After a week on the East Coast Kongo checked out what was going on in his front gardens.  August is a slow month for plants at the monkey ranch.  The Agapanthus are long gone, the Iris’ have shrunk, the succulents are fat and happy, and the Birds of Paradise are saving up for another round in the fall.  These were all that’s left under the watchful eye of one of Kongo’s garden angels.

Kongo’s gardener Ernesto (his full name is Ernesto Dinero … Kongo told him he should have gone into real estate) takes good care of the flowers although sometimes he gets rather aggressive in cutting things back.  When something gets past its prime it gets whacked off and relegated to the recycle bins.   I think the hydrangeas may only have another week before Ernesto moves them along.

In San Diego you can pretty much grow things year round.  In the spring, Kongo’s citrus salad tree in back (it has five different types of oranges and limes grafted on) gives off a wonderful aroma from its blossoms.  The monkey loves the Bird of Paradise flowers and cuts them for a large vase whenever he can get three or four of them together.

The algae is staining the walls of the koi pond so Kongo has to go scrub that down pretty soon so he can take some pictures without gentle fans wondering what all that green-black stuff on the tile is.  The koi are getting fat this time of year.  Ernesto doesn’t do koi ponds.

Travel safe.  Have fun.