Going Native

Given our drought conditions, it makes even more sense these days to plant natives. I'm reminded at my job that people's awareness of what constitutes a native, or maybe more to the point what are the choices in choosing a native plant, vary considerably. Even the term is somewhat confusing. In general, people here are usually using the term to refer to California natives. That's fine, as long as one considers that might include the wet environs of N.E. California or the deserts of SoCal or Baja. There are a hundred micro-climates in this state so the term 'native' can be quite elastic. Also, sometimes the term will be applied to the West coast of the country, which in a way makes more sense as the coastal regions have more in common than coast vs inland. To further complicate things, there is the term 'endemic,' which means (roughly) "only found in that region." A plant may be endemic to Northern California and never be found in S. Cal.
There is one other confusing bit. When you say 'native' people tend to assume you're talking about plants that are all drought tolerant. That's not always true, though in general CA natives are pretty used to drier conditions. Add to this the idea of Bay Friendly plants -- plants that are tough, drought tolerant and suited to our area -- and it can all be a bit confusing.
Starting with CA natives is a good entry point but to me it makes sense to examine each plant's needs. I try to widen gardener's views of drought tolerant genera/species by expanding it to include Bay Friendly plants. EBMUD has collected a lot of these plants in a very fine book that has the rather unwieldly title "Plants and Landscapes for Summer-Dry Climates."
The upshot of all this is to plant plants that will use less water. That group would obviously include succulents and bulbs, which really only need water during a three month period in spring or summer.
Okay, here are a few more photos from my garden on this fine spring, er, winter day.

Though not the best shot, here is a new addition to my garden -- Abutilon thompsonii. Its calling card is its speckled foliage. Can't wait for it to reach some degree of fullness!

This may seem like a strange photo to include, a little scrawny, not yet flowering plant. It's an Ornithogalum concordiana, a S. African bulb. The appeal for me lies in its spirally, curly leaves. As strange as this seems, there is a loose collection of plants that are grouped together by this one defining characteristic. In fact, one devotee has even labeled this group "Twirls and Curls." It's definitely got my attention.

I never get tired of growing freesias. Bright colors, fantastic fragrance, faithful perennials, what's not to love? Plus, spring blooming bulbs are like harbingers of spring so they also herald the near arrival of other spring plants.

What was said about freesias above could apply to this colorful S. African bulb, Sparaxis, the only difference being that it is not fragrant. Who cares when you get fuzzy sheaths then an assortment of colors, all with a differently colored center edged in black.

Aloe distans. This guy is all bark and no bite, its teeth soft and rubbery. It's one of the easiest aloes to grow and grows quickly. It's newly in the ground so we'll see what happens next.

Yellow-flowering oxalis -- aiiii!!!!! Hold on, this is the non-invasive Oxalis penduncularis. You get all the beauty and no fuss with this guy. He makes large globes of leaves from which sprout these typical oxalis flowers. "Bush" species are much less common than the popular ground cover types but they're just as colorful.

Chamelaucium 'Purple Pride.' This guy has definitely decided it's spring, bursting into bloom. It has one of the more curious common names -- Geraldton Wax Flower, especially since the flowers aren't particularly waxy (to me at least). They are however very pretty and come in a variety of colors ranging from white to pale pink to bright pink or lavender. The flowers last a long time, making for an extended show.

The succulent to the lower left of this photo is the one in bloom, producing the simple but inviting yellow flowers. It's a sedum no wait it's an echeveria no it's a ... gimme a moment ... a sed-everia? Yes, that is indeed what it is. Someone crossed a sedum with an echeveria to produce a sedeveria. In this case, a S. hummelii. Upwards and onwards!

I wasn't trying to create this dark background, it's no trick of the camera, but that's a Bridalwreath spirea (S. prunifolia 'Plena').  This one produces tiny little "button" flowers right before the leaves appear.

Here's a better shot of my latest "victory," the long awaited flowers on my Iris confusa 'Chengdu.' Charming and the plant produces many spikes that each contain multiple flowers. 

