Late to the Garden Party

With the advent of spring, the number of feathered and furry visitors has increased. Some visitors are welcome, others not so much. Hummingbird activity at the feeder outside the kitchen window has intensified, as has the number of hummingbirds swooping about to feed among the flowers. I've never caught the hummingbirds in flight - they move too quickly - but they take their time at the feeder.

Birds at the fountain pay leisurely visits - as long as I don't get too close with the camera.

I'm not good at bird IDs - my guess is that the 2 birds on the top tier are American Robins and the fellow on the lower tier is a Cedar Waxwing

There are a lot of birds at the feeders too, at least when the local squirrel isn't raiding the storehouse. My husband built a cage around our largest feeder to keep the squirrels out. It worked for a few years; however, one squirrel kept poking and prodding until he managed to bend the wires at the base and finally wiggled his way inside.

That seed is very tempting!

Perseverance pays off

Caught in the act with me standing a foot away, he froze as if hoping I wouldn't notice him sitting inside the feeder's cage

When he realized his frozen statue trick didn't work, he made a panicky exit, then paused to look at me as if to say "what's your problem, anyway?" before scooting back under the Ceanothus hedge

My husband fortified the wire enclosure at the base, which is once more keeping the squirrel at bay (while also making it harder for me to remove and refill the feeder).

Repaired feeder

Access denied

Contemplating Plan B

Executing Plan B

The raccoons have also been paying regular nightly visits, even though I've made my planting beds as inhospitable as possible with repellent and broken clay shards. They've dug up some smaller plants but haven't shredded anything to pieces as they're usually inclined to do so my diversion program appears to be working (sort of).

The crows have also reappeared. I previously described the activities of one pair that selected our California pepper trees (Schinus molle) to provide the soft inner layer of their nest. According to a crow expert at Cornell, breeding pairs usually take about 2 weeks to complete their nest and those 2 did disappear within a period of about 2 weeks. However, another crow, possibly part of a different breeding pair, has recently appeared. This one was caught in the act of pulling twigs off the Mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin).

He spent about 10 minutes selecting the perfect twig and yanking it free (leaving less attractive twigs strewn about at the base of the tree)

Twigs and sticks make up the base of the crow's nest. After the base is done, I suppose he and his lady friend will return to start stripping the pepper trees...

Last summer and fall, I put together a variety of floral bouquets, testing my creativity to make do with what I had available in my garden; however, I haven't composed a bouquet in some months now. Last week, I came across Cathy's meme at Rambling in the Garden, featuring bouquets "in a vase on Monday." As spring came early to southern California and I currently have lots of flowers practically crying out for attention, I've decided to join in and get back in the swing of creating flower arrangements for the house. Here's this week's featured bouquet, a composition of pinkish lavender and white:

The Alstroemeria (no ID on variety) looks pinker in the picture above than it does sitting in my home office. It leans more markedly toward lavender than the other varieties in my garden. I accented it with scented Ageratum corybosum (recently featured as one of my favorite plants), white snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus, Rocket form), and breath of heaven (Coleonema album). The ageratum isn't holding up as well as I'd like in the vase - perhaps I should have crushed its somewhat woody stem to aid water uptake. The glass vase is one of my favorites, acquired during my college years (i.e. long ago), if I remember correctly.

I cut some yellow flowers for this bouquet as well but, although there's a touch of yellow in both the Alstroemeria and the snapdragon, I felt the bright yellow color distracted from the subtle beauty of the other flowers. So, I ended up with a second bouquet of bright yellow and pink blooms.

I had a hard time photographing this arrangement so I took it outside to the backyard patio. The centerpiece is a 'Buttercream' rose, which is accented by a bright pink Alstroemeria (no ID), ivy geranium (Pelargonium peltatum 'Pink Blizzard'), Argyranthemum 'Comet White', Phlomis fruticosa, one bright pink Ranunculus, and the flowers of Nandina domestica. I love the Nandina flowers, which I've used before as a filler in arrangements, but I admit that they're messy, dropping rice-like hulls as the small flowers open.

Close-up of Nandina flower stem

The Phlomis, which has flowers that look like they belong in a tale by Dr. Seuss, was difficult to incorporate into the arrangement. The flowers are widely spaced along the woody stem but their unusual form makes an interesting addition.

Fuzzy close-up of Phlomis flower in the vase

These are my first contributions to Cathy's meme at Rambling in the Garden. You can find her creation here, as well as links to the early spring constructions of other gardeners. My thanks to Cathy for getting me back out in the garden with my scissors.

When I went into the garden yesterday morning to take pictures for this post, the air was fresh and cool, the birds were singing and flitting about, and everywhere I looked flowers were blooming. Frankly, I felt as though I was in the middle of a Disney movie. I even had hummingbirds whizzing about my head at one point. (I happened to be standing in front of "their" feeder and I think they took umbrage.)

