Monday, May 23, 2016

In a Vase: Color Challenge

desert garden, small sunny garden, amy myers, monday vase meme, rose daniela, penstemon
Mixing scarlet-orange with fuschia-pink for today's vase -- just playing with color!
desert garden, small sunny garden, amy myers, monday vase meme, pelargonium, penstemon, russelia
Trumpets of scarlet (Russelia equisetiformis)...
desert garden, small sunny garden, amy myers, monday vase meme
...and of pink (Penstemon pseudospectabilis)...
desert garden, small sunny garden, amy myers, monday vase meme
...combine with Pelargonium hortatum clusters...
pelargonium hortatum, desert garden, small sunny garden, amy myers, monday vase meme
...and blooms from miniature rose "Daniela".
desert garden, small sunny garden, amy myers, monday vase meme
There is also a single stem of Pennisetum setaceum "Rubrum" as well as a nearly invisible bud of Aquilegia desertorum, which I expected to open further by this morning.
desert garden, small sunny garden, amy myers, monday vase meme
Also one sweet pea flower.
sweet pea, old spice, russelia, penstemon, desert garden, small sunny garden, amy myers, monday vase meme
Using my handthrown stoneware vase made a couple of years ago.  The height was right to balance the long stems of Russelia, and the narrow neck worked well with the amount of material I had.
desert garden, small sunny garden, amy myers, monday vase meme, penstemon pseudospectabilis, russelia, rose daniela, pennisetum
Now that was fun to put together!
desert garden, small sunny garden, amy myers, monday vase meme, rose daniela, penstemon pseudospectabilis
An extra note: please consider checking my "housekeeping" post if you haven't already.  As well as looking forward with the blog, I am trying to keep in touch with those of you who have been unable to comment here, as well as those whose blogs remove my comments!  Pity things don't work a bit better in the blogosphere!

And now it's time to link with the Monday Vase meme at Rambling in the Garden!
desert garden, small sunny garden, amy myers, monday vase meme, penstemon pseudospectabilis
Weather Diary: Fair; High: 89 F (32 C)/Low: 64 F (18 C)

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Housekeeping at the Blog

As we head into summer, the garden is, of course, a busy place.  And so is the blog!
As you can see, I decided it was time for a bit of redesign!  I'm not entirely satisfied with it, especially as in the mobile version my main changes are simplified out of the design altogether.  So I will probably be tinkering a little longer.

In the meantime, I want to apologize to those of you who have been finding it difficult to leave comments here!  I have gone over my settings for comments -- even changed them briefly -- but I am fairly certain the problem does not lie there.  I suspect it is an unfortunate side effect as Blogger rolls out its new https settings; if so, it should be corrected fairly soon -- one would hope, at any rate!  Please continue to try!

At the same time, I may as well mention that I am still having significant trouble leaving comments on some WordPress sites.  A number of you have worked this out already, having caught my remarks going into your spam bins many months ago.  (I really don't think they belong there!)  But on some blogs the problem continues, and it seems to be the same old issue of a good faith comment ending up in spam.  Not to say too much about WordPress/Blogger wars, but if you have a WP blog, and I and other Blogspot people have not commented for awhile, you might want to check your spam bin...  Some blogs I have despaired of getting through on, sadly.  And the problem prevents me from interacting on newly discovered WP blogs altogether, which is very disturbing!   A note particularly to Cathy:  I left two comments on your posts and they disappeared (this usually happens to me there), but I am still trying to make sure you know I really appreciate your heads-up regarding your inability to comment here!  Also that I thoroughly enjoy your blog!

As for other matters, I am looking forward to adding a new feature here.  I have wanted to create a small encyclopedia of plants for the desert gardener.  This will involve plant-specific posts as well as a separate page or two with basic information that can be easily accessed.  I hope it will be useful!  This will have to go in slowly, plant by plant, but hopefully I can start soon.

A big thank you to all my readers!

Gaura as a Foliage Plant

As my pink-flowered Gaura comes into full bloom, I am entranced with this plant.  Not just for the dancing blooms, but also for the handsome foliage and form.
The fact that the flowering stems elongate over the season, moving the blossom further and further from the base of the plants, allows the gardener to look at it almost as two plants: one of long, wiry stems punctuated by brilliant flowers, the other a fairly compact, graceful foliage plant.

It is the foliage part of it that I want to look at today.  Note: Sadly, I don't know what variety this is.  It was labeled only as "Gaura lindheimeri" sic; but it cannot be the species, which has white flowers.  "Siskiyou Pink" is the old standby pink-flowered cultivar, but now there seem to be plenty of others.  On the whole, given the size and the deep red stems, I am guessing this is "Pink Cloud".

