Back on the farm

Well, not the farm, the garden. Or the Garden Grotto Or these days, the Garden of Eden, that is to say any place not directly affected by the evils of Trumpdom (or is that Trumpdumb?)
There hasn't been a lot to photograph since my last post a month ago but then all kinds of challenges kept me busy the last 6 weeks. I did manage to get some decent ones today and while they may not win any photography prizes, they do give an idea of what's going on in my little 'one-of-everything' garden. Actually there is exciting news but unfortunately taking photos of a variety of bulb shoots isn't going to raise too many people's temperatures. To me though, they are harbingers of spring or in the case of the S. African bulbs, late winter.
So here are a few visuals to enjoy in whatever way pleases you.

I start with some brilliant blue dragonflies, very pretty even if they're not real.

Lepechinia hastata is one of the four season wonder plants. I eventually started over as my old one kind of took over everything around it. Fragrant leaves, very pretty flowers over a long period, drought tolerant and a favorite for hummers and bees. 

 Even though I need to put it in a larger pot,  my Coprosma Pina Colada is still colorful and healthy.

I need a better picture, how the heck could I take this shot and not see the shadow? but it gives an idea of the pretty urn-shaped flowers on my variegated Arbutus Marina. Those will soon mature into berries much beloved by birds.

Oxalis vulcanicola. One of the prettiest of the low growing Oxalis. No beating those oranges and golds.

Kind of an odd photo compositionally but that's just the way the flowers are growing. Low and sticking out is my Helenium Mardi Gras; above it is my Arctotis Opera Fire. And then above it and to its left is the long blooming and hard to find Justicia betonica, with its white bracts. 

Though not in full splendor - it IS December after all -  my Agastache Red Fortune is nonetheless still blooming. It's doing that almost year round now.

Neoregelia Presatress x Touchdown. That's quite the mouthful for a simple bromeliad.

It is and it isn't. Yes, it is obviously a staghorn fern, just not the common one. In this case, it's the sun-loving Platycerium veitchii. Slightly more slender leaves that are a touch more blue.

I debated whether to even post this photo of my first Magnolia stellata Royal Star flower. It's not illuminated by the sun so isn't glowing like they normally do in the sun. But still, the first!

Chamaecyparis 'Ellwood's Pillar.' From my collection of dwarf conifers. Lovely!

I'd buy this lovely Sideritis cypria for the downy and silvery foliage but as it turns out it will eventually produce apple green bracts that are a sight to behold.

Rainbow bush, otherwise known as Portulacaria afra variegata. Always wanted one of these and now I do. It's in with a collection of succulents in my sunny front yard driveways bed.

Wow, the leaves on Trachelium Hamer Pandora really do turn a vivid burgundy purple during the colder months.

Lotus jacobaeus. Known as 'black lotus' for its deep burgundy flowers. Blooms year round and a favorite of bees.

Beyond Tulips and Daffodils

As many a gardener knows, spring blooming bulbs have begun showing up in local nurseries and garden centers. That means tulips, daffodils, Iris and crocus, among other spring blooming treats. Although there are summer blooming bulbs, most notably lilies and dahlias, for many a gardener spring is the time when they think of cheerful bulbs. I'd like to offer the view that there are bulbs that start blooming in December and ones that will bloom every month thereafter until September. For simplicity's sake, call them Winter blooming, Spring blooming and Summer blooming. Here is a sampling of wonderful, less common bulbs available in each of these seasons.
WINTER. Most of the bulbs that bloom from late November through late February are of South African origin. Most notably there are the host of Lachenalias. They boast astonishing variety and even better they are one of the easiest and most reliable South African (SAF) bulbs to grow. And usually the earliest. The small tubular flowers cover almost the entire color spectrum - reds, pinks, purples, oranges, yellows and greens. Even the rarely seen blue, as with the L. viridiflora. Next up are the Ferrarias, most notably F. crispa and its hybrids or subspecies. Nicknamed spider iris, these are some of the most fantastical flowers you'll ever see, with dramatically crinkled edges. And did you know that most gladiolas are of SAF origin? The straight species glads have smaller flowers but often more intricate patterns. They bloom in the late December to April period and once happy can be quite vigorous. In fact I have a number of these that have already sent up shoots!
Likewise, did you know that the colorful and easy to grow Freesias are from S. Africa? They too have been hybridized to get a multitude of colors and bigger flowers. They're retained some of the sweet fragrance but if you ever see cream-colored freesias popping up where you planted another color, it's because those bulbs have reverted to the original species. Smell them. They're usually much more fragrant. Likewise, Ixias and Sparaxis, which I lump together with freesias as all three have a multitude of colors, bloom in late winter and early spring and naturalize effectively.
One more potential SAF late winter bloomer is Moraea. There are many species but the most famous one is M. villosa, otherwise known as Peacock moraea for its striking center eye and colors. And finally, want a bulb that also doubles as a caudiciform? Try the charming Albuca spiralis, which produces tightly curled blade-like foliage, little white flowers tipped in green and later a nice fat 'belly.'

