Cathy of Words and Herbs is once again sponsoring her annual "A Week of Flowers" meme as a way of offsetting the gloomier days of December in the Northern Hemisphere. It's a way of looking back at the more flowerful periods of the year and also looking forward toward what we can expect when the days once again get longer and warmer. Conditions in coastal Southern California aren't as cold or as gloomy on average as conditions elsewhere in the Hemisphere but flower power is in short supply even here and I like to remind myself of what's just around the corner for my garden so I concentrated on the much-loved flowers that hopefully await me in January and February.
As I wasn't able to carve out time to participate in Cathy's meme during most of the week, I hope you'll forgive me if I cram nine of my 2025 January and February favorites into this post. I promise to spare you any commentary beyond plant names.
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| Anemone coronaria, clockwise from the upper left: 'Azzurro', 'Mr Fokker', 'Grape', 'Bianco Centro Nero', 'Mount Everest', 'Rarity', and 'Rosa Chiaro' |
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| Arctotis 'Large Marge', 'Opera Pink', and 'Pink Sugar' |
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| Camellia williamsii 'Taylor's Perfection' |
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| Leucospermum 'High Gold' |
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| Leucospermum 'Hybrid Spider' |
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| Leucospermum 'Sunrise' |
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| Metrosideros collina 'Springfire' |
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| Narcissus 'Geranium' |
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| Sparaxis tricolor |
That's my contribution to Cathy's week-long flower-fest this year, and the last of my blog posts this week. Best wishes for a pleasant weekend!
All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Well, I like it all crammed into one post. Leucospermum 'Spider' is gorgeous, I need one!
ReplyDeleteFor whatever reason, the flowers of that 'Hybrid Spider' Leucospermum always makes me think of Faberge eggs, at least in the early stages of their blooms.
DeleteThe Leucospermum are sunny delights!
ReplyDeleteThe Leucospermums are in competition with Grevillea 'Superb' for top billing in my garden, Loree. Although, G. 'Superb' is one of very few plants to bloom year-round in my garden, the Leucospermums bloom for months and the individual flowers are exceptionally long-lasting on both stems and in vases.
DeleteWow! Putting everything into one post made such a big impact Kris! Wonderful! I adore those Anemones and did not know there are creamy yellow ones too. I can only get my hands on a few pinks or blues and sometimes white. And The Arctotis are beautiful too - especially the last one. It is such a gorgeous colour. Thank you for sharing Kris, and have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteThe breeders seem to come out with more Anemone coronaria varieties year after year, Cathy. A lot of mine are from the 'Mistral' series, which if I remember correctly were bred in Italy.
DeleteSuch great blooms to remember and to look forward to in the months ahead! Eliza
ReplyDeleteThe Aloes and Aeonium arboreums are the first to bloom at the start of the new year, albeit not the flashiest of my flowering plants. The former are already in the process of producing buds this December, though.
DeleteOh, totally forgiven! (And no need to apologize.) I'm smiling brightly as I view your beauties. Thanks for the color and the hope!
ReplyDeletePutting together this post made be feel a lot better about the prospects for the new year too, Beth ;)
Deletesuch a stunning array of all my favourites!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cath! They're many of mine too.
DeleteThis was a lovely catch up post, with flowers I wouldn't normally see. I love those leucospermums. Allison @frogend_dweller
ReplyDeleteLeucospermum and other Proteas from South Africa do surprisingly well in Southern California, Allison :)
DeleteDear Kris, no doubt you'll be forgiven with this gorgeous selection of flowers. Your Leucospermum look so happy, I'd love to be able to grow them. Anemone coronaria I once saw naturalised in a lawn which looked very pretty. Have a good weekend :)
ReplyDeleteI'd thought about planting the Anemone corms out in the garden but with rainfall is such short supply I'm afraid that would just be a fool's errand at this point in time.
DeleteLovely to see what you can look forward to in January and February Kris. Funnily enough I noticed today that one of my anemone coronarias is bearing a bud 😂
ReplyDeleteMy Anemone foliage is up but I haven't noticed any buds yet - you're leading the pack, Anna!
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