New spring arrivals (week 4)

It's already been a very busy - and surprisingly warm - week.  I nonetheless have another round of recent spring blooms to share.

I haven't had much luck growing Anigozanthos (aka kangaroo paws) in my garden.  I picked up this one, which I think is 'Masquerade', in March 2024 and had low expectations for its survival.  While I can't call it vigorous, I'm pleased to see it sporting 2 flower stems this March.

These 2 Argyranthemums (aka Marguerite daisies) responded well to rain earlier this month  

This is the last of the 4 varieties of Calendula officianalis I grew from seed to bloom.  It's called 'Pacific Apricot Beauty'.  It's pretty but its stems are annoyingly short.

Dwarf Cistus cobariensis 'Little Miss Sunshine' is literally blanketed with tiny pink buds that open to white blooms

Much as I love flowers, I don't like most of those produced by succulents; however, I thought these were rather nice.  I think the succulents are Echeveria 'Lola'.

California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) don't do well in my garden for reasons I don't fully understand.  I usually scatter the seeds annually but few self-seed.  As our rainy season was so late to start this year, I didn't even try to grow the plants from seeds but I did plant a dozen seedlings I picked up at my local garden center several weeks ago.

I planted Ferraria crispa (aka starfish iris) years ago and it periodically pays me a return visit.  The flowers on mine are about the size of a quarter but they're elaborate!

The Freesias have been blooming for a month or more now but the pastel colors of these were a surprise, possibly the product of unintentional hybridization

Another bloom stalk was produced by the Hippeastrum sold to me as 'Double Record'.  I think this is actually 'Elvas' as it looks nearly identical to another one I grew last year.

I planted 2 Hippeastrum 'La Paz' in the ground a couple of years ago.  One has come back to put on a show this year.

Planted last year, the bulbs of Iris hollandica 'Casa Blanca' didn't do anything but they're making up for that this year

I wasn't looking for Iris hollandica 'Eye of the Tiger' yet as they generally bloom later than most of the Dutch Iris in my garden but I spotted these out of the corner of my eye while I was deadheading flowers in my back border

Phlomis fruticosa (aka Jerusalem sage) has been teasing me for weeks with its buds but it's getting started at last this week

I can't grow the fancy tulips with large flowers but I've had some success with the smaller species tulips.  This is Tulipa clusiana 'Lady Jane'.

Our temperature unexpectedly soared to 84F (29C) on Monday afternoon, which put on strain on some of these blooms, most notably the species tulips.  Yesterday was also expected to be hotter than normal for this time of year but a thick marine layer took the edge off that for us close to the coast.  Temperatures are supposed to fall back into the normal range of the mid-60sF (18C) starting today.  Forecasters are teasing us with chances of rain this weekend and next week but the prospects look trivial at best.

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party