Ferraria species. I'm not sure which one this is but Ferrarias are just the coolest (and weirdest) flowers most of us will ever see. Like underwater starfish, someone once opined. Ai, matey!

This one I just call my 'chocolate' ferraria. This species doesn't have quite the pronounced curly edges that most ferrarias have but is no less charming.

Echeveria 'Black Prince.' I call this my California beach variety, with the 'black' having turned to a copper color in the sun. For sure, dude. Still, a fabulous color and it's one tough little guy.

Aloe rupestris. This tree aloe is one of the faster growing species. Now I'm just waiting for it to bloom. Still it's pretty impressive, now 8' tall and with some very sharp 'teeth.'

Melasphaerula ramosa. This delicate looking but tough and prolific S. African bulb is reliable and pretty, though its flowers are small and simple. I didn't quite get it in focus here (damn wind) but hopefully will have a better shot in my next posting. It looks a lot like a Gladiolus tristis to me (another S. African bulb).

This 'gold on black' shot shows off the great colors of Eccremocarpus 'Tresco Gold.' If you're looking for a smaller vine, Eccremocarpus are perfect for that. I know of three -- this gold, one called 'Cherry Red' and a new one called 'Pink Lemonade.'

Justicia carnea. I am slowly collecting Justicia species. This one is commonly called Brazilian Plume and the other readily available species, J. brandegeeana, Shrimp plant. Given that they are tropical, they do surprisingly well in the milder Bay Area zones.

This dangling participle, oh wait that was an English class flashback, is Pandorea pandorana. It has one of the great common names in the entire plant world -- Wonga Wonga vine. No need to buy it for that name; the pretty sunset flowers will be more than enough of a reason. Just as tough as other Pandorea vines.

I keep trying to get a good shot of my charming little Fuchsia 'Rose Quartet' but then keep falling back to this photo I took in 2012. There's something about the hot pink juxtaposed against the pure white petals that make this a refreshing sight. Despite it being a hybrid, I've not had any problems with the dreaded fuchsia mite.

Damn it, it's Spring!

I give up. Despite it being early February, I'm giving into overwhelming physical evidence and acknowledging it's spring. The plants have spoken. I know, I know, New England is still buried under 10 feet of snow. But that's a place far away and long ago.
We have what we have when we walk out the door and out my door is spring.
Not that that's a bad thing, mind you. It's just weird. If we can just alternate a week of heavy rain with a week of pleasant sunny weather then that would be perfect.
In a way this early warm weather is a good reminder that we do indeed live in the natural world. That it doesn't matter a whit what a human calendar says. That said, climate change is wreaking havoc on our planet so it's only through a useful short term amnesia that we can put aside those worries and enjoy this lovely weather. I was watching the Pebble Beach golf tournament in Monterey yesterday and despite the fact the average high on this date would be 61 degrees, it was 75. The golfers were alternately baffled and delighted. And the views were spectacular. Worth tuning in even if you don't care at all about golf.
So, here are photos from my 'spring' garden. Of course there are plants that aren't as easily fooled by this unusually warm weather. It's still February for them and they'll surface or bloom when they are damn well ready, thank you very much! Still, lots to photograph on such a lovely day. Praise be.

Crassula falcata. Known as Propeller plant, mine has decided to act as a spatula-like waterfall, tumbling down from its pot. Quite possibly my favorite succulent.

Though the shot isn't perfect, this Primula Primlet 'Sunrise' is just so exuberant I had to photograph it. So cheerful!

Speaking of exuberant, here's a closeup shot of a hybrid freesia. I swear, some of these freesias are so brightly colored you need sunglasses to view them. 

Iceplant + violas. Golden yellow and wine colors, hanging out, loving the sun. Iceplant flowers really do react to the sun. They rarely open on cloudy days. It's as if they're operating by solar polar, unable to unfurl until the sun gives them the energy to do so.