My garden has changed a lot since we moved here in December 2010. The greatest changes have taken place in the past year, beginning with the removal of the 60+ foot tall Eucalyptus tree on the south side of the house, the creation of a new pathway and beds on the south side, and, more recently, the removal of a large section of lawn in the backyard. Work in the dry garden on the north side of the house and the slope at the back of the property occurs in bits and pieces. The wide shots I take in connection with the meme hosted by Heather at Xericstyle have helped me keep a record of the changes since last September.

As usual, I'll start with the backyard, where instead of a single bed bordering a wide expanse of lawn, I now have 2 long beds surrounding a wide grass pathway.

View from back door looking out toward the harbor with its usual morning haze

View from the left side of the backyard

View from the right side of the backyard, which shows the progress I've made in filling the new border

A longer view, photographed from the dirt pathway that begins in the side yard and runs all the way behind the back border

The side yard is filling out well given that most of the plants have been in place for less than 6 months.

View of the side yard taken from the front lawn

View from the grass pathway in the backyard looking back toward the arbor

There's still not much color in the front yard borders. The shrub roses only have a few blooms so far.

View of the front of the house at mid-day

The vegetable garden still lacks much in the way of vegetables, although there is an artichoke in a tub just out of camera's sight in the photo below. I've given over one of my three raised beds to sweet peas and snapdragons. The sweet peas just produced their first blooms.

The circular rings in the 1st 2 raised beds were the metal bands that held our old snorkel spa together - my husband got tired of having them take up floor space in "his" garage

The dry garden has been very, very dry since we've had little rain and I've cut my use of the irrigation system in response to the governor's call for a 20% voluntary reduction in water usage. We got some drizzle last night and we're supposed to get a little more over the next 2 days, which I hope will give the plants a boost. I haven't lost anything yet but I don't imagine the grape vine or the fruit trees will fare well as the temperatures climb.

The gravel pathway here runs from the north side patio to the cement stairs leading down the slope

View of the dry garden from the right side

The slope has received no supplemental water since the 2 rainstorms we had in February. My husband and I began work at the bottom of the slope last weekend, trimming back the very large Yucca elephantipes and foliage plants marking the border between our property and that of the neighbor below us. Even though I selected plants for the area based on their drought tolerance, I was surprised and pleased to see that the area is in relatively good shape (so far) despite the severe water restrictions.

View from near the top of the stairway - the area to the left of the hedge belongs to one neighbor and the area beyond the Yucca in the distance belongs to another one

View from the bottom of the slope looking back upward toward our neighbor's house - with the exception of the fig tree, I put in all the plants between the stairway (constructed by my husband) and the hedge since we moved in

That's it for this month's wide shots from my garden. Please visit Heather at Xericstyle to see her view this month and to connect to other participating gardeners' views.

My favorite plant this week is Pelargonium 'Oldbury Duet.' It has been calling out for attention for the past few weeks, since it started blooming. I bought 3 plants in early January, attracted by the green and creamy white, crinkled foliage. The flowers were described as pansy-like and indeed they are.

Pelargonium 'Oldbury Duet'

Close-up of foliage

The 3 plants are grouped together in the bed that formerly held our Eucalyptus tree. A Geranium 'Tiny Monster' weaves around them.

Pelargonium shown with underplanting of Geranium 'Tiny Monster'

I'd never seen the plant in flower and I was concerned that the blooms might clash with surrounding plants but the upper reddish plum petals pick up the color of the nearby Acer palmatum 'Purple Ghost' and the Coprosma repens 'Plum Hussey.'

Pelargoniums do very well here. They can get by with limited water and, while they can handle full sun, they don't mind a little shade. Most take our summer heat in stride. One of the 'Oldbury Duet' also survived being dug up by a visiting raccoon.

The label that came with my plants said these will grow 15 inches (38 cm) tall and wide. They're reportedly hardy to 25-30F (-4C). This Pelargonium originates from South Africa and falls into the "angel" category.

Pelargonium 'Oldbury Duet' is my contribution to the weekly meme hosted by Loree of danger garden. You can see Loree's status report on her roster of favorites here and connect to other gardeners' favorite picks for the current week.

I was so excited when my sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus 'Perfume Delight') began to bloom last week. Instead of planting sugar snap peas along the trellis in the vegetable garden last October, I elected to plant sweet peas. The seeds germinated without a problem. I thinned them and watched as the vines grew longer and longer. And I waited and waited for buds to appear. Then I waited some more for the buds to open. Last night, I decided that there were finally enough to make a small bouquet.

So far, all those that have bloomed are lavender, cream or cream with a tinge of lavender on the edges. I paired them with pale yellow snapdragons (Antirrhinium majus, Rocket variety), Polygala fruticosa 'Petite Butterfly' (also known as Sweet-pea Shrub), and a few tiny stems of Abelia x grandiflora. A back view of the vase shows the Polygala to better advantage.

