In a Vase on Monday: More lilies

The Agapanthus, commonly known as Lily of the Nile and African Lily, are nearing full bloom throughout my garden.  They're not true lilies and, according to Wikipedia, the genus consists of only six to ten species (depending upon the expert consulted). Agapanthus were once classified in the family Liliaceae but was removed in 1985 and has bounced around since then.  If I've read its history correctly, they're currently situated in the expanded Amaryillidaceae family.  

The vast majority of my Agapanthus came with the property.  They're so easy to grow here that you often see them planted in places like gas stations, where they get little to no care.  Because they're so ubiquitous, Californians often dismiss them, although the evergreen plants are attractive year-round in my climate, the flowers are pretty, and they bloom for a relatively long period.  I suspect mine could benefit from dividing and thinning but I can't even bring myself to consider getting around to that anytime soon.  I cut seven stems in varying colors as a start for today's first arrangement.

You can't ignore those beautiful blue flowers.  Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum x superbum) make perfect companions.  They also remind me of a friend who passed away 6 years ago following a bout with cancer.  She bought the daisy plants for me following the loss of my mother and I think of both of them every year when the ruffled daisies bloom.

Back view, once again using the tall vase my husband recently gave me

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left, Agapanthus in dark blue, light blue, and white; Consolida ajacis (larkspur) in dark blue and lavender; Globularia x indubia (globe daisy); and noID Leucanthemum x superbum

The true lilies also continue to roll out in my garden.  I couldn't help myself from cutting a stem of one of the new ones I planted as bulbs this year.

I pre-ordered Orienpet Lilium 'Zelmira' bulbs sometime last fall and completely forgot about them until they arrived like a surprise

Back view: I was initially at a loss for companions for the peachy-pink lily until I noticed the variegated foliage of Leucadendron 'Jester' growing in the shade.  It's softer in color than another 'Jester' I have growing in full sun.

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Leucadendron 'Jester', Cenchrus orientalis (formerly classified as Pennisetum orientale, aka oriental fountain grass), Grevillea 'Poorinda Leanne', and Lilium 'Zelmira'

Lilium 'Orange Planet' is still going strong.  The tallest stalk produced twenty buds in total.  I've cut off the spent flowers but there are still eleven open flowers and one bud on that stalk.  The smaller stalk I cut for a vase last week still had five open flowers yesterday, although I had to cut the stem down to four flowers to fit it into a more diminutive vase for the kitchen island.

The Orienpet Lilies have a long vase life!

By my count, there are five more lily varieties to show off in future vases, although I don't know if I'll manage to do that before their season comes to an end.  The bulbs don't last forever in the ground here.  Gophers have consumed some of the bulbs, including three Lilium 'Purple Prince' that disappeared following their first year of bloom.  In most cases, the critters take only one bulb at a time but I guess they really liked 'Purple Prince'.

For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, our gracious host.

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Are you ready for the summer season?

It's hard to predict exactly what summer is going to throw at us and I can rarely say I'm entirely ready for the season but I do my best to prepare in advance.  It's fairly certain that it'll be hot and very, very dry.  Part of getting ready here involves letting go of the cool season flowers in my cutting garden in favor of plants that can tolerate summer's intense heat.  My cool season annuals and bulb blooms were going strong in April but I potted up my dahlia tubers to get them started in mid-April.  By late May, I'd pulled the snapdragons and bulb blooms and planted out many of the dahlias to give their roots the opportunity to spread; however, the sweet peas had only just gotten rolling in mid-May so I left that raised planting bed alone for a time.

I sowed my sweet pea seeds in early November but I didn't see flowers until early May and it was late May by the time they all got going.  This photo was taken on June 10th.

When the heat turned up again late last week, I could see that the end of the sweet peas was near.  Aided by our persistent morning marine layer and the warmer afternoon temperatures, the vines' foliage was exhibiting the first signs of mildew and the flower stems were getting shorter.  Their vase life was also shorter.  So this week, I bit the proverbial bullet and pulled out the vines, as well as the other flowers in the same raised bed.

It's a messy, annoying process, especially when I try to save the last of the flowers to give away

I handed off 2 bottles of sweet peas to visitors on Tuesday.  I put 5 more bottles of sweet peas plus one bottle containing the last of the Nigella flowers and 2 others with Calendulas on the street for the neighbors to take.

Digging up the roots of the sweet peas and other flowers and supplementing the soil took almost 2 hours.  A few gladiolas are attempting to return and I've left them in place for the time being.

