A Week of Flowers 2021, Day Two

Last year, Cathy of Words and Herbs launched a celebration of flowers to brighten the gray days that characterize December for many gardeners in the Northern Hemisphere.  She invites garden bloggers to post one or two photos each day, or as opportunities arise, over the course of a week.  I missed Day 1 on December 1st but I'm joining in today and will do so at least once more between now and December 7th.  You can find Cathy's description of A Week of Flowers here.

I must start by admitting that winter is not all that bleak where I live in coastal Southern California.  Still, flowers are far less plentiful even here at this time of year and it's nice to remember that spring is just around the corner. 

My Anemone bulbs have already sprouted foliage and I'm already looking forward to their early spring show.   Here's a sample of what they looked like back in February of this year.

Anemone coronaria 'Lord Lieutenant'

African daisies, including Arctotis, Gazanias, and Osteospermums, rebound during our cool season.

Arctotis 'Pink Sugar' in February of this year

For other Week in Flowers posts, visit Cathy at Words & Herbs.

All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Bloom Day - January 2017

Although the last couple of days have been sunny and warm, it's been raining cats and dogs here off and on since December (hurrah!).  Drought conditions in much of Southern California have been down-graded from "exceptional" to "extreme," which believe it or not is tremendous progress.  If forecasts of rain into February and March prove accurate, our situation could improve still further.  In any case, we have every reason to look forward to the prospect of a wonderful spring.

At present, my January garden looks similar to my December garden, with a few notable exceptions.

Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder' is now in its full winter glory

Arctotis 'Pink Sugar' is off to an early start

Despite turning most of its flowers to face the garage wall, Camellia x williamsii 'Taylor's Perfection' is proving itself worthy of its name

All 3 Grevillea rosmarianifolia 'Scarlet Sprite' bear tiny rosy red blooms

Many of the boldest bloomers from December are still going strong.

Bauhinia x blakeana bounces back quickly after each rainstorm

Nothing bothers Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy', which continues to produce a plethora of tiny purple flowers

Grevillea 'Superb' never takes a break

I don't give Grevillea lanigera 'Mount Tamboritha' the attention it deserves.  This low-growing ground cover is also in bloom year-round.

Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl' blooms its heart out throughout our cool season

A couple of support players with long bloom periods are putting on particularly strong showings this month.

Argyranthemum frutescens is at its best in cooler weather

The Osteospermums, like their African daisy cousins in the Arctotis genus, also come on strong when the weather cools.  On the left is O. 'Violet Ice', another in the 4D series.  On the right, are O. '4D Silver'  and what I think is a mutant offspring of O. '3D Berry White'. 

There are other blooms worthy of honorable mentions, shown here in collages organized by color.

Blue and purple blooms, clockwise from the left: Rosmarinus 'Gold Dust', Lavandula multifida, noID Pericallis (reblooming for a second year), and Polygala myrtifolia 'Mariposa'

Pink and red blooms, clockwise from the left: Aechmea fasciata, Arctotis 'Opera Rose', Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold', Cuphea 'Starfire Pink', noID Dianthus, Mimulus 'Jelly Bean Red', and Ribes viburnifolium

Orange, yellow and white blooms, top row: Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi, Gazania 'Yellow Flame', and Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream'
Middle row: noID Narcissus, Papaver nudicaule, and Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum'
Bottom row: Phylica pubescens, Rhodanthemum hosmarianense, and Tagetes lemmonii

Next month's coming attractions are anxious to take the stage.

From left to right: the first blooms of Calliandra haematocephala; buds of Grevillea lavandulacea 'Penola'; and early risers among the Zantedeschia aethiopica

I recognize how lucky I am to enjoy so many blooms in the middle of winter, especially when so many areas are blanketed in snow or plagued by ice.  I hope that the warm breath of spring reaches those of you dealing with real winters soon.

For more January bloom stories, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens, our Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day host.


All material © 2012-2017 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Bloom Day - March 2016

Spring arrived in coastal Southern California weeks ago and, aided by a little rain, the garden has exploded with flowers.  It's times like these that I'm forced to acknowledge that, yes, I'm addicted to flowers.  I really should confine myself to purchasing only foliage plants for the foreseeable future but I suspect that resolution won't last long.

This month I've organized my photos by garden area.  I didn't realize that I'd done this before until I looked back at my March 2015 post.  There must be something about spring and the multitude of flowers that has me stepping back to evaluate the garden area-by-area.

There are so many flowers in the backyard garden that I had to break things down by section.  In the back border, the Osteospermums continue to dominate but they're not alone.

Osteospermum 'Blue-eyed Beauty', shown here with Geranium 'Tiny Monster' among other flowers, rules the mid-border

Other Osteospermums blooming in this long border include (clockwise from top left): O. '4D Silver', 'Pink Spoon', 'Berry White' and 'Zion Copper Amethyst'

Additional flower color is provided by Argyrantemum 'Madeira Pink', Alstroemeria (noID), Gazania 'Sunbathers Otomi', Rhodanthemum hosmariense 'Marrakech', R. 'Moondance', Hebe 'Patty's Purple', H. 'Wiri Blush', Polygala fruticosa, Verbena lilacina, Phlomis fruticosa, Scilla peruviana, and Narcissus 'White Lion'

The most impressive plant in the area surrounding the backyard fountain right now is Felicia aethiopica but it has plenty of company.

