February 2009 Archives

It's time again for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, when Carol of May Dreams Gardens asks us to share what's blooming in our gardens!

Last week brought us some much-needed rainfall - close to an inch and a half in my area, according to the weather reports - and during that rainy day came the first sunshiny bloom of my GORGEOUS California Mikado poppies.  I've coveted these since I saw MSS' California Mikado poppies at the Spring Fling last year.  They are delicate, and the first bloom has faded already, but it was replaced by two new blooms and several buds.  I adore this plant already, and I have more starting to spring up now, hopefully to be blooming in another month or two.

I have to say, though, that I'm disappointed that the web browser doesn't render these quite true to color; they've got more of a luminescent orange tint to them than is obvious here.


Speaking of luminescent orange, the bulbines in the front garden are about to take off.  I love their pretty conical form; they remind me of the golden Thai crown that's apparently called a mokot.  I speak often of how much I enjoy my bulbines; they thrive on neglect and bloom even on the hottest days of summer.  I really prefer the orange form, but I'm considering picking up some yellow bulbines, as well.


This Nierembergia gracilis 'Starry Eyes' is the newest addition to my garden.  I picked it up from the Natural Gardener yesterday.  The label promises: "Argentinean species with an airy mounding habit. Tolerant of poor soils, easy to grow.  Never stops blooming! XERIC."  That's the kind of flower I can get behind!  It remains to be seen whether it will be tolerant of my completely forgetting to water my front bed for weeks on end.  It's quite charming for now, and covered in little buds.



This passalong yellow kalanchoe is the first of my kalanchoes to bloom.  The others have miraculously survived rather overwhelming odds and have budded out.  They should be blooming by March Bloom Day.



I've been very pleased with my sweet alyssum, which has bloomed so well this winter.  The violet Easter bonnet alyssum has been a bit more fickle, but it's doing well in our square foot bed in the front yard, with full sun and reasonable amounts of irrigation.



Here are the paperwhites that used to live in my office.  I brought them home so they wouldn't fragrant up the joint quite so much.  At home, they're living outside, on my pretty new red plant stand, in part shade.  They're starting to fade a bit now, but I've really enjoyed growing them this year. I had no idea narcissus were so easy to grow!