GBBD - September in the Vegetable Garden

I haven't participated in Garden Bloggers Bloom Day in ages, either I totally forget about it or the dry summer has made for slim pickings of blossoms. But early yesterday morning we had a rare sprinkle of September rain that made everything fresh looking so I was taking photos of flowers as well as vegetables. So, here's some flowers from the vegetable garden.

Cilantro (Coriander)


Magdalena Big Cheese Squash


Sweet Alyssum and Squash Blossom with Two Types of Squash Foliage


Red Florence Fennel


Caper

To see what is blooming in other bloggers' gardens this September visit May Dreams Gardens

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day, April

Perhaps this should be a Wordless Wednesday post since I have no idea what variety of Iris this is. This was planted by a previous owner. I've been tempted to take it out because it looks incredibly scraggly for most of the year.

It is pretty when it blooms.

Does anyone know what variety it is?

For a lot more beautiful blossoms, be sure to visit May Dreams Gardens where Carol is hosting Garden Blogger's Bloom Day.

Garden Blogger Bloom Day March 2009

Viola pedunculata

This is a rather tough perennial wild violet that grows on sparsely vegetated slopes. It goes dormant in our summer droughts (normal weather), withering down to its tough roots and then regrowing when the rains return. There's a nice sprinkling of them across the hillside above my vegetable garden. Two petals have maroon splotches on the back which you can see in the photo below.

Volunteer from Rosemary "Santa Barbara Blue"

The mother plant was planted years ago. I dug up a volunteer seedling that was growing nearby and put it into a pot. That potted plant moved with me to my last garden where it sat in its pot for four years. It then made one more move to my current garden where it finally found a place to spread its roots in the ground. I'm not sure that it came true to seed, but it seems quite close. "Santa Barbara Blue" is an upright grower to about 5 feet with fine needles and lovely blue flowers. I've found this rosemary to have a good flavor.

Rosemary "Arp"

According to my Sunset Western Garden Book, "Arp" (from Arp, Texas) is the hardiest rosemary, surviving temperatures as low as -10F. It grows to about 4 feet tall with an open habit. The foliage has a grayish tinge to it and the flowers are a very pale blue. I picked up my plant at the farmers market last year and am still figuring out where it will be planted out. I've not tried this rosemary in the kitchen yet.

Fava Superaguadulce Morocco Strain blossoms

Here's how the seed seller describes this fava bean: Mid to late season fava bean, with a bright green pod. A premium Moroccan strain of this wonderful variety that combines the large size of the 'super' varieties with exceptional flavor and sweetness. I've grown Superaguadulce favas before and really liked them so it will be interesting to see if this strain is different.

Crimson Flowering Fava

Another photo of this variety just because it is so pretty. You can see a faint splash of crimson at the base of the Sugeraguadulce fava blossoms.

Alyssum and Golden Corn Salad

I like the purple flowers of the alyssum alongside the yellow-green foliage of the Golden Corn Salad. Both are volunteers that popped up in my gravel patio.

Echeveria species?

"Necta Zee" Nectarine blossoms

Ceanothus, an unknown variety.

Grevillea, another unknown variety.

This is a BIG shrubby Grevillea that was planted by a previous owner. The hummingbirds love this plant.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

I didn't expect to find much to photograph for GBBD today, especially after experiencing a couple of nights of what passes for a hard frost (wow, nearly a month ago!) around here. There are a few stalwarts still chugging along in spite of the cold. A couple of things really surprised me as you will see below.

The first surprise, one of the caper bushes is still blooming. It's planted up against a south facing wall that must absorb and radiate back enough heat to keep the plant from going fully dormant. Most of the other caper bushes are in different degrees of dormancy, depending on their exposure. It probably helps that this variety has a low trailing growth habit, the more upright capers were hit harder by the frost.

Next surprise, a nasturtium blossom. The plant is pretty well zinged by the frost, but like the caper, the part of the plant next to the wall as well as the lower growth survived the frosty nights.

So, lets move on to the stalwart bloomers.

Primula x pubescens (seemingly not "Exhibition Blue")

Sweet Alyssum

More Sweet Alyssum

I let the Alyssum volunteer around the garden because the bees and other beneficial insects love it.

A volunteer geranium which I haven't identified.

For Daphne, a photo of the rosemary in bloom.
I wish I could send you some to brighten your day!

The tiny flowers of Coleonema pulchellum "Sunset Gold"

December Flowers

For the most part, you have to look up close for flowers right now. A number of herbs are still in flower and a few other hardy hangers-on.

African Blue Basil

I'm keeping a couple of these in one-gallon pots to get them through the winter. The pale flowers in the background are on the same plant. I hope to propagate it and have it keep the same flower color.

Yarrow

Trailing Rosemary

Syrian Oregano

Leonotis

A hummingbird favorite.

Narcissus

Grevillea

Another hummingbird favorite.

Erigeron

Bacopa