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Bloom Day - August 2014

August 15, 2014, 7:24 am
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Unlike some areas of the world where mid-summer brings a bounty of flowers, summer here in Southern California is a slower, more somber period in the garden.  Although temperatures have been relatively moderate since the early blast of heat we received in May, seldom exceeding 90F (32C), limiting the water we give our gardens in response to our current state of drought has the consequence of limiting the blooms we find there.

The summer stalwarts can still be found in flower although the number and vigor of the blooms is diminished.

The Angelonia planted in an area providing afternoon shade are doing better than those in full sun

Bougainvillea loves the heat (although this particular vine has remained mid-sized, which is a good thing as my husband hates Bougainvillea)

Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold' is still blooming and Gaura linheimeri has come back after a severe haircut

Duranta erecta, in a pot, produces a steady smattering of violet-blue flowers

Gaillaridia x grandiflora 'Goblin' has produced fewer flowers this year

Many of the re-blooming Hemerocallis, including 'Persian Market,' have made strong come-backs

This lavender is happy in the vegetable garden, although little else is

Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' is coming into its glory

Tanacetum parthenium has slowed down but hasn't entirely stopped blooming


Only a few plants are blooming en masse:

The Bauhinia x blakeana (Hong Kong orchid tree) has more flowers than leaves at the moment

Coreopsis 'Redshift' is at the peak of bloom

The thyme in the side yard is keeping the bees busy



However, other plants are putting on a rather disappointing show:

Tibouchina urvilleana has produced only a few flowers and most of its foliage is burned

The Zinnias needed more water than they got and thus failed to flourish 



But there have been some pleasant surprises too:

This Aster x frikartii 'Monch' is small but it's holding its own despite being moved mid-year

My 'Sweet Autumn' Clematis has bloomed despite a horrible battle with aphids and a severe pruning earlier this summer

This Cymbidium is blooming again despite receiving almost no attention 

And this Phalaenopsis, also left largely to its own devices, continues to pump out blooms

Russelia equisetiformis is finally beginning to establish a presence in the backyard border

The hard-to-photograph Salvia discolor seems happy in the extended fountain bed



It probably doesn't come as a surprise that some of the best-looking specimens are succulents:

Adenium obesum, featured yesterday as my favorite plant of the week

Echeveria pulvinata 'Ruby' has produced flowers almost as pretty as her foliage

And this unidentified succulent continues to produce one bright orange flower after another



That's it for my August Bloom Day wrap-up.  Please visit Carol, the creator and host of the monthly event that is the Gardener Bloggers' Bloom Day at May Dreams Gardens to see what's currently in bloom in other parts of the world.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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Foliage Follow-up - The Importance of Good Grooming

August 16, 2014, 8:36 am
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"The Importance of Good Grooming" sounds like an article for girls in some kind of high-handed teen publication dating back to the 1930s, doesn't it?  However, the phrase came to mind this week as I was staring at my rather sloppy looking Mexican feather grass (Stipa tenuissima).

Three of my "ungroomed" grasses - some are much worse than these but I don't have photos on hand



I have a LOT of Mexican feather grass in my garden - 34 plants by an off the top of my head count.  I'm sorry that I learned only belatedly that it can be invasive in my climate.  It's a very drought tolerant and spreads easily even in unirrigated areas.  Tufts of grass seedlings have popped up in my garden beds, as well as odder places, like between driveway paving stones.  Keeping in under control requires timely removal of the zillions of seeds the plants produce.  Cutting the grass back eliminates the seedheads but, in my opinion, negatively impacts the graceful appearance of the plant.  Combing the grass by running one's fingers through its strands is one recommended method to clean out the seeds and dead material but I found that this is also hard on my hands, even when I have the foresight to put on gloves before I get started.

So I tried tools originally purchased to groom my cats.  Of these, the flea comb worked best but I think it was rough on the grass.  In the end, I found that a wide-toothed hair comb works well to remove seeds without having them attach themselves to gloves and clothes.




Hands still work best for pulling out dead material from the middle of the plants but tugging the dead blades from the base in small segments was more efficient than simply running fingers through the plant material - and less hard on my hands.




The freshly groomed plants look a lot better.  I'm so pleased with them I thought I'd make them this month's focus for the foliage follow-up post sponsored by Pam at Digging.

Freshly groomed Stipa tenuissima



Only 31 more plants to go.




Why, of why, didn't I plant more Lomandra 'Breeze' instead of all that Mexican feather grass?  No grooming needed there.

Lomandra longifolia 'Breeze'



Please visit Pam at Digging to see her foliage follow-up and to find links to other foliage highlights.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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In a Vase on Monday: Floral Accents

August 18, 2014, 8:33 am
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There REALLY isn't a lot of floral color in my garden right now.  Yes, there are a few - mostly short - flowers here and there but, with the exception of the Coreopsis 'Redshift,' there's nothing much available in sufficient quantity to make an impact in a vase.  Most of the flowers also don't coordinate well with one another.  I considered constructing a vase solely with foliage material but, after cutting a mass of colorful coleus 'Honey Crisp,' I was able to find a few flowers that provided a nice floral accent to the variegated foliage of the coleus (Solenstemon scuttellarioides).


