Old Town San Juan Capistrano, CA 08-22-13

The area around Ramos House (where I had lunch on Tuesday) is the historic, original town of San Juan Capistrano.  Ramos House backs up on the railroad tracks (I like watching the passenger trains come through). Along the road are many little old houses, some still occupied by families; and there are restaurants and gift shops and antique shops and a history museum of the area.  Slightly further west are a large nursery and a "petty zoo" which has an odd assortment of animals.  The summer heat keeps me from exploring this time of year - these pictures were taken in November 2007. 


This free standing Angel's Trumpet was really loaded down with blossoms.  There are many Trumpet vines and bushes in the area, some are many years old.  The red-violet flowers in the foreground are ice plant - one of many colors available.
 

There are half a dozen emus in the petting zoo.
 

 
They always seem to be giving me the evil eye.  Don't get too close, they have a vicious peck that will make you bleed!
 

This is the back of one of the larger houses which is kept in excellent repair.  I think it belongs to the people who own the nursery, which starts in the foreground of this picture.   Of course I love it, it is grey with white trim!
 

The common name for Tacomaria capensis is Cape Honeysuckle, although it is not related to that plant, but belongs in the family Bignoniaceae.  But the plant vines like honeysuckle and the flowers are trumpet shaped.  They are not fragrant. The plant is native to southern Africa, however it is a popular landscape plant in SCalifornia.

There are different shades, but this is the most common. 
 

This is the bud (buds?) for Plumbago capensis - also called Cape Leadwort or auriculata.
It can be a vine or trimmed as a shrub.  It is another of the old-fashioned plants found in the older parts of SCalifornia.      
 

As the flowers open they form blue "powder puff" shaped clumps.  The red-violet hairs on each flower stem are sticky and will cling to clothes, hair and even skin.
 

Properly watered and pruned the plumbago makes large blue mounds on hillsides and in backyards.