In a Vase on Monday: Simple versus overcrowded

I'm prone to stuffing my vases to the hilt but I managed to keep my first floral arrangement very simple for a change.

I'd left this deep coral-colored Hippeastrum in a pot tucked into a shady corner last year without any expectation of it blooming so its arrival was a surprise.  It was sold to me as 'Appleblossom', which it most certainly isn't, but I've yet to put a name to the cultivar.

I've treated the first view as the "front" of the arrangement but this side view shows off the large trumpet flower to greater advantage

Back view: My ever-blooming Grevillea 'Superb' provided the perfect accent

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Grevillea 'Superb', noID Hippeastrum, and Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset'

However, a leopard can't change its spots.  My second arrangement went off the rails and is a tangled mess by comparison to the first arrangement.  An airier combination might have done more to show off the individual elements but, once again, I couldn't help myself.

My foxgloves have been relatively disappointing thus far this year but 2 giant bloom stalks in separate areas of the garden provided the inspiration for this arrangement

Back view: I added 2 tall stems of Salvia canariensis as a filler, along with 2 equally tall but slender stems of Arthropodium cirratum (aka Renga lily)

Overhead view

Clockwise from the upper left: white Antirrhinum majus, Arthropodium cirratum, Lathyrus odoratus 'April in Paris', pinkish  and purple foxfloves (Digitalis purpurea), Nigella papillosa 'African Bride', Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata', and Salvia canariensis var candidissima

We had cooler weather last week but we're expecting another warm-up this week.  Temperatures up to 90F (32C) are predicted for the inland valleys.  Online sources suggest that our temperatures along the coast shouldn't soar above the low 70s (23C); however, I'm keeping in mind those sources were wrong about the impact of the last heatwave to hit Southern California.  Nevertheless, I'm hopeful they're right this time as I spent the weekend planting a couple of the beds left empty when I removed some flammable specimens - another round of temperatures in the mid-90sF wouldn't be helpful at this stage.

For more IAVOM creations, check in with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

My neighborhood in May

After a long May Bloom Day post, with my garden calling (or rather screaming) for attention, I've tossed together random photos of what caught my attention during my near-daily walks through the neighborhood.  All the following shots were taken with my phone over the last couple of weeks.

One large lot has been empty longer than we've lived here, probably well over 20 years since the home there burned down.  It's over an acre in size and has a good view of the Port of Los Angeles.  The fact it hasn't been sold is a complete mystery.  It's cleared of weeds and dead plants on an annual basis, presumably at the city's direction.

It's going to be interesting to see if the Fire Department takes a position on the large swaths of Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima) planted here when they conduct their inspection of this home's "defensible space clearance."  The succulents are fire resistant but that grass is considered fire prone.

The owner of this house did a nice job of cutting back this Bougainvillea earlier this year

This Bougainvillea at a nearby house is my favorite but I wonder if having it intertwined with junipers and a palm (both considered flammable) could present any concerns

I thought this Callistemon was nicely trimmed to frame the house and garden in the background

Centranthus ruber has taken over the front slope of this house

This house's front slope was once covered by a wrinkled fake grass carpet before it was entirely replanted with agaves, magnolias, and junipers.  The white Centranthus ruber 'Albus' lightened up the color scheme.

This colorful mass of lavender Delosperma spills down the slope along this driveway every spring

Another neighbor has a nice mass of red Delosperma

This may be the most well-maintained Echium in the neighborhood (although even it took a hit when the heatwave passed through recently)

Lovely bearded Irises in front of one house

Two other homes show off large masses of what I think are Spuria Irises

This display has me thinking of planting bulbs of Ornithogalum arabicum (Star of Bethlehem) this coming fall

This neighbor's Phlomis purpurea puts mine to shame

The same neighbor has the best-looking Pilosocereus azureus I've ever seen

As well as the largest rose (Rosa 'Brandy')

She has some 70 roses, including various carpet roses lined up with succulents along her front slope

I don't often see rambling roses here but this noID specimen in another neighbor's garden blooms like this every year

I've been considering adding a bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) to one of the newly empty spaces in my garden.  Many are too large to suit the spot I have available but this well-trimmed specimen impressed me - until all its flowers fried during our recent heatwave.

I'm already feeling a seasonal shift in the direction of summer, both in my neighborhood and my own garden.  The early heatwave we experienced last weekend snapped us out of spring mode.  Plants I associate with summer like Achillea, Hemerocallis, and Agapanthus are marching forward.  As I feel summer's heat already breathing down my neck, I need to get moving with my replanting effort.  I hope you're enjoying a more leisurely spring.

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Bloom Day - May 2025 (Early Edition)

Confined to the house during our first wicked heatwave last weekend, I got an early start on my Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day post, which I'm publishing a day before its May 15th schedule.  While the heatwave wasn't as bad as some, the sharp surge in temperatures, peaking here at 95F (35C), did take a toll.  Fortunately, I caught photos of many plants before they took a hit.