Close-up of Coleus 'Honey Crisp' showing the peach, yellow and green upper surface and its pink and purple undersides



The first floral accent I hit on was Gaillardia grandiflora 'Goblin,' which is very short.  The taller look-alike Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun' hasn't reappeared this year, which is unfortunate.  After a couple rounds of our property, I also picked up:

  • Gaillardia 'Mesa Peach' (2 stems) - short and barely visible in the photo at the top of the post 
  • Helianthus annuus 'Lemon Queen' (1 stem) - planted late from seed in the vegetable garden, this appears to be the only 'Lemon Queen' to show her pretty face
  • Pennisetum glaucum 'Purple Majesty' (1 stem)
  • Tanacetum parthenium 'Aureum' (2 stems) 
  • Zinnia (2 stems) - planted from seed, I have no record of the small flowered variety that has survived our water limitations

Close-up of Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' and Pennisetum 'Purple Majesty'

Close-up of the 2 small Zinnia flowers, surrounded by Gallardia 'Goblin' in flower and in bud



Once again, the bouquet landed in the front foyer to greet everyone who comes through the door.




Please check in with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see her floral creation and to find links to photos of bouquets created by other participating gardeners.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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If your bathtub is the ocean...

August 20, 2014, 5:01 pm
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Then you need a really big rubber duck.  The world's largest rubber duck sailed into the Port of Los Angeles this morning.  Created by a Dutch artist, he's the mascot and one of the main attractions of the Tall Ships Festival that kicked off this afternoon in San Pedro.  Although I was watching out for him this morning, I missed his early arrival and he was kept in hiding until noon, when I saw him heading out toward the Angel's Gate lighthouse to meet the incoming tall ships and lead their parade into the harbor.  I have no idea how you hide a bright yellow rubber duck 6 stories tall, 110 feet long, and 85 feet wide but festival organizers managed to keep him out of the view of my binoculars, as well as out of sight of harbor visitors.

The duck appeared, heading toward Angel's Gate, just before noon (PDT)

The duck turns to lead the tall ships assembled just outside the harbor's gate


We counted 6 tall ships in the harbor this afternoon - a total of 12 are scheduled to participate in the festival

Two of the tall ships are shown here moving through the canal beyond the duck

The most visible of the tall ships had red sails, visible just behind the duck in this photo


The pictures shown above were taken from our backyard, about 2 miles from the harbor, using my point and click camera.  The duck and the ships were easier to view using binoculars then through my camera's view-finder but, without the bright yellow duck to orient me, I'm not sure if I could have pinpointed the tall ships as they progressed through the harbor.

The Tall Ships Festival in Los Angeles continues through Sunday.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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My favorite plant of the week: Senecio fulgens

August 22, 2014, 9:00 am
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Now that, thanks to Denise at A Growing Obsession, I have a name to attach to the robust succulent planted in a birdbath-style container in my dry garden, I can give it the acclaim it deserves as one of my favorite plants.  It's hard to name a plant as your favorite if you don't even know its genus.




I picked up the unlabeled Senecio fulgens a few months ago because I was attracted to its foliage.    Its leaves and stems are a chalky blue-green color.  Some on-line sources reference a purple flush on the undersides of the spoon-shaped leaves but I've seen no signs of this on my plant.




When I bought the plant, there were no flowers or flower buds.  Flower color wasn't a factor in my purchase decision.  But, when the plant began blooming a few weeks ago, the red-orange color of the flowers was impossible to miss.  New blooms seem to appear daily and there are lots of buds still forming.




Although I had no idea what color flowers it might produce when I planted it, it turned out that the floral color of the Senecio neatly echoes the color of other succulents in the container, most notably Kalanchoe daigremontiana 'Pink Butterflies' and the red edge of Agave 'Blue Glow.' It also picks up on the foliage color of Coprosma repens 'Plum Hussey'in the background.




My plant, which  I purchased in a 4-inch pot, has grown to approximately 12 inches (30 cm) in height.  According to on-line sources, it should get no taller than 18-24 inches (46-61 cm), although specimens as tall as 3 feet (91 cm) have been observed.  Regular trimming is suggested to keep it from becoming leggy.

While it prefers full sun, it can take a little shade.  It needs good drainage and it can't tolerate frost.  Hailing from the eastern areas of South Africa, it's suited to USDA zones 10-12.

Senecio fulgens is my favorite plant of the week.  Please visit Loree at danger garden, our host for the weekly favorite plant post, to see her pick this week and to find links to other gardeners' selections.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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In a Vase on Monday: Recent Acquisitions

August 25, 2014, 9:00 am
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I've whined about the shortage of flowers in my garden quite a bit of late.  Last week, thinking ahead about what I could use to create a vase for the Monday meme sponsored by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, I was at a loss.   Although some plants in my garden have begun a second bloom cycle, there was nothing that I hadn't used more than once already this summer.  Then I visited my local garden center, looking for Sedum, and came home with a dozen 4-inch pots of Rudbeckia.  On a second tour of another nursery with a friend, I picked up 3 more Rudbeckia.  So, this week's vase features - you guessed it - Rudbeckia.




This particular Rudbeckia was labeled R. 'Zahara' but I believe it's actually Rudbeckia hirta 'Sahara.' The 3 plants I brought home went into a pot, filling in a hole in the border around our fountain.  The semi-double flowers range in color from pink to burgundy to caramel.