SPRING. Besides the common tulips, daffodils, Dutch iris, crocus and hyacinth, there are other treats in spring. Various Scillas, including Scilla peruviana, offer dainty but colorful woodland flowers. Species tulips like T. chrysantha, clusiana, tarda or saxatilis make up with color and volume what they lack in height and size of flower. Plus they don't need a 'winter' and will naturalize in your garden. Ranunculus is an early spring bloomer, with exceptionally showy flowers. Another SAF bulb not as well known is Ornithogalum, better known as Star of Bethlehem. Tall or short, white, cream or green colors abound and they are vigorous. And while Dutch iris are popular, consider planting smaller species iris such as I. reticulata or I. pseudacorus. There are also many Siberian iris, as well as Japanese iris (I. ensata) for a change of pace. And though there are few CA native bulbs commercially available one that it is, Brodiaea, is well worth growing. Whether it's B. californica or one of the B. laxa hybrids, they bring spring purples into your garden and return each year.
One last mention will be another SAF entry, Babiana. Known as baboon flower because, yes, baboons in Africa do eat the flowers, they offer pleated leaves and then in spring purple, lavender, white, even pink flowers.

SUMMER. Again, while Lilies, Dahlias, Begonias and Gladiolas dominate the summer bulb garden, there are plenty of other choices. Everybody is familiar with Calla lilies but there are a host of colors available in summer and they like the sun! Also consider adding an ornamental onion or two. Two starburst varieties are treats - A. cristophii and A. schubertii. Then there are the 'globe' onions that can have densely packed heads that can span 4-6"!
And when is a lily not a lily? That would be true of the gorgeous Gloriosa lily (Gloriosa rothschildiana). Sometimes called Flame lily they offer yellow-fringed, recurved flowers in summer. Once established, it's prolific. Finally, there are Watsonias. It's another SAF import that has been hybridized and become more widely available in the U.S.

So there you have it. Enough choices to make your head explode on a cool end of November day.
Now a few photos from my garden.

The evolution of my sidewalk strip. Even in almost December, it has Gazanias, Agastache, Helenium, Monardella odoratissima, a red Mimulus and my ever blooming black Lotus in bloom. Tons of bulbs in this bed. Already up are Ipheions, Freesias, a few early Dutch iris and a few Ixia. 

Not my XMas tree but my Senecio kleinii. Unfortunately, Annie's Annuals has discontinued this species so I'm glad I got mine when I did. A fast grower for a succulent.

Eucalyptus Blue Lagoon. I know, it seems strange growing a Eucalyptus in a pot but this is a smaller shrub type. Love the color and delicate leaves. 

I thought maybe my Erica speciosa would be a spring bloomer but it's adding flowers now. Winter flowers are always appreciated. 

Beautiful red color on my Cornus florida. A word of advice about dogwoods. It can take them a few years to flower so hang in there!

Though not yet in bloom, my Aloe striata (Coral aloe) makes a striking winter foliage specimen.

Although this photo is somewhat in shade, my Echeveria gibbiflora is acquiring the red tones that it is noted for. I bought mine with red leaves, then it being in too much shade it reverted to bluish-green. But now back in sun and with temps cooling it's 'getting its red on.'

Also not in sun to really show off more of its golds, my Cistus 'McGuire's Gold' is so much happier now that I've moved it out of hot sun and into cooler filtered sun. Funny, rockroses usually like lots of sun.