I'll start with a section of the back garden that has been looking particularly nice this spring.  It's been flaunting a lot of blue and yellow blooms, with touches of purplish-pink magenta thrown in here and there.

View of the back garden from the patio area looking south

Here are closer looks at the individual plants visible in the wider shot:

Achillea 'Moonshine' is in full bloom, stretching from one bed to another

Arctotis 'Large Marge' is prolific in producing flowers, although it requires daily deadheading to keep it tidy

Phlomis fruticosa (aka Jerusalem sage)

The heatwave has hastened the end of the season for Echium webbii

Felicia aethiopica already needs cutting back

It seems Polygala myrtifolia (aka sweet pea bush) wasn't bothered by the heat at all

Salvia canariensis var candidissima (aka Canary Island sage) responded positively to the extra heat

Pelargonium cucullatum, which planted itself below the Salvia, picks up the same color

Geranium 'Tiny Monster' echoes the same color a few feet away.  Despite its name, 'Tiny Monster' isn't nearly as invasive as the Geranium incanum, which is a troublesome weed in my garden.

Those plants aren't the only stars of my May garden.  There are a lot more than deserve nods of appreciation.  For ease of presentation, I'll show these in alphabetical order by genus rather than their location.

Acanthus mollis

Clockwise from the upper left: Alstroemerias 'Claire', 'Inca Lucky', 'Inca Sundance', a noID pink variety, and 'Indian Summer'

Calendula officianalis grown from seed

Callistemons 'Cane's Hybrid', 'Hot Pink', and viridiflorus

NoID Ceanothus hedge

Centranthus ruber, including the white form 'Albus'

Cistus 'Grayswood Pink' and C. 'Sunset'

Cupheas 'Honeybells', 'Starfire Pink', and 'Vermillionaire'

Dorycnium hirsutum, now classified as Lotus hirsutus (aka hairy Canary clover)

A variety of Gazanias, most self-seeded.  The bronze-toned flower on the upper left was a surprise as I've never seen one in that color before.

Top: Grevilleas 'Moonlight' and 'Peaches & Cream'
Bottom: Grevillea 'Superb' in wide shot and closeup

Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl'

Top row: Leucospermums 'Brandi Dela Cruz' and 'Spider Hybrid'
Middle: Leucospermum 'High Gold'
Bottom: Leucospermum 'Sunrise'

Oenothera speciosa (aka pink evening primrose)

Top row: Pelargonium peltatum (aka ivy geranium) in coral and pinkish-red
Bottom: Pelargoniums 'White Lady' (hybrid) and 'Oldbury Duet'

As usual, there were a few surprises.

Convolvulus sabatius (aka blue rock bindweed)?  I didn't plant it - it's appeared on its own.

This Iris hollandica 'Lion King' and several others showed up earlier this month when all my other Dutch Iris were long gone and I'd given up on it making an appearance.  The flower was so perfect I had to share it in this post.

Seed sown in November, a few sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) have finally produced their first blooms.  The variety on the left is 'April in Paris' but I can't name the blue varieties.

This is Ochna serrulata, aka Mickey Mouse shrub for reasons I can't fully explain.  It's been in my garden for years but I think this is the first time it's flowered.

Due to our low rainfall, I didn't think I'd see any calla lilies (Zantedeschia aethiopica) this year but a few showed up just before the heatwave hit

For my own records, I've thrown most of the rest of what I found in bloom into collages organized by color.

Top row: Anagallis, Campanula portenschlagiana, and noID Iris germanica
Middle: Limonium perezii, Plectranthus neochilus, and Scabiosa 'Flutter Deep Blue'
Bottom: Billardiera heterophylla, Teucrium aroanium, and Thymus serphyllum 'Elfin'

Clockwise from upper left: Antirrhinum majus, noID Delosperma, Digitalis purpurea, Erysimium 'Winter Orchid', Impatiens hawkeri, Rosa 'Pink Meidiland', and Pennisetum orientale

Top row: Antirrhinum majus, Dietes grandiflora, and Fuchsia 'Windchimes White'
Middle: Gaura lindheimeri, Helichrysum retortum, and Hippeastrum 'Luna'
Bottom: Heuchera maxima, Lagurus ovatus, and Nigella papillosa

Top row: Antirrhinum majus, Cotula lineariloba, and noID Mimulus
Middle: Aloe striata x maculata and Hippeastrum 'King Star'
Bottom: Lobelia laxiflora and Metrosideros collina 'Springfire'

Congratulations if you made it to the end of this post!  For other floral extravaganzas, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens when she connects with other GBBD contributors on May 15th.

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party