My favorite plant this week: Adenium obesum

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My favorite plant this week, Adenium obesum, was given to me as a birthday present a few months ago.  Although I'd seen it at succulent shows, I had no personal experience growing it.  It was in bloom when I received it and, although it lost those blooms after I transplanted it, it quickly produced new buds and has bloomed continuously ever since.  In fact, at the moment, it's one of the few plants in bloom in my garden.

According to Wikipedia, Adenium obesum is native to the tropical and subtropical areas of eastern and southern Africa and Arabia.  It goes by a variety of common names, including mock azalea and impala lily, but it's most frequently called a desert rose.   Mine is the first desert rose I've seen with double flowers.

It's an evergreen succulent shrub but it will lose its leaves in response to drought.  The leaves are less like the fleshy succulent foliage I'm used to and more like leaves you'd find on a tree.

It's most distinctive feature is its trunk and swollen basal caudex, which always makes me think of a fat-bellied alien.

It can reportedly grow 4-6 feet (1.2-1.8 meters) tall.  It needs full sun and is suited to USDA zones 10a-11.  On-line sources suggest regular watering during its growing season in summer and protection from temperatures below 50F (10C).  It's said to be bothered by mites and mealy bugs but mine appears to be bothered by nothing at the moment.

Adenium obesum is my contribution to Loree's favorite plants meme at danger garden this week.  Visit her blog to see her favorite this week and to find links to other gardeners' selections.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Exotic Blooms

Notice to readers of TexasOutdoorsmen.com:  If you are reading this post on that entity's site, I'd like you to be aware that I have not authorized or consented to re-blogging of this post or any of my prior posts.  I have made numerous attempts to reach owners and representatives of this site to request termination of the feed from my blog without success to date.  While I'm flattered that whomever is running this site likes my posts, I prefer to choose which parties I attend.  I may be Late to the Garden Party but I think I have a right to choose my own dance partners.  TexasOutdoorsmen, let me go.

With apologies for the commercial interruption, let's talk flowers.  Right now, there are relatively few available for cutting in my garden, which isn't particularly unusual for mid-summer in Southern California.  I've featured much of what is available before so, going the extra mile to make a contribution to Cathy's weekly meme at Rambling in the Garden, I got out a stepping stool and cut a couple of stems from our Bauhinia x blakeana, otherwise known as a Hong Kong orchid tree.

The flowers are beautiful but I have no idea how they and their woody stems will do in a vase.  Each stem bears 8 or more buds of varying size, which open at staggered intervals.

New bloom of Bauhinia x blakeana

A fading flower with unopened buds arrayed above

In addition to Bauhinia, the bouquet contains:

• 3 stems of Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink'
• 2 stems of Leucanthemum x superbum
• 2 stems of Pelargonium peltatum
• 2 small stems of Pentas 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom'
• 2 stems of unidentified roses, one white and one lavender-pink

Close-up of the ruffled petals of this Leucanthemum x superbum

Pelargonium peltatum

Pentas "Kaleidoscope Appleblossom' and the fading bloom and unopened buds of the lavender-pink rose, possibly 'Angel Face'

Close-up of the creamy white unidentified rose

I tried out the bouquet in various locations but it ended up on the foyer table, as so many others have.

Please check in at Rambling in the Garden to see Cathy's bouquet and find links to the creations of other gardeners.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

The Fountain Bed Re-examined

In March of this year, we finished an extension of the small bed that surrounded our backyard fountain, linking it to the border we'd created along the southeast side patio last fall.  I did the bulk of my planting in early spring, although there were small additions here and there later on.  As the cooler weather of fall is (hopefully) just around the corner, it's time to evaluate what I have and identify the changes I'd like to make during the prime fall planting period.

As context, here's a wide shot of the extended fountain border from early July when there was still a lot in bloom:

The fountain border in July, looking south

The border looking north

The red-orange daylilies, still blooming in early July, are finished now, as is the Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin' that added the splash of orange color in the second picture above.  I recently pulled the burned-out remnants of the Borage I grew from seed, and I'm not sure I'll grow it again next year (although I'll probably be pulling seedlings for years to come).  In August, the border is looking more subdued with little floral color beyond that provided by Coreopsis 'Redshift' but Phormium 'Amazing Red,' Uncinia uncinata 'Rubra,' and Carex testacea continue to add bright spots of foliage color.

