5/14/08

Bloom Day

My garden's spring wildflower show is winding down. Since I've blogged about it extensively, I won't take up much space with it here. Scroll over the pictures for the name of the flower, or click the pictures for larger file sizes.

Gillia tricolor Phacelia tanacetifolia

Nemophila maculata Eschscholzia californica 'Mikado'

Actually, here are two that we haven't seen much of, yet:

Collinsia heterophylla--this one is pure white, but they can be purple-white bi-color as well.

Collinsia heterophylla

and Mentzelia lindleyi--these seem to be later than the rest. They want to be near aloe and agave, don't you think? (I took these pictures late in the afternoon; it was getting relatively dark.)

Mentzelia lindleyi

So far, the wind poppy Stylomecon heterophylla has the most intriguing fruit.

Stylomecon heterophylla

This is the capsule ripening:

Stylomecon heterophylla

Not quite ripe:

Stylomecon heterophylla

Then I found one that was ripe. I don't know yet if the pore you see open at the capsule's apex expands down the valve and releases seed that way (valvular, basipetal), or if the pore stays where it is here and the seeds get shaken out by the wind (censer action):

Stylomecon poricidal capsule

Either way, I plan to collect as much seed by hand as possible so I can be sure to have at least a few plants where I want them next year. Also, I want to share. Let me know if you want any wildflower seeds from my garden and I will give you some. (E-mail lcbii@yahoo.com and we'll hope you don't get shunted to my spam folder.)

While for the most part, my garden is transitioning into summer (Clarkia amoena, Delphinium cardinale, and Oenotheras pallida and hookeri are all in bud; Madia elegans is growing rapidly now), I still see at least one new-ish Anemone flower every time I look in this corner.

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Two plants are very clear about the seasonal progression...

Carpinteria californica--this temperamental native is endangered in the wild but generally available in the nursery trade,

Carpenteria californica

and Mimulus aurantiacus--less commonly available but widely seen this time of year in California's natural areas.

Mimulus aurantiacus

I have two cultivars, the unnamed one above, and 'Trish', below:

Mimulus 'Trish'

Besides natives, I have some garden standards like abutilon and foxglove. I actually removed a foxglove next to this abutilon because I think the former was suppressing the latter's growth. I want that abutilon to get much bigger, soon.

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A new abutilon:

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And another new Abutilon I haven't planted yet to replace foxglove.

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A non-abutilon future foxglove replacement.

Marble Gardens Mystery Rose

(It has the absolute best name ever--it's the Marble Gardens Mystery Rose. Doesn't that make you want to visit Marble Gardens?)

I got this Cotula at Annie's Annuals too.

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I love it.

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Fuchsia boliviana 'Alba'...

Fuchsia boliviana 'Alba'

Making new flowers despite unresolved suspected nutrient deficiency (so not K or P, I guess).

Fuchsia boliviana 'Alba'

Not shown: random heucheras, penstemons, geraniums, snap peas, and sweet peas. Some salvias and a gaura. Sidalcea and Cerinthe. Iris. Tomatoes and squash.

Let's see...am I forgetting anything?

Echium wildpretii

I imagine this will be the busiest Garden Blogger Bloom Day yet. Beat the heat by digging the scene at Carol's Bloom Day extravaganza, here.

17 comments:

joco said...

Good morning Chuck,

Happy Bloom Day to you.

What a lot you got.

The pix are still unloading. I have time to get myself a cup of coffee :-)

Removing that wonderful soft salmon coloured foxglove? Not to the compostheap I hope: sling it to me will you? Only 6000 miles.

Amazing to see what others have this day. Abutilons are too tender for me here in the UK, but don't they look dainty and elegant.

Remember: today is not for gardening, but for sitting. looking at it all.

Frances, said...

Hi Chuck, your wildflowers are giving quite a show, and they seem to have been doing so for a long period. How wonderful. I harvested the first batch of snap peas after you told me to pick them small. They were the main event in a stir fry and were so sweet and crispy crunchy. Thanks for letting me know! I wondered if you were saving the echium for the last money shot. It is magnificent. I love those abutilons, especially your new yellow. Happy Bloom Day.

Carol Michel said...

Hi Chuck. I think I comment with the same thought all the time, or at least I have the same thought when I see your blooms. "Are we on the same planet?" You grow so many flowers that I have never even heard of!

But they are all pretty and I would like to know more about them and be able to grow more of them.

Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Dave said...

Chuck you've got a great variety of blooms. The cotula is pretty neat, like lemon gumdrops floating around. Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your lovely flowers - like Carol, I'm wondering if I'm on the same planet. I guess left coast/right coast makes all the difference. Your blooms are fabulous, thanks!

lisa said...

Nice Bloom Day assortment! My stuff is still slow to emerge, so I "cheated" with annuals. :)

Gloria said...

Great collection of plants. That Phacelia tanacetifolia and the fuchsia have set off a wave of plant envy. Maybe even climate envy.

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

I think if I lived near Annie's Annuals, I'd go broke. Your garden is so colorful (even nearing dusk), it must cheer you even on rainy days.

Christopher C. NC said...

Chuck your garden is one of a kind!

Gail said...

Love your phacelia...it is quite a bit more exotic than the Scorpion weed we have here in Tennessee.

Annie Annuals are something to write about...so far I have resisted ordering...shipping costs are too high but she has some beauties! As do you.

Gail
clay and limestone

Sarah said...

Hi Chuck, What a lovely garden you have. What on earth is that spectacular tall thing in the last picture???
Sarah (sewbuttons.wordpress.com)

Annie in Austin said...

No post from your planet is complete without Echium wildprettii! Lovely stuff, Chuck - never noticed a white form of collinsia before and I like it! Also love that yellow abutilon and the cotula.

Happy Blooming Day!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

EAL said...

Not to repeat everyone, but this is why I love your GBBD posts. Everyone else has flowers I'm familiar with.

Unknown said...

I like those little cotulas, too. Do the flowers start out flat and then raise up in the middle when they are fully in flower?

That fucshia is amazing. If you hadn't told me there was a nutrient deficiency I would never have guessed.

gintoino said...

It seems every time I come here I find new plants I would like to have in my garden chuck. Its not only the Echium any more ;-)
I don't even know where to start...beautiful blooms! Really beautiful.
I need to find me some seeds of Stylomecon heterophylla, they are wonderful.

ChrisND said...

Wow, you have a nice collection of blooms. I like some of the blue shades you have going on right now and the wind poppy pods add extra interest. Thanks for sharing!

chuck b. said...

Thank you, all.

Lisa, since when are annuals cheating? If annuals are cheating, I'm a big-ass cheater.

Kim of the Black Swamp, The flowers aren't flat when they start... they just get bigger and turn yellow.

Gail, I know Annie's shipping costs are deadly. It's unfortunate. I would rather do mail order than drive over there there myself!

Sarah, that's Echium wildpretii. I'm famous for it.

Gintonio, I'll give you some Stylomecon seeds. It would look beautiful in your garden. I hope it won't escape tho'.