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In a Vase on Monday: Spring Splendor

April 6, 2015, 9:03 am
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It's hard to ignore the roses when they bloom.  I don't have a large collection and most get too much shade to bloom well.  But I found 3 'Buttercream' roses in bloom and, although 2 were already looking battered by the wind that sweeps through the garden almost every afternoon, I thought the third was vase-worthy so I constructed an arrangement around it for "In a Vase on Monday," the meme sponsored by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.



Here's what I included:

  • Abelia x grandiflora 'Hopley's Variegated' and 'Kaleidoscope'
  • Argyrantemum frutescens 'Butterfly'
  • Narcissus (no ID)
  • Rosa 'Buttercream'
  • Solanum xanti 'Mountain Pride'

The stems in the first 2 photos both come from Abelia 'Hopley's Variegated' and the stems shown in the 3rd photo came from 'Kaleidoscope'

The always useful Argyranthemum 'Butterfly'

Although I'm usually meticulous about keeping a record of what I plant, I fall flat when it comes to bulbs - my best guess is that these are Narcissus 'White Lion'

'Buttercream' rose, inherited with the house

Solanum xanti, a California native has bloomed continuously since I planted it in early November (but it's hard to photograph so please excuse my fuzzy photo)


I have no experimental or secondary vases to offer this week.  My yellow and purple concoction landed on the dining room table.



Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see her vase and find links to the contributions of other gardeners.  Best wishes for a wonderful week.  We have a chance of rain to look forward to here, unusual for April - my area isn't expected to get much but every drop that falls on the state of California is welcome!


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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Local Wildlife

April 8, 2015, 12:00 pm
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Early this morning, out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of something in the backyard that I don't expect to see during daylight hours.  I ran to get my camera and saw it rounding the corner, heading for the front yard.

I headed out the front door and caught a glimpse of my target - can you see him?

Maybe this helps?

He turned to face me when he reached the driveway

And he chose to stand his ground and stare me down as I got closer


It's unusual to see a raccoon foraging after daybreak.  Juveniles are more likely to break the daytime curfew but this appeared to be an adult.  His gait also seemed a bit unsteady.  After our stare-down in the driveway and my retreat, he rambled away, walking down the street.  Perhaps last night's rain delayed his foraging.  Or perhaps, he was intrigued by the water I'd collected off the roof during 2 brief downpours.  Raccoons love water.

I filled a bucket and a small trash bin with water sheeting off the roof - we got only 1/10th of an inch (0.254 cm) of rain in total but an amazing amount of rain comes off the roof when the rain comes down hard


Other recent wildlife sightings include:

Sparrows of some kind (possibly Zonotricia atricapilla, the golden-crowned sparrow), enjoying the backyard fountain

A roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)!  Sighted in San Clemente when we had dinner with family on Sunday

Felis catus - this one answers to the name of Pipig and enjoys long naps in well-padded surroundings


That's it for my local wildlife report.  Although there are literally zillions of Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) about, they move faster than I do so I have no good photos to offer.  What's flitting, running, or rummaging about in your garden at present?


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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De una casa a otra

April 11, 2015, 8:29 am
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I received a FedEx delivery yesterday.  It wasn't really a surprise but, as I've been preoccupied with worries about California's new water restrictions and plans to minimize the negative impacts on my garden, the delivery had slipped my mind.  The package, a shipment of bulbs from fellow blogger, Tammy of Casa Mariposa, was just what I needed to put me in a more positive frame of mind.

The bulbs were packaged well and all arrived in perfect condition.



They're a mix of pink and white cultivars of Amaryllis belladonna, popularly known as naked ladies because the blooms arrive on tall stalks after all the foliage dies back.  They didn't like Tammy's Virginia climate but they're well-suited to mine in Southern California as they survive on winter rain and like warm, dry summers.



I had some of the pink variety in my former garden and they did well, returning year after year with little attention.  I've never seen the white form (which you can view a picture of here).

The bulbs have been planted in my backyard border, where they'll get the sun and the drainage they need.  I've placed them where their bare bottoms will be covered behind other plants.

The bulbs have been spread out behind and around the 3 Phormium 'Dark Delight' and between the Cuphea 'Starfire Pink' and the Stipa tenuissima to the right of the Phormium


It remains to be seen as to whether they'll bloom this year.  According to my local garden guide, they can sulk when planted at this time of year.  However, I have no doubt they'll show their pretty faces eventually.

My thanks again to Tammy for brightening my day!


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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In a Vase on Monday: Chameleons

April 13, 2015, 9:19 am
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As mentioned in last week's "In a Vase on Monday" post, I have a hard time ignoring roses when they're in bloom.  As my 'Joseph's Coat' climbing rose is approaching the peak of its bloom period, its flowers were a natural choice for this week's vase, difficult as they are to work with.  They're very thorny and even cutting the stems is a prickly business.  In addition, the flowers tend to become frowsy as they age, losing their shape.  Also, because each bloom changes color over the course of time, mixing them with other colors can be difficult.

Photo of my 'Joseph's Coat'' rose taken last week - there are three times as many flowers now but you can see the color variation among the flowers even in this photo


Frankly, I wasn't very successful in dealing with the challenges the rose posed but, lacking time to futz this week, the vase I created will have to do.



Here's what went into this week's messy composition:
  • Aeonium haworthii (flower)
  • Agonis flexuosa 'Nana'
  • Alstroemeria (no ID)
  • Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin'
  • Grevillea 'Ned Kelly'
  • Grevillea 'Superb'
  • Heuchera sanguinea
  • Rose 'Joseph's Coat'

The Aeonium's flower stem is the same coral color as the rose to the right

The wavy foliage of Agonis flexuosa 'Nana' is my favorite element in this week's vase - it smells mildly of peppermint too

The flowers of Grevillea 'Superb' start out an orange-ish coral, becoming pinker as they mature

2 shots showing the mix of colors among the roses.  At the end of the cycle, the flowers turn a deep pinkish rose.