Back in the Fold

Well, between things slowing in the garden, being sick and then the particulate-laden gray skies, I haven't been taking many photos of my garden and thus not thinking primarily of this blog. Of course I have taken side ventures to post photos and info about bees, birds, public gardens etc but here once more I'll be posting some photos of my November garden. And even though the last 9 photos were taken under our recent gray skies, thus not quite capturing the full color of flowers under clear skies, they were sufficiently good to decide to post.

Yes, this an Angel's Trumpet tree! It's a new double form that Annie's Annuals is growing, called Brugmansia Double Apricot. Pretty fabulous. It literally is one trumpet flower emerging from the center of another! Plus the color is pretty fab. It took awhile for it to bloom but is hitting its stride now.

Here's a close-up of the flower and in fact this one flower is almost a triple! 

Kudos to those that can ID this flower. It's a Thunbergia battiscombei, sometimes called Blue Glory or Blue Clock vine. It grows more as a scandent shrub than an out and out vine like most Thunbergias. Very pretty flowers and they come out almost as a cornucopia, with a twisty neck

Speaking of unusual species or varieties of common plants, here's my Mandevilla Sun Parasol Apricot. This variety is so new that not many had a chance to grab one before growers ran out of stock this year.

Nope, these aren't green beans I'm about to harvest but rather the seedpods on my Tecoma x smithii. Although not in the legume family, the seedpods sure suggest that. 

Chamaecyparis pisifera Baby Blue. I love the glaucous tones on this dwarf conifer I recently brought home. Although it will over the years outgrow this small pot, it will be fine for awhile.

If we widen out, we see that the conifer above is part of a potted collection of dwarf conifers. I've run out of room for the time being - my planted conifer garden is just beyond the tree you see here - so it's pots for now. That's okay; a collection of colorful pots has its own charm. 

One last shot of my fabulous Begonia Belleconia Soft Orange. I love the fullness of the inner petals and then the contrast in color to the back orange petals. As many of you know I'm a Begonia lover and I keep coming across unique new ones.

For reasons I don't understand, my Heliotropium 'Alba' wants to bloom in late fall and winter. That's okay, something sweetly fragrant when not much else is in bloom!

If I'm remembering this correctly, somehow the tag disappeared, this is a type of 'peanut cactus.' In any case I think the 'colony' looks sweet in this reddish-plum colored pot

This Billbergia is taking its time in flowering. It keeps adding more of these elongated yellow bracts, which will eventually open pink flowers. Still, I thought it was pretty enough as is to post.

Snail vine. Those purple and white flowers belong to Vigna caracalla. It's climbed up into my Laburnum tree and now at the top has begun to produce its signature corkscrew fragrant flowers. Sadly they're just out of reach from the front house porch to get a whiff.

Streptosolen. Even on a cloudy day, the flowers on my marmalade bush still glow. Oranges, peaches, golds. Plus, it's a very tough shrub once established.

This Trachelium Hamer's Pandora is another late bloomer. This is a self-seeded specimen. Love that color and it's very popular with hummingbirds.

Rhodocoma capensis. My garden isn't really set up for grasses or in this case restios. But I had to make room for this Giant Cape restio (from the cape region of S. Africa) as it's so beautiful. Found a suitable pot, I like the rustic brown color, and am growing it as a kind of 'special interest' plant.

Now in year four, my Cunonia capensis (Butterknife tree) has really found its blooming mojo. The cream-colored flowers, which resemble fuzzier bottlebrush flowers, are to my surprise immensely popular with honey bees. Guess they must contain a lot of nectar! One of the favorite plants in my garden.

Do you know your A, Bees and C's?

Awhile back I did a post on the many native bees that frequent the Bay Area. That post proved popular so today I'm returning with a kind of part two. I recently discovered a wonderful book - 'California Bees & Blooms' by Gordon Frankie and friends. And at the very beginning they have a Sidebar about common bee myths (and the real truths). I thought that might be fun and informative to share (in a briefer form) so that will lead off today's post. Then I'll share a few recent garden photos, taken over the last week.

