Bloom Day - July 2015

July usually marks a decided shift for my southern California garden.  The heat begins in earnest and many plants stop blooming, waiting for the return of cooler temperatures.  However, while we experienced some tropical heat in late June and early July, the temperatures haven't soared anywhere near as high as we'd expect at this time of year (yet).  Nonetheless, the water restrictions instituted in response to California's severe drought conditions are having an effect.  In my garden, while you can find flowers here and there throughout, there aren't a lot of areas with masses of bloom, although there are a few exceptions to that rule.

The most floriferous bed in my garden is this one adjacent to the backyard patio

The flower power in this bed is supplied by Anigozanthos 'Yellow Gem', Gaillardia aristata 'Gallo Peach', Salvia 'Amistad', and Solanum xanti

The other bed that stops traffic is this one along the house in the front yard, which is dominated by masses of Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Arizona Sun' and 'Goblin' (backed up by Grevillea 'Superb')

Two genera doing their best to make an impact elsewhere in the garden are Eustoma grandiflorum (aka Lisianthus) and Grevillea.

I'm growing 4 colors of Eustoma grandiflorum this year: 'Borealis Blue', 'Borealis Yellow', 'Echo White' and 'Mariachi Pink'

The 3 Grevilleas making the biggest splash at the moment are G. alpina x rosmarinifolia, G. 'Superb' and G. lavandulacea 'Penola', the last sporting new blooms way ahead of schedule ('Ned Kelly' was camera-shy this month and 'Peaches & Cream' is still getting ready for her next close-up)

Blooms that have only recently made an appearance include these:

Top row: Achillea 'Moonshine', Anigozanthos (no ID), and Helianthus annus
Middle row: Lilium (no ID), Oscularia deltoides, and Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy'
Bottom row: Trachelium caeruleum, Zauschneria 'Orange Carpet', and Zinnia elegans

In addition, some plants that bloomed earlier in the year then took a rest have made a reappearance in small numbers.

Top row: Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin', Aster frikartii 'Monch', and Cistus 'Sunset'
Middle row: Globularia x indubia, Gomphrena 'Itsy Bitsy', and Limonium perezii
Bottom row: Osteospermum 'Blue-eyed Beauty', Phlomis fruticosa, and Tanacetum parthenium

The new arrivals are backed up by plants that are almost perpetually in bloom, as well as others that have especially long bloom cycles.

Plants almost perpetually in bloom include (clockwise from left): Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold' with Cuphea 'Starfire Pink', Abelia x grandiflora, Gazania 'White Flame', Polygala fruticosa 'Petite Butterflies' and Hebe 'Patty's Purple' (shown with more Cuphea 'Starfire Pink')

Other stalwarts include, top row: Bignonia capreolata, Duranta (no ID - blooming continuously on graywater!), and Gaura
Middle row: Jacobaeus maritima, Lavender (no ID), and Osteospermum 'Sweet Kardinal'
Bottom row: Pentas 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom', Salvia 'Wendy's Wish', and Wahlenbergia 'Blue Cloud'

Some summer bloomers are already exiting the stage.

Clockwise from left: Agapanthus (no ID), Albezia julibrissin, Cymbidium (no ID), Hemerocallis 'Sammy Russell Red', and Leucanthemum x superbum

I'll end this month's bloom report with the biggest surprises to make an appearance.

These 2 may have been prompted to bloom by the earlier tropical weather: Bauhinia x blakeana (aka Hong Kong orchid tree) and Tibouchina  urvilleana

You can find bloom reports from all over the world by checking in with Carol, the mistress of ceremonies for the event known as Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, at May Dreams Gardens.


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

Bloom Day - June 2015

With early heatwaves in March followed by unusually cool weather through early June, my garden is mixed up this year.  Some summer bloomers, like the Agapanthus, got off to an early start but others, like the dormant Hemerocallis 'Sammy Russell' have been slow to get going.  The late rain we received, little as it was, also made a difference, encouraging some flowers, like the Osteospermum, to return for a repeat performance.  This is a long-winded way of saying: the garden is full of flowers this June.

The flowers I'm most excited about are a mixed group, some old favorites and others new introductions.

I can't help but be impressed, as I am each year, by the legion of Agapanthus in bloom

After disappointing results from Agastache in prior years, I've fallen in love with the 2 varieties shown here: A. 'Summer Glow' and A. 'Sunset'

While some of the Hemerocallis have been slow to get started, there are still a lot of them to add interest - clockwise from the top left: 'For Pete's Sake', 'Dallas Star', 'Frank Gladney', 'Indian Giver', 'Persian Market', 'Russian Rhapsody', 'Spanish Harlem' and 'Sammy Russell'

This noID bearded Iris is exciting mainly because it's the only one in my garden that has bloomed this year

I'm very happy with the exuberant Lotus berthelotii in a pot - it's almost uncontrollable here when planted in the ground

Melaleuca thymifolia is putting on a fine show this year, its second in my back border

I love the cerulean blue of this Salvia macrophylla but it's very hard to photograph

Solanum xanti, a California native, shown here with Leucadendron 'Pisa' and Salvia 'Amistad', continues to be one of my favorite plants

Some plant genera are making big shows throughout the garden:

The Cupheas: 'Carribean Sunset', 'Strybing Sunset' and 'Starfire Pink'

The Gazanias: (clockwise from upper left) 'New Day Yellow', unspecified orange from the 'Flame' series, 'Sunbathers Otomi' and 'Kiss Me White Flame'