Two of the Grevillea stems, the flowers of which also change color as the blooms mature, are virtually hidden behind the Aeonium stem.  The pink Alstroemeria clashes a bit with the roses, although the color difference will diminish as the rose flowers age.  Not my best effort but c'est la vie!

Please visit the host of the "In a Vase" meme, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, to see what she's put together this week and find links to other gardeners' creations.  With spring charging into full gear, there are more and more contributors each week.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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Bloom Day - April 2015

April 15, 2015, 12:20 am
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It's Bloom Day, when Carol of May Dreams Gardens leads gardeners all over the world in sharing what's blooming in their gardens.  Despite the heatwaves that knocked out some flowering plants prematurely in March, there's a lot going on in my Southern California garden this month.  The star of this month's parade of flowers is the climbing rose 'Joseph's Coat.'



But, in terms of the sheer volume of blooms, there are other key players jockeying for attention as well:

Pink Alstroemeria, inherited with the house

Arctotis 'Pink Sugar' continues to play a dominant role in the beds along the front walkway

3 Argyranthemum frutescens 'Butterfly' have merged into a mass of bloom

Centranthus ruber has popped up in all the drier areas of the garden

I've fallen in love with this Gazania hybrid 'Kiss Frosty White Flame' after years of snubbing my nose at the entire genus

Lavendula stoechas occupies prominent positions in both the front and back borders

The humble Limonium perezii is adding color in the drier areas on both ends of the garden

The Phlomis fruticosa shrubs in the backyard have reached their peak of bloom


Some of my favorite combinations of flowering plants right now include the following:

Arctotis 'Pink Sugar,' backed up by Euphorbia characias 'Black Pearl' and Phormium 'Maori Queen' along the front walkway

A mix of white and pink Centranthus is filling in the formerly empty areas along the back slope, mixing with Oenothera speciosa, which is just starting to bloom in the same area

Cynoglossum amabile is shown here mingling with Alstroemeria, Erigeron, and self-seeded Cerinthe major

Felicia aethiopica 'Tight & Tidy' and Gazania 'New Day Yellow'

This bed may have too much going on with Grevillea 'Superb' producing bloom after bloom in the center, accompanied by Convolvulus sabatius 'Moroccan Beauty,' Gallardia grandiflora 'Goblin,' Nandina domestica and Salvia 'Mesa Azure'

Lavandula stoechas again, accompanied by Felicia aethiopica and Gazania 'New Day Yellow'

This may be my favorite combination at the moment: Osteospermum 'Serenity Purple,' Geranium incanum and Leucadendron 'Ebony'

Cistus 'Sunset,' Limonium perezii and trailing Lantana

Hard-to-photograph Wahlenbergia 'Blue Cloud' mingling with Nierembergia  linarifolia


As this post also serves as my record of what's blooming each month, I'm going to try the reader's patience by adding a few collages of flowers organized by color.

Blue blooms include (clockwise from upper left): Lobelia mingling with blueberries, Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip,' Aquilegia 'Spring Magic,' Convolvulus 'Moroccan Beauty,' Felicia 'Tight & Tidy,' and Wahlenbergia 'Blue Cloud'

In the purple category (clockwise from upper left): Acanthus mollis 'Summer Beauty,' Iris germanica (no ID), Senecio stellata, Salvia 'Mesa Azure,' Salvia 'Mystic Spires' and Solanum xantii 'Mountain Pride'

Magenta blooms include (from left): Geranium 'Tiny Monster,' Osteospermum 'Serenity Purple,' and Pelargonium 'Oldbury Duet'

The red category includes (clockwise from upper left): Feijoa sellowiana, Fuchsia 'Windchimes Neon & White,' Hippeastrum (no ID), the last blooms of Grevillea lavandulcea 'Penola' (in flower since December), the first ever blooms of Leucadendron 'Ebony' and the first blooms of Leucadendron 'Jester'

Pink blooms include (clockwise from upper left): Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl,' Helleborus 'Phoebe,' Hoya (no ID), Oenothera speciosa, Pentas 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom' and Schizanthus  pinnatus

Pink Pelargoniums include, top row: 2 unidentified P. peltatum; bottom row: P. 'Aurelia' and what may be P. 'Katie' 

Orange and peach blooms include (clockwise from upper left): Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream,' Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin,' Bignonia capreolata, Hemerocallis 'Elizabeth Salter,' Pelargonium x domesticum 'Georgia Peach, and Rosa 'Medallion'

Yellow blooms include (clockwise from upper left): Cotula lineariloba, Euphorbia 'Dean's Hybrid,' Gazania 'New Day Yellow,' Leucadendron 'Pisa,' Osteospermum 'Blue-eyed Beauty' and Narcissus 'White Lion'

White blooms include (clockwise from upper left): Carpenteria californica, Coleonema album, Nandina domestica and Trachelospermum jasminoides


Even my flowering weeds are at their peak:

Although they are virtually weeds here, I give Centranthus ruber, Erigeron karviniskianus and Geranium incanum some freedom to spread about


Okay, this post exhausted even me so, reader, if you got this far, bravo!  For even more blooming plants, please visit Carol, the host of May Dreams Gardens.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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Foliage Follow-up: Touches of Red

April 16, 2015, 1:48 pm
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It's Foliage Follow-up Day and I'm joining Pam at Digging to recognize the significant role foliage plays in creating a beautiful garden.  For this month's post, I'm focusing on some of the foliage plants that add touches of red to my garden.

