California is on fire again.  The current estimate is 560 active wildfires.  Over one million acres have burned, which is already roughly four times the number of acres burned last year.  Two large fires in Los Angeles County have been burning since August 12th and 13th respectively, and although both are quite a distance away and now over 50% contained, their smoke has left us with hazy skies and poor air quality.  However, the fires in the northern part of the state, most caused by lightning strikes, are far worse.  Members of my family living up north have been dealing with the threat of evacuation since last week.  Two hundred thousand people state-wide are presently under evacuation orders. 

Under the circumstances, wandering through my garden putting together materials for floral arrangements seems almost ridiculous but there's nothing my husband and I can do from several hundred miles away but worry.  Cutting flowers is a distraction.

Dahlia 'Labyrinth' provided the centerpiece of my first arrangement.

I replaced the 'Labyrinth' tuber I used last year after I mistakenly allowed it and many other dahlia tubers to dry out.  The new tuber produced blooms more in keeping with the color the flowers are supposed to have rather than the pale blooms I had last year.

I fleshed out the arrangement with seed-grown Zinnias and sunflowers.  The blooms of the latter are small and aren't readily visible in any but my close-up photos.

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Labyrinth', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Zinnia elegans 'Queen Lime Blush', Helianthus annuus 'Ruby Eclipse', and Zinnias from the 'Northern Lights Blend'

Two other dahlias provided the focus for my second arrangement.

Dahlia 'Loverboy' got pride of place at the front of the arrangement

Two stems of Dahlia 'Mr Optimist' dressed up the back of the arrangement

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlias 'Loverboy' and 'Mr Optimist, Alstroemeria 'Claire', Clematis terniflora (aka sweet autumn clematis), Coprosma repens 'Plum Hussey', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Leucanthemum x superbum

It's nominally cooler than it was last week but the gladiolas aren't going to last much longer so I cut more of those stems this week.  The arrangement is nearly identical to one I created last week.

Different vase and no lisianthus but otherwise the same as arrangement #2 last week

Back view: Still, I couldn't let those purple gladiola stems go to waste

Top view

Clockwise from the left: Cosmos bipinnatus, Abelia grandiflora 'Hopley's Variegated', Gladiolus 'Vuvuzela', and Symphyotrichum chilense

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

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Although our temperatures have fallen a few degrees this week, it's still been very warm here and humidity has been unusually high, which continues to make working outside uncomfortable.  California is known for dry heat but this tropical bent has become increasingly common year-to-year.  I've still managed to get in a little time in the garden but I haven't tackled any new projects or planted anything new, with the exception of a large sunflower I popped into a pot on the patio to replace a plant that had seen better days.

I've continued to take photos in the garden, though, and my Wednesday Vignette this week focuses on some unusual sights.  The first is the flower of Drimia maritima, aka sea squill (formerly Urginea maritima).  I've admired the foliage of this drought-tolerant plant at my local botanic garden for some time but had the devil of a time finding the bulb at a reasonable price.  I finally succeeded last year and, even though I'd understood the bulb was large, I was surprised by its nearly bowling ball size and how heavy it was.  I planted it in the driest area of my dry back slope, an area that receives no irrigation, and somewhat to my surprise it produced foliage over the winter months.  The foliage died back in the spring but a flower stalk appeared this month.

I snapped this photo of the plant's foliage on New Year's Day.  The plant should get much larger with more years in the ground.

The flower stalk was just beginning to emerge in mid-August.  I hadn't expected flowers at all this year but checked on it after reading a couple of posts from others who had flowers.  Because of run-ins with fire ants, I've been avoiding my back slope this summer but I suited up to protect myself and checked on the flower stalk again on Saturday.  It had grown taller but was light on open florets.

I checked it again yesterday.  It's even taller and florets are opening at a steady pace but the lower flowers are shriveling as new ones appear.  The bees love it regardless.  It's not a display like the one you see here but I have high hopes for it in the future and I'm seriously considering buying one or two more bulbs.

The second surprise in my garden came in the form of a bloom on one of the Epiphyllums growing in my lath house.  I have three plants, only two of which are identified in my records and I originally thought the one with the flower bud was 'Monastery Pink' but, as the bud developed, I realized I was wrong.

I subsequently concluded that this is Epiphyllum oxypetalum 'Queen of the Night'

I'd been checking on the bud every couple of days, looking for a full-blown bloom, but once I correctly identified it, I realized I was going to have a hard time getting a photo of it in bloom.  According to online resources, it rarely blooms and, when it does, it opens only at night and, once that happens, it wilts.

The referenced resource says it may be seen in bloom as early as 8pm but the best hours to catch it are between midnight and 3am!  I took this photo at 8pm, and checked it again at 9pm and just after 11pm.  There was no sign of any change.  Conceivably, it's already bloomed and this is it in its wilted state but I see no sign of it shriveling; however, I'm not sure how many nights I'm prepared to trot down to the lath house in the dark with a flashlight and camera.

So a photo of the 'Queen of the Night' cactus flower may not materialize this year but, as I was passing through the cutting garden late yesterday afternoon, I caught a rare photo of one of the many hummingbirds that buzz through my garden all day every day.

This little lady (I suspect it's a female but I'm not sure) had just chased away a competitor seeking access to "her" cutting garden and was still on guard watching to see if it returned.  It did and she set off on a chase.

Little things like these add elements of joy to days that often feel mundane and repetitious (or infuriating) these days.  I'll end this post with another thing the brought me joy this week, the new pot of sunflowers on our back patio.

Although I have sunflowers growing elsewhere, I couldn't resist a pot of Helianthus 'Sunfinity' on my trip to the garden center for fertilizer last Friday.  I evicted the sad plant that had occupied the pot and replaced it with this, photographed here through my kitchen window.

Here's another view from the garden, where the sunflowers echo the bright color of Lantana 'Samantha' in the foreground

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

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

In July, Tamara of Chickadee Gardens published a post by her "facilities manager" featuring his favorite flowers.  Earlier this week, Loree of danger garden provided a list of her husband's favorite plants from their garden.  With a degree of trepidation, I asked my spouse if he'd identify his favorite plants in our garden.  After a roll of his eyes and my assurance that he could limit his list to ten plants, he laughed and signified general acceptance of the request (after I agreed that we could skip the back slope).  As background, my husband has always been very willing to help me with all the heavy lifting in the garden, including the removal of all the lawn that came with it, laying flagstone paths, and constructing a stairway of concrete blocks down our steep back slope.  He also built an arbor for our grapevine, a dining table for our back patio, a lath house for my shade plants and, most recently, compost bins.

In addition to designing and building the lath house, including internal shelving and external window boxes, he also created custom-fitted shade-cloth screens to cover the ceiling and top two shelving areas to increase the shade quotient during the hot summer months

That said, he shows little to no interest in what I plant, except to occasionally express concern that one plant or another may impact his view of the harbor.  He's also severely color blind, so much so that I'm regularly required to advise him as to the colors marking electrical wires when he's wiring anything. I periodically invite him into the garden to look at plants I'm particularly pleased with but the best I usually get out of him is "uh huh, that's nice."

He walked through the garden before making any selections.  Then he started pointing to things but he left the camera work to me.  I asked if he could tell me what he liked about the plants he identified and he responded to the effect that I hadn't said that was necessary so "no" and we proceeded with him pointing and me clicking the camera.  Here's his list in order of selection:

Pyrus calleryana, aka ornamental pear : This tree admittedly provides good shade cover in the front garden but it's also extremely messy; however, I'm the one that deals with the leaf litter and falling fruit

Phormium 'Maori Queen': One of my favorite plants as well.  He noted that we had several and his praise encompassed all of them.

Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum': He took note of two of them but there are others.  He looked up at Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream' as we walked by the area on the right but made no note of that plant.

Helichrysum petiolare 'Licorice Splash: I was confounded by this choice, especially as he completely ignored Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt'

Arthropodium cirratum, aka Renga Lily (not currently in bloom): This selection startled me too.  I love the plant, which handles dry shade conditions well, but he passed by a couple of dozen of these plants elsewhere in the garden without noting them.  The two plants here receive more sun and are a bit sun-bleached by comparison to others in shadier areas.

Zinnia elegans: The first flowers he acknowledged, although he waved at them and said "these chrysanthemums or whatever they are."  In retrospect, I wondered if he noticed these because this area was recently covered with scrappy looking rosemary shrubs.  I added the Zinnias as a temporary filler after pulling the shrubs out.

Yucca 'Bright Star': Another plant we agree on

Polygala fruticosa, aka sweet pea shrub: Although I've got a few of these in the garden, the most I can say about it is that it's a tidy shrub when young

Lantana 'Samantha': Another flowering plant, this one with variegated foliage.  There was no mention of the lovely sunflower in a pot nearby that echoed the yellow flower color.

Pelargonium 'Lady Plymouth': His selection of this one had me thinking that he's drawn to variegated foliage that stands out among the surrounding plants

Gladiolus 'Green Star': A total surprise

The Mandarin and navel orange trees: In this case, he specifically mentioned that he appreciated their excellent fruit.  There are still a few orange spots visible near the top of the Mandarin orange tree on the left but most of those are just shells left by the rats after they ate the remaining fruit in place.

If you've counted, his list included twelve plant species rather than ten as we'd both lost track.  Like Loree, I suspect the list might be very different at another moment in time.  No succulents were identified.  I was moderately surprised there weren't more trees on the list (I'm certain the lemon tree would've been included if we'd gone down the back slope) and almost as surprised that he included any flowers at all.  I'm not sure what I can take away from the exercise about his preferences other than perhaps that he shows some preference for variegated plants.

Online sources are predicting a nice drop in temperatures over the weekend and although they've consistently underestimated our daytime highs I'm nonetheless hopeful they're right this time.  I hope you enjoy a safe and comfortable weekend as well.

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

The heat "on" switch here has blessedly been turned off, at least for a time.  We had beautiful weather this past weekend and it's expected to hang on through Thursday, after which another heatwave is expected to descend upon us.  I'm going to make the most of the cooler weather while it lasts.

With the exception of  'Labyrinth', the dahlias have been stingy with their blooms thus far.  I followed the advice offered by Nicholas Gitts (owner of Swan Island Dahlias) in the latest issue of Fine Gardening and applied a bloom booster fertilizer a week ago but it hasn't has a material impact as of yet.  However, I do have one arrangement featuring dahlias this week.

Dahlia 'Labyrinth' is once again stealing the show but 'Candelight' made its first appearance this week as a supporting actor

I used what may be the last of the "green" gladiolas to dress up the back of the vase, along with a few stems of my sweet autumn clematis

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlias 'Labyrinth' and 'Candlelight', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Alstroemeria 'Inca Sunshine', Clematis terniflora, Cuphea 'Honeybells', Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid', and Gladiolus 'Green Star'

I made use of some of my limited collection of sunflowers for a second vase.

I mixed the sunflowers with Rudbeckia and Cosmos

The back view features a couple of mutant sunflowers (below the larger sunflower).  I sowed seeds of Helianthus annuus 'Greenburst' and 'Ruby Eclipse' and these don't look like either but they do look much like the mutant blooms that appeared in my garden last year.  Apparently mutant sunflowers are relatively common as described here.

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Rudbeckia hirta 'Denver Daisy', Helianthus annuus 'Delta Sunflower', mutant sunflowers, hybrid Helianthus 'Sunfinity', Cosmos bipinnatus, Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Chondropetalum elephantitum

A few leftover blooms landed in a tiny vase on the kitchen island.

I cut two stems of pink Eustoma grandiflorum (aka Lisianthus) for the first vase but they weren't a good match so they and a few extra stems of Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid' ended up here

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

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

I abandoned my "no summer planting rule" this year.  Working in the garden is just about the only thing that's kept me sane during this pandemic.  But, as foolish as planting is when it's hot and dry as dust, I'm not going to give up anything I plant without a fight so I've been doing more watering than usual this summer, trying to give my new plants a halfway decent chance of survival.  Last month, I dug up several ungainly-looking rosemary shrubs and, unable to leave the space empty until fall, I planted Zinnias as a temporary filler (along with another Abelia 'Kaleidoscope') and I've been hand-watering the area regularly.  Zinnias can take the heat but they need regular watering, especially when they aren't deeply rooted.  Monday afternoon, I went to check on them to see if more watering was required.  And I saw this:

I immediately recoiled

After my initial shock, it only took me a minute to realize what this was.  I'd seen it once before and, once seen, it's hard to forget.  It's Fuligo septica, more commonly known as dog vomit fungus, dog vomit slime mold or scrambled egg slime.  I'd added compost and planting mix to the bed after I pulled out the rosemary shrubs and, after regular applications of water to keep the new Zinnias and Abelia hydrated, I got slimed.  (I enjoy a good Ghostbusters reference and this one seems appropriate.)

I haven't cleaned up the slime yet.  I expect the return of temperatures near or above 100F this weekend will cause it to break down but, if it doesn't, I'll scrape it up.

This reflects how I feel after the morning news most days now

I apologize if this is an unappetizing post.  I promise that my next post will be a whole lot prettier.  In the meantime, for more Wednesday Vignettes, visit Anna at Flutter & Hum.

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

I've been planning to visit Sherman Gardens for months now.  Under normal circumstances, I visit this small 2.5 acre botanic garden in Corona del Mar three or four times a year.  It's just about an hour's drive south and I generally combine the visit with a spin through Roger's Gardens, one of my favorite SoCal garden centers.  But the last several months have been anything but normal in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic and I've been wary of venturing far from home, especially as reports have indicated that residents of Orange County have been more resistant to public health precautions like wearing a mask and social distancing than residents of Los Angeles County, where compliance is bad enough.  However, a couple of friends visited and were comfortable in the garden so, masks in hand, my husband and I headed that way on Monday morning to see the Sculptura Botanica exhibit before it closes on September 15th.  I took too many photos to share in one post so this one focuses on Dustin Gimbel's sculptures in the garden.  I'll feature additional shots of the garden in a second post next week.

We entered through the back gate off the south parking lot, checked in at gate, and walked into the Central Garden.

Plants in the area surrounding the fountain and the rest of the Central Garden are changed out seasonally

The sculptures in this area are ceramic representations of pollen spores

Blue and orange flowers, including Eustoma grandiflorum (Lisianthus), Gomphrena globosa, Salvia 'Mystic Spires', and dark-foliaged bedding Dahlias were planted throughout the area.  The orange butterfly, probably a painted lady, got with the program.

There's an impressive fishtail palm (Caryota obtusa) in one of the beds surrounding the Central Garden

as well as three very tall palms along the back border

We turned in the direction of the Tropical Conservatory, checking a couple of displays before we entered that structure.

These sculptures in the Perennial Garden border represent anthers, the part of the flower stamen where pollen is produced

Even the Carnivorous Garden got its own sculpture

I missed the sign describing these but they remind me of plants in the Arum genus with a spathe forming a hood above the flower

I adore Sherman's Tropical Conservatory and have more photos to share but that'll have to wait until next week.  For now, we'll proceed to the Formal Garden.

These sculptures represent grass blades

This is an example of the signs posted throughout the exhibit.  I didn't include more of them as the bright sunlight made the photos hard to read.

