Although the last couple of days have been sunny and warm, it's been raining cats and dogs here off and on since December (hurrah!). Drought conditions in much of Southern California have been down-graded from "exceptional" to "extreme," which believe it or not is tremendous progress. If forecasts of rain into February and March prove accurate, our situation could improve still further. In any case, we have every reason to look forward to the prospect of a wonderful spring.
At present, my January garden looks similar to my December garden, with a few notable exceptions.
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| Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder' is now in its full winter glory |
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| Arctotis 'Pink Sugar' is off to an early start |
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| Despite turning most of its flowers to face the garage wall, Camellia x williamsii 'Taylor's Perfection' is proving itself worthy of its name |
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| All 3 Grevillea rosmarianifolia 'Scarlet Sprite' bear tiny rosy red blooms |
Many of the boldest bloomers from December are still going strong.
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| Bauhinia x blakeana bounces back quickly after each rainstorm |
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| Nothing bothers Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy', which continues to produce a plethora of tiny purple flowers |
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| Grevillea 'Superb' never takes a break |
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| I don't give Grevillea lanigera 'Mount Tamboritha' the attention it deserves. This low-growing ground cover is also in bloom year-round. |
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| Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl' blooms its heart out throughout our cool season |
A couple of support players with long bloom periods are putting on particularly strong showings this month.
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| Argyranthemum frutescens is at its best in cooler weather |
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| The Osteospermums, like their African daisy cousins in the Arctotis genus, also come on strong when the weather cools. On the left is O. 'Violet Ice', another in the 4D series. On the right, are O. '4D Silver' and what I think is a mutant offspring of O. '3D Berry White'. |
There are other blooms worthy of honorable mentions, shown here in collages organized by color.
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| Blue and purple blooms, clockwise from the left: Rosmarinus 'Gold Dust', Lavandula multifida, noID Pericallis (reblooming for a second year), and Polygala myrtifolia 'Mariposa' |
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| Pink and red blooms, clockwise from the left: Aechmea fasciata, Arctotis 'Opera Rose', Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold', Cuphea 'Starfire Pink', noID Dianthus, Mimulus 'Jelly Bean Red', and Ribes viburnifolium |
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Orange, yellow and white blooms, top row: Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi, Gazania 'Yellow Flame', and Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream'
Middle row: noID Narcissus, Papaver nudicaule, and Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum'
Bottom row: Phylica pubescens, Rhodanthemum hosmarianense, and Tagetes lemmonii |
Next month's coming attractions are anxious to take the stage.
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| From left to right: the first blooms of Calliandra haematocephala; buds of Grevillea lavandulacea 'Penola'; and early risers among the Zantedeschia aethiopica |
I recognize how lucky I am to enjoy so many blooms in the middle of winter, especially when so many areas are blanketed in snow or plagued by ice. I hope that the warm breath of spring reaches those of you dealing with real winters soon.
For more January bloom stories,
visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens, our Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day host.
All material © 2012-2017 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
