Holiday warmth

The upcoming Thanksgiving holiday called for warm colors in this week's floral arrangements, even if the temperatures in my part of the Northern Hemisphere are probably warmer than most at the moment.  During the last several days temperatures have ranged from the mid-60s to the low-70sF (18-22C) and that trend is currently expected to continue into the coming weekend.

Grevillea 'Superb' was the inspiration for this arrangement but Leucadendron 'Jester' and Anthurium 'Maine' may have stolen the show

The first powder-puff flower of Calliandra haematocephala was a last-minute addition to dress up the back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Anthurium 'Maine', Calliandra haematocephala, Grevillea 'Superb', and Leucadendron 'Jester'

My second arrangement made use of the golden flowers of Tagetes lemmonii (aka Mexican marigold).  My husband doesn't care for the scent of the leaves but thus far he apparently hasn't noticed it.  Hopefully, the front entry is airy enough that its placement there won't bother him.

I used as ornamental tea pot as my vase

Back view dressed up with Cotoneaster berries

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left are: Coprosma repens 'Plum Hussey', noID Cotoneaster, Gaillardia 'Spintop Copper Sun' and Tagetes lemmonii.  The prop is another in the series of mice celebrating the seasons.  These 2 are painting green leaves orange, which is practically-speaking what I'd have to do to get much of any autumn color in my garden.

I downsized last week's arrangement featuring Leucadendron stems and a succulent rosette for placement on the kitchen island.

The plants are showing few signs of wear beyond the loss of some coleus leaves

Happy Thanksgiving to all who are celebrating the holiday!  For more IAVOM creations, visit our host, Cathy in Rambling in the Garden.

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

When Christmas takes over garden centers

In coastal Southern California, our cool season is the optimal time to plant.  But when summer hangs on well into autumn as it usually does here, I often delay the plant shopping trips intended to fill the empty spots in my garden.  The fatal flaw with such delays is that, when I finally get out there, I run head-on into the all-consuming rush toward Christmas that consumes most garden centers.  I don't blame them - they need income to stay afloat and selling Christmas trees and other holiday paraphernalia is a big moneymaker.  It's entirely my fault when I fail to recognize that the holiday take-over is already underway.

A friend and I made a trip south to Orange County earlier this week to visit two garden centers.  Although the trees hadn't yet arrived at Roger's Gardens in Corona Del Mar, space had already been cleared to make way for them, which means there were fewer garden plants to peruse.

Overview of the garden center's front area from the upper level.  The large area already cleared for Christmas trees was in the back (not shown).

This demonstration bed near the front entrance is changed out several times a year.  The small red and green electric trains always featured during the holidays were already running but the area was otherwise devoid of holiday references.

That was not the case in the interior areas

Our other stop was OC Succulents in Irvine.   The year-end holidays weren't an obvious issue there but the prices were.  Since the pandemic, prices at this wholesale nursery (and its smaller outlet in Torrance) have soared.  Maybe customers with wholesale licenses get much better deals but I didn't see any of the bargains we found years ago when shopping the nursery.

This area used to feature current "deals" on mid-sized succulents.  I didn't see any of those.

However, there was a large variety of succulents in a range of sizes to be found.  A sampling included, clockwise from the upper left: Aeonium 'Sunburst', Agave attenuata 'Ray of Light', Agave 'Blue Glow', Echeveria 'Blue Atoll', assorted cactus, succulents in 2-6 inch sizes, and Sedum dasyphyllum 'Minor'.  An Agave 'Blue Glow' I recently purchased in a 1-gallon container at my local garden center was priced at half what OCS was charging for a specimen of similar size.  The Agave parryi I bought for a steal on my prior shopping trip to Carpineria for $12 was priced at nearly $40.

The outlet also offers a massive number of decorative plants like orchids and bromeliads, houseplants, and Tillandsias.  If you need a significant number of particular plants, this is the place to go but it might be a good idea to look into a wholesale license first.

Given the circumstances, my purchases were relatively modest.

At OC Succulents, I picked up 2 Tillandsia harrisii.  One is now attached to the chiminea adjacent to the bromeliad-succulent bed in my front garden and the other has been added to the collection in my lath house.

At Roger's Gardens I found the Lomandra 'Arctic Frost' I was looking for during my trip north 2 weeks ago, as well as flowers to fill one of the barrels in my front garden (Argyranthemum 'Aramis Bicolor Rose' and a mix of Calibrachoa), and the first Osteospermum '4D White' I've seen anywhere

I managed to polish off planting the barrels that were left empty when I dug up the dahlia tubers and stored them away for the winter.

Most of the plants in this barrel in my cutting garden were purchased during my earlier trip up north but I picked up the last orange Calibrachoa at Roger's Gardens

I also finally addressed the area around our backyard fountain.  I'd decided months ago to replace the mess that was there with a variegated Lomandra and purchased a 'Platinum Beauty' for that purpose but I held off because I was afraid that it would quickly get too large for the space and I'd be back to square one.  Finding a dwarf Lomandra 'Arctic Frost' was the ticket.

