Between the fires that have decimated large sections of Los Angeles County over the past two weeks and the looming changes in the political leadership of the US, it's been hard to avoid feelings of dread and dejection. My garden has always been a sanctuary but poor air quality has limited the time I've spent outside recently - I can only stand wearing a mask for so long. Gloomy skies (with no rain) and cold temperatures made rounds of the garden to cut flowers less appealing yesterday but new Echium blooms at least offered a starting point.
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| Echiums are very drought tolerant plants and most have blue flowers, which make them all the more desirable. I found my first Echium handiense at our local botanic garden in 2011 and purchased another one in 2016. It's a native of the Canary Islands threatened with extinction. As the botanic garden no longer offers sells plants propagated onsite, I've propagated it from my own cuttings in recent years. |
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| Back view: As the Echium has touches of pink in its buds, I usually end up pairing it with pink flowers, as I've done again this time |
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| Top view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt', Alstroemeria 'Inca Vienna', Anemone coronaria (probably 'Mr Fokker'), A. c. 'Mount Everest', Antirrhinum majus, and Echium handiense 'Pride of Fuerteventura' |
Some weather forecasters have projected a real rainstorm for the first day of February. AccuWeather currently shows a seventy-five percent chance of rain but then predictions that far in advance are notoriously unreliable so I'll try not to obsess about it (yet). Rain is essential to clearing the fire-related pollutants in our air and could literally put a damper on our fire risk. Meanwhile, I hope the marine layer will continue to give the firefighters a boost in fully containing the Palisades and Eaton Fires, which currently stand at fifty-six and eighty-one percent containment respectively. High winds are predicted to pick up again here later this afternoon and may continue throughout the week.
For more IAVOM creations, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Beautiful Kris, so crisp and clean. I really hope February comes in with a nice rain for your area.
ReplyDeleteThere's now a 30% chance of rain this coming weekend in addition to the prospect of a larger system now shoved back to February 4th, Tracy. I'm trying not to rely on either until they're much closer to becoming a reality, though.
DeleteI see a faint red, white and blue color scheme in your arrangement. Or maybe it's just me, hoping that some of the values I hold dear will be able to hang on thru the next four years.
ReplyDeleteI'm so depressed today, Loree. I'd thought I'd get beyond those feelings by now but the reality still came as a slap. I met friends for lunch earlier today so we could commiserate as a group but 4 sad people doesn't make for a happy group.
DeleteThis is beautiful. The A. 'Mt. Everest' is so unlike 'Mr. Fokker'--both lovely. The stems of Echium are quite interesting and I love the vase too! Sending continued good wishes for resolution on those devasting fires.
ReplyDeleteBoth the Palisades and Eaton fires continue to inch forward toward containment at an agonizingly slow pace. They now stand at 59% and 87% respectively. There are new wind warnings out but all we have is a strong breeze here at this point. Fingers cross that we don't see any new fires.
DeleteI was thinking of you this afternoon Kris when I watched some of the television coverage of the inauguration đ€ I could only watch to a certain point and then turned off. I love the pop of blue echium in your multi- coloured but with a lot of blue vase. I have been wondering what was happening in Los Angeles as there is no longer any mention of the fires in the news footage here. Hoping that you have the rain and much needed fresher air soon.
ReplyDeleteThere's now a 30% percent chance of rain this coming weekend but the larger storm predicted for February 1st has now been pushed out a few days further into the month, Anna. At least there are at last signs that we may get rain at some point!!! The 2 big fires are still burning but there's a little progress each day...and no new fires!
DeleteThanks for the updates on the fires Kris - we have heard less about them in the news recently, but they are clearly still a big problem. I can see that the marine layer would prevent the residual pollutants from the fires from dissipating; for all your sakes I do hope you have that rain... Meanwhile, that echium is a reminder of blue skies and it is good to see some blue anemones in your vase as well - and some alstroemeria, which is always welcome
ReplyDeleteBlue and pink are happy colors and offer assurance of spring's eventual arrival. I've got my fingers crossed that rain will come within the next 2 weeks and that the 2 most hideous fires will be put to an end once and for all.
DeleteThis vase is great: I love Echiums. I didn't realize they are winter bloomers... How cool that you are able to propagated Echium from cuttings. What's your process and secret of success?
ReplyDeleteChavli
Echium handiense is said to propagate best from seed but I've only had success from soft cuttings. They don't all take by any means and those that root (with the help of a dip in rooting hormone) take their time but at least they've provided me with access to plants I haven't found anywhere else - unless I count a neighbor's garden up the street. She got her plant at the same botanic garden I did years ago. Now, hers have self-seeded somewhat, probably because she leaves the flowers alone when they die back, whereas I'm inclined to tidy everything up all too quickly. There's an obvious lesson there!
DeleteI love the Echium. Totally new to me. Fingers crossed for rain for you and some relief from the fires. Amelia.. today was a somber day for me as well..
ReplyDeleteThanks Amelia. I hope everything turns around in 2 years, if not before.
DeleteLovely vase/flower combination, Kris. I think echium is such a striking flower.
ReplyDeleteYou continue to be in my thoughts and I hope that rain materializes and clears the air, as well as ending the current wildfires. How awful it must be to live under that threat. :( Eliza
The Santa Ana winds always make me nervous but at least we've never been as fire prone as Malibu. They haven't had a really big fire here since the 70s as I recall. I'm most worried during aroundJanuary 1st and the months surrounding Independence Day when nuts ignore the laws forbidding fireworks.
DeleteWhat a beautiful blue in those echiums, making up a really lovely arrangement.
ReplyDeleteThanks Noelle. Echiums are great plants.
DeleteYour echium is lovely Kris and I am sure I have admired it before. It is a different one to our native E. vulgare - also extremely drought tolerant. I must try growing them but I think they prefer chalky soil as I haven't seen any in the wild since moving to this more slightly acid area. Some gorgeous combinations in your vase and the photo from above is lovely! Hope the air quality improves and fire risk sinks soon Kris. Take care!
ReplyDeleteMy soil leans in the alkaline direction, Cathy. The most common Echium here is E. candicans (aka E. fatuosum), which hails from Madiera and can get 6 feet tall.
DeleteVery pretty. (Love the blues of the Echium and the Anemone. <3 ) Thanks for sharing. :) I've had moody thoughts for various reasons lately, too. I hope the fires are out soon, and your air quality will be better. The political situation is rough. Hang in there.
ReplyDeleteYou too, Beth!
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