Gaura (recently reclassified as Oenothera lindheimeri) has slender leaves on well-clad stems.
On this variety at least the new growth is a rich mahogany.
It combines beautifully with other bronze-hued plants, such as this Lagerstroemia.
Mature leaves are a bright, medium green, side by side with the bronze-toned young growth.
The whole plant has a delicate effect, springing from a slender base.  The leaves help give it a sculptural quality.
Oenothera lindheimeri originates in Texas and Louisiana.  Predictably, it is well-adapted to heat but also is surprisingly tolerant of drought.  Hardy to -10 F to -20 F (-23 C to -29 C), it is a rugged, tap-rooted rhizomatous plant that has moved into my garden without the least stress.  It combines with all nearby plants and has so far shown a phenomenal capacity for staying in bloom!  And rabbits seem to be leaving it alone.  Need I say more...?

This look at the foliage of a plant known mostly for its flowers is my contribution for this month's Garden Bloggers Foliage Day with Christina at My Hesperides Garden.  Happy GBFD!
Weather Diary: Fair; High: 90 F (32 C)/Low: 66 F (19 C)

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

In a Vase: Interlude in Light and Dark

Yesterday's vase was a fun afterthought to my Bloom Day post.  Going around, snipping for the vase, I discovered tidbits I didn't know were still flowering.  In fact, this vase is very much a collection of tidbits.
It began with pairing my dark-glazed pot with the very dark blooms of ivy-leaf pelargonium "Precision".  I slipped in a bloom from Jasminum sambac, the Arabian jasmine which is scenting the air from the White and Silver garden -- with only a few blooms so far!
The heart of the vase is no surprise: a couple of roses, "St. Swithun"...
...and "The Generous Gardener", one of my favorites for fragrance now.
But then there was the stem of Nigella, with one small flower discovered among the big pods.
A spray of white lantana...
...combined with a couple of smaller sprigs from Ozothamnus diosmifolius, whose flowers seem to be more or less everlastings, a useful trait that I was not aware of when I purchased it.  Two stems still had unopened buds, the stage at which these are normally cut for arrangements.
I was also able to take a few stems of Salvia farinacea.
And there were long stems of Lavender "Goodwin's Creek Gray" and shorter stems of lemon thyme.
So there was actually quite a bit of material, even with just a stem here and two or three stems there.
The jasmine flower had dropped by this morning, but I really liked having the bright white accent while it lasted.
Hurrying over to Rambling in the Garden, where other vases and much inspiration can be found!
Weather Diary: Sunny; High: 90 F (32 C)/Low: 67 F (19 C)

Monday, May 16, 2016

Garden Bloom in May

lavender, gaura, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
Preparing to post for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, I was surprised at how much is still in bloom in the garden.  Temperatures have already crossed the century mark more than once, but then dropped back down quickly, allowing many plants to continue a prolongation of spring bloom.

The main season for annuals is over, though a few faces still show up here and there.  The early sunflowers are ripening their seeds; I've removed some of the violas and need to take out what's left of Cerinthe major purpurea.  But the chamomile is very much in bloom.
chamomile, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) are still flowering as well.
eschscholzia californica, california poppy, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
Dianthus has threatened to quit more than once; but every time temperatures drop, it starts bravely on again, thriving on water and shade from the nearby rose bushes.  It has set loads of seed, and I hope to be able to keep it as a fixture in the garden.
dianthus, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
Dianthus is getting a little worn, and I can't keep up with deadheading it, but it is blooming on into May.
One annual (or rather, very tender perennial) recommended for warm season use here is Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus).  I have just planted some, giving it a first try this summer in the borders.
catharanthus roseus, madagascar periwinkle, vinca, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
By and large, though, the emphasis in the garden is shifting to the perennials and shrubs.  Woody subshrub Chrysactinia mexicana, though a young plant, is loaded with bloom...
chrysactinia mexicana, damianita, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
...as is Tetraneuris acaulis.  For once, the color scheme of the East Border can be guessed at in the photo below, still a jumble as I wait for plants to fill out! 
small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
The big surprise here is the chrysanthemums.
chrysantemums, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
Lantana "Denver Red" is also blooming well.
lantana, denver red, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
All the lantanas are blooming well, in fact.
lantana, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
Lantana at the back of the patio.  These plants were already growing here when we moved in.
lantana, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden, white
The newest lantana, a white variety blooming in the White and Silver Garden
Back in the East Border, Berlandiera lyrata still is blooming heavily, though we've reached the time of year when the flowers begin to close by midday.  Some of its stems have straggled up through nearby plants, such as these peeking through Acacia leaves.
berlandiera lyrata, chocolate flower, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
Special mention should be made of another yellow-flowered plant: little Tagetes lucida, which sulked until the weather turned warm but is now happy.
tagetes lucida, mexican tarragon, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
And although neither of my columbines had blooms for this month's GBBD, it is their season; that is to say, Aquilegia chrysantha "Swallowtail" has been blooming off and on for weeks, and A. desertorum is just putting up its first buds.

