Bloom Day - December 2019

I've got fewer flowers to share than I had last December but perhaps that can be explained by the colder-than-usual temperatures we had in late November and lighter rain.  Or, it could be largely attributable to my reduced involvement with the garden during our protracted remodel, the last piece of which wasn't completed until this past Friday.

Let's start with the plants I consider my stars this month:

This is Hippeastrum 'Zombie'.  Each of the 4 bulbs I potted up has at least 2 flower stalks.  The flowers shown here are on a single stalk.

Bauhina x blakeana (aka Hong Kong orchid tree) is blooming heavily now, right on schedule

The noID Camellia sasanqua that came with the garden took a major hit during our remodel but this particular shrub is doing its best to make up for the lesser performance of the others

After repeated attempts to establish Hypoestes aristata (aka ribbon bush), a plant I grew in my former garden, I've finally gotten 2 of them established here.  The one shown on the left is backed up by one of several Polygala fruitcosa (aka sweet pea shrub) in my garden.  Vigorous plants, this one self-seeded in this spot.  The shrub flowers heaviest in the spring but produces a smattering of flowers, like the one shown in close-up on the right, during much of the year.

Even though this Tagetes lemmonii (aka Mexican marigold and Copper Canyon daisy) grows in partial shade, it blooms heavily at this time of year

The next group consists of plants that surprised me for one reason or another:

This is a pup of a bromeliad I've had growing in a pot for years.  I planted the pup in the ground with succulents about a year ago.  I believe it's Aechmea orlandiana.  The flower isn't as exciting as those produced by many other bromeliads but it's the first one I've seen this Aechmea produce.

I planted this Aloe vanbalenii x ferox in April 2016 and this is its first flower.  I don't have sufficient experience with Aloes to say which of its parents it more closely resembles.

I acquired Dermatobotrys saundersii (aka tree jockey) at a Huntington Garden sale in 2017.  It's semi-deciduous and looks so terrible in October/November that I always think I must have killed it with neglect - but then it blooms.  Still, it's looking leggier this year and I've been wondering if if would respond to pruning.  Mine has both dried and fresh fruit clinging to its stems, even as it's put out a fresh batch of flowers.

I grow Eustoma grandiflorum (Lisianthus) year-round but it doesn't usually bloom in December!

Metrosideros collina 'Springfire' came close to perishing in a horrific July 2018 heatwave.  Luckily for me, it recovered but it didn't bloom in spring or summer this year.  Yet, it's got a light flower flush going on now.  Pennisetum 'Sky Rocket' seems to be sending up fireworks in celebration behind it.

Although I haven't done as much gardening this fall, I have a few new additions to share:

I cleared out the bed shown in the top photograph back in September and subsequently planted it with Argyranthemum frutescens 'Everest', Lobularia maritima (sweet alyssum)  and purple, white and orange Violas.  Antirrhinum majus plugs (bottom, right) were planted in November and I popped Cyclamen (bottom, left) in a pot in my lath house last week. 

As always, I have a collection of flowers that don't fall in any of the previous categories, yet are worthy of notice.  As usual, I've organized these into color collages:

Clockwise from the upper left: Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy', Lavandula multifida (against a background of Coleonema 'Sunset Gold'), Campanula poscharskyana 'Blue Waterfall', noID self-seeded Osteospermum, and Phalaeonopsis seco vivien 'Golden Leaves'

Clockwise from the upper left: Arbutus 'Marina', Correa 'Pink Eyre', Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian Peach', Grevillea 'Superb', Hemizygia 'Candy Kisses', and Osteospermum 'Berry White'

Clockwise from the upper left: Euryops chrysanthemoides 'Sonnenschein', Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream', noID Gazania, Mahonia x media 'Charity', and Rudbeckia hirta 'Denver Daisy'

For more posts on this Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, check in with our host, Carol at May Dreams Gardens.  Best wishes to all for a pleasant holiday season!


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

In a Vase on Monday: Begging the Hummingbirds' Forgiveness

It's rained off and on for more than 2 weeks now (yay!) but that's left the limited flowers I have left looking rather disheveled.  My inspiration for this week's vase was the ribbon bush I've finally managed to establish in my garden.  Although its flowers were well past their peak, I still felt a twinge of guilt cutting the best looking stem because the hummingbirds have claimed the shrub as their own.

I added stems of Vitex trifolia because the undersides of its leaves are a lovely purple color.  The lavender Lisianthus, planted last May, was supposed to be a brownish red but it clearly isn't that.

Back view: I'm hoping the drooping Vitex leaves recover with a little more time in water.  I realize they look sad in this photograph.  They've perked up a bit since I took it.

