Hey Jo, whattaya know?

"Hey Jo, whattaya know?" has been shouted at me many, many times over the years. And the expected answer is "My flowers won't grow!".

It's been the truth. I have a bit of a thumb of death. Most herbs and more delicate plants I have attempted to nurture have died a horrible wilting death in the Southern California sun.

Recently, however I was given a pair of wonderfully comfortable patio chairs (Thanks Boss!), and guess what? I have a patio to put them on! Which got me to thinking of native plants that  can survive the heat and don't need a lot of TLC.

Enter my new obsession: succulents.

I love these guys! They are green and brightly colored. They come in all kinds of crazy graphically interesting shapes. And it's even recommended that I avoid watering some of them. (YES!)

This gives me time to have a lovely little garden and focus my remaining gardening time on my three herb plants. This brings me to the topic of aphids. These little jerk-faces are feeding on the new growth of my mint plants! After trying to wash them away with a home remedy, I have resorted to buying a hoard of carnivorous lady bugs to feast upon their flesh.