Check out my neighbor’s beautiful blue rose of an agave, which I planted for her several years ago. Yes, you guessed it: it’s a whale’s tongue agave (A. ovatifolia), and it’s quickly grown into a truly stunning specimen.

Surrounded by minty-leaved autumn sage (Salvia greggii), it has so far escaped fall antlering by our local bucks. I suspect the deer-repelling salvia foliage deters them.

Speaking of whale’s tongue agaves, here’s a last look at Moby’s bloom stalk, which managed a spiteful Khan moment when I picked it up for this photo (From hell’s heart I stab at thee! – a Moby-Dick quote, of course), sinking a half-inch terminal spike from a dead leaf into the flesh between my thumb and forefinger. I dropped the heavy stalk with a yell — narrowly missing my husband, bless his heart — and shook my hand in pain. The spike had broken off in there, and I could see only a dark dot on my skin, but it felt like a burning hammer had pounded it. Trying again, I picked up the stalk with my DH’s help and gamely posed for this pic — that spike is at least 15 feet tall — before going inside and digging the agave thorn out of my hand.

As if being stabbed weren’t enough, agave thorn spikes can seriously irritate the skin. Sure enough, my hand swelled and burned for another 24 hours before I bit the bullet and dug back into the wound with a needle and found another tiny piece of thorn lodged there. I got it out, to nearly instant relief. All better now, and time to grow another Moby! The spike, by the way, is cut up and ready for composting by the city.

Here’s a much gentler blue, for those not inclined to spiky plant love — a pretty, striped morning glory I spotted at Red Barn Garden Center.

Oh, but back to spiky goodness! Here’s my trio of soap aloes (Aloe maculata) grudgingly sharing space with fall-upstart oxblood lily (Rhodophiala bifida).

I adore this combo, although the aloes make it very difficult to dig and divide the bulbs later on — and so I rarely do.

One of my mulleins is blooming out front. Just one though. They were all supposed to bloom together, or so I planned when I planted them last spring.

Here’s another surprise, but a good one. A raffle prize I won at the Minneapolis Fling arrived in the mail: a colorful and handy set of Tubtrugs! They sent a big one with a lid, a medium-sized one, a strainer tub, and a scoop! I know I’ll get a lot of use out of these. Thanks, Tubtrugs!

And I have to share a couple of garden-y birthday gifts from my sisters, which my fellow spiky-plant lovers will appreciate: a tray printed with an adorable Charley Harper illustration of ocotillo, barrel cactus, cholla, yucca, and armadillo…

…and a matching tea towel. Aren’t they wonderful?

One last look at my neighbor’s spiky beauty, and that’s all for today. Tune in tomorrow for a look at RH Modern’s new rooftop patio garden at the Domain.

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Digging Deeper: News and Upcoming Events

Austinites and native-plant shoppers, I’ll be at the member’s day Fall Plant Sale at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center on Friday, October 14. I’ll be signing books from 1 to 3 pm in the Wild Ideas gift shop. Even if you’re not a member, of course you can still come on out and see the gardens and stop in at Wild Ideas. I hope to see you there!

South Texans, come see me at the 2nd annual Planta Nativa festival in McAllen, Texas, on Saturday, October 22. I’ll be delivering the keynote talk, “Local Heroes: Designing with Native Plants for Water-Saving Gardens,” that evening. Tickets are on sale at Quinta Mazatlan. I hope to see you there!

Do you review? Have you read my new book, The Water-Saving Garden? If you found it helpful or inspirational, please consider leaving a review — even just a sentence or two — on Amazon, Goodreads, or other sites. Online reviews are crucial in getting a book noticed. I really appreciate your help!

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