Bee Myths
1. Bees live in hives. Only a small % of bees live in hives and only the introduced European honey bee lives in hives here in North America. Also, ~ 75% of bees are solitary and live in individual nests tunneled in the soil.
2. Bees make honey. Only honey bees make enough honey to harvest. Bumblebees make a small amount of a honey-like substance. Most native bees (over a thousand species here in CA alone) make no honey at all; being solitary and not living long they have no need of it.
3. Honey is made from pollen. Honey is actually regurgitated nectar collected by worker bees. That nectar is mixed with water and stomach enzymes to form the honey we know.
4. Bees die after they sting. Only honey bees make this ultimate sacrifice. Bumblebees and social sweat bees can sting but don't die afterwards. Solitary native bees have no need to use such an option, not defending a hive. 
5. Wasps are bees. Well, you probably knew that but did you know that bees are vegetarians, only collecting nectar, while wasps are carnivores. That's why you see them hovering around your turkey sandwich at a picnic.
6. Small bees are 'baby' bees. Bees, belonging to the order Hymenoptera, emerge from their nests fully mature. The wide range of shapes and sizes of bees - over 1600 alone in California - accounts for the small bees you sometimes spot (and probably wonder 'Is that a bee?')
7. Bees go to their hives to sleep at night. Honey bees and most bumble bees do but males of solitary bee species can be found sleeping on plants, even nestled into flowers! Females may return to their nests at night to construct new tunnels and brood chambers.
8. Bees do the 'waggle dance.' Honey bees are famous for these dances that indicate nectar locations but solitary native bees have no need and want to keep these good locations to themselves.
9. Bees are short distance fliers. Indeed, bees prefer to be efficient in their nectar gathering, usually not going more than 1500' afoot but they have been known to travel further for a good source.
10. Adult bees live a long time. Alas your average male honey bee lives only about 6 weeks. Honey or bumblebee queens may live as long as 3-4 years. Solitary bees have it the worst, only living several weeks.
11. Male honey bees die upon mating. Under the 'I'm not sure I really wanted to know this' category, the genitalia of male honey bees explode at mating, paralyzing and killing them. Males of native species can and do mate more than once without dying.
12. Honey bees displace native bees on flowers. Evidence seems to indicate that apart from the occasional territorial scuffle between honey and native male bees, the groups seem to coexist peacefully.

So, there you have it, the 411 on the world of honey and native bees. 

Begonia Illumination Apricot. Somehow, these begonia flowers seem to glow with their own inner light. Golds, peaches, apricots, oranges, the flowers seem to display every color in this spectrum.

With my zoom lens I was finally able to get more of a closeup of the tiny flowers on my Emilia sonchifolia. My first attempt at growing it yielded mixed results but this year it has been in continuous glorious bloom for 3 months. Orange for orange lovers.

We're a long ways from Valentine's Day but this Cupid's Dart (Catananche caerulea) doesn't care. It's begun popping out lovely 1.5" flowers with overlapping petals. Not sure why this summer bloomer is so late but better late than never.

Who doesn't love moths? Here's a colorful little guy on my Tweedia plant. Gathering nectar no doubt. I've seen him frequently on this tweedia so I guess it's a good source. 

Calibrachoa Lemon Slice. One of my favorite variety names plus a pretty yellow star against white background flower. Million Bells as they're called are also enjoying the warmth of our autumn.

The flower on this hard to find Ruellia brittoniana may be a simple purple but dark stems and a bit of dark edging to the leaves of this vigorous perennial add up to an interesting specimen.

So, this photo illustrates the question 'What is a 'good' photo?' Shadows are somewhat camouflaging this shot of my Calothamnus villosus but in a way it adds a bit of mystery to the shot. As I've shared in previous photos, this is one of a number of plants whose flowers sprout directly off the stems. A close look reveals some burgundy buds here that have yet to open. And though the flowers look delicate, they are stiff and semi-waxy.

It may not be spring, when most bulbs begin to send up shoots and bloom, but some bulbs just can't wait. That would include a number of South African bulbs such as this Moraea polystacha, which naturally bloom in the late fall through late winter period.

Speaking of bulbs that don't bloom in spring or winter, this Rain lily waits for fall rains to quickly send up its simple white flowers. In short, most bulbs wait for the right combo of moisture and warmth to send up shoots. That's why it's not wise to plant things like Daffodils too early in the fall. If they get watered, intentionally or accidentally, or if we get unexpectedly early rain, they may get confused into thinking it's spring send up shoots.