This is a "before" shot of the area.  The seashells were here when we arrived.  I've moved them around many times, trying to disguise the ugly electrical outlet that controls the fountain.  I wanted a plant that would hide the outlet without making it impossible to access if necessary.

Lomandra 'Arctic Frost' should cover up the electrical outlet when it reaches 2-3 feet tall and wide.  In the meantime, I've moved many of the shells back in place, principally to stop the raccoons from tearing up the drip lines.  In the past, they've been known to fight the drip lines as though they were snakes.

Dwarf Lomandra 'Arctic Frost' echoes the 3 Lomandra 'Platinum Beauty' planted nearby last year.  The latter will grow 3-4 feet tall and 3-5 feet wide but, at least at present, the plants look nearly identical.

The Lomandra 'Platinum Beauty' I've had on hold since mid-summer ended up in another area of the same bed on the other side of Echium webbii, where its mature size won't be a problem

 

Yesterday afternoon, in an effort to find a few small plants to fit into the empty spots in the pink-themed barrel planter, I made a brief stop by Armstrong, my local garden center, after a Friendsgiving lunch.  Just three days after my prior plant shopping trip, the holiday influence was even more pervasive there.

The first Christmas trees had already arrived!  From the looks of things, they are going to be even more expensive than last year.

Christmas decor was all over but no holiday music was playing (yet)

For lack of many options, I picked up plugs of English primrose to fill in the empty spaces in this front garden barrel.  Hopefully, it's full enough to keep the raccoons away but I think it might be a good idea to stick in some sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima) too.

I've absolutely no issues with the holiday themes that take over garden centers, although I do wish they'd hold off until after Thanksgiving.  However, as that's not the trend, I need to factor the ever-advancing creep of holiday preparations into my fall season plant shopping schedule.

Best wishes for a pleasant weekend.

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

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: Gather ye rosebuds while ye may*

First and foremost, I want to recognize Cathy's 9th anniversary of the In a Vase on Monday meme.  To keep a meme running and fresh for that period of time is an achievement in itself.  To pull people together in a supportive network from different backgrounds, climates, and countries is stellar.  Thank you, Cathy!  Thanks as well for pulling together the first, and possibly not the last, virtual meeting of IAVOM participants.  It was wonderful to put a face and a voice to some of you I've exchanged messages with for years.

Now, for today's vases, I should note that there are no true rosebuds to be found in my post this week.  My garden is at low ebb when it comes to flowers at this time of year and it's been a disappointing year in general with respect to roses.  However, some Leucadendrons, which have colorful bracts rather than true flowers, provide a facsimile of rosebuds and I made use of them in a starring role in my first arrangement.

I added a succulent Aeonium rosette to serve as the focal "flower" in this arrangement

Back view: The velvety burgundy leaves of the coleus, Plectranthus scutellarioides 'Vino', provided color contrast

Top view showing off the "rosebuds" of Leucadendron 'Blush'

Clockwise from the upper left: Aeonium haworthii 'Kiwi', Leucadendron salignum 'Blush', Correa 'Dusky Bells', variegated Correa 'Wyn's Wonder', and Plectranthus scutellarioides 'Vino'

 

I put together the first arrangement on Saturday afternoon to share during Sunday's Zoom call, which was held at 9am Pacific Time.  I cut a few other flowers late Sunday morning for a second arrangement (as I'm prone to do).

My original Dahlia 'Lavender Ruffles' (as opposed to the other one that produced its first and only flowers in late October) is still producing fresh foliage and buds but the flowers are opening very slowly

Back view: The addition of the Persicaria capitata foliage helps to give the arrangement an autumnal flair (at least to my eyes in a part of the world where colorful fall foliage is an anomaly)

Top view: The dark green foliage is Pelargonium graveolens 'Bontrosai'.  Both the stems and the leaves are naturally twisted.  The foliage has a strong lemon-rose scent.

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Lavender Ruffles', Hebe 'Grace Kelly, Pelargonium peltatum, Nemesia 'Banana Swirl', Persicaria capitata, Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata', and Pelargonium graveolens 'Bontrosai'

 

Cutting flowers has been a ritual for me for many years but prior to my discovery of IAVOM I did that on a haphazard schedule.  Now it's something of a Sunday ritual, one that both my husband and my friends respect.  It's an opportunity to focus on the beauty of my garden (even when it isn't especially forthcoming with flowers) and to assess what needs work at the same time.  Cutting, arranging, and photographing flowers and foliage also provides me a deeper understanding of the plants, which is valuable in itself.  Altogether, IAVOM is a win-win.

 

To find Cathy's own arrangement and those of other contributors, check in with her at Rambling in the Garden.

*  "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may" is the first line of the poem 'To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time' by the 17th century English poet, Robert Herrick.  The entire poem can be found here.

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