Bloom Day - February 2015

The last week was unseasonably hot and very, very dry.  With the Santa Ana winds blowing, some flowers withered and, in one case, simply blew away.

Just over a week ago, our Pyrus calleryana (ornamental pear tree) sprang into bloom.  Three days ago, when the Santa Ana winds began, the tree was still covered in flowers as shown here, but, as of today, the blooms have been stripped clean of the branches - the petals literally looked like falling snow as the winds blew.

Under these conditions, the hardiest plants show what they're made of.  The two genera making the biggest splash this Bloom Day are the Osteospermums and the Grevilleas.  Last month, the Osteospermums made the biggest impact but, in February, the Grevilleas are coming into their own.

Clockwise from the left: Osteospermum ecklonis 'Blue-eyed Beauty,' O. '3D Silver,' O. 'Spoon Pink,' O. 'Serenity Bronze,' and O. fruticosum

Clockwise from top left: Grevillea lavandulacea 'Penola' in full bloom, close up of 'Penola' flowers, G. 'Scarlet Sprite,' G. 'Peaches & Cream,' G. alpina x rosmarinifolia, and G. juniperina 'Molonglo'

The bulbs are also starting to make a show.  No daffodils have bloomed yet but other bulbs accustomed to warmer climates have.

On the left: Hemerocallis 'For Pete's Sake' is finishing up a cycle of sporadic blooms that started in late December; Top right: yellow and lavender Freesias; Bottom right: Sparaxis tricolor and Hippeastrum 'La Paz'

Pink and red blooms are the most prevalent.

This Alstroemeria (no ID) is always one of the first spring blooms in my garden

Arctotis 'Pink Sugar' is blooming its heart out in my front garden

With rain a distant memory, the Hong Kong orchid tree (Bauhinia x blakeana) is once again covered in vivid blooms

This Bilbergia nutans is looking a little sad but, after waiting 2 months for its bloom, I couldn't leave it out

The flowers of Calliandra haematocephala (aka Pink Powder Puff) don't last long but they keep on coming

Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold' blooms most of the year but it puts on a big show in spring

One of the pots of Cymbidiums I virtually ignore has produced 2 floriferous bloom spikes

The delicate pinkish-white blooms of Geranium x cantabrigiense 'Biokovo' have made an appearance

Hebe 'Wiri Blush' is back in bloom

This Jasminum polyanthum hangs over the fence from my neighbor's yard (shown here enveloping her Brugmansia)

A poor photograph of the beautiful Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl, which has been blooming for months

The pink and red blooms are fairly well balanced by those in shades of blue and purple.

Ageratum houstonianum 'Blue Horizon' is still going strong

This Alyogyne huegelii (aka blue Hibiscus) is new to my garden

Although the Anemone coronaria belonged with the bulbs, I thought it warranted a full-size photo of its own 

The Ceanothus hedges (no ID) have begun to bloom

Reliable Erysimum linifolium 'Variegatum'

The bees love Globularia x indubia even if I haven't entirely warmed up to it

Newly planted Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy' (called 'Little Grapes' elsewhere)

Trailing Lantana (no ID) has begun mingling with its neighbors

Polygala fruticosa 'Petite Butterfly' is another shrub that blooms virtually year-round here but the flowers are most prolific in the spring

Solanum xanti 'Mountain Pride' is a gorgeous California native

There are some orange, yellow and white blooms too (beyond those already featured among the Osteospermums, Grevilleas and bulbs).

Aloe deltoidonto has 3 blooms spikes

Argyrantemum frutescens 'Butterfly' is growing fast and blooming well

Bulbine frutescens is once again in full bloom after a couple of months of quiet

I think this is Cotyledon undulata but I'm not certain - whatever it is, it's in bloom in various areas of the garden

After innumerable attempts to photograph this California native, Isomeria arborea, this was the best I could do

Nandina domestica is usually grown for its foliage and berries but the flowers are pretty too

Last but not least, there are a few multi-colored blooms I wasn't sure how to categorize.

Abutilon metapotamicum is new to my garden - after months of admiring it on other gardeners' blogs, I finally found one

Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Goblin' is once again producing sporadic blooms

Gazania hybrid 'Kiss Me Frosty White Flame' continues to bloom

That's it for my Bloom Day round-up.  While the eastern US is covered in snow from one storm after another, spring is definitely making its presence known in coastal Southern California.  To see what's happening in other parts of the world, stop by and visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens, the gracious host of the monthly Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day event.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party