Agonis flexuosa 'Nana' is sporting lots of new growth in an orange-red color.  I have 3 of these peppermint-scented plants in the south-side garden bed adjacent to the patio.

The color of the Agonis' new growth is echoed in the foliage of Phormium 'Amazing Red,' Coprosma repens 'Plum Hussey' and various succulents

The same Agonis, photographed from the other direction

Close-up of the wavy stems and curly leaves of Agonis flexuosa 'Nana'


I love the Leptospermum polygalifolium 'Copper Glow' I planted in my front garden in November but it always seems to be either too dark or too sunny to get a good photograph.  The best I could do today was this:

A graceful stem of Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' hangs above Phormium 'Maori Queen'


Another relatively new plant with red touches is Dianella tasmanica 'Tasred,' which I picked up from the Australian Native Plants Nursery in March.

The base of these Dianellas is red 


During that same shopping trip, at Sperling Nursery, I picked up Helleborus 'Anna's Red.'

I presume that Helleborus 'Anna's Red' gets it's name from the color of its flowers but there's also a touch of red in the stems and the base of the leaf cluster


The biggest splash of red color I'll share today comes from an Aeonium I picked up early last year.  It didn't come with a label but my best guess is that it's Aeonium 'Garnet,' reported to be a hybrid of A. arboreum 'Zwartkop' and A. tabuliforme.

Unlike A. 'Zwartkop,' this Aeonium hasn't developed tall stalks


My last foliage pick this month is Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku' (aka coral bark maple).  Planted early in 2011, not long after we moved in, it's the most successful Japanese maple in my garden, possibly because it had a chance to get established before I began ratcheting down the irrigation in my garden.  Its placement beside the garage, where it's protected from the wind and receives only morning sun, probably also helps.

Acer Sango Kaku' has almost fully leafed out


Visit Pam at Digging to see her foliage picks this month and find links to other gardeners' foliage picks.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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In a Vase on Monday: False Start

April 20, 2015, 9:20 am
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Last week, I got it into my head that I was going to use Pelargonium 'Oldbury Duet' as the centerpiece for this week's vase, prepared in connection with the meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.  Why I fixated on that particular flower with its relatively short stems, I can't say, except that I do like the way the sun shines through the flower petals in the early morning.

Pelargonium 'Oldbury Duet', photographed in the garden for Bloom Day


However, when I went to clip my first flowers from the shrub, I realized that the high winds we've had for the last few days had done the plant little good so, with one stem in hand, my plan fell apart.  I decided to stick with the color scheme anyway.  Here's what I put together:

Front view

Back view - the leaves make me think of the train on a formal dress


While the vase I used is short, its opening is rather wide so I ended up using a lot of flowers to fill it:

  • Alstroemeria (no ID)
  • Centranthus ruber album
  • Cercis occidentalis 
  • Coleonema album
  • Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink'
  • Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy'
  • Lagurus ovata 
  • Pelargonium 'Oldbury Duet'
  • Pelargonium peltatum (double-flowered form, no ID)


Alstroemeria is still plentiful in my garden

Centranthus (photobombed here by Alstroemeria and Cuphea 'Starfire Pink') spreads like a weed in the driest areas of my garden

The seedpods of Cercis occidentalis, the Western Redbud, are more magenta than they appear in this photo

Lagurus ovata, aka Hare's Tale Grass, shown here with Gomphrena 'Itsy Bitsy', is incredibly soft  - I wish I could make a sweater of it

The tiny stem of Pelargonium 'Oldbury Duet' that started things off is barely visible as part of the overall composition

The double- flowered form of Pelargonium peltatum is front-and-center


This week's vase is in the front entryway (mainly because it doesn't look good with the current table runner in the dining room).



You can see Cathy's vase and find links to other gardeners' Monday creations here.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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Wednesday Vignette: Coleus in Combination

April 22, 2015, 11:16 am
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I'm joining Anna of Flutter and Hum in presenting a Wednesday Vignette, which she has described as a  combination in which "individual components lift each other, and make each other sing." In February, I replanted the pots outside our front door with a simple mix of coleus (Solenostemon scuttellariodes) and Fuchsia.  I find myself admiring the pots every time I enter and leave the house.

The pot on the right

The pot on the left includes a yellow Calibrachoa, carried over from an earlier combination

Individual elements, clockwise from upper left: Solenostemon scutellariodes 'Electric Lime', S. s. 'Lava Rose', Fuchsia 'Swingtime' and Calibrachoa 'Double Lemon'

Visit Anna at Flutter and Hum to see what she's found for us this week.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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My favorite plant this week: Hoya multiflora

April 24, 2015, 1:36 pm
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Even with many of my plants looking parched, it's hard to choose a favorite during this time of year.  Alstroemeria, Centranthus, Cotula lineariloba, Argyranthemum and Solanum are all in full bloom.  My Arthropodium cirratum are getting ready to burst into flower and the Agapanthus scattered throughout the garden have produced buds.  Still, what's grabbing my attention right now is the Hoya multiflora (syn. Centrostemma multiflora) sitting in my home office.  I picked up this plant at a local cactus and succulent show and sale a couple of weeks ago.




I'd been looking for this plant for some time.  I had a smaller plant a couple of years ago but I gave it too much sun and too little water and it perished.  I've been looking for another ever since.  When I saw this one at the succulent sale, I snapped it up, practically under the nose of another shopper.  (There were more hanging nearby.)

Also known as the shooting star hoya, it had a few buds but no blooms when I brought it home.  It now has more buds and lots of blooms.

