Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Bloom Day - May 2019

This month, to provide a different perspective, I decided to match up wide shots of my garden with close-ups of selected flowers.  I thought it might also help me trim down the sheer number of photos in my monthly Bloom Day round-up but I can't claim success there.  Hey, it's May - a profusion of flowers is to be expected, isn't it?

I'll start with my back garden.

This is the view from my back door looking roughly southeast toward the entrance to the Los Angeles harbor

Achillea 'Moonshine' has a jump on summer

This will be the second year for Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer' in my garden and it's off to a good start

Echium webbii, possibly my favorite Echium, although I did a poor job pruning it last year

Ozothamnus diosmifolius, aka rice flower

Top row: Alstroemeria 'Claire', Arctotis 'Pink Sugar', and Cotula lineariloba
Middle row: Erigeron glaucus, Euphorbia characias 'Black Pearl', and Felicia aethiopica
Bottom row: Gazania 'Gold Flame', Pelargonium cuccullatum 'Flore Pleno', and Santolina virens (with Helichrysum 'Icicles')

This section of the back garden sits on the north side of the backyard patio

The luminescent bracts of Leucadendron 'Pisa' do a good job of imitating flowers

Leucospermum 'Brandi' may be the most exciting plant flowering in my garden at the moment.  The flowers are long-lasting both on the shrub and in a vase.

Lobelia laxiflora, a bit of a weed

Clockwise from the upper left: Hunnemannia fumariifolia (aka Mexican tulip poppy), Hemerocallis 'For Pete's Sake', H. 'Elizabeth Salter', Nierembergia 'Purple Robe', Aquilegia 'Orgami Blue', and a noID blue Penstemon.  The last 2 are recent purchases to fill in holes in one bed.


Moving to the north end of the house brings us here:

This is the first year I've been really happy with this area, even if it's pinker than I intended

Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl', which is fading fast as the month progresses

Centranthus ruber is another weed here, albeit a pretty one.  I've been actively encouraging the white form to spread.  The groundcover plant in the foreground is Dorycnium hirsutum, another rampant self-seeder (aka hairy Canary clover).

Clockwise from the upper left: noID lavender (possibly Lavandula 'Goodwin Creek'), Cistus 'Victor Reiter', Grevillea 'Scarlet Sprite', scented Pelargonium hybrids 'Plymouth Lady' and 'Orange Fizz', Limonium perezii, and Oenothera speciosa (aka pink evening primrose, another weed)


Next, we take a walk down the gravel path and turn right at the fence to descend a steep set of concrete stairs.

This is the view from the lower, flat area of the back slope looking back up to the top of the concrete stairway

Three colors of Centranthus ruber have been allowed to spread here

Clockwise from the upper left: Euphorbia 'Dean's Hybrid', Eschscholzia californica (aka California poppy), noID heirloom Iris germanica, Pelargonium 'White Lady', Ligustrum japonicum, and more pink evening primrose


If we go back up the stairs and walk toward the house to pass through a gate on the right, we're in my cutting garden.

This used to be a vegetable garden but who am I kidding - I'm a flower freak

The sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus 'Pastel Sunset Mix') did well in the half-barrel, although I did a poor job of training the vines to grow over the tomato cage I stuck there.  The vines in the third raised planter haven't done nearly as well.

Orlaya grandiflora (aka Minoan lace), grown from seed, has done very well this year - the rabbits never found it!

Clockwise from the upper left: Calendula officianalis 'Zeolights', seed-sown larkspur (Consolida ambigua), Coriandrum sativum, Digitalis purpurea, Nigella papillosa 'Starry Night Mix', and Pelargonium peltatum


Continuing our counterclockwise walk around the house brings us to the front garden.

Front view of the house from the driveway

Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira' was just starting to bloom in mid-April but, as we come up on mid-May, it's mostly done.  This photo was taken 10 days ago when it was still in good shape.

I originally planted Gazania 'White Flame' in beds approaching the front door but self-seeded plants are producing a range of flowers in various colors

This is Grevillea 'Superb' with Cuphea 'Vermillionaire' to the right

Six Rosa 'Pink Meidiland' shrubs came with the garden.  They've responded well to our winter rain.

