Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day officially falls on the 15th day of the month but I've been taking liberties with the timing and format of my monthly posts for awhile now. As covering my entire garden in a single post at the garden's peak in May is difficult and time-consuming, I've decided to break the bloom-fest into segments. To provide more context, I've also included wide shots. This post covers only the main level of my back garden.
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View of the garden from the back door looking southeast in the direction of Angel's Gate, the entrance to the Port of Los Angeles. The morning marine layer, or "May Gray" as it's called at this time of year, has persisted.
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View of the garden on the south side of the back patio
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View of the same area from the south end of the back garden looking north
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I'll start with an examination of the bed on the left in the above photo.
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Echium webbii was in full flower last month. It's waning now but still delighting the bees.
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My effort to create a blue, white and yellow bed here has turned out relatively well. Shown here are Argyranthemum 'White Butterfly', Felicia aethiopica, and Phlomis fruticosa.
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Argyranthemum 'Grandaisy Yellow' (left) and 2 self-seeded Gazanias (right)
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The blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium 'Devon Skies') is doing especially well this year. The variegated Cistus 'Little Miss Sunshine' next to it isn't blooming much this month but the foliage fits with the color scheme anyway.
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Minor players in the bed include, clockwise from the upper left: Erigeron glaucus, Geranium 'Tiny Monster', Lobelia erinus, Eryngium planum 'Blue Glitter', Salvia 'Mystic Spires' (mounting a comeback), and Trichostemma 'Midnight Magic'.
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At last, I got blooms from 2 of my bearded Iris: Iris germanica 'Autumn Circus' and 'City Lights'. Two other varieties planted in the same area have yet to show themselves.
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I prefer Helichrysum thianschanicum 'Icicles' without flowers but, at this time of year, they can't be stopped
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Arctotis 'Pink Sugar', planted at the south end of this border, can't be missed
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The back border stretches along the other side of the flagstone path, backed up by the Xylosma congestum hedge, sporting a fresh flush of orange-tinged foliage.
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Like its cousin 'Pink Sugar', Arctotis 'Large Marge' can't be missed by anyone viewing the back garden
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On the south end of the border are the last of Iris hollandica 'Lion King' and Salvia africana-lutea, a little scruffier than it was last month but still going strong
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Near the middle of the border, Achillea 'Moonshine' is just getting started. Last year, I thought most of it'd burned out and I'd recently begun looking for replacements, only to discover that it was making a comeback. This Achillea is planted on both sides of the flagstone path, linking the 2 areas.
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Alstroemeria is making the most of the cooler temperatures while they last. 'Indian Summer' (left) is planted at the south end of the border while noID pink varieties inherited with the garden are spread through the rest of the area.
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Even though we haven't had any really warm weather yet, the Osteospermums are waning and I've begun cutting them back. Summer temperatures will fry some but others will go dormant until cooler temperatures return in late fall. From left to right are cultivars '4D Pink', 'Berry White', and 'Violet Ice'.
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I'm having more success with Alliums than I've had in years. Allium neopolitanum (aka Naples garlic, left) and A. siculum bulgaricum (middle) are new but A. sphaerocephalon (aka drumstick allium, right) is a regular returnee.
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Pelargonium cucullatum 'Flore Plenum' is another plant that moves itself around
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Other flowering plants making a more low-key appearance in this area include, clockwise from the upper left: Hebe 'Wiri Blush', noID Ixia, Salvia canariensis var candidissima (just getting started), S. 'Pozo Blue', and Tulbaghia violacea (aka society garlic)
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There are more beds on the north side of the back patio.
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View from the back patio looking north
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View of the same area from its north end looking back toward the patio
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I'll start the floral line-up for this section of the back garden with the bed closest to the patio (the left side of the walkway in the first of the two wide shots above).
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Aeonium haworthii is having a banner year. Flowers of 'Kiwi' (left) and 'Kiwi Verde' (right) are identical in form but vary a bit in color.
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Leucadendron 'Pisa' is still sporting its glowing flower-like bracts
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From left to right: Alstromeria 'Claire', Hippeastrum 'Luna', and Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata'. I thought I'd lost the Alstroemeria 2 summers ago but it recently reappeared under a large clump of Aeonium 'Kiwi'. Hippeastrum 'Luna' is showing signs of establishing itself after last year's transfer of the bulbs from pots to this bed.
