In a Vase On Monday: The dahlias keep on coming

The latest flowers produced by Dahlia 'Break Out' may be getting smaller and the plant's foliage may be mildewed but I have to give it credit for going all out on floral production last week, despite the hot, dry conditions brought on by our notorious Santa Ana winds.

There are 7 'Break Out' blooms in this arrangement

Back view: I filled out the vase using recent blooms of Senna bicapsularis, among other things

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia grandiflora 'Hopley's Variegated', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Dahlia Break Out', Senna bicapsularis, Tanacetum parthenium 'Aureum', and Zinnia 'Profusion Yellow'

On the other end of the spectrum, Dahlia 'Akita', the first of my dahlias to bloom this year, seems to be finishing up.

I added stems of 3 other dahlias to back-up a single bloom and partially open bud of Dahlia 'Akita'

Back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Alstromeria 'Inca Sundance', Dahlia 'Mystic Illusion', D. Akita', D. 'Kogane Fubuki', D. 'Summer's End', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Xerochrysum bracteatum

A few leftovers, stems cut but not used in the vases shown above, went into the small vase that frequently sits on our kitchen island.

In addition to stems of Abelia 'Hopley's Variegated' and Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', this vase contains a single flower of Dahlia 'Cafe au Lait Royal' and 2 stems of Correa pulchella 'Pink Eyre'

I'm still awaiting a bloom from Dahlia 'Iceberg'.  Planted from a tiny tuber in one of the half barrels in our front garden, it doesn't get the water or the sun the dahlias in my cutting garden receive.  I'd nearly given up on it when it finally produced buds.  Last week I thought it was a sure thing that at least one of the buds would bloom in time for IAVOM but it's operating on its own schedule, not mine. 

'Iceberg', almost but not quite there

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

All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Bloom Day - October 2021

I can't believe it's already mid-October!  Although we've had some stretches of cooler temperatures, it still feels a lot like summer much of the time.  In fact, we're expecting high temperatures Friday and Saturday, accompanied by our nasty Santa Ana winds.  High winds have already fanned the Alisal Fire in Santa Barbara County, Southern California's largest wildfire this year, which as of Thursday had consumed 16,800 acres and was only five percent contained.  Evacuations have been ordered; power shutoff warnings have been issued across a wide area; and the 101 freeway, a major state artery, was closed for a time.  A friend and I were in Santa Barbara County on Saturday, just two days before the fire broke out, a disturbing reminder of how fast circumstances can change.

But let's move on to the more pleasant subject of what's in blooming in my garden 120 miles to the south.  After an exceptionally slow start this year, dahlias are once again playing the starring roles in my garden.  Whether any of them will hang around into November is a question as the mildew that afflicted most of my zinnias is gradually taking hold of the dahlias as well.  With only two exceptions, all my dahlias occupy raised planters in my cutting garden, which gets much more water than the rest of my garden.

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlias 'Gitt's Crazy', 'Kogane Fubuki', 'Summer's End', and 'Mystic Illusion'.  'Gitt's Crazy' wins the prize this year as the most floriferous dahlia.

From left to right are: Dahlias 'Break Out', a deformed 'Cafe au Lait', and 'Magic Moment'.  'Break Out' was purchased as a tuber during a last-chance sale, planted on June 10th, and is only now gaining steam (as its foliage mildews).  I purchased 'Cafe au Lait' as a full-grown plant in July and I think it was infected by an insect as all its blooms thus far have been deformed. 

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlias 'Akita', 'Enchantress', 'Cafe au Lait Royal', a noID plant sold as 'Penhill Dark Monarch', and 'Waltzing Mathilda'.  'Akita' is my favorite this year.  'Enchantress' runs as close second to 'Gitt's Crazy' in terms of the volume of blooms.

I've pulled out most of the larger-flowered zinnias due to mildew but the ground-hugging plants in the 'Profusion' series I planted as plugs haven't been touched by it thus far.

