Monday, April 27, 2009

The Cactus in my yard


For over a week, I have been anticipating the blossoming of one of the cacti in my front yard. I would look out every morning, to see if the buds had opened yet. I was out of town last year when it bloomed, so the excitement was really getting to me. Yesterday morning, it finally happened!!! Bang! Three tremendously huge and glorious blooms appeared. I wish there was a way I could post the scent of them, in addition to the vision. The fragrance adds to their dramatic beauty. Everyone has asked me what kind of cactus this is. I did some internet research, and I am pretty sure that this is the Trichocereus grandiflorus. It is a member of the Echinopsis family of cactus, which is sometimes also referred to as Lobivia. They are native to Argentina. The website I found that talked about cultivating these cacti said to protect them from frost, which I find amusing, since last December this cactus had about 10 inches of snow on top of it. I don't think the snow hurt it any!!!

I spent most of the morning helping my friend, Nora Lousignont, hang her art exhibition at the 29 Palms Gallery. All twenty three of the paintings in her show are brand new - created just for this exhibit. It is a vibrant collection of portraits of family and friends, desert fauna and flora. Nora's art is deeply felt and expressive, and she has become one of my muses here in the high desert. She has been working hard, and I am so proud of her accomplishment. For those of you in the area, her opening is this Sunday, May 3rd from 12 to 3 pm. Please join us!



Instead of painting, this weekend I spent most of my time working in my yard. I am slowly turning the surrounding land into a colorful desert landscape. I love the raw desert so much, but when a new house is built and the land is disturbed, the native plants have trouble re-establishing themselves. My yard is mostly full of dry weeds and sand that blasts in the wind. I am trying to include native plants in my landscaping, but since I love colors and flowers, I am also adding blooming desert plants. Bit by bit, I am surrounding myself with things that inspire me, just like the cactus that bloomed so dramatically yesterday.

3 comments:

pRiyA said...

Oh gosh! The cactus flowers are stunning! STUNNING!!
I really want to see your landscaping when you finish.
Now I'm off to see your friend's pics on the link.

bindu said...

wow - these flowers are incredible! How cheerful they must be in the desert! Some of the cacti here in Texas are also in bloom. Large yellow flowers, and some small pink ones. Really beautiful.

Unknown said...

Karine - amazing post. I just love reading about what you are up to. You live an enchanted life my friend! Your friend is so talented, her work is full of color and life. The cactus flower are almost too beautiful to be real - I was in south Texas this weekend and the cactus in Fredericksburg are all just about to burst into bloom, too. None are as beautiful as this one, tho! Thanks for sharing and hugs to you and PonoDoggy!
xxxooo