Super Bloom in the Town Mouse Garden

The dry stream bed in late April

Anza Borrego was exciting, and Edgewood was even more exciting. But I'm truthfully the most excited about the flowers in my own garden this year! An undeserved bounty, brought forth by the generous rains and late start of warm weather.

Above, we have a Wooly Blue Curl (yes!) at center stage, with monkey flowers on both sides. An the other side of the dry stream bed, the first pink Clarkia, with Foothill penstemon behind and Bladderpod peaking out in the back.

Dessert penstemon and bladderpod steal the show

In this photo, we see some friends from Southern California. In contrast to Ms. Country Mouse, who has a strict focus on locally native plants, I welcome all plants from the California Floristic Province to my garden - and a few from South Africa or other summer dry climates. And there are good reasons. If plants escape from my garden, the won't escape to the wildlands and potentially overwhelm locally natives. 

In the photo above, a Desert Penstemon from Annie's Annuals in the foreground. In the center, Foothill penstemon, with Bladderpod, also from Southern California, to the right. In front of the foothill penstemon the Prettyface (Triteleia ixoidis) is doing very well indeed this year. And in the background, Scented penstemon, also from Annies, is pretty in pink. 

Wooly blue curl, Scented penstemon, and Prettyface, with bright green manzanita in the background

It's wonderful to sit in front of the house and enjoy the show. The stone patio that Ryan from Dry Stone Garden put in for me is holding up very well!

Monkeyflower, foothill penstemon, with bladderpod in the foreground

And right now, the view is enchanting no matter where you look! Sure, soon the monkey flower will look so dried out that I'll consider just getting rid of it. But then I'll remember how beautiful it was for several months in the spring! And I'll cut it back so it fades into the background. 

Allium unifolium and a triteleia

The bulbs will disappear all by themselves, leaves and all, before we know it. But right now, they're adding to the grand display. Above, Allium unifolium, a CA native onion that has done very well in my garden. I also have two different kinds of triteleia. I bought the bulbs online from a large bulb seller. It turned out too challenging to get them from a local source - and they certainly look like the real deal. 

California snow-drop bush 

In the shade in the back garden, we also have many things to enjoy. Chinese houses, western bleeding heart, and many iris (most of them past their prime). And while the many weeks of blooming currants are over, we now have California snow drop bush, and also Columbine everywhere! 

Western columbine

It's wonderful to find joy and solace in the garden at this difficult time.