My only complaint with Zinnia 'Profusion' is that the stems are relatively short and thus don't make the best cut flowers

The other stars of my fall garden include the following:

The flowers of Bauhinia x blakeana (aka Hong Kong orchid tree) take a beating when the winds are up but the tree rebounds quickly

This Eriocapitella hupehensis (aka Japanese anemone) is having its best year ever, possibly because it's benefited from the extra water given to the new Ginkgo tree nearby.  In contrast, the pink Japanese anemones in the front garden have produced only a single flower.

Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum' is at its best when it catches the sun's light

I cut this Senna bicapsularis back hard earlier this year in an effort to lower its floral canopy but it's taller than ever this year.  I had to use a telephoto lens to get any decent photos.

Of course, my old standbys continue to provide color.

Grevilleas 'Superb' (left and upper right) and 'Peaches & Cream' (lower right) never stop blooming

Leucadendrons 'Safari Sunset' and 'Blush' (left) and 'Summer Red' (right) aren't true flowers but they do a good job of mimicking them

The Osteospermums, one of many genera commonly referred to as "African daisies', were coming back in response to our cooler nighttime temperatures but, as most were lanky, I gave them severe haircuts in the hope they'll return with greater vigor in the coming months.  Meanwhile, I've added more of the flowering plants well-suited to the cooler temperatures of fall.

I've grown Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun' for years but I recently picked up this new "spin" on the common blanketflower.  This is Gaillardia 'Spin Top Copper Sun'.

I also picked up several 4-inch pots of Gazania 'White Flame' to fill out among an area planted with smaller seedlings, divisions and plugs of the same variety

The biggest surprise this month was what I think is the first bloom on a small Phalaenopsis I've had for a few years now.

I think I got this moth orchid without a label during an sale at my local botanic garden.  My guess is that it's Phalaenopsis 'Balden's Kaleidoscope'.

 

There's not much else to crow about this month, although I know I'm lucky to have the amount of blooms I do this late in the year.  I'll close out this post with collages of other blooms tucked here and there in my garden.

Top row: Duranta repens 'Gold Mound', Fuchsia 'Deep Purple', and Lavandula multifida
Middle row: Lycianthes rantonnetii 'Variegata', Polygala fruticosa, and Salvia 'Black & Blue'
Bottom row: Salvia 'Mystic Spires', noID Scaevola, and Vitex trifolia 'Purpurea'

Clockwise from the upper left: Abelia 'Kaleidoscope', Angelonia 'Archangel White', Correa 'Ivory Bells', Cosmos bipinnatus, Pandorea jasminoides, Zephyranthes candida, and Lantana 'Lucky White'

Clockwise from the upper left: Alstroemeria 'Inca Sundance', Euryops chrysanthemoides 'Sonnenschein', Zinnia 'Benary's Giant Salmon Rose', Echibeckia 'Summerina Orange', Cuphea 'Vermillionaire', and Xerochrysum bracteatum

Top row: Arbutus 'Marina', Correa 'Wyn's Wonder', and Rosa 'Pink Meidiland'
Middle row: Cuphea 'Starfire Pink', Pentas lanceolata, and Scabiosa columbaria 'Flutter Rose Pink'
Bottom row: Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy' and Zinnia 'Benary Giant Wine'

For more Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day posts, visit our host, Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Wednesday Vignette: Rats!

In one of the driest years I can remember, the persimmon and guava trees in my garden have produced more fruit than I've ever seen before.  What's up with that?!  I can't walk through my north side garden without ducking my head to avoid the ripening persimmons - or, more commonly, hitting my head on the hanging fruit when I'm not paying attention.

This is the 'Hachiya' persimmon (Diospyros kaki).  The tree's fall foliage doesn't live up to expectations but the fruit is beautiful.  

The 'Fuyu' persimmon in the cutting garden is also loaded with fruit, the majority of which hangs over the fence that divides that part of the garden from what I call the north side garden.

This is the 'Fuyu' variety.  The fruit has a flat bottom and is said to be less astringent.  This tree reliably produces the most colorful fall foliage in my garden.

