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September 2026
Monthly Meeting
NEXT GENERAL MEETING: Hidden Agave: Tales From a Plant Explorer and Breeder, With Jeremy Spath, September 19, In-Person, Oasis, Rancho Bernardo, 1:30p -3:30p
Driven by a passion for discovering exceptional, rare, and new agave species, Jeremy Spath has spent the past 20 years exploring the natural habitats of agaves across the Americas. His journey began with a deep fascination for seeing these remarkable plants in their native environments, inspiring countless expeditions to uncover the beauty of agave habitats. His expertise extends to cultivating these plants, with a particular focus on selecting and growing exceptional clones.
6 days ago
Articles
MY LIFE WITH PLANTS: Dead Plant Diary
Words and pictures by Jim Bishop, for Let's Talk Plants! September 2026. Garden Photo From March 31, 2022 I was sorting through photos and came across this gem from March 31, 2022. Much of our garden is now over 25 years old, so I consider the area at the bottom of the hill, 100 feet lower than the house, the “new garden” since everything in it was planted after 2017. I was super impressed with how quickly everything grew, considering almost everything was planted as a one-g
12 hours ago
MY LIFE WITH PLANTS: I Geraldton Waxflowers
The first half of our Western Australia trip was from Perth south to Albany. The second half was from Perth up to Geraldton. When we visited Western Australia in 2017, we didn’t have enough time to venture north of Perth. We’d wanted to see the famous Geraldton Waxflowers, Chamelaucium uncinatum and maybe even find the […]
Jul 2
MY LIFE WITH PLANTS: I Can Dig A Rainbow
Words and pictures by Jim Bishop, for Let's Talk Plants! May 2026. With the lack of rain for the last month or so, there have been almost no rainbows, so I had to create my own. I finally found a purpose for all the broken and worn-out shovels I’ve accumulated over the years. They were all leaning against a retaining wall in my garden, which I affectionately called the Shovel Graveyard. However, it was located on a seldom-used path, so few people noticed or saw it. History of
May 1
MY LIFE WITH PLANTS: Dead Plant Diary
Words and pictures by Jim Bishop, for Let's Talk Plants! September 2026. Garden Photo From March 31, 2022. I was sorting through photos and came across this gem from March 31, 2022. Much of our garden is now over 25 years old, so I consider the area at the bottom of the hill, 100 feet lower than the house, the “new garden” since everything in it was planted after 2017. I was super impressed with how quickly everything grew, considering almost everything was planted as a one-g
May 1
MY LIFE WITH PLANTS: Things Go Boom
Words and pictures by Jim Bishop, for Let's Talk Plants! March 2026. Well, at least I think they went boom. I was asleep when all of the action took place. Following a very long, hot, and dry summer, we experienced an unusually wet fall and early winter. It seems we're experiencing a bit of a weather yo-yo pattern. 2023 was among the wettest winters on record, featuring a rainstorm that delivered more than 6 inches in just 24 hours. This is the most rain I've ever seen here
Mar 1
MY LIFE WITH PLANTS: The Chelsea Australian Garden
By Jim Bishop, for Let's Talk Plants! January 2026. Last September, Scott Borden, Kathy Asher, and I participated in a garden tour in Western Australia. You can read more in my previous blog MY LIFE WITH PLANTS: Western Australia. After the tour, Scott traveled to Sydney, while Kathy and I headed to Melbourne to explore gardens there. During the Western Australia tour, we inquired about any notable Australian gardens near Melbourne. The common recommendation was the Chelsea A
Jan 1
MY LIFE WITH PLANTS: Western Australia
By Jim Bishop, for Let's Talk Plants! November 2025. For years after a road trip that Scott and I took in Western Australia back in 2016, I'd wanted to return. I was totally blown away by the plants, scenery, animals and open spaces. You can read my posts from Australia here: https://mylifewithplants.com/category/travel/australia/ This time since the planning and driving was somewhat difficult, we decided to take a tour focused on wildflowers. We especially wanted to visit Ge
Nov 1, 2025
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