One storm down, five more or so to go. For the first time in a long while, the air smells incredibly fresh.
January is always the perfect time for the shocking pink blooms on Pelargonium echinatum to arrive.
A “Sundiascia” I planted in early December, found at Sunset Boulevard Nursery. I expected it to immediately stop blooming, as most things planted out in December do.
Dating myself now, but I remember in the 1980s traveling eight hours up the coast to Western Hills to check out their new diascias, euphorbias, salvias, anything and everything.
And doing that at least twice a year. And now diascia hybrids are sold everywhere in the bedding sections of nurseries.
(Speaking of Western Hills, they are beginning garden docent training January 28th. It is a six-week training on Thursdays, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Call (707) 872-5463 or email Stacie at stacie@westernhillsgarden.com to sign up.)
Rainy day Agave ‘Blue Glow’
First blooms on Acacia podalyrifolia. With the air sweetened by rain and now this fragrant acacia in bloom, the front garden is a little slice of heaven.
After it’s finished blooming, it will be cut back hard. Lots of complaints about its encroachment on the driveway.
Melianthus ‘Purple Haze’ enjoying a good soaking.
Linking up with Flutter & Hum’s icy Wednesday vignette.
Those Acacia blooms are beautiful, and I can only imagine their perfume. I’m afraid it’s curtains for my Acacia pravissima after the cold, snow and ice of our past weekend…and it WAS going to bloom this time. Enjoy the rain – we don’t begrudge you one drop!
Everything looks different in the rain, doesn’t it? I love the sheen on the agaves!
Raining here in Davis, too, but it’s too nippy to hang out outside. I miss the temps we had at the Huntington last Saturday.
I’m thinking Acacia season might be early here,particularly in frost-free Carneros. love thinking back on things that were rarities–I bought a Phlox divaricata at Western Hills in the 80’s ,still remember the excitement though the plant is no more. Proximity to the coast is key.
Your photos always have this wonderfully dreamy quality to them – so lovely! What is that sheer, orangey texture surrounding your Blue Glows? Such a photogenic combo!
@Jane, those icy photos coming out of Portland are incredible — beautiful but deadly! So sorry about your acacia.
@Kris, everything looks so right in the rain!
@Gerhard, I’m going to try to make it a habit to get to the Huntington DG by 8 a.m. Thanks for starting the tradition!
@Kathy, I remember on a local garden tour last year people asking each other, “Did your acacia bloom this year?” Apparently bloom was spotty, probably due to the drought.
@Anna, that shrub near the agaves is an Australian, Brachysema praemorsum (http://www.australianplants.com/plants.aspx?id=1567). Gets almost no summer water. Thank you for your kind words about the photos!
Anna K stole the words right off my keypad: that shallow plane of focus gives such a dreamlike quality to your photos. Stupendous. I love Blue Glow. My little container-grown specimen isn’t worthy of being called the same name as yours. I love the one with the leaves like curved blades. Is it growing toward the sun?
What a gift all that rain was. My tubs runneth over. Your plants look as happy as mine.