Category Archives: Plant Portraits
March of the Tulips
They are a bit regimental in appearance, aren’t they? I’m not sure I’d want to accentuate that trait by lining them out with geometric precision in bedding-out schemes. I prefer to see these little soldiers cavorting with fennel and linaria … Continue reading
Posted in Bulbs, Plant Portraits
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Poppies in February
Of the many things I don’t do that cause me a small pang from time to time, like speak a language other than English, keeping a book of poetry on my reading table ranks probably in the mid to low … Continue reading
Erodium pelargoniflorum
This little self-sowing erodium owns the front gravel garden in spring. Just yesterday I pulled handfuls of it up to give some nerines a bit of breathing room. Weedy, yes, but cheerful and controllable. A quick Internet search tells me … Continue reading
Brachysema praemorsum ‘Bronze Butterfly’
All I could remember about this beauty was the name ‘Bronze Butterfly’ and that he was a California native, but I was only half right. Brachysema praemorsum ‘Bronze Butterfly’ is from Australia. Takes the harsh conditions of the front gravel … Continue reading
Posted in Plant Portraits
Tagged Brachysema praemorsum 'Bronze Butterfly', gastrolobium
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February Bloom Day/Foliage Day
This will be a hybrid post, a muddle of the two categories, by no means an exhaustive inventory of what’s in bloom and leaf here, early spring in zone 10. There’s salvias, annual poppies, succulents throwing out the odd flower, … Continue reading
Posted in Plant Portraits
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Hardenbergia violacea
I seem to be on a roll with the trailing and tendrily crowd lately, and this little evergreen Australian vine is in bloom around the neighborhood so he definitely rates inclusion. There’s two blurs of purple as I drive out … Continue reading
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Trailing Succulents
Yes, along with the fishhook senecio, there are quite a few that will spill and drape. A couple I have on hand that I especially enjoy include this crassula, which can’t be beat for a refined, airy, cumulusy presence and … Continue reading
Posted in Ephemera, Plant Portraits, succulents
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Cobaea scandens and Friends
Just a friendly tickle from Cobaea scandens. Teucrium fruticans azureum has nothing whatsoever to worry about, nor does the solanum or ballota. Helleborus lividus can rest easy. Cobaea: Rumors of my expansionism are greatly exaggerated. That’s allegedly 30 feet. That … Continue reading
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Closeup (Salvia semiatrata)
Of a triangular, dark green, corrugated leaf, of a delicate, jewel-toned flower in cobalt blue, calyces of plummy purple. You bring it home, where it sprawls, hides its flowers, sprawls some more, and starts numerous fights with its neighbors. So … Continue reading
Posted in essay, Plant Portraits
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Fun with Fishhook Senecio
Some backstory, which begins improbably enough with tulips. The two plants would seem to have nothing whatsoever in common, but that’s the joy of backyard Frankensteinian horticultural experiments, where you’re mad scientist in chief. And if you get up early … Continue reading
Posted in essay, Plant Portraits
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