May Bloom Day

With most of my attention given to other concerns this month, I haven't had much time to take pictures of the garden, much less work in it.  Picture-taking has also been hindered by a few days of soaring temperatures and low humidity, which turned once plump, healthy blooms into ragged versions of themselves.  Nonetheless, I'll present the best of what I've got.

There's a lot in bloom in the backyard border.  I need to add some foliage plants to improve the color flow.

Alstroemeria (no ID on variety) and Erigeron karvinskianus (aka Santa Barbara Daisy)

Digitalis purpurea 'Foxy'

Erysimum linifolium 'Variegatum' backed by Hebe speciosa 'Varigata'

Hebe 'Patty's Purple' fronted by Geranium 'Tiny Monster'

California native Penstemon heterophyllus 'Margarita Bop' and daisies

Bearded Iris are blooming in the back border and elsewhere.  The first 2 photos below show Iris I inherited with the property.  Those in the next photos were added within the last year.

Butterscotch-colored Iris (no ID)

Lavender/purple Iris (no ID)

Iris germanica 'Hautles Voiles'

Iris germanica 'Ravenous'

Adding this unnamed Iris is a bit of a Bloom Day cheat as it shriveled in the heat prior to the middle of the month

Oenothera and Cistus are the highlights of the dry garden right now.

Oenothera speciosa (aka Pink Evening Primrose) with Phormium tenax 'Apricot Queen'

Cistus 'Sunset' and Oenothera speciosa

Genista canariensis, Phormium tenax 'Yellow Wave' and Oenothera speciosa

Hemerocallis 'Russian Rhapsody'

Since the removal of the Eucalyptus tree that once dominated the right side of the property, the side yard gets more sun.  The wind that sweeps through the area in the afternoon is also having a greater impact than it did when the area was somewhat protected by the 60 foot tree.  I've pulled out ferns, primrose and other shade-loving plants but I may have to move others, like the Acanthus mollis and the Arthropodium cirratum as well - I'll see how they do when summer arrives and our temperatures sit in the upper ranges for prolonged periods.

Acanthis mollis and Arthropodium cirratum (aka Renga Lily)

Anagallis monellii 'Blue Pimpernel'

Argyranthemum 'Elsa White'

Salvia 'Mystic Spires' and Layia platyglossa 'Tidy Tips'

Nigella damascena 'African Bride' looks better in the photo than in the garden itself

The front border is in its glory right now.

Pink Meidiland roses and Cuphea x ignea 'Starfire Pink' dominate this border along the front walkway

The border on the left side of the front walkway duplicates most of the plants in the border on the right side

This new Pelargonium was missing a label but I'm guessing it's 'Katie'

Gaura lindheimeri 'Snow Fountain' is just coming into bloom

Scabiosa hybrid 'Giant Blue'

Scabiosa caucasia 'Fama Blue'

Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy' has has bloomed off and on since last summer

Climbing 'Joseph's coat' rose

Please go to May Dreams Gardens for links to pictures of blooms in other gardens.  Thanks once again, Carol, for hosting this monthly event.