I got nuthin but maybe 1/16 of an inch, not really measurable. Neighbor said we had hail for 1 minute. I planted some wholly thyme on the slope hopefully I won't have to water it.

I got 0.28" of rain today -- our first rainfall since April, 2020. So I'm celebrating!!!

I’m always so impressed that you people tenaciously keep on gardening. I’d have given up long ago in that climate.

Floral it's a huge state with many microclimates. Where I am is pretty classic Mediterranean and easy to grow almost anything. I had a guy visiting from Kew a few years ago and he passed a group of Protea in full bloom and goggled and asked 'what's that?' (he is from Northern Europe and his specialty is trees). When I responded and told him that it was native to South Africa, he pointed to the tree next to it and exclaimed 'But that's a European beech!' Some call it California Cottage Style. The only things that I can't grow are those that are either fully tropical or need rich, well-irrigated, acid soil. Otherwise, the climate is pretty forgiving.

Southern California can be more challenging because there is so much less rainfall, but there are standout botanical gardens there, demonstrating that growing beautiful plants is not only possible, but not difficult. The Huntington, LA Arboretum, Santa Barbara Botanical, San Diego Bot, Lotusland...the list goes on!

Did I say 0.28" of rain? Mother Nature still had other plans for us, it turns out...

Wow!! Now that's not something one sees often in Vegas :)

And California is really quite a beneficial climate in which to grow a wide range of plants. There is a good reason it is a major agricultural state, growing a third of the country's vegetable produce and 2/3's of its fruits and nuts. Not to mention the plethora of wholesale plant growers for the landscape trade and a large presence for houseplants and the cut flower trade as well.

Not much that can't be grown in CA :-) You just have to pick the right plants for the right locations.

Yesterday the local news reported hail in Pasadena while we had sun.

Forecasts of high winds and thunderstorms from 10 PM on may have been true for some parts of the greater Los Angeles area, but did not happen here.

I realise that, Sara. I was referring to the posters who'd been in prolonged drought. I personally couldn’t cope with having to irrigate month after month. I admire their commitment. I visited a few years ago and it was very, very dry, Yosemite was brown. Griffith Park was like a desert. I visited Luther Burbank’s garden in Santa Rosa which was interesting.

I don’t think much of someone from Kew who doesn't know a Protea when they see one😉

I had similar thoughts. But some people are very focused, sometimes even devoting all of their attention to one or two subject areas - to the extent that even passing mention of a related topic results in immediate disinterest and inattention.

Even though it is actually a related topic.

floral, did you visit the Burbank home in downtown Santa Rosa, or the experimental gardens in Sebastopol? I'm in walking distance of the S.R. location.

We're supposed to be having a "river" of storms here in No. CA. We did have 1.75" last night with some crazy winds, but we are WAY behind in rain!

Nancy Jane I love his SR home. Nice spot to visit. Yeah we sure are way behind, but it sure has pounded. Coming down in buckets right now.

The Burbank home.

re drought, we had trouble navigating to Warner Bros. studios in LA because we were walking from the bus stop expecting to see a river. In the end an employee on their way to work helped us out. We’d been quite near the LA river. We just didn’t recognise it as such. No water to be seen.

Floral: I bet you didn't expect the 'river' to be concrete either.