One reason for ample bloom this May is simply that the garden is more heavily planted than it has been before, with the East Border filling out and the North Border beginning to take shape a little bit.  North Border plants include a medley of purples and reds.  Ruellia brittoniana has flowers...
ruellia brittoniana, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
...as does the still bluer Salvia farinacea, which deserves a post of its own and will hopefully eventually get it!
salvia farinacea, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
Also there is a plain Osteospermum, bought to test the possibilities of oversummering it in the open garden.  Last year I met with no success, but I would love to be able carry these plants through.
osteospermum, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
Also a scarlet Pelargonium is at the top of the border.
pelargonium, geranium, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
In the Central Bed there is another Pelargonium.  I am hoping to ease these through the worst of summer; I have read various recommendations for this, from restarting with new cuttings to allowing the plants to go completely dormant.
pelargonium, geranium, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
The Central Bed contains many blooms this month.  Lavender "Goodwin's Creek Gray" continues to bloom, combining with Gaura (now Oenothera lindheimeri) on one side...
lavender, goodwins creek gray, gaura, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
...and Penstemon pseudospectabilis on another.  This penstemon has a wonderfully long bloom season.
penstemon pseudospectabilis, lavender, goodwins creek gray, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
Other plants blooming nearby include Cuphea ignea "Vermillionaire" and a newly planted Cistanthe grandiflora, still sold as Calandrinia.
cistanthe, calandrinia, rock purslane, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
The various Salvia greggii varieties bely their common name of "autumn sage".
salvia greggii, autumn sage, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
And Russelia equisetiformis "Big Red" is looking good.  I think it has belonged in all but one or two GBBD posts since first planted two and half years ago.  It needs to be pruned back out of rose Wollerton Old Hall and vice versa.  I wasn't really expecting it to reach its full 5 ft (1.5 m) spread here!
russellia, coral fountain, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden, big red
Now, I have been encouraging the roses to slack off for the hottest months, a different tack than I used last year, but I am hoping it will enable them to put out a stronger flush come autumn.  Most have received only one full feeding this spring, plus topdressing with composted manure.  However, some have their own ideas, one of which is that May is a good time to bloom.  So...
rose, william shakespeare 2000, david austin rose, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
William Shakespeare 2000
rose, graham thomas, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
Graham Thomas

rose, st. swithun, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
St. Swithun

And The Generous Gardener -- very generous, but betwixt...
rose, the generous gardener, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
...and between.
rose, the generous gardener, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
A few more shots from around the garden...

A smattering of late blooms from Eremphila maculata "Valentine"
eremophila, valentine, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
A burst from Leucophyllum frutescens, probably "Green Cloud"
leucophyllum frutescens, texas ranger, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
And the nearby Eremophila hygrophana, combining with lemon thyme flowers (a photo taken very much in the shade).
lemon thyme, eremophila hygrophana, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
There is also Pennisetum setaceum "Rubrum", heading into its first summer here.
small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
It's the end of the season for Oenothera pallida "Innocence".  I intend to shift these rampant stragglers entirely to the White and Silver Garden by autumn; they're a little too robust at self-seeding for the regular beds anyway.  But the smell is fabulous!
small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
It's the beginning of the season for a couple of plants, however.  Perovskia atriplicifolia put out its first flowers for the occasion.
perovskia atriplicifolia, russian sage, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
Even more exciting is the very first bloom from one of my Crape Myrtles.  This is Lagerstroemia indica "Rhapsody in Pink".
lagerstroemia, rhapsody in pink, crape myrtle, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
A good beginning to summer!  The real test lies ahead and is named "June"!
parkinsonia, palo verde, small sunny garden, garden bloggers bloom day, amy myers, desert garden
Flowers on the young Parkinsonia "Desert Museum", newly planted to help shelter the Rose Border.
Weather Diary; Sunny; High: 91 F(33 C)/Low: 69 F (21 C)