Here's what went into the vase:

  • 1 stem of Pennisetum glaucum 'Purple Majesty' (reused from last week's vase)
  • 5 stems of Rudbeckia hirta 'Sahara' in a range of colors
  • 2 stems of Solenostemon scuttellarioides 'Fire Fingers Coleus'
  • 2 stems of Solenostemon scuttellarioides 'Honey Crisp Coleus' (reused from last week's vase)
  • 3 sprigs of Thymus serpyllum


The beautiful Rudbeckias, photographed from above

Close-up of Coleus 'Fire Fingers'

Photo of the back of the vase, highlighting the leftover Coleus 'Honey Crisp'

Close-up of thyme



The colors in this vase, which echo those I used last week, have an autumn feel.  I know many gardeners are still holding onto summer, so here's a second vase with a more summer-like disposition, although it also features one of my new Rudbeckias, R. hirta 'Prairie Sun':

Broken stem of R. 'Prairie Sun' in a bud vase with Abelia 'Kaleidoscope' and more leftover Coleus 'Honey Crisp'

Close-up of R. 'Prairie Sun'



And here are the vases in their final positions:

Back in the foyer yet again

Adding sunshine to the living room



What have you brought inside to brighten your household space?  Please visit Cathy, the sponsor of the "In a Vase on Monday" meme to see what she's created.  You'll also find links to other gardeners' creations.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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Almost Wordless Wednesday - My New Butterfly Magnet

August 27, 2014, 11:32 am
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Old butterfly magnet:




My new butterfly magnet - the flowers of Senecio fulgens:

Western Tiger Anise Swallowtail (thanks for the correction, Jane!)


Gulf Fritillary


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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When things come together just right

August 28, 2014, 10:49 am
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By mid-summer, most gardeners I know - at least those who garden in hot, dry climates like mine - become discouraged.  I'm no exception.  Most of my grass is dead.  Numerous plants have dropped dead, some seemingly overnight.  An army of disgusting worms attacked my Bush Lupine and ate half the plant before I sent them packing.  The raccoons returned and, in addition to stealing the filter out of our fountain and running off with it, they declared an end to our detente and tore apart the beds in the side yard looking for grubs.  And it's still too warm to begin fall planting - even if that didn't prevent me from indulging in the purchase of a dozen Rudbeckia last week - so I have itchy fingers

I deal with the situation by putting on blinders to avoid seeing the garden as a whole, while focusing on practical problems: modifications to the irrigation system, mulching, hand-watering, pruning, and researching drought-tolerant plants and new ways to thwart raccoons.  However, while planting 3 of the Rudbeckia I couldn't stop myself from buying, I realized just how good at least one of my beds looks right now.

Wide view of the bed

Side view of the same space



This bed seldom shows up in my photos.   On the southwest side of the house, it's partially hidden behind our Magnolia tree.  I've added and subtracted plants from this bed at intervals in the 3 years I've tended this garden.  While some of these are still immature, the bed nonetheless finally feels as though it's coming together.  I love the mix of mid-tone and chartreuse greens, accented by yellow, orange and red touches.  The yellow color is provided by Abelia 'Kaleidoscope' and Coprosma 'Evening Glow' as well as the flowers of Rudbeckia 'Prairie Sun' and Gaillardia 'Mesa Peach.' Orange and red tones are provided at various times of the year by the berries on the Nandina, 2 varieties of Hemerocallis, and Gaillardia 'Goblin,' which self-seeds freely.

The Calliandra, Coleonema, Nandina and Agapanthus in the background came with the house but I've added most of the rest of the plants.

The Grevillea 'Superb' planted last November is developing lots of new buds

Gaillardia 'Goblin' is flowering less profusely than last year but still provides a lot of color

The new Rudbeckia 'Prairie Sun' mixes well with Abelia 'Kaleidoscope' and Coprosma 'Evening Glow'

Coprosma 'Evening Glow' is a relatively slow grower

One of 5 Lomandra longifolia 'Breeze' in this bed, this plant adds an airy quality

Duranta erecta 'Gold Mound' if the label that came with it can be believed

Salvia 'Mesa Azure'

And a closer look at the Rudbeckia that pulled everything together



Now, my only wish is that the lawn surrounding the bed wasn't so hideous.  I think the answer is to pull the front lawn out.  Plans are underway...


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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My favorite plant this week: Pentas lanceolata 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom'

August 29, 2014, 10:18 am
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When the garden as a whole is not looking its best, the plants that sail through the pressures that beat most down really shine.  At present, one such plant is Pentas lanceolata 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom.'  This plant is more resilient than any of the other Pentas I've grown.  Pentas lanceolata is classified as a semi-tropical shrub but it's usually grown as an annual.  I planted this one in June 2013 and it's still going strong.




My plant is almost 2 feet (60 cm) tall and wide, which is on the upper end of the spectrum quoted for this variety.  Mine receives partial shade but the species can handle full sun.  However, it can't handle freezing temperatures and is best suited to USDA zones 10a-11.  Although it can tolerate dry conditions, as my plant has, the stress may make it prone to infestations of spider mites.

The flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds.  I dead-head it regularly to keep the flowers coming.  It produces blooms almost year-round.




The flowers also do very well in a vase.

