Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - September 2009

Fall is starting to whisper in Northern California; we had our first real rainstorm of the season last night, and the garden today was damp and fragrant. I let a few of the last artichoke buds flower (but must be sure to cut them before they do their "HaHa! I'm really a thistle!" thing.) ~Click any photo to enlarge~

Things are more subtle in September. This is Grevillea 'Coastal Gem' a South-African groundcover shrub that is a good alternative to prostrate rosemary in the landscape; drought tolerant, deer resistant, wonderful texture and a lovely coral flower.

A little out-of-season Cerinthe major next to the Coleonema 'Sunset Gold' (one of my favorite plants, in case you haven't noticed!) That Cerinthe is blooming now is evidence of the milder-than-usual summer we had; normally this is an early spring combination!

This Diascia has been one of the hardest working perennials in my garden this year; planted as instant color in April they have been blooming non-stop ever since. Every time I go out to shear them, they look at up me like this and howl 'Nooo!' Maybe next month...

I am in love with this grass: Calamagrostis brachytricha (Korean Feather Reed Grass). I bought it from none other than John Greenlee himself. Unfortunately, my cats love it too, hence MY name for it:
Cat Toy Grass!

A spriglet of Loropetalum chinense 'Plum Delight,' another of my favorite winter-blooming shrubs, giving a little sneak preview.

I have mistreated this purple-leafed Plectranthus for years, but last spring I repotted him AND gave him his very own drip emitter; I think I've been forgiven!

The Lantana by the front porch is still going strong; no doubt it'll be around next month too. Thanks again to Carol from May Dreams Gardens for inspiring "Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!"

22 comments:

  1. I look forward to your GBBD postings on the 15th of each month as much as I do posting my own! It's exciting to see what goes on in gardens across the country. These are beautiful images, Laura. Love the grass pic - a GGW entry, for sure. And Diascia as a perennial? I can only imagine the possibilities. Beautiful, as always.

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  2. I had no idea that artichoke blooms were so beautiful. You have a lovely garden!

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  3. Lovely tour Laura. Great photos. Love the articoke bloom...looks like something growing at the bottom of the ocean. H.

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  4. Beautiful blooms! It's so interesting to see blooms across the country; you have so many here that we never see in the Midwest. The artichoke buds are especially fascinating--they look just like the thistle blooms here! I'm going to go look up Pelactranthus now to see if I can grow it, too:)

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  5. Have lived in California for 35 years and in all that time I don't think I've ever seen an artichoke in bloom. Must be because it takes a strong person to give up even one steamed artichoke in favor of flowers, no matter how lovely.

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  6. Great photos! I love that artichoke as well. I know how big they get, you must have quite a plant there. Too funny about the cats...

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  7. I'm so glad you're all enjoying the artichoke blooms! I knew they'd be a hit. These are 3rd gen side shoots (the leader and first shoots were...delicious!)

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  8. Absolutely beautiful - featuring my very favorite Fall bloomers (plus a few new ones - haven't tried that grass yet)! As usual, you have such a way with words.....thanks for the tour!

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  9. So glad you included your artichokes in your Bloom Day post! I can't wait to add a few to my garden! But I'm with Susan- it's going to take a lot of will power to allow a few to go to bloom!

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  10. Your Korean Feather Reed Grass is just beautiful! I have always loved ornamental grasses and it is so fun to see all the different ones gardeners use all over the country. Happy Bloom Day!

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  11. Those artichokes are beautiful. I think you can cut them at this point & dry them, I think they keep their color well. Too pretty to let fade.

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  12. Susie, really? They would be beautiful with my pomegranates! I'll try it. My dad will breathe a sigh of relief (I carelessly let a thistle go to seed last year, so now he keeps close watch!)

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  13. Rebecca & Hillary, it is the nicest grass! Completely deciduous with a tidy spray of apple green leaves all summer, flowers in September. Thankfully the cats only destroy the plumes one at a time, and since a lot of amusing acrobatics are involved, it's worth the sacrifice!

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  14. I guess I am the only person who actually lets ALL of her artichoke flowers bloom! I can't get myself to eat one because of how spectacular the flowers are! And the bees love them so much - do you notice how they do the 'deep shimmy' when they are inside the purple thistles, getting all the pollen they can? I love watching them!
    I am with you on the Coleonema 'Sunset Gold' - I put it everywhere! And it looks wonderful with the cerinthe!
    Beautiful bloom day! Maybe one day, when I actually have blooms, I'll do a bloom day post! XOXO!

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  15. Haha Germi...I know exactly what you mean about the bees! There is actually one in the photo (on the right-most flower, toward the bottom) Not in full-shimmy, but he was sure happy!

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  16. These artichokes are just beautiful. I don't think our growing season is long enough here.

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  17. Great pictures - especially the artichokes

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  18. I have NEVER seen artichokes bloom... I thought the part you eat was the bloom! Thanks for enlightening me and for such beautiful pictures!

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  19. Loved the pictures...loved listening in to all your chatting away...Lantana huh? Now I finally know the name...and what a hard time keeping it down..had one growing out of a wall!!!!! Covered several meters both high and wide...but then that is us in the subtropics...Erna

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  20. I don't know if I am jealous...or not! The season is winding down on the east coast. So...we now will have no more (or very few) flowers for awhile, but we also get a break!

    At any rate, those are beautiful photos of some plants that I am not even familiar with.

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  21. Good Morning Laura: This my first visit to your blog, looking forward to many more. You have done a great job.

    Have a great day,
    John

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  22. The artichoke buds remind me of some underwater corals we have in the tropical waters..the colour is lovely, by the way.

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