Bloom Day - March 2014

Everything's coming up roses this March Bloom Day in Southern California.  Well, that's actually a gross exaggeration.  I don't have many roses and only a portion of those I do have are blooming but, because they're getting an early start this year, I thought I'd let them lead this month's Bloom Day parade.

'California Dreamin'

'Joseph's Coat' climber 

'Joseph's Coat' in its glory, blooming against the stone of the chimney

'Medallion'

Now that I've dispensed with the flashiest blooms in my garden, I'll proceed to the biggest surprises.

Planted shortly after we moved in 3 years ago and transplanted once afterwards, Helleborus 'Phoebe' has finally bloomed!

A division of an unnamed Alstroemeria from the backyard I planted in the front border a year ago has bloomed

The California poppies I planted from seed in the vegetable garden last year have shown up a month early this year - so far, all the blooms are this creamy pink color

Hippeastrum 'La Paz,' transplanted in a bed along the street last year, has bloomed - I'm hoping that these will establish colonies in time

The Phalaenopsis my husband bought to commemorate our anniversary last year has rebloomed despite getting nothing more than haphazard watering during the past year

Since last month's Bloom Day, a large number of plants have joined the parade of flowers.

Acanthus mollis ('Summer Beauty' I think) has produced several bloom spikes

Aeonium arboreum

Ajuga hybrid 'Mint Chip,' a dwarf variety, grows between paving stones in the side yard

The first blooms of Aquilegia 'Spring Magic' have appeared

Calibrachoa 'Tequila Sunrise,' planted in early winter, has returned to bloom

Ceanothus (unknown variety)

Euryops 'Sonnenchein,' a dwarf variety, planted last spring

Hemerocallis ('Elizabeth Salter' I think)

The first of the Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica) to bloom

Iris douglasiana (no ID on variety)

A mix of annual Linaria

Purple Ranunculus

This "purple" Ranunculus bloomed red

I purchased a few new bloomers this month as well.

A new, small-flowered Cymbidium, picked up at the local botanic garden

Hibiscus trionum, also picked up at the local botanic garden

Dianthus barbatus 'Heart Attack'

Some of the plants featured last year at this time, like the Camellia hybrid, the Hong Kong orchid tree, and the daffodils, have already come close to finishing their spring bloom cycle this March, hurried on their way by our wicked Santa Ana winds perhaps.  However, many of the plants I featured in last month's Bloom Day post continue to march on.  Here are a few of those:

Anemone

Erysimum

Hebe 'Patty's Purple' with Geranium 'Tiny Monster' and an Osteospermum with spoon-shaped petals

A mix of blue and white Osteospermum with spoon-shaped and regular petals

Osteospermum eklonis '3D Silver' and pink Alstroemeria

Osteospermum 'Serity Purple'

Papaver nudicaule

Phlomis fruticosa

Sparaxis tricolor

Spring is already giving way to summer here in southern California as temperatures climb up toward 90F (32C).  Despite the pleasantness of the warm days, I'd gladly exchange them for a bit more rain.

That's it for my Bloom Day review.  Please visit Carol, the gracious host of the Bloom Day meme, at May Dreams Gardens for a view of what's blooming in other areas of the US and elsewhere in the world.