Flower bouquet from my backyard

We had some friends over for dinner on Saturday and I always like to have flowers in the house when people come over. I didn't have time to go to the store to buy flowers, so I ended up making a bouquet. Dahlias, Zinnias and Roses are in bloom right now. I made the flower arrangement using Coleus and a dinner plate Dahlia. How does it look?

Happy bloom day!

It's been gray and dreary in Southern California, raining on and off. We haven't seen sun in days now. These beautiful blooms cheer me up.

flowers in my apple tree 

ready to open 

humongous dinner plate Dahlia 

Zinnias 

This is how it was this morning around 7.30am

Succulents

It's been raining/drizzling for the past 3 days, very unusual in CA. Normally we do not get as much rain as we would like to. That brings us to the topic of Succulent plants. These are water retaining plants, they store water in their leaves, stems and also in roots. They do not need much water and they are a fantastic addition to any garden. Even people with black thumb can grow them easily. California is facing severe water challenges for the past few years and succulents are gaining popularity here.

Here is my succulent centerpiece on a patch of land at the side of our house. It is surrounded by heat loving Vincas. I have Jade, Hens and Chicks, and some others.

Here is another one, I do not know the name of this, but I love the lush green color.