There are buds but no blooms on Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream' this month but those that are blooming include G. alpina x rosmarinifolia, G. 'Ned Kelly' and G. 'Superb'

I have a few Fuchsia: F. thymifolia, 'Neon & White Windchimes', and 'Swingtime'

The Eustoma grandiflorum are just getting started but the white and pink forms are already making a splash

Lantana of various types are adding summer color

The Nasturium (Tropaeolum) I grew from seed bloomed - these are the only seeds that make it past the raccoons in the garden beds

The cooler weather in May brought back the Osteospermum for another run

The ever-present Pelargoniums are blooming in earnest

Even the succulents have joined in

But that's not all!  Here are a few more, organized by color:

Top row: Achillea 'Moonshine', Anigozanthos (noID), and Argyranthmum 'Butterfly'
Middle row: Cotula 'Big Yellow Moon', Cotula 'Tiffendell Gold' and a Cymbidium (noID)
Bottom row: Euphorbia 'Dean's Hybrid', Halimium x pauanum, and Jacobaeus maritima

Clockwise from top left: Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin', Bignonia capreolata, Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame' and Russelia equisetiformis

Top row: Albizia julibrissin, Alstromeria (noID), and Arctotis 'Pink Sugar'
Middle row: Centranthus ruber, Hebe 'Wiri Blush', and Heuchera (noID)
Bottom row: California poppies, 'Pink Meidiland' rose and Salvia 'Wendy's Wish'

Top row: Arthropodium cirratum, Gaura lindheimeri, and Geranium 'Biokovo'
Middle row: Lagurus ovatus and Leucanthemum x superbum (2 forms)
Bottom row: Magnolia grandiflora, Trifolium repens, and Hoya 'Shooting Star'

Top row: Ageratum corybosum, Aster frikartii, and Duranta (noID)
Middle row: Geranium 'Tiny Monster', Pericallis stellata, and rosemary
Bottom row: Teucrium x lucidrys, Tulbaghia violacea, and Wahlenbergia with Nierembergia

You'll find even more blooms by visiting Carol at May Dreams Gardens, the host of the monthly event that is Bloom Day.  As it's Monday, it's also the day to put forward a bouquet for "In a vase on Monday," the popular meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.  Here's mine:

A hasty construction of blooms from a recently purchased Digiplexis 'Berry Canary' accompanied by Abelia x grandiflora, Eustoma grandiflorum 'Echo Pink', Pentas 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom' and Salvia 'Wendy's Wish' (photographed with my ceramic frog sprouting Rhipsalis)

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

Wednesday Vignette: I couldn't pick just one

I'm joining Anna of Flutter & Hum again this week in presenting a Wednesday Vignette, an image that's power is provided by the combination of its individual elements.  The problem is that I couldn't decide between two images that caught my fancy so, rather than choose, I'm sharing both.

The first one features plants in a bed just outside my home office window.  I love the mix of purple, silver and green elements.

This bed features Solanum xanti, Salvia 'Amistad', and Leucadendron 'Pisa'

More photos of the same area, as I couldn't stop at one

The second image is excerpted from my backyard border.  In early spring, I planted pink Eustoma grandiflorum from 6-packs to echo the pink in my Yucca 'Bright Star'.  Initially, I wasn't happy with it as the flowers of the Eustoma are very pale in color when they first open, which didn't create the effect I was seeking.  But the flowers deepen in color as they age.

I like the mix of soft and sharp in this image, as well as the color echo

Visit Anna at Flutter & Hum to find her Wednesday Vignette, as well as links to other bloggers' contributions.


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

In a Vase on Monday: Split Personalities

For this week's "In a Vase on Monday," the meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, I have 2 vases with very different personalities, although they have one flower in common.  The first vase, featuring Gaillardia x grandiflora looks more autumnal than spring or summer-like.

Back view

It features:

• Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Goblin' and/or 'Arizona Sun'
• Leptospermum 'Copper Glow'
• Pelargonium hortorum 'Mrs. Pollock'
• Senecio cineraria (now known as Jacobaea maritima)

The only difference between Gaillardia 'Goblin' and 'Arizona Sun' that I can see is their height - I think there are probably some of each here

I've had a terrible time trying to photograph Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' in my garden but photographing it in a vase was easier - it looked almost good enough to have sufficed on its own

I meant for Pelargonium 'Mrs. Pollock' to have a larger role in this week's vase but the stem blocked some of the relatively short Gaillardia stems from view so it ended up in the back of the vase

I love the gray foliage of Senecio cineraria (now classified as Jacobaea maritima) but I find I also like its bright yellow flowers, which the bees seem to adore

The second vase, although taller, has a lighter, more summery feel.  It's similar to the bouquet I featured 2 weeks ago except that it includes a bolt of cheerful yellow.

It contains:

• Argyranthemum frutescens 'Butterfly'
• Arthropodium cirratum (aka Renga lily)
• Eustoma grandiflorum 'Echo White'
• Jacobaea maritima
• Solanum xanti

Argryrantemum 'Butterfly' and Jacobaea maritima complement each other well

Arthropodium cirratum is hard to photograph, especially under the gloom of "May Gray" skies, which cause the flowers to close

This Eustoma stem is a holdover from last week's arrangement - I cut off the central flower, which was beginning to fade, and tucked the stem into the back of this week's vase as it still has a lot of flower-power left

I think this is the best close-up photo I've gotten of Solanum xanti - this is the first time I've noticed those little green dots around the flower's center

Here are the 2 vases in place:

In the front entryway

On the dining room table

Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see more vases constructed of materials selected from participants' own gardens.


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