A week from Christmas and still working in the yard.

Mocho taking a winter nap.

Rocho doing the same.

What I believe to be a Opuntia macrocentra/polyacantha cross.

Another Opuntia macrocentra/polycantha cross.

Will know better when these flower.

Trail busting

Echinocereus baileyi, I think?

I hope not to dry this guy out in the summer, this one needs summer water here.

Looking forward to winter.

Looking forward to winter.  I don't like the anticipation of waiting for the worst.  I would rather take a fight head on then worry about it all day.  But it ain't about what I want....I guess.lol 

Snow still in the mountains none here in the valley...yet!

I'm ahead of the game this year, I did not think I would have as much hardscape done.

Made it all the way around the dirt mound with the walkway. 

And even had a chance to layout new walkways.

I'm more or less done with this gravel mound around the last pillar.

A few more rocks and some plants should do the job. 

And the new crowns on the big j-tree looking good going into winter.

They look nice and ready for the cold, I don't think I will have a repeat of last year. :o)

And this guy looks way better than it did last year going into winter.

Nice and shriveled!

We will see how the ice plants do this year?  Only last a year or two here.

And finally a Yucca torryii, looks like a spider in a cage.

As snug as a bug in a rug.

More birds

A lite snow and a couple of new plants.

A view to the south

A view to the north

And a view to the northeast.

The nights have been getting much colder and snow in the mountains.

All the leaves on my trees are all but gone.

But a few of the days when the wind is not blowing 40mph the days are still warm enough to get out and do a few things, even Mocho with his thin coat agrees.

Our first ground covering snow, not much but a sign of the times.

I went to C.S.R. nursery http://www.csr-inc.com/nursery.htm for my birthday and I bought a few things for my self. This is a very cool nursery that only sells plants that are native to Idaho and within 50 miles of the border.  I wish I would have found this nursery earlier in the season, but than maybe it is good that I did not.  It can be hard on the pocketbook. lol 

Redtwig Dogwood

Cornus sericea 

Rock Spiraea

Holodiscus discolor

Scarlet Gilia

Ipomopsis aggregata

Shadscale Saltbrush

Atriplex  confertifolia

A very good wildlife plant, good feed and perfect cover for reptiles like the famed hornytoad.  This a grey/white plant with a very desert feel.  Good for the cactus/desert garden.  

And some shots to show how well the micro climates work.

South-side, snow all but gone!

West side is good for micro climates, but snow still there.

Desert Holly

Mahonia fremontii

Grass make good to soften hard scape.

A big Jerusalem Cricket.

This guy needs to find a place for winter.



Putting the garden to bed

I more or less have everything put to bed for the long cold winter months.  All the flowers have been pulled/cut, a few bushes trimmed, and some makeshift tents have been put over a few non hardy and even some very hardy plants.  Normally I would not have covered as much, but I didn't want a repeat of last year, so I think I will do what I can until some of the yuccas get bigger and are more able to withstand the extreme chill.   



Oh my... ice on the pumpkin, and you know what they say about ice on the pumpkin.  

sclerocactus parviflorus

Coryphantha vivipara

Echinocereus tri. var mojavensis

Opuntia sp.

  Note the shrinking of the plant cells, almost all cold hardy cactus will shrivel up some for winter. 

Yucca angustissima

Very cold hardy, it did well last winter, and this was a winter that filimentosa died back.

Beautiful plant, not sure of the var. or how big it will get. 

Penstemon pinifolius

Winter colors 

More winter colors

I built these monuments/pillars for wildlife and to add some interest in the garden, they are built on a lava flow that I could not do much with.  I put them here a few years ago and have stuck out like a soar thumb ever sense.

So I have been trying to Angkor them with some rocks and planting beds.  I think this and some restaining of the mortar should give more of a natural look.    

And some that I did earlier this year, I should have taken a before pic.

And last some birds by the feeder.