I haven't actually seen anything but clips of the movie, 'Everything Everywhere All at Once', but that was my reaction when I stepped into my own garden yesterday morning. It'd be easier to list what isn't blooming than what is at the moment. Even the new species tulip bulbs I planted in December,
Tulipa linifolia 'Honky Tonk', have burst into bloom, although I didn't end up including any of them in the two vases I created this week. However, I did stop myself from putting together more than two arrangements.
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| This is Tulipa 'Honky Tonk'. It's cute and, by my count, the majority of the 25 bulbs I planted are already blooming or in bud but the stems are still relatively short for inclusion in a vase. |
My first arrangement stars the blue Dutch Irises that appeared last week. Two other Dutch Iris cultivars are also already in bloom.
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| The 'Sapphire Beauty' Iris are fewer in number this year, probably because many of the bulbs surrounding our backyard fountain were damaged or consumed by gophers along with the yellow Freesia in the same area |
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| Back view |
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| Overhead view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt', Ageratina adenophora, Anemone coronaria 'Lord Lieutenant', Iris x hollandica 'Sapphire Beauty', white and yellow Freesias, white Ranunculus, and Leucospermum 'High Gold' |
I used another
Leucospermum as the centerpiece of my second arrangement.
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| 'Royal Hawaiian Brandi' is the most flamboyant of my Leucospermums |
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| Back view |
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| Overhead view |
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| Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Leucadendron 'Jester', yellow Freesia, Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer', A. 'Inca Sundance', Gladiolus nanus 'Las Vegas, and Leucospermum 'Royal Hawaiian Brandi' |
Our temperatures steadily climbed last week, peaking at 90F/32C on Friday before coming slowly down to the low 80sF/28C yesterday. I suspect that the warmer conditions may be responsible for the floral explosion. The marine layer is expected to bring temperatures down a bit further during the next few days before they creep up again as we head into the weekend. I'm laying odds that my sweet peas will bloom sometime in March this year, as opposed to May, which is when they showed up last year.
All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
