Wednesday Vignette: Capturing a Dragon

I attended a meeting at South Coast Botanic Garden earlier this week and afterwards walked around the garden awhile, snapping random photos, as I looked for the art pieces on loan from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art as part of the new "Hide and Seek" exhibit.  My search was impeded by my failure to consult the map, as well as the fact that part of the main road was temporarily closed due to an ongoing pipe installation project directed by the local water service company.

Cloudless sulphur butterflies (Phoebis sennae) were flitting throughout the garden and I spent several frustrating minutes trying to capture a decent photo of one.

This was the best shot I managed.  Even for butterflies, this species seems especially manic to me.

Host plants, like these Senna bicapsularis, are plentiful in the garden at the moment

I found one of the 6 newly installed sculptures tucked in an area many of the garden's volunteers refer to as the "back forty" (acres).

This is Teha, constructed of painted and unpainted steel in 1971 by Mark di Suvero.  I understand that the area surrounding this and other sculptures may change at intervals during the term of the installation at SCBG.

It was getting warmer by this point and growing closer to lunchtime so I abandoned the effort to locate the rest of the sculptures and meandered back in the general direction of garden's entrance.  On my way I snapped a few more photos of plants that grabbed my attention.

I couldn't find a tag for this plant but both the foliage and flower forms reminded me of my Bauhinia x blakeana and I was gratified when a subsequent on-line search suggested that it's Bauhinia galpinii (aka red orchid bush)

This tree literally stopped me in my tracks.  Even from a distance, I could see it was blanketed in large, dark blue berries.  It was labeled and I was surprised to discover that it's the Chinese Fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus), which I'd admired in bloom back in April (photo at lower right).

I stopped at the Mediterranean Garden to appreciate a group of Salvias in full bloom.

This is Salvia mexicana 'Limelight', which I previously had difficultly growing in my own garden due to its water requirements

As I bent closer to get a better photo of the Salvia's flowers, this fellow showed up.  I believe he's a flame skimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata).

I was able to get 4 shots of him, growing closer and closer with each

Capturing the dragonfly with my camera was an achievement in my view.  I seldom see dragonflies in my area to begin with and my ability to catch photos of insects and birds when they appear is poor to say the least.  To be honest, this was one exceptionally cooperative dragonfly.  He didn't move no matter how close I got to him, while most butterflies speed away when I even think of shifting my stance to improve my shot.

As I again turned toward the garden's exit, I saw a squirrel alternately burying nuts and conducting a Don Quixotesque battle with a stick.  Encouraged by my luck in getting photos of the dragonfly, I aimed my camera at him, only to have my battery die.  I followed the scampering squirrel while fumbling to change the battery, ending up in the Garden of the Senses where I ran into my docent friend Kay.  We chatted about her most recent changes to the area and I snapped more photos before we both headed out and home.

Thanks largely to Kay's efforts, the Garden of the Senses is looking better and better with each visit.  Signs have been moved to match up with the plants they describe; new plants have been added, along with appropriate labels; weeds have been yanked; and the beds have been mulched.

New Salvias (S. leucantha and S. elegans) have been added next to the existing lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora), prompting nearly continuous visits by hummingbirds (which of course I was unable to photograph).  Kay's also added more chocolate daisies (Berlandiera lyrata) and new chocolate cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus, which I neglected to photograph) to entice visitors to sniff.

Bed featuring black-eyed susans (Rudbackia hirta) and an assortment of herbs

All in all, a pleasant way to spend a morning following a business meeting.  For more Wednesday Vignettes, visit Anna at Flutter & Hum.


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

In a Vase on Monday: 'Punkin Spice' is back!

News that Starbucks was bringing back its pumpkin spice latte made the national news in the US late last month.  Ridiculous as I find that, I'm pleased that my own 'Punkin Spice' Dahlia is finally flowering strongly enough to greet the public "In a Vase on Monday," the popular meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.  I planted 2 of these tubers but put one in a large pot placed in a shady area where it doesn't get the regular attention (translation: water) it needs and it hasn't flowered well.  The second tuber, planted in a plastic pot as a temporary measure, was late in finding space to spread its roots in one of my cutting garden's raised beds but the plant is healthy and happy and finally flowering.

With our remodel finally speeding up a bit, I finally got back a real wall in my home office, opening up space for me to photograph my vases there.  It's still awkward but at least it's better than the temporary kitchen space I've been using.

I think I actually like the back of this vase better than that I designated as its front

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Punkin Spice', Bulbine frutescens 'Hallmark' with Cuphea 'Vermillionaire', Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Salmon Rose', red Zinnia (perhaps 'Benary's Giant Wine'), and Duranta repens 'Gold Mound'

I cut Dahlia 'Terracotta' to accompany 'Punkin Spice' in the vase but, realizing its inclusion would stuff the vase too tight, 'Terracotta' was given its own vase.

