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In a Vase on Monday: The Lion Roars
As the last of my blue-flowered Dutch Iris faded, I thought their season was over until 'Lion King' appeared. My records show that I planted a dozen 'Lion King' bulbs in a semi-shady area underneath...
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My colorful back slope
I completely lost track of time this week and, although this post has been in process since I took photos last week, it didn't click that today is Wednesday until this morning. The focus is my back...
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My cutting garden is on a slow roll
I cleared my cutting garden in late October and, after replenishing the soil in the raised beds, planted it in early November. I sowed seeds and planted plugs and bulbs, envisioning a late...
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In a Vase on Monday: Sacrifice
I sacrificed a few of my favorite flowers this week when putting my arrangements together. The first were three stems of Leucospermum 'Royal Hawaiian Brandi'. This year, the majority of the flowers...
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Tropical butterflies
South Coast Botanic Garden is hosting its third tropical butterfly exhibit. I purchased a ticket to visit on Tuesday afternoon, hoping it would be warm enough that the butterflies would be active.A...
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Bloom Day (Early Edition) - May 2023
Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day officially falls on the 15th day of the month but I've been taking liberties with the timing and format of my monthly posts for awhile now. As covering my entire garden in a...
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In a Vase on Monday: Luminous
My title was chosen to describe my first arrangement. While it was inspired by Hippeastrum 'Luna', that stem ended up being literally pushed to the side by the vase's other contents. Still, the...
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Bloom Day (Part 2) - May 2023
I've broken my May 2023 Bloom Day post into segments because even I've found my garden overwhelming this month. Part one can be found here.Today's post covers my south-side and north-side gardens....
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Bloom Day (Part 3, the Final Chapter) - May 2023
The good news is that I probably won't approach Bloom Day like this again anytime soon. Please consider this extended, three-part photo extravaganza a flight of fancy attributable to the sheer volume...
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In a Vase on Monday: A joy, even if brief
As a by-product of this year's heavier-than-usual rainfall, my back slope is now grossly overgrown. It's difficult to walk down there at the moment as plants crowd the narrow concrete stairway from...
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It wasn't all about the butterflies
When I visited South Coast Botanic Garden earlier this month to tour the SOAR butterfly exhibit, I had time to kill before my timed entry slot opened. Work on the new Children's Garden, expected to...
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Under the weather
I've been under the weather, literally and figuratively. Our heavy marine layer has been a persistent presence since early April. At best, we get a little sun in the late afternoon. On the positive...
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In a Vase on Monday: Going all in on pink
A close friend stopped by on Saturday bearing gifts. These included peonies! She knows I love them and that I've had next to no luck growing them so, if they're available locally as cut flowers near...
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More butterflies!
Although I planned to drop in at South Coast Botanic Garden's SOAR exhibit once more before it closes, I hadn't expected to do that again in May. However, I bowed out of other plans with a friend as...
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A shorter drive...
I was feeling stir crazy and decided I "needed" a trip to a garden center this week. I remembered reading that Flora Grubb Gardens had taken over the former Marina Del Rey Garden Center I've...
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In a Vase on Monday: Fading fast
The flowers in my cutting garden are fading faster than I can cut them. Flowers have been dropping from the foxglove stalks in large numbers. The Minoan lace flowers are withering. On the other...
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Marine layer or not, summer's on its way
In the US, Memorial Day, which fell on May 29th this year, marks the unofficial start of summer. Although our persistent marine layer and the cooler temperatures that accompanied it may suggest...
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Out with the old
I've been planning to clear out the cool season flowers in my cutting garden for some time now. Between the advancing mildew and rust afflicting the spring bloomers and the need to make room for the...
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In a Vase on Monday: Some flowers keep on giving...
I had Peruvian lilies (Alstroemeria) in mind when I selected the title of today's post but the statement applies to other flowers in the arrangements shown below as well. Our marine layer and cooler...
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Bloom Day - June 2023
I'm posting my photos for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day a day early this month. I'm not going to replicate the laborious approach I took last month. This time around, with a few exceptions, I've...
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