These sculptures represent the Equisetum described in the sign

We passed a small wedge-shaped garden area before proceeding to the Sun Garden.

It's always hard for me to get a good shot of this area because there's little room to back up

This area features seedpod sculptures and Senecio candicans 'Angel Wings'

This is the Sun Garden.  The sculptures represent the whorls characteristic of many Salvias.

This close-up photo shows some of the while-flowered and silver plants that dominate the bed, including white Dahlia flowers and Euphorbia 'Diamond Frost' (or a relative)

Instead of water flowing into the pond through a hose held by the garden's otter mascot, water flowed from a sculpture in the center of the pond

Next, we ducked into the Shade Garden, which is covered by a large lath structure.  This structure was the inspiration for my own lath/shade house, built on a much smaller scale by my husband.  Again, I took a lot of photos in this area but I'll hold most of those until next week.

The sculptures were more inconspicuous among the densely planted shade specimens

This decorative bed was dressed up with more sculptures

I couldn't help admiring the impressive tree aloe (Aloidendron barberae) in the background here

Unfortunately, the weather forecasters were right last week when they predicted a miserable record-breaking heatwave.  For two days prior to the heatwave's arrival I spent early mornings and early evenings hand-watering sensitive areas of my garden.  Even so, I was still scrambling on Saturday and again early Sunday to cover areas I'd missed on my initial rounds.  As Sunday was supposed to be particularly nasty, I cut flowers for "In a Vase on Monday" early Saturday morning rather than Sunday as I normally do.  In retrospect, I only wish I'd cut everything that was in full bloom in my cutting garden.  Our temperature didn't drop overnight on Saturday - when I went to bed near midnight, it was still 100F (37.8C), down from a mid-day peak of 106F (41C), and when I got up in the morning the temperature was the same.  It quickly rose over the course of Sunday morning and got stuck on 108F (42C) for most of the day.  Other areas, like our inland valleys, had it far worse, though.  The inland valley I grew up in peaked at 121F (49.4C) on Sunday.

Luckily, on Saturday I'd cut both of the Dahlia 'Einstein' blooms in my cutting garden, as well as several Zinnia stems and selected fillers from other areas of the garden.

One of the two dahlia blooms was already a little past its prime on Saturday but there was no sense in leaving it in place to wither

Back view, featuring Zinnias

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Einstein', Clematis terniflora, Coriandrum sativum, Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy', Melaleuca thymifolia, Polygala fruticosa, Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata', and Zinnia elegans (mostly 'Benary's Giant Lilac')

The last gladiola in my cutting garden was already struggling so I cut that too and searched the garden for a few companions.  Another of my 'Bright Star' Yuccas was in full bloom and, although I wasn't sure how its stems would hold up in a vase, I cut two of those as well.

This is a photo of Yucca 'Bright Star' shortly before the heatwave began

The last stem of Gladiolus 'Vuvuzela' took center stage

Back view, featuring more Clematis stems

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Gladiolus 'Vuvuzela', Clematis terniflora, Yucca 'Bright Star', Liriope muscari, and Vitex trifolia purpurea

The first bloom of Dahlia 'Belle of Barmera' has been opening every so slowly in the cutting garden and I'd hoped to include it with this week's arrangements but, as of Sunday evening, it still wasn't fully open.

If it opens within the next day without shriveling in the heat, I may create another vase mid-week

The heat isn't expected to abate significantly until Tuesday and even then it'll remain above average through the balance of the week.  We haven't had a power outage thus far but our air conditioning has been running continuously.  The window shades are down throughout the house so it feels a little cave-like.  I've ventured outside several times but it isn't pleasant.

Even my cat, Pipig, who hates air conditioning, wasn't willing to stick things out lounging in her screened catio and took refuge in a corner of the living room

I hope your weather isn't as brutal!  For more IAVOM creations, visit the meme's host, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

My late addition:

Featuring Dahlia 'Belle of Barmera', a late arrival, and Zinnia elegans 'Queen Lime Blush'

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Last Friday, I published a post on a recent visit to Sherman Gardens, a small botanic garden in Corona del Mar.  That post focused on the Sculptura Botanica exhibit, created by landscaper and ceramic sculptor, Dustin Gimbel.  This post is focused on the plants I photographed during the visit but didn't include in the first post.

One of my favorite areas of Sherman Gardens is the Tropical Conservatory.  I'd be ecstatic to have something of this kind in my own garden but, in addition to the fact that there isn't room for it, maintaining a temperature controlled space like this with a pond would require more time and money than I can imagine.  So I just enjoy Sherman's conservatory on every visit.

The koi were very active in the pond

Usually, the turtles are already sunning themselves on the flat rocks of the pond but this fellow showed up late and without his companions

This wonderful chenille plant (Acalypha hispida) hangs above the pond

My best guess is that this is Heliconia psittacorum (aka parrot Heliconia)

I loved this, which I think is Heliconia rostrata (aka lobster claw Heliconia)

There are always orchids in this area

as well as a collection of bromeliads

In addition to the bromeliads inside the conservatory, there's a nice display of bromeliads outside its door.

Those I plant in the ground in my own garden never look this good

The flamingo covered in Tillandsias is a regular feature

I also love Sherman's lath-covered shade structure.  In fact, it was the inspiration for my own much smaller lath house, which my husband built for me in December 2017 as a Christmas present.  Mine doesn't hold nearly as much but, like mine, Sherman's is big on begonias.

I didn't even attempt to identify all these plants on this visit

I was charmed by this display, which I think consists entirely of Peperomia of various kinds.  I collected specimens in this genus as indoor plants when I was a kid and I've found myself gravitating to them again in recent years.

Like the Bromeliad Garden, the shade area has wood bird sculpture too, this one of a pelican

From the shade structure, we passed through the Sun Garden and a small courtyard area just inside the garden's north entrance before venturing into the Succulent Garden, another of my favorite areas.

I featured the beds and sculptures in the Sun Garden in my prior post but didn't include photos of the robust passionflower vine.  In addition to flowers, the vines had plenty of developing fruit.

This courtyard contained a wide variety of shade plants too, including the pretty Streptocarpus (aka cape primrose) shown on the right

This vignette in the Succulent Garden, featuring a fan aloe (Kumara plicatilis), bromeliads, and an Agave ovatifolia, is perfect

I fixated on the tree-size Euphorbia here.  After a couple of trips down the rabbit hole that is the internet, I'm still not clear if this is Euphorbia lactea or E. ingens or something else altogether.

This display had me wanting to go to the local stone yard to pick up boulders to redo one of my front garden succulent beds

As we exited the Succulent Garden and turned in the direction of the Central Garden (addressed in my prior post), we checked out the Palm Collection and, beyond that, the Perennial Garden.

I think that's a banana tree on the left and a traveler palm (Ravenala madagascariensis) on the right

Dahlias and other flowers dotted the Perennial Garden

This massive Dyckia in the Mediterranean Garden was impressive

Before leaving, we toured the Fern Grotto adjacent to the south entrance and parking lot.

Tall palm trees (shown in my prior post) soar above the Fern Grotto with cycads and smaller palms planted below them

Ferns and Farfugium filled the area under the shade cover

I have mixed feeling about bonsai plants but I loved this dwarf Ginkgo backed by Farfugium

The plant on the left is a spear lily (Doryanthes palmeri), which I've yet to see in bloom

The only flowering plant I saw in the Fern Grotto was this Medinilla magnifica

We're expecting Santa Ana winds (aka devil winds) here today.  They'll drive temperatures back up again, probably for the balance of the week.  Fingers are crossed they don't intensify the fires here  - or create new ones.  Our garden has already been dusted with ash once this week.

