Blooms March 2023

 Dutch Iris--consistently cool weather this winter enabled flowers to last several times as long as they usually do while retaining their deep, rich color.

This winter's plentiful rain promises a glorious spring for the garden.  Our latest storm began yesterday morning and will continue until mid-day today.  So far, we've received over an inch of rain (25 mm) bringing our seasonal total to 18.5" (470mm).

We'll worry about a hellish fall fire season this summer.  For now, the joy.  
 

Rhodanthemum 'Casablanca' with Agave 'Blue Glow':

Especially celebrating Felicia amelloides this month, because these are the first successful ones I've ever had.

 Plants in the past have barely flowered and then died in summer heat.  Delightful to see them succeed.  

Felicia amelloides with Carex testacea and Senecio serpens:

Echeveria coccinea:

Grevillea 'Moonlight' in early morning light:

 Salvia 'Pavement Purple', which is not purple:

Two of the Garvinea series Gerberas:

 

Aloe marlothii:

Aloe striata:

Leucadendron 'Cloudbank Ginny' beginning its spring display.  Grevillea 'Moonlight and Aloe marlothii at lower extreme right:  

The plain white Freesias with the strong scent.  The rain really helped them.

Another color of Dutch Iris.  Many more yet to flower throughout the garden:

Orange blossoms.  Awaiting a warm sunny day when their fragrance will fill the air and intoxicate the soul:

Agave 'Joe Hoak' flowering progress slowed to nothing by the relatively chilly weather we've enjoyed this winter:

Leucadendron 'Cloudbank Ginny' on the left, Leucospermum 'Tango' on the right.  Blue foliage is Dasylirion wheeleri:

Ooh!  The Pimelea ferruginea is soon to flower!  (Just not today.)

Leucadendron 'Wilsons Wonder' quieting down after a glorious show most of winter:

Matthiola incana, common name Stock:

Recent purchase Ceanothus 'Ray Hartman' has flower buds and new foliage while it awaits planting.  It must be the rain:

One of the 'Colorita' series of compact Alstroemerias, 'Colorita Kate':

 Mr. Froggie likes 'Kate''s instant bouquet feature.  One stem in a vase = instant bouquet, foliage included:

Growing under the still-dormant Acer palmatum:

Too late for today--Clivia flowers open soon:

Ditto the first Tall Bearded Iris of the year:

The roses are all still leafing out--except these 'Ambridge Rose' buds--leftovers I couldn't bear to cut off at pruning time--they waited unopened on the plant for weeks.  Now finally open, miraculously undamaged by all the rain we've received:

Heuchera 'Canyon Duet', a dwarf Heuchera, is a petite cross of California native species that lack the dramatic variety of foliage colors found in other Heucheras.  Besides plain green foliage, what they do have is wonderfully dainty, beautiful flower stems and the ability to thrive under our native oaks for many years.  

The Heucheras with the wild burgundy, purple, yellow, orange, and chartreuse foliage have all proven to be expensive annuals in this garden.  Recently I had a chance to ask a gardener at Sherman Gardens how they were able to keep their colorful foliage Heucheras alive and beautiful:  "Oh, they don't last long.  We just replace them with new plants."  

Okay, yeah.  Not going to do that.   

'Canyon Duet', theoretically not an expensive annual:

The sweet peas are thriving but not yet flowering, except for this lone beauty.  Soon, soon...

 A Clematis stem made use of Euphorbia 'Sticks on Fire' for support last year.  An experiment this year to see if Sweet Peas find the Euphorbia supportive as well:

Salvia 'Roman Red' planted last summer didn't handle our winter that well.  However it is beginning to wake up from a winter rest.  Aeonium 'Kiwi' is the background:

Hellebore, planted last year.  It spent summer and fall engulfed and covered up by a Hydrangea, but bounced right back to flower after the Hydrangea was cut back:

   

Grevillea check:  yes, they still flower on and on year round:

Overwhelmingly acid yellow Aeonium 'Zwartzkop'  flowers are less glaring when first opening.  With the Aeonium's black, silver Didelta, and blue-grey Senecio 'Everest' foliage:

Ipheion uniflorum makes do on rainfall alone--even when rainfall is only 4" for the year.  It can also handle a lot more. 

The Felicia once more, with Leucadendron 'Blush' the bokeh background:

Happy March flowers! 

7:00 am We're at 2.17" of rain over the past 24 hours, 19.67" for the season.  Wheeee!!!!!!!!!!!

Rain today, spring next week.