Vase containing Penta lanceolata, photographed in late October 2013


Pentas lanceolata 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom' is my pick as my favorite plant this week.  Please visit Loree at danger garden to view her choice as this week's favorite plant.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party


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In a Vase on Monday: Summer Reruns

September 1, 2014, 8:32 am
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Today is Labor Day, officially a date to observe the advances made by workers or, more specifically, the achievements of labor unions on behalf of workers.  For most people here in the US, the date is more closely associated with the end of summer than with the labor union movement, which I personally find sad.  But that's not a topic for this blog or this post, which celebrates bouquets assembled from what's available in the garden.  In my garden, some of the flowers that bloomed earlier this summer have produced a fresh flush of blooms, including the beautiful Eustoma grandiflorum 'Borealis Blue,' which I've used as the centerpiece of this week's vase.





I've combined the Eustoma (aka Lisianthus) with other summer reruns, some of which are also enjoying a new flush of blooms:

  • 4 stems of Angelonia augustifolia
  • 3 stems of Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold'
  • 2 stems of Hebe 'Wiri Blush'
  • 2 stems of Pelargonium peltatum (ivy geranium)
  • 5 stems of Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum'
  • 3 stems of Pseuderanthemum 'Texas Tri-star'


White Angelonia, from a mix purchased as part of a 6-pack in June

Variegated foliage of Pseuderanthemum 'Texas Tri-star' in close-up, accompanied by Coleonema and Pennisetum plumes

Vase photographed from the back

Hebe 'Wiri Blush' is still flowering, although the blooms are fewer and smaller than those produced earlier this summer

I brought this trailing ivy geranium from our former house but have no ID on the variety



The vase I selected this week didn't keep the blooms in place, even after an inordinate amount of fussing, so I used a rubber band to tie the heavier stems together.  I placed the Pelargonium and Angelonia stems in separately so I can remove them easily when they tucker out.  I've previously discovered that the Pelargonium petals fall apart after a few days in a vase.

As usual, I ended up with a vase of leftover elements.  The stems of these materials were either too stiff or too short to work in the larger vase.

The leftovers include Cuphea 'Starfire Pink,' a bee and hummingbird magnet, Pentas 'Nova,' Salvia 'Mystic Spires,' and Plectranthus zuluensis



The vases are in position.

The larger vase sits on the dining room table

and the smaller vase ended up in the guest bathroom



I hope you have a great day, however you're spending this Monday.  Please visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden to see her vase and to find links to the creations of other gardeners.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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Wide Shots - September 2014

September 2, 2014, 8:51 am
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Fall is officially 3 weeks away but, with Labor Day behind us, my fall planting plans are moving into hyper-drive, despite the fact that our daytime temperatures remain in the mid-to-upper 80sF (27+C) and no significant rain is expected until November.  I reached an agreement with a local landscape service on a price to remove my front lawn, which will make a dramatic change in the garden's overall look and feel.  While waiting for that work to begin, I've been researching landscaping ideas for lawn-free front yards and drought-tolerant plant selections in general.  I've started scouting the local nurseries too.

The birds aren't concerned about fall planting so long as the fountain keeps flowing



The wide shots of my garden, undertaken in connection with a meme started by Heather of Xericstyle last year, have been useful in my planning process.  In the case of the backyard, most of what I'm planning to do there involves filling in the holes in the borders created by the summer's heat- and drought-related plant losses.  The wide grass pathway between the borders will remain in place for now but I expect it'll go next year.  I couldn't face pulling it out this year given the expense and work associated with the overhaul of the front yard.

There are several pots sitting in the backyard borders, like the one with Rudbeckia shown here in front of the fountain, as temporary replacements for plants that fell prey to the heat and drought 

I have a working list of the plants I'd like to introduce in the extended fountain bed (described here) when the weather cools

There's an empty space under the peppermint tree (Agonis flexuosa) at the mid-point of the border on the right I need to fill but I've yet to be struck with inspiration



In the south-side garden, I'm focusing most of my attention on replanting the bed alongside the arbor.  When we moved in, this bed was occupied by a 60 foot (18m) Eucalyptus tree, which was removed at the instigation of a neighbor as it blocked her view.  The soil in that area is very dry, fast-draining, and light.  It's also the prime focus of the raccoons that pay me regular visits, perhaps because it's so easy to dig.

The arbor and most of the plants along the exterior edge of the bed on the right of it will be kept

The plants in the center of the bed as well as the Helichrysum, shown in this picture in the background on the right,  are slated for replacement.  I've already picked up a Grevillea 'Bonfire.' Other plants on my shopping list include Agave 'Blue Glow' (I'm hoping it'll deter the raccoons), Lomandra longifolia, and Correa 'Dusky Bells.'

The sad Zinnias on the right side of the pathway in this picture will be pulled.  I've already added Grevillea juniperina 'Molonglo' and, while it's small, will fill in with some low-growing succulents.



I have to admit that I'm VERY nervous about pulling out the grass in the front yard.  I'd originally planned to take out only a portion of grass up front this year but, given our ongoing drought, as well as the current condition of the front lawn, it seems appropriate to bite the bullet and take it all out now.  We're going to cover the area surrounding the Magnolia tree with decomposed granite, expand the existing borders a bit, and add stone pathways.  I'm also considering the addition of boulders and large plants to create a visual break between the Magnolia and the south-side garden.