Close-up of the off-white buds

Looking at the blooms, you can understand how it got its common name

According to some on-line sources, this evergreen shrub can get 4 to 5 feet feet tall if provided the conditions it prefers, although sources vary significantly in describing those conditions.  Some call for full to partial sun, while others refer to filtered light.  Some say to keep the plant moist, while others warn against over-watering.  All that appears clear is that it won't tolerate low temperatures, which isn't surprising as the plant's origins are in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.  Having given my other plant too much sun and too little water, I'm giving this one bright indoor light and allowing it to dry out during regular weekly waterings.  It looks happy thus far.

The flowers produce a sticky dew, which has a sweet taste


Loree of danger garden is hosting her monthly wrap-up of favorite plants with her post today.  Earlier this month, I featured Gazania rigens hybrids and, I'm happy to report that, just yesterday, I was finally able to locate more of my favorite G. 'Kiss Frosty White Flame', which I'll be adding to my front garden this weekend.



Enjoy your weekend, however you plan to spend your time!


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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In a Vase: Monday Morning Blues

April 27, 2015, 9:09 am
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I've been in a blue mood of late so focusing on blue flowers for this week's "In a Vase on Monday," the meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, struck the right note with me.  I've been impressed by the blue and white arrangements put together by other contributors and I'd planned to stick to those two colors myself but a limited supply of white flowers, as well as a desire to perk myself and the vase up, led me to include a dash of yellow.


Back view


The supply of blue flowers is plentiful at the moment.  My Agapanthus are already starting to bloom and, although I didn't include any of those this week, it means that you're likely to see more blue in the coming weeks.  Here's what I included in this week's vase:
  • Argyranthemum frutescens 'Butterfly'
  • Coleonema album
  • Eustoma grandiflorum 'Borealis Blue'
  • Gaura lindheimeri 'Snow Fountain'
  • Lagurus ovato
  • Leucanthemum x superbum
  • Nierembergia linarifolia 'Purple Robe'
  • Prostanthera ovalifolia
  • Salvia hybrid 'Mesa Azure'
  • Senecio stellata 'Giovanna's Select' (this is the name under which plant was sold but it's not found in The Plant List)

Argyranthemum 'Butterfly' brings instant cheer to any bouquet

I'm once again getting blooms here and there from the Eustoma 'Borealis Blue', planted last May, although I've yet to see a new supply of the plants in the garden centers

Lagurus ovato (aka Hare's Tail Grass) does surprisingly well in a vase - last week's stems are still looking great, even though most of the Alstroemeria and Pelargonium are looking sad

The ruffled form of Leucanthemum x superbum has produced only 2 blooms so far but my plants have lots of buds

Nierembergia linarifolia is more purple than blue but its yellow centers help tie in the Argyranthemum

Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata' brightens the arrangement almost as much as the yellow Argyranthemum

I didn't realize that my Salvia 'Mesa Azure' included a hitchhiker until I saw this photo on-line (and I haven't found him either)

Sold as Senecio stellata, this is some form of Cineraria, probably correctly classified as a Pericallis


The vase landed on the dining room table, where it can be viewed from front and back.



As I had some leftover stems, I tucked them into into a small vase to go in the guest bathroom.

In addition to short stems of the Cineraria/Pericallis and the Salvia, this 3-inch vase holds stems of Cynoglossum amabile, already past its prime, and a single stem of a succulent form of Senecio (no ID)


Visit Cathy to see what she's cooked up this week and to find links to other gardeners' creations.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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My favorite drought tolerant plants

April 30, 2015, 12:20 pm
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Discussions of the drought in California seem to be getting uglier with every passing day.  Instead of focusing on the big picture as to how the state as a whole can best cope with severe drought conditions that could persist for decades, finger-pointing has become popular.  The agricultural industry took a lot of the heat at first, largely because the restrictions announced by our governor don't address agricultural water usage, which by most estimates accounts for 80% of California's water use.  More recent commentary has focused on wealthy communities, blaming their residents for "moral isolation" and flagrant water usage.  Under the draft regulations poised to take effect in June, such communities will experience the deepest cuts in water allotments.  My own community is one of those facing a 36% reduction.

I've been focused on water use almost since the moment we moved here 4 years ago.  Our current lot is slightly over half an acre, huge by comparison to the tiny lot I tended for 20 years in a nearby beach community and relatively large by Los Angeles standards in general.  When we moved in, more than one-third of the lot was covered in grass.  We began removing the turf in sections early on, although we still have 2 sections yet to go.

One of the 2 remaining segments of grass to be removed, what's left is largely crabgrass and assorted weeds


We voluntarily reduced our water use by more than the 20% requested by Governor Brown in 2014 by eliminating turf grass, making modifications to our irrigation system to reduce water to selected areas, and by swapping out more and more plants for drought tolerant varieties.  Will it be enough?  Possibly not, although my husband's study of our water use suggests it should be.  Still I can see that I'm going to lose plants that can't tolerate parched conditions over long periods.  But enough of our drought doldrums, the purpose of this post is to focus on the plants I've found most useful in handling dry conditions.

