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Confessions from a ‘Plant Nerd’

az plant lady family
Ivy pruned into a topiary surrounded by pansies
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I have a major confession to make….

I am a total ‘plant nerd’.

When I mentioned that to my husband, he said “I already knew that” with a smile on his face.

I came upon this revelation when we visited Disneyland last week. 

I had my camera ready to take pictures of the kids enjoying themselves.  But, I found myself stopping to take photos of the beautiful plants, particularly the container planting.

In the end, I had three times more photos of plants then of my kids….

But in my defense, it is easier to take photos of stationary plants then kids on moving rides (the pictures came out all blurry).

I do have some great container photos (and other plants) to share with you and some of the kids having fun….

container planting

Ivy pruned into a topiary surrounded by pansies.

container planting

I just love this color contrast, don’t you?

container planting

Creative use of different grasses and flowering plants.

Disneyland

Gracie and Kai having fun in ‘ToonTown’

container planting

If I had a pretty staircase like this one, I would put container plants along it too!

Icelandic Poppies and Alyssum

Icelandic Poppies and Alyssum

Camellias

Camellias (they don’t do that well in the desert, but they are  pretty just the same).

container planting

A three-tiered Azalea

fisherman's net

Gracie and Kai got ‘caught’ up in a fisherman’s net along California Adventure’s Fisherman’s Wharf

herb-planted containers

I love this planting shelf with herb-planted containers.

You don't have to plant flowers for a pretty container.

You don’t have to plant flowers for a pretty container.

cool-season annuals

Primulas are one of my favorite cool-season annuals.

Italian Cypress

Italian Cypress pruned into a spiral.

The kids ran into a storm trooper as well as Darth Vader & Darth Maul.

The kids ran into a storm trooper as well as Darth Vader & Darth Maul.

container planting

container planting , Strawberry Pot planted with succulents.

I love how the ivy trails down the sides of the container.

I love how the ivy trails down the sides of the container.

When we were walking into Disneyland, Gracie told us that the only character she wanted to meet was Mickey Mouse.

Disneyland
Disneyland
Disneyland

To her delight, she saw him three different times 🙂

Guess Where I’ve Been?

Noelle Johnson, aka, 'AZ Plant Lady' is a author, horticulturist, and landscape consultant who helps people learn how to create, grow, and maintain beautiful desert gardens that thrive in a hot, dry climate. She does this through her consulting services, her online class Desert Gardening 101, and her monthly membership club, Through the Garden Gate. As she likes to tell desert-dwellers, "Gardening in the desert isn't hard, but it is different."
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https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/754.jpg 640 488 arizonaplantlady@gmail.com https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AZ-Plant-Lady-Logo-small.jpg arizonaplantlady@gmail.com2012-02-08 00:10:002021-02-10 04:36:40Confessions from a ‘Plant Nerd’
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5 replies
  1. Laura
    Laura says:
    February 8, 2012 at 1:00 am

    How fun!

  2. Andrea
    Andrea says:
    February 8, 2012 at 2:10 am

    Hi Noelle, if i see those plants and flowers, i will also be attracted more to them than the rides. At least you got some of the kids too. I just noticed, it's good you adopted two Chinese kids, so each of them feel they are real brothers and sisters. It might be more noticeable if you have only one.

  3. Jane
    Jane says:
    February 8, 2012 at 2:12 pm

    Oh where to begin…?
    Those Icelandic poppies are just beautiful and that herb garden shelf has inspired me to create my own this summer…so thanks for that! xx

  4. Garage
    Garage says:
    February 8, 2012 at 4:44 pm

    Great post Noelle! You are indeed a certified Plant Nerd. There are more pictures of plants than your kids which I can relate. LOL!

  5. Nancy in Sun Lakes AZ
    Nancy in Sun Lakes AZ says:
    February 10, 2012 at 8:03 pm

    Beautiful photos Noelle! I love the mix of plants and kids. Gracie looks so happy in the first picture with Mickey! What fun!

Comments are closed.

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Noelle Johnson, aka, 'AZ Plant Lady' is a author, horticulturist, and landscape consultant who helps people learn how to create, grow, and maintain beautiful desert gardens that thrive in a hot, dry climate. She does this through her consulting services, her online class Desert Gardening 101, and her monthly membership club, Through the Garden Gate. As she likes to tell desert-dwellers, "Gardening in the desert isn't hard, but it is different."

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