After the Flood

Okay, it wasn't a flood this week but parts of the Bay Area saw close to 5" of rain in three days. Oakland received much less (one inch) but that's been enough to cause our gardens to really perk up. That's been especially true for the bulbs in my garden. Apart from the South African bulbs that are always some of the earliest (Lachenalia, Ferraria, Chasmanthe, Sparaxis, Ixia and Freesia), I have Ipheion, Dutch Iris, Saxatilis tulips and Scilla popping their heads up. Though it will be awhile before any of these but the Lachenalia are in bloom, just their presence is a harbinger of things to come in early spring.
The rain and warmish days have also prompted my earliest Camellias to put out their first magnificent flowers. Leading the way this fall is C. reticulata 'Frank Hauser.' Its showy, ruffled orchid pink flowers are a sight to behold. Also making an early appearance is the singular C. 'Black Magic.' It offers up perhaps the deepest red flowers of any camellia, being almost a blackish-red. It wasn't until I did a Chronicle column on this variety that I discovered a) how many camellia societies there are  and b) how passionate camellia lovers are about new varieties entering the market.
To paraphrase that old saying, "There are two kinds of gardeners in this world. Those that take the winter off (because they choose or they're in a very cold climate) and those that can't help themselves from gardening year round." I guess I fall into the latter category.
To that point here are photos of my late November garden.

Grevillea lavandulacea 'Penola.' The species name refers to the downy, lavender-like grayish foliage. This variety features familiar red and cream colored flowers and will eventually get to 5'H and 7' W. Grevilleas are one of my favorite Protea family members, a view that I think is shared by many people.

Primula Primlet. Primlet primroses especially evoke the roses part of the common name. They stay mostly budded, with smaller tea-rose like blooms in a variety of colors. 

This handsome shrub would not seem at first glance to be a Melianthus (African honey bush). The foliage is very different from M. major but once you rub your fingers on a leaf and inhale, you immediately smell that distinctive peanut butter fragrance. 

Cassia phyllodinea. Here it's not the yellow flowers but the thin, dark red seedpods that are the attraction. As I've mentioned, I did a recent piece on Unusual Seedpods for Pacific Horticulture magazine. This shrub wasn't included but could well have been.

This lovely Echeveria species is gradually colonizing in a sunny, front yard bed. A closer look will reveal the beads of rain left over from last night's rainfall.

Leptospermum lanigerum. I love the downy, silvery foliage on this New Zealand tea tree. It's grown as much or more for this foliage than the simple white flowers. This species doesn't get as big as most tea trees so can be kept in a pot.

Phlomis fruticosa. This salvia relative, known as Jerusalem sage, is one tough and pretty little customer. Normally it wouldn't be blooming this late but well this is the weird and wacky Bay Area.

 Snapdragons + tulips. What you see now are the snapdragons but underneath are tulips. They'll join the party in February and make for a nice full and colorful pot. This is one simple example of vertical planting, making the maximum use of space.

 Just simple stock. OK, gardening quiz. Do you know the botanical name of stock? It's Malcomia and these hybrids are derived from Virginia stock. No matter what you call them they all exude that lovely spicy fragrance.

Every connoisseur's favorite Dicentra (D, scandens). This yellow bleeding heart is almost impossible to find in the trade and it's a mystery why. It's one of the toughest and prettiest vines you'll ever grow. It too is blooming later than usual.

It's nearly impossible to resist the charms of cyclamen this time of year. Of course the flowers are the main show but the patterns on the leaves are equally charming. 

This photo doesn't quite capture the color and charm of this Lachenalia aloides Orange. The first of the South African bulbs to bloom, Lachenalias are an early winter delight.

Echeveria pulvinata. This furry-leaved Echeveria is a real delight, with its red tips and frequent blooming.

Pandas in Oakland? Yes indeed if we're talking Panda-faced ginger, otherwise known as Asarum maximum. The leaves are similar to the more common Asarum caudatum, though to me a bit darker and glossier, but the round, waxy, cream and purple flowers are definitely different.

No, Sango Kaku isn't Klingon but rather a variety of Japanese maple. It's better known as Coral Bark maple for the reddish-orange stems that hold winter attraction. Rather than its late autumn leaves turning red like most maples, this variety's leaves turn golden. You can still see a bit of that as my specimen starts to shed its leaves.

One last shot of my Begonia Nonstop Salmon. This series is well named, as it has been flowering nonstop since August. 

 Echeveria peacockii. I love the slate blues in this Echeveria and like most Echeverias it is quick to flower.

It looks like a Euphorbia but red flowers? It's Euphorbia atropurpurea. This little known spurge is a lovely and vigorous species. Hailing from the Canary Islands (a Spanish archipelago off the NW coast of Africa), this especially lovely species will get to about 4-6' tall. Though it can also form a dense mound, my specimen has taken the other form, with arching arms tipped with clusters of bluish-green leaves.