Dahlia 'Terracotta' looks pinker here and in most photos than in does to the naked eye

Dahlia 'Citron du Cap' was preparing to bend its tall stem and keel over so it got tucked into the back of this vase

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Citron du Cap', Leucadendron 'Jester', L. 'Summer Red', Pelargonium 'Lady Plymouth', Tanacetum parthenium, Zinnia elegans 'Queen Lime Orange' and, in the middle, Dahlia 'Terracotta'

After more than a week in a vase, Dahlia 'Diva' still looks good.  All of my other dahlias are singing their swan songs after 4 days in a vase so this performance has proven 'Diva's' worth in my eyes.  She's been bumped to the card table we're currently using as our dining table but I'm going to hang onto her for awhile yet to see how long it takes for her to fall apart.

All the contents of last week's vase held up well but, given how quickly most dahlias fall apart, I'm most impressed by 'Diva', who's flaws can only be seen in close examination

This week's fresh vases assumed places on the bedroom bureau and mantle respectively

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


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

Bloom Day - September 2019

Note: If you experience a sense of deja vu as you read this post, you're not delusional.  I took a look at my August Bloom Day post and, while not identical, there's a significant overlap.  What can I say?  Even if the calendar says fall is near, coastal SoCal is stuck in summer-mode.

We've been riding a weather roller-coaster lately, with bursts of heat for several days at a time followed by brief breaks before temperatures ramp up to uncomfortable levels again.  With the exception of a couple light showers in late May, we've no rain since April and the garden is very dry.  Irrigation only does so much and, as it's been a relatively mild summer overall, I haven't provided the garden the extra water I did during last year's difficult summer.  Only my cutting garden can be considered well-watered and, not unexpectedly, it's the most floriferous area by far.

So let's walk through the gate to see what's going on in the cutting garden this month

Dahlias have played a major role in my late summer cutting garden for the past 3 years.  They hold the starring roles this month.
Top row: 'Bluetiful', 'Diva', and 'Hollyhill Karen Lee'
Middle row: 'Enchantress', 'Otto's Thrill', and 'Labyrinth'
Bottom row: 'Citron du Cap', 'Punkin Spice', and 'Terracotta'

Zinnias take second place among the top bloomers in the cutting garden.  As I mixed up my seed packets, I can't identify all the varieties shown here; however, the one in the center is 'Benary's Giant Salmon Rose'.  'Queen Lime Orange' is shown in the upper right and I think the 2 below it may have sprung from the 'Benary's Giant Wine' seed packet.

My sunflowers didn't do especially well this summer but at least I got some to bloom.  Clockwise from the top is Helianthus annuus 'Panache', what I'm fairly certain is a mutant form of 'Panache', stunted 'Garnet Star', and the disappointing 'Moonshadow'.

I haven't grown Cosmos in quite awhile but I do love it.  I picked up a 3 varieties in 4-inch pots in mid-July, which looked great until powdery mildew suddenly set in last week.  From left to right are: 'Double Cranberry', 'Prom Dress', and a noID white cultivar.

This is the first year I've grown Amaranthus caudatus and I love it.  So do the visiting skipper butterflies.

Rudbeckia is an expensive annual here but I couldn't resist bringing home a 6-pack of R. hirta 'Denver Daisy' in early August

The Delphinium 'Pacific Giants' I planted in early spring surprised me by producing another round of bloom spikes.  They (and a few leftover foxgloves also sporting occasional blooms) are clear evidence of our mild summer.

The plants making a splash outside the cutting garden are tough drought-tolerant specimens.

This is the time of year the ornamental grasses are at their best, although I cut them back later than I should have, delaying their progress somewhat.  Clockwise from the top are Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum', P' 'Fireworks', P. 'Sky Rocket', and Bouteloua gracilis 'Blonde Ambition'.    The latter doesn't bloom heavily but I still appreciate the airy touch it adds to my back border.

Aster x frikartii 'Monch' (left) doesn't seem to have been formerly reclassified as Symphyotrichum, unlike our native California aster, S. chilense (right)

A variety of Leucadendrons are still convincingly impersonating flowers this month.  Clockwise from the top are Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' (with an unidentified relative), L. 'Devil's Blush', and L. 'Summer Red'.

Lantana relishes the heat.  Clockwise from the upper left: Lantana 'Lucky White', L. 'Irene', noID orange and yellow varieties, and variegated L. 'Samantha'.

There were a few surprises.

Hemerocallis 'Plum Perfect' is presenting an encore performance

Roses are going another round too, in small numbers.  Clockwise from the left: Rosa 'Medallion', noID pinkish-lavender rose; R. 'Pink Meidiland', and noID white rose (accompanied by a Marine Blue butterfly and another unidentified bug).