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Gazania 'Gold Flame' is peacefully cohabiting with succulents
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Next, we'll move to the flowers on the other side of flagstone path, backed up by the hedge that runs the entire length of the back garden on the main level.
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The flowers of this overgrown noID Ceanothus are fading but prolific
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Leucospermum 'Royal Hawaiian Brandi' chose to scatter most of its flowers where they can't be seen on the back side of the shrub this year
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Other flowers in this area include Helichrysum amorginum 'Ruby Clusters', Lantana 'Irene', and Lobelia laxiflora
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To conclude this floral roundup of the back garden, here's a summary of the flowering plants in the bed directly adjacent to the house (and outside the frame of any of my wide shots).
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Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin' elected to seed itself within a mass of Campanula poscharskyana (aka Serbian bellflower)
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Ageratum corymbosum (left) has made a poor showing thus far. I grow Persicaria microcephala 'Red Dragon' more for its foliage than its flowers. The self-seeded Persicaria capitata is actually growing in nearby pots containing blueberries.
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Arthropodium cirratum (aka Renga lily) has sprouted numerous bloom stalks but the flowers are about a week from flowering
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I still managed to cram in a lot of photos! I plan to cover blooms in the north and south-side gardens next week, and perhaps the front garden as well. I covered my back slope and cutting garden in posts last week so I won't address those areas again as part of this month's bloom day celebration. You can find more Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day posts by checking in with Carol of May Dreams Gardens on May 15th.
Best wishes for a great weekend. And for all the mothers out there, Happy Mothers Day!
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material © 2012-2023
by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
So many flowers! I like this format, easier to not get overwhelmed.
ReplyDeleteThanks Loree. That was one of my objectives.
DeleteWow, this month is speeding by. Your garden looks just as a garden should in May: Glorious. Enjoyed the butterflies. I always like to see how different gardens do these things.
ReplyDeleteYes, the month is moving ahead at speed for me too, Linda. I feel as though last weekend just ended but here we are on the verge of another one. The butterfly exhibit this year was an improvement on the 2 prior years, even though I saw fewer varieties of butterflies this time.
DeleteOh the joy of Spring! It's an exciting time of year when there is so much happening. I remain in awe of your gorgeous Aeonium. The shot of them lining the path is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteAeonium haworthii bloomed MUCH more heavily than usual this year, Elaine. I'm giving the rain credit for that, as well as the 3 Agave bloom spikes I have this year.
DeleteTheres such a plethora of fauna and flora in your garden that it's quite common for me halt and wonder: has Kris shown this before and I just forgot? Today it happened with "noID Ixia"... I'm not familiar with Ixia at all, but the vivid, candy striped, almost open buds are just delightful.
ReplyDeleteAlthough not very significant, Helichrysum 'Icicles' blooms are like the dot on the "i", I feel it adds a gentle bling to a very soft dusty green shrub.
'Wildcat Mandarin' within a mass of Serbian bellflower! A happy accident. I'd say more of this, please.
Chavli
My back garden may be the most floriferous at the moment but there's also a lot in bloom in other areas of the garden - more on that next week, Chavli ;) I used the Ixia in a vase several weeks ago (April 17th) but, at that time the buds were tight and looked yellow (mimicking the 'Cynthia' species tulips I used in the same arrangement). As the flowers opened, they became white and pink. I don't remember them ever blooming as prolifically as they have this year.
DeleteOh, that is so May! The blue, yellow & white is a spectacular combination. I've had more luck with alliums as well, they must have loved the cooler wetter weather. Although my Alstromeria Indian Summer is a real dud, yours looks amazing. Your garden is breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteI've found that my Alstroemeria need 2-3 years to settle in so yours may come through for you in time, tz. Most Alliums seem to die out within a couple years here, although I've read that the Naples garlic bulbs can spread like weeds so I hope I didn't make a mistake in planting those. I've been trying to deadhead them as soon as the flowers are spent.
DeleteA fabulous May thanks to your hard work...and all that rain!
