Saturday, February 15, 2020

February Bloomday

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.

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!
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.

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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.

31 comments:

  1. Happy bloomday! I liked the pulled away views, and I didn't realize you had so many hellebores. We're having a not-windy weekend for a change, so maybe I'll find some blooms under the leaves and pruning!

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    1. I have quite a few hellebores, but sadly most of them aren't plumping up like I wish they would (or I see them doing around town). Still there are flowers, so I shouldn't complain.

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  2. I think 'Austin Griffiths', and the rest of the front garden, looks gorgeous with grey skies. Love the dark stems of the arcto, and the greens all pop. That 'Blue Pacific' juniper has made such a wonderful ground cover. The Edgeworthia made me laugh. Really? A plant grew bigger than its label said? That NEVER happens! I've been amazed at the one branch of a pelargonium growing against the house that's still green, but that banana is something else!

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    1. That juniper still thrills me after all these years, it's such a good knitter. I think it was Maurice Horn of Joy Creek who I remember saying "look at the label and know it will get twice that big in the PNW"...if that's true I've got some major pruning in my future.

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  3. I love the ''"2-views" post. This is the first time I get to see how tall Edgeworthia chrysantha 'Nanjing Gold' is. Goodness, you can barely reach to smell the flowers... it is massive. So is the Fatsia japonica: one of the biggest I've seen.
    I hope you'll find a camera that makes you happy and at least you have something to use in the meantime.
    I'm looking to create a privacy screen using bamboo. Do you remember what you used in that container?

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    1. Oh this current camera makes me very happy! And to not be pressured into buying something quickly just because I need to is priceless!

      There are two different bamboos in that tank...what a mistake! Andrew and I couldn't decide between Phyllostachys nigra 'Black' and I think Pseudosasa japonica 'Japanese Arrow', so they're both in there. Don't do that! Go with just one and make sure it's a clumper.

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  4. I've always admired the location of your Edgworthia and imagine seeing the Hummers visiting the beautiful blooms

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    1. It's certainly nothing I planned, I got very lucky.

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  5. Wish I could smell these beauties - and the fresh air, too. Being stuck inside all winter is getting old!

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    1. I can't imagine! Being inside here for a great deal of our very wet January was hell. I cannot wait until it's open window season again.

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    2. Occasionally, I'll open the windows on opposite sides of the house for 15 minutes to circulate fresh air, but I wish I could do it more. I love open windows in summer.

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  6. It was 4 above zero when I woke up this morning, so all your green (and blooms) was a welcome sight to these winter-sore eyes.

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  7. Chocolate in the garden? mmmmmm looks good enough to eat. Bamboo in a trough. Looks good, contained. I like that idea.

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    1. I liked that idea so much that we repeated it over and over (we have 5 tanks with bamboo). I would never do it again though. They need so much water and fertilizer and I feel a little like they're ticking time bombs about to explode.

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  8. I saw an Azara microphylla somewhere but got scared off by its mature size. I've always admired Edgeworthia but, since I've literally never seen these shrubs here, I just assumed they won't grow in this climate but the Sunset Garden Book begs to differ. The hang up is the "regular water" it apparently requires. It looks like we're headed into drought again...

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    1. I thought for sure with all the rain that fell while we were in SoCal that you all were in for a wet winter. Sorry that's not the case.

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  9. Great idea to show the plants near and far! That 'Jade Tiger' Hellebore is something special!

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  10. Your garden looks so wonderfully green. Balm for those of us with Spring fever. The combination of the blue agave with the euphorbia is drool-worthy. Will try something similar this summer. Thanks for the tour.

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  11. That first photo is stunning Loree. Your garden looks so lush for February!

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    1. Thanks Phillip, the front garden stays pretty much the same year-round, it's certainly enjoying the winter water since it doesn't get much in the summer time.

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  12. All your shots are beautiful.I have never heard of Edgeworthia flowers before they are stunning,your hellebore's are eye pleasing.Happy blogger blooms day.

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  13. I agree with Phillip - wow! I had no idea Azaras have little fragrant, yellow flowers! Now I like them even more! Also, cool that you're doing a pop-up shop at Xera. Will be sure to be on the lookout for that.

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    1. May 30th, I would love to see you there Anna!

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  14. Jim North Tabor here. Been a long time since I commented. You’re an inspiration! That arctostaphylos is a stunner! I can’t believe how your garden has changed. Amazing.

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  15. Of course, with it being cold and snowy here, I never even realized it was Bloom Day until I looked at your post on the weekend. Even though I know what different climates we all live in, I am always amazed to look at gardens on the West Coast or down South and see how gorgeous they are when I am buried in snow. Really hard to grasp the vast differences in climate and weather in the continental US, let alone the world. I am just dreaming of spring even more now that I've seen your garden looking so lovely.

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  16. Those Edgworthia flowers are just so great.

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  17. Do your Edgworthias smell? I planted one bc I read they smell similar to Daphane O. but mine has no scent I can detect at all.

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