Sedona photos - Verde Valley Gorge

Here is part three of the photos taken on my recent Sedona AZ trip. Part one was Oak Creek Canyon scenery and part two was the Wild Animal Park. One day was spent taking the historic train ride out through the Verde Valley gorge to the final destination of Perkinsville. The train had open air cars, which everyone took advantage of to get unfiltered and up close and personal views. We also had the company of a naturalist who explained some of the flora and fauna we witnessed. Most fortunately, that included a magnificent bald eagle, perched in a tree not 100 feet from the train on a bare tree. Our final destination was Perkinsville, an historic mining town that is now abandoned. The train provided a unique viewpoint, as there was no corresponding road that took the same route. Just the slow lumbering train and a group of diverse visitors charmed by the experience.

Here's the view from one of the open air train cars. We were lucky to get a sunny day and you can see the contrast between the deep blue skies and the rocky landscape.

This is a second train, on a separate track, seen across the gorge.

The gorge isn't wide but it's deep, a kind of verdant crevice cutting through the desert.

As the train continued on and we crossed one of three bridges, it afforded us a direct on view of the Verde river. 

Off in the distance are the red rocks that distinguish Sedona and the surrounding area. 

Here's a closer shot of the deciduous trees growing along the Verde river. That included a great many Cottonwoods.

Among the local trees was the Mesquite, with its tangled branches and dark trunks.

Perkinsville station. You can see by all the tall, established trees that the river flows through here. It once was a hub and a place where various mining products were hauled from.

It doesn't look like much now, with just a small train station, but there once was a general store that supplied all the basics for people working in the area.

Here are a few photos from the garden, taken today 11/16.

What is my Felicia amelloides doing blooming in the late fall? Consider first that it hails from S. Africa. Some of that genetic history, and the warmer weather we've had recently, is spurring it to flower. Blue daisies as they're called, are one of the toughest sub-shrubs out there.

So, all of a sudden plain out Bidens is breaking out and wanting to party? This is B. Hawaiian Flare Tutti Fruiti. See what happens when you let plants name themselves? Nonetheless it's a fun and exuberant plant.

My amazing Bouvardia is still blooming. Look up 'red' in the visual plant dictionary and there's probably a photo of this scarlet red flower.

Not a great shot but did want to prove that yes, my Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem' is still blooming. This photo also shows off the copper-brown bottoms of the leaves.

Primroses are a great way to add color to a part shade winter garden. Here two colors flank my variegated African boxwood (Myrsine africanus). 

This just in - Echeverias love to sunbathe! Or it seems that way this morning as my E. peacockii soaks up some sun. It has been quick to flower and quick to produce pups.

Look closely in this mass of  foliage and you'll see dozens of little deep burgundy flowers. It's my amazing and indefatigable Lotus jacobeus, better known as Black Lotus.

You can 'matric' or you can 'retic.'  The latter would be Camellia reticulata and one of the prettier varieties is this 'Frank Hauser.' Reticulatas are known for their impressively large and often wavy-petaled flowers and this variety holds up its end. When someone says "Oh, camellias, they're boring" I always want to show them this one in bloom.

Did you know that plants 'give birth?'  In a way they do. In this case a Philodendron leaf has unfurled from a tight spike and is still showing its glistening, lime green new state.

Just simple stock but I love this color and of course the flowers' spicy fragrance.

As I've mentioned, I usually take closeups of flowers (or leaves or at least a single plant). Here I stepped back and took one of my central front yard (it faces south). That's the sidewalk in the very front and angling to the right in the main walkway.

Migrating Weather

It's certainly not uncommon for Southern California to have warm weather in November but they are a full 400 miles south of the Bay Area and so our recent warm weather here in Oakland and environs is a bit troubling. Chalk it up to climate change or just a shift in the currents and weather systems but it does seem like this late in the year almost-summer weather is here to stay. As a gardener (and sun lover), I find it hard to complain but we do still need the rain and personally I enjoy the crisp early mornings that Fall brings.
Which is all to say that the recent rains followed by the unseasonably warm weather has really spurred plants in my garden. The following photos are but a sample of what's in bloom. November tends to be a month of transition. We're done with summer and early fall but haven't hit winter. In fact, the September to December period here in Oakland feels like one very long transition period. So, I've decided to embrace the transition in all its multi-faceted glory.
And now the photos.

Camellia japonica 'Little Babe Variegated.' A camellia blooming in November? Yep. This camellia is always the first of my collection to bloom. As with many variegated flowers, each individual bloom is slightly different from the others.

Also early is my Rhododendron 'Sappho.' This rhodie will often preview bloom a bit in the fall before having its main season in the early spring. For some reason it reminds me of Black Raspberry Swirl ice cream.

Calylophus drummondianus. This cheerful little ground cover has performed beyond my expectations and is still going strong in November. 

Lepechinia hastata + Luculia pinceana. These are two of the most fragrant shrubs you'll ever have the pleasure to have in your garden. For the Lepechinia, it's the foliage that has a woodsy appealing scent. And the pink flowers of Luculia (background) offer an incredibly sweet, heady fragrance.

Tecoma x smithii. The huge umbels of peachy-orange flowers keep on coming, which is delighting the local bees and hummingbirds. The plant also produces curious seedpods that resemble a cross between beans (long pods) and Asclepias (cottony inner portions). 

"I seed, therefore I am." That's certainly the motto of nasturtiums, which have self-seeded prolifically around my bird bath. 

