Bloom Day - November 2022

While the volume of flowers in my November garden feels less than it should be at this time of year, when I compared the plants in a starring role this month to those I showcased in November 2021 and 2020, the list isn't much different.

Let's start with the plants putting on the best show at the moment.

The 4 Arbutus 'Marina' (strawberry trees) in my garden are laden with flowers.  The hummingbirds are currently at war over access to them.

The Barleria obtusa (bush violets) got an earlier start this year with the first flowers appearing in October but they're still colorful, if showing the first signs of wear

Bauhinia x blakeana (the Hong Kong orchid tree) begins producing flowers as soon as temperatures drop in the fall.  Most of the flowers are well above my head but occasionally one hangs low enough to allow me a closeup photo.

As the Camellia sasanqua shrubs were impacted by our recent water pipe replacement project, I was worried that their normal flowering schedule would be impacted but the flowers have appeared as usual, if in somewhat reduced numbers.  There are 2 varieties, similar in color, but I'm not able to identify either as they were here before I was.

Correa, commonly known as Australian fuchsias, aren't easy to photograph as the flowers are often hidden by leaves but they're also reliable fall bloomers.  From left to right are varieties 'Dusky Bells', 'Ivory Bells', and 'Wyn's Wonder'.

Euryops chrysanthemoides 'Sonnenschein' blooms on an erratic schedule seemingly correlated with our unpredictable rainfall

In a departure from the norms of my garden, I've buds but no flowers from Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream' to share this month; however, Grevillea alpina x rosmarinifolia and G. 'Poorinda Leane' (top row) are getting started and of course G. 'Superb' (bottom row) is putting on its regular show

The Leucadendrons are doing their best to fill in for flowers.  Clockwise from the left are Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' with L. 'Blush', a closer look at L. salignum 'Blush', and L. s. 'Summer Red'

'

Most of the Osteospermums are taking their time recovering from the hot, dry summer but O. '4D Violet Ice' is ahead of the pack

Pelargonium peltatum (ivy geraniums) also appreciate cooler temperatures

Despite my efforts to control its height and shape, Senna bicapsularis is once again reaching gangly limbs into the sky.  This is a host plant for the cloudless sulphur butterfly (Phoebis sennae).

Tagetes lemmonii (aka copper canyon daisy) is off to a slower start this year

Some people sneer at the scent of Tulbaghia violacea (society garlic) but it's a vigorous drought-tolerant plant and it produces fresh blooms every time I deadhead it

As usual, the garden presents a few surprises.

Dahlia 'Lavender Ruffles' is still blooming while all its brethren have been tucked away in the garage to wait out their dormant period

Planted from a small pot received by mail order 2 years ago, Medinilla myriantha (aka Malaysian orchid) has produced its first bloom stalk

My roses have done terribly this year but, following the recent rains, this noID lavender-pink variety produced a single small bloom

 

The flowers in the background are sparser than they were in 2020 and 2021 but they're still worth recognizing.  Here they are in collages organized by color.

Clockwise from the upper left: noID Duranta erecta, Felicia aethiopica, Hebe 'Grace Kelly', Lavandula multifida, noID Phalaenopsis, and Vitex trifolia 'Purpurea'

Clockwise from the upper left: Cuphea 'Starfire Pink', Persicaria capitata, noID Cyclamen, and Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy'

Clockwise again: Achillea ptarmica, noID Angelonia, Argyranthemum frutescens 'White Butterfly', and Westringia fruticosa 'Morning Light'

Clockwise: Achillea 'Moonshine', Berlandiera lyrata (chocolate daisy), Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun', G. 'Spintop Copper Sun', Gazania 'Gold Flame', Lantana 'Irene', and Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum'

 

For more Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day posts, visit our host, Carol of May Dreams Gardens.

All material © 2012-2022 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Pruning byproducts

With the holidays behind us, I've stepped up my activity in cleaning up my garden.  I've been pruning the shrubs I allowed to get out of control, tidying up others, and pulling out plants that have just become too woody (or too trashed by remodel-related damage) to salvage.  My first vase contains the byproducts of some of these efforts.

I've hard pruned my pink Cuphea, which blooms continuously but gets ratty during the course of the year.  I also cleared out some of the twiggy growth on my Hong Kong orchid tree.  It's flowers don't last long in a vase but they look flashy for a few days.

Back view: I kept this vase simpler than most

Top view

Clockwise from the left: Bauhinia x blakeana (aka Hong Kong orchid tree), Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold', Cuphea x ignea 'Starfire Pink', and Lavandula multifida (aka fernleaf lavender)

My second arrangement features the vase I received from a good friend as a Christmas present.  It has a relatively small opening, which I stuffed with bits and pieces scavenged from different corners of my garden.

It's not so much an arrangement as a collection of miscellaneous cuttings

Back view: The green Chrysanthemums I purchased at the supermarket 2 weeks ago are past their prime but I tucked some of the most presentable stems here too

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian White', Argyranthemum frutescens 'Everest', noID Chrysanthemum, noID Narcissus, Pittosporum tenufolium 'Silver Magic', Polygala fruticosa 'Petite Butterfly', and noID Viola

With the introduction of our kitchen island, I now seem to feel compelled to have a vase there, as well as in the front entry and on the dining room table.  Luckily, I still have a steady supply of Amaryllis (Hippeastrum 'Zombie') blooming in my shade house so I've been able to refresh the dining room display as needed.  What am I going to do when that supply dries up?!

Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to find more "In a Vase on Monday" creations.


All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - November 2019

November isn't the best month for gardens in the Northern Hemisphere and mine is no exception.  There's less in bloom in my garden this month than there was last year at this time but that's a byproduct of both weather conditions and inattention on my part.  We've been dry since early May and, although our rainy season officially kicked off in October, we've yet to see a drop of rain.  We've had warmer days than typical for this time of year and bout after bout of high-velocity Santa Ana winds, which spread wildfires as has become the pattern in recent years.  On the positive side, the nights have been cool and the marine layer has raised our humidity during the morning hours of late.  We don't generally get freezes here but the warm daytime temperatures and wind have knocked out many of my plants and, as our 5-month home remodel finally nears its end, my attention has been focused on the inside of the house, with the garden forced to fend for itself.  I'm hoping that'll change in the next month.

I posted photos of my fall floral standouts in late October.  My Senna bicapsularis and Plectranthus 'Zulu Wonder' are mostly done for the season.  The bush violets are still blooming, although they're past they're peak now.

Barleria obtusa (aka bush violet), lending a cool note to our warm days

Several other plants are making a splash right now.

Bauhinia x blakeana (aka Hong Kong orchid tree)

The ever-blooming Grevilleas, 'Ned Kelly', 'Peaches & Cream', and 'Superb'

Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum' and P. 'Sky Rocket'

Rudbeckia hirta 'Denver Daisy'

Tagetes lemmonii (aka Copper Canyon Daisy)

A handful of others have just begun their bloom cycle.

NoID Camellia sasanqua, which lost a lot of bud-filled stems when the house exterior was painted

Correa pulchella 'Pink Eyre'

Hemizygia 'Candy Kisses'

Hypoestes aristata (aka ribbon bush)

Mahonia x media 'Charity'

There were a few surprises too.

The foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea, left) I planted as plugs in October 2018 have bloomed off and on all year and those I didn't pull to make room for dahlias this summer are blooming again now.  Hemerocallis 'For Pete's Sake' (upper right) is blooming for a third time this year. Nerine bowdenii 'Stefani', picked up at The Huntington's 2017 fall plant sale. is blooming now for the first time.

I'm ending my post as I usually do with a few collages showing what's flowering on a smaller scale.

Clockwise from the upper left: Duranta repens 'Sapphire Showers', Polygala fruticosa, noID Wahlenbergia, Lavandula multifida, and Campanula poscharskyana

Clockwise from the upper left: Arbutus 'Marina', Gazania 'White Flame', Pentas 'Graffiti Pink', and 2 of the Zinnia elegans I haven't yet pulled from my cutting garden

Clockwise from the upper left: Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer', Lantana 'Lucky White', self-seeded Osteospermum, Gazania 'Gold Flame', and 2 more varieties of Zinnia elegans

For more Bloom Day posts, visit GBBD's ringleader, Carol at May Dreams Gardens.


All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Imitation orchids and faux flowers

As both of last week's vases are still in great shape and as the front entry, normally one of two spots I place a vase is currently showing off a Christmas display, I didn't "need" to create any new vases this week.  But, of course, that doesn't mean I didn't.  My Hong Kong Orchid tree (Bauhinia x blakeana) is one of a dozen trees scheduled for trimming next Saturday so it seemed only prudent to cut a few of those flowers while I still can.

The orchid tree was slow to recover after the horrific heatwave that struck in July but it's finally full of flowers again

View from one side

and the other

This overhead view lets you see almost all the elements at once

Clockwise from the upper left, the vase contains: Bauhina x blakeana, Alternanthera 'Little Ruby', Artemisia 'Powis Castle', Hemizygia 'Candy Kisses', Cuphea hybrid 'Starfire Pink', and Persicaria capitata

The new arrangement found a spot in the master bedroom, one of the few empty spaces available at present

With the new vase occupying the bedroom mantle; a Christmas display in the front entry; last week's orchid and Leucadendron arrangement now in the living room, along with a half-decorated Christmas tree; and last week's teapot arrangement still gracing the dining room table, I didn't have space for any more vases.  However, I stumbled across a new Instagram trend involving decorating with succulents Saturday evening and I decided to give it a try and share the results with you.  Although #succiepotinapot is a Instagram challenge, I discovered it via Pinterest.  I relied on materials I already had on hand, which limited my options, but I still had fun with it.

I used an 8-inch ceramic pot and a 2.5-inch clay pot, creating a bouquet of "flowers" using small specimens of the following succulents: Echeveria agavoides 'Red Tips', E. 'Azulita', E. 'Morning Beauty', E. 'Violet Queen', and Jovibarba heuffelii.  I used cuttings of Crassula pubescens radicans to create leaves.  I stole gravel from my cutting garden to cover the exposed soil.

There are many better succulent pots in a pot arrangements posted on Instagram and Martha Stewart has a post on the Instagram challenge too.

For now, I've moved the pot to my lath (shade) house to keep it out of the way of the tree trimming crew due on Saturday.

I used plastic pot feet to display it on a tilt

Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see what she and other IAVOM contributors have put together this week.


All material © 2012-2018 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party