I left the bouquet in the kitchen and they perfumed half the house within 30 minutes. The 'Perfume Delight' variety of sweet peas I chose is reputed to be especially heat-tolerant as well as intensely fragrant, which is good in that our temperatures are forecast to soar towards 90F (32C) this week. Renee's Garden, which I think was the source of my seeds, says that their mix produces flowers in rose, pale pink, deep purple, white and bi-color. Maybe other colors will appear as the bloom period continues.

This bouquet is my contribution to Cathy's meme at Rambling in the Garden. You can see Cathy's floral creation, also scented, and find links to other gardeners' contributions here.

Something about spring prompts me to get in the car to visit nurseries and gardens off my usual beaten path. In addition to spending hours on end in my own garden, I find myself fighting LA's miserable freeway traffic to visit other places where plants grow. I've been on a few expeditions of late that I've made little or no reference to here so I thought I'd share the highlights in a single post. However, that post got way too long so I've broken it into 2 parts.

I visited 4 plant sellers up north a few weekends ago with a friend. Our first stop was Seaside Gardens Nursery in Carpinteria, which I've written about before. The weather was perfect for our visit. All the following photos were taken in Seaside's demonstration gardens.

Courtyard with central fountain

The California poppies are blooming

as are the Echium

The Aloe are putting on their own spring show

Yellow Arctotis dominated this area

I didn't take any pictures at our second stop, Island View Nursery, but I did take a few at our third, Gallup & Stribling Orchids. This orchid grower has a walk-in retail outlet on the grounds of its growing facility in Carpinteria. Their specialties were Cymbidiums and Phalaenopsis, both available at discounted prices.

There were lots of Cymbidiums

Oncidium 'Sharry Baby,' which has flowers that smell like chocolate

This unlabeled orchid had a luscious scent that filled the entire greenhouse

We swung by Sperling, my favorite nursery in Calabasas, on our way home. (You can see a prior post on this nursery here.) The first thing I noticed were the beautiful flowering trees that create a canopy over the nursery's perennial and annual offerings.

I think the tree is Paulownia tomentosa, aka the Empress Tree

Close-up of flowers on the Empress Tree

We arrived at Sperling near to closing time, which is probably a good thing as it limited the time available for shopping (and we'd already filled the back of my friend's car in Carpinteria). The garden was well-stocked for spring shoppers.

A week later, I traveled south on another plant-hunting expedition with a different friend. My friend has cleaned out the planters in front of her house, which she intends to replant with succulents. We spent 2 hours making plant selections at OC Succulents in Irvine. I covered this nursery in detail last November but I took very few pictures during this trip - I was too busy making selections of my own. I just planted a converted bird bath with some of my purchases.

The centerpiece is Aloe deltoideodonto - I think the variety is 'Sparkler,' although it wasn't noted on the label. The smaller succulents include Oscularia deltoides, Senecio radicans and Kalanchoe 'Pink Butterflies.'

Other purchases are still waiting to be planted.

The giant Aeonium is A. canariense, aka Giant Velvet Rose

As Irvine is relatively close to Roger's Gardens in Corona Del Mar (discussed in the greatest detail here), we had to stop by there before heading home.

Digitalis and Osteospermum bordering the parking lot

Vertical garden in hanging plant pockets near the entrance

Assorted Japanese maples in pots

Itoh peonies in bloom (I've resolved not to buy another until I see if the one I bought last year blooms again)

A mass of Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame' - once hard to find, this plant is now everywhere I look

I stopped taking pictures when I discovered a new shipment from Annie's Annuals & Perennials had just arrived at Rogers. The shipment was still sitting in a multi-layered cart when I started pulling out plants (most of which, of course, I had no obvious place to plant). I'll show those selections, as well as other recent travels, in future posts.

Did the recent nursery expeditions described in yesterday's post, Spring Wanderlust-Part 1, put an end to my plant shopaholism? I had thought they had when I attended the South Coast Botanic Garden's Spring Plant Sale this past weekend. I didn't plan to buy anything but I thought my friend would like the sale, which features reasonably priced plants grown by volunteers working for the botanic garden, as well a few local nurseries and the Palos Verdes Nature Conservancy. As a member, I can get into the sale before it opens to the public and I receive a discount on my purchases.

The tables weren't as crowded with plants as was the case with the fall sale but there was still a lot available

Some of the native plants offered by the Palos Verdes Nature Conservancy

One of the many displays stocked by local nurseries

However, just as an alcoholic is advised not to visit bars, a plant-a-holic should avoid plant sales.

3 of the 4 plants I took home: Salvia discolor (which I'd sought unsuccessfully last year), Melianthus major, and Scabiosa ochroleuca (Not shown: Agave vilmoriniana, purchased in a 3-gallon pot for $12!)

