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Bloom Day Addendum And Further Miscellany
Bloom Day addendum. Forgot about Japanese Anemone 'Pretty Lady Emily', which was a freebee from the Portland Fling back in 2014.
So photogenic 'Emily' is:
'Emily' started out at the far end of this fairly shady planter bed. It has returned every year, always in a slightly different location. It finally reached the sunniest part of the bed (bottom of photo), where it fried up pretty good, being in too much sun. Hopefully it starts to migrate back the other way next year.
The real surprise was the first flower from Orbea variegata. The plant was purchased back in late 2017. Rather than let it suffer neglect in a pot, it got a mostly shady place in the ground by the pergola.
Orbea variegata is a winter grower, but a summer bloomer. I checked it several times in early summer, hoping for its first flower. Finally here it is, close to autumn. I put the wire around it not for rabbit protection, but so it wouldn't get stepped on and squished.
There's the first flower! Also a very rare opportunity to see one of my fingers without dirt under the nail.
Weird and cool. Good information on Orbea here. The name Orbea is from the Latin orbis, named for the circular structure at the center of the flower.
The Hunnemannias are still flowering. They shut down around the end of September. This combination is so pleasing--with Agave 'Joe Hoak' and Cuphea 'Vermillionaire'
Both little clumps of Zephranthes bloom on. I thought one was dead. No, just waiting for the right moment. Blooming for weeks
While this one waited until its moment was right.
A couple of recent impulse plant buys: Uncinia rubra 'Belindas Find' from the local family-owned nursery, for a shaded, damp-ish spot by one of the gates...
and Pteris...ensiformis? from Trader Joe's. The fern caught my eye at Roger's, but it was $20 or $25, I think. $5.99 at TJ's. Sorry, Roger.
Just out in the sun momentarily, for the photo:
A last
surprise. I took a cut stem of 'Fred Ives' Graptoveria and stuck it this
pot by the front door. There's 'Fred' all over. Too many 'Fred's. Piles of 'Fred's. I could just toss it after a while. In insufficient light, it became quite etiolated
over the course of several weeks.
Pulled it out, and look at the roots that formed in the empty pot.
It seemed to want to live so much, I found a spot for it in the ground. Plants are there to amaze you, if you let them.
With that kind of life force, and a tender-hearted gardener, it's no wonder there's never a shortage of 'Fred Ives' at your place.
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love that Uncinia. It should pick up anything reddish in the vicinity.
And the rain lilies are one of my main objects of desire. Now that this county's been re-classified to zone 7, I'm more emboldened to try them. They're one of those plants that mark a garden as southern -- not a usual yearning of mine, but something that my father grew up with in South Carolina and missed. (His now-huge magnolia in the front yard gives the place a much more southern feel than it would otherwise have.)
Well, so healthy--I hate to toss them. I gave a bunch away at a local plant swap. Really really enjoying the rain lilies. They are no care at all, too.
DeleteThat's neat you have a magnificent tree your Dad planted. My Dad planted a grapefruit tree he pulled out of a dumpster. It lived and thrived and fruited for more than 30 years, but new owners of the property got rid of it. Pretty good for a dumpster dive, though.
I wonder if the oak out front will survive to future owners, and if they will treasure it, and wonder who planted it, or if it will be chopped down to put up an apartment tower, as SoCal turns into one giant Manhattan.
One look at your Orbea in flower immediately sent me running into my front garden as I'd neglected to check my Stapelia gigantea for 2 days and, at last sighting, it'd looked ready to pop. Unfortunately, I probably missed its peak but it's still blooming and attracting flies. Mine's the color of raw hamburger, not nearly as pretty as yours. Does yours have a strong odor?
ReplyDeleteSupposedly the Orbea has a bad smell, but I would have had to get down on my hands and knees to take a whiff, so I decided I didn't need to know.
DeleteMy Stapelia gigantea bloomed already, yeah, it does attract flies. It is in an out of the way spot. Cool the shape of the bud and the flower that is like a starfish, despite all the flies.
I really like the uncinia rubra. I would love to have something like this in my garden. I have a pink anemone that likes to pop up right where I don't want it. ha..
ReplyDeleteThe Unicinia coloration is very attractive.
DeleteAnemones will do that, won't they? Mine came up this year where it didn't want to be judging by the toasted foliage. Tables were turned!
That Orbea is really cool. Is it related to Stapelia? I am thrilled with Vermillionaire, a new find for me this year. Cuphea's don't usually do well for me due to our cool night's but Vermillionaire has performed well through heat and cold. A real winner!
ReplyDeleteYes both Orbea and Stapelia are in the family Apocynaceae.
DeleteI am also thrilled with 'Vermillionaire'. As are the Hummingbirds. :)
Pteris cretica ‘Albolineata’ Silver Ribbon Fern? :)
ReplyDeleteThat sure looks like it, Homask. Thank you!!!
DeleteWow, that Fred is amazing! You have a lot of plants I am unfamiliar with, but the Orbea flower is so wonderful, I wish I could grow my own!
ReplyDeleteOrbea stays pretty small, easy in a pot if you have a warm place to overwinter it.
DeleteOrbea is such an interesting plant. Love the flower! Is it as stinky as Stapelia when it blooms? I can relate to both your impulse buys. Belinda is such a beauty, isn't she? I hope she does well for you!
ReplyDeleteSupposedly it is stinky, but I didn't want to find out by getting down close enough to see. This isn't really Uncinia's climate (prefers a cool summer apparently) so we'll see how it goes. It has great color and texture.
DeleteYou tempt me to find an Orbea of my own (I prefer the creamy flowers to the hamburger version)
ReplyDeleteBeing a vegetarian, I'm not a big fan of flowers that look like hamburger, either!
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