I planted 5 sprouted dahlias here late Wednesday afternoon.  They included: 'Brown Sugar', 'Catching Fire', 'Fairway Spur', 'Lady Darlene', and 'Summer's End'.  Yesterday morning, I also sowed seeds of Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Coral' and Z. e. 'Senorita'.

All the dahlias I have room for are now in place.

This bed was planted with 6 dahlias in late May, including 'Creme de Cognac' (2),  'Kelsey Annie Joy', 'La Luna', 'Miss Brandy', and 'Summer's End'.  Several Calendulas remain at each end of the bed.  I sowed Zinnia seeds here too.

This middle raised planter was the first one I planted in late-May.  It contains 5 dahlias, including: 'Blue Bell', 'Cafe au Lait', 'La Belle Epoque', 'Mikayla Miranda', and 'Molly Raven'.  The last has struggled a bit since I transplanted it but appears to be hanging on.  The Zinnia seeds I sowed here are developing well.  I've left the larkspur (Consolida ajacis) and foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea) in place for now.

Four dahlias landed in half-barrel containers, 2 of which sit in the cutting garden and one in the front garden.  The first barrel includes Dahlia 'Caproz Pizzazz'.  The second contains 2 'Labyrinth' Dahlias and the third contains Dahlia 'Excentric'.

A wide shot of the cutting garden at present

I gave six dahlia tubers to a neighbor back in April but potted up others with the plan of giving away some of those that sprouted, knowing I didn't have room for all of them.  I didn't expect all of them to sprout but was surprised when all but one did.  All of these were divisions of tubers I dug up last year.  I have five "leftover" sprouted dahlias.  I've tapped three friends who are interested in taking them and arranged a hand-off meeting next week.

Only one potted tuber (a 'Brown Sugar') has failed to sprout yet.  The "orphans" that have sprouted include 'Catching Fire' (2), 'Creme de Cognac', 'Labyrinth' (still tiny in the biggest pot), and 'Summer's End'.  

Meanwhile, my efforts to fill in the empty spots in my garden continue as the window for planting anything new is closing due to our higher temperatures.  I planted out a flat of creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum 'Elfin') between paving stones on the south end of garden last weekend; however, temperatures in the upper 80sF (30C) toasted some of what I planted.  Hopefully, what I planted in the same general area outside our "catio" will fare better in handling the heat.

I don't have a "before" shot of this area but it was formerly occupied by 5 clumps of Nassella tenuissima (Mexican feather grass), removed because they can be flammable.  Once again, I spent a large amount of time digging out masses of the bulbous roots of Asparagus fern, as well as the remains of a Wisteria that came with the house.

Clockwise from the upper left, the new contents in this area include: Aeonium 'Jack Catlin' (cuttings), Alstroemeria 'Inca Lucky' (2), Crassula mascosa 'Princess Pine' (3), Agave attenuata (cutting, already sunburned), Daucus carota 'Dara' (self-seeded), Hippeastrum 'Elvas' (transplanted), and Neoregelia 'Guinea x Pepper' (3 divisions of potted plant)

I've still got a lot I'd like to get done before it becomes hotter yet.  How about you?  Are you ready for summer?

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Foliage highlights to cleanse the plant palate

It's easy to bury oneself in flowers in May and June but that makes it a great time to cleanse one's plant palate with a foliage post.  It's been uncomfortably warm the past several days and it looks like we can expect more of the same until Friday.  While the marine layer is still present, it's been backing off early in the morning at our elevation, some 800+ feet above sea level.  We appear stuck in the mid-to-upper 80sF which makes it unpleasant to tackle major projects in the garden but it's nowhere near as bad as the 100+F temperatures facing residents of our inland valleys.  Taking photos under harsh sunlight wasn't easy, though.

Here are the foliage highlights that stood out during two rounds of my garden with a camera in hand:

I have a ridiculous number of Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope'.  These 2 (and a smaller one behind the large one) are situated on the south end of the back garden.  They pick up the yellows, oranges and coral colors elsewhere in the borders.

This Abelia 'Kaleidoscope' is in the front garden next to Grevillea 'Superb'.  It's bigger than it looks here.

Abelia grandiflora 'Radiance' has a nice amount of white in its variegation.  It glows in the front garden under Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder'.  It has a lower, neater profile than my other Abelias, which tend to sprawl.

Two 'Hopley's Variegated' Abelias sit in partial shade in my north-side garden.  They get very big if left to their own devices.  I chopped the one on the right nearly down to the ground late last year and was worried it wouldn't survive the experience but it's back!

Agave 'Joe Hoak' and Agave bracteosa mingle in the back border.  The Aeonium 'Kiwi Verde' have grown too tall here, partially hiding the squid agaves, so they need to be replaced by a lower groundcover.

