It's Bloomday again! It seems so soon, but then again I'm probably confused because I posted photos of the garden back on Feb 3rd and included a lot of what was blooming at that time.
In order to keep this post from being a complete repeat (and thus a snooze-fest) I thought I'd try something different and not only include a close-up of the bloom, but an overall of the plant too. Sound good? Let's start with the current star of the garden; Arctostaphylos x ‘Austin Griffiths', isn't he pretty? He'd look even better if I'd managed to take a photo during one of our brief blue-sky events, rather then against a cloudy backdrop.
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As the season has progressed his light pink blooms have faded to white.
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Next up is Edgeworthia chrysantha 'Nanjing Gold'. The label on this guy said 6-8 ft tall and wide. It's currently 9ft tall and 11.25ft wide! It was hard to capture an overall of the plant, since the Fatsia japonica blocks it but it runs from the far left of the photo, to the far right and beyond. Look for the bare branches with little puff balls at the end..
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A side view...
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And the main event, a close up of the flowers.
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Moving on we've got several Euphorbia rigida, all self sown. I started with just one plant beneath the rhododendron under the front window. Don't see the rhododendron? It was taken out in 2014 and so was the original euphorbia.
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A (blurry) close-up...
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More euphorbia...
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To the east of where the sidewalk bends at the front door is a NOID rosemary that is trying to swallow an Agave 'Mateo' and it's container.
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The flowers...
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Now we've walked up the driveway and are nearing the back garden, first though we must stop and admire the Helleborus x hybridus 'Jade Tiger'.
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This one lives in a container so I can move it around as it comes in and out of bloom. It's looking a little sad at the moment as just few of the older leaves remain, the new ones haven't opened yet, and I've been cutting stems of flowers to bring indoors. In that container to the right is Misaka™ (Beautiful Blossom) Itoh Peony, it can't wait to get on with spring and is bursting out of the soil.
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Were you wondering about the big white tent? Back when we were supposed to have a cold and snow event I covered these beauties. They're going to be matched with creative containers and sold at my "danger garden upcycle" pop-up shop at Xera. I wanted to keep them pristine and haven't gotten around to uncovering them yet.
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Walking into the back garden there are three hellebores on the right. Of course you can only really see the pink one, but there's a black one ('Black Diamond') and a yellow one ('Golden Sunrise') near that black pot. Demonstrating what a mild winter it's been, my Musa basjoo still has green leaves as does the Passiflora 'Snow Queen' on the trellis.
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A close up of the pink one, Helleborus x ballardiae Pink Frost.
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Walking further into the back garden and turning towards the garage there are a few more hellebores.
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Helleborus argutifolius
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Turning to face north we've got the monster Grevillea miqueliana blocking the trunk of the Trachycarpus fortunei. I pruned this plant pretty drastically last year and will be doing it again soon.
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The fabulous flowers...
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Next to the grevillia is my orange blooming Edgeworthia, E. chrysantha ‘Akebono’. In case you're wondering about the tank full of bamboo, there's an opening here between our house (right) and the neighbor's garage (left), while we like our neighbors we also like privacy.
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More of those little orange flowers open every day.
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At the other end of the neighbor's garage is a loquat, Eriobotrya japonica. It's going to be pruned up into the tree it wants to be just as soon as I get around to it (2020 is the year of pruning).
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I wish you could smell its flowers.
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Okay, just one more, and I promise there's no way you're going to be able to pick out the plant in this overgrown, cramscaped, bit of land. You're looking for an Azara microphylla...
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Give up? The bare stem just right of middle is a Quercus dentata 'Pinnatifida’ (Cutleaf Emperor Oak) and the azara is just behind it, and to the left. Here (below) it's shown with a branch of Podocarpus matudae.
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I wish you could smell those tiny yellow things...they smell just like chocolate!
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For more February flowers visit May Dreams Gardens where Carol rounds up all the bloggers posting shots from their garden.
Oh and for those of you who've been wondering if I bought a new camera, no. I am still researching (slowly, an hour here, a few hours there). But a kind blog reader sent me a Lumex Point and Shoot that she no longer used, extra battery and all! Wasn't that incredibly nice? So, I've got it to use while I decide what model to invest in, and it takes pretty darn good photos too! She asked to remain anonymous though, so I can't thank her publicly.