Foliage Plants

Agonis cognata 'Cousin Itt' has adapted well to dry conditions and even tree root competition, although it's a slow grower and appears to prefer partial shade over full sun (low water needs)

Agonis flexuosa 'Nana' always looks good (low water needs)

I added a couple more Artemisia 'Powis Castle' this winter and they're filling out well - the plant does get ratty-looking over time but it responds well to pruning (low water needs)

Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold' produces small pink flowers but its foliage is its biggest draw (moderate water required)

Planted last fall, Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' is still new to me but it appears to handle dryness with the aplomb of other plants in its genus (low water needs)

One of my all time favorite plants, Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder' is shown here sporting its summer (left) and winter (right) colors (low water needs)


Phormiums vary in terms of their water requirements but this one, probably P. tenax 'Atropurpureum', gets by with relatively little water or attention alongside the driveway

Stipa tenuissima has a reputation for rampant self-seeding but a low water diet (and regular haircuts) helps to keep it within bounds

Thymus serphyllum 'Minus' has done a good job as a groundcover between pathway stones (low to moderate water needs) 

Yucca 'Bright Star' is a slow-grower  but it has presence in the border (low water needs)


Flowering Plants

I hesitated about including Arctotis 'Pink Sugar' here as it struggled last summer but, with moderate water, I hope it'll maintain its good looks

Arthropodium cirratum doesn't look like a tough plant but it's a stellar performer in dry shade as long as you control snails and slugs (low to moderate water needs, depending upon degree of sun exposure)

Convolvulus sabatius is a good filler I need to use more (moderate water needs; tends to die back in summer here)

Dorycnium hirsutum (aka Hairy Canary Clover) looks good even when not in bloom (low water needs)

Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Goblin' self-seeds freely (moderate water needs)

Gazania rigens hybrids can really brighten up a space (moderate water needs)

Grevilleas are stars when it comes to low water requirements - G. 'Peaches & Cream' bloom shown on the left and G. 'Superb' on the right

Grevillea lavandulcea 'Penola' is another low water user with an exceptionally long bloom period 

Limonium perezii, usually offered here in 6-packs, provides a lot of bang for the buck and, when it gets too ratty to rejuvenate, it's easily replaced (low to moderate water needs)

Solanum xanti 'Mountain Pride', a California native, is my best find in the past year - I recently scooped up 3 more, which I hope can get themselves established before summer arrives with a vengeance (low water needs)



Succulents

Aeoniums of all kinds love it here - many can be propagated by simply snipping a rosette and portion of stalk and pushing it into the soil (low water needs; may go dormant in summer, especially in full sun with little or no water)

Agave attenuata does best with some shade during the hottest part of the day (low water needs)

One of the more compact Agaves, 'Blue Glow' is one of my favorites (low water needs)

Agave ovatilfolia (aka Whale's Tongue Agave) is said to grow bigger faster with extra water but mine gets by with little

Euphorbia tirucalli 'Sticks on Fire' deserves more space in my garden than it's been given - it's become almost too popular here, rivaling Agapanthus with its ubiquitous presence (low water needs)

Senecio cylindricus is another succulent I can cut and simply stick in the ground


If you have a low water needs plant you like, please share!

For those of you that are interested I've added a number of links to information on California's drought in the right-hand side-bar of my blog.  Work is pending to remove the remaining lawn here.  Additional, extra-large rain collection barrels are on order.  And a mulch delivery is planned for next week when the weather cools.  Given that temperatures here have soared again, hitting 95F for 2 days in a row this week so far, I don't expect I'll do much more in the way of new planting until fall, when I hope to replace more of my drought-sensitive plants for more resilient ones like those I've presented here.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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Wide Shots - May 2015

May 1, 2015, 9:01 pm
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As I mentioned last month, I'm altering my approach to my monthly wide shots post.  This month, I'm focusing on the front and southeast side garden areas.  Despite 2 heatwaves in March and another this week in which temperatures in our area have been stuck in the mid-90sF (35C), the front garden is holding up and continuing to fill in.

The beautiful blue sky doesn't tell the whole story.  It's hot and very, very dry.

The area to the left of the central walkway, occupied by lawn this time last year, continues to fill in nicely

This area behind the roses in the front right foreground, all the way to the trees in far background, was also lawn in May 2014

This is the same area, viewed from the other side.  The thyme continues to spread and the variegated Ceanothus griseus horizontalis has begun to creep but the Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt' looks much like it did when it was first planted - if my other 'Cousin Itt' hadn't behaved the same way, I'd be worried.


The adjoining southeast side garden has undergone a few changes, although they may not be readily evident in these first 2 photos.

The usual view through the arbor looking toward the Los Angeles harbor

The usual view of the side garden from the patio

My third photo reflects the changes I made.  I found 3 more of the Solanum xanti I've been looking for and snapped them up, replacing an Osteospermum, Euphorbia and Pennistetum that had failed to thrive in the area in the foreground on the left.  The Solanum I planted in the backyard in November have done well and I can only hope that these California natives can get established before the heat gets worse.  The plastic bottle you can see in the photo is one of 3 attached to funnels that slowly drip water into the root system of my new transplants.  I also moved 3 Agave 'Blue Glow' from the bed in the background and placed them in the center of the bed on the left, surrounding them with Crassula radicans, moved from the same area, Lavandula augustifolia and Seslaria caerulea.  It was bad timing on my part given the heat we experienced this week but I expect its the last of the spring planting I'll do this year.

The newly planted area is on the left


 The last major change is this one:

Our new 165 gallon rain collection tank, not yet hooked up to the gutter system

It's not especially attractive and it'll probably get no use until the next rainy season begins in November or thereabout but I'm hoping it and another 265 gallon rain collection tank, currently on back-order, will help make a difference in next year's garden.

That's it for this month's wide shots.  My thanks to Heather of Xericstyle for starting me on this monthly exercise.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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In a Vase on Monday: An Homage to Mothers

May 4, 2015, 8:57 am
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Next Sunday, May 10th, is Mother's Day in the US.  Although my own mother, as well as my mother-in-law, are now gone, they've been on my mind of late as a close friend faced the loss of her mother.  I was thinking of all 3 women as I cut flowers for this week's vase, prepared in connection with the meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.  It seemed only appropriate to dedicate my vases this week to these women.



