Never Give Up!

It's been another busy weekend in which I did not post.  But can I share with you now a

couple glimpses of life around here?  Here is a clematis I planted four years ago.  You don't see many of them in Souther California.  In January of this year I was giving it up for dead.....and then........It's never ever flowered before!  (Never give up!)

This guy is one of three who I have been feeding.  Why?  Have I mentioned them before?  Apparently I am not the only one, because if I DON'T feed them they will come straight up to me and crawl up my trouser!  Someone trained them to be so familiar!

If you've ever wondered if it's possible to grow artichokes in pots (as I have) now you know you can!  This is more or less a specimen plant because there's not going to be a lot of harvesting and eating from this guy.  But they are beautiful (heavy feeding) foliage.  On the left are fava beans (broad beans with also beautiful flowers.)  Again, not much eating yet but I had to try them.

I love our misty L.A. mornings that give way to sun.  

We have volunteers (i.e., I did not plant them) in the way of honeysuckle and passion flowers this year. The morning glories have always been there.   I think I'm allergic to the honeysuckle but they smell dreamy.  

I'm waiting for my santolina to bloom.

And I've had a beekeeper on my roof alot lately!  More on this soon!

Hope it's a good week for all of you!