That old Bay Area truism - 'If you don't like the weather, wait for five minutes" - seems to have vacated the premises. Each cooler than normal day follows another and we're not the only ones missing the sun and some heat. So are our gardens. Well, it will soon change. Meanwhile, here are recent photos from my One-of-Everything' garden.
Campanula 'Blue Waterfall'. My favorite Campanula and possibly the most prolific bloomer of them all.
Sweet peas tangled in tall lily stems. A little color now and then color to come
Lily 'Lionheart'. Always one of the earliest to bloom of my large collection of lilies, this charming Asiatic type is very cheerful.
Perhaps not exciting quite yet but this long row of potted lilies will soon be a riot of color.
One of my favorite Haitian metal sculptures.
Tho not yet bushy, this prolific blooming Echium Blue Bedder is a real bee magnet.
Streptosolen jamesonii. Better known as Marmalade bush, this long standing part of my front yard has garnered more 'Wow, what is that?' comments than any other plant.
Lonicera x americana. A prolific blooming honeysuckle but alas not one that is fragrant.
Here's my 'full to the gills' Driveways bed. Lilies, salvias, a Banksia rose, a snail vine and a Laburnum tree are here!
Tho most bottlebrush plants take a tree form, this Callistemon viminalis is a shrub. Same fuzzy red flowers beloved by hummers.
Maritime CA poppy. Unlike the other CA poppies, this species is a true perennial. This guy has been in this very bed for 6 or 7 years.
Here's one of the many Mimulus varieties in my garden.
Tho bare looking here, this Alstroemeria variety has overrun my Driveways bed. If anything is going to get 'weedy' this is certainly a pretty one.
It's not often that a flower's seedpods are as interesting as its flowers but that's the case for this Phacelia tanacetifolia.
Everybody loves flowering maples (the common name for Abutilons). Here's my A. 'Tiger Eye.'
Cotinus 'Royal Purple.' Everybody's favorite smoke bush ...
Digiplexis variety. Tho this cross between a Digitalis (foxglove) and an Isoplexis has now been reclassified as just a Digitalis, I prefer its original designation.
More sweet peas.
The early star of my collection of lilies, this L. 'John Hancock' has produced large, vividly colored flowers.
Papaver rhoeas 'Shirley.' These lovely flowers have a papery feel and are often attractively crinkled.
My Scarlet Peony breadseed poppy has gone wild this year!
Nasturtiums may be common but they still are pretty and they literally grow themselves.
Eucomis 'Sparkling Burgundy'. This vividly colored Pineapple lily is a knockout.
My bronze fennel has gone wild but no sign yet of Anise Swallowtail caterpillars.
Finally, a photo of my 'recovering' Shady Lane. Every plant close to the house wall on the left had to be cut to the ground to accomodate the painters last year. It's slowly filling back in.
