Here are some photos to share on this XMas eve. Ho, ho, ho!
Magnolia Butterflies. Sometimes in the winter months it's all about the promise of things to come. In this case, it's the lovely pale yellow flowers on this magnolia. First flowers will open in less than a month.
Three new succulents, to be planted in the copper-colored bowl here. That's an Aeonium Sunburst, Echeveria gibbiflora and at the lower center a Sempervivum tectorum greenii.
It may not look like it but this colorful guy is an Oxalis. It's O. Coco Mint and its color has deepened as the weather has cooled.
Here's a newly arrived piece of garden art. It's fashioned from distressed metal. This photo is a bit over-exposed so it doesn't show off the brown flecking.
Canarina canariensis. This fall and winter bloomer is still adding these delightful cup-shaped orange flowers. Can be a bit tricky to get going but is very hardy once established.
Phylica plumosa. Though it hasn't filled in as much as I would like, in part due to it staying in a pot, this South African shrub has the absolute softest foliage!
I've been collecting heathers and this Erica canaliculata 'Rosea' has been a real find. It's proven to be a prolific bloomer even in its first year.
Melaleuca micromera. This less common Melaleuca has the finest texture foliage, with alternating green buds and cream-colored stems giving the appearance of a micro variegation.
Kalanchoe prolifera. If any plant were aptly named it's this thick-leaved succulent. K. prolifera? Should have just called it Kalanchoe prolific for how fast it grows, how big it gets, how often it flowers and how easily it reseeds.
I'm still waiting on my Sideritis cypria to flower but in the meantime it keeps filling out, now spilling over the front edge of this driveways bed. Love that silvery foliage and wouldn't mind if it never bloomed, except for the fact that the lime-green bracts are ever so cool. They start out as upright swirling funnels then separate into round bracts similar to Salvia clevelandii.
It's about time for my Aloe striata to bloom. Like many aloes it puts out stiff stems containing multi-branching clusters of tubular orange flowers.Hummers love 'em too!
Echeveria gibbiflora 'Red.' Though it's still awaiting a home in the ground, this showy Echeveria is adding color to the driveways bed.
A lot of people are familiar with Melianthus major, the so-called African honey bush. It is perhaps more vividly known as the 'peanut butter plant' as its foliage really does exude an uncanny PB scent. This photo is of my M. pectinatus plant, a more dwarf form of the larger M. major. Still has that same eerie PB scent.
Many people think of Euonymus plants as utilitarian and it's true, they're a tough, long-lived way to add evergreen foliage to a spot. This E. japonicus aureo-marginatus might be the exception, with its considerable size and bright golden colors. Normally it's a mix of greens and golds but right now it's carrying forward summer golds.
Swainsona galegifolia 'White.' The delicate foliage on this Aussie native makes it seem as if it might be hard to grow but in fact it's a sturdy shrub. It sports white pea-shaped flowers in summer and gets to about 5'x5' in size.
This Sphaeralcea NewLeaze Coral has been the star of my 2019 garden, just now going out of bloom after flowering prolifically since April. One of the better performing mallows.
The leaf shape is a give-away - yes this is a geranium - but its dark leaves are uncommon in the great world of true geraniums. It's G. 'Chocolate Candy.' Lovely!
My Rhodocoma capensis keeps on keeping on. I put it in this location to soften all the cement of the front steps. Mission accomplished!
My Abelia Kaleidoscope has been a real trooper, anchoring a spot along our main walkway. The broader-leaved vine spilling over it is my Clematis armandii 'Snowdrift.' It's an evergreen species, with intensely fragrant white blooms in spring.
That's a Billbergia Casablanca on the right and a Neoregelia variety on the left. Neither has bloomed yet but I'm sure they soon will. By the way, these came from Bromeliad Paradise in Florida and I highly recommend them.
Kudos to those who recognize this Begonia. It's B. acetosa, an obviously broad-leaved species that has grown extremely quickly. No blooms in this its first year but really, it's the foliage that is the main attraction.
A friend gave me a cutting of this mystery Begonia. Does anyone recognize it? I'd love to know what it is.
No mystery as to this Camellia's identity. It's my C. reticulata Frank Hauser. Reticulatas are the Queens of the camellia world, often having the showiest flowers. That includes most having ruffled petals like this beauty.
Microlepia strigosa. One of my favorite ferns and so far it has both remained evergreen and avoided the dreaded thrips.
Nandina 'Firepower.' This variety of heavenly bamboo features red leaves, especially in the winter. It's a bit slow growing but that's okay.
Speaking of less common 'geraniums', this Pelargonium sidoides is one of my favorites. It's not in bloom right now but it sports tiny, intense burgundy flowers that are a true delight. Meanwhile, one gets to enjoy the lovely scalloped leaves.
Melaleuca incana. Though the little woody 'cone' like protuberances seem like they must be a seedpod of some kind, in fact they are the pieces from which the yellow flowers will eventually sprout. All part of this Aussie's survival strategy in harsh arid conditions.
Look closely and you can see developing flower buds on this Leucospermum 'Veldfire.' One of the showiest of all sugarbushes, this one features a fine golden 'fur' right before the flower opens.
I wanted to put this bluebird door knocker out where people could enjoy it so hung it on our walkway fence.
Myrsine africana variegata. This variegated form of the African boxwood is a nice way to lighten up a darker spot. This plant is notoriously slow to flower and indeed I'm still waiting after 5 years.
No comments:
Post a Comment