August 5, 2020

Birth in the Garden

August is not my favorite month, even though it’s when I was born. Often, I think of my dear mom in her final days of pregnancy in a sweltering Dallas apartment without air conditioning. I figure that if she made it through that, I can handle anything!

This year, I get to experience birth of another kind. My ‘Bloodspot’ Mangave, a hybrid between Agave macroacantha and a Manfreda shot up a bloom stalk a few weeks ago, now topped out at 40”.


I keep it in a pot on my patio, since my soil isn’t the best for succulents, especially in cold weather drenches. Plus, it’s cute. Since I’m on the patio every night, it’s easy to adore those slightly silvery, burgundy spotted leaves.

This is her second birth, actually. In 2018, she produced 14 bulbils which I potted up.

Some have gone to friends, and others will go to new homes eventually.

I’m not a fan of hot, sultry weather, but passion vine’s passionate about it. Lots of birthing is going on as Gulf Fritillary butterflies lay their tiny eggs on its wide leaves after deep sips of nectar from its flowers.

I will venture into drenching humidity to get a laugh out of energetic bees and their hilarious acrobatics on pollen-rich stamens to take home to the hive.

Well, I’ve done a few flip flops myself when back in pre-pandemic days at work when someone announced, “Breakfast tacos in the break room!”

Hope you’re finding wonder in the dog days! Linda

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