Summer begins--the last of our 'June Gloom' days are gone--and real gardening ends until after Labor Day. Now begins emergency spot-watering, move-potted plants-to-shade season.
Monarch breezing through Pentas:
The gardener will deadhead and remain ever-alert for plants under water stress. She may soon regret not planning for, and planting more, heat-loving summer annuals. Such is summer gardening in Southern California.
I did mange to sow the Zinnia seeds--it was Sunday--and they are already germinating in warm, warm soil.
In the meantime, Leucanthemums:
Looked decent in late afternoon backlight, though:
Lens cap there lower left to indicate size at purchase:
Here it is yesterday. Ten years to flower. Possibly when it comes to plants, I'm somewhat patient. Worth the wait? Yes!
Aloe 'Hellskloof Bells' is a hybrid of A. personii, a gorgeous, rare, slow-growing, and difficult-to grow species.
Aloe x noblis may be a hybrid of A. distans x A. brevifolia, or it may be A. mitrifomis x A. brevifolia. Whatever it might be, it's also flowering time now for x noblis:
While its also time for Drimia maritima bulbs to go dormant for the summer:
And time for the gardener to check to see what needs water.
There is truth in the old adage, good things come to those who wait: Aloe 'Hellskloof Bells' is super cool, blooming just in time for the Fourth of July! Happy 4th!
ReplyDeleteChavli
Maybe for gardeners, yes. :^)
DeleteI certainly hope I follow your lead and don't plant anything now. Aloe 'Hellskloof Bells' is fantastic, I agree- worth the wait!
ReplyDeleteYou do know it's okay to plant shop for good mental health, right? ;^)
DeletePop them in a shaded, empty spot for the summer....
Your late-sown zinnias may surprise you! Your patience with that Aloe was rewarded and I expect it's going to look better with every passing year.
ReplyDeleteWe still have a marine layer in early morning but, at 9am, it's once more already cleared at our elevation. Gardening is mostly a morning activity and spot watering is a near daily task. After taking last year off, the raccoons are also back so scanning the garden for their overnight high jinks has also become a regular chore.
I'm surprised by the Zinnias already. Was out there spot-watering and it looks like every single seed I planted has come up. I have them under wire screening--hopefully they won't vanish like the carrot seedlings did. The first Cosmos are up, too. Both so much faster than the ones planted in March! Well now I know.
DeleteWe had the blessed ML this morning until 9ish, too. Enjoying it while it lasts.
Raccoons-grrrrr!
Hellskloof Bells flowers are really special. I have three big clumps, and I've only had flowers ONCE in 10 years!
ReplyDeleteYes I was admiring the HB in your latest post Project #4 photos. Nice! I gave mine a soaking a month or two ago--it has lived on winter rain alone since I "grounded" it--wonder if that did it?
DeleteI've had flowers now once in 10 years, so we're tied!
Gardening is all about teaching us patience and rewarding us when we do.
ReplyDeleteEleven years now waiting for Agapanthus 'Sandringham' to flower. Got it at Joy Creek nursery at the 2014 Fling. The foliage looks great. At this point its lucky it doesn't take up much space.
DeleteJust another tribute to your expertise that Aloe 'Hellskloof Bells' flowered under your care. I suspect all your "eyes" had to be dotted and your "tees" crossed to enable it. Well done, you! The Hardenbergia appears to be taking off too. I can't wait to see how that turn out. Plants growing up trellises and over arches are so pretty. I think my favorite today is your leucanthemums — they remind me of those old-fashioned rather impractical hats that were worn by women in the 50s. Utterly charming. Growing up, I loved fireworks displays, and especially sparklers. However, in my neighborhood at least, people start shooting them off a good week before the 4th, and they'll be shooting them off all weekend. I'm not quite as enchanted as I once was. I just worry that some careless fool is going to start a fire that can't be put out as easily as it was started. Perhaps I worry too much? Hope you're having a good weekend. Elizabeth
ReplyDeleteNo expertise at all, unless you consider not doing anything at all for that Aloe besides looking at it every so often.
DeleteThe Hardenbergia already has new growth. That was nice to see.
That particular Leucanthemum--the fluffy fringy feathery flowers are a new favorite. Yes, like Ladie's Day hats at the Royal Ascot.
We didn't have much bang-bang-boom-boom this year, just an hour or two the night of, less than usual. Perhaps the locals here in our hilly neighborhood adjacent to wild lands, seeing Pacific Palisades and Altadena, also hilly neighborhoods adjacent to wild lands burn to the ground, along with a big jump in insurance costs encouraged some sanity.
Good weekend back atcha!
So cool to see your 'Hellskloof Bells' thrive as it disappeared from my garden. That's Brian Kemble's baby, right? It's a beauty.
ReplyDeleteIt's one of those xeric plants with leaves that remain pristine, unmarked, undinged, unscarred, unspotted--like Agave parryi truncata. A slight gloss to the leaves--a real beauty!
DeleteWow, it took so long to flower. Loved all your photos.
ReplyDeleteBut it finally did! :) Happy you liked the pictures--thank you!
DeleteEmergency watering has started here too. Too much drying out too fast. Congratulations on the Hellskloof Bells!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Stay cool, Jerry, it's hot out there. :(
DeleteOh! Congrats on the aloe, it's a looker. I have a couple garden tours coming thru next week so it's still gardening time for me, in addition to watering. We're hitting 90's currently and maybe (if you believe the long term forecast) 100 next week on one of the tour days. Thank god they're coming early in the day!
ReplyDelete90's, yuck. Guess I can't complain--yet.
DeleteEarly is the best time in the garden anyway, hot or not. Have fun with the tour!