After lunch, my friend and I visited Rancho Los Alamitos in Long Beach. Denise of A Growing Obsession wrote about her visit a couple of months back and my friend and I been talking of going there ever since we read her post. The well-tended home and garden, built in the 1800s, is on the National Register of Historic Places. The area was originally settled by the Tongva tribe of Native Americans around 500AD. Interestingly, the Rancho now sits in the middle of a gated community of homes.

Houses across the street from Rancho Los Alamitos

There were almost as many docents as visitors when we visited but we took off on a self-guided tour of the 7-acre property.

Lady Banks rose espaliered along entrance to the rose garden

Formal rose garden

I think this area is was identified as the Oleander Walk

Bad photo of butterfly (Mourning Cloak?) on Echium - there were dozens of these butterflies flitting throughout the garden

This was called the Friendly Garden

Very large, and presumably very old, California pepper tree

Jacaranda Walk long the tennis court - unfortunately, the Jacarandas won't be in bloom for awhile longer yet

Entry into the cactus garden, which covered a large area of the estate

View of 2 large Moreton Bay fig trees outside the house's screened patio

Massive roots that characterize Moreton Bay figs

Front of the house leading to the central courtyard

Interior courtyard

Plaque outside what I believe was referred to as the "secret garden"

Barn

Old farm equipment

Gift shop

Crow fountain on sale at gift shop

I have to say that I really liked the crow fountain in the photograph above but it did not come home with me. However, we had a nice chat with the docent running the shop.

Rancho Los Alamitos, only about 30 minutes from my home by freeway is definitely worth a return visit.

Okay, I know she's over-exposed. My favorite plant this week is Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame,' a hybrid mix of Digitalis purpurea and Isoplexis caneriensis, bred in 2006. In making this week's choice, I struggled between her and a good old garden work-horse. In the end, she won out because she took better pictures. (Keep in mind that I live in the shadow of Hollywood, where style often trumps substance.)

This Digiplexis is planted in a semi-shady area along the pathway in my south-side garden

The same plant photographed from another angle, backed by Mexican feather grass

She's more impressive in a close-up.

The foliage is attractive too.

She's blooming earlier than my Digitalis purpurea and appears to me to be hardier than her parent, Isoplexis caneriensis, which I previously managed to kill in record time.

Isoplexis caneriensis, photographed at Seaside Gardens Nursery in Carpinteria last month

I have 4 of these plants. The one shown in flower above was planted in early November, after I picked the plant up at Roger's Gardens in Orange County on a tip from Denise at A Growing Obsession. I subsequently acquired 3 more by mail order in February through Annie's Annuals & Perennials.

My 3 newest additions, planted in my new backyard bed in February, have produced flower spikes but aren't yet blooming

The 3 planted more recently are shorter, about 12 inches tall, and their flowers haven't opened yet. The one planted in November is about 3 feet tall and perhaps half that wide at the base.

Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame' was named Plant of the Year at the 2012 Chelsea Flower Show and received the Greenhouse Grower's Award of Excellence in 2013. It was difficult to find last year but this year just about every nursery seems to have a supply.

Digiplexis photographed at Roger's Gardens a couple of weeks ago

It's reputed to have a long bloom period, due in part to the fact that the flowers are sterile. According to San Marcos Growers it's been called a "Digitalis with lipstick" and, although commonly referred to as "Digiplexis," it's properly classified in the Digitalis genus. The flowers are smaller than those I commonly find on Digitalis purpurea. The outer petal color is fuchsia and the inner throat color is variously described as reddish orange, nectarine, or an evolving hue which starts red, changes to orange and finally mellows to yellow.

It needs well-drained soil and regular water. It's said to grow in full sun to part shade. Mine all receive morning sun but varying degrees of afternoon shade. They're reportedly hardy to 10-15F and they're described as suited to USDA zones 8-10 or 11.

Over-exposed or not, I'm pleased that they've been so easy to grow. They've presented no problems thus far. According to on-line sources, other varieties in the 'Illumination' series are currently in development, including 'Raspberry,''Chelsea Gold,''Pink,' and 'Berry Canary.'

Digiplexis (Digitalis) 'Illumination Flame' is my contribution to Loree's favorite choice meme at danger garden. You can see Loree's current favorite and find links to other gardeners' choice plants here.

In scouting my garden in advance of Bloom Day, I noticed that the Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl,' featured earlier in my January Bloom Day post, are still blanketed in flowers. The small pink flowers have burgundy centers, which I thought might provide a nice complement to the maroon red spikes of one of the Antirrhinum majus growing in my vegetable garden. Despite my reliance on drip irrigation and the great care I've taken to avoid getting the snapdragon foliage wet, they're once again under attack by rust. They'll probably have to be pulled soon so I'd like to make use of the blooms while I can. Cathy's meme at Rambling in the Garden provided me the necessary impetus to get to it.