A better, backlit view of the 'Joe Hoak' Agaves, backed up by a large Aloe ferox x vanbalenii

This photo shows the 3 largest squid agaves.  They pup like crazy.  I moved the ceramic fish here based on a commentator's suggestion to lean into the sea theme.

An even closer view of one Agave bracteosa.  I think the smallish red aloe behind it is Aloe cameronii.

Planted as pups of Agave desmettiana years ago, 5 now stately specimens dominate a section of the front slope

My oldest whale's tongue agave (Agave ovatifolia 'Frosty Blue') is backed up here by Leucadendron salignum 'Chief'.  The latter is about 10 feet tall and significantly wider.

Variegated Cistus 'Little Miss Sunshine' is as impressive without flowers as it was when covered with small white blooms

This foliage vignette features Coprosma repens 'Plum Hussey', Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple', and Mangave 'Mission to Mars'

Closeups of the 3 plants named above

This Ginkgo biloba 'Autumn Gold' has been in the ground for 4 years now.  Its fall foliage hasn't lived up to its cultivar name but it appears healthy, although it hasn't gained much in size.  Its branches extend nearly to the ground and I've wondered if I should cut off the lowest ones; however, online sources suggest I should leave it alone as it's slow to get established.

I have more than a dozen of these grass-like perennials, Lomandra longifolia 'Breeze'.  They're considered fire-resistant.

I have almost as many clumps of the variegated Lomandra longifolia 'Platinum Beauty'.  These 3 are in the back border near the house.

This raised terracotta pot, refurbished in January, is looking particularly good.  It contains a Crassula swaniensis 'Variegata', Cotyledon pendens, Echeveria 'Violet', and a 4th noID succulent.

There are other foliage beauties worthy of citing but many didn't photograph well under the glare of intense sunlight (and the Aeoniums have received plenty of coverage in other posts).

I've made a start in pulling out the sweet pea vines in my cutting garden despite the heat.  I hope you're enjoying more pleasant gardening weather.

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Landing on 'Orange Planet'

It's finally time to feature Lilium 'Orange Planet' in a vase.  The bloom stalks have been teasing me for well over a month now.  The first trumpet blooms opened early this month but, as each stalk held between ten and twelve buds, I didn't want to cut any of the three stalks prematurely and lose some of the nascent flowers in the process.

Photo of the 'Orange Planet' flower stalks taken on June 10th

With warmer temperatures prompting more and more buds to open I decided it was time to cut one of the smaller stalks.

Five of the blooms on the stalk I cut were open and the other 5 buds showing promise of opening soon.  I used stems of Grevillea 'Poorinda Leanne', currently covered in frilly pale apricot blooms, as a filler.  This Grevillea is a hybrid of G. juniperiana and G. victoriae.

Back view, dressed up with 3 stems of Grevillea 'Superb', which flowers year-round

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Hybrid Achillea 'Terracotta', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Calendula officianalis, Grevillea 'Poorinda Leanne', G. 'Superb', and Orientpet Lilium 'Orange Planet'

I'd planned to cut a variety of Agapanthus for a second arrangement this week but last week's lily-based arrangement was still looking good so I put that plan off and simply refreshed it.

I removed the Leucospermum 'Sunset' and Lobelia laxiflora, as well as 2 spent blooms of Lilium 'Royal Sunset' from the earlier version of the arrangement, adding one new stem of 'Royal Sunset' and 2 fresh stems of Leucospermum 'Brandi Dela Cruz'.  The rest of the original elements remained in place.

I cut another bunch of sweet peas for the kitchen island as an unexpected blast of heat this past weekend appears to be accelerating their decline.  I'd hoped to hold off another week before pulling those vines but I may end up tackling that chore this week.  All but one of the twenty-five dahlia tubers I potted up in mid-April have sprouted and thus far I've planted out just fourteen of them.  Once I clear the bed occupied by the sweet peas, I can plant another four or five of those dahlia tubers there.  I plan to give the remaining sprouted tubers away.

The mix of Lathyrus odoratus seeds I sowed in early November took an inordinately long time to grow up and flower but, after just a couple of weeks of vigorous bloom, they're now rushing to the finish line.  Sweet peas are not summer blooms in my part of Southern California.

Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to find links to arrangements composed by other IAVOM contributors using materials from their gardens.

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Bloom Day - June 2025 (Early Edition)

I'm two days ahead of the official schedule for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day but, in keeping with my personal schedule, it was a choice between two days early or three days late so I went with the former.  "June Gloom" is also still in effect, which has made photographing my garden somewhat easier and strolling through my garden with a camera is more appealing than working under damp conditions and gray skies.  So here we go!

