Yes! It's May again, and the garden is full of flowers, pollinators, butterflies, and birds. I so thrilled that despite the rather dry winter, everything seems to be working out somehow. Above, a Mimulus hybrid with large flowers that tolerates the heat quite well. I've grown this one from a cutting, and want to try my luck again this fall. But I'm also happy with some new arrivals in the garden.
I bought this Lewisia (cliff maid) just a few weeks ago. A California native succulent, it tolerates the dry heat in a patio container and I love the little flowers.
Also new to the garden is Coreopsis maritima (beach coreopsis), a perennial from southern California that is a rare plant in the wild but not too difficult to grow in the garden. It's frost tender so we'll see whether it will make it through the winter, but for now, I'm enjoying the bright yellow flowers.
Hummingbird sage (Salvia spatacea) continues to bloom, attract hummers, and delight humans with the sagey-minty fragrance.
Another new plant is Dichelostemma ida maia 'Pink Diamond'. I planted several of these bulbs in the fall and I'm enjoying how they harmonize with other pink blooming plants such as Clarkia unigulata above.
In part shade, Heuchera micranta, a gift from Ms. Country Mouse, is especially beautiful this year.
And I'm enjoying the pretty flowers of Epipactis gigantea (stream orchid). Despite of its promising name, the delicate flowers of this beautiful native orchid are quite small, but I'm so happy with a drought tolerant orchid that spreads just enough to allow for small patches in several areas of the garden.
Also blooming are.
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| Penstemon heterophyllus (foothill penstemon) |
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| Heterotheca sessiliflora var. bolanderi (Mount San Bruno Golden Aster) |
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| Lonicera hispedula (hairy honeysuckle) |
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| Trichostemma lanatum (Wolly blue curls) |
And a few other California natives including
Salvia apiana (white sage)
Latyia platiglossa (tidy tips)
Clarkia amoena (just started, very early)
Iris douglasiana (the very last blossoms)
Thalictrum (meadow rue)
I'm sure I forgot a few, but I'm now ready to go over to Carol's at May Dreams Gardens. I already know GBBD will be a big event, and just wish I could have time to visit everyone. Meanwhile, many thanks to Carol and Happy GBBD to all.
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