'Snowbird'
Roses and Aloes are the highlights this month. Our single rain storm so far this winter prompted new growth and flowers from other plants.
Russelia equisetiformis produced a burst of winter flowers thanks to that soaking rain we got just after Christmas. No rain since.
Grevillea 'Superb' had the same response to that rain
Ditto for Iochroma 'Purple Queen', cut back to bare trunk in autumn.Flowers continue to open on several Agave 'Joe Hoak's. Bees and birds are at them, enjoying their nectar. Aloe cameronii flowers openFive Aloes in bloom simultaneously. Aloe 'Moonglow':Aloe capitata hybridFirst flower opened:Aloe rubroviolacea:Leucadendron 'Wilsons Wonder''s flowers are the elongated globes. The long yellow "petals" are actually bracts. Striking when 'Wilson' colors up to lure pollinatorsAlso bright yellow, Aloe zubb is native to Sudan:Last winter, Arctostaphylos 'Austin Griffiths' had its first flowers, just a couple of clusters. This year, quite a few more.Sweet! Very happy it is happy. In the background, red Heteromeles arbutifolia berries.Roses are at their rattiest in January--the growth gawky and ready for cutting back, the leaves mostly fallen or diseased, but the flowers can be excellent--free of Thrips, long lasting in winter's cooler temperatures and lesser daylight hours.
'Brass Band' with Lophostemnon seed pods and silver Maireana sedifolia foliage:
Unknown rose. Grown from a cutting from Colleen's plant, which grew from a cutting from Bea's plant, which grew from a cutting of Bea's Mom's plant, which Bea's Mom got from the farm supply store in rural Tennessee, a long time ago.
'Geranium Red'
'Molineux'
Echeveria coccinea
The Abutilons continue
To finish, foliage. Winter is prime time for Aeoniums, and 'Zwartzkop' is striking backed and mingled with the silver-white foliage of Leucophyllum 'Thunder Cloud'. Happy Bloom Day! More here.
I love your roses but I think my garden needs more aloes. I really wish I felt I could go plant shopping somewhere other than online...It's 88F here and working in the garden wasn't terribly pleasant at midday. I hope our temperature comes down again soon.
ReplyDeleteI'm itching for some plant shopping myself. After the vaccines. My sister in Alaska was able to get her first and has the appt for the 2nd. Not that much longer...we can do it!
Delete90F here yesterday! For about 2 minutes it felt great...and then it didn't.
I think your garden needs more Aloes, too. ;^) I like Aridlands for Aloes because they are mostly all grown from seed.
Where do you live, Kris Peterson? Yes, Hoover Boo, Aridlands is so great! I have visited there and the section is unbelievable for so many plants!
DeleteNice, knowledgeable people, too.
DeleteSeeing all your flowers made me feel so good. Talk about plant therapy!
ReplyDeletePlants are constantly wonderful!
DeleteDear Hoover Boo,
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful it must to live in a country where you can have flowers in the garden the whole year round. How different everything looks in Holland in wintertime where the sky's are grey and dark most of the time. Enjoy the day and stay safe!!
A rosehugs Marijke
Rosehugs back to you, Marijke. A good reminder it is quite wonderful to have so many flowers and much sunshine in winter, though cloudy and grey has beauty as well. Thank you. The natural world is such a beautiful place.
DeleteHappy Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. That first picture says it all to me. The sun nuzzling down into the rose bringing it alive. While the snow lies on the ground here it is such a pleasure to see your dry climate plants all abloom. Such unusual forms give an other worldly feeling to me and those colors are so warm.
ReplyDeleteThe same to you, Lisa. I have to say even though it was 90F here yesterday, it felt kinda good. It's been chilly* here for quite a few weeks.
Delete*Chilly for us, not really chilly.
Wow. The light and color in your photos is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI love the aloes. It's probably just the bright colors, but the plants are so structural and then the blooms are so bold it's always something I love seeing. You would either laugh or roll your eyes if you saw my struggling little potful.
I love the winter light! The summer light here is too harsh.
DeleteI have some struggling little potfuls of Aloes, too! Actually not full if you don't count all the parts that died, lol!
Wowsa! So many beautiful blooms, and vignettes that are instantly recognizable as your garden. For instance nobody photographs Russelia equisetiformis like you, it's just perfect against the wall. And then "Five Aloes in bloom simultaneously" with the yellow blooms and yellow edge to the yucca foliage. Sigh...
ReplyDeleteHappy you liked them, thank you! Takes me a lot of attempts to get a satisfying shot. Still working on some plants and angles.
DeleteYour flower portraits are all lovely but I delighted in the historical lineage of the unknown rose, which is beautiful all on its own but even more alluring knowing how many have taken cuttings to get their very own.
ReplyDeleteI have rooted a cutting and given it to someone, so hopefully the line continues...I should do some more and spread the sweet charm of that rose. It's a good one! :)
DeleteI would live to find that Centaurea but I’ve never seen it before
DeleteCentaurea ragusina?
DeleteSnowbird portraits are stunning!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Been trying a long time. The petals are so bright white the photos would always be overexposed. Finally fiddled with enough settings to get those shots. A great rose, too.
DeleteGoodness, that's a lot of color! How wonderful to have them all year round!
ReplyDeleteFeel free to share at My Corner of the World
Yes, gardening can be a lot of fun here. Not much down time, though, and water is always a worry. Thank you, I will check out the link.
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