The lawn on both sides of the front walkway will be removed all the way to the side yard path


The vegetable garden remains woefully neglected.  Rather than filling the raised planters with vegetables, I may use them as temporary holding areas for plants to be installed elsewhere in the garden during the fall.  At the moment, the only concrete plan I have for that area is to move my Acer palmatum 'Purple Ghost,' presently in the bed I intend to renovate in the side yard, to the bed alongside the garage.  Acer 'Sango Kaku' has thrived there so I'm hopeful that the new location may be hospitable to 'Purple Ghost' as well - although it's not dead, it's barely hanging on in the side yard.  (I've blamed the raccoons for its condition but the Santa Ana winds that blow through that area are part of the problem.)

Acer palmatum 'Purple Ghost' is intended to fill the blank area below the garage window to the left of 'Sango Kuku'



I cleaned up the dry garden a bit in August, clearing out plants that weren't doing well to make room for the ones that remain.  I've replanted the statice (Limonium perezii) and added more hairy canary clover (Dorycinium hirsutum) and a few succulents.  The Cuphea 'Starfire Pink' badly needs to be cut back but I'm waiting until the weather cools.  I'll probably add more succulents and another Leucadendron salignum too.

A somewhat neater dry garden

The hummingbirds continue to visit the 3 Cuphea shrubs at the front of the front of this border despite their drought-stressed appearance


I've no specific plans for the back slope, which I'm currently letting get by on its own.  On the other hand, I'd planned to do some work in the lower area running along the street before my attention shifted to the front yard.  Time, energy and funds permitting, I'd still like to extend the dry stacked wall down there but my guess is that it'll be spring, at earliest, before I get to that.

For unknown reasons, the prior owners left the stacked stone wall along this slope half-finished.  As a temporary measure, I extended it with stone picked up here and there in the garden but I need to haul in stone and properly complete the wall as a precursor to replanting the slope.



That's it for this month's wide shots.  I expect I'm going to be quite busy.  I'll keep you posted on my progress!


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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My favorite plant this week: Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink'

September 4, 2014, 3:09 pm
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Asking myself what plant I could feature as my favorite this week, I started wondering whether I was running out of plants to present after 47 favorites posts.  However, I could almost hear Loree, the host of this weekly favorite plant meme, laughing at the thought.  I went into the garden and immediately came up with several plants I haven't previously highlighted in this fashion.  What's most amazing about the one I chose, Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink,' is that it took me so long to do so.  This evergreen, ever-blooming plant has shown up in innumerable posts since I began blogging, sometimes labeled and sometimes not.




I have 12 of these shrubs spread around my garden.  They laugh at heat, tolerate shade, and do a fair job at handling drought, although the more water they get, the better they look.

3 Cuphea are grouped together on each side of the front border, along with shrub roses, Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold,' and Agapanthus

The 3 Cuphea in the front of the dry garden are looking woe-begone after the heat of summer and restricted irrigation but they'll recover once the weather cools and I cut them back this fall


Annie's Annuals & Perennials classifies this Cuphea as indestructible.  It's suited to USDA zones 8-11 (Sunset zones 11-13, 16-24, H1 and H2).  It grows about 3 feet (1 meter) tall and wide and it produces flowers, literally, all year.  I cut mine back hard once a year but they recover relatively quickly.

The pink and purple tubular flowers are about an inch long



It's a bee and hummingbird magnet.  I see hummingbirds feeding at these plants, even the drought-stricken ones in my dry garden, almost every morning.  I took a video of the hundreds of bees surrounding the plants in the front beds but, as it appears that the only way to show you a non-blurry version of it is to load it into YouTube first, I'm making do here with still photos taken with my with my point and click camera, which can't begin to capture the buzz around the plants.

This poor photo, taken in May, is the best one I've managed to take of the hummingbirds with the Cuphea

This was the best of my bee close-ups


Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink' is my contribution to Loree's regular favorite plant feature at danger garden.  You can find her favorite, as well as links to other gardeners' favorites, here.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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Deep Roots Garden Center

September 6, 2014, 8:22 am
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On a recent visit to Deep Roots Garden Center in Manhattan Beach, I was surprised to realize that I'd never written a post about it.  When it opened, I lived in one of the nearby beach cities but not long afterwards we moved to our current house, roughly 15 miles to the south, so I don't have an opportunity to drop in regularly.  However, the garden center specializes in water-wise plants and, as I'm currently on the hunt for more drought-tolerant selections, I swung by there twice recently, once with my camera in tow.

The garden center sits on a relatively small plot on Sepulveda Boulevard, surrounded by retail businesses on 3 sides and homes in the rear.  The staff makes maximum use of the space they have available.


The parking lot doubles as storage for fruit trees, like this Guava tree, and bedding plants

Entryway to the garden center's main area



There are lots of succulents, although some of the most interesting are available only in large containers at hefty prices.

I loved this Aloe greenii 'Icena,' seated next to a Beschorneria yuccoides

There were lots of small succulents

And some very big ones, like the Furcraea and Agave 'Blue Glow' here

I couldn't find the ID for this Agave but I liked the bright spines

This Aloe camperi 'Jennifer' was new to me

I think a spiral Aloe may go on my Christmas wish list

Dyckia 'Naked Lady' isn't as spiky as those I have but it was attractive

If I knew where to put this Synadenium grantii, a relative of the Euphorbia, it might have come home with me


Beyond the succulents, there are shade plants.


Maybe it was the red background but I fell for this Begonia 'Paul Hernandez,' which grows 4-6 feet tall but, with nowhere to put it, it was left behind

Unfortunately, Cordyline 'Caruba Black,' shown here with Persian Shield, requires lots of water



Perennials can be found lined up at the other end of the garden center.


