3/5/08

A few pictures from the garden

The cymbidium orchid flowers began to open a few days ago.

IMG_3251

This morning I was looking at them wondering, "Who pollinates you?" The next flower down the raceme had a moth in it.

IMG_3247

I would never have bought this plant for myself, but it was a gift and I enjoy having it in my garden very much. It's perfect under the tree fern. And it's quite striking when the flowers open up all the way. Which probably will not happen by Bloom Day.

IMG_3256

The Fuchsia boliviana I grew from seed has a big cluster of buds. It's always a thrill to see a plant you grew from seed flower for the first time. The morning dew beading on the leaf margins is a sweet touch.

IMG_3264


And the Echium wildprettii...it looks like a Christmas tree in the bright morning light.

IMG_3258

I will miss having this plant in my garden when it dies.
at

20 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 5, 2008 at 10:33 AM

    Spectacular garden and photos. What a climate. What a beautiful sense of things.

    ReplyDelete
  2. RandyMarch 5, 2008 at 11:31 AM

    Your garden makes me long for Spring, Chuck. I can't hardly wait for it to get here.

    ReplyDelete
  3. gintoinoMarch 5, 2008 at 2:46 PM

    Nice orchid photos. I'm quite curious to see the Fuchsia flowers. And that Echium...did you grow it from seed? Is it an easy germinator?

    ReplyDelete
  4. chuck b.March 5, 2008 at 2:59 PM

    Gintonio, I believe this Echium is from your part of the world, and yes, it's very easy to grow from seed. In fact it self sows in California so after this one dies, I'll have volunteers if I want to keep them. They form a taproot and cannot be moved after a little while.

    ReplyDelete
  5. chuck b.March 5, 2008 at 3:23 PM

    Randy and Jamie, Spring is very close!

    Clerk, thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Frances,March 5, 2008 at 4:34 PM

    Stunning cymbidium! You are able to keep it outside in the ground all year? I'll bet it is open by bloom day, it has already started opening. How many buds?

    Frances at Faire Garden

    ReplyDelete
  7. Aunt Debbi/kurts momMarch 5, 2008 at 5:35 PM

    Very nice pictures

    ReplyDelete
  8. Christopher C. NCMarch 5, 2008 at 6:39 PM

    The Echium wildprettii is really going to town getting ready to bloom. Didn't you have two of those at one point?

    ReplyDelete
  9. JvAMarch 5, 2008 at 6:56 PM

    Those orchid photos make me want to plant flowers.

    ReplyDelete
  10. chuck b.March 5, 2008 at 7:51 PM

    Don't jinx me, Frances! And, yep, they stay outside all year. I actually have two. Technically, they're not in the ground--they're in pots because orchid pseudobulbs like to be jammed tight together in order to bloom.

    AKDM, thank you!

    Christopher, I had *four* planted out at one point. I do have two. The other one is starting to rise to, but not as dramatically, and it gets afternoon light, not morning light.

    JvA, do it!

    ReplyDelete
  11. chuck b.March 5, 2008 at 11:15 PM

    whoops--I meant ADKM.

    ReplyDelete
  12. lisaMarch 6, 2008 at 9:26 AM

    Beautiful pictures! Man, I think I'm gonna go BUY some flowers for in the house! I mean, I like winter, but this post makes me really miss my flowers!

    ReplyDelete
  13. JvAMarch 6, 2008 at 6:16 PM

    If I take a picture of my front yard, will you tell me what to plant and where?

    ReplyDelete
  14. chuck b.March 6, 2008 at 7:00 PM

    I doubt that would work. For one thing, it would be hard to communicate.

    ReplyDelete
  15. AnonymousMarch 6, 2008 at 7:06 PM

    I love the Fuschia! I have not seen one like it before this picture! Good job!

    ReplyDelete
  16. LoriMarch 6, 2008 at 10:06 PM

    I just wanted to say that I'm wildly envious that I can't grow Echium wildprettii in my own garden. It looks so cool in yours, especially in the shots looking down on the garden.

    ReplyDelete
  17. JvAMarch 7, 2008 at 9:36 AM

    OK, you'll just have to come over then.

    ReplyDelete
  18. TiraMarch 7, 2008 at 7:10 PM

    The pics of the orchid are lovely. I am going to try to grow fucshia again, and I definitely wan that Echium! Where do you get the seeds? I don't think gardeners here know about this plant.

    ReplyDelete
  19. chuck b.March 27, 2008 at 5:46 PM

    Nicole, I got the seeds from JL Hudson in my links. Very easy to grow.

    ReplyDelete
  20. TiraMarch 27, 2008 at 6:25 PM

    Thanks, Chuck Will try them.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for coming by!