Bouquet photographed outside the front door

A shot showing the arrangement from the top

Close-up of snapdragon and Leptospermum flower

As my husband had taken over the kitchen, my favorite place to take photographs of my bouquets, I had to go outside to take these pictures. Outside of the kitchen, which is mostly white, either the light or the background tends to present a problem.

With its woody stems, it remains to be seen how well the Leptospermum will hold up in the vase but I cut deeply into the wood to facilitate the stems' ability to take up water. In addition to the Leptospermum and the Antirrhinum, I added Abelia x grandiflora 'Confetti' as a foliage accent, cream-colored sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus 'Perfume Delight') for scent, and a stem of Dianthus barbatus 'Heart Attack' for a deeper red element. I used a painted glass vase my mother gave me many, many years ago because it picked up the colors of the flowers.

Fuzzy close-up of Abelia x grandiflora 'Confetti'

Close-up of Dianthus barbatus 'Heart Attack,' highlighting just how deep its red color is

I'd cut Alstroemeria and Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink' when I was out in the garden but I thought they detracted from the arrangement so the extra flowers went into a separate vase that ended up in the guest bathroom.

This week's floral rejects

These bouquets are my contributions to Cathy's collection of floral constructions this week. You can view Cathy's own creation - and find links to other floral concoctions - here. My thanks again to Cathy for getting me back in the habit of cutting flowers for use in the house.

Our winter and spring temperatures have been "unseasonably warm" according to weather forecasters, although much the same thing was said last year. I wonder when these conditions cease being termed "unseasonable" and instead become the new normal? Our spring got off to an early start, especially in relation to the parts of the country hit by the miserable "polar vortex" but, when I looked back at last April's post, I find that most of the flowers blooming now were also blooming then.

For a change of pace, in collecting photos for this month's Bloom Day post, I focused more on plant combinations and less on individual flowers.

Acanthus mollis "Summer Beauty, backed by Osteospermum ecklonis '3D Silver,' a staple in my garden, and white Argyranthemum

A lone Adenophora potaninii is surrounded by Euphorbia 'Dean's Hybrid' and self-sown Alyssum - more Adenophora have seeded in the vicinity of this one but none of these seedlings have formed flower spikes

Alstroemeria (no ID) with Osteospermum '3D Silver' make a strong showing in the backyard

Aquilegia 'Spring Magic' with unnamed Violas and Osteospermum '3D Silver'

Arctotis 'Pink Sugar, surrounded by Convolvulus sabatius 'Moroccan Beauty,' is clashing with the early blooms of self-sown Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun'

Centranthus ruber, a weed here, blooming on the slope with Oenothera speciosa, another weed, Euphorbia 'Dean's Hybrid' and self-sown Alyssum (Lobularia maritima)

Cuphea x ignea 'Starfire Pink' is paired with Geranium 'Tiny Monster' here

Erysimum linifolium 'Variegatum' with Osteospermum 'Lemonade'

Another Erysimum, this time accompanied by Osteospermum '3D Silver' and Tulbaghia violacea

Sun-tolerant Fuchsia 'Mrs. J.D. Fredricks' with pink Argyranthemum and Cuphea 'Starfire Pink'

Eeek! An early-blooming orange Hemerocallis (no ID) clashes with the pink Alstroemeria, which has yet to make its seasonal exit

This unnamed Iris germanica, blooming almost a month earlier this year than last, doesn't mix especially well with the bright pink Alstroemeria nearby

Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl' got the only solo shot in this post, although, if you have a discerning eye, you might notice the white Centranthus peaking out from behind

Limonium perezii backed by Lavandula dentata in the dry garden

Unidentified Pelargonium peltatum with pinkish California poppies, photographed in full sun, the only time to catch the poppies with open petals

Unidentified Pelargonium (originally mislabeled as 'Katie') and more Cuphea 'Starfire Pink'

Assorted Pelargoniums blooming on the slope alongside pale pink Oenothera speciosa, bleached out even when photographed on a cloudy morning

A sea of Phlomis fruticosa with yellow Argyranthemum and a few Euphorbia 'Ascot Rainbow' in the background

'Ebb Tide' rose, producing its first blooms, with annual Linaria

Sisrynchium bellum 'North Coast' and a sunburned Pericallis, which has not enjoyed our excessively warm temperatures

Salvia 'Mystic Spires' with Lobelia and one of the few remaining Anemones

Dainty Wahlenbergia 'Blue Cloud' with Erigeron karvinskianus, another weed-like plant here, and Geranium 'Tiny Monster'

Sweet peas (Lathyrus Odoratus 'Perfume Delight') fill one of the planters in my vegetable garden (with some snapdragons tucked in behind)

Hemerocallis and Iris are producing blooms here and there - the heaviest bloom periods for these plants are still to come. They, and the Arthropodium cirratum and Agapanthus, both already gearing up for what is usually a late spring appearance, will probably dominate my garden during the next month. For what's currently on display in gardens throughout the US and elsewhere in the world, please visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens by clicking here.

