I took early morning garden photos yesterday, intended for a Blooms-Of-March post. The early morning "golden hour" lighting made foliage as attractive as flowers, so this post has both. And I didn't get it posted yesterday. Hence, "late and sort of".
'Iceberg'. She never quits:
The "tough spot" Rhodanthemum still looks fabulous:
Aloe speciosa:Lupines and Russelia:Like 'Iceberg' rose, Grevillea 'Superb' doesn't stop:One of the South African Ericas. The hummingbirds ignored this plant in its first few struggling years, but now it's another food source for them:The area where the gopher destroyed two 'Blue Glow' and one 'Kissho Kan' Agave. Now repaired, with two spare 'Blue Glow's, another dab of an Aizoaceae, and Silene 'Druett's Variegated'. The flowers are another Rhodanthemum:The 'Cara Cara' orange is flowering. The fragrance is heavenly:We got over an inch of rain in the past few days. The Gerberas are wet but happy:The rising sun strikes the front slope. The nubbly threads and orangy tips on the Oak tree are its developing flowers and new growth. The rounded brown orbs are Oak Wasp galls. They do not harm the Oak:Sun and shadow playing on the glorious 'Vanzie'
Yucca queretaroensis. I always have to look up the correct spelling. Its blonde petticoat of dry leaves gracefully drape:Heavy early morning bird activity on the Metrosideros. A still photo does not show it:Aloe taurii finished up its flowering, but the rain-washed foliage is the real star:Bigger star still is Leucadendron 'Cloudbank Ginny' celebrating its moment:It was an awkward disappointment its first years. No longer!Direct sunlight had still not reached other parts of the garden. Iochroma 'Purple Queen':Euphorbia 'Miner's Merlot' did not die over the winter. Hooray!Like 'Cloudbank Ginny', Fatsia japonica 'Spiderweb' was a disappointment in its youth. Time has developed the white frosting in the foliage.
Time less fortunately is revealing a certain aggressiveness in Alstroemeria 'Rock n Roll'. It's spreading, though not yet to the point of thuggishness:The morning sun begins to hit even the most shadowy parts of the garden.
Happy Spring, sort of.
Happy spring! You timed your photo session perfectly, the garden looks so fresh. I like hearing how some beautiful now plants took a few years. That Yucca, oh glorious! 'Ginny' is incredibly cheery. Alstroemeria, ugh I have an aggressive spreader that I've been fighting for a couple years at least. Rock 'n roll is pretty well behaved at least.
ReplyDeleteThe variegation slows down the Alstroemeria considerably (and thankfully). If it never flowered I'd like it just as much--the foliage is like a mini-Hosta, very eye catching.
DeleteA couple of my roses took a decade, and they were worth the wait!
Your love and attention to details show in every one of these gorgeous photos of your spring garden.
ReplyDeleteAloe speciosa has a most incredible bloom stock!
I wish I could grow a South African Erica for my hummers and I know for certain that I couldn't easily walk away from the citrus heavenly fragrance... unless it started raining.
Chavli
Glad you liked the pictures--thanks! The light was wonderful though it was chilly that morning. A. speciosa flowers don't last that long but they have such a wonderful array of color.
DeleteAfter the rain (we got over an inch) the Matthiola, the Freesias, and the 'Cara Cara' were broadcasting their fragrance. Heaven indeed.
I'm a day late too, but no sun to be seen here. Maybe Tuesday. I forgot to take photos of the Freesias-it was cold, that's my excuse. Sometimes I can find Cara Cara oranges at the grocery store I always buy them if I see them. I'm thinking of buying one if I can find a semi-dwarf-I have to plant in containers due to space limitations. Vanzie is magnificent !
ReplyDeleteIt was cold here too but undoubtedly warmer than your area. I hope you got some Freesia photos and got to inhale their perfume while you took the pictures. One of the good things about taking garden photos is inhaling the fragrance while clicking.
DeleteMy 'Cara Cara' is on true dwarf rootstock and still pretty big. The fruit is insanely good.
'Vanzie'! She's awesome! Happy Spring, kayess!
good to know about 'Cloudbank Ginny,' my birthday present to me this year. these last few warm days have been amazing.
ReplyDeleteI was extremely disappointed by 'Ginny' at first. The stems twisted around in odd directions and were spindly. Then year 3 hit and kaboom, she's been getting more gorgeous every year. Sometimes a little patience is a good idea.
Delete'Pom Pom' is very similar and has a more vertical habit.
You made great use of the light! Every photo looks great. It's interesting that the hummers took a few years to warm up to the Erica. Your Leucadendron 'Cloudbank Ginny' is much more floriferous than mine but it also looks like it may be much larger - I've been trying to keep mine pruned smaller than it wants to be so it doesn't overwhelm its neighbors. I've always been disappointed by Fatsia 'Spiderweb' when I see it in garden centers but yours is very attractive - maybe it'll become a candidate for one or another of the areas left empty when I remove some of my 'Cousin Itt' shrubs. How much water does it need?
ReplyDeleteI've found that with other plants--the nectar production goes way, way up when the plant is well established. The Erica looked poor for several years until we got that really heavy winter of what 27" rain? Then it took off and hasn't quit since.
Delete'Ginny' here is well over 6' tall and wide. It could use some cutting back. I was unable to do it because of the knee thing--this year maybe it will be possible.
I'm not sure how much water 'Spiderweb' needs. It's under the Acer 'Oshio Bene' which has sprinklers and I don't go poking around that corner--not easy access and considerable competition for water from the Acer and the Parthenocissus. Flat area and lots of shade.
My latest 'Cousin Itt' is, yes, dying a slow miserable death. At least it's a slow one instead of quick. Sigh.
Beauty all around, the light and the rain effect making it even more so. I just bought a Yucca queretaroensis a couple days ago. I probably should have walked away (it's only Zone 8 hardy, I prefer yuccas a zone colder if they're going in the ground) but those spiky leaves were pretty special, your specimen is very handsome.
ReplyDeleteY. queretaroensis is big! I hope it does well for you.
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