Finally my latest discovery from the great world of Begonias, this B. Belleconia Soft Orange has one beautiful and somewhat unusual flower. The outer petals surround a collection of almost peony-like inner petals. Lovely!

Falling into Fall

As the saying goes "Fall would be my favorite season if it wasn't followed by winter." It may be mine anyway, at least here in Oakland with the warmer days and cool nights extending well into November. While the garden may not be as lush or bursting with the exuberance of spring, fall offers its own distinctive charms. And Fall is kind of a rest period. Yes, there's still weeding and trimming, fixing up some post spring/summer beds, but we've done most of the planting and can sit back and enjoy what our gardens have to offer. Today's garden photos reflect the diversity of the season but also a subtle shift from flowers to foliage as we inch our way to the colder months. And given my diverse garden, there are always delightful little surprises. This week it was my carefully nurtured Cypella peruviana bulb opening its first golden-orange flower. As they say, sometimes the hardest fought battles provide the sweetest victories.

Here's what all the fuss is about. Like Neomarica caerulea this Cypella has a patterned 'throat' to add that extra bit of interest. Unfortunately the flowers are very short-lived, often only a single day.

Begonia 'Illumination Apricot.' One last shot of my prolific bloomer. The whole series seems to provide vigorous bloomers, often smothering the foliage. No shy wallflower here.

Although the variegated foliage was the appeal of this Mini Bar Rose morning glory, I like the white rim on deep fuchsia-colored flowers. 

Speaking of 'mini', here's my Calibrachoa Mini-famous Double Rose plant. Like many things in my garden this year, it's blooming later than usual. You're never certain to get a second year's bloom out of Calibrachoas but this is year two of this little beauty.

Justicia betonica. I'm still in love with this tres, tres cool Plume flower. I'd not known of it until finding it a fellow enthusiast's plant sale and now it's nearly my favorite plant. Look at it full size to fully appreciate  the veining on its bracts. I kind of think of it as my 'albino justicia.'

Tried to catch the sun back-lighting this huge flower on my Oenathera 'Silver Blade.' This cross has perhaps the largest flower of any Mexican Evening primrose. And it's not often that you see a flower where every part of it is exactly the same color (as you find here).

Okay, okay, I should wait until the flowers on this Asclepias cancellata open but damn I swear they are opening in extreme slow motion. The flowers on this Wild Cotton milkweed are slightly unusual, forming five white 'tubes' with purple bases. Stiff, slightly curved leaves also distinguish this plant. A great plant for Monarchs.

We occasionally get asked at the nursery I work at "Do you have any plants that bloom year-round?" Uh, no. But actually that's not true. Two come to mind, one being this Gomphrena decumbens. It just goes on and on, as if oblivious to seasons or rain or, well, anything!

I'm still digging my new Salvia mexicana 'Danielle's Dream.' It seems to spend as much time with its fuzzy white bracts closed as open and sprouting two lipped pink flowers but that's fine with me.

Sesbania tripetii. It's about done blooming but couldn't resist one last shot of its glorious orange flowers. 

Eriogonum latifolium. Although E. grande rubescens and E. giganteum get all 'the press,' this charming and neater habit CA Buckwheat has made itself at home. I like some wildness in my garden - and there's plenty of that - but a plant that stays neat and compact has its own charm.

Lotus jacobaeus. This is the 'other' nonstop blooming plant in my garden. I remember when I mentioned to an experienced gardening friend 'Oh, my Black lotus seems fragile.'  He claimed his grew almost like a weed and was never out of bloom. Lo and behold that's what mine has done. Bees love it so am glad to have flowers for them in the cooler months.

Another 'almost there' shot, this of my smooth and speckled leaved Billbergia. The flower spike is all yellow bracts for now but soon will open sprays of multi-colored flowers.

Nandina 'Firepower.' It's now acquiring the vivid reds that lend it its variety name. This is a dwarf heavenly bamboo shrub, only getting to 30" tall and wide.

Two new additions to the garden, nearly mature specimens of Birdsnest Fern here above and the delightful Kangeroo Paw fern below. btw, both can be grown indoors. 

I'm sometimes asked to photograph whole beds, not just individual plants. Here's a photo of the main walkway, taken from the vantage point of the back apts towards the street. There's a 2' wide bed on the right and a foot wide ledge on the left where I keep a collection of potted plants.