In spring, it's easy to get overwhelmed by flowers. They're everywhere. While some flowers complement one another, others clash. I looked around my garden while taking pictures for yesterday's Bloom Day post and thought, I need more foliage to pull this garden together. Foliage Follow-up, sponsored by Pam at Digging, is a celebration of foliage and a regular reminder of its importance in the garden.

Some of my foliage is so brightly colored, it can almost be mistaken for floral material. Yucca 'Bright Star' falls into that category. I added 3 of these to my main backyard border in January. The plants are still relatively small and the surrounding plants currently distract attention away from them to a degree, but I think that'll change as the Yucca grow taller. If the neighboring Nicotiana alata 'Lime Green' encroach upon them, the Nicotiana may have to go.

One of 3 Yucca 'Bright Star' in the mid portion of the main backyard border

Another of the 3 plants photographed from above to show off the color variation

The Yucca are currently surrounded by Nicotiana alata, Euphorbia 'Dean's Hybrid,' a Prostanthera ovalifolia and Adenophora seedlings

Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope' could also be considered a flower-like foliage plant. It's hard to ignore in any setting. I've used it in groups in 3 different parts of the garden.

This one, introduced in the in the backyard border 2 years ago with 2 others, is putting on new growth

I'm continuing to add plants for foliage interest. One of my most recent purchases is Melianthus major, purchased at s spring plant sale conducted by the local botanic garden. Although it can grow up to 12 feet (3.7 meters) tall and wide, I've been told that it can easily be kept to a smaller size. I've added mine to what I'm calling my "red bed," an area previously occupied by a seldom-used snorkel spa that was dismantled in January, freeing up more garden space. (One has to establish priorities, even in the garden.)

Newly-planted Melianthus major

I've added a variety of foliage elements to the other new backyard bed, an extension of our fountain bed. Among these are 6 Liriope spicata, clumped in 2 groups of 3 plants each. I understand that this species of Liriope can spread with abandon so I hope I don't regret the choice. At present, I like how it adds a spiky vertical element along the pathway.

Liriope spicata

On the other side of the path, along the house, Plectranthus ciliatus 'Zulu Warrior' is once again showing why it's one of my favorite plants. It's attractive even when it isn't in bloom. The foliage also has a nice spicy scent. I cut it back hard this winter but it has once again put on a healthy flush of new growth. I established this mass from cuttings brought from our old house and I recently planted cuttings from this stock in the new bed on the other side of the path (as well as other locations in the side and front yards).

Plectranthus ciliatus 'Zulu Warrior' gets just morning sun

On a recent trip, I picked up a new Aeonium, A. canariense (aka the Velvet Rose), which ended up in a large pot on the small south-side patio. I'm hoping that it'll prove as easy to grow as the other Aeonium I have growing all around the property. When we moved in, a friend gifted me with a few cuttings of what I believe is some variety of Aeonium arboreum. Unsure where to put it, I planted a few pieces below the citrus trees in the vegetable garden. The few quickly grew into many and now, whenever I have an empty area in dry soil I'm not sure what to do with, I stick an Aeonium cutting directly in the soil, walk away and see what happens. So far, there's no place these plants haven't thrived. (Frankly, it's almost scary.)

Aeonium canariense

The original clump of Aeonium arboreum planted below the Mandarin orange tree has grown dramatically in size despite regular harvesting of cuttings

Another clump, developed from cuttings stuck into the soil about a year ago

A few plants recently added in a very dry, largely untended area near the driveway where nothing much other than weeds (aka as Santa Barbara daisies) grow

I haven't added any of these Aeonium to the dry garden (yet). I'm not sure why. However, when I was walking about snapping pictures for this post, I noticed that Leucadendron 'Ebony' (acquired last September at far below the usual going rate, possibly due to mis-labeling as 'Safari Sunset'), is putting on new growth at last.

Leucadendron 'Ebony'

Finally, while searching for foliage high-notes, I looked down and realized how nicely my thyme groundcover is filling in among the stepping stones in the side yard.

The thyme shown here, labeled as Thymus serpyllum, hugs the soil

This thyme, also sold as Thymus serpyllum, is somewhat taller (grown here with Ajuga 'Mint Chips')

These are my foliage highlights for April 2014. Please visit Pam, our foliage follow-up hostess, here to see her foliage highlights and to find links to other gardeners' contributions to this useful meme.

Last weekend, South Coast Botanic Garden hosted a plant show and sale sponsored by the local chapter of the Cactus & Succulent Society. I poked my nose in during the second day of the event. I was surprised to find so many show exhibits, nicely arranged by members. I took dozens of photos but I'll show just my favorites.