Current photo of the bed, again looking south

Recent photo of the south segment of the fountain border where it merges with the side garden

Overall, I'm pleased with what I planted.  Notable exceptions include:

Mecardonia 'Magic Carpet Yellow,' a pretty groundcover described as very heat tolerant, must need a lot more water than I gave it - my 3 plants fried and turned black

Nicotiana 'Hot Chocolate' did better than its lime-colored cousin but, even in full flower, it looked scraggly to me - I cut it back but I'm too unhappy with it to extend its stay into fall

Only half the Scorzonera hispanica plants bloomed and the foliage has nothing to distinguish it (I think there's a weed hiding behind what's left of this one)

There are also a few ratty-looking Nepeta I didn't bother to photograph, which I will pull - the neighborhood cats have left only traces of it.  In addition, I've got some plants on my watch list.  I'm not quite ready to pull them out but they have yet to prove their value.

Acorus gramineus 'Ogon': I was wary of this plant as I'd understood it needs ample water but the tag said otherwise and I decided to give it a try.  Was I misled?  It's already looking a little sorry, despite the fact that I've continued to give it what I think is ample water to get it started.

Rosmarinus 'GoldDust': I thought this dwarf might make a good, drought tolerant edging plant but it already looks too woody to me

Salvia Mystic Spires': I like the blue flowers but it has a scruffy look about it despite regular dead-heading

There are a couple of plants I may move elsewhere:

Lupinus chamissionis: The plant seems happy enough here but it looks out of proportion with the nearby Japanese maple so I may move it elsewhere if I can find another spot that will support its needs

Plectranthus ciliatus 'Zulu Warrior': My cuttings have taken but I think they're getting too much sun in this spot

Plants I'm especially happy with include:

Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope' and Lomandra 'Breeze'

Bulbine frutescens

Coreopsis 'Redshift' and Stipa tenuissima

Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame,' Tanacetum parthenium 'Aureum' and Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin' - I've cut the Anagallis back in the hope that it will act as a perennial here in zone 10

Euphorbia 'Blue Lagoon'

Liriope spicata (although I hope it doesn't spread like crazy)

Phormium 'Amazing Red,' Leucadendron 'Rising Sun" (sited just behind the Phormium), and Grevillea alpinia x rosmarinifolia (which is blending into the plants around it in this picture)

Uncinia uncinata 'Rubra'

There's admittedly a LOT of yellow and chartreuse in this border.  I think it needs more blue/lavender, burgundy and orange touches.  Plants I'm considering adding this fall to replace those I pull or relocate include:

• Agastache - blue and/or orange varieties
• Aloe - perhaps 'Blue Elf' or nobilis
• Aster x frikartii 'Monch'
• Calendula officinalis 'Bronzed Beauty'
• Crocosmia - perhaps the 'Emily McKenzie' described by Alison of Bonny Lassie
• Erigeron glaucus
• Phormium 'Amazing Red' or another smaller-sized variety

Do you have any suggestions for me?  Ideally, the plants should be drought tolerant and not too tall.  (My husband gets annoyed if my garden blocks "his" view from the house.)



All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

My favorite plant of the week: Coleus 'Chocolate Splash'

Is it banal to feature a humble coleus, properly classified as Solenostemon scuttelarioides, as my favorite plant of the week?  I considered other, more exotic choices but, truthfully, I find myself admiring this plant every time I walk in or out the door to the backyard.  I picked it up on a whim in early July, along with the pot it's tucked into.

Coleus 'Chocolate Splash' shortly after planting

The variety is new to me.  I love the counterpoint of the bright lime color and the deep reddish brown splotches.

Current photo, taken roughly 1 month after the one above

It keeps trying to produce flowers, which I keep pinching off in the interest of prolonging the plant's beauty.  Unlike most coleus of my acquaintance, the mature flowers aren't so much blue as white with a touch of black.  I don't have any pictures of a fully-developed flower (because I pinch them off as soon as I see them) but they are rather pretty.