Last year I planted 2 Felicia in 4-inch pots and this year I have a beautiful mound of blue flowers

This long border running half the length of the house also contains: Arctotis 'Pink Sugar' (planted from divisions taken from plants in the front garden), Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin', Ajuga 'Mint Chip', Alyogyne huegelii, Bulbine  frutescens, Dutch Iris, Ranunculus californicus, and Veronica 'Waterperry Blue'

The two smaller beds on the north end of the backyard are also joining in on the show.

One bed has blooms of Grevillea 'Ned Kelly', Lobelia laxiflora, and a hot-pink flowered Callistemon (which I may have to move due to the color clash)

Closer to the house is a bed containing Cotula lineariloba, Solanum xanti and Salvia 'Amistad'

By comparison, the south side garden is relatively reserved.

One bed is dominated by a large Cistus x skanbergii (surrounded by prickly cones from the Magnolia tree to discourage the raccoons and skunks from digging)

This one has a mass of Gazania 'Gold Flame' together with Grevillea juniperina 'Molonglo' and Lotus berthelotii

The front garden is competing with the back to draw attention.

More Arctotis 'Pink Sugar'

Echium candicans just about to bloom in front of a noID Ceanothus

'Joseph's Coat' climbing rose

The planting schemes on both sides of the front walkway include (clockwise from top left): Gazania 'White Flame', Coleonema 'Sunset Gold', Coleonema album, Euphorbia characacias 'Black Pearl', Hemerocallis 'Spanish Harlem' and 'Pink Meidiland' roses

On the north end of the front garden, I have: Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream', Grevillea 'Superb', Heuchera 'Bressingham Hybrids', Helleborus 'Anna's Red', Geranium 'Biokovo', and Jacobaea maritima

Even the less-visited corners of the garden have flowers.

In the area behind the succulent bed that runs along the street, I have what I think is Prunus laurocerasus together with Auranticarpa rhombifolia, Euryops 'Sonnenschein', 2 forms of Pelargonium peltatum, and what I think is Rosa chinensis 'Mutabilis'

Osteospermums dominate my dry garden too (clockwise from the upper left): O. 'Sweet Summertime Kardinal', O. 'Purple Spoon', 2 self-seeded Osteospermums (noID), Geranium incanum (a weed in my garden), 'Goodwin Creek' lavender, Limonium perezii, and Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl'

Even the neglected back slope has some blooms to offer: an Aeonium arboreum flower, Euphorbia 'Dean's Hybrid', a noID bearded Iris, and Zantedeschia aethiopica, which disappears every summer but returns when the rain and cooler temperatures arrive in late winter

Is your head spinning?  Mine is!  For other Bloom Day posts, visit Carol, our Garden Bloggers Bloom Day host, at May Dreams Gardens.


All material © 2012-2016 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

My favorite plants this January

In contrast to other years, the stars of my winter garden have been relatively slow about showing their stuff this year.  That may be due to the colder temperatures we've experienced since December, the drought, or a combination of the two.  Whatever the case, the situation has changed over the course of the last couple of weeks.  As Loree of danger garden is back from her holiday hiatus with her monthly favorites post, it's a perfect time to show off some of the current stars of my garden.

The first is Helleborus x 'Anna's Red'.  I picked this plant up at the late, great Sperling Nursery last year principally for its pretty foliage.  As I remember, it was the last one they had, my friend having snatched up the only other one on the table.  Frankly, I didn't expect much from it as hellebores don't do particularly well here so, last week when I saw buds on the plant, I was very excited.

I enjoyed the attractive foliage all last year but the appearance of flowers put the plant over the top for me

I love the flowers even if they do insist on pointing their faces toward the ground

And look!  There are more flowers to come!

I've flaunted photos of my Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream' in other posts this month but I can't help myself from doing so again.  The plant in the front garden is covered in blooms and buds.  I stopped counting after two dozen.

The buds don't show up well in this sun-saturated photo but, believe me, there are lots of them

The flowers gradually turn peachier as they mature

But that's not the only Grevillea putting on a show at the moment.  Grevillea 'Superb' is also living up to its name.

This Grevillea 'Superb' is loaded with blooms

The mature flowers of 'Superb' are longer but narrower than those of 'Peaches & Cream'

Another plant that's living up to its name is Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder'.  Its winter color is showing with the development of its cones and yellow bracts.

This plant moved here with me from our former house, where it lived in a pot.  Once planted in the ground, it exploded in size.

It looks like a flower, doesn't it?

This is my second 'Wilson's Wonder'.  Planted in November 2014, it's still relatively small.

Before I end this post, I also want to give a shout out to Arctotis 'Pink Sugar'.  Its blooms may be late in arriving but it's quickly making up for lost time.

