Harriett's roses in January!

For someone who says she is not a gardener, she sure grows an awesome rose bush!

This was taken early January shortly after we arrived in AZ for this year!

Update on "Gus"!

We've had a bit cooler temperatures recently so Gus hasn't done much speedy growing lately!  I took a walk on Jan. 27th so here's the latest!  (I even had to bring plants inside at night for four nights to avoid frost damage!)

Tiny fairies are enjoying their new homes!

In November I visited Gerten's in Inver Grove Heights, MN,  to check out any new fairy garden accessories!   I was delighted to find some really tiny accessories perfect for terrariums or tiny Fairy Gardens!  So, I could hardly wait to play with them once I got to AZ! 

First I visited a nearby thrift shop looking for unique containers to use and then shopped the garden centers for plants.  Then I had fun!   It didn't take me long to spot these two flower pots just 3 1/2 inches tall (for 50 cents each) to decide my two tiny Fairies dressed in blue would be perfect together!

Fairy Gardening is a growing trend even in AZ

Monday my friend, Harriett, and I led a class on creating Fairy Gardens at one of the halls in the adult mobile home community where we are snowbirds!  We did a class two years ago and this one was by request from snowbirds attending the previous one!   15 snowbirds attended so it was fun!  This year we featured how to make some charming tiny ones that are easy to do and can be parked inside as well as on deck furniture outdoors! 

I'll follow up with pictures of some of the creative mini gardens we featured! 

Meet "Gus's" friend!

While on a morning walk, I discovered another variety of Agave that is getting ready to bloom!

This one is not quite as tall as Gus!  But, it is closer to blooming so we'll watch the progress on this one also.

Taken Jan. 13th

Time to shop plants!

Yep, time to indulge in the AZ garden centers full of blooming plants and awesome succulents! 

My two gardening friends and I headed out for a day of plants and lunch!  We did good at both!  And, we had fun "catching up" with each other after 9 months apart!  Great way to spend an overcast day!   Not every day in AZ is "fun in the sun", sometimes you have to make fun on the not so sunny days!  This works great!

We filled the car!

Update on "Gus"!

I checked on "Gus" right away when I got here.  He is growing yet, must be about 20 feet tall!

He is beginning to send out branches for the blossoms!

Taken Jan. 3rd!

More roses.....

caught my eye as we drove past the Community College Rose Garden here in Mesa! 

Usually they are all pruned back by now and here were large bushes bursting with blooms!  So, I just had to stop for a few pictures to share with you.  Many bushes were topping out at my eye level in height!

I found a young man busy pruning them back and stopped to chat a bit!  He explained they did not get their usual late December which usually pushes them into their annual dormancy.  So they have just kept growing.  Thus, they are now pruning them to force them into a dormancy status.  He told me to pick whatever roses I'd like right now because they will be cut off soon.  (which signs all over say no picking)  Darn, I didn't have a thing to cut them with, so I just enjoyed taking home some pictures to share! 

January Roses.... such a treat!

First walk around in the park where we are staying in AZ.....  Roses are blooming!  Such a contrast from December weather in MN! 

Denny's AZ gardening!

Actually, he is this anxious gardener when we get to AZ!  In fact, this year he headed to the Home Depot the day we arrived, searching for an Amarylis!  He loves them and it is risky getting one to bloom at home before we head south!  So, he goes searching for bargain priced leftovers once we get to AZ.   This year he splurged and purchased four bulbs and promptly planted them.  A bit chilly here early January so they get a nice sunny spot on the window ledge in the kitchen, which provides ideal light! 

Two red ones in the center, one Apple Blossom (white & pink) and a Red with white!