The Sun bed. This small bed is my favorite destination to plant spring annuals over top of the many bulbs here. Here it's Ranunculus, which though a bulb, I usually buy new each spring. There's also a Voltage Yellow osteospermum, also a perennial but which added a bit of much needed color in the winter. Soon this bed will be alive with Phacelias, Nigellas and Nemophilas, not to mention a host of Iris and Daffodils.

If this looks familiar, in fact like a Euphorbia, it is. What makes it different are the red flowers, here just starting to emerge, marking it as a Euphorbia atropurpurea. Deer proof, tough and pretty, Euphorbias are a great landscape plant.

Brachysema selsianum. Another shot of my Aussie native shrub that produces "unopened" red, pea-like claw flowers. It's a low scrambling shrub, used for texture. I always think of the pure red flowers as Cardinals (birds) in a tree, only close up.

Here's my own shot of the Wind poppy, Stylomecon. The crinkly orange creme soda flowers are pretty but its the 'eye' and the stamen that are the real attraction to me. 

Sometimes the bud form of flowers can be as interesting as the open flowers. Here my Luculia pinceana has produced little pink balls that look like little alien pods. Of course once the flowers open, their heady fragrance becomes very apparent.

Let's imagine a world where you aren't familiar with a lot of common plants. In that world you come across this exquisite sky-blue nodding flower and fall head-over-heels in love. That's how I look at the common Borage. If there were ever a flower I wanted to self-seed in my garden (and this one does), it's borage. And of course bees love it.

Calothamnus villosus. There must be a term for plants that flower directly off the stem and Calothamnus is one of the more unique ones. It forms little bumps along the stems that then suddenly open into these wispy flowers that are sort of pom-pom like.

Everybody's favorite 'orange' plant, Streptosolen (Marmalade bush) is immediately identifiable.  It's blooming early this year, no doubt responding to the warm weather. Toast anyone?

Melaleuca incana. This Aussie shrub has gone a bit wild, literally branching out. Here, one of the branches has created a 'highway' through the Adenanthos (Wooly bush). This species has fuzzy yellow flowers that remind some of Bottlebrush flowers, only on a miniature scale.

Here's a closeup of the Melaleuca flowers. One interesting thing about them -- the flowers start out looking very much like conifer cones and then gradually plump up before finally releasing their color.

Last week I posted a photo from my archive of my Magnolia 'Black Tulip.' Here's a "live" shot, taken this morning, of two open flowers. As I noted, this variety's flowers stay in a tight cup shape, which to me adds to their beauty. The flowers also hold onto their color.

Ten points for anyone that can guess this flower. Of course it hasn't opened yet. The multitude of little buds should be a clue that it's a bulb. It's in fact Allium schubertii. That is, an ornamental onion. This one, along with A, cristophii, form huge balls of tiny flowers that seem to explode out from the center, like fireworks. Very pretty.

Here's a photo of my Bamboo iris, taken of my own plant (not the one I raided from the net last week). The flowers aren't showy in and of themselves but there will soon be dozens of them, opening on crooked stems that snake up above the foliage. 

Chasmanthe bicolor. Most gardeners are familiar with the phrase "A weed is only a plant you don't want in your garden." That might be true for this S. African bulb. It can be slightly invasive, though mine has proven well behaved. Tough, pretty and drought tolerant. It's all good.

Gelsemium sempervirens. Better known as Carolina jasmine, though it acts more like a honeysuckle than a jasmine. Not especially fragrant but it produces a wealth of cheerful yellow flowers in spring.

Camellia 'Francie L. Variegated.' Another reticulata camellia, this one has variegated rose and white flowers. You get a preview of that even in this early bud phase.

This lovely Sedum is just commonly referred to as Jelly Bean sedum and you can see why here. They really do look yummy enough to eat. 

Sedum 'Lemon Coral.' Amazing how this sedum just brightens up any area. That chartreuse just really pops. From this top view it looks like it's shooting upwards but very soon it will be spilling over the front of the pot.

