wicked green

Dasylirion wheeleri aka Desert Spoon This is technically a shrub but it definitely has a grassy feel to it though the thin leaves are on the stiff side. It has a great silhouette and a nice, soft green color.  It’s larger size makes i it a great focal plant. Best Feature:  round shape, thin green [...]

Nassella tenuissima aka Mexican Feather Grass (sometimes sold as Stipa) I am a big fan of grasses. They have so much movement and this one has a really soft look and texture. It’s a nice contrast to stiffer plants, like this image, or succulents, like this image in an older post. Best Feature:  soft texture, [...]

Some may think this is a no-brainer but it is a simple way to save energy. A clothes line would have the same outcome and may give you more hanging area if you have the right space for it. We currently don’t have ample space so we use a rack similar to the pictured one. [...]

Aeonium arboreum ‘Atropurpureum’ aka Purple Aeonium The green center of these mostly purple plants create interest and contrast when it’s not in bloom and the bright yellow flowers add even more when in bloom. Best Feature:  shiny purple leaves with green center, bright yellow flowers, evergreen, low maintenance, relatively low water From :  Canary Islands [...]

It’s the guide to green businesses. The companies listed go through a screening process to determine “its commitment to social and environmental responsibility, and significant action in terms of this commitment” (from page 7 of 201o National green pages). Businesses are listed by location, by name and also by type of business. Pretty handy. And [...]

Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Fire Sticks’  aka Euphorbia Fire Sticks, Sticks on Fire, Fire Sticks Pencil Cactus I think this is a sort of love it or hate it type of plant. It is a succulent and so distinct in it’s color and silhouette. This plant adds an interesting element to a garden area. And it is [...]

Uncommon Goods is a company based in New York and they sell all kinds of fun items- great gift ideas. And their user friendly website makes it easy to narrow down your gift ideas. These cheese boards and  coasters are made of recycled chalkboards from Illinois and are made in Wisconsin. Very creative way to [...]

Hesperaloe parviflora aka Red Yucca The gray/green foliage and the tall red/coral (though there are some with yellow) flowers are a really nice contrast. Best Feature:  tall, arching thin stalks of flowers in late summer to early fall, low maintenance, low water From :  Texas and Mexico Preferable Places : Sunset Zones 2b, 3, 7-16, [...]

You might call me a dusting expert. Our parrot can cover a 5 foot radius with white dander and feathers in under an hour, it’s pretty amazing since he’s not very big. I became a sort of step-mom to him when I married my husband (which he was not happy about, the bird I mean). [...]

It poured here today which is not common. It made me wish I had a rain barrel but we unfortunately do not even have gutters. That’s pretty common here due to the lack of rain. If we did, all of the water from the gutter downspouts could be collected in large containers and reused. You [...]