Bloom Day February 2016


South African Daisy Bloom Day

 A garden Gerbera.  The flowers are smaller than florist Gerberas, but unlike the florist type, they thrive in the Southern California garden.
The orange-red version.   There's also a deep pink available.

 Arctotis 'Pumpkin Pie'

 Arctotis 'Pink Sugar'
'Pink Sugar' is vigorous, to put it mildly.  Keeping up with deadheading is difficult. 

Arctotis 'Burgundy'
Gazania
 Somewhat daisy-like in effect is Leucadendron, though the "rays" are leaves, and the center is a cone bristling with tiny yellow tubes.

Dymondia margaretae has tiny yellow flowers, about one inch in diameter.
Australian Grevillea 'Peaches and Cream' has begun to bloom in quantity.
 Back to South Africa for two Aloes.  Aloe megalacantha sent up dozens of bloom stems over the past week or so. 
 Gonialoe (Aloe) variegata, drought-bronze.  San Marcos says "this plant cannot be underwatered".  Oh yeah? 
 One gallon-sized two years ago, Metrosideros 'Springfire' has grown and thrived.  Don't you love it when a plant is happy right from the start?  Two years ago, it was ankle-high.
 I finish with all the blooming roses, all three of them.  The roses, almost all cut back, now just leafing out again, still manage an errant bloom or two...
'Erfurt', maybe? 
 'Snow Goose'
 'Crépuscule'
 I hope your garden is lovely today, whether blooming, or blanketed with snow.  If it is pouring rain, however, I'm envious.  

Happy Bloom Day!

Comments

  1. Gorgeous blooms. Gorgeous light. The Leucadendron with the light behind it really is beautiful.
    And here.. guess what. No rain. NO RAIN!

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    1. No rain? I would say I am sorry to hear that, but you make it sound like it is a good thing.

      Our overnight low temperature was 25C. :(

      I enjoy your blog so much, but am not able to comment for some reason. Last browser update did something strange.

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  2. Dear Hoover, your garden is blooming with so many beautiful flowers, I love daisies, the garden gerberas are so lovely, also the Snow Goose rose and your Grevillea Peaches and Cream is spectacular, my plant is quite old now and not looking so good.
    xoxoxo ♡

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    1. Happy you liked the flowers! How long do Grevillea plants last, Dianne? We have little information on long term prospects of Australian plants here.

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    2. I have grown many Grevillea plants over the years, I have found that most last between 7 to 10 years. Their foliage always looks so fresh and abundant for many years but starts to look more scraggly and sparse as they get older. I do tip prune mine, I think that keeps the foliage looking fresher for longer.
      xoxoxo ♡

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    3. Thank you Dianne for the tip on tips! Good information--I appreciate your help. :)

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  3. Lots of beauty here...that Metrosideros 'Springfire'... smashing! And your photo of A. 'Pink Sugar' has me swooning. Just the right amount of orange to counter the pink - and then the silver grey stems and leaves...gorgeous!

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    1. The orange and pink combo is strangely attractive--who would have ever thought?

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  4. Such a cheery post. Just what the doctor ordered.

    Coincidentally, I planted three Arctotis on the weekend: one 'Pink Sugar' and two 'Cherry Frost'.

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    1. Looked very hard at 'Cherry Frost' for sale yesterday, matter of fact. Arctotis are great plants and easy to divide and spread around the garden. (Soon you will have more 'Pink Sugar' than you thought possible. One is all that is needed.)

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  5. Every once in a while I treat myself to a bunch of red Gerberas for the table. What joy to have them growing in your own ground. 'Crepuscule' seems like an unattractive name for a glorious rose. I might call it 'Creamsickle' instead.

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    1. 'Crepuscule' is French for "twilight", so you could call it that--but 'Creamsicle' is nice, too.

      While they are not as flashy as the florist version, the Garden Gerberas are still wonderful. They are a joy indeed.

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  6. My impression is that the 'Pink Sugar' Arctotis flowers curl their petals more quickly when temperatures spike - I'm also doing a lot more deadheading at the moment. (It was near 90F here this afternoon!) A bit of shade seems to help as well. I haven't seen that burgundy Arctotis in any of my usual haunts but will have to keep my eyes peeled for it. I still think about that Metrosideros and wonder where I could put it that wouldn't get me in trouble with the "view conservation" enforcer up the street.

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    1. If you want some, I have plenty, plenty. You are most welcome to a clump. I got it at the UCI Botanic Garden plant sale five or so years ago.

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    2. 'Burgundy', I mean.

      It was near 90F today too. :(

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    3. The Metrosideros gets maybe 15'? At least there is a quite mature one in the neighborhood of that size.

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  7. A nice collection Hoov, running the gamut from floral-y stuff to succulents. Between you and Kris I am starting to think I might have to spring for a couple Arctotis. No clue as to where I would put them, though that has never stopped me !

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    1. Sunny. They need lots of sun. Other than that, they take what you dish out.

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  8. 'Springfire' seems like an apt name in several ways...

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    Replies
    1. Eventually a well-behaved small patio tree. Me and the hummers like it a lot.

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