Clockwise from the upper left: Gaillardia aristata 'Amber Wheels', Salvia lanceolata, Gaura lindheimeri, Mimulus 'Jelly Bean Buttercream', Grevillea 'Ned Kelly', G. 'Peaches & Cream', Tagetes lemonnii, Sphaeralcea ambigua (aka desert mallow) and, in the middle, Iris germanica 'Apricot Silk'

Clockwise from upper left: Convolvulus sabatius 'Compacta', Erigeron karvinsianus (aka Santa Barbara daisy, another weed), Helleborus 'Anna's Red', Mimulus naiandinus 'Mega', Trifolium (common clover, yet another weed), Helleborus 'Blue Lady' and, in the middle, Plectranthus neochilus

The other side of the driveway contains a more low-profile garden space

The most dominant element in this area at the moment is Polygala fruticosa 'Petite Butterfly' (aka sweet pea shrub)

Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa (aka peppermint willow), Fuchsia magellanica 'Hawkshead', Lavandula stoechas, and 2 noID roses


Walking south through the front garden brings us to a fork in the path.  A trip down a mulch-covered path brings us into the section of my garden occupied by my lath (shade) house.

A moderate slope leads to a flat area at the southwest corner of our property, on which sits my lath house.  This view is looking east, back toward the entrance to the Los Angeles harbor.

Euryops chrysanthemoides 'Sonnenschien' and Nemesia 'Little Banana'

Pelargonium peltatum 'Pink Blizzard' backed by Rosa chinensis 'Mutabilis', which came with the garden

Clockwise from the upper left: More Limonium perezii (with self-seeded trailing Osteospermums), Argyranthemum frutescens 'Mega White', Corydalis flexuosa 'Porcelain Blue', noID self-seeded Cotoneaster, Persicaria capitata, Prunus ilicifolia, Rosa 'Golden Celebration', and Scaevola 'Surdiva White'


Walking back the way we came to the main level of the garden brings us to the last stop on our tour, the garden on the south side of our house.

A lot of this area is covered in succulents but there are flowers here too

Succulent Aeonium haworthii 'Kiwi Verde' surprised me by blooming much more profusely than its variegated sibling

Cistus pulverulentus 'Sunset', one of the splashiest rockroses

Hymenolepis parviflora

Wahlenbergia 'Blue Cloud' spread more than I expected but I forgive it because its blue

Clockwise from the upper left: Delosperma 'Violet Wonder', Cistus 'Grayswood Pink', self-seeded Lagurus ovatus (aka bunny tail grass), Leucospermum 'Goldie', and Lotus berthelotii 'Amazon Sunset'


Okay, that's it!  Well, not really. I did leave some plants out but I figured I couldn't test your patience or interest any further.  Last month's Bloom Day review had been the longest one ever but I'm afraid I exceeded the photo count still further with this one.  Maybe including the wide shots wasn't such a good idea...

For more flower-filled posts, visit our Garden Bloggers' bloom Day host, Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

32 comments:

  1. So many beautiful plants and a lot that I can't grow! I love your front landscape. It is spectacular.

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  2. I love everything (!) and the wide shots give us perspective of the plants in relation to one another. Your designs are fabulous, so keep inspiring us. :)

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    1. I really did start out with the thought that the wide shots would help me focus, Eliza, but, when I comes down to it I have difficulty ignoring even the smaller players in each scheme.

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  3. Too much, I can't comment on all I loved! I will mention, as I always do, how much I love your Arctotis 'Pink Sugar.' I might be able to grow them (I'm zone 8b, nurseries say their 9), but I've not been able to keep other African daisies through winter.
    Just beautiful, all your gardens. What a great "vegetable" area! Did I miss what that salmon colored fluffy flowered plant is there?

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    1. I'm guessing you're not referring to the Calendula included in the Cutting Garden's collage but rather the large plant next to the middle raised planter? If so, that's Euphorbia tirucalli 'Sticks on Fire'. It may look fluffy from a distance in my wide shot but it's actually a succulent, a mainstay in many gardens here for its color and its ability to handle hot, dry conditions.

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    2. Thank you. I looked it up, and it's really something! Alas, my temperatures get too cold for it.

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    3. The Euphorbia can really take the heat, Lisa, but like many succulents it doesn't like cold. I'm not sure where you're based but if you get significant sustained cold, it'd probably have to be hauled into a greenhouse to over-winter.

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  4. Ha ! Limiting the flowers photos indeed. You know it's hopeless Kris !

