Friday, April 10, 2009

April Flowers in the Garden

Here's a couple of volunteers putting on a nice show.
Santa Barbara Daisy and Nemesia

I was barely able to capture this pollen laden bumble bee
while it was flitting through Ceanothus.

A better shot of the Ceanothus.
It's in full bloom and absolutely abuzz with insects of all sorts.

Aeonium undulatum putting forth a flower spike.

Fragrant white Freesia

Ranunculus which has been living undisturbed
in this pot for 4 years.

Nicotiana "Hot Chocolate"

Variegated Angel's Trumpet



Huchera maxima



Cantua buxifolia

Echium gentianoides “Tajinaste”


Echeveria

Nicotiana

This plant came as a bonus growing in a pot of something else (can't remember what and it's probably dead now anyway). It's been happily growing and blooming in the garden for a couple of years.

10 comments:

  1. Oh, your early spring looks like summer here! We won't have most/any of those things for months yet. I can't wait for ceanothus season, that's how I evaluate the health of the bee colonies in the neighborhood. We have one and our two-doors-up neighbor has a huge one. I've heard they are not long-lived so I worried this winter would knock them out, but so far they both seem to be surviving. Is the nicotiana night-fragrant even this early in the year for you? So lovely, all of them, thanks for pulling me forward in time a bit.

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  2. PS, Oh, I just noticed the face behind the flowers in that first shot! Funny that I was so focused on the blooms that I missed the green man/troll/whatever he is!

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  3. Karen, that Ceanothus almost got pulled out, last spring and the spring before it looked horrible and hardly bloomed. For whatever reason, all the ceanothus in the garden put on a great this spring. Guess it's staying for now...

    Green Man is a bit of an ugly fellow, but it's fun to place him where he peers out from the foliage. I posted a different picture of him back on November 12 in a less springy mood.

    Oh, and the Nicotiana, I haven't noticed any fragrance yet, but it's still to cold in the evening to be out there.

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  4. What pretty blooms! I love the color on that ceanothus!

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  5. What vibrant colors, Michelle! Ceanothus - is it fragrant? Looks really attractive. It'd be so unfair to mention a single bloom as all of them look awesome! Your garden must be a riot of colors all around!

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  6. Chandramouli, the Ceanothus has a little bit of fragrance on warm days, but I haven't really put my nose close to it to really check it out. There is a fair amount of blooming going on right now, but not quit a riot. :) I have to admit, I tend to devote more time to veggies than to flowers!

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  7. Wow, those are some spectacular blooms for so early in the season. I especially like the echeveria and the nicotiana Hot Chocolate. Absolutely lovely.

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  8. Everything is lovely, and very Californian! Bravo.

    I'm beside myself with envy about your blooming Cantua. Next year for me, I guess.

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  9. What a beautiful garden! Do you know what variety the Ceanothus is?

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