Bloom Day - February 2026 (Early Edition)

The relatively heavy rain we had early in the season followed by a stretch of warm temperatures delivered us an early Spring.  Now, Spring generally arrives early here on the coast of Southern California but it struck me as accelerated this year.  I took a lot of photos and, even though I crammed many of them into color-themed collages at the end of this post, this is still a long one so my apologies at the outset.  If I hadn't moved up my Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day post by two days because that better accommodates my schedule, it might be longer still!  I'm seeing new blooms every day - in fact, I noticed three Dutch Iris buds (not included here) while preparing this post yesterday.

I'll start with the star players, listed alphabetically by species.

Two Agave desmettiana 'Variegata' on my front slope are now in full bloom

The Anemone coronaria are peaking.  Clockwise from the upper left are: 'Azzurro', 'Bordeaux', 'Mr Fokker', 'Lord Lieutenant', 'Mona Lisa' (maybe), 'Rarity', and 'Rosa Chiaro'.

Almost but not all of my snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) are putting on a good show

 

The African daisies (Arctotis) are up and running with 'Large Marge' in the lead and 'Pink Sugar' coming up behind

The Marguerite daisies (Argyranthemum frutescens) do well until summer arrives.  Left to right are: 'Aramis Apricot', Beauty Yellow', and 'Mount Everest'.

I can never capture the vivid blue of Aristea inaequalis in photographs

I discovered all the Auranticarpa rhombifolium shrubs (aka diamond pittosporum) in flower by accident when I went to check on another plant

Camellia 'Taylor's Perfection'

Both Cistus x corbariensis (upper left and top right) and C. x skanbergii (bottom left and middle right) are currently in full bloom.  Cistus 'Grayswood Pink' (lower right) is blooming more lightly.

Mixes of Dianthus barbata

Freesia blooms are popping up here and there throughout my garden, despite the extensive damage gophers have done to the bulbs  

The Gazanias planted in prior years are making their comeback

Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy' blooms all year here (except immediately following their annual haircut)

Grevilleas, top row: G. alpina x rosmarinifolia, G. 'Peaches & Cream', and G. 'Poorinda Leane'
Middle: Grevillea lanigera and G. 'Scarlet Sprite' (including closeup of the latter)
Bottom: Grevillea sericea and G. 'Superb' (including closeup)

Hippeastrum (aka South American amaryllis), clockwise from the upper left: 'Amadeus Candy', 'Aphrodite', 'Flamingo Amadeus', and 'White Nile'

We removed one Leptospermum 'Pink Pearl' late last year after we pulled out a fence and I've considered removing this one but it's flowering better than ever now so I'm conflicted

These are 3 of my 5 Leucospermums.  From top to bottom are: L. 'High Gold', L. 'Spider Hybrid', and L 'Sunrise'.

This is the most robust of my Limonium perezii (aka sea lavender) but not the only one

The Osteospermums have also mounted their cool season comeback.  Clockwise from the upper left are: O. '4D Pink', a mix including O. '4D Purple', O. 'Serenity Purple', O. 'Violet Ice', and an interesting self-seeded cross including what looks like O. 'Berry White'

Polygala myrtifolia has self-seeded everywhere

Rhodanthemum hosmariense (aka Moroccan daisy)

Scilla peruviana (aka Portuguese squill)

There were a few surprises.

Aeonium escobarii (I think), blooming without producing a single offset

Early daylilies, Hemerocallis 'Persian Market' and H. 'Spanish Harlem'

A small shrub I only vaguely remember planting years ago and apparently never recorded, flowering for the first time.  My guess is that it's Isopogan formosus.

Protea 'Claire' has borne flowers since early November.  It's sporting its last 2 now.

I cut this Teucrium fruticans 'Azureum' (aka azure bush germander) to the ground a couple months ago with the intention of digging up its stump and never got around to step 2.  It currently looks better than it ever did before.

I'll end with my jam-packed collages.

Top row: noID Ceanothus, Felicia aethiopica, and Geranium 'Tiny Monster'
Middle: Lavandula stoechas, Lobelia erinus, and Pericallis hybrid
Bottom: Salvia 'Bee's Bliss', S. 'Mystic Spires', and Vesalea floribunda

Top row: noID pink Alstroemeria, Boronia crenulata, and Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold'
Middle: Cuphea 'Honeybells', Daucus carota, and Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi
Bottom: Persicaria capitata, Sparaxis, and Xerochrysum bracteatum

Top row: Coleonema album, Dietes grandiflora, and Euphorbia rigida
Middle: Green and white Eustoma grandiflorum (aka lisianthus) and Fuchsia 'Windchimes White'
Bottom: Pelargonium 'White Lady', noID Westringia fruticosa, and Zantedeschia aethiopica

Clockwise from the upper left: Aeonium arboreum, Alstroemeria 'Inca Sundance', Gaillardia 'Top Spin Copper Sun', Chrysocephalum apiculatum, Narcissus papyraceus, Oxalis pes-caprae, Rudbeckia 'Juliana', and noID Viola

Clockwise from the upper left: noID Cyclamen, Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder', Metrosideros collina 'Springfire', the first bloom of Eschscholzia californica, Lotus berthelotii, and Pelargonium peltatum

If you made it through this post, congratulations!  If you want more, I did a pre-Bloom Day post on a smaller group of flowers I photographed earlier this week (not included in this one).  For other GBBD posts, check in with Carol at May Dreams Gardens on February 15th.

Best wishes for a pleasant weekend.  After getting 0.47/inch of rain earlier this week, we're expecting more starting this Sunday and I couldn't be happier about that.

All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party