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Before I put together my last foliage post in August, I assembled a range of photos but, feeling the post would be too long, I held some of those back.  Today I'm trotting out some of the succulent photos I compiled at that time.  Rather than show a broad range of succulents, I've focused on a selection of Agaves  and Aloes I don't often feature.  For lack of a better way to present these, I'm taking them in alphabetical order.

This is Agave angustifolia 'Marginata'.  I picked it up as a small plant a few years ago at a succulent nursery that was going out of business.  It mirrors the Yucca gloriosa 'Variegata' planted in the tree stump just behind it.

I planted this Agave macroacantha from a 4-inch pot purchased by mail order two year ago.  It should never get taller than two feet.  I love its dark spines.

I received this Agave americana 'Mediopicta Alba' as a pup (with two others) from Hoover Boo of Piece of Eden a few years ago.  Since then it's not only grown but produced pups of its own.

I picked up Agave 'Mr Ripple' as a small plant at a succulent show and sale in 2016.  Thankfully, it's a slow grower as it can get big (3-4 feet tall by 4-6 feet wide), which means that the path I used when taking this shot could become impassable.

I think I originally bought this as Agave celsii but it's now classified as Agave mitis 'Multicolor'.  I have three more of these plants in various sizes, most received as pups from friends.

This is the smaller of my two whale's tongue Agaves.  I think this one is Agave ovatifolia 'Vanzie' but for some reason I never logged it in the spreadsheet I use to track what I plant.

This is another of my smaller Agaves, Agave potatorum 'Kichiokan', planted in 2016.  I just recently noticed that tiny pup at its base.

I love this Aloe labworana with its spots and teeth but I didn't pick the best placed for it as the Echium candicans 'Star of Madiera' has pushed into its territory this past year

I've picked up a number of hybrid Aloes at my local botanic garden over the past several years.  This one is Aloe striata x maculata.  As both parents are relatively small, I'm trusting that this one won't get larger than 2 feet by 2 feet.

This hybrid Aloe vanbalenii x ferox, on the other hand, may get larger than I'd expected

While this Aloe vanbalenii x striata seems well behaved

Agave lophantha 'Quadricolor' is very attractive but it's a prolific pupper.  I originally had one plant here.  Then there were three.  When I decided the Aeoniums and Agaves were crowding one another and started cutting the Aeoniums back (a little before I took this shot), I realized there were seven more pups in the mix.

In addition to scaling back the Aeoniums, I pulled the Agave pups, leaving just three plants.  This is the "after" shot.

I transplanted one of the Agave 'Quadricolor' pups in a different bed, gave another to a friend, and potted the remaining five pups and left them on the curb with a sign offering them to neighbors.  They were gone in no time.

It's unpleasant to work outside at the moment so I'm not sure I'll be getting anything done in the garden this weekend.  Not because it's particularly hot - it's actually cooler than was originally forecast (mid-80s rather than low 90s) - but because the air quality is awful.  We've had ash falling at intervals since Monday and there's a vague smokey smell to the air, which makes me mildly nauseous after awhile.  It's not as bad here as it is in Northern California, where the sky has literally turned orange but it's bad enough to keep me inside as much as possible.  And of course the fact that yet another extreme fire season is costing lives and driving people from their homes while some continue to debate the reality of climate change and its impact on people all over the world is beyond depressing.  My husband and I have "bug-out bags" at the ready in the hall closet closest to the front door, which is evidence of the tension we live with.  Those bags aren't new - we've had them on hand for years now.  We even have one for the cat.  And we change out and recharge items in the bags at periodic intervals.  We also have a list of things to pack in the car, prioritized based on how much time we might have to get out in the event of an emergency.  Does that sound extreme to you?  It really isn't.  My husband's parents lost their home to a massive wildfire more than two decades ago and, as recently as last month, my sister-in-law was poised to evacuate a fire in Northern California.  After that fire got within half a mile of her house, the wind shifted and the fire was subsequently contained; however, only days later, smoke drove my niece and her partner from their home.  This is part of the new normal here.

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

As the title indicates, this week's "In a Vase on Monday" post is all about dahlias.  They put a positive spin on what has otherwise been a dismal week.  We're luckier than many people in California and the Pacific Northwest but it's hard not to get depressed when everything around us is shrouded in a smoky haze and our air quality vacillates between "unhealthy for sensitive groups" to flat-out "unhealthy," coming close to "very unhealthy" at some points when the wind shifts.

When our view of the Los Angeles harbor is obscured like this, the cause is usually the marine layer that helps keep temperatures down; however, it's smoke blown in from wildfires both north and east of us that has kept the harbor partially or entirely hidden for days now

While the smaller dahlia buds in my cutting garden were scorched during our recent heatwave, the larger buds and those already starting to open fared relatively well.  One of these, Dahlia 'Iceberg', mocked its name and bloomed despite the fact that its outer petals were badly singed the week before.

I took this photo of 'Iceberg's' bud on September 8th, as our heatwave was waning.  I considered cutting it on the spot to encourage new buds but I decided to wait it out and see if it would bloom anyway.

Unless you saw the back of the flower, you probably wouldn't know 'Iceberg' had been damaged at all.  Dahlia 'Enchantress', which joined 'Iceberg' in this arrangement, was wholly unaffected by the heatwave.

Back view: Cosmos and Zinnias served as fillers

The top view allows 'Enchantress' to strut her stuff

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Enchantress', Cosmos bipinnatus, Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata', Dahlia 'Iceberg', and lilac and purple Zinnia elegans

Dahlia 'Labyrinth' has also defied expectations.  I grew a dahlia labeled as 'Labyrinth' last year that flowered with blooms that were a pale imitation of the blooms I got this year.  This dahlia, grown from a new tuber, has also been the most prolific in my garden by far this year.

There were eight flowers in full bloom on 'Labyrinth' this morning and I cut five of them for this arrangement

I was tempted to accent the dahlias with foliage alone but, in the end, I couldn't help throwing in a few things to dress up the back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Labyrinth', Abelia grandiflora 'Hopley's Variegated', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum', and Zinnia elegans.  I sowed my Zinnia seeds haphazardly again this year so I can only guess that the first two Zinnias are  from the 'Unicorn Mix' and  the last is 'Envy'.

Dahlia 'Mr Optimist' has also been an exuberant grower, although the open blooms I failed to cut last week shriveled when our temperature reached 108F (42C) during the worst of our heatwave.  I therefore felt I owed it to him to showcase a few of the blooms that made an appearance over the course of the past week.

I kept this arrangement relatively simple

I used two varieties of yellow-flowered Lantana to pick up the yellow touches in the tips of the dahlia petals

Top view

From the left: self-sown Amaranthus, Dahlia 'Mr Optimist', and variegated Lantana 'Samantha'.  (I also used Lantana 'Lucky Yellow'.)

For more IAVOM creations, visit the woman leading our parade, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

As if the pandemic and the awful political state of affairs in the US weren't bad enough, Mother Nature threw us a couple of new challenges in September: a truly nasty heatwave and a boatload of terrible wildfires that have left us blanketed in smoke that refuses to move out of here.  Still, I recognize that my husband and I are very lucky - we have our lives, our home, and our health, ignoring the persistent throat irritation and headaches I've had since the smoke arrived.

As spending a lot of time outside is inadvisable at the moment, half the photos I'm using for this Bloom Day post were taken earlier in the month; however, with one exception, all the plants shown are still in bloom now.  I'll start with the exception.

The second (and largest) Yucca 'Bright Star' developed a bloom stalk in late August.  It was nearly at full bloom when I took this photograph on September 4th, just before the horrendous heatwave settled in.  It declined rapidly in the heat and I cut it down on September 11th.

Dahlia 'Labyrinth' wins the top spot.  It has big, beautiful flowers and it's produced a steady stream of new blooms.

