3/14/10

Bloom Day

Whatever species of Arctotis this is, I don't know. It just started flowering for me a few days ago. My neighbor has this plant growing around his sidewalk tree and it's been blooming all winter.

Arctotis

Just the other day I was saying how nice it is to let the mustards bloom. As far as I'm concerned, all salad greens are welcome to naturalize in my garden. (Note: in the back on the left, Cineraria. It's the only one blooming right now, and this is the only picture I took of it.)

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The fuzzy, light blue Ceanothus flowers, so vivid in real life, vanish in pictures. Too bad. This plant plays a major role in the garden right now, but it shuns photography.

Ceanothus 'Ray Hartman'

In comparison, the low groundcover Omphalodes cappadocica is very forthcoming.

Omphalodes

I have a variety of daffodils. I think most of them are done, but this kind, whatever it is, is still blooming in the meadow.

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Delphinium cardinale has been blooming at full strength for months. But I don't like it, so I haven't taken it's picture but at this point it's made so much effort... I can't ignore it anymore. Thank you for blooming, Delphinium.

Delphinium cardinale

Fuchsia boliviana 'Alba' took winter off, but she's back now and planning to bloom until November.

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Another fuchsia. This is Fuchsia splendens, who arrived in the garden late last year from a 4" pot after a long, inexplicable absence.

Fuchsia splendens

Since San Francisco is perfect for fuchsia, here's another one. 'Miep Aalhuizen', from the cross F. paniculata X F. venusta:

Fuchsia 'Miep Aalhuizen'

Another group of plants that does exceedingly well here are the tropical asters. This is Senecio cristobalensis. Alas, you grow it for the foliage, because it makes a flower only an insect could love.

Senecio cristobalensis

This is the second-to-last time you'll have to look at the crimson-flowering fava this year. The tomatoes go here, but the tomatoes won't be ready by next month's Bloom Day, so you'll have to endure the fava for another month.

Vicia faba

Everything else blooming is doing so in very limited quantities. Tiarella, heuchera, snowdrops, tibouchina.

Tiarella IMG_0028
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Up on the roof we have tulips, but they are almost done, especially considering the blowing about they got in last Friday's storm. Well, they should have waited until April to bloom like normal tulips.

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I'm giving Abutilon and Cobaea scandens the month off, even though they're both blooming. Hardenbergia is past her winter prime so I'm letting her go too, out of respect.

But if you head over to May Dreams, it's entirely possible you'll find a link to someone less respectful than I am. You might get that last look at Hardenbergia before it's all gone for 2010.

ADDED: Moraea villosa, just opened this morning. It's a moth that turned in to a flower.

Moraea villosa

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And Tulipa bakeri.

Tulipa bakeri

17 comments:

Christopher C. NC said...

The report from NC is not even a crocus has begun to bloom, but I am not there and won't have missed a thing by the time I get back. I get a daffodil and tulip preview from you.

Anonymous said...

Maybe you'd like the Delphinium cardinale better if it didn't have yellow flowers in the background? I have a scrawny one grown from seed that's shown no sign of planning to bloom and no very confident sign of planning to survive. I wish mine would do what yours is doing!

Unknown said...

Like "enduring" the fava blooms are so bad! I'm still drooling over those, Chuck... :)

Town Mouse said...

That's quite the collection! Yes, I agree, photographing a blue flower is quite challenging, especially in the sun. But the tulips really stand out. And here they say never wear red on camera!

rebecca Sweet said...

I was going to photograph the Omphalodes you convinced me to buy, but I couldn't remember the name - thanks for reminding me!! And thanks for convincing me to plant one - they're so darn cute!! Gorgeous fuchsia photos, too...

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

I love Ceanothus, too bad it must be seen in person, as it is a rarity around here (not hardy). The Omphalodes is such a gorgeous color. I'm not a cut flower person, but I'm imagining it in a vase with those Arctotis - wow!

Noel Morata said...

aloha,

you have alot of beautiful blooms coming from your garden today and it looks like alot of sweet smelling blooms also...thanks for sharing....i love the arctotis and that intense red delphinium...your photography is beautiful

Dirty Girl Gardening said...

gorgeous fava flowers...

serial tiller said...

Returning your visit to my blog! Glad I did, you have so much to see! BTW, my hellebores are facing up because of a strategically placed stick! LOL I figured everyone would like to see the flower not my hand as a distraction!
(Serial Tiller)

Les said...

I love the red tulips looking out over the cityscape.

Laura Livengood said...

Dang, that Moraea! I haven't been to your garden in awhile (sorry, bb!) so the Favas were entirely new for me! Your view is so killer...

Brad said...

I really like that Moraea villosa, even though I don't like moths. The shot of the tulips and the view is a great one.

Anonymous said...

No tulips, or even daffs here, sad to say. We are at least a month behind. I am going to get those red flowered favas for next year, yours look spectacular, so much prettier than the white flowered ones. That flower that is really a moth is phenomenal!
Frances

Matti at Far Out Flora said...

Ceanothus 'Ray Hartman', love it. Though I see them everywhere now...I just learned about the Ceanothus in SF. What a great shrub. Matti

Neil said...

love your blog. made me start my own! thanks!!! http://mytownhousegarden.blogspot.com/

JvA said...

My Ceanothus hedge here in Seattle is just starting to bloom. I want to hold showing parties.

lisa said...

Blue flowers usually look purple or pink in my pictures. Your Bloom Day was fantastic!