'Pink Sugar' does a good job of complementing Phormium 'Maori Queen' 

If the flowers didn't close in low light, I'd be using them regularly in vases

Despite our drought, I know I'm lucky to be able to enjoy plants like these in the middle of winter when so many other gardeners are shivering in their boots and digging cars out of snowdrifts.  Thank you Mother Nature!  Now, if you could just see your way to deliver up some rain this weekend...

Visit Loree and danger garden to see her favorite January plants and to find links to other gardeners' choices.


All material © 2012-2016 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Bloom Day - April 2015

It's Bloom Day, when Carol of May Dreams Gardens leads gardeners all over the world in sharing what's blooming in their gardens.  Despite the heatwaves that knocked out some flowering plants prematurely in March, there's a lot going on in my Southern California garden this month.  The star of this month's parade of flowers is the climbing rose 'Joseph's Coat.'

But, in terms of the sheer volume of blooms, there are other key players jockeying for attention as well:

Pink Alstroemeria, inherited with the house

Arctotis 'Pink Sugar' continues to play a dominant role in the beds along the front walkway

3 Argyranthemum frutescens 'Butterfly' have merged into a mass of bloom

Centranthus ruber has popped up in all the drier areas of the garden

I've fallen in love with this Gazania hybrid 'Kiss Frosty White Flame' after years of snubbing my nose at the entire genus

Lavendula stoechas occupies prominent positions in both the front and back borders

The humble Limonium perezii is adding color in the drier areas on both ends of the garden

The Phlomis fruticosa shrubs in the backyard have reached their peak of bloom

Some of my favorite combinations of flowering plants right now include the following:

Arctotis 'Pink Sugar,' backed up by Euphorbia characias 'Black Pearl' and Phormium 'Maori Queen' along the front walkway

A mix of white and pink Centranthus is filling in the formerly empty areas along the back slope, mixing with Oenothera speciosa, which is just starting to bloom in the same area

Cynoglossum amabile is shown here mingling with Alstroemeria, Erigeron, and self-seeded Cerinthe major

Felicia aethiopica 'Tight & Tidy' and Gazania 'New Day Yellow'

This bed may have too much going on with Grevillea 'Superb' producing bloom after bloom in the center, accompanied by Convolvulus sabatius 'Moroccan Beauty,' Gallardia grandiflora 'Goblin,' Nandina domestica and Salvia 'Mesa Azure'

Lavandula stoechas again, accompanied by Felicia aethiopica and Gazania 'New Day Yellow'

This may be my favorite combination at the moment: Osteospermum 'Serenity Purple,' Geranium incanum and Leucadendron 'Ebony'

Cistus 'Sunset,' Limonium perezii and trailing Lantana

Hard-to-photograph Wahlenbergia 'Blue Cloud' mingling with Nierembergia  linarifolia

As this post also serves as my record of what's blooming each month, I'm going to try the reader's patience by adding a few collages of flowers organized by color.

Blue blooms include (clockwise from upper left): Lobelia mingling with blueberries, Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip,' Aquilegia 'Spring Magic,' Convolvulus 'Moroccan Beauty,' Felicia 'Tight & Tidy,' and Wahlenbergia 'Blue Cloud'

In the purple category (clockwise from upper left): Acanthus mollis 'Summer Beauty,' Iris germanica (no ID), Senecio stellata, Salvia 'Mesa Azure,' Salvia 'Mystic Spires' and Solanum xantii 'Mountain Pride'

Magenta blooms include (from left): Geranium 'Tiny Monster,' Osteospermum 'Serenity Purple,' and Pelargonium 'Oldbury Duet'

The red category includes (clockwise from upper left): Feijoa sellowiana, Fuchsia 'Windchimes Neon & White,' Hippeastrum (no ID), the last blooms of Grevillea lavandulcea 'Penola' (in flower since December), the first ever blooms of Leucadendron 'Ebony' and the first blooms of Leucadendron 'Jester'

Pink blooms include (clockwise from upper left): Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl,' Helleborus 'Phoebe,' Hoya (no ID), Oenothera speciosa, Pentas 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom' and Schizanthus  pinnatus

Pink Pelargoniums include, top row: 2 unidentified P. peltatum; bottom row: P. 'Aurelia' and what may be P. 'Katie' 

Orange and peach blooms include (clockwise from upper left): Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream,' Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin,' Bignonia capreolata, Hemerocallis 'Elizabeth Salter,' Pelargonium x domesticum 'Georgia Peach, and Rosa 'Medallion'

Yellow blooms include (clockwise from upper left): Cotula lineariloba, Euphorbia 'Dean's Hybrid,' Gazania 'New Day Yellow,' Leucadendron 'Pisa,' Osteospermum 'Blue-eyed Beauty' and Narcissus 'White Lion'

White blooms include (clockwise from upper left): Carpenteria californica, Coleonema album, Nandina domestica and Trachelospermum jasminoides

Even my flowering weeds are at their peak:

Although they are virtually weeds here, I give Centranthus ruber, Erigeron karviniskianus and Geranium incanum some freedom to spread about

Okay, this post exhausted even me so, reader, if you got this far, bravo!  For even more blooming plants, please visit Carol, the host of May Dreams Gardens.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party