Neither my husband nor I care much for persimmons.  One source describes it as the "fruity love child of a mango and a roasted sweet pepper, with some cinnamon in the background."  I don't care for its texture, which is accurately described as "slippery."  I've already given some of it away but, as more of it ripens on the trees, I'd like to off-load the rest of it as soon as possible.  While all the critters, other than an occasional squirrel, ignore the still-green guavas, the persimmons attract a variety of creatures.  The raccoons break tree limbs getting to the fruit and frequently leave it half-eaten on the ground to rot.  Some fruit gets eaten while it's still on the tree.  I thought the culprit was a squirrel until I caught sight of this:

That's no squirrel!

He (or she) looked up at me and then kept on eating.  Doesn't he/she look healthy?  My cat's fur is less silky.  According to another reference, persimmons are a good source of fiber, vitamins A, C and B-6, potassium, and manganese.

Not wanting to get too close to the rat, I went inside to get my telephoto lens to capture a better shot but, by the time I got back, the rat had left.  I'm not sure which is worse: picking up half-eaten, rotting fruit from the ground, or trying to pull it off the tree.

I guess I need to start picking.  I'll hold some fruit for a friend who loves persimmons and may put the rest on the curb to see if it appeals to neighbors.  It's supposed to be tasty in muffins...

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

All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In a Vase On Monday: A Dahliapalooza

As our temperatures cooled, the dahlias in my cutting garden finally hit their stride.  A lot of them ended up in vases this week.

To celebrate the arrival of my first Dahlia 'Magic Moment' bloom, my first arrangement utilized flowers selected to show it off.

Dahlias 'Enchantress' and 'Cafe au Lait Royal' joined 'Magic Moment'

I tucked flowers from the Hong Kong orchid tree (Bauhinia x blakeana) and Scabiosa 'Flutter Rose Pink' in at the back of the vase to dress it up.  Unlike true orchid, the Bauhinia's flowers will only last a couple of days.

Top view

Top row: Angelonia 'Archangel White', Coleonema album (aka white breath of heaven), and Leptospermum 'Copper Glow'
Middle row: Dahlias 'Cafe au Lait Royal', 'Enchantress', and 'Magic Moment'
Bottom row: Bauhinia x blakeana and Scabiosa columbaria 'Flutter Rose Pink'

I initially cut flowers of the dahlia masquerading as 'Penhill Dark Monarch' to include in the first arrangement but I pulled them out because I didn't care for the mix.  The shape of the petals of the most recent blooms look more like 'Dark Monarch' than those of earlier blooms but they're still missing the dusty rose and peach tones many growers use to describe the plant.

I used the foliage of Centaurea 'Silver Feather' to echo the whitish undersides of the dahlia's petals but it doesn't show up very well against the kitchen island's countertop

Back view

Top view

Top row: Leucadendron salignum 'Chief' and Zinnias 'Benary's Giant Wine' and 'Profusion Pink'
Bottom row: Dahlia (Not) 'Penhill Dark Monarch' and Centaurea 'Silver Feather'

Lastly, Dahlia 'Gitt's Crazy' is living up to its name, pumping out bloom after bloom.

The mix of gold and raspberry tones in 'Gitt's Crazy' are unusual and dramatic

The back view was dressed up using Dahlia 'Waltzing Mathilda' and Eriocapitella hupehensis (aka Japanese anemone)

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', berries of Auranticarpa rhombifloium, Eriocapitella hupehensis, and Dahlias 'Gitt's Crazy' and 'Waltzing Mathilda'

Only Dahlia 'Iceberg' has yet to produce its first bloom but it has buds!  Dahlia 'Kogane Fubuki' produced its first couple of blooms last week but they were past their prime already by Sunday.  Maybe I'll get more before the season comes to an end.  I'm always a little sad when all the dahlias are gone but I know it's time to get my cool season plants, bulbs and seeds in the ground.

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

All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Wide Shots - October 2021

We got our first tiny dribble of rain on Monday.  There's another chance of rain early this morning, although it's not expected to amount to much either.  But something is better than nothing!  My garden is very, very dry and, as the summer progressed, I lost more and more plants, especially in the back garden.  Although I irrigate twice a week during our extended dry season, I haven't done any of the spot watering I usually do during a long stretch of hot, dry weather and I think the cumulative impact caused some plants to just give up.  I also dug up a large area that had been overrun by two invasive species, giving me a significant blank space to fill.  I'm still mulling my choices for replacement plants.  I'll probably introduce more succulents.  And my husband and I plan to reassess our irrigation system coverage.  In the meantime, I ordered a truckload of mulch.

