I love Watters!

A visit to Watters is no ordinary affair -- it is an event, to be savored. This afternoon, my neighbor asked if I wished to go to the nursery; I was happy to hop in her pickup. Ever the optimist, I had more pansies in mind. Specifically, the little purple and apricot combos sometimes called Jokers, which have never appeared at the cheaper stores, say, WalMart or Home Depot.

We were greeted by the harvest display, and a scattering of plants near the front of the nursery.

On the way to the hot house where the annuals are safely tucked away, there was this one concession to Halloween (above). A special shipment from OC? Orange County? The sow with piglets (below) was just one of many yard ornaments (which included two dragons).

Entering the hothouse, huge mounds of mums awaited us. Makes you wonder just what sort of magic touch or talent is required to persuade a chrysanthemum plant to totally cover itself with flowers. All at once. Unfortunately, these mum pots were pricey.

So I made do with a couple of macro shots of the blossoms. Catch the center of the flower below; it sure reminds you that these are, after all, just daisies on steroids.

At last, the pansy department, complete to a lone itinerant butterfly (below). This year, I plan to place the plants strategically so that they are not such easy dessert for the javelina. BTW, I was told that the Enchantment Resort up near Sedona has a pansy budget of several thousand dollars per year just so guests can enjoy the little porkers coming and going, munching out on the flowers in the meantime. Which, of course, must be replaced. Would you believe that pansies are on the list of plants that the collared peccary does not eat, as a rule? Yep. Would you believe that Watters has a magic potion to discourage the critters? At $30 per pop. Yikes!

Meanwhile, back in the indoor store, Watters annual Christmas tree extravaganza is under construction. A few trees are already inside, with some lights, but the work is just started. If you've never seen their holiday displays, be sure to do it this year. Well worth your time!

Never had realized what a whopper of a cottonwood tree was growing out back at Watters. A less welcome sight: across Iron Springs Road stakes have appeared at the top of the hillside suggesting that another new house is very likely one of these days. I guess the days are numbered for that empty rocky terrain visible from the area with the big beautiful garden pots and other artifacts.

Two other Iron Springs sights on the way home. #1, I spotted a cabin up among the scrub on the north side of the road. It looked to be an old-timer, too -- funny, I've never seen it before. #2 is the "mountain" of fill dirt left over from the big road widening project. We wondered what it's fate will be. It's been sitting there long enough to show signs of erosion from the summer rains.