What's Blooming - Front Yard Annuals

 This is my one area of colorful annuals.  The flowers were planted in flowing lines around the tree.  I guess I needed to shake up my usual planting pattern!  The photo really doesn't do it justice, but maybe you'll get the idea when you see the close-ups below.

 Johnny Jump-Ups.  Viola tricolor.  This plant was another nostalgic flower for me.  They used to come up on their own under the picket fence at my childhood home.  Every year I would dig one up and plant it in a Dixie Cup for my mom for Mother's Day.   The book says they will reseed, but they haven't done that for me.  I have suspected my mom planted them in April when I wasn't at home.  :)

Ranunculus.  Ranunculus asiaticus.  (I think!)  I recently grabbed these on a quick trip to the nursery, thinking they were Icelandic Poppies.  Luckily they fit into my plan pretty well.  They are poisonous, but they are not where the dogs will be tempted to eat them.  They are a perennial so I'm glad to have some pretty flowers going in there.  We'll see how they do this year.

Pansies.  Viola tricolor hortensis. I love these colorful flowers!  I keep hoping they will re-seed themselves.  I get a few volunteers, but generally these are flowers I buy and plant every year.  I think they're worth it. 

I've forgotten what these flowers are called.  They are a perennial that dies back but returns in the spring.  It has a squarish stem...  I believe it's related to mint, but it doesn't have the strong scent and it's not an aggressive grower like mint.  I'll find out their name and add it in when I can.

 Snapdragons  Antirrhinum majus.  These definitely reseed, but I usually end up planting more to fill this space.  Somehow I ended up with all the same color this year. 

What's blooming in April? Statice

 Statice.  Limonium perizii  