there is a whole description with pictures.
http://painting-cats-travelling.blogspot.com/
This was my very first blog which I had to split afterwards.- Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 10:25:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Oh, this is beautiful! Again! I am watching a tiny plant promising flowers soon, no idea what color so I have my camera ready for a post!
- Friday, December 8, 2006 at 2:37:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
If you are still up, I updated my post today and would love to hear where were you when Lennon was shot, 26 years ago...
- Friday, December 8, 2006 at 3:18:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Naomi, I wonder if I could grow it here in Oregon, I will have to look it up and see. You can grow so many plants there that we can't here, unless we have a hothouse of course. I have my 12 by 12 greenhouse but I do not have heat in it just a cooling fan.I would one day love to have a heated greenhouse, but thats another story.
I love that you have taken to telling your stories with pictures as well as words! And your doing a great job. I always find if there are picture words and Words, I am more apt to stop at a blog and actually read what it says, ha, ha!- Friday, December 8, 2006 at 4:50:00 AM PST
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had this to say:
Hallo Naomi. It's been quite an eternity since my last visit. That is a nice passion. I like the look of the plant. It looks a little like bamboo and it's leaves resembles like an aloe vera.
Anyway, hope you have a nice weekend!- Friday, December 8, 2006 at 9:54:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Hello again. Michele sent me back to visit you :-)
I had another look at your photos of this incredible plant and nature is really incredible isn't it?
That flower is like a firework reaching for the sky before it explodes. Except in very very slow motion! lol.- Friday, December 8, 2006 at 10:24:00 AM PST
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had this to say:
I noticed you posted this at 2 AM. Just curious, was it a sleepless night or did you just return from a party? Were you out with Paris and Brittany?
Loved your photos and I know you will enjoy watching this plant's blossom unfurl and the plant grow in a most splendid manner.
I am here this time, by way of Michele- Friday, December 8, 2006 at 12:03:00 PM PST
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had this to say:
Fascinating, beautiful, warm and sunny. I dragged my winter coat out of the basement just this morning! So, thanks for putting a little LA in my day.
Wonderful plants in your world.- Friday, December 8, 2006 at 12:24:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Very interesting plant. In your photos, it goes from looking like a giant missile to looking like a giant asparagus.
Here from Michele's.- Friday, December 8, 2006 at 12:29:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Wow. What an unusual plant.
Is this the same agave that the sweetener "agave nectar" comes from? We've been using it recently (from Whole Foods, of course) and really like it.
Great photos!
~S- Friday, December 8, 2006 at 6:27:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Yes, they are spectacular aren't they? One of our church members has one flowering in her garden and invited us round to see it (and the rest of the garden is very beautiful too).
Here from Michele's today- Friday, December 8, 2006 at 6:41:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Naomi,
We do have a kitty sitter staying in our home with them when we're away. They're very affectionate cats, so they tend to make the person feel appreciated. lol
Did you see my photos from Palm Springs? I was kinda wondering if you'd ever been to Ballentine's Original Hotel.
~S :)- Friday, December 8, 2006 at 8:18:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
I could look at your pictures all day, Naomi. You have such a gift, and we are blessed that you've chosen to share it so generously.
What I wouldn't give to be able to shoot pictures with some of my favorite folks from the blogosphere. You top the list.- Sunday, December 10, 2006 at 5:19:00 PM PST
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