This first vase was photographed on my back patio.  It includes only 3 flowers, all of which are a challenge to photograph:

  • Arthropodium cirratum)
  • Coriandrum sativum 
  • Solanum xanti 'Mountain Pride'


Arthropodium cirratum (aka Renga Lily)

Coriandrum sativum (aka cilantro, coriander and Chinese parsley)

Solanum xanti 'Mountain Pride'


The Arthropodium is coming into bloom throughout the garden.  Its tall stems allowed me to use a taller vase than those I usually select.  The white flowers have a touch of gold and the vaguest hint of pinkish lavender in the center.  Those colors and the similar shape in the flowers led me to select the Solanum as a companion.  The Coriandrum adds a lacy quality.

Not the best photograph but it provides a side-by-side comparison of the Arthropodium and the Solanum flowers


The flowers in the second vase were originally intended for inclusion in the first one but the composition was too crowded so I opted to put them in a separate vase.


This vase also contains only 3 ingredients:

  • Agapanthus (no ID, probably A. praecox orientalis)
  • Coriandrum sativum
  • Limonium perezii (aka statice)


Top row: 2 different shades of blue Agapanthus; bottom row: Coriandrum and Limonium


The vases both found places inside the house.

The first landed on the dining room table

and the second on the entryway table


To see other vases composed of flowers from the creators' own gardens, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.  For those of you celebrating Mother's Day next week, best wishes!


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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Wednesday Vignette: Coming Together

May 6, 2015, 11:48 am
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I'm joining Anna at Flutter and Hum to present this vignette of plants from my front garden.  This particular area was planted between November last year and January this year as I collected the plants I was looking for.  The plants are far from mature but the look I was seeking is beginning to come together already.

Agave gentryi 'Jaws' is surrounded by 3 Cuphea 'Strybing Sunset' and backed by Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope', Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder' (a fraction of the size it will achieve at maturity), and Carex testacea
The individual elements


Echoing the colors in a pot near the front door are some pretty Dahlias I picked up on a whim.

Dahlia 'XXL Hidalgo' with Abelia 'Kaleidoscope' and lime Alternanthera in a pot


I hope your garden is offering a bit of sunshine today even if the skies are gray.  Visit Anna at Flutter and Hum to see what scene caught her attention this week.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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It's always something...

May 8, 2015, 9:20 pm
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The good news this week is we got some rain!  Admittedly, it wasn't much.  According to Weather Underground, my area received 0.12 inches (3.05 mm) of rain early this morning.  But rain of any kind in May is reason to rejoice.  The sky remain gray much of the day but we got nothing more than a few sprinkles after daylight.

This morning's view of the cloud-covered Los Angeles harbor


Although we received relatively little rain, it was enough to fill my small, 50-gallon rain barrel.  Or it would have been, if the valve hadn't been turned partially in the "on" position, causing us to lose a good portion of what nature delivered.

The relocated rain barrel surrounded by soaked pavement

We recently emptied, cleaned and moved the barrel from it's former location attached to the gararge to its new location attached to the house.  Apparently the valve was left partially open.  The soaked pavement was the clue.  That problem was easily fixed.

We were pleased to see that our new, 160-gallon tank had collected approximately 25 gallons of water from what was very modest rainfall.

The tank has notches on the side to indicate how much water it holds 

But we noticed that the pavement was also soaked underneath that tank's valve.  After emptying a portion of the contents into our other barrel, we determined that the new tank, thankfully, wasn't cracked but the valve required tightening to prevent the precious rainwater from slowly dripping away.  Locating and correcting the problem took more than half an hour but at least we discovered it before we had a really significant rainstorm.

Our morning was capped with the delivery of the other rain tank we had on order.  We'd hoped to pick it up from the same warehouse our other tank came from but, as the result of confusion between me and the distributor, we found that the pick-up location for this tank was almost 100 miles away.  So we had to arrange freight delivery at (ouch!) extra cost.  Now, though, all "we" (by which I mean my husband) have to do is install the thing behind our garage, which will give us a total of 475 gallons of rain storage capacity.

The delivery truck

Frankly, despite the cost, I'm just as glad we didn't have to haul this thing on the LA freeways in a pick-up truck


My husband's not sure the extra water storage is worth the cost but it gives me peace of mind that I'm doing what I can to take care of my garden during our drought.  Other measures include shortened showers, recovery of kitchen and shower water for reuse, use of washing machine graywater, and lots and lots of mulch to retain soil moisture.

This week's mulch delivery

Mulching will be in process throughout the weekend.  (A second delivery may be required.)  I hope you have a fun weekend in store!


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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In a Vase on Monday: Crowding the Stage

May 11, 2015, 9:42 am
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In my area of Southern California, we're at the juncture between spring and summer.  It felt like summer 2 weeks ago but last week was blessedly cool and this week promises to be much the same.  There's even another chance of rain toward the end of the week.  Still, the unseasonable heat in March and again early this month sent many spring flowers into a speedy decline.  There were just a few Alstroemeria left in the garden so it seemed only right to select those for "In a Vase on Monday," the weekly feature hosted by Cathy of Rambling in the Garden.  I'd never even featured my Aquilegia and they also appear on the way out, while the white Eustoma grandiflorum I planted last June is currently making a comeback.  Although there were many flowers clamoring for the spotlight this week, I did very little editing, squeezing everything together, hence the title of this post.


