November isn't the best month for gardens in the Northern Hemisphere and mine is no exception. There's less in bloom in my garden this month than there was last year at this time but that's a byproduct of both weather conditions and inattention on my part. We've been dry since early May and, although our rainy season officially kicked off in October, we've yet to see a drop of rain. We've had warmer days than typical for this time of year and bout after bout of high-velocity Santa Ana winds, which spread wildfires as has become the pattern in recent years. On the positive side, the nights have been cool and the marine layer has raised our humidity during the morning hours of late. We don't generally get freezes here but the warm daytime temperatures and wind have knocked out many of my plants and, as our 5-month home remodel finally nears its end, my attention has been focused on the inside of the house, with the garden forced to fend for itself. I'm hoping that'll change in the next month.
I posted photos of my
fall floral standouts in late October. My
Senna bicapsularis and
Plectranthus 'Zulu Wonder' are mostly done for the season. The bush violets are still blooming, although they're past they're peak now.
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| Barleria obtusa (aka bush violet), lending a cool note to our warm days |
Several other plants are making a splash right now.
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| Bauhinia x blakeana (aka Hong Kong orchid tree) |
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| The ever-blooming Grevilleas, 'Ned Kelly', 'Peaches & Cream', and 'Superb' |
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| Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum' and P. 'Sky Rocket' |
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| Rudbeckia hirta 'Denver Daisy' |
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| Tagetes lemmonii (aka Copper Canyon Daisy) |
A handful of others have just begun their bloom cycle.
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| NoID Camellia sasanqua, which lost a lot of bud-filled stems when the house exterior was painted |
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| Correa pulchella 'Pink Eyre' |
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| Hemizygia 'Candy Kisses' |
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| Hypoestes aristata (aka ribbon bush) |
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| Mahonia x media 'Charity' |
There were a few surprises too.
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| The foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea, left) I planted as plugs in October 2018 have bloomed off and on all year and those I didn't pull to make room for dahlias this summer are blooming again now. Hemerocallis 'For Pete's Sake' (upper right) is blooming for a third time this year. Nerine bowdenii 'Stefani', picked up at The Huntington's 2017 fall plant sale. is blooming now for the first time. |
I'm ending my post as I usually do with a few collages showing what's flowering on a smaller scale.
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Duranta repens 'Sapphire Showers', Polygala fruticosa, noID Wahlenbergia, Lavandula multifida, and Campanula poscharskyana |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Arbutus 'Marina', Gazania 'White Flame', Pentas 'Graffiti Pink', and 2 of the Zinnia elegans I haven't yet pulled from my cutting garden |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer', Lantana 'Lucky White', self-seeded Osteospermum, Gazania 'Gold Flame', and 2 more varieties of Zinnia elegans |
For more Bloom Day posts, visit GBBD's ringleader,
Carol at May Dreams Gardens.
All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
The ever-blooming Grevilleas for the win! And whatta ya know? We both have a Correa blooming.
ReplyDeleteThe garden crew that normally does little more than trim hedges and blow leaves here has someone who decided my Correa needed pruning 2 months ago. I was initially appalled but now they're blooming better than they've ever done. I'm not clear whether that's a coincidence, or the guy knows something I don't about these plants.
DeleteThe Grevilleas are always lovely. I especially like the little Correa. Nothing blooming outside in my climate but my Christmas cacti are putting on quite a show. Is your rain still forecast?
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw that rain forecast, it showed a 40% chance of rain. Yesterday the TV forecaster said 30% and today I heard 20% so I'm trying not to get too invested in the possibility, Elaine. However, as my plants are covered in construction dust and grime, I'd be really happy to get a good downpour, no matter how short.
DeleteThat's a sweet-looking pink Correa! So fresh for this time of year.
ReplyDeleteWhat's coming up close by your Campanula pocharskyana? Is that Yucca linifolia, or a grass...? I love that little bellflower, which needless to say only blooms once here, just as the peonies are finishing up; the foliage looks good over the whole season, though. Just realizing that the little patch has endured for 25 years(!) I should spread it around.
I'm guessing that you're referring to the plant behind the Wahlenbergia, which also has bell-like blue flowers. If so, that's a Dasylirion, D. longissimum I think. I planted it long ago and it's not even recorded in my log. If I'm right on the ID, it's also been a remarkably slow grower.