Other dahlias currently in bloom include, clockwise from the upper left: 'Belle of Barmera', 'Loverboy', 'Mr Optimist', 'Iceberg', 'Enchantress' and 'Einstein'.  'Candelight' bloomed at the end of August but the next set of blooms haven't fully opened yet and 'Rip City' is full of buds but no blooms.  'Rancho' and 'Gitts Crazy' are still keeping me waiting.

I planted two mixed packets of Zinnia seeds and four named varieties but they were also mixed together when I seeded the raised planters in my cutting garden.  I think flowers from 'Northern Lights Mix', 'Unicorn Mix', 'Benary Giant Lilac' and 'Envy' are represented in this array.

I planted plugs from 'Dreamland' and 'Profusion' Zinnia mixes here on the south side of the house

There are plenty of other blooming plants making a statement this month too.

The Hong Kong orchid tree (Bauhinia x blakeana) looked terrible for months but its twiggy branches are finally covered in both leaves and flowers

I finally got Clematis terniflora (aka sweet autumn Clematis) properly tied up against the south side arbor, encouraging it to climb but a couple of stems have also sought to weave themselves through the Coprosma 'Plum Hussey' at the plant's base

Cosmos bipinnatus is continuing its bloom-fest this month

The sunflower seeds I sowed produced disappointingly small plants but the Helianthus 'Delta Sunflower' (left) and 'Sunfinity' (right) I bought as plants are doing well

Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum' will only get better as we head into fall

Rudbeckia hirta 'Denver Daisy' lasts longer in a vase than anything else in my garden

I made repeated attempts to get a decent shot of this large Vitex trifolia purpurea in full bloom but none of my photos captured the plant's beauty well.  The leaves are olive green on top and purple on the bottom and the flowers are a delicate blue.

The dependable large-flowered Grevilleas are particularly floriferous this month.  They didn't pay our recent heatwave a speck of notice as far as I can tell.

This is Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream'

and this is Grevillea 'Superb'

I had a few surprises as well this month.

I didn't notice the blooms on this Leucophyllum laevigatum until mid-day yesterday.  Regrettably, the greatest profusion of flowers faces the hedge.

This is the first time I've ever gotten a passionflower vine to bloom in this garden and this is the only bloom I've seen thus far.  This is hybrid Passiflora 'Oakland'.

I discovered this noID Stapelia (aka starfish flower) in bloom earlier this month.  It didn't last long.  It's odor is said to attract flies but I didn't see many.

I'd also like to offer special notice to a plant that normally gets little love.

Phyla nodiflora (aka Lippia and frogfruit) has done a nice job as a groundcover below the backyard fountain.  The flowers are tiny but colorful.

With that I'll conclude as I usually do with color-coded collages featuring the best of what else is in bloom this month.

Clockwise from the upper left: self-sown Amaranthus, Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun', Grevillea 'Ned Kelly', Penstemon mexicali 'Mini-bells Red', Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy', Salvia lanceolata and, in the middle, Grevillea 'Scarlet Sprite'

Clockwise from the upper left: Cuphea 'Vermillionaire' , Lantana camara 'Irene', Rosa 'Medallion', and Rudbeckia 'Sahara'

Left to right: Alstroemeria 'Inca Sunshine', Lantana 'Samantha', and noID Phalaenopsis

Clockwise from upper left: Allium tuberosum, Asparagus fern, noID Hoya, Gaura lindheimeri, self-sown Osteospermum, Pandorea jasminoides, and Coriandrum sativum

Clockwise from upper left: Cuphea 'Honeybells', C. 'Starfire Pink', Rosa 'Pink Meidiland', Eustoma grandiflorum, Osteospermum 'Berry White', Pentas lanceolata, and Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' (with 'Pow-wow Berry')

Top row: Erigeron glacus 'Wayne Roderick', Liriope muscari, and Melaleuca thymifolia Middle row: noID Phalaenopsis, Plectranthus neochilus, and Plumbago 'Imperial Blue' Bottom row: Polygala fruticosa, Symphyotrichcum chilense, and Trichostemma 'Midnight Magic'

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

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

I began stocking my lath (shade) house shortly after my husband completed its construction in late December 2017.  I moved my small orchid collection there immediately but other additions were haphazard.  Over time, I've scrapped some plants and added others.  The space is relatively small after all so I can't load it with every pretty shade plant I see.  Much of what I added early on wasn't particularly interesting or unusual and those items, if they survived, have slowly been dropped to make room for others.  Many represent experiments and everything must prove its worth to earn its place.

Ferns were an early focus as, with the exception of the weedy western sword fern (Polystichum munitum), most ferns don't survive long in the open areas of my garden.  Several of those I tried failed quickly even in my lath house but there are two that have earned their stripes.

Asplenium nidus, aka lasagna fern

Platycerium veitchii, a variety of staghorn fern

Begonias, particularly those grown more for their foliage than their flowers, have earned a lot of space, surprising even me.  Here are just a portion of those on display in the lath house:

Begonia 'Amberley'

Begonia 'Champagne Bubbles' was neglected and got a bit crispy a couple of months ago but it seems to be recovering.  I've got it planted in a small African violet pot, which has a water reservoir.

This begonia came without a label.  I originally guessed it was 'Nautilus Lilac' but I now think it could be 'First Blush'.

This is 'Little Darling', planted in another African violet pot

I'm very pleased with how well this unidentified Begonia looks in its Muradian pot

This is 'Palomar Prince', another begonia I thought I'd killed at one point that rebounded given time and patience

There are also a few plants grown exclusively for their foliage.

Philodendron 'Prince of Orange' was a gift.  Its stay in the lath house was intended to be temporary but it's so happy there, I haven't been able to bring myself to move it into the drier conditions of our house.

I've tried growing several fuchsias in the lath house.  I suspect they don't get enough light there as they've been disappointing thus far but I still have four that occasionally flower.  The hydrangeas haven't thrilled me either, although I still have one of those.

I've had this Hydrangea macrophylla 'Shooting Star' for many years and, although I repeatedly mistreat it, it's been very forgiving

Hoyas, which I introduced more for their foliage than for their flowers are slowly growing on me (no pun intended).

I have three of these trailing plants in the lath house (as well as one on my south patio).  Two have recently started to bloom, perhaps because I've been more conscientious about watering them this year.

Based on the heart-shaped leaves, I believe this one is Hoya kerrii.  I received it as a gift last Christmas and tucked it into a pot given to me by the same friend on another occasion.  It's still a small plant and hasn't flowered yet but it's sent a stem straight up this year as if it has something planned.

This one was sold to me without a name but, based on the variegated foliage and the occasional pink leaves it produces, I think this may be Hoya carnosa tricolor.

I also bought this one without a label.  My best guess is that it's Hoya obovata 'Splash'.

Orchids have retained a good portion of the space available in the lath hours but several are facing the possibility of eviction.  Few orchids have attractive foliage in my opinion and, while many have long-lived flowers, most don't flower very often.  A few of the smaller varieties have been especially rewarding.

I've had this one for a long time and it goes by a variety of names but I currently refer to it as Oncostele 'Wildcat'

If I had a name for this one I've lost it but I believe it's a Phalaenopsis

This is another noID Phalaenopsis.  It's been blooming for at least two months already.

I recently acquired a couple of new plants for the lath house, neither of which I've ever grown before.  The first is grown as much for its foliage as its flowers while the second is known primarily for its unusual blooms.

This was sold as Ric Rac Orchid Cactus.  Its proper name was harder to nail down as I found it listed as both Epiphyllum anguliger and Cryptocereus anthonyanus.  Still another source says that plants known by the former name have recently been reclassified as Disocactus anguliger.

