One of the glories of spring is that each passing day brings new revelations. While some of the new arrivals may still be around to celebrate April's Bloom Day, others may not so I'm going to go ahead and share a few (well, maybe more than a few) now.
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| Echium webbii (a dwarf) is now blooming alongside Felicia aethiopica |
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| Ajuga hybrid 'Mint Chip' has appeared with the first blooms of Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin' |
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| Aristea inqualis, planted in 2014, has finally produced its first blooms |
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| Iris douglasiana 'Santa Lucia' is in bloom along the driveway. I've had a remarkably difficult time getting Pacific Coast Iris to bloom here but this winter's rain appears to have provided the help I needed. |
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| Ageratum corymbosum has had buds for months but, the day after March Bloom Day, they finally began to open |
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| This noID Delosperma has appeared in spots all along the street-side succulent bed. I thought it made the pretty Agave 'Blue Flame' shown here look even prettier. |
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| Polygala myrtifolia 'Mariposa' produces a smattering of flowers most of the year but now it's really blooming! |
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| The 2 Cercis occidentalis (Western Redbuds) that came with the garden just burst into bloom |
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| The first Eustoma grandiflorum (Lisianthus) of the season has appeared! |
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| Higher than normal temperatures last week knocked out most of my daffodils but Narcissus 'White Lion' seems to be a sturdier sort |
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| The Prunus laurocerasus hedge is blooming on the southwest side of the garden |
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| A few noID Calendulas, presumably from seeds I scattered 2 years ago that never germinated, have bloomed, nicely complementing Bulbine frutescens 'Hallmark' |
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| This is a poor photo of a relatively new addition to the garden, Verbascum arcturus |
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| I've had California fescue (Festuca californica) in my garden for a few years but this is the first time it's flowered like this |
There are blooms on fruit trees too!
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| Blossoms on the navel orange tree (left) and peach tree (right). Both trees came with the garden but the noID peach was invisible until we removed the giant Yucca elephantipes at the bottom of the back slope a few years ago. |
And more of the
Pelargoniums are blooming.
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| Clockwise from the left: Pelargonium 'Tweedle Dee', noID, 'Golf Ball', 'White Lady', and 'Vectris Glitter' |
I even have my first rose bloom, appropriately perhaps,
'California Dreamin'.
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| I've been fighting an onslaught of aphids on all my roses and it looks as though I need to leap into the fray again |
I hope this post isn't too obnoxious. Spring does come very early in coastal Southern California. Unfortunately, summer's heat does as well so we have to celebrate when we can.
All material © 2012-2017 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Celebrate on! Those of us battling depression under wet grey skies need all the assurance they can get, assurance that indeed the sun is still up there, in the sky...and warm sunny days will appear again. Someday.
ReplyDeleteThe sun's up there, Loree! Mother Nature just needs to get her act together.
DeleteI echo Loree, your posts boost morale for those of us still waiting.
ReplyDeleteI have to ask, how much time do you spend in the garden? - it's seems so much for one person!
My time in the garden is variable, Eliza, but fall and spring are peak periods. At this time of year, I probably average about an hour most weekdays and a half a day on weekends. Last week I spent most of Saturday on pruning I should have done a month or more ago. Still, I'm spending less time out there than when my husband and I were digging out the lawn...
DeleteHi Kris, as always I am stunned by the number of different blooming plants in your garden. In this post I especially like all the blue and purple flowering plants. My favorite has to be Aristea inqualis, so delicate and so pretty!
ReplyDeleteI am happy to see a rose featured in your post! 'California Dreamin' is despite its name bred in France and you don't see it around too often anymore. I always try to learn more about roses so I am curious, is this rose healthy for you? In my garden I see quite a few aphids now as well, even though not even all of my roses are fertilized. I guess they come and feast on them no matter what. But a harsh ray of water gets rid of most of them for the next few days...
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
Warm regards,
Christina
It was a surprise to learn that 'California Dreamin' was bred in France. That rose is one of only 2 I personally introduced in this garden. It's yet to gain much height and isn't a profuse bloomer but then, during our drought, even the more established roses haven't been heavy bloomers. I keep hosing off the aphids but they're resilient little things! I annoyed a lizard when I hosed off my climbing 'Joseph's Coat' and actually felt a little guilty removing his food supply but he wasn't keeping up his end of things!
DeleteFar from obnoxious. It's a delight to see so many blooms this early in the year. I still need the camera on macro setting to see anything half as good!
ReplyDeleteOur spring is likely to be over by the time yours gets going in earnest, Jessica! Our season starts early but it can also come to an abrupt halt when the rain ends and temperatures veer into the stratosphere.
DeleteSunlight on flowers is a balm for those of us still under cold, grey skies. I love the photo of the Cercis occidentalis. I've been eagerly watching the buds on mine swell. Even though they're too young to flower, I'm just excited to see them grow. The rains have pounded my crocus blooms into submission, but other flowers are slowly opening. I noticed the first Asarum caudatum bloom a couple days ago.
ReplyDeleteYour skies may be cloudy and gray, Evan, but spring is coming!
DeleteObnoxious? Your garden is a marvelous tapestry of blooms. I enjoy your garden in all seasons! Spring is here, but it is not a very pretty one. The long fall drought was followed by a warm winter, which precipitated premature spring growth and blooms. Then a very hard mid-March freeze zapped everything. I am still cutting out dead stuff.
ReplyDeleteUgh! In terms of impact, that sounds a bit like our first-day-of-summer heatwave last year, Deb. We had a mild winter and spring and then suddenly got hit with temperatures of 106F - I lost a lot of plants. My lemon tree still isn't hasn't recovered but at least it didn't die. I hope your garden recovers more quickly!
DeleteYou are quite to share all the spring blooms as they appear. I usually post every week if not twice a week in spring when everything is bursting into life. I love seeing all your lovely flowers!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Christina! It IS difficult to contain one's enthusiasm in early spring!
DeleteSo glad you're trying out Echium webbii -- I've been tempted to give this one a go too. The questions of course are how dwarf, reseeding, etc. Happy spring, Kris.
ReplyDeleteSo far, so good with the dwarf Echium, Denise. E. webbii isn't as small as E. handiense but it's fitting its current spot well.
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