I've had fun with 'A Week of Flowers' and I want to thank Cathy at Words and Herbs for inviting bloggers to participate once again this year. I remembered that I'd joined in last year on an ad hoc basis but I was surprised to discover that I'd submitted posts in 2021 and 2022 as well. Maybe next year, assuming Cathy rings the bell once more, I'll get my act together and participate from start to finish.
To wrap up the fourth of my posts this year for Day Seven, I focused on blooms that stood out in April 2024:
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| Alstroemerias put on a growth spurt in spring but they hang on into summer until it just gets too hot for them before gradually reappearing as temperatures cool in the fall |
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| I planted bulbs of Ferraria crispa (aka starfish iris) in 2019. The flowers make haphazard appearances but I got a few blooms last April. |
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| The tall Dutch Iris (Iris hollandica) put on a good display every spring. I haven't planted any new bulbs this year, trusting that those I've planted in prior years will show up again in 2025. |
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| All the pincushion flowers of my Leucospermum shrubs can be found in bloom in April |
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| I inherited calla lilies (Zantedeschia aethiopica) with the garden. Almost all of the bulbs are located on our very dry back slope. The plants die back every summer and reappear following our winter rainy season but, without rain, they don't bloom much, if at all. They did well the last 2 years when we had heavier-than-usual rainfall but, unfortunately so far, 2025 doesn't look auspicious. |
That's a wrap for the special edition of 'A Week of Flowers' this year. I'll be returning to my regular programming next week. Thanks again to Cathy at
Words and Herbs for hosting this lovely meme. Check in with her to see what she and other contributors have posted today.
All material © 2012-2024 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
I enjoyed your week of flowers, so cheery and you have such great variety.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tracy. This meme is a way to ramp myself up during the current "slow" period in the garden by anticipating the joys of spring - if it ever rains here.
DeleteI appreciated the opportunity to join in, Cathy! Even if the climate here is less dreary on average than many in the Northern Hemisphere, it's still hard to get excited about my garden when the dahlias abruptly exit in late October or early November.
ReplyDeleteThe pincushion shrubs hail from South Africa. They're yet another plant that prefers a Mediterranean-type climate such as we have in coastal Southern California.
What a gorgeous collection. I love that impressive Starfish Iris. I have never seen one! The Pincushion shrubs exude exotic!
ReplyDeletehttps://zonethreegardenlife.blog/2024/12/05/a-week-of-flowers-5/
Thanks Jenny. I don't see the starfish iris on a reliable basis - it's an exotic plant even in my climate. On the other hand, the pincushion shrubs hail from South Africa, which has a Mediterranean-type climate like ours.
DeleteSo many outstanding blooms, but that Ferraria takes the prize, oh my! Eliza
ReplyDeleteAlthough the Ferraria has succulent-like foliage, it disappears after flowering when temperatures rise in the summer. I'm never clear on whether it's lost for good, or simply gearing up to bloom another year. It's always a surprise when it shows up.
DeleteStarfish iris is fascinating, Kris. I adore your Leucospermum. Great to see your posts this week.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susie. It was good to see your posts too!
DeleteSo. Many. Flowers. I'll be going back to your posts on one of those dark rainy days that I'm sure we'll have someday soon.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're right about the rain for both our sakes, Gerhard! The 10-day forecast for my part of SoCal doesn't look at all promising at the moment.
DeleteI've always been fascinated by those spring bushes, so nice and colorful, but also always mixed them up, calling them either Azalea or Rhododendron... probably because I never saw them side by side. I think their leaves differ, but the blossoms look somehow similar, though equally beautiful. I see you call them Alstroemerias... and I saw it is also called Peruvian Lily, which is so interesting! Now one more type added to my mixed up bouquet of flowers :D
ReplyDeleteI love the photo of the orange one in the first gallery, such beautiful light, and the iris flowers... your garden must be absolutely stunning to walk through and take photos! :)
Thanks Nicole. Alstroemeria are native to South America, hence the common name of Peruvian lilies. They've naturalized well in my part of Southern California.
DeleteI've had Alstroemerias as cut flowers but never grown them. The starfish Iris is amazing! A fabulous selection to finish the week!
ReplyDeleteI almost didn't include the Ferraria in my post as I can't claim it flowers reliably or prolifically but the flowers are so special I couldn't resist ;)
DeleteThese are all stunning, especially Ferraria crispa. What an iris!!!
ReplyDeleteSorry ... finally managed to comment . Allison@frogenddweller
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you had trouble commenting, Allison. Blogspot doesn't always make it easy it seems!
DeleteOh those Ferraria crispa flowers get me every time. I wish I was better with bulbs.
ReplyDeleteEven in my climate, the Ferraria bulbs seem to be relatively short-lived, Loree. I suspect they wouldn't like your winter conditions.
DeleteYeah, I'm with danger garden on those Ferraria flowers. Do you recall if yours smell like vanilla?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I ever got my nose close enough to sniff the flowers, Jerry. As I recall the stems are short. It's a flower I'd never cut even for the smallest vase. I noticed that High Country Gardens is selling the bulbs ($22 for 3) and they claim that the flowers are fragrant.
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