April Bloom Day

Spring is well underway in Southern California.  There's a lot in bloom.  While the spring bulbs have mostly finished up, many of the other plants I showed last month are still in bloom.  I'll try not to repeat myself too much.

In the front yard, the roses have just started to bloom.

I have no ID on this rose but I'd love to get more

This 'Joseph's Coat' climber was attacked by aphids last month but is now recovering

6 'Pink Meidiland' shrub roses growing in my front beds are all coming into bloom

Other new bloomers in the front garden include 2 Pelargoniums and an annual Schizanthus:

Pelargonium x hortorum 'Tweedle Dee' (I think)

Pelargonium 'Georgia Peach'

Schizanthus pinnatus

In the side yard, all 12 of the Phlomis fruticosa are now in full bloom.

Phlomis fruticosa blooming in a shade bed

I added annual Nemophilia menziesii to what was once a shade bed, which is in full sun since removal of our 60 foot Eucalyptus tree.  The area is buffeted by daily winds and, as a result, these plants lean to one side.

Nemophila menziesii (Baby Blue Eyes), photographed from its good side

The same Baby Blue Eyes photographed from their bad side

I recently added yet another Osteospermum, one of my go-to groundcover plants, to the side yard to complement my Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt' (not shown here).

Osteospermum hybrid 'Sunny Amanda' 

A fuchsia is already blooming in a pot on the small patio on the side of the house.

Fuchsia 'Deep Purple" in pot

The border in the back yard has been undergoing a face lift since fall began as I try to figure out what plants do well here.  Over the past several months, I've added plants, moved others and pulled out still others.  A few are on probation.

This Alstroemeria, shown in last month's post, is a keeper

This Alstroemeria, positioned 10-12 feet from the other one, is also a keeper

This daylily, a dormant variety (no ID) positioned right next to the Alstroemeria shown above, is already showing its first blooms, presenting a troublesome color clash

Aquilegia hybrid 'Spring Magic,' put in last year, came back with a bang this spring

I put this Arenaria montana (sandwort) in as an edging plant last year from a 6-pack but pulled most of it when it failed to perform.  It looks great this year and I want more!

I just added this Cosmos 'Double Click."  I've admired photos of it in catalogs and, when I found it by chance, had to try it out.

This 'Ebb Tide' rose is new.  The color nicely echoes the Cuphea shown below, which is planted in front of it.

Cuphea aff. Aequipetala with Nemesia that returned from last year

Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata', added last year as a foliage accent, is blooming for the first time

Erysimum linifolium 'Variegatum' is a workhorse that looks good in and out of bloom

One of my new favorite Osteospermums, 'Zion Copper Amethyst' sits in the "warm" color section of my long back border

Ixia, planted last fall, are the only spring bulbs just coming into bloom.  I like how it complements the Abelia 'Kaleidoscopes' planted nearby

The "dry garden" on the other side of the house also has a lot of blooming plants, although some of these could be construed as weeds.

Centranthus ruber and Zantedeschia both spread like weeds

Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink" behaves itself but Geranium incanum does not

More Geranium incanum, paired here with Thymus 'Pink Chintz'

My favorite Euphorbia, 'Dean's Hybrid,' is "flowering"

Genista canariensis

Bearded Iris inherited from a prior owner

Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl," which began blooming in January, is still in bloom!

Oenothera speciosa 'Siskiyou' (aka Pink Evening Primrose) spreads like a weed, albeit a pretty one

The California poppies, planted last year from seed, are in full bloom in my vegetable garden.

Eschscholzia californica

I even have an orchid blooming in my home office.

Orchid, an anniversary gift from my husband in February, is still going strong

Today is Garden Blogger's Bloom Day.  You can view more blooms at Carol's May Dream Gardens site.