Notocactus magnificus. Doesn't this botanical name sound like a Harry Potter spell? This new addition to my succulent table is already a star. 

Faucaria sp. Faucarias, or Tiger Jaws as they're affectionately known, are one of the most readily blooming succulents. Like many a succulent, the flower seems especially large in proportion to the plant itself.

This is just a simple Viola but to me its home, a large blue tea cup, gives it that extra special pizzazz.

My Aloe striata (Coral aloe) continues to get bigger. The wonderful symmetry of its new leaves makes for an additional element of interest. It produced two spectacular bloom spikes this summer and now continues to establish itself.

Trachelospermum asiaticum. The variegated form of this star jasmine is a slow grower but has finally gotten established. It's making a mat of multi-colored leaves, which provide a pleasing contrast to the green-leaved plants around it.

Staghorn fern. Taken at a side angle (the only angle I had), it may be a bit difficult to see but my potted staghorn fern is coming along very nicely. This illustrates that though staghorns are mostly epiphytic, they can be grown in soil as well, as long as the drainage is good.

Just a simple mum but I love the color. There's something about chartreuse-colored plants - be that the leaves or flowers - that is unique and inviting.

Winter is also the season for Flowering Quince, aka Chaenomeles. This flower belongs to C. 'Cameo' and as you can see it's a gorgeous salmon color. Most flowering quince are red, pink or white but slowly other colors are appearing in the market (especially orange). Chaenomeles are incredibly hardy plants, to the point of almost being invasive. Hard to argue with the beauty of their flowers and their can-do spirit.

Nemesia. Nemesias are wonderful ways to add color to the garden during the summer and fall. Though they're a short-lived perennial, while they're blooming they're just so cheerful.

A Real Softie

Though the sense of sight and smell are the two main ways we interact with our gardens, the sense of touch is also a source of pleasure for many of us. One of those plants that is both surprising and exciting to the touch is Phylica plumosa. This South African shrub has perhaps the softest, most feathery 'leaves' of any plant you'll encounter. Known as Cape Myrtle it forms an upright shrub to five feet. It's drought tolerant once established and can thrive in poor soils as long as it has good drainage.
As a fun exercise, you might make a list of plants in your garden that offer a tactile pleasure.
Here are a few photos taken in my garden on the first day of November. The recent rains have not only spurred the early bulbs to pop up but have generally perked up plants in our gardens.

Here's my Phylica plumosa, showing off its unique, 'hairy' leaves. As mentioned, their texture and softness is such a wonderful tactile experience. I also find the plant lovely to look at, with its ocher colors and what look to me like fountains erupting. One of my favorite plants!

Begonia 'Wild Pony.' One might write a book on the undersides of leaves as its own interesting visual and tactile experience. Many begonias have little hairs on the undersides of their leaves and those are particularly pronounced on this begonia. The upper sides are also rough and textured, making this an interesting specimen plant.

Helleborus argutifolius 'Pacific Frost.' We're fast approaching the season for Hellebores and my specimen is already producing flower buds. This variety is named for the pronounced white spotting on its leaves. By the way, Hellebores don't mind some sun and may be more floriferous when getting some morning sun.

Despite the late date, my Dicentra scandens is producing a second crop of bright yellow flowers, after I hacked it back hard in July. For those unfamiliar with this Bleeding Heart, it not only has yellow flowers but it's a climber. It gets its species name from the term 'scandent,' which means 'to climb.'

This lovely stand of Kniphofia is from my neighbor's yard. Red Hot Pokers as they're called are mostly a winter blooming plant here in the Bay Area. They make an impressive stand when mature, as is evidenced here.

Plumbago auriculata. This aggressive shrub has taken over the median strip that it shares with other plants. It does have pretty robin's egg blue flowers and it is indeed great for filling in a large open area that won't get much water (they're often planted near freeways, in part because they absorb car pollution) but they do tend to get out of control.

Verbascum thapsi. My favorite verbascum and here there's still a bit of rain on the downy branches, left over from nighttime rains. Speaking of texture, these felty leaves are a true delight to touch.

Why we love Fall, part three. My Cornus florida has already begun to show that lovely fall color. My maples are soon to follow. We may not live in New England but there are many trees here in the Bay Area that display spectacular fall color. 

Echeveria peacockii. The subject of my next SF Chronicle column, this easy to grow succulent has shimmering slate-blue foliage and coral blooms. Here it's looking resplendent in dappled sun.

Though it seems late, I still have several begonias in bloom. That includes this B. Nonstop Deep Salmon. The colors seem to exhibit their own light here, glowing from within. 

Duranta 'Gold Mound.' It took awhile for this evergreen shrub to get a foothold but it's finally filling in. As you can see, this variety is well-named, offering bright golden foliage. It has yet to bloom but it will eventually produce pale purple flowers. 

As I continue to learn a bit more about photography and start opening up my eye beyond taking photos of just flowers, or more to the point fully opened flowers, I've felt more free to photograph plants at different stages. Here's a Passiflora 'Oaklandii' flower still in bud form. You can already see signs of its rich coral-red color. A promise about to be fulfilled.