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    1. Today, I found myself wondering is I need to establish a limit on the number of plants I include, Kathy. Chloris of The Blooming Garden focuses on her 10 top blooms each month. I'm not sure I could limit myself to 10 but maybe 20?

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  5. Glorious! I like the wide-shot approach, and the zooming in that follows. I can't believe you have to prune your Echium when I can't even keep it alive up here... And all those Proteas! Oh, the unfairness of the world - LOL!

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    1. Well, I feel that "unfairness" too when it comes to peonies, Alliums, Epimediums and all those Spring ephemerals I don't stand a chance of growing here!

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  6. Your garden is magnificent without all of these blooms. Now, what can I say? One thing I can say is I wish I could grow that rock rose. I love that crinkly bloom. Thank you for the tour. Isn't May after a winter of rain grand! Happy GBBD.

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    1. Rain makes a terrific difference, Lisa! We got a little more overnight. Rain in May here is a near miracle.

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  7. Your garden is always gorgeous. Seems like you always have a lot of fabulous flowers on bloom day. Ah the life of a flower floozy.

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    1. I've decided I should probably just embrace the flower floozy description, Peter. Yesterday, I went out in search of foliage photos but, at this time of year, there doesn't seem to be much that isn't in bloom or at least photo-bombed by flowers.

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  8. "but who am I kidding - I'm a flower freak"... understatement of the year!

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  9. I love that you included the wide shots. I liked this different approach, it was much more interesting than a long uninterrupted bunch of closeups.

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    1. I'm glad you liked it, Alison. The post was very long, though, but maybe that's just a Spring after bountiful winter rain thing. Once the heat is on the flowers will probably fade into the background.

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  10. Leucospermum is delight to watch ...your garden is a bliss to walk in...shots of your garden are magnificient..Happy Blooms day...Thanks for dropping by in my blog.

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    1. Thanks Arun. Best wishes in weathering your hot weather - I expect ours will arrive all too soon.

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  11. Every area of your garden is incredible, Kris! Wow! The wide shots and the collages really tell the story. This virtual walk is almost as nice as a real one. :)

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    1. Thanks Beth. If your travels ever bring you this way, you're more than welcome to visit, although, as you probably know, summer conditions can be downright inhospitable.

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  12. If you do ever decide to limit the number of GBBD images, don't make spring/early summer the time to do it! I've learned so much from your bloom days (and vases). The wide shots are an excellent complement to this bloomfest, with surprisingly different moods between sectors.

    Typo alert: the name of the yellow Euryops is 'Sonnenschein' (sunshine). Do you keep a spreadsheet of your plants, or...? I'm deeply appreciative of your providing names for so many.

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    1. It IS hard not to go crazy snapping photos during the spring months, Nell, although I really did winnow them down (a little). Thanks for the heads-up on the spelling error. I do keep a spreadsheet of my plants for reference purposes but I typed that cultivar name from memory, getting stymied by the "i before e" English rule in this case.

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  13. Your bloom days are always a joy, I don't know anyone anywhere who has such a joyous abundance of fabulous blooms. I feel as if I have just has a stroll through your garden. I get excited when I see your Echium webbii, I hope mine will bloom this year, they are a rare sight in English gardens.

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    1. As I recall, the blooms are quite abundant in your own garden, Chloris! Flowers are most plentiful here in spring, before the heat of summer descends and send them all into hiding.

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  14. Just wow - every time I see your garden, I'm awe struck. The plants are lovely, yes, but you are so talented in putting everything together! I'm just doing a couple of smallish borders now and am constantly second guessing myself as to the what and where.

    As you know, we in Southern Ontario are late to the party this year (lol!) with a very late start to the season. But finally, we are seeing some blooms (few as they may be compared to yours!) - it never fails to excite :)

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    1. Thanks Margaret. Spring is a magnificent season and I hope you get to really enjoy it before summer descends on us!

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  15. the Orlaya is a delicate beauty!

    How do you keep your garden always so perfect?

    (I am way behind with gardening and reading blogs as I have been engrossed in iNaturalist ... still about twenty thousand observations to ID and lots to learn along the way)

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    1. I've been putting more time into garden maintenance this month than I can remember doing in other years, Diana. Between pulling weeds, dead-heading, and cutting back the rampant growth prompted by our generous rainfall, I'm keeping very busy. Best wishes with your iNaturalist project!

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