A few noID Japanese anemones (Anemone hupehensis) and Hong Kong orchid tree blooms (Bauhinia x blakeana) appeared seemingly overnight

I'll end with a few color collages featuring some of the other blooms found during the scavenger hunt of my late summer garden.

Clockwise from the upper left: Evolvulus 'Blue My Mind', Plumbago auriculata 'Imperial Blue', Polygala fruticosa, Salvia canariensis, Salvia 'Mystic Spires', noID Scaevola, Tulbaghia violacea and, in the center, Trichostemma 'Midnight Magic'

Clockwise from the upper left: Eustoma grandiflora 'Cherry Sorbet', noID pink Eustoma (aka lisianthus), Pelargonium peltatum 'Pink Blizzard', Gomphena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy', Aechmea fasciata, and Pentas 'Graffiti Pink'

Clockwise from the upper left: Clematis paniculata, Abelia x grandiflora 'Edward Goucher', Pandorea jasminoides, Myrtus communis 'Compacta', Phyla nodiflora, and Tanacetum parthenium

Top row: Aloe 'Rooikappie' Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer' and Bulbine frutescens 'Hallmark'
Middle row: Cuphea 'Vermillionaire' and Dimorphotheca sinuata 'Peach Delight'
Bottom row: Grevilleas 'Ned Kelly', 'Peaches & Cream', and 'Superb'

Visit our Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day host, Carol at May Dreams Gardens, to find posts by other gardeners featuring what's flowering in their gardens this month.


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

Fall beckons (but summer retains its grip)

While this summer has been milder than most in recent years, we had a stretch of unpleasantly hot and humid weather last week, followed by several nice days this week, but we're facing another heat spike this weekend.  And so, despite vague signs of fall's approach (spiderwebs, blooms on my Sweet Autumn Clematis, buds developing on the Camellias), I know it's probably way too soon to leap into fall planting activities here, especially when I factor in the collateral damage to my garden that accompanies our ongoing remodeling project.  However, I can only contain my garden itch to a degree.

Last week, seeking to escape the noise of sandblasting in our living room, I spent a leisurely hour after meeting a friend for lunch strolling my local garden center.

I restricted my purchases to seeds suitable for direct sowing in early fall here

The seeds can remain in their packets for awhile longer until the weather is more hospitable but I'm afraid my shopping has already extended beyond seeds.

After discovering that I'd missed out on most of the begonias offered for sale at the local American Begonia Society's show, I browsed the plants available on-line at Steve's Leaves and ordered 2 plants.  Begonia 'Champagne Bubbles' is on the left and Chlorophytum filipendulum subsp. amaniense 'Fire Flash' is on the right.  The plants arrived in perfect condition and have found a home in my lath (shade) house.

After receiving notice of a sale by on-line retailer Mountain Crest Gardens, I took the opportunity to order 2 Mangaves I'd been eyeing there, as well as a few other things.  Shown here are the larger specimens in my haul.  Clockwise from the upper left: Mangave 'Waterfall', M. 'Tooth Fairy', Aeonium 'Silk Pinwheel' and A. 'Cyclops'.  They also arrived in great condition and were promptly potted up, pending eventual placement in the bromeliad/succulent garden area in front of our garage.

I ordered bulbs too, a few of which have already been delivered but, as most of those, Ranunculus and Anemones, are intended for my cutting garden, I plan to hold off on planting those until I clear out some of my summer bloomers in late October.  Meanwhile, I'm dithering with garden clean-up activities, like pulling out the carcasses of my two bloomed-out agaves.  How about you?  Have you plunged into fall garden activities yet?


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

Wednesday Vignette: Stuck

My Yucca 'Bright Star' signifying how I feel these days:

The largest of my 3 plants once again has its leaves stuck overhead, covering its core

Our home remodel continues.  Progress often seems very slow, partly because much of what's been done doesn't have significant visual impact, like the installation of a new electrical panel and the rewiring that involved.  Or the installation of the new HVAC system, now 80% done.  But yesterday we finally got drywall installed in the new kitchen.

This is what the kitchen looked like back in early July during demolition

This is yesterday's view after the drywall finally went up

The new windows were installed in early August

The indoor BBQ to the right of the chimney was removed in July but fixing the holes in the roof created as a result of downsizing the chimney took time.  The interior wood roof got sandblasted last week.  We still have to work out the details for recladding the fireplace. 

This is the outside view.  There's a whole new (and shockingly expensive) roof, as well as siding for the kitchen, still in the offing.

The cabinets could be here next week, which will mark a major turning point.  I'm still not betting on being done until late December but at least I can relax a bit.

The Yucca required some help to loosen up.  Loosening myself up requires drilling a little deeper into my own psyche seeking patience.

For more Wednesday Vignettes, visit Anna at Flutter & Hum.


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