Color in August - Town Mouse Celebrates GBBD

This month, I'm celebrating Garden Blogger's Bloom day with my new camera - and I'm thrilled by the clear, crisp colors I can show you. Above is Trichostemma lanatum (wooly blue curl) showing a final few blossoms before the glorious bloom season is over.

Also in blue we have Agapanthus, a South African native that likes the summer-dry climate and is, amazingly, beloved by hummingbirds.

And after a main meal at the Agapanthus station (those plants are 5 feet tall) the hummers go to the California fuchsia (Epilobium) for dessert. I have several different cultivar, and the low-growing one shown above blooms especially early.

Getting oohs and aaahs from people is Amaryllis belladona, also a native of South Africa.

And everybody loves the lavender, which has its second bloom right now on very little water.

The rest are California natives. Above, Eriogonum arborescens blooming its little flowerheads off.

Here's a close-up in the morning light.

Above the locally native Eriogonum fasciculatum. This plant is quite similar to the last Plant of the Moment, Eriogonum nudum, that Country Mouse so eloquently described here.

 

Eriogonum grande rubescens (rosy buckwheat) is in the side garden and still pretty. It's amazing what a difference a few extra inches of rain can make, and we had about 2 inches more than average last rainy season.

Clarkia amoena, a colorful annual, is almost done blooming but a few blossoms have convinced me to let the seedheads stand for a while longer.

Behind the Clarkias is a new arrival in the garden, Maurandya antirrhiniflora (snapdragon vine). I bought this elegant little vine from Gold Coast Nursery in April, doubtful about its chances in less than ideal conditions, but it has performed admirably and is even putting out a few blossoms.

Another new arrival is Heterotheca villosa 'San Bruno Mountain' (San Bruno mountain golden aster). Not actually an aster, its beautiful aster-like flowers have been coming up all spring and summer. A great fit for my no-summer-water side strip.

And finally, with all my complaining about my summer-dormant monkey flowers, this one seems to be in the right spot and still looks great.

And with that happy thought, I'm almost ready to go over to May Dreams Gardens, where Carol is sure to be hosting a crowd again. Thanks Carol! Happy Bloom Day everyone.