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Argyranthemum frutescens 'Everest', mislabeled lavender Eustoma grandiflorum (Lisianthus), another mostly white Lisianthus, Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy' (recycled from one of last week's vases), Polygala fruticosa 'Petite Butterfly', Vitex trifolia, Hemizygia 'Candy Kisses' and, in the center, Hypoestes aristata (aka ribbon bush)

The brightly colored foliage of the 'Fuyu' persimmon grabs my attention every time I walk through my garden so I cut a couple of stems and paired it with berries for an impromptu second vase.

I paired the persimmon leaves (Diospyros kaki 'Fuyu') with berries of Auranticarpa rhombifolium

While the Grevillea flowers in last week's vase didn't hold up well against the power of our new heating system, the rest of the contents of the vase did so I cleaned it up and moved it to the dining table, which is finally clear of debris.

The flowers of the lovely Amaryllis (Hippeastrum 'Zombie') have lifted their pretty heads a bit since last week

Meanwhile, the new vase moved to the table in the front entry.

For more IAVOM creations, visit our host, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.


All material © 2012-2019 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: Going tiny

Today is the anniversary of the popular meme, In a Vase on Monday, launched by Cathy of Rambling in the Garden six years ago.  I joined up at the end of March 2014 and have participated regularly ever since.  To recognize IAVOM's anniversary, Cathy challenged contributors to go small this week, creating diminutive arrangements.  I didn't quite make the six-inch height and width limit she suggested but I came close.

The Bauhinia flower was difficult to cut as all the flowers on the Hong Kong orchid tree are now well above my head

Rear view, showing off the delicate flowers of Hemizygia 'Candy Kisses'

Top view

From left to right: Bauhinia x blakeana (aka Hong Kong orchid tree), Hemizygia 'Candy Kisses', and Pseuderanthemum 'Texas Tri-star'

As usual, I cut more than I could stuff into the three-inch green vase so the overflow - and a couple of extras - went into a second vase.

I was surprised to find a Lisianthus bloom. You may be surprised to see the foxglove bloom on the left - that came from one of the plants I put in last winter.  I pulled most of them but I still have 3 or 4 in my cutting garden and they're flowering again!

Back view: given Cathy's theme, I couldn't resist tucking in a few stems of Gomphrena 'Itsy Bitsy'

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Eustoma grandiflorum (aka Lisianthus), Alternanthera 'Little Ruby', Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold', Hypoestes aristata (aka ribbon bush), Digitalis purpurea, and Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy'

Happy anniversary Cathy!  Thank you for leading this meme without ever dropping the ball.  You've made Monday special for many of us!  Visit Cathy to find more IAVOM posts.

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

In a Vase on Monday: Fleeting Blooms

The big news from my corner of the world is: WE GOT RAIN!  Honest-to-goodness rain, not Mother Nature's spit, which is all we've had of late.  I know that those of you in wetter climates may be rolling your eyes but this is a big deal here.

According to my little weather station, we got almost two-thirds of an inch of rain from yesterday's system.  I captured what I could off the rain chain and in the 3 rain barrels connected to our roof gutters.

Even though rain was predicted, it's hard to put any faith in forecasts when one after another fails to materialize.  I'd planned to spend Sunday in the garden planting recent purchases but, when the skies became auspiciously gloomy, I decided I'd better cut some flowers for "In a Vase on Monday" just in case the forecasts proved accurate for once.

I fixated on 2 flowers that appear only briefly in the garden.  The first is Hypoestes aristata, also known as ribbon bush.  I grew this plant in my old garden, where it was a vigorous fall performer.  I kicked myself for failing to bring cuttings with me when we moved as it took me years to find the plant afterwards.   When I located a mail order source last year, I planted 3 tiny shrubs, only one of which survived the sunnier, hotter and drier conditions of my current garden.  My remaining plant is still small and has only a few blooms but I cut a single stem and then went looking for other plants to complement it.

The ribbon bush stem on the left was eclipsed by the last of the cherry-colored Eustoma grandiflorum (Lisianthus)

Back view

Top view

Clockwise from the left, the vase contains: Eustoma grandiflorum, Gomphrena globosa 'Fireworks', Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy', Hypoestes aristata, Leucanthemum x superbum, Polygala myrtifolia 'Mariposa', and Pseuderanthemum 'Texas Tri-star'

The other flowering plant I couldn't ignore this week is Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid'.  This shrub, planted in March 2015, produces periodic flushes of bloom but the flowers disappear almost as soon as I notice them.  I clipped 3 stems and took another spin through the garden seeking suitable companions.

I had a harder time finding flowers to combine with the pale coral-pink blooms of the Callistemon than I had finding matches for the blooms of the pinkish-lavender Hypoestes

Back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left, the vase contains: Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid', Abelia 'Kaleidoscope', Coprosma repens 'Evening Glow', Grevillea 'Superb', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Nandina domestica (berries and foliage)

The vases found their places.  For more vases, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, our host for "In a Vase on Monday."

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