ReplyDeleteI think the rain was the MVP in this case, Denise :)
DeleteAlways a pleasure to peruse your bloom day posts, Kris. Everything is looking tip top! Interesting to note that we have a close overlap as my bearded iris and alliums are on the cusp of blooming. I'm scratching my head on how that is possible! Eliza
ReplyDeleteI think we have to point to the surprising weather impacts climate change is producing across the country, Eliza!
DeleteWow! What a wonderful variety of plants you have! All beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lea!
DeleteAs usual you have so many gorgeous blooms Kris! It's allium season here too and I love it. Your garden seems like it must be huge to me (considering my 0.25 acre yard), do you spend a lot of time tending to it? It's just lovely, thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteThanks min hus! Our property is just over half an acre, large by the standards of Los Angeles County but well short of the 2 acres I originally wanted ;) What I was thinking back then I don't know - I can barely keep up with what I have now.
DeleteAll beautiful as ever, sigh. But isn't that Allium atropurpureum rather than Allium sphaerocephalum? In any case, it's always interesting to see what grows in differing climates and microclimate. Especially viewing from a zone 9a/b garden in the UK.
ReplyDeleteWell, I looked up Allium atropurpureum and the flower I photographed does look remarkably like the photos online. According to my records, I've never planted A. atropurpurea, although there's always a possibility that I was sent it by mistake at some point. My records show i planted A. aflatunense and A. rosenbachianum many years ago but my flowers don't look like either of those, both of which didn't do well when I planted them and soon disappeared. I know I did have some drumstick Alliums that returned but, you're right, those blooming now aren't showing the right profile.
DeleteSo many plants in bloom--it really does look like a beautiful May in your garden, Kris! Your lovely "Devon Skies" has me searching for Sisyrinchium varieties that might tolerate the climate here. I want to use plenty of blue to provide some "coolth" during the hot months! ;-) For some reason I can't convince agapanthus to thrive... so far. Any advice? I think of it as more or less indestructible!
ReplyDeleteI've had minimal success with Sisyrinchium prior to this year, Amy. Most of my plants have died out within a year or so. I think the difference this year was due entirely to the plentiful rainfall, although my hope is that the plants are now sufficiently well-established to make it through summer and return to bloom next year. As to Agapanthus, they seem to be made-to-order for life in coastal Southern California - you even see them planted at gas stations here. You might want to start by growing some of the more diminutive varieties in large pots, where you can control water and provide shade as necessary when temperatures soar. However, as they're vigorous bulbs, getting them well-rooted through deep watering is probably key to their long-term survival.
DeleteI see what you mean about breaking it up into three parts. That's an incredible diversity of flowers. I also like the way you formatted this - showing the overview of each place in the garden followed by grouped photos that highlight the plants in each location. That helps tie everything together in a really nice way. Maybe I can remember to use this type of layout myself in the next bloom day post - I started early, but still overwhelmed myself with too many photos and not enough time to write what I wanted to. And, then more flowers would start to bloom as the 15th approached! I appreciate your effort to capture this many flowers. It (almost) makes me wonder about tallying the number of flowers in my garden by month to see which month is the most floriferous. I suspect it would be May.
ReplyDeleteI'm considering a range of options for handling future Bloom Day "reports." If I were to use this approach again, I'd compile my photos in a different matter to make the presentation easier to prepare. I usually post wide shots on a quarterly basis (January, April, July and October) but mixing these with flower and foliage highlights by area makes some sense - I just can't do that for the whole garden at one time!
DeleteHeh. I understand. Just not enough time to do everything, especially this time of year when the great outdoors beckons and there are seemingly more garden chores than garden plants.
DeleteI'm facing the added challenge of a pending inspection by the fire department to examine the garden for fire risks. A new law applicable to all high fire risk areas within Los Angeles County effective next year requires these reviews, which I understand will be an annual thing. In addition to a 4-page newsletter on the subject, I've downloaded the fire department's 12-page guide.
DeleteThat sounds intimidating. Hopefully it is clear what counts as a fire risk and that it isn't up to someone's whim and how they feel that day.
DeleteFingers crossed! This goes well beyond the prior "inspections" by the fire department so we're charting new territory.
Delete