These winter-blooming flowers opened a couple weeks ago.
Tithonia diversifolia. The flowers are borne on tall stems. I have to reach up to take their pictures, and bend a stem down to smell them.
They smell like chocolate.
Another giant aster blooming in my garden right now: Montanoa grandiflora.
This plant was new to the garden this year. Just one clutch of flowers at the top is all it's got. They smell like vanilla cupcakes.
Behind it, you can see some Ceanothus flowers, a good two months early. That happens with this plant. The standard deviation of bloom time is very large.
More yellow: Asclepias curassavica.
Is the Abutilon yellow? It's in the yellow family (whatever that is), but it's not exactly yellow. Whatever. You must be sick of seeing this plant on my blog.
If I had more room, I'd have more plants. There are limits you know.
Gayle, I know you're sick of this one. Sorry!
I think you said you like this one better. There's some confusion about the naming. Fuchsia arborescens, Fuchsia 'Miep Aalhuizen'. Fuchsia arborescens 'Miep Aalhuizen'? I don't know. Just don't call it "fuschia" and we're good.
Anyone who likes plants in San Francisco is sick of this one. It's everywhere. Although, you know, it seems to me like it's less everywhere now than it used to be.
Here's another one with ambiguous nomenclature. The label said Cuphea pinetorum when I bought it. You can buy it from Annie's Annuals as Cuphea 'Minnie Mouse'.
Cuphea belongs to the loosestrife family, Lythraceae, along with crepe myrtles...and now pomegranate.
Cobaea scandens. Polemoniaceae!
We have 2 Fabaceae in bloom. Snap peas,
And Hardenbergia violacea, juuust getting started.
And that's what I've got. Thank you for coming by, and Happy Bloom Day!
For more Bloom Day fun, be sure to visit May Dreams Gardens on the 15th of every month.
15 comments:
Wow, I love that Tithonia. And your Hardenbergia is already starting? That's pretty amazing.
Happy bloom day!
A garden that smells of chocolate and vanilla cupcakes is indeed special.
Very lovely and floriferous for such a tiny space. Got me beat with all my vast grounds. Even the late sugar snap peas turned to mush.
Your garden plants are making me hungry with fragrances of vanilla and chocolate ;-)
You have some wonderful blooms to share.
Still kicking myself for not planting the cobaea seeds this past spring. :(
But I'm completely in love with Hardenbergia violacea now. (I know, I'm fickle!)
Hi Chuck, not only are your flowers beautiful, who cares if we have seen them before!, but your captures are mind boggling! My post will be up tomorrow, leading off with something we share. :-)
You have an amazing amount blooming in your garden. I especially like the last pic of the Tithonia and the hardenbergia. Our hardenbergia isn't even thinking about blooming yet. Your plants seem to bloom much earlier on that side of the bay.
Dear Chuck...
hope the exam went well! It's over, right?
all best for the holidays,
Alice
I love your humility and love of plants, flowers, cats, seeds, travel, hiking, photography and your simple joy of life. Repetition of bright flower faces is definitely alright with me! Out here at the base of Mt. Diablo the frost has done sad things to my more tender plants. I was just trying Plectranthus varieties when poof, they are gone.
It's a good thing I just had breakfast - scents of chocolate and vanilla indeed! Your flowers warm my frozen heart. I'm particularly partial to the Ceanothus, which I get to see in person only once a year, when I go to FL. What a fantastic blue.
Hello Chuck,
I would love some chocolate smelling flowers. They are beautiful. My Hardenbergia is also getting ready to bloom...I can't wait.
Thank you for your comments on my blog.
Noelle
It's late, and I've already forgotten the names of the plants I wanted to comment on. Suffice it to say, your Bloom Day post wins! I enjoyed every pic.
What fun - love the 'minnie mouse' cuphea - I've admired the bat-faced cuphea's for a longtime, but this was a new one! I'm a huge fan of the Tithonias - but haven't grown diversifolia - I'm guessing it's a perennial for you? I need to try that one (I love the shape of the leaves - reminds me of fig leaves). And I agree with Kim on the Hardenbergia violacea!
Be still my beating heart! All those beautiful flowers. Oh my!
I particularly love the Fuchsia Boliviana, and that Tibouchina - what a color! I wish it was everywhere here in the frozen north. It would look fabulous against the snow :)
Bright yellow and smelling like chocolate? Wow is all I can say. The Hardenbergia is stunning. Everything is beautiful!
Thanks for feeding us starving northern gardeners ;)
Plant spa always includes the ferns and usually the Norfolk Pine because of all my plants they need humidity most.flowering trees
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