I'll start as usual with the this month's splashiest contributors.  I must warn you this is a long post, even for me and even with the majority of my photos thrown into collages.  I'll keep my commentary to a minimum.

In the back garden:

Achillea 'Moonshine'

There are Agapanthus throughout the garden but those in the back garden are the earliest to bloom

Arctotis 'Large Marge'

Arthropodium cirratum (aka Renga lily)

Billardiera heterophylla (formerly classified as Sollya heterophylla, aka bluebell creeper)

Lantana camara, cultivars 'Irene' and 'Samantha'

Orienpet Lilium 'Orange Planet' and what may be Asiatic Lilium 'Royal Sunset'

Salvia canariensis var candidissima

There's less going on in the front garden:

From left to right, Cupheas 'Honeybells', 'Starfire Pink', and 'Vermillionaire'

Polygala myrtifolia (aka sweet pea shrub)

Roses 'Pink Meidiland' and 'Golden Celebration'

There are a few plants in flower on the back slope that deserve notice:

Bignonia capreolata, inherited with the garden

Centranthus ruber

Lonicera japonica (aka Japanese honeysuckle), regrettably also inherited with the garden along with the ivy it mingles with

There are a lot of genera I've lumped together that can be found in a variety of areas of the garden so I haven't separated these by area:

Self-seeded Daucus carota

Gaillardia grandiflora 'Arizona Sun' (aka blanket flower)

Various self-seeded Gazanias

Top row - Grevilleas 'Peaches & Cream', 'Poorinda Leane', and G. sericea
Bottom - Grevillea 'Superb'

Clockwise from the upper left, Hemerocallis 'For Pete's Sake', 'Persian Market', 'Spanish Harlem', and 'Sammy Russell'

Ruffled form of Leucanthemum x superbum (left) and L. 'Sweet Daisy Izabel' (right)

Clockwise from the upper left, slowly finishing their season, Leucospermums 'Brandi Dela Cruz', 'High Gold', 'Spider Hybrid', and 'Sunset'

Top row - Pelargoniums 'Little Pink Splash' and noID variety
Rows 2 and 3 - Cultivars of Pelargonium peltatum

I've replanted much of the cutting garden with dahlias and zinnias, not yet in bloom, but I still have some cool season flowers hanging on:

The sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) vines are rapidly developing mildew, a byproduct of the heavy marine layers followed by warm afternoon temperatures.  I expect to pull them by month's end. The mix includes 'April in Paris', 'Blue Celeste', 'Lord Nelson', Royal Wedding', and 'Mermaid's Dream'. 

Nigella papillosa 'Midnight' showed up late and has been almost entirely swamped by the sweet pea vines

Aristea major growing in a large pot

Lastly, there's a flush of blue color in the south-side garden:

Salvia clevelandii 'Winnifred Gilman'

There were a few surprises:

Cactus flowers, Echinopsis oxygona (left) and Epiphyllum 'King Midas' (right)

All of a sudden this week, flowers appeared on the pineapple guava trees (Feijoa sellowiana)

This is Hibiscus trionum (aka flower-of-an-hour), considered a weed almost everywhere.  It showed up years ago, then disappeared, only to reappear one flower at a time very recently.

As always, I've shoved the best of the rest into collages organized by color:

Blue flowers, clockwise from the upper left: Consolida ajacis (aka larkspur), Limonium perezii, Osteospermum '4D Silver', Plectranthus neochilus, Rotheca ugandense, Salvia 'Mystic Spires', and Thymus serpyllum 'Elfin'

White flowers, clockwise from the upper left: Alstroemeria 'Claire', Dietes grandiflora', Dipladenia 'Sundenia White', Fuchsia 'Windchimes White', Helichrysum retortum, Impatiens hawkeri, Lagurus ovatus (aka bunny tail grass), and Lotus hirsutus (aka hairy Canary clover)

Pink flowers, top row: noID Alstroemeria, Arbutus 'Marina', and noID Argyranthemum
Middle - Centaurea 'Silver Feather', Cistus 'Sunset', and Digitalis purpurea
Bottom - Oenothera speciosa (aka pink evening primrose), Osteospermum '4D Pink', and noID Scaevola

Orange and yellow flowers, clockwise from the upper left: Achillea 'Terracotta', Arctotis 'Red-Orange', Lobelia laxiflora', Calendula officianalis, Chrysocephala 'Desert Flame', Eriogonum nudum 'Ella Nelson's Yellow', and Petunia 'Bee's Knees'

That's it for this month's compilation of plants in flower!  For more Bloom Day posts, check in with Carol at May Dreams Garden on June 15th.

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party