I'm trying to think of a place for this purple smoke bush

Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame' looks great in front of a red wall



Edible and water-wise plants are a few steps up and toward the back of the property.  I came in looking for Leucadendron 'Jester,' which they had but only in large pots.

The Leucadendron collection

A variety of drought tolerant plants arranged around a huge driftwood centerpiece





I came home with a Grevillea 'Ned Kelly,' a Vitex agnus-castus, and 2 Pentas lanceolata.  As a bonus, I got a good picture of a Gulf Fritillary.




All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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In a Vase on Monday: Keeping it Simple

September 8, 2014, 9:50 am
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Please pardon the interruption for a brief weather report: We got rain this morning!!!  I awoke to the sound of water and immediately thought that something had gone wrong with our irrigation system.  We had a chance of rain predicted as fall-out from Hurricane Norbert off the coast of Mexico but such predictions seldom come to anything.  Well, this time, it wasn't a break in the sprinkler system but real, honest to goodness rain.

Rain chain outside the dining room window



My rain gauge says we received 1/4th of an inch (6.35 mm) but that was enough to fill my rain barrel.  (I clearly need more of those.)  It has stopped now but the skies are still gray so maybe we'll get more.

On to the topic of the morning: flowers.  I bought over a dozen Rudbeckia a few weeks ago, the majority of which were R. 'Cherry Brandy,' a variety I've successfully grown before.  When I saw that my New Zealand tea tree (Leptospermum scoparium) had started to bloom, I decided they would make a perfect pairing in this week's vase.




Although I considered many foliage plants that could complement the two, including Persicaria 'Red Dragon,' Pseuderanthemum 'Texas Tri-star' (which I used last week), and Prostanthera ovalifolia (mint bush), I decided to make do with coleus (Solenostemon scuttelarioides).  I'd intended to leave the vase alone with just those 3 elements but, when trying to remember if the Leptospermum scoparium was 'Apple Blossom' (it's not), it occurred to me at the last moment to add my favorite Pentas to the mix.

Vase photographed from the back



Here are some close-up photos so you can appreciate each of these plants:

Rudbeckia hirta 'Cherry Brandy'

Solenostemon scuttelarioides 'Fire Fingers Coleus'

The center of the Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl' flowers echo the color of the Rudbeckias and I love the woody seed pods 

The ever-useful Pentas lanceolata 'Kaleidoscope Appleblossom'



The vase was placed in the foyer.




Last week's vase held up well.  After pulling out the foliage, I put the remaining flowers in a smaller vase and stuck it in my home office so I can enjoy it for awhile yet.

When Eustoma 'Borealis Blue' is cut in bud, the flower buds open in a paler shade



Please visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, the host of the "In a Vase on Monday" meme to see what she and other gardeners have put together this week.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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Planting Bed Facelift #1

September 9, 2014, 7:53 am
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In January, I wrote a post about a few projects my husband and I'd undertaken, including the removal of the wood-fired snorkel spa in the backyard.  Lacking a clear vision for the area, I filled it with cast-offs from other areas of the garden and impulse purchases.  It never came together and earlier this summer I lost its central element, the mountain pepper (Driyms lanceolata), probably due to a combination of transplant shock and inadequate water.  As I'd added Melianthus major to the bed in April, after picking it up the local botanic garden's spring sale, I decided to rely on other Australian plants for the rest of the bed.  My first "fall" planting purchase, Grevillea 'Ned Kelly,' and the established Arbutus 'Marina' adjoining the space set the red(dish) and yellow color scheme.  I'm still tweaking it but the largest elements are in place.






The main elements include:

Grevillea 'Ned Kelly' (aka 'Mason's Hybrid), which can be seen in flower here

Anigozanthos 'Big Roo Yellow,' which I bought in a large container (breaking one of my usual rules)

Leucadendron salignum 'Blush' (photobombed by Hibiscus trionum)

Leucadendron 'Jester,' temporarily in a tomato cage for his own protection - I paid a pretty penny for him even in a 1-gallon pot and it would break my heart if the raccoon marauders tore him apart before his root system anchors him in place.  



Supporting elements include:

Phormium 'Amazing Red' in the background is new but the ornamental oregano (Origanum 'Monterey Bay'), pineapple flowers (Eucomis 'Oakhurst,'which haven't bloomed), cherry skull-cap (Scutellaria suffrutescens) and succulents are holdovers from my earlier planting scheme

Hibiscus trionum (aka bladder weed or flower-of-the-hour), which has a reputation for uncontrolled self-seeding

Fernleaf lavender (Lavandula multifida) is another holdover from an earlier planting scheme

The 3 Pennisetum setaceum 'Fireworks' are new - they're not supposed to get as large as the red/purple variety I have elsewhere in the garden

Scabiosa ochroleuca, also picked up at the spring plant sale, was moved a couple feet so it no longer has to compete with the more aggressive Hibiscus for root space

The Sempervivium have been spreading happily for several months at the front of the bed


I'll probably add some of the burgundy-flowered Hemerocallis 'Spanish Harlem' I'm pulling out of the front yard borders and more succulents.  The ornamental oregano and pineapple flowers may be moved to other areas but, for now, I'm leaving them in place.

