The only 'Tropical Lightning' I ever expected in my garden. That's the rose's name. However...
Tropical cyclone Hilary is forecast to give us some rare summer rain. Bring it on! Doesn't look we'll get much--it's tracking too far east--but any rain at all is good. An inch would be awesome. It's the desert and some mountain locations that will get hit very hard. People there must be on the alert for dangerous flash-flooding and mud slides.
In other "Whaaa?!?"s, a Hippeastrum decided it was time to flower--she just wasn't ready in April.
Nice!The Foxglove seeds I started--wasn't expecting this:
The entire package of Tagetes lemonii gave me a whopping 12 plants. I expected the same from the Foxgloves. Surprise! I started Calendula 'Xeolites' seeds on Sunday--the first appeared Thursday. Here they are today:
A few Calendulas more than the Tagetes, which seems about right. I've never grown Calendulas. They are a reliable cool season annual here and are native to the Mediterranean.
Other new plants picked up last Sunday:
A couple more Cupheas, 'La Chiquita' and 'Border Lavender', a couple more Pentas, a 50% off Helianthemum 'The Bride', and Salvia microphyllum 'Flower Child'. I held off planting them during the week because it was close to or over 90F. This coming week looks better.
Some foliage...one of the 'Ebony' series Lagerstroemias and Leucadendron 'Pom Pom'. You can see what the winter rain did to them...at least I can. Years of drought training for these eyes.
Ditto for Leucandedron 'More Silver', which has four times the foliage it had last year:The garden looks suprisingly good for August. Our winter rain is still performing magic. A lush quality we've not had for many years.
The spot-watering all summer did wonders, and yet we've easily stayed below our suggested limit on water use. (It has not been mandatory this year.)
Views out the windows are quite nice when it's too hot to go outside. The summer annuals have been great but it's mostly the health of tree and shrub foliage that create the lush feeling:
It's Dahlias that have had better years. Their lack of enthusiasm this year could be the long deep May-Gray/June Gloom. Stepping up to fill the Dahlia vacuum: lots and lots of buds and flowers on Eriocapitella hupehensis x 'Pretty Lady Emily':Always photogenic!
Still keeping a watchful eye on Hakea laurina buds. They typically open in early autumn. 'Golden Celebration': The Tagetes erecta seeds planted June 28th are now healthy, branching plants, and the first flower bud has appeared. Hopefully Hilary's wind and rain won't snap them.
The re-enforcement of the tomato cage seems to be keeping the critters out--unmolested tomatoes ripening again:
The Tropical Storm Watch has become a Tropical Storm Warning. We have been warned.
Ha! It must be your first time starting Foxglove from seed! Known for exceptional germination ability, I'm alway watchful to remove the bloom stocks before the seeds dry out, and still some escape. They also cross pollinate so I get many variations from pink to white. I save only the few I like to spread the seeds where I want, and nature does the rest, with abundance. Very easy to to pull out the unwanted starts.
ReplyDelete'Ebony' Lagerstroemias is gorgeous, but Hakea laurina is the one I'm really salivating over. Wow!!!
I hope the storm goes easy on you, both rain and wind wise.
Chavli
Yes never grew Foxglove--I only wanted about six plants! Probably too dry here to be a pest, but I did plan to deadhead assertively--if I can get them to grow to flowering size.
DeleteI'm looking forward and hoping for the Hakea. I still have not planted it, because I want to at least see a flower. Since I killed the other one petiolaris I'm timid.
Excellent seed results! I resist planting seeds unless I can direct sow them where I intend them to grow but I really should make more of an effort to start plants I'd otherwise buy as plugs from seed. I'm thinking of trying Eustoma grandiflorum from pelleted seeds as the garden centers didn't offer many as plugs this year.
ReplyDeleteI was alarmed when I saw the title of your post, thinking that the tropical storm was moving even faster than this afternoon's update from the LA Times predicted. Weather Underground is currently projecting 2.62 inches of rain in my location on Sunday. The chance of rain shows 100% at noon Sunday, with rain starting at 5am. It's projected to drop to a 24% chance on Monday. A lot of people seem to have the heebie-jeebies about potential damage here but then the recent landslide in Rolling Hills is still top of mind. In addition to last night's alert via TV, we just got a South Bay Emergency Alert by email. Despite the 100% promise of rain, I'm still wondering if all the hype will come to nothing but I did turn off my irrigation system!
I tried direct sowing some Zinnias and they sprouted nicely and something ate every single one.
DeleteI turned off the irrigation for Sunday, if we get a decent amount it can stay off for several more irrigations after that. At least one day without having to spot-water! Your storage tanks might be full up with that forecast--won't that be great?
That landslide in Rolling Hills--yes that was simply horrifying. They don't even have lots to rebuild on--the land itself is gone.
Good luck! Things do look remarkably lush, but some more rain can't hurt! Plus those temps look quite reasonable.
ReplyDeleteEriocapatella... that might take some getting used to but it does have a ring to it.
There are more serious tongue twisters than "Eriocapatella", for sure. And I pronounce most of them wrong, tongue twisting or not. Haha!
DeleteIt's quite dry here--whatever rain we get, I hope it soaks in.
I'm glad to hear that you might get some rain from the hurricane. I was disappointed when they said we would be too far west to get any. It is so dry here. It has me worried.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to comment on my own blog and having a heck of a time. I think this time will work.
DeleteWe got over 2.6" here--it was as amazing--never got torrential--just steady for almost 24 hours straight. Plants all washed clean. We were lucky! I'm reading now there is forest fire smoke widespread in the PNW--yecch! Take care--hope you get relief soon.
Since I don't do seeds, I am always fascinated to see how they behave. Your garden is looking great and a little rain can only help. We are under a heat warning until Thursday night and no rain in sight for at least ten days.
ReplyDeleteHaving a heck of a time commenting. Finally it works. I didn't do seeds for a long time--trying them again to develop more gardening skills. It's helping--I think? Maybe? We got awesome rain--soooo grateful!!!!
DeleteHeat warnings--oh, boy. We're all getting too familiar with those. It's tough on the plants and on the gardener. Take care out there.
Every year there are some hits and misses. The win this year is all the lush foliage of all your trees and shrubs. Dahlias are late here too due to all the dryness and unfortunately, are infested with thrips. Boo. Hope the rain did reach you in just the right amount.
ReplyDeleteVery true! This year there were so many hits I got spoiled. Any Dahlia is a thrill so I should not complain.
DeleteWe got awesome rain over 2.6"! The soil here sucked it up like a sponge. 2.6" in August. Our previous record yesterday for August was "T" which stands for "trace". A rain to remember!
I hope you got some rain out of Hilary. My daughter in Tustin said it wasn't as bad as everybody had been expecting. But rain in the summer, that would be magical. I'm sure you'll post an update.
ReplyDelete2.61!!!! It was awesome. Yes magic!
DeleteThat's an impressive amount of rain you got! I am so envious! I didn't know you could start Calendula seeds this time of year for planting. Makes me wonder if that would work in Oregon too. I know it is a cooler weather plant and I have a whole bunch of seed developing on my plants from this Spring. Maybe it's time to start the next crop.
ReplyDeleteNot familiar with what works in colder climates. I read Calendula survives to 25F. Do you get colder than that? In most places I think it's more of a springtime flower.
DeleteYes definitely gets colder than that. I am guessing I will need to wait until spring!
Delete