Much as I love waking up to find the sun shining and the garden glowing, I've come to celebrate the cloudy, overcast condition that usually characterizes mornings here in late spring and early summer. Referred to sequentially as "May Gray" and "June Gloom," it keeps the heat at bay, at least for awhile. Back in April, there were predictions that
El Niño might add insult to injury by following up our largely rain-less winter with a
diminished marine layer in May and June. Fortunately, that hasn't happened. It did get hot here late last week but the morning marine layer saved us from the worst of it here along the coast.
![]() |
| The fog literally looks like a blanket laying over the ocean - on Saturday evening that blanket stopped just short of the Los Angeles harbor itself |
![]() |
| And this was the scene on Sunday morning - all we could see of the house below us was the cap of the chimney |
![]() |
| And the houses usually visible looking northeast were gone |
![]() |
| By late morning the sun had reached us but the fog continued to envelop the harbor into the afternoon |
Gloomy mornings also make it easier to take photos and I took advantage of the opportunity this past weekend. I'm sharing a photo of the noID lily in my back garden as my Wednesday Vignette. It deserves its moment in the limelight and the flowers are unlikely to last until Bloom Day.
![]() |
| Although the lily itself is fairly nondescript, its companions boost its presence in the garden. Mexican feather grass (Stipa tenuissima) provides the backdrop and Cuphea ignea 'Starfire Pink' complements the lily's soft pink bloom. |
"Wednesday Vignette" is
hosted by Anna at Flutter & Hum. Visit her site to find the images that captured her attention and that of other participating gardeners this week.
All material © 2012-2016 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