Back view

Here's what I included:
  • Alstroemeria (no ID)
  • Aquilegia hybrid 'Spring Magic'
  • Cerinthe major (also reaching burn-out)
  • Coriandrum savitum (rapidly going to seed)
  • Eustoma grandiflorum 'Echo White'(new on the scene)
  • Hebe 'Wiri Blush'
  • Heuchera maxima
  • Limonium perezii
  • Pelargonium 'Oldbury Duet'
  • Pelargonium peltatum (no ID)

The last of the Alstroemeria, shown with a stem of the ever-blooming Pelargonium peltatum and the fading coriander

The navy blue and white Aquilegia 'Spring Magic' deserved more attention that it received this year

Tucking the white Eustoma grandiflorum I planted last June from 6-packs in spots around the edges of my Agapanthus, where they were partially screened from last summer's heat, paid off - the white form looks far better this spring than the blue forms

Hebe 'Wiri Blush' just produced another flush of flowers

Heuchera maxima, a California native, is making a slow start in my garden but it has produced a few stems of flowers


Last week's tall vase featuring Arthropodium cirratum and Solanum xanti lasted the entire week but I retired it when I created today's vase.  The second of last week's vases, featuring Agapanthus, still looks pretty good.  It has moved to the dining table while the new vase sits in the entryway.  As Arthropodium and Agapanthus are currently making a big show in the garden, I expect you'll see more of them in coming weeks.

Last week's vase, relocated

This week's vase in the entryway

Visit Cathy to see what she and other gardeners have created from materials they have on hand this week.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

May 13, 2015, 12:06 pm
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A friend and I visited Santa Barbara Botanic Garden last weekend (when I should have been spreading mulch).  Although I lived in Santa Barbara for almost 4 years as a college undergrad and have visited the area at intervals over the years, I haven't been to the Botanic Garden in quite awhile.  My last visit was sometime prior to the 2009 Jesusita Fire that damaged the garden and other portions of Santa Barbara County.  Six years after the fire, I was pleased to find the garden looking beautiful and busy with visitors.

One of the first things you see upon entering the garden is the incredible meadow, currently dominated by the bright orange blooms of California poppies.

Views of the meadow from different angles

Bright yellow lupines (top row) dotted the meadow and pink flowers (Clarkia unguiculata perhaps?) provided a punch next to the orange poppies here and there but my favorite flower was the Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri).  


Although we missed the peak period of spring bloom, there were still lots of flowers.

Most of the flowering plants weren't labeled but here are my best guesses:
Top row - Aesculus californica, Aquilegia desertorum, Eriogonum grande rubescens
Middle row - Eriogonum umbellatum, Heuchera 'Old La Rochette', Iris douglasiana
Bottom row - Isomeris arborea (which died suddenly after 2 years in my garden), Opuntia littoralis, Penstemon (no ID)


There were other plants of interest too:

Clockwise from top left: Agave shawii, Asarum caudatum, Yucca whipplei (almost in bloom!), and Dudleya (no ID)


We took a walk through the Redwood forest area.

There's nothing like a Redwood to put your place in the world in perspective

Although some people clearly need a reminder not to mess with the trees; however, on the good news page, the tree shown above was the only plant we saw carved up

Views from the forest area - doesn't that rock look as though he could speak?  (Or is that just me?)


We walked the canyon area and strolled through the woodland area following the stream.


Views along the stream, which was mostly dry

My favorite view in the garden

I loved these 2 seating areas too


We didn't spend any time sitting.  I spent a good amount of time in in the native plant nursery checking out the stock.  Despite my intention to avoid any further planting until fall, I left with 5 plants: 3 Erigeron 'Ron's Pink,' a Physocarpus capitatus, and a Vaccinium ovatum.  The Physocarpus was probably a mistake as our area may not have sufficient winter cold but my fingers are crossed it'll manage the zonal stretch.

With my rule against spring/summer planting broken, you can imagine how our stops at 3 nurseries on the way home went.  But that's a story for another post.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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Bloom Day - May 2015

May 15, 2015, 9:58 am
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It's Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and it's been a surprisingly wet month here in Southern California.  Our rainy season generally runs from November through March.  We don't expect rain in May and, given that we're in the fourth year of a serious drought, the 2 storms we've had this month have been more than welcome.  They did make picture-taking a little more difficult, however.

Heatwaves in March and early May took a toll on my garden.  Spring flowers are quickly giving way to those we traditionally associate with summer.  The following flowers are making the biggest splash (excuse the pun - the rain makes me giddy!):

Agapanthus are blooming throughout the garden

Arthropodium cirratum (aka Renga Lily) is giving the Agapanthus a run for its money in terms of the sheer volume of blooms

Gaura lindheimeri 'Snow Fountain' is putting on a show in the front borders

Hemerocallis are blooming here and there throughout the garden (clockwise from upper left: H. 'Blythe Belle', H. 'For Pete's Sake', H. 'Indian Giver' and H. 'Spanish Harlem'

The Pelargoniums are continuing to make a strong showing


Flowers can be found in a range of colors:

White flowers include (clockwise from the upper left): Globularia x indubia, Abelia x grandiflora, the last few flowers of Carpenteria californica, the first flowers of Eustoma grandiflorum 'Echo White', Leucanthemum superbum, and Osteospermum fruitcosum, encouraged to rebloom by the return of cooler temperatures

Yellow flowers include (clockwise from upper left): Argyranthemum 'Butterfly', Euphorbia 'Dean's Hybrid' (shown with Osteospermum 'Zion Copper Amethyst'), Gaillardia aristata 'Gallo Peach', Gazania 'White Flame' (which looks more yellow than white at the moment), G. 'Golden Flame', Leucadendron 'Pisa', Sedum 'Lemon Ball', and Senecio cineraria (aka Dusty Miller and now classified as Jacobaea maritima)