DeleteThose pristine Nerines show a distant resemblance to the narrow-petaled daylily... cool combination!
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to turn the corner and see that Nerine in bloom, Nell. Soon after I planted it, a gardener treated it like grass and cut the foliage level with the ground for some unknown reason.
DeleteStill flowers from Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer'? I "need" that one.
ReplyDeleteKilled another Correa, sigh. Yours is a beauty.
'Indian Summer' has thrown up a flowering stem or 2 every so often since it peaked in summer. My Correas took awhile to settle in. The one I planted last year, 'Sister Dawn', hasn't flowered at all this year and is looking a bit sickly but it's also in an excessively dry spot.
DeleteAll so pretty. We have Mahonia and nerines in common but otherwise your blooms look very summery and exotic. I particularly love your pretty bauhinia tree. Hemizygia? Lovely, I've never heard of it. And of course I always drool over your grevilleas. Is the house makeover nearly there?
ReplyDeleteThere are still a few items on the punch list to finish the remodel, Chloris, but those tasks mostly lie in the hands of subcontractors who the general contractor seems to be having trouble corralling. A roofing crew is due tomorrow to install our new rain gutters but the biggest open item is the fireplace - we're waiting on the hearthstone before we can get the rest of the work there completed. However, the temporary kitchen was dismantled and we're in the new kitchen, and slowing reoccupying our living room too.
DeleteLovely pics Chris, you have a lot of beautiful plants in your garden.
ReplyDeleteThanks Karen!
DeleteIt's so nice to see what's blooming in your garden now, Kris It'll be a lifeline for the next 5 months as I cross the desert of winter here. ;) I really like Gazania 'White Flame' - what a looker!
ReplyDeleteThat Gazania is also my favorite in the genus, Eliza, but it's been hard to find in the 3 years since I first installed it and it doesn't come up true to form from its own seed. It was sold by the hilarious name of Gazania 'Kiss Me Frosty White Flame'!
DeleteAs I read the forecast discussion on the National Weather Service it looks like you might get some rain before I do ! I'm ready to be done watering.
ReplyDeleteFingers are crossed we both get rain soon, Kathy! My plants are dusty and dirty after all the construction activity and, although my irrigation system is running again, it hasn't been enough to clean them up and I haven't had time to do much of any hand-watering.
DeleteI am always so impressed with the variety of flowers you have blooming at any given time. It may not seem like much to you, but it looks like spring to me. Sadly, January type temps and snow has set in unusually early and killed any last sign of summer. It's a long dry spell until we see anything that lovely again, so keep pics of those beauties coming.
ReplyDeleteThis is usually my peak season for planting, Cindy, but I've done little of that thus far, partly because it's remained warm and dry here and partly because I've been focusing on reoccupying the parts of the house that have been under construction. Even my cutting garden needs attention now.
DeleteStunning blooms..Does bauhinia blakeana also require long restive period alike its close cousin Bauhinia variegatea to get into blooms..are grevillea drought and heat tolerant I am falling from them ..Rudbeckia is startling amongst all other blooms..The collages are eye candy of your post.
ReplyDeleteBauhinia x blakeana is considered "semi-evergreen" here, Arun. It drops leaves in large quantities during the summer months but it's never naked as it produces new leaves at the same time. It usually blooms at least twice a year.
DeleteWonderful to be able to enjoy using your new kitchen, with that view from the window. Hopefully with rain!
ReplyDeleteWe're still moving things around to find the best layout but, after working in the truly tiny temporary kitchen my husband constructed for our use during the 5 months of our remodel, the added space feels almost sinful! And I am enjoying the view from the kitchen window, which feels just like I'm standing in the garden itself.
DeleteYou still have so many lovely blooms, despite adversity. I particularly like both of your gazanias. They sell those here, but I have never attempted to grow them. I may try them in the perennial bed, which gets more sun than most parts of my garden. Hoping you get some rain soon!
ReplyDeleteThe Gazanias self-seed for me but most don't come up identical to the parent plant. I'm looking to refresh mine this fall but am having some trouble finding the varieties I want.
Delete