Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
AIZOACEAE, The Iceplant family
Delicious succulent leaves found at the Saturday Farmer’s Market - grown by Viridian Farms. They are crunchy, lemony, tart!

Originally uploaded by mulysa_may

RHAMNACEAE, The Buckthorn family
Rhamnus alternatus ‘Variegata’
USDA zone 7b
A nice drought-tolerant combination: This large evergreen shrub with cream-blooming potentilla and Miscanthus ‘Morning Light’. A subtle, silvery affair. Add Ozothamnus ‘Silver Jubilee’ or Artemisia ‘Silver Mound’ to brighten it, and some big bold Euphorbias, like E. wulfenii to anchor.
This buckthorn is not at […]

BUXACEAE, The Box family
Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’
Mini-hedge in progress.
Here is my favorite plant combination today: Blue elderberry, Overdam feather reed grass and box. It’s a day trip down back roads in the Gorge meets touring in a European rental car in early autumn. It’s spacious, sunny, dusty, relaxed. The collection could appear overexposed but the […]

Originally uploaded by mulysa_may

Seven Planet, a new ‘Eco-General Store’ in Old town is having a grand opening party this Saturday from 4 to 10 pm.
Come see my painting ‘Mindful Observation’ printed and mounted on Plywerk, as well as other artists’ works, all on the theme of mindfulness.
What do Forking bone, Devil’s matchstick, Blood-splattered […]

Lycopersicon esculentum
SOLANACEAE, The Potato family

Originally uploaded by mulysa_may

Yum! They are finally ripe. How do you know when a green tomato is ready to pick? With this variety, wait until the background color is gold and they give slightly when gently squeezed. These are the best in salad, and make a beautiful caprese when alternated with […]

Lithocarpus densiflorus
Tan Oak
FAGACEAE, The Oak family
A really swell co-worker hunted down two (two!) varieties of tan oak for my garden. They are little babies - about 10″ tall each. But they’ll grow. One is a tree form, the other is shrubby. I believe in planting oaks. I’m happy.

‘Weeping form’
AGAVACEAE, The Agave family
Another lovely little find from the field trip yesterday. It does not look hardy - it looks totally Southern California. But it’s durable to USDA zone 6. The spiky blue-green leaves grow to 3 or 4 feet, and the flower stalk can shoot up another few feet, to dangle pinky-orange flowers. […]

AGAVACEAE, The Agave family
Have wanted to find (an affordable) one of these for a couple years: Hardy, spiky, blue, perfect for my parking strip garden. Perfect day plant-geeking with a friend.

SCROPHULARIACEAE, The Figwort/Snapdragon family
There was a low cloud hovering around Mt. Tabor this morning, and a damp chill in the air. But the afternoon weather turned, as it does this time of year. There is a dark-leaved Phygelius I have my eye on. The blossoms are a deep coral. Could it abide by the English […]

Originally uploaded by mulysa_may

Free workshop
Presented by Mulysa Melco

This Saturday, 9/5, 1 - 2 pm
Dennis’s Seven Dees Eastside
Planters are not just for pansies.
Succulent pots, miniscapes, green walls / living pictures.
Learn to make your own!