Bloom Day January 2019 And It's Raining

'Tamora' 
This month's Bloom Day will be rose-heavy.  Summer was a disaster for roses in 2018 due to Chili Thrips.  Thankfully Chili Thrips don't like winter--even the mildness of a Southern California winter--so I'm enjoying what I very much missed back in July, August, and September. 

We're predicted to get off and on rain all week, so most of these photos are from dry Sunday.  
'The Ambridge Rose'

  

 'Wildfire'

 'Bolero'

'Golden Celebration'

'Moondance'--disease on the leaves, because this is January after all, but the flower is pristine.

'Windermere'

'The Endeavour'

 'Sombreuil'

 'The Prince'

 'Barcelona'

 'Bishops Castle'

 Though the roses are having a great January, Aloes are are the usual stars of winter here.  This emerging stem from Aloe petricola is this plant's very first flowering.  Purchased from Arid Lands in 2014 as a tiny (2"/5cm) seedling.  Currently about 16"x16"(40cm). 

 Aloe ferox is struggling a bit because its too-close neighbor is a massive Agave marmorata.  The Agave is now sending up its flower stem and within a year, or probably two, the Aloe will have root space again.

 Not including the flower, Aloe ferox is six feet tall, but it is dwarfed by the Agave, which is three times as wide as the Aloe.  

Aloe rubroviolacea flower visible at lower right:

  Aloe rubroviolacea is named for the violet tones the foliage can take on under stress.  The flowers are a creamy tangerine.

Just emerging Aloe marlothii's candelabra behind Aloe ferox.

 Elegant Aloe vanbalenii against a pretty background of Agave, Yucca, and Kumara 

 Recently planted Erica speciosa continues to bloom heavily.  Either it is thriving due to the conditions the grower gave it, but hasn't yet noticed it is not at the grower's anymore, or it likes the place I gave it. 

 Aloe cameronii with orange flowers and dark red winter foliage, and golden flowered Aloe aff. megalacantha to cameronii's right.  We've gotten decent rain so far this rainy season, already more than we got all of last rainy season, so the front slope is looking healthy. 

Aloe cameronii flowers create a charming scene, resembling a miniature forest of orange conifers

There are many other plants in flower--Geranium 'Rozanne',  Gazanias,  Bougainvillea, Salvias, Iochroma, Gerberas, and so forth--the usual stuff.  I'm distracted by the remodel this month.  The bathroom remodel continues, but we're fearing a rain delay, because the tile guys have been cutting their tiles outdoors, which they can't do when it rains.  We're trying to work out a safe, covered location for them...

Happy Bloom Day!