This somewhat sorry looking specimen is Tacca integrifolia, aka white bat flower.  Recently received in a tiny pot by mail order, it's still settling in.  When I saw its foliage, I thought I'd been sent a Spathiphyllum by mistake but the Tacca's foliage is similar.

This is by no means a complete inventory of the contents of my lath house and, like other parts of my garden, I suspect what's there will continue to turn over with some regularity as I continue to work out what thrives  and what doesn't.

Between recent bouts with hot temperatures and poor air quality, I've accomplished very little in my garden thus far this month.  I received a mail order delivery of twelve plants on Wednesday but I've done nothing with them beyond unpacking and watering them.  If conditions improve, getting them potted or planted out will be my weekend focus.

Wherever you are, I hope conditions are favorable to do something you enjoy this weekend.

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

We received yet another blow to the gut last week when news came that the Notorious RBG, the esteemed US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, passed away on Friday.  As the news was reported, I literally stood up and shouted "NO!" at the TV as if I could stop what had already happened.  She had a difficult climb to reach the pinnacle of the nation's judicial system, only the second woman to be appointed to that station, and she spent her 27 years there pursuing the cause of equal justice under the law.  Everyone knew she was ill as she'd fought various forms of cancer over the past decade but she was a fighter who seldom lost a day of testimony before the court throughout those battles.  Many, myself included, hoped and prayed that she'd outlast the current administration but that was not to be.  We owe her much and can only hope that we can channel some of the courage, strength, and dedication to the causes she pursued on our behalf.  Anyone unfamiliar with her history or achievements can find a summary here.  

Flowers are a traditional form of remembrance and, other than tears and a commitment to pursue the battles she fought using my vote in the coming and future elections and whatever my pocketbook can spare, flowers are the best I have to offer today.

Vase #1:

Dahlia 'Belle of Barmera', larger than the span of my hand, was the inspiration for this vase

Back view, featuring assorted Zinnias and Grevillea foliage

Top view

Top row: Alstroemeria 'Inca Sunshine', Amaranthus, Plectranthus scutellarioides 'Mocha Mint', and Zinnia elegans Second row:Dahlias 'Belle of Barmera'and 'Labyrinth' Third row: Grevillea foliage and Grevilleas 'Ned Kelly', 'Peaches & Cream'and 'Superb'

Vase #2:

An unplanned combination of Dahlias 'Candlelight' and 'Enchantress'

Plectranthus scutellariodies 'Florida Sun' (coleus) dresses up the back view

Top view

Clockwise from upper left: Dahlia 'Candlelight', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Gomphrena 'Itsy Bitsy', Dahlia 'Enchantress', Leucanthemum x superbum, and Plectranthus scutellarioides 'Florida Sun'

Vase #3:

A last minute creation for the kitchen island

Back view

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Cosmos bipinnatus, Leucophyllum laevigatum, Salvia leucantha, and Vitex trifolia

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

The political fight over RBG's replacement is already gearing up and it threatens to eclipse our mourning of her loss as hypocrites in the Senate (who refused former President Obama a vote on his Supreme Court candidate's nomination 7 months before the last election because the selection was "too close" to the next presidential election) now rush to fill her seat before this November's election.  I think they may underestimate the response if they pursue that goal - I believe that the backlash may cost them much more than they realize in the long run.  VOTE!!!

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party 

It's been really difficult to feel happy about much of anything of late.  But even the darkest days have their moments.  I thought I'd share two of those from the past week.

Late last week, when it was still too hot to do much in the garden and the air quality remained poor, I decided to spend an hour pulling up and potting several agave pups I'd spied in various locations of my garden.  When done, I labeled them and others I'd collected earlier and put them out on the curb for neighbors to take if they were so inclined.

This was the group's class picture, taken before I placed them on the curb.  The group included: Agave desmettiana 'Variegata', A. funkiana 'Blue Haze', A. 'Jaws', and A. pygmaea 'Dragon Toes'.

I'd only just put them out and grabbed my camera to take a photo when the first car pulled to a stop in front of them

About an hour and a half after I put them out, all but three were gone.  Another two went the next morning.  Poor Agave funkiana 'Blue Haze', admittedly the runt of the litter, didn't find a new home but I've put it aside in the hope it'll bulk up before my next give-away.

Yesterday, it was the birds in the backyard fountain that made me smile.  There was a steady steam of them but catching them bathing isn't always easy as they usually fly away as soon as I get close to the window.  However, one fellow was so caught up with his bath, he paid me no mind.

Most of the bathers were house finches and lesser gold finches.  I think this one was one of the former group.

I've noticed that house finches are particularly serious about their baths

He splashed about a half dozen times before deciding he was done and relinquishing the fountain to a trio of the smaller finches

I was happy to bask in his pleasure, if only for a moment

The United States reached the grim milestone of 200,000 deaths associated with COVID-19 this week.  The US accounts for 4.23% of the world's population, yet our total deaths currently represent 21% of the total attributed to COVID-19 worldwide.  That's not just sad, it's pathetic.  We're the richest country in the world and our per capita death rate from the virus is the 11th highest in the world.  The number of lies that have come directly from the horse's mouth regarding the virus are incredible.  While the occupant of the White House can't be blamed for importing the virus, he, his minions and his apologists should be held accountable for their monumental failures to manage the response to it.  Are we prepared to allow them to compound their failures and continue to lie?  VOTE. 

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

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Okay, I know that, technically speaking, it's now fall in the Northern Hemisphere; however, summer probably won't really come to an end for another 5-6 weeks in my area of Southern California.  In fact, aided by our devilish Santa Ana winds, we're expecting high temperatures in the 90s next week.  My garden is generally at its lowest ebb at this time of year.  After the last severe heatwave some areas look downright sad but the extra hand-watering I did in advance of that nasty heatwave did help and there are a few things to crow about.

This hybrid Callistemon 'Hot Pink' surprised me with a flush of blooms.  I think it's the first time it's flowered this year.

Despite the fact that the heatwave singed all the buds on Dahlia 'Iceberg', it produced another gigantic bloom.  The stem was very short and I couldn't cut it without sacrificing the two side buds so I decided to enjoy it where it was in my cutting garden.

Dahlia 'Rip City' produced its first blooms.  The first dahlia tuber I planted this year, it was nearly the last to bloom but it currently has more than two dozen buds,

'Rip City' (left) is nearly black.  The contrast with 'Loverboy' (right) emphasizes just how dark it is.

Helianthus annuus 'Delta Sunflower' is very happy in my cutting garden.  Both the bees and the birds are all over it.

This isn't the most impressive photo but I was thrilled when I noticed a bud on this Iris germanica 'Autumn Circus'.  The plant was a gift from a friend in late May.  It's a reblooming variety and this will be its first bloom.

Even though I threw out my rule against planting anything other than succulents during the summer months, I also managed to hang onto most of what I've recently planted.  Last Friday, I posted a photo of a new delivery of mail order plants. 

This was last week's delivery from Annie's Annuals & Perennials in Northern California

After unpacking the box, I held off on planting those new arrivals until early this week but I took care of all of them early this week.  Here's a closer look at the newly installed plants:

This is Agave vilmoriniana 'Stained Glass'.  I've wanted one for a long time but large specimens are pricey, if you can even find them.  I'm giving this one an opportunity to bulk up a bit in a pot before it gets a permanent placement in the garden.

This is one of three new Arctotis 'Pink Sugar' plants.  I admittedly have a lot of these already but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to plant a few more in 4-inch pots as the fall and winter-planted specimens have always done the best in my garden.

Ceanothus x pallidus 'Marie Simon', a pink-flowered variety, was my biggest splurge.  I plan to plant it in my back border but I'm going to let it spread its roots in this temporary pot until I'm comfortably certain that our hot weather is behind us.

