Spring

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New Plants in Old Containers

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[16 May, 2026]

Every year, I buy flowering, if not colorful, annuals that I plant in several old containers in my Japanese-inspired rear courtyard. This year was no different, except that I bought a bunch of perennials instead. I guess I got tired of pulling out old plants and replacing them with new ones every year. In addition to saving money, it also gives me back a lot of time that I can spend on another “favorite” task every spring — pulling weeds and errant grass amongst the permanent ground cover in the courtyard.

Additionally, I also re-built a 4-year old succulent pot that’s been adorning my indoor dining table. Easy-maintenance and quite resilient, these succulents should be good for another 4-5 years, I reckon.

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Courtyard Landscaping

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Spring is underway, and so are landscaping activities in the central courtyard. The citrus plants (Meyer Lemon and Calamondin) are outside and re-containered, and the 4-yr old juniper bonsai is out of its winter hibernation and now comfortably in its new ceramic pot. I also put together a new succulent centerpiece for the outside dining table. Continuing: a season-long battle with weeds!

Overall, everything’s looking good, so here’s to a great growing season!

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3 Days Before the Start of Spring

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Winter’s last gasp ..... hopefully.