It's Fourth of July - and as an American by adoption, I'm happy to celebrate the defeat of Britain, my country of birth, by showing a few flowers in red, white, and blue - the colors of both countries' flags: the Stars and Stripes and the Union Jack. Hope you're having / have had a great fourth, whether you celebrate Independence Day or not in your part of the world!
Red is plentifully represented in the palette of plants in my garden right now. Here the red velvet yarrow which I recently purchased from Native Revival nursery.
And here is spice bush, Calycanthus occidentalis, each musky scented flower lasting one day and popping out one after the other in a continual fireworks display.
Scarlet bugler, Penstemon centranthifolius, is new in my garden too this year. I think it likes to be higher and drier than here in Santa Cruz county - we've seen it on Big Sur in Monterey county though, just next door.
This is the weird hybrid sticky monkey flower, Diplacus aurantiacus - local native seed whose ma or pa were a nursery bought plant.
And here, Keckiella cordifolia, heartleaf penstemon which is very happy in my garden year after year, though it is native mostly in the southern half of the state.
Edging into pink, our local clarkia, which I am afraid I have not IDed exactly yet. I should try keying it out.
And now the white - I have three white flowers in my garden. Here is the sweet smelling mock orange, Philadelphus lewisii. Not locally native, it survives in a half wine barrel, with no care whatsoever - the deer have gotten bored with it I think.
Matilija poppy, Romneya coulteri, mostly a southern California native. Also likes it here in open areas on our dry ridge. Just lovely! Only plant it if you have room for it to spread, or you can contain it. It hasn't spread much on our property.
More of same:
I'm totally blanking on the name of this local wild vine!
Our local wild toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, is just starting to bloom! Late? I think so...
The finale of the White fireworks - the glorious western azalea, Rhododendron occidentale. Growing wild down the local creek.
Blue - underrepresented here. Represented first by Salvia clevelandii 'Winifred Gilman' - much bluer than appears in the photo.
I have more than one blue penstemon, but this one, which I think is Penstemon gloxinoides 'Midnight Blue' recently purchased, is a lovely deep color:
And that's it folks - We mice hope you have a great - and safe - holiday, or non-holiday as the case may be!
Red is plentifully represented in the palette of plants in my garden right now. Here the red velvet yarrow which I recently purchased from Native Revival nursery.
And here is spice bush, Calycanthus occidentalis, each musky scented flower lasting one day and popping out one after the other in a continual fireworks display.
Scarlet bugler, Penstemon centranthifolius, is new in my garden too this year. I think it likes to be higher and drier than here in Santa Cruz county - we've seen it on Big Sur in Monterey county though, just next door.
This is the weird hybrid sticky monkey flower, Diplacus aurantiacus - local native seed whose ma or pa were a nursery bought plant.
And here, Keckiella cordifolia, heartleaf penstemon which is very happy in my garden year after year, though it is native mostly in the southern half of the state.
Edging into pink, our local clarkia, which I am afraid I have not IDed exactly yet. I should try keying it out.
And now the white - I have three white flowers in my garden. Here is the sweet smelling mock orange, Philadelphus lewisii. Not locally native, it survives in a half wine barrel, with no care whatsoever - the deer have gotten bored with it I think.
Matilija poppy, Romneya coulteri, mostly a southern California native. Also likes it here in open areas on our dry ridge. Just lovely! Only plant it if you have room for it to spread, or you can contain it. It hasn't spread much on our property.
More of same:
I'm totally blanking on the name of this local wild vine!
Our local wild toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, is just starting to bloom! Late? I think so...
The finale of the White fireworks - the glorious western azalea, Rhododendron occidentale. Growing wild down the local creek.
Blue - underrepresented here. Represented first by Salvia clevelandii 'Winifred Gilman' - much bluer than appears in the photo.
I have more than one blue penstemon, but this one, which I think is Penstemon gloxinoides 'Midnight Blue' recently purchased, is a lovely deep color:
And that's it folks - We mice hope you have a great - and safe - holiday, or non-holiday as the case may be!
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