3 cubic yards of garden mulch was dumped in the driveway on Wednesday afternoon to be distributed throughout the garden

The following wide shots were taken at intervals over a period of days.   I'll start with the back garden.

I took this photo of the back garden looking out toward the Port of Los Angeles early Monday morning.  It provides the best view of the area I cleared of an invasive native aster and Liriope spicata last week.

View from the back patio looking north

View from the north end of the back garden looking toward the patio.  The area in the foreground was thrown together in July when I had no business planting anything.  I think I may replant it with succulents this fall.

View from the back patio looking south.  I've removed several dead plants from the bed on the left and there are more to go.  The middle section of the back garden on both sides of the flagstone path is drier than anywhere else in the garden (except the back slope).  With the addition of mulch and some work on the irrigation system, I hope to remedy the situation.

View from the south end of the back garden looking north.  The wire cloche covers the Yucca 'Bright Star' that I decapitated after a well-meaning gardener "pruned" it.  So far there's no sign of regeneration.

With the exception of the beheaded Yucca, this is currently the best-looking section of the back border areas, although soon after this photo was taken grub-hunting possums dislodged many of the Gaillardia divisions I'd carefully planted here

The south side garden handled the dry conditions this year far better than the back garden.

View looking west

View looking east.  I need to prune the Cotinus coggygria (on the right) differently this year to encourage it to bush out.

I lost a few plants in the front garden but, overall, it's done relatively well.

View of the front garden from the south end looking north

View from the middle of the front garden looking south

The south side of the front garden from the driveway looking east

View of the front entry from the driveway.  I still need to come up with a solution to screen the air conditioning unit on the left side.

North side of the front garden.  The AC unit isn't as readily visible from this angle.  The Hong Kong orchid tree (Bauhinia x blakeana) is looking much better with the return of cooler temperatures.

View of the front garden from the northwest end of the house looking southwest

View of the area on the west side of the driveway looking north.  Like the back garden, this area needs work.

My cutting garden was disappointing this year.  Both the dahlias and the zinnias I rely on for color during the summer months were exceptionally slow to get their bloom on for reasons I can't entirely explain.

Mildew has affected the zinnias so badly, I've already begun pulling them out

The north side garden may be my favorite area at the moment.

I spruced this area up in August and it's looking good

Despite the low rainfall, the persimmon trees (one shown here and the other in the cutting garden) have produced more fruit this year than any prior year since we moved in over 10 years ago.  What's up with that?!

The gravel path in the north side garden leads to our steep back slope, an area I've largely sacrificed in the interest of water conservation this year.

The hedge on the left, marking the property line on the east side, and the lemon tree at the bottom of the slope are the only plants getting regular water now.  The ivy on the right side of the concrete stairway benefits from irrigation run-off from the back garden's main level.

The prostrate rosemary planted years ago from plugs, the Agave attentuata I planted from cuttings, and the Echium webbii are the only plants holding their own.  Even the sea squill (Drimia maritima) I planted here failed to bloom this year.  I'll probably replace most of the rest of what's there, including the fig tree, with succulents.  I've given up the idea of replacing the ivy in the area above the stairway with anything for now.

The last areas to cover are the street-side succulent bed and the area behind it at the front of the property.  Both are works in progress but I've no significant issues with either area.

The Aeoniums are still in their summer-dormant mode but this area overall looks okay

View of the area behind the street-side bed looking east.  The wood structure on the right is my lath (shade) house, still fitted with its extra summer sunscreens.

View of the moderate slope I replanted last November using mostly succulents.  It's filling out, albeit very slowly.

That's it for my quarterly update.  Hopefully, by the time I post my next wide shots in January a lot of those empty spots will have been filled.  If I'm really lucky, my rain collection tanks will also be full.

Best wishes for a pleasant weekend!

All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party