The bed formerly occupied by our Eucalyptus tree is the next candidate for a facelift.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party



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Wordless Wednesday: Mutant Grasshopper, Alien Invader, or Locust?

September 10, 2014, 8:21 am
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Bromeliads and Succulents

September 11, 2014, 11:09 am
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I've been shopping for more Agave 'Blue Glow' to add to a bed I'm planning to renovate.  In addition to the beauty it adds in every setting, I think it may be an effective raccoon deterrent - and I've certainly tried everything else.  The problem is that the price of these popular plants have soared into the stratosphere.  At one time, I was able to get  a small plant for $10 but recently the lowest price I've seen was $35.  After considering pulling plants from other areas to fulfill my current purpose, I decided to pay another visit to the Marina Del Rey Garden Center, where I originally found the plants for $10.

This garden center has definitely gotten the message that Southern California gardeners need drought tolerant plants.  Although they've always had a nice selection of succulents in a range of sizes, they seem to have more every time I visit.  They've also added a lot of bromeliads to the mix.  The price of bromeliads usually makes me choke and I can't say that the Marina garden center's prices are low but they do have a large variety.

The new emphasis on bromeliads struck me as soon as I pulled into the parking lot.

Display garden fronting the parking lot (I can't account for the pink flamingos)





There were more in the main section of the nursery.









The succulents are nearby.

Most of the 4-inch pots are $5, which means I can quickly get in trouble in this section


These variegated Agave attenuata were on special



They've always had containers planted with succulents for sale and display but there seemed to be more of them when I visited this time.








I brought home 3 Agave 'Blue Glow,' purchased for $17 a piece.  Oh, and a bromeliad.

No ID provided with purchase


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party


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My favorite plant this week: Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku'

September 12, 2014, 10:56 am
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I've always loved Japanese maples.  Even in my former, tiny garden, I had two of them.  So, although the climate of my current garden is hotter, drier, and far less shady, I had to have some here as well.  I currently have 3, of which Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku,' also known as the coral bark maple, is my favorite.  I brought it home in 2011 with only the vaguest idea where to put it.  It ended up planted in a bed alongside our garage, facing the vegetable garden, where it has done surprisingly well thus far.




As you can see, 'Sango Kaku' is already sporting its autumn colors, and has been for perhaps a month already.  In May, it was mostly green but still flaunting its trademark coral trunk and stems.



In its current spot, it gets morning sun and afternoon shade, which may account for its healthy appearance.  In my experience, Japanese maples here do best with some shade.  This one had shown little in the way of tip and leaf burn, although I've read that those problems may become less prevalent as the tree matures.





In contrast, my poor A. 'Purple Ghost' is a stick, with only a tenuous hold on life.  I placed it on the southeast side of our property, where it was blasted by sun during the hottest time of the day; buffeted by Santa Ana winds when they blew; and pestered by raccoons burrowing at its base in search of grubs.  I've moved 'Purple Ghost' to a spot alongside 'Sango Kaku' in the hope that it will soon achieve the same level of health.

Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku' is my favorite plant this week.  It provides a bright spot in my vegetable garden even when most everything else looks dreadful and it provides me a touch of autumn color, which is hard to come by in Southern California.

Please visit Loree at danger garden to find her favorite plant selection and those of other gardeners.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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Bloom Day - September 2014

September 15, 2014, 7:34 am
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Today is Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, a monthly event hosted by Carol of May Dreams Gardens to celebrate the flower power of our gardens.  Last September, I complained that finding flowers for my Bloom Day post resembled a scavenger hunt.  It's much the same this September, although some flowers present at this time last year, like the Japanese anemones, Camellias and Salvia leucantha, have yet to make an appearance while other plants, like Echinacea and Leucanthemum, have stopped blooming.  After a brief but unexpected rainstorm a week ago, our temperatures soared over 100F (37C) and the hot Santa Ana winds have returned, sparking a fire in nearby Orange County.  Given the combination of heat, dry winds, and reduced irrigation in response to our drought, perhaps it isn't surprising that most of the flowering plants in my garden are showing few, if any, blooms.

The most significant exceptions are 2 blue beauties.

Despite the heat, the second round of blooms on the Eustoma grandiflorum 'Borealis Blue' is more robust than the first

Next year, I'm planting more of these in a broader range of colors!

With periodic deadheading, Salvia 'Mystic Spires' keeps on pumping out new flower spikes


There are a few other blue and purple flowering plants to be found, tucked into corners here and there but none have the presence of the Eustoma (aka Lisianthus) or Salvia.

Angelonia  augustifolia

Brachyscome 'Brasco Violet' has bloomed almost continuously since March

I almost missed the blooms of the Liriope muscari 

The flowers on Salvia macrophylla aren't profuse but you can't miss that bright blue color

The intense heat has scorched the leaves of Tibouchina urvilleana but not the blooms



Yellow flowers demand notice, even when there are few to be found.

This Anigozanthos 'Big Roo Yellow' is new to the garden

Succulent Bulbine frutescens have bloomed non-stop all summer

Coreopsis 'Big Bang Redshift' is on its second run

I showed this Phalaenopsis orchid last month but it deserves another mention - it keeps producing new blooms while sitting outside with only partial shade and haphazard watering

Rudbeckia 'Prairie Sun' is trying to upstage Grevillea 'Superb'

But the Grevillea can't be side-lined by anything



There are some pink, red, white and cream-colored flowers too, if you look hard enough.