Orange flowers include (clockwise from upper left): Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream', Bignonia capreolata, Cuphea 'Stybring Sunset', Dahlia 'XXL Hidalgo', and Leonotis leonurus

Pink and red flowers include:
Top row - Arbutus 'Marina', Arctotis 'Pink Sugar', and Centranthus ruber
Middle row - Cistus 'Sunset', Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink' and Fuchsia 'Swingtime'
Bottom row - Gallardia x grandiflora 'Goblin', Grevillea 'Superb' and buds of a no ID Hoya

Blue and purple flowers include (clockwise from the upper left): Senecio stellata (probably actually Pericallis), Aquilegia 'Spring Magic', Aster frikartii 'Monch', Delosperma (no ID), Duranta repens (no ID), Polygala fruticosa 'Petite Butterfly', prostrate rosemary, and Salvia 'Amistad' with Solanum xanti


Even a couple of my houseplants are blooming:

Hoya multiflora and Miltassia shelob (Note: Those droplets on the Hoya's leaves are a sticky sap produced by the flowers, not water)


There are some wonderful combinations of flowers too:

The gate between the vegetable garden and the dry garden is covered by a white trumpet vine (probably Pandorea jasminoides 'Alba') and Trachelospermum jasminoides with dark pink Pelargonium peltatum climbing up the left side

In the dry garden, lavender Lantana mixes with pink Oenothera speciosa and purple Limonium perezii

This jumble in a corner of the front garden includes Grevillea 'Superb', Nandina domestica, Gaillardia 'Goblin', Salvia 'Mesa Azure' and Agapanthus


But the best sight to my eyes this Bloom Day is this one:

160-gallon tank filled by yesterday's first rain (The 50-gallon tank is also filled and the 265-gallon tank is about 2/3rds full but we're still getting light rain)


Have a wonderful Bloom Day and don't forget to check in with Carol, our Bloom Day hostess at May Dreams Gardens.


Rainbow over the Los Angeles harbor Thursday evening - if you look closely you can see a second rainbow to the left of the one in the center of the photo


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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Foliage Follow-up: Stipa tenuissima

May 16, 2015, 11:45 am
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May is one of those months in which time seems to pass in a flash.  In a hurry today, I faced my garden looking for foliage to feature for today's Foliage Follow-up feature, hosted by Pam at Digging.  There were a number of possibilities but the foliage that waved at me from the backyard (assisted by a breeze) won the vote.  Stipa tenuissima (syn. Nassella tenuissima) is a beautiful, if somewhat invasive, grass that both picks up the gold tones in my garden and adds movement.  Most of my clumps are currently in need of another haircut but, even in somewhat shaggy condition, they make a statement.

I have 3 groups of the grass in the bed that extends from the fountain in the backyard.

The Stipa provides a beautiful backdrop for Salvia 'Mystic Spires'

View of all 3 groups of grass in the fountain border

The largest group next to the backyard patio - 2 other groupings are visible in the distance in the back border


There are 3 more groups of the grass in the back border, 2 of which are shown here.




Two more groups border the entrance to the side yard patio.

These clumps get trimmed frequently to prevent them from enveloping the path to the side yard patio - the clumps in the fountain border are visible in the background on the upper right


Despite its tendency to self-seed, I love this grass.  Its invasive tendencies can be held in check by reduced watering (not a problem here!) and regular trims.  Most of mine were sheared of flowers in February but they're in need of another haircut.

For other foliage photos, visit Pam at Digging.  Have a great weekend!


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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In a Vase on Monday: Split Personalities

May 18, 2015, 9:04 am
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For this week's "In a Vase on Monday," the meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, I have 2 vases with very different personalities, although they have one flower in common.  The first vase, featuring Gaillardia x grandiflora looks more autumnal than spring or summer-like.


Back view


It features:

  • Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Goblin' and/or 'Arizona Sun'
  • Leptospermum 'Copper Glow'
  • Pelargonium hortorum 'Mrs. Pollock'
  • Senecio cineraria (now known as Jacobaea maritima)



The only difference between Gaillardia 'Goblin' and 'Arizona Sun' that I can see is their height - I think there are probably some of each here

I've had a terrible time trying to photograph Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' in my garden but photographing it in a vase was easier - it looked almost good enough to have sufficed on its own

I meant for Pelargonium 'Mrs. Pollock' to have a larger role in this week's vase but the stem blocked some of the relatively short Gaillardia stems from view so it ended up in the back of the vase

I love the gray foliage of Senecio cineraria (now classified as Jacobaea maritima) but I find I also like its bright yellow flowers, which the bees seem to adore


The second vase, although taller, has a lighter, more summery feel.  It's similar to the bouquet I featured 2 weeks ago except that it includes a bolt of cheerful yellow.


It contains:

  • Argyranthemum frutescens 'Butterfly'
  • Arthropodium cirratum (aka Renga lily)
  • Eustoma grandiflorum 'Echo White'
  • Jacobaea maritima
  • Solanum xanti


Argryrantemum 'Butterfly' and Jacobaea maritima complement each other well

Arthropodium cirratum is hard to photograph, especially under the gloom of "May Gray" skies, which cause the flowers to close

This Eustoma stem is a holdover from last week's arrangement - I cut off the central flower, which was beginning to fade, and tucked the stem into the back of this week's vase as it still has a lot of flower-power left

I think this is the best close-up photo I've gotten of Solanum xanti - this is the first time I've noticed those little green dots around the flower's center


Here are the 2 vases in place:

In the front entryway

On the dining room table


Visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see more vases constructed of materials selected from participants' own gardens.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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