Pachypodium collection

An eclectic mix

A grouping of various Euphorbia

Another mixed assortment

Mamillaria and other ball-shaped cactus

Matucana curryandensis

Mostly Gasteria and related hybrids

An interesting mix

This one didn't look real - it's Arbomeitiella brevifolia

Pedilanthus macrocarpus

But my favorite display had a whimsical note, if not the most unusual specimens. It was entitled "Succulent Dining" and featured a table set with a variety of menu selections.

Roasted Chicken

Peking Duck

Roast Pork

Seafood

and, of course, a centerpiece

There were also some handsome individual specimens.

Dyckia 'Brittlestar'

Agave macroantha - I looked for this Agave on the sale tables but didn't find it

Gasteria-Aloe hybrid

I didn't take any pictures of the sales tables but, even on the second day of the event, there was a lot to choose from and prices were good. Here's what I brought home:

Top row, from left: Agave stricta, Echeveria pulvinata 'Ruby,' and Sansevieria cylindrica
Second row: Dyckia 'Cherry Cola' and Huernia 'Red Ribbons'
Bottom: Euphorbia horrida

The Euphorbia was labeled E. horrida but I thought it looked a lot like this hybrid:

Euphorbia horrida x meloformis

I'll definitely attend the next show and sale.

I'm joining Cathy at Rambling in the Garden again this week for her meme featuring a bouquet constructed from materials on hand in the garden. This week, an Iris, one of the first to bloom for me this season, is the central focus. I have no record of its name but I recall now that I picked it up a few years ago at the South Coast Spring Garden Show. Coincidentally, this year's show will be held this weekend, which may be what prompted my memory of the Iris' origin.

An Iris this beautiful doesn't want to be upstaged in a vase.

My unidentified Iris germanica in close-up

I selected her partners carefully. In the photo above, you can see stems of Hebe 'Wiri Blush,' which mirrors the pinkish purple of the falls on the Iris. Although it's not readily visible in the photo, the Hebe's stem, as well as the underside of its leaves, picks up the same purplish hue.

Hebe "Wiri Blush,' photographed in the garden is just coming into bloom but it's pretty even without flowers

The other ingredients in the bouquet take a backseat in the composition. They include:

Argyranthemum frutescens 'Comet Pink'
Brizia media (aka quaking grass)
Cuphea x ignea 'Starfire Pink'
Schinus mollis (California pepper tree) branchlets, currently sporting their spring flowers

Close-up of Brizia media stems with the Cuphea and Argyranthemum in the background

Close up of Schinus molle branchlets sporting spring flowers and buds

I have no "rejects" for a second vase this week. I considered using a few stems of the purplish pink Alstroemeria, still plentiful in my garden but I didn't think the Iris would be pleased with the competition so I left them where they're growing.

Please visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see her floral creation this week. You'll also find links to other gardeners' compositions. If you have a vase of flowers sitting beside you, why not join Cathy and share your creation?

Agapanthus (no ID)

Cistus 'Sunset'

Unidentified Hippeastrum

Artichokes

'Bountiful Blue' blueberries

Carpenteria californica 'Elizabeth' (Bush Anemone)

Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame' with Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin'

Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' in bloom

Hemerocallis 'Elizabeth Salter'

Hemerocallis 'For Pete's Sake'

Hemerocallis 'Spanish Harlem'

Lathyrus odoratus 'Perfume Delight' in pink!

Osteospermum 'Serenity Peach Magic'

Pelargonium 'Georgia Peach'

Scabiosa hybrid 'Giant Blue'

Tagetes lemmonii 'Compacta' (dwarf Copper Canyon daisy)

I was ready to present another plant this week when my heart was caught off-guard by a new acquisition, Halimium x pauanum, a plant I'd never heard of, much less seen, until I tripped over it at my local garden center. On our initial acquaintance, I was attracted by the upright, lavender-like foliage but, knowing nothing whatsoever about the plant other than what was on the label, I took down the name, vowing to check it out before committing myself. A week later on a return visit to the garden center, having failed to conduct any research whatsoever, there it was again, waiting for me, flaunting bright yellow flowers. I'm a sucker for yellow flowers so onto the cart it went. Last weekend, it found appropriate placement in full sun and well-drained soil on the southeast side of the garden.

Halimium x pauanum, sitting alongside Argyranthemum 'Comet Yellow' and Euphorbia 'Ascot Rainbow'

Some hours after I planted it, I noticed that all the flower petals had dropped. My initial assumption was that this was either the result of transplant shock or a response to the winds that whip through our property almost every afternoon. However, on-line references informed me that this is characteristic of the plant. It sheds its blooms after several hours, only to produce another flush of blooms the following morning. The plant's behavior has proven the truth of this statement. Flowering is projected for the period from May through July. Like almost everything in my garden, the plant is getting a head start on its bloom period.

The foliage is an attractive silvery green.

