A good friend visited last Friday. Other than a couple of brief drive-bys, that was the first time since our stay-at-home order took effect on March 19th that I've had a friend spend time here. We initially settled on my backyard patio but, when some very light drizzle started, we moved inside, sitting 6+ feet away from one another with face masks in place. We later took a walk around my neighborhood. Although I've spent a LOT of time in my own garden lately, I haven't checked out front gardens in the neighborhood in over a year. I only took photos of the more attractive bits.
 |
| This Alyogyne heugelii (Blue Hisbiscus) growing in partial shade under maple trees in a neighbor's garden looks so much better than my own, grown in full sun |
 |
| This Leucospermum is much bigger than this photo suggests. This is just the portion of it that spills over into the street. |
 |
| My friend was surprised to see a mass of morning glories climbing over and through the shrubs at one property. Invasive as it is, the flowers are very pretty. |
 |
| This home offered the most dramatic views from the street. The red of the Bougainvillea was repeated in roses scattered along the front slope. |
 |
| Another home had a variety of Hibiscus shrubs in bloom |
 |
| More red Bougainvillea at this house, the color echoed in Cordylines and Pelargoniums. The Agapanthus planted along the street are just coming into bloom in shades of blue and white. |
 |
| The steep hillside that lies on one side of our neighborhood road was stripped of much of its foliage earlier this year. Against the stark background, this Dietes iridioides (fortnight lily) stood out. |
 |
| The community succulent bed at the entrance to the neighborhood was looking pretty good. I planted the these Euphorbia tirucalli 'Sticks on Fire' last year, as well as Aeoniums (not shown). |
 |
| The wonderful house with the terraced front garden was back on the market last year but was removed earlier this year, presumably in reaction to the pandemic |
I hope to wander beyond my immediate neighborhood at some point. The Jacarandas are currently in bloom in several spots along the main road and it would be nice to get photos of them before their season comes to an end. If we get a good round of
June Gloom soon, I may take take a longer stroll, camera in hand.
Protests continue in my area and around the country. Most are positive and peaceful. I'm hopeful that the younger generation is going to accomplish what mine did not. Best wishes for a peaceful weekend wherever you are.
All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
You offer the neighbors a very beautiful bloom!
ReplyDeleteWhat fun that you / I found the instagram account.
Best regards
Mariana
I enjoy seeing your posts on Instagram too, Mariana!
DeleteYou have some beautiful views in your neighborhood. Love seeing all that color. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteWe get an early start on spring and summer color because of our climate, Lisa. I hope you're seeing more of it in your own area.
DeleteOh that bougainvillea!
ReplyDeleteBougainvillea is all over the place here, Loree! Unfortunately, after taking out a large mass of it at our former house (because it grew like a weed and stretched into the driveway scratching the precious car he'd converted from gas to electric power), my husband hates it.
DeleteI'm glad you had a chance to socialize, so important for our well-being! Even with masks and six feet apart, I'll take it. I miss my family who I haven't seen in months. I need to propose a 'distanced' gathering. ;) (Most of my 'socializing' is with clients... not quite the same!)
ReplyDeleteYour neighborhood is looking bright and beautiful!
Do it, Eliza! I'm trying to arrange another gathering of a slightly larger group, although other life challenges are intervening at the moment.
DeleteThere are some wonderful gardens in your neighbourhood! I've never heard of June gloom before.
ReplyDeleteWe get "May Gray" most years too ;) Our marine layer often provides a saving grace as summer heats up here, Nikki - the longer it's in place each day, the less likely our temperature is to reach into any epic heights. Occasionally, the effect extends beyond June but, regrettably, not often enough.
DeleteHow great to be meeting up with a friend again Kris and most interesting to see a glimpse of your neighbourhood. It all looks most colourful and the plants are of course on the whole so different to ours.
ReplyDeleteWe probably should have planned a longer hike, Anna. The front gardens in my neighborhood don't change all that much year to year.
DeleteYearning for normalcy ! At least the botanical gardens are starting to open up again, places that easily lend themselves easily to social distancing. My neighborhood is boring as hell compared to yours !
ReplyDeleteMy local botanical garden never closed but you have to reserve a slot to visit and can't just make a spur of the moment decision to drop in. Social distancing and masks are required of course.
DeleteIt is so nice to be finally able to see a friend and walk the neighborhood streets together. The house with the red Bougainvillea has the most impressive garden facing the street, but what I like best were the words: "the community succulent bed"... it has a wonderful ring to it, and you contributed one of my favorite succulent.
ReplyDeleteI don't know the precise history of what I call the "community succulent bed." The land surrounding the entrance to our neighborhood bordering the main road through the area is owned by a person who lives elsewhere, who apparently purchased it as an investment although it's questionable what, if anything, could be built there. There's a small gate house dating back to the 1950s when the land was sold for development but there's no gate. At some point (long before my time), someone started planting succulents and other drought tolerant plants there and people, myself included, have chipped in now and again. It doesn't look half-bad despite its hodge-podge collection of plants. Our voluntary HOA pays for general maintenance and irrigation.
DeleteLooks like a lovely way to spend time with a friend and a lovely neighborhood too.
ReplyDeleteIt was - and is!
Delete