I had no intention of buying any coleus this year but I seem to have succumbed to their annual allure.  In my frost-free area, the plant is technically a perennial but it looks best when grown as an annual, even here in USDA zone 10b (Sunset zone 23/24).  They do best in at least partial shade.  'Chocolate Splash' gets morning sun and afternoon shade.  The mixture of coleus in the pots by our front door get morning shade but some late afternoon sun.  They're pretty spectacular too, especially the oddly named variety, 'Kong Jr. Green Halo,' which has grown quickly, leaving its pot-mates in the dust.

The yellow and green coleus 'Kong Jr. Green Halo' has entirely hidden one of the trio of coleus in this pot

Coleus 'Kong Jr. Green Halo' is doing a better job of cohabiting with 'Fire Fingers' and ' Honey Crisp' in this pot

Solenostemon scuttellarioides 'Chocolate Splash' is my contribution to Loree's favorite plants meme at danger garden this week.  You can see Loree's favorite and find links to other gardeners' favorites here.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Wordless Wednesday - Is It Fall Yet?

All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase on Monday: Itsy Bitsy Bouquets

Before any discussion of floral bouquets, itsy bitsy or otherwise, I want to report that, this past weekend, we actually got a bit of rain out of the monsoonal moisture that has hung over the area for weeks now.  It was by no means a drought-ending deluge but it was certainly a great improvement over the 3-minute drizzle we got several weeks ago.  Maybe I could learn to put up with the miserable humidity if we could just get a little rain out of it on occasion - those of you in the sub-tropical areas of the US south and southeast that contend with this humidity year after year have my utmost respect.  In any case, the rain felt like a minor miracle and has put me in a much more positive frame of mind.  On to the subject of this week's floral arrangement...

Other than tickseed and feverfew, my garden doesn't have much to offer in terms of flowers for cutting right now, at least not for a conventionally sized vase.  My response to the challenge to create a vase for Cathy's "In a Vase on Monday" meme at Rambling in the Garden was to go small.  Yes, I could have stopped at one itsy bitsy bouquet but I didn't - I filled all 3 of my tiny colored glass vases (all roughly 4-inches/10 cm tall and 2-inches/5 cm wide).

Here's the first, which is my favorite, although it may have the shortest shelf life:

The centerpiece is Hemerocallis 'Cordon Rouge,' but the bouquet also includes one of the last stems of Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame,' flowering stems of Abelia 'Kaleidoscope,' Tanacetum parthenium 'Aureum' (golden feverfew), and 2 varieties of Zinnia.

Hemerocallis 'Cordon Rouge,' a reblooming daylily variety, recently started its 2nd bloom cycle

Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame' appears to have bloomed out but it may surprise me yet again

Eustoma grandiflorum 'Echo Blue' is the focal point of the second bouquet.  The flowers aren't quite as full as those of Eustoma grandiflorum 'Borealis Blue' but they're still gorgeous.

Close-up of Eustoma grandiflorum 'Echo Blue'

This bouquet also features Catananche caerulea (aka Cupid's Dart), one stem of Veronica 'Vernique Dark Blue' (recently purchased to occupy a pot), more feverfew, and a few pieces of flowering thyme.

Close-up of Catananche caerulea

The star of the third bouquet should be the Echinaceas, 'Magnus' and 'Cheyenne Spirit,' but I think Pentas 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom' upstages them.  This bouquet also includes Pentas 'Nova,' Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold,' Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum,' and, again, feverfew.

Close-up of Pentas 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom' photobombed by Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit'

The plumes of Pennisetum setaceum Rubrum look almost like fur

You may have noticed that I usually photograph my vases in the kitchen.  I haven't found a better backdrop.  The surfaces are white; it has lots of natural light as well as numerous pot lights; and the counters are usually clear (except when my husband is cooking).   This week one of my vases found a place to stay in the kitchen while the other 2 migrated to other areas of the house.

The pig in the kitchen (which holds tea bags rather than cookies) approves of the Lisianthus

The toad prefers daylilies

The pink vase landed on a living room side table, where I hope those Pennisetum blooms will not prove too tempting for Pipig the cat to ignore

What have you got in a vase this week?  Go to Cathy's site to see her composition and to find other gardeners' creations.

All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party