Cactus and succulent blooms!

Recently I've been exhillerated with the idea of collecting some cold hardy succulents and cacti. Anything weird and beautiful always holds my attention. It's also a great idea for dividing up areas of the garden for interest. The last motivation would be the gorgeous blooms they produce at this time of year... they just look so juicy and tender, bright and happy! The "store" garden centres will be closing up very soon, so it's time to swoop in and get killer deals on some plants... The clearence period is exactly why I love "store" garden centres, (no offense to starting gardeners, but...) many high value and gorgeous plants are left behind because most shoppers are blinded by flashy blooms, names and fake sales. A veteran in training (like myself) can spot hidden value, rip-offs and uniqueness that most cannot eye. I'll have my eye on past-high value flowers like lilies, spring perennials, and soon-to-bloom fall perennials. The good news about the past flowers is that they are often started in greenhouses and very early to bloom, next season they will be on track with the other plants in same blooming period!

...anyways, back to the cacti! I wanted to show-off some of the blooms on my cacti and succulent area which is growing and growing. Stay tuned for new additions after Canada Day!

Here is my backyard Prickly Pear, expanding beautifully 

since I weeded and removed all the stonecrop.

This is my neighbor's (from down the street) Prickly Pear. Its a bit crowded with weeds right now, but, boy is it blooming! Behind it are a few Yuccas and some different ground cover surround it. I'm jealous because its way-bloomy-er than mine!

The last picture is my blooming hen & chicks that I picked up at metro for about $1.50. Its actually quite cute and whimsical! I'm slowly placing succulents and tropical looking plants around the cactus. I think I need to find something bright pink or magenta...