The Rain

So, a month of nothing but rain in December (yoo, hoo the drought is over) followed by a completely dry month of January (life as we know it is over) and now the Pineapple Express comes roaring into town. What, "mood swings" in California? Never heard of such a thing!
Seriously though, this 3 day rain is badly needed, for all manner of reasons. And of course our gardens will benefit greatly. Even die-hard sun lovers like myself are happy.
I've recently discovered a fun 'trivia facts' book called 1339 QI Facts to Make Your Jaw Drop. It has all manner of wondrous facts and the author points out that each of these facts has been researched (and that that research is available on their website). It covers quite the spectrum and very little is about plants but there are a few so I thought I would share a couple in each of my next few blog posts. Here are the first two:
* The nectar of citrus plants contains caffeine to attract bees.
* Urban birds have learned to line their nests with cigarette butts . Nicotine is a powerful insecticide that wards off mites, lice and fleas.

Okay, now the photos. Due to the rain, I've dipped into my archives or in a few cases the internet for pictures of plants in my garden that are in various stages of bloom. Don't forget to click on the photos to see them in full size (where their beauty can best be appreciated).

No this isn't an orange dandelion but a tough ground cover called Hieracium lanatum. It forms a dense mat of lightly hairy green leaves and usually in spring these dandelion imposter flowers that pop up on tall stems. 
Blogpost sometimes does funny things so the following six photos are mashed together, not letting me make notes under each photo. So, here goes, top to bottom. Everyone will recognize the top one, a colorful freesia hybrid. For any novices out there, freesias are the easiest bulb to grow -- and one of the sweetest smelling. Plus all the wild colors.
Below it are two photos of Lachenalias, at this point unidentified as to species. Lachenalias are of course a South African bulb that is, along with freesias, the easiest S. African bulb to grow. They do want a dry summer (after blooming) but other than that they are very reliable rebloomers.
Below that is a photo of a new Ferraria in my garden, F. ferrariola. This photo is from Annie's Annuals and Perennials. Ferrarias somehow manage to be beautiful, strange and totally unique all wrapped in one tough little package.
Next up is the wonderful plant known as Bamboo iris (Iris confusa 'Chengdu'). This picture is also from Annie's (where I bought mine). I bought mine three years ago and waited. Waited some more. I'd about given up when I went out in the garden yesterday and saw the first blooms! And there were half a dozen flowering stems so it's soon going to look like the specimen in this photo. I've learned to be patient but sometimes plants really test you!

Camellia 'Lila Naff.' Mine is just now budding up but I couldn't wait to share its beauty so here's a photo from the web. It's a Reticulata type and like many varieties in that species it has wavy petals and an extravagant visual appeal. 

Stylomecon heterophylla. This CA native poppy isn't nearly as well known as it should be, given its beauty. Besides the delicious, crinkly orange petals, it also offers up golden stamen set against a burgundy 'eye.' Enough to make orange lovers swoon. (This photo also from Annie's).

Magnolia 'Black Tulip.' This isn't a painting, though it looks like it. And I didn't catch this flower on the 'cusp' of opening. This magnolia's flowers hold onto their cup shape, giving them almost a posed appearance.

Chaenomeles 'Kurokoji.' One of the most beautiful of all the flowering quince bushes. It blooms very early in my garden, even without the help of our unusually early warm days. There's nothing quite like that blood red color.

Geranium phaeum. This hardy and lovely geranium is hard to find. Which is a mystery, given its dense, purple-speckled green foliage and lovely matte purple flowers. I've neglected it and it still keeps on ticking.

Ranunculus. Who doesn't love these colorful bulbs? So many colors, some that are bicolor, and their relatively long bloom season for a bulb. Instant color.

Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora.' Though this photo from my archive isn't in perfect focus, my specimen is currently opening new flowers even before the leaves arrive. Tough, pretty and lightly fragrant, what's not to like?