That Festive Pair

Holiday classics: red + green

Red and green: is there a more classic holiday color combo? It’s the color of holly leaves and berries; poinsettia plants and blooms; evergreen wreathes and ribbon garlands. It’s also the color of succulents, cacti and other plants found at the Rancho right now. In the picture above, a large crimson echeveria with a “let’s party!” flower stalk makes the standard seasonal color statement when in the company of the more sedate agave attenuatas behind it. Looks great, right? Well, I say we expand red and green a bit and include some other shades, Rancho style …

Rust spirals, magenta reaches and salmon flips out

Rust, salmon and magenta are also red-based and as you see above, are just as, if not more, interestingly festive for the holidays! Aloe ferox’s flower stalk (top left) spirals ever taller with each passing day; I’m hoping by the new year it will be in full bloom and at least 3-feet tall. But, check out the octopus-like cactus (lower left) and the bell-shaped bloom at right: I mean, who needs holly?!

Red and green, the shape story

Since we’re adding new color variations to the red/green canon, let’s also include some new forms and shapes … (From top left, clockwise) Fire sticks sizzle in hot pink; ferocactus‘ crimson spines glow with stand-offish energy; a euphorbia with ox-blood colored headgear shows its stuff; a low-growing bougainvillea dresses up in scarlet ruffles. That’s what I call dressing up for the holidays …

New inductees: orange and burgundy

But, let’s keep going: who’s to say orange should be left out? More firesticks (left) strain for get their moment in the winter sun by brandishing shades of coral and and lime; bougainvillea (top right), in apricot this time, gets frilly for the party; aeonium brings the drama in shades of apple green and burgundy. I had been feeling a bit declassé because the Rancho was not pulsing with strings of lights* in the evenings, like most of our neighbors during the holiday season, but now I feel better. Our holiday display’s a daytime deal, and, at least color-wise, just as classic!

*I just don’t see the logic in putting them up, then taking ’em down again — and, NO, I can’t leave them up all year!