Gaura lindheimeri 'Snow Fountain' has come back after an infestation of aphids and mid-summer pruning, providing a nice complement to recently planted Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy' in the background

Hibiscus trionum started blooming in earnest following the little bit of rain we got a week ago

Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl' is entering its peak bloom period

Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' is in its glory



There were even a couple of surprises as I searched high and low for flowers.

This unidentified Cyclamen, plunked in the side yard when I changed out the contents of a pot in late June, not only survived in the dry shade but has flowered ahead of schedule

The Digiplexis I hadn't cut back yet is blooming again



I also found signs of coming attractions.

Plectranthus ciliatus 'Zulu Warrior' is getting ready to bloom

And the first few flowers have appeared on Tagetes lemmonii



Before I close, as it's Monday and I usually post photos of a bouquet in connection with the "In the Vase on Monday" meme hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, I'm appending photos of a bouquet I created from flowers collected from my garden as I conducted by Bloom Day survey.  Cathy's vase post can be found here.

A 'Buttercream' rose, slightly past its prime, is surrounded by Angelonia, Abelia, Bulbine, Rudbeckia, feverfew, ornamental oregano and sprigs of thyme

A closer look at Rudbeckia 'Prairie Sun' and Bulbine frutescens 'Hallmark'
  


That's it for September's floral round-up.  Hopefully, temperatures will cool and my garden will rebound in October.  In the meantime, please visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens, the host of the monthly Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day event, to see what's in bloom elsewhere around the world.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

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Foliage Follow-up - Drought Busters

September 16, 2014, 7:00 am
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My front lawn has been dug up and our front entry is now surrounded by more than 800 square feet (74 square meters) of bare dirt.  Dirt that, left untended, will sprout weeds and grass attempting a come-back.  I'm planning to haul in additional topsoil to create berms and improve the overall quality of my vast expanse of dirt.  A wide area around the Magnolia tree will be topped with decomposed granite and remain unplanted.  But the rest of the area will be filled by plant material that I hope will be far less thirsty than the unhappy lawn we previously had.

In considering what to plant, I've begun by looking at what has done well in my garden thus far.  I thought I'd use this foliage follow-up post, written in connection with the monthly meme sponsored by Pam at Digging, to highlight the foliage plants that have demonstrated their drought tolerance during my, admittedly short, stewardship of this garden.

Since I reduced my water usage, I've lost a lot of plants.  The healthy ones stand out dramatically in contrast to those holding on by their root hairs.  Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt' is one of these.  As I went through my garden I was surprised just how good these plants look, especially those that have been in the ground for a year or more.  Last December, I commented that the 'Cousin Itt' I had in a pot looked better than those in the ground but the plants in the ground have taken off.  Perhaps they like drought.

This one looked spindly last December but it's got a healthy mop now

Despite competing with tree roots, this one's ready to take over a portion of the backyard lawn

The 3 plants in this border look better than any of the surrounding plants



I'm also impressed by the 3 Agonis flexuosa 'Nana' I planted last September.  Like the Agonis flexuosa trees that surround the property, 'Nana,' a dwarf variety, is taking the drought in stride.

One of the 3 Agonis flexuosa 'Nana' planted along the side yard patio



I've had mixed results with Phormium but P. tenax 'Atropurpureum' and P. 'Amazing Red,' which some sources indicate also belongs to the tenax species, have been the most reliable.

Crowded into a relatively small area along the driveway, this P. tenax 'Atropurpureum' is doing fine

I've been very pleased with this more diminutive P. 'Amazing Red' too - I now have 4 of them



Among the smaller plants, I've been impressed by the drought tolerance of Lomandra longifolia, a grass-like plant; furry Pelargonium tomentosum, also known as peppermint geranium; and Helichrysum petiolare 'Petite Licorice,' which spreads in my garden with relative abandon.

I now have 9 Lomandra longifolia 'Breeze' - I pick up one or more every time I come across them in small pots

The peppermint geranium can get by with less water in partial shade (it's certainly doing better than the nearly dead foxglove next to it in this picture)

The gray-leaved Helichrysums are astounding performers in the sunny, dry areas of my garden but I prefer the fine-leafed variety, which I inherited with the garden, even though it plants itself wherever it likes



I've acquired quite a few Leucadendron in the past 3 years as well.  One, L. 'Wilson's Wonder,' moved in with me - it exploded in size when I removed it from the large pot I had it in at our old house and put it in the ground here.  I've purchased half a dozen more Leucadendron since then, most of them hybrids of L. salignum.   I haven't had any problems with them until L. 'Rising Sun,' planted in March, died suddenly this month.

Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder' gets no attention other than an annual trim

Leucadendron salignum 'Chief' has been happy in my dry garden since January 2013 and L. 'Ebony' has sat at its feet for a year now



I'm still not sure what caused the rapid demise of L. 'Rising Sun.' The 2 most likely culprits are phosphorus toxicity - plants in the Protea family are said to react negatively to phosphorus in soil or fertilizer - or Phytophthora root rot.  It looks more like the latter to me but I'm no expert when it comes to conducting a plant post-mortem.  Still, I'm going to test my soil before I plant a lot more Leucadendrons.  I think another L. 'Wilson's Wonder' might do very well in the front yard.

The sad L. 'Rising Sun' shortly before I gave up and pulled it out



You can find more foliage-focused posts by visiting Pam at Digging.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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