The genus wasn't even listed in my Sunset Western Garden Book but there were numerous references to the plant on-line. According to a 2007 article published by Pacific Horticulture magazine, it's another kind of rock rose, a cousin to Cistus. The genus originates in the Mediterranean areas of southern Europe and northern Africa. Many of the nurseries with posts on the plant are located in the Pacific Northwest and the plant is said to be well-suited to areas with hot, dry summers and mild winters. I found that Plant Lust features the Halimium with a picture credited to the esteemed host of this meme, Loree of danger garden.

Predictions of the plant's size vary from one source to another. Native Sons, the grower of my plant, projects growth to 3 feet (1 meter) tall and wide. It's said to be cold hardy to 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit (-15C).

This pretty yellow-flowered plant is my contribution to Loree's weekly favorite plant meme. Please visit her at danger garden to see her current favorite and to find links to the selections of other participating gardeners.

I attended the South Coast Spring Garden Show in Orange County this weekend. To say that I was underwhelmed by the display gardens is an understatement. I was disappointed by last year's exhibits but more so by this year's offerings. Rather than show the majority of these as I did last year, I'll show you just a few.

Once again this year, the best exhibit was presented by Orange Coast College's Horticulture Club. However, as Hoover Boo of Piece of Eden posted earlier, it bore similarities to last year's construction, which was also comprised of a wood deck, wood benches and raised planters. Still, I felt it did what most of the other exhibits didn't: created a snapshot of ideas representative of a real garden.

This one, put together by Saddleback College's Landscape Design Alumni Association, had elements I liked, although I think the central sculpture overwhelmed the space.

I acknowledge the difficulty of creating the impression of a garden in a relatively small space, especially a space in the middle of the visually busy atmosphere of a shopping mall, but some exhibitors didn't put much creative thought into the effort. The following exhibit, an ode to a garden honoring former First Lady Pat Nixon at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, was a mish-mash of poorly associated plants.

At least the memorial park that created a display, complete with sample gravestones, to sell visitors on its services was absent this year.

On the other hand, the floral centerpiece in the middle of the shopping mall area used for the exhibits, designed as in prior years by Fiesta Parade Floats, was nicely done.

The multi-story birdbath was populated by a variety of birds covered in floral materials

Photographed from the top level of the mall

The Iris Society also had some nice specimens on display.

Iris 'Mad World'

Iris 'Midnight Kitty'

My favorite, Iris 'Oil Painting'

My main goal in driving one hour to the south to attend the event was to see what the vendors attending the show had to offer. I'll post some photos of my expedition through the top 2 floors of the show later this week.

The few hybrid tea roses I have have been only sporadic bloomers so far this year. When I saw that one of the 'Medallion' roses had produced a fat bud a few days ago, I targeted it as the centerpiece for my next bouquet. However, finding other flowers to complement the rose proved more difficult than I'd expected. The snapdragon with similar colors in my vegetable garden was well past its prime and many of my peach-hued plants had too much pink. I ended up picking a surprising partner, Tagetes lemmonii (aka Copper Canyon daisy). Its bright gold flowers have deeper, orange-toned centers, which with the green, gold and orange foliage of Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope,' made a nice mix to my eye. The Tagetes also provide the scent the rose lacks. The only problem was that the bright color of the daisies had the side-effect of putting the rose in the back-seat in the overall composition.

The Abelia stems come in a range of colors - the plants that get the most sun show the most color variation

Of course, everyone has heard of back-seat drivers and I think 'Medallion' fits the stereotype.

Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin' is an attention-getter too but the flowers also do a good job of mediating between the rose and the daisies. The petals pick up the color of the rose, while the anthers in their center pick up the yellow-gold of the daisies.

Anagallis 'Wildcat Mandarin'

Tagetes lemmonii 'Compacta'

The other components of the bouquet include a few stems of Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold' (Breath of Heaven), Tanacetum parthenium (feverfew), and Justicia brandegeeana (shrimp plant). I'd planned a larger role for the Justicia but the stems of my still-small plants didn't rise to the occasion. I used them to dress the back of the bouquet.

This bouquet is my contribution to Cathy's meme at Rambling in the Garden. Please visit Cathy to see her creation this week and to find links to the posts of other contributors.

This past weekend I attended the yearly Spring Garden Show held at a prominent Orange County shopping mall. I reported on the display gardens here. Whereas in the past I was able to draw some ideas from these displays to apply in my own garden, that hasn't been true recently. Disappointed in the displays, I was nonetheless able to find solace in shopping for plants and related items on the top 2 levels of the mall. Some vendors I enjoyed seeing in prior years were missing (there were no rusty welded metal items to admire!) but I still came away with a lighter pocketbook.

As the event is held a few weeks prior to Mother's Day (observed in the US on the second Sunday in May), there were lots of items designed for presentation as gifts, including more fairy garden displays than you could count, African violets, terrariums, and orchids of all kinds, shapes and sizes. In fact, orchids occupied roughly half the space on the third floor of this mall.