Weather Diary, Feb 14: Hi 51, Low 39/ Precip 0
All material © 2009-2020 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
In order to keep this post from being a complete repeat (and thus a snooze-fest) I thought I'd try something different and not only include a close-up of the bloom, but an overall of the plant too. Sound good? Let's start with the current star of the garden; Arctostaphylos x ‘Austin Griffiths', isn't he pretty? He'd look even better if I'd managed to take a photo during one of our brief blue-sky events, rather then against a cloudy backdrop.
As the season has progressed his light pink blooms have faded to white.
Next up is Edgeworthia chrysantha 'Nanjing Gold'. The label on this guy said 6-8 ft tall and wide. It's currently 9ft tall and 11.25ft wide! It was hard to capture an overall of the plant, since the Fatsia japonica blocks it but it runs from the far left of the photo, to the far right and beyond. Look for the bare branches with little puff balls at the end..
A side view...
And the main event, a close up of the flowers.
Moving on we've got several Euphorbia rigida, all self sown. I started with just one plant beneath the rhododendron under the front window. Don't see the rhododendron? It was taken out in 2014 and so was the original euphorbia.
A (blurry) close-up...
More euphorbia...
To the east of where the sidewalk bends at the front door is a NOID rosemary that is trying to swallow an Agave 'Mateo' and it's container.
The flowers...
Now we've walked up the driveway and are nearing the back garden, first though we must stop and admire the Helleborus x hybridus 'Jade Tiger'.
This one lives in a container so I can move it around as it comes in and out of bloom. It's looking a little sad at the moment as just few of the older leaves remain, the new ones haven't opened yet, and I've been cutting stems of flowers to bring indoors. In that container to the right is Misaka™ (Beautiful Blossom) Itoh Peony, it can't wait to get on with spring and is bursting out of the soil.
Were you wondering about the big white tent? Back when we were supposed to have a cold and snow event I covered these beauties. They're going to be matched with creative containers and sold at my "danger garden upcycle" pop-up shop at Xera. I wanted to keep them pristine and haven't gotten around to uncovering them yet.
Walking into the back garden there are three hellebores on the right. Of course you can only really see the pink one, but there's a black one ('Black Diamond') and a yellow one ('Golden Sunrise') near that black pot. Demonstrating what a mild winter it's been, my Musa basjoo still has green leaves as does the Passiflora 'Snow Queen' on the trellis.
A close up of the pink one, Helleborus x ballardiae Pink Frost.
Walking further into the back garden and turning towards the garage there are a few more hellebores.
Helleborus argutifolius
Turning to face north we've got the monster Grevillea miqueliana blocking the trunk of the Trachycarpus fortunei. I pruned this plant pretty drastically last year and will be doing it again soon.
The fabulous flowers...
Next to the grevillia is my orange blooming Edgeworthia, E. chrysantha ‘Akebono’. In case you're wondering about the tank full of bamboo, there's an opening here between our house (right) and the neighbor's garage (left), while we like our neighbors we also like privacy.
More of those little orange flowers open every day.
At the other end of the neighbor's garage is a loquat, Eriobotrya japonica. It's going to be pruned up into the tree it wants to be just as soon as I get around to it (2020 is the year of pruning).
I wish you could smell its flowers.
Okay, just one more, and I promise there's no way you're going to be able to pick out the plant in this overgrown, cramscaped, bit of land. You're looking for an Azara microphylla...
Give up? The bare stem just right of middle is a Quercus dentata 'Pinnatifida’ (Cutleaf Emperor Oak) and the azara is just behind it, and to the left. Here (below) it's shown with a branch of Podocarpus matudae.
I wish you could smell those tiny yellow things...they smell just like chocolate!
Oh and for those of you who've been wondering if I bought a new camera, no. I am still researching (slowly, an hour here, a few hours there). But a kind blog reader sent me a Lumex Point and Shoot that she no longer used, extra battery and all! Wasn't that incredibly nice? So, I've got it to use while I decide what model to invest in, and it takes pretty darn good photos too! She asked to remain anonymous though, so I can't thank her publicly.
— — —
Weather Diary, Feb 14: Hi 51, Low 39/ Precip 0
All material © 2009-2020 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.