The approaching solstice

Hard to believe we're but 3 weeks from the Summer Solstice. Wasn't it early March last week? Maybe it's the sheltering. And the longer days are so welcome we begin taking them for granted.
Here is more visual bounty from my garden. The first of the lilies are opening and many of the perennials have burst into bloom.
I want to put in an unsolicited plug here for Moraga Garden Center. I was out there yesterday and one can best describe it as having a funky charm. There is less of a focus on neat symmetrical displays and more of an emphasis on a great variety of plants. It's pure heaven for plantaholics like myself. One of the gems I came away with was a Pomegranate called Legrellii. A photo of it from the web leads off the collection of photos. Enjoy!

Here's a closeup of the pomegranate flower. The color and form may surprise some but in truth there is quite a variance in pomegranate flowers.

Here's what all the 'shouting' was about, the weird (and somewhat smelly) spathe on my Amorphophallus henryi. 

This is a photo of ... what exactly? Well, it's the seedpod on my Scabiosa stellata. While the flowers are pretty, it's these honeycomb seedpods that are the real attraction. 

My Allium Red Mohican continues to change. Here, some of the tiny florets are beginning to stand out from the head.

There's purple and then there's Thunbergia battescombei purple. Vivid!

Ornithogalum Lemon Custard. Love the variety name! Hmm, is it lunch time?

Scabiosa Fama Blue. This is one of the 'flat' flower types for this genus. Love that color!

Though they're small and still growing, I'm very excited about the eventful flowers to come on my Grevillea victoriae. This hard to come by Grevillea is tougher than it looks.

On the other spectrum, my Begonia Belleconia IS delicate but a reliable bloomer. 

Brodiaea 'Rudy.' This California native bulb offers simple purple flowers and colonizes nicely.

The two Calibrachoas and the one Petunia are doing their best to overrun each other but the real winner is all who get a look.

Lily Black Eye. Another shot of this early blooming Asiatic lily.

Convolvulus tricolor. A pretty scrambler in the morning glory family.

Here are the last of my Papaver 'Danebrog' flowers. 

One of the new lilies in my garden this year was labeled simply as Asiatic Mix. This first flower from that mix is a golden-orange with red tips. Beautiful!

Another shot of my Scabiosa Fama Blue.

My Sideritis cypria went wild this year but oh so lovely.

Japanese lace fern. This new addition to my shady back yard is a beaut.

Nicotiana mutabilis. The species name derives from the fact that this plant's flowers change from white to pink, thus 'mutable'!

Here's a new addition to my collection of lilies - Fifty-Fifty. Not sure where it gets its name but if you look closely you'll see red spots deep in its throat.

Garden as healer

Whether you're sheltering at home, retired or just keeping up with the Joneses, gardens are a wonderful refuge from the world. Amazing how after only being out there for ten minutes, the cares of the world can fall away.
Today it's all photos, as there's an abundance of flowers to share. Enjoy!

Lily Arbatax. Such a rosy pink.

Salpiglossis burgundy + Echium Blue Bedder behind.

This photo and the one below are two of the Summer Garden Asiatic lily mix. They are the advance guard of many more lilies to come.

Red Chief CA poppy + Baby Blue Eyes. Always a great combo.

Papaver Flemish Antique. One of the most spectacular breadseed poppies out there.

I recently added 3 dwarf conifers to my Japanese bed and then finished off with bark mulch. Bella!

Although it grows like a weed, Alstromeria is an easy way to add color to a part sun bed.

This golden-leaved ornamental grape is a recent find from Sonoma Horticultural nursery. Love it!

Iris douglasiana sport. This sport is more lavender than the purple found in the straight species.

Painted Tongue is a curious common name but it somehow suits Salpiglossis. They come in a variety of bold colors so you get to choose (or buy a 6 pack and get 'em all).

Laburnum. Golden Chain tree on the other hand is a perfect common name for a tree that produces clusters (chains) of lemon yellow flowers.

Lily Black Eye. Or maybe 'Burgundy Shiner'?

Amorphophallus henryi. Okay, not much to look at unless you're an aroid fan. Give it a week or so for the spathe to open and then you'll see what all the shouting is about.

Gladiolus Halley. As many of you know, I'm a fan of species tulips and species gladiolas. Here's one of the latter. 

Veronica penduncularis. Great for spilling over a rock wall.

Here's a second - and better as the flower is now fully open - shot of my Lily Apricot Fudge. 

As far as common names go, the one for this Centaurea seems appropriate (Amethyst-in-Snow).

There aren't  many CA native bulbs but here's one - Brodiaea. This is a hybrid mix called Blue Ocean Blend.

It took awhile but my Evolvulus is finally back to blooming. Love that blue!

I collect Begonias and here's a new one - B. Autumn Embers.' Though I buy Begonias for the foliage, this one has sweet little pink flowers.

Main walkway, looking back to front. This gives one an idea of how narrow the right side bed is and equally how narrow the ledge is on the left that holds the pots.

Allium Red Mohican. Just starting to open its tiny 'drumstick' flowers.

Mimulus Jelly Bean Gold. Oh, yeah!

Echium Blue Bedder. One of the all time great bee magnets.

Eriogonum latifolium. Love the silvery foliage.

Mimulus aurantiacus Orange.

Allium unifolium. Great color for an ornamental onion.

Lonicera x americana. Who doesn't love honeysuckles?

Calylophus. One of my favorite ground covers. So cheerful!

Daphne Lawrence Crocker. A pint-sized Daphne but still packs a wonderful fragrance!