This drought-tolerant white-flowering groundcover, Falkia repens, was an impulse purchase.  I divided it in two before planting it out.

I have a checkered past with Penstemon in this garden but Penstemon x gloxiniodes 'Midnight' is supposed to be tough.  I planted three in an area that already contains pink and blue Eustoma grandiflorum (aka Lisianthus), Salvia 'Mystic Spires' and Cuphea 'Starfire Pink'.

Sideritis cypria is a plant I've grown before that has very interesting flowers.  This is a new location for these plants.

Pleased at having everything taken care of, I treated myself to another trip to my local garden center.  I was in the area to get my flu shot, so why not stop?  New plants are a better reward for taking care of that chore than a lollipop. 

The three grass-like plants in the 1-gallon pots are Lomandra.  The green one is a replacement for one than died (the first and only loss of these plants I've had).  I'd been looking for additional pots of the variegated variety, 'Platinum Beauty' and I found these at a reasonable price, so I couldn't pass them up (and I've already planted both).  The rest consists of three 4-inch pots of Santolinas and 6-packs of Digitalis purpurea and Limonium perezii, all best purchased in small sizes.

I can't help it.  Even though it still feels like summer here, I can feel fall's siren call and fall is prime planting season in this part of the country.  I've got several significant projects in the offing but must hold off on some of these until the tree service pays its annual visit, probably next month.  The arborist dropped by this week to discuss what I want done and, in addition to the annual trimming, I'm having two trees taken out.  Their removal makes me very sad but there really isn't any alternative as one is dead and the other is nearly so.

I think the Heteromeles arbutifolia (aka Toyon) was felled by the pathogen that causes sudden oak death.  This tree-sized shrub is one of many plants sensitive to the pathogen.  Once I noticed the leaves turning red, it was already too late.  As it sits on the top of a steep slope overlooking a neighbor's driveway and next to a huge tree stump, I'm not going to be able to plant another tree in that spot but I may try making room for one nearby.

We had emergency surgery performed on this Albizia julibrissin (aka mimosa) two years ago in an effort to stop or slow the spread of damage caused by shot-hole borers but the tree's decline continued.  It produced unsightly adventitious growth and the bark of its trunk is now decaying.  Despite the fact that it also sits atop a steep slope, the arborist believes we can safely grind the stump on the inside of the hedge behind it.  I'm hoping I can plant a small tree in that area but that idea requires further evaluation.

Time to get to work on planting the rest of what I picked up at the garden center this week and planning for the future.  Happy gardening!

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

We're facing another heatwave this week so I cut a lot of what was blooming in my cutting garden on Sunday morning.  Dare I hope that this will be our last heatwave of the year?  There are no guarantees and rain is still a distant prospect but my cutting garden is in peak giving mode nonetheless.

The intense color of Dahlia 'Rip City' grabbed my attention when I first saw a photo of the flower online early this year.  I ordered the tuber but I didn't really expect it to live up to its publicity photo; however, it has.

The blooms of 'Rip City' are almost black

Back view: The dahlia's color made it difficult to find partners that would complement rather than clash with its dark bluish-black undertones

Top view: Hot pinks offered the best match and the purplish color of Ageratum corymbosum's foliage gave the arrangement additional interest

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Rip City', foliage of Ageratum corymbosum, Coprosma repens 'Plum Hussey', Callistemon hybrid 'Hot Pink', Cuphea hybrid 'Starfire Pink', and Pentas lanceolata

Even though I used Dahlia 'Enchantress' in a vase last week, a good flush of fresh blooms had me cutting it again for another vase this week.  'Enchantress' performed well last year as well.  It's an especially prolific bloomer.

New blooms of a noID Japanese anemone that came with the garden were a last minute addition to play off the yellow in the center of the dahlias and the in the Lantana flowers

Back view: I used a few Zinnia 'Envy' flowers as accents here

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Enchantress', Abelia grandiflora 'Hopley's Variegated', Lantana 'Samantha', noID Anemone hupehensis, and Zinnia elegans 'Envy'

As it's fall and I'd like to welcome the change of seasons (even if it doesn't yet feel like fall here yet), I cut sunflowers for a third vase.

The bees and the birds have been all over the flowers of this 'Delta Sunflower' in the cutting garden so I felt a twinge of guilt in taking some but the bush is still producing a steady supply of new blooms

Back view: I added stems of variegated Corokia x virgata 'Sunsplash' to brighten the mix a bit

Top view

Clockwise from the top: Helianthus annuus 'Delta Sunflower', Corokia x virgata 'Sunsplash', Leptospermum 'Copper Glow', and Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum'

A friend planned to stop by to bring me a package of the cleaning wipes that have eluded me for months, so I prepared a final impromptu arrangement in a jelly jar to hand off to her as well.

The centerpiece of this arrangement was Dahlia 'Belle of Barmera'.  Other elements included: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana' (foliage), Correa 'Wyn's Wonder', and Zinnia elegans 'Queen Lime Blush'

I hope you enjoy a colorful week too!  For more flower arrangements, visit the leader of our merry IAVOM band, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

I was wandering through my garden camera in hand yesterday and came across something unexpected.

This stump came with the garden

Do you see it?  Take a closer look at the base of the stump.

The growths are clearly fungus of some sort associated with the tree stump's decay, which is well advanced.  I looked online for clues to its identification, not even sure than both growths were the same variety of fungus.  My best guess is that the first growth, and possibly both, are what's known as chicken of the woods fungus, or Laetiporus.  There are at least 18 known species and these fungal growths are still developing so my identification isn't definitive.  It isn't showing the shelf-like structure characteristic of these fungi but then it's only just appeared.  The fungus is commonly found on decaying hardwood trees and it's said to taste a lot like chicken.  Chicken of the woods is reportedly sold to chefs and restaurants for $12-25 per pound.  Recipes using it are available online.  (You can find one here.)  I did not taste it and have no intention of doing so.  There are warnings online about eating any such mushrooms found growing on conifers, eucalyptus and cedar trees due to toxins they absorb and I think there's a good chance this stump, which was already decaying when we moved in nearly ten years ago, was that of a eucalyptus tree.  

Chicken of the woods isn't nearly as attractive as turkey-tail mushrooms but at least it's not as ugly as the dog vomit slime mold I showed on a few weeks ago.  However, even dog vomit slime mold is far more more attractive than the behavior displayed by the current occupant of our White House last night.  Even if you can forgive the uncaring and irresponsible behavior he's displayed in handling the US response to the pandemic, forget that his administration is seeking to dismantle a health care system during that pandemic without any alternative proposal, ignore his manipulation of the country's tax code, dismiss his supporters' insistence on pushing through a Supreme Court candidate through the nomination process in contravention of the rules the Senate accepted in 2016, turn a deaf ear to his statements about those who serve in the military, and disregard his refusal to accept the country's unbroken respect for the peaceful transition of power, can anyone really excuse the disgraceful behavior he displayed last night, which included among other things, support for white supremacy?  I've never been so depressed and sickened by an American politician in my life - and make no mistake, despite his assertion that he's not a politician, that's the role he's playing now inside his delusion that he's starring in a reality TV show.

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

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

I've been conducting a quarterly big-picture overview of my garden for some time now but taking photos during a heatwave when the garden is dry and tired wasn't easy to get excited about.  Still, as the removal of two trees, one dead and one nearly so, is pending it's a useful time to take stock so, starting with the back garden, here we go.

This is the view from the north end of the house looking in the direction of the back patio.  I cut a Melianthus major below the Arbutus 'Marina' on the left down to the ground last week because it looked dreadful and it would've been trampled anyway when the Arbutus gets trimmed later this month.  The mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin) to the left of the patio will be taken out at the same time.  I'm hoping to plant another tree in the same general area but that'll require major changes to the panting areas surrounding the patio.

This is a view of the same area looking in the other direction.  The mimosa tree is just outside the frame on the right.

I cleaned up most of the dried up aster (Symphyotrichum chilense) stems in the area surrounding the fountain but I still need to do something to corral the plant's rampant rhizomes.  I'd also like to remove the Liriope spicata to the right of the fountain but then I've been talking about that project for a few years now.

View from the patio looking south: There's a large bare area in front of Callistemon in the mid-section of the area on the left (outside the view of this photo).  I have a pink-flowered Ceanothus slated for that area but I need to juggle some of the existing plants before it goes into the ground.

This view of the back garden from its south end shows the mimosa tree slated for removal in the distance.  I tried to save it two years ago by removing the front part of the tree that had been damaged by shot-hole borers.  Other major branches died back this year and now the remaining trunk is caving in on itself.

Continuing clockwise around the house, next up is the south side garden.

This is the south side garden from the east end looking west.  I need to replace the Zinnias I planted as temporary color in the bed on the right with something yet to be determined.  I'm thinking of a shrub, possibly another Leucospermum.

This is the view from the small patio off the house on the south side looking at the succulent bed on the right.  The tree-sized toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) in the background on the right is dead, probably killed off by the same pathogen that causes sudden oak death.  It'll be coming out but because of where it sits atop a steep slope overlooking a neighbor's property I can't have the stump ground out, which means I can't plant another tree there unless I move other plants out of the way.

View looking at the south side garden from the south end of the front garden

Continuing in a clockwise direction around the house moves brings us through the main level of the front garden.

This area is looking a little jungle-like to me but I haven't decided whether I should cut anything back.  The Magnolia tree in the distance and the Arbutus outside photo's frame on the left will be thinned, which may be enough for now.

I'm planning to replant those wine barrels under the Magnolia soon and I may replace some of the wood mulch surrounding the tree with creeping thyme and other herbs.  Wood mulch is flammable and this area is right next to the house.

View from the driveway looking at the front door

A longer-range shot of the front garden taken from the garden area on the west side of the driveway

This is a view from the garden area on the northwest side of the driveway looking toward the house

This succulent bed is one of the areas I'm most unhappy with at present.  I generally start with the smallest plants available but this area looks so piecemeal to me I may need to consider either using larger succulents or adding gravel or non-succulents to knit things together (stealing the term from Loree Bohl's article in the current addition of Fine Gardening magazine).

On the other side of the garage we come to the cutting garden.

The dahlias are sprinting now but a lot of the top-heavy blooms have been taking nose dives during the current heatwave

Passing through the gate in the fence shown in the last photo brings us to the northeast side garden.  The gravel path through that area takes us down the back slope.

There's bare ground in this area that needs covering

View from the top of the slope looking down. The area to the left of the hedge on the left belongs to a neighbor.

I didn't actually venture down the back slope to take any photos as, after three rounds with the fire ants just this summer, I don't go down there without protection: long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, gloves and boots.  The best I can say of the area is that the ivy covering the steep upper area wasn't badly burned this year (although it may be looking worse after the current heatwave).  I was down there briefly last weekend and cleaned up most of the lemons that dropped from the tree following the last heatwave but the area in general is in need of a serious clean-up, which I'm putting off until it cools down again.

Back on the south end of the garden on the main level, I'll conclude this tour with the lower level of the front garden we skipped on our first run through.

View looking down from the main level of the garden to the area below surrounding my lath (shade) house:  It may not be readily evident but my husband recently removed three 'Mutabilis' roses from the slope below the path.  I intend to cleanup the area still further and add rock salvaged during last year's remodel before replanting the slope (after our annual tree trimming exercise).

View of the same area from the flat area adjacent to the street: The shrub front and center (Euryops virgineus) has to be pulled so I can repair the stacked wall area torn apart by a gopher when he constructed his den.  A lot of the succulents will also be torn out and replanted but that work is on hold until the Arbutus at the top of the slope has been pruned.

The Xylosma congestum shrubs added a few years ago to continue the hedge on the left have beefed up dramatically this year but I haven't yet filled in the spaces left following the removal of two bloomed-out agaves in 2019.  I'm planning to cleanup and replant this area during the cool season too.  The Agave 'Blue Flame' on the right is spilling into the street so I need to pull out the parent plant and let the pups take over.

I'm still waiting to hear back on the date for removal of the two trees but that'll probably happen sometime this month or early next month.  Five other trees and one cherry laurel hedge will be trimmed at the same time.  Once all the debris is cleared, then work on some of the projects I've mentioned will start in earnest.  By that time, hopefully temperatures will be cooler too.

Best wishes for a pleasant weekend.

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

While the heatwave that started last week hasn't been as bad as the prior one, it's held on longer than originally forecast and it's not over yet.  Temperatures have come down from our 102F (38.9C) peak but we've been stuck at 92F (33C) here for days now.  Our air quality has worsened again too so nothing but the most minimal gardening work is getting done but hopefully the weather and air will be better by the end of this week.  In the meantime, I've slogged through all the propositions on California's November ballot (12, not including an LA County measure) so I'm prepared to vote as soon as my ballot arrives.  I haven't tackled my ironing backlog yet but that's on the docket next...

The dahlias in my cutting garden went into hyperdrive last week.  I don't think it was a response to the heat but the heat had an impact nonetheless.  Lots of the top-heavy blooms toppled over and even those that didn't bloomed out quickly.  There are still a lot of flowers out there but last week was crazy and I only had the energy for two arrangements yesterday.

The sudden appearance of several new Lisianthus blooms after a lengthy hiatus was the inspiration for this arrangement but I think Dahlia 'Iceberg' stole the show

Back view: The rose was a last-minute addition.  It's the first white rose I've had bloom this year and it seemed smarter to cut it than let it wither in the heat.

Top view

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Iceberg', Agonis flexuosa 'Nana', Eustoma grandiflorum (aka Lisianthus), Salvia leucantha, Pandorea jasminoides, Leucophyllum laevigatum, and noID rose

Dahlia 'Rip City' is blooming like there's no tomorrow so it won more time in the limelight this week.

I love 'Rip City' but I haven't found it easy to find appropriate companions for it

The manicured fingernails of this vase were the inspiration for this pairing, although I managed to largely cover them up when I added the stems of red Penstemon

Back view

Top view: I added the pink Lisianthus mainly because the burgundy centers of those flowers echoed the color of dahlias

Clockwise from the upper left: Dahlia 'Rip City', Eustoma grandiflorum, Hebe 'Purple Shamrock', Penstemon mexicali 'Mini Red Bells', and Pseuderanthemum 'Texas Tri-star'

For more IAVOM creations, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden is the one to see.

All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

At present, the only way to maintain my sanity is to shut out some of the daily news barrage and concentrate on what's right in front of me.  Here are the bright spots that boosted my spirits over the past week:

This is Iris germanica 'Autumn Circus'.  A friend gave it to me in late May and it produced its first bloom in the middle of our heatwave.  It's a reblooming variety.

I rarely see dragonflies in my garden, probably as it's a relatively dry place but I caught sight of this one over the weekend and it was kind enough to pose atop Cordyline 'Renegade'.  My best guess is this is a female or immature male variegated meadowlark (Sympetrum corruptum).  I read that the Native Americans believe that a red dragonfly foretells a period of rejuvenation following a period of trials and hardship.  I'm hoping that's true!

I put the flowers, mostly dahlias and zinnias, in glass ice tea bottles and packed them in a beverage carryall supplied by the market on a recent visit

They were a little too tightly packed so I dug out another carryall to give each a chance to shine

Here they are on the curb.  All but one were gone this morning.