My Mom was an excellent gardener and even had a very successful small greenhouse business for several years. Her “green thumb” was known far and wide. Mom could grow anything and could revive any plant that someone may have been having trouble with.

I didn’t inherit this skill. I kill house plants regularly. I can grow hearty perennials outdoors, but they need to be independent and able to survive despite my interventions (or lack of).

There are several plants in our yard here in Texas that are completely new to me, and I’m happy to say, very independent.

I had never seen a Desert Rose before, so I was intrigued to see this one in front of our deck. It was blooming when we arrived in mid-October, then the blossoms fell and it went dormant for December and January. It’s now in full bloom again, indicating that spring is here in the RGV.

The Desert Rose is a succulent that survives with plenty of sunlight and occasional watering from late spring through late autumn, then minimal watering over the winter. Because we have a neighbor who manages the watering while we’re away for the summer, this plant (much to its benefit), doesn’t need me much at all!

Photo Note: As with most deep or bright red flowers, the details of the blossoms were quite muted in the original photo. In Snapseed, I used the details tool to adjust the structure and sharpening and then used the curves tool to add a soft contrast.

“A rose in a desert can only survive on its strength, not its beauty.”

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