I learned this saying about San Diego, after moving there in early 1989 with my freshly minted college diploma:
Spring comes in summer,
summer comes in fall,
fall comes in winter,
and winter not at all. *
Photos from 1/2014 in San Diego and La Jolla, visitng my Aunt Dora. I hope they help warm you up –
Chaparral above, and below along the arroyo (even periodic running water when everything is right), California sycamores and some coast live oaks. That scene is typically greener in January, but the evergreen of toyons, cactus, lemonade berry and shrub live oaks add much.
It’s interesting how close mean annual tempeartures are in El Paso (64.2F) and San Diego (63.2F), but how that happens is so different. (* i.e. the opening quote) Both are 32N latitude and both metro areas are bounded on the south by the Mexican border. Both are dry, with El Paso (8.6″) getting most of it’s rain in the late summer monsoon season, and San Diego (10.1″) getting most of it’s rain in the cool season.
* source: Western Regional Climate Center
It hit a pleasant but toasty 87F, as I enjoyed moving some agave pups and drip emitters to spruce up part of her front yard.
Some local coworkers while I lived there bristled when I suggested adding palm trees at various beach access points…one said I should move to Hawaii! So naturally, I like this solo Washingtonia palm with the agaves, perfect with the palapa and ocean view. Simple and fairly regional, even Agave americana is native to far-away parts of Mexico…the same nation is minutes south.
Would changing that grouping to local Yucca schidigera and Agave shawii help?
But imagine what this planting could be, if someone we know in Oregon designed it. Only 1 species of Agave? Ha! Freeway iceplant? Tsk.
