Bloom Day - November 2017

Caught up in fall planting exercises and a backlog of projects after October's scorching heat, I almost lost track of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.  Did we fast-forward to mid-November, or have I just been in denial about how quickly the year-end holidays are approaching?  In any case, although I took some photos early this week in preparation for Bloom Day, it nonetheless caught me somewhat unprepared this month.  Ideally, I'd have canvased my garden more closely and taken better photos but I'm making do with what I had in my camera.

Although early November's cooler temperatures and the return of the early morning marine layer have refreshed the garden somewhat, there are only a handful of plants providing significant splashes of color right now.

I have 4 Arbutus Marina and all are dripping in coral flowers, much to the delight of the hummingbirds

While my Senna bicapularis pooped out early during October's heat, Barleria obtusa (bush violet) is still going strong (as is Polygala myrtifolia 'Mariposa' to its right)

When the humidity increased with the return of the marine layer, Bauhinia x blakeana (Hong Kong orchid tree) leafed out again and produced a new flush of flowers

I don't remember Correa pulchella 'Pink Eyre' producing so many flowers in prior years.  My 'Wyn's Wonder' cultivars are also blooming but the blooms are harder to make out against their variegated foliage.

All the plants that produce fall berries are doing so right on schedule.  Here are just two: Heteromeles arbutifolia (aka Toyon, left) and Nandina domestica (right).

Some plants have commenced a new bloom cycle this month, most notably:

The noID Camellia sasanquas, which produced their first flowers during the height of our last heatwave

Hypoestes aristata (Ribbon Bush) hasn't been as vigorous in this garden as it was in my former garden, but I hope it's just taking its time getting established

I picked up this Jatropha integerrima 'Compacta Pink' last month and plunked it in a large pot near the entrance to our driveway.  I was worried about its water requirements but so far, so good.

This is a poor photo of Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl', which surprised me with a fall flush of bloom.  It's grown taller than I thought it would, merging somewhat unattractively with the foliage of one of my guava trees.

The first Iceland poppies (Papaver nudicaule) have bloomed from plugs planted a couple of weeks ago

I had few rose blooms this past spring despite our heavier-than-usual winter rain so I definitely wasn't expecting much of anything in terms of fall blooms but a few roses have appeared here and there.  This is Rosa 'California Dreamin', which looks as though it's glowing from within.

The climber Rosa 'Joseph's Coat' is also blooming

This Sansevieria parva produced its very first bloom.  I read that the flowers are supposed to be white but this one is a mauvish lavender.

Tagetes lemmonii (aka Copper Canyon Daisy) bloomed last spring but its usual fall bloom cycle is right on schedule

And then there are my old dependables, the plants that bloom all year or reliably on their usual seasonal schedules.

Cuphea 'Starfire Pink' blooms all year round, except when given a severe haircut

Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy' also blooms continuously, at least in its location in the front garden

Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream' blooms off and on throughout the year.  It's very much "on" right now.

Planted in November 2013, I can't remember a time when Grevillea 'Superb' wasn't in bloom

Lantana 'Lucky White' seems to bloom endlessly as well

The Pennisetums don't bloom all year but they do strut their stuff for a long period, starting in late summer and continuing into the winter.  Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum' is on the left and P. 'Sky Rocket' is on the right.  'Fireworks' is also in bloom.

To end today's Bloom Day post, here's the best of the rest:

Top row: Cuphea 'Vermillionaire', Duranta 'Sapphire Showers', and Erigeron glaucus 'Wayne Roderick'
Middle row: Felicia aethiopica, Gazania 'White Flame', and Mandevillea 'Sun Parasol Apricot'
Bottom row: Pentas 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom' , Tibouchina urvilleana, and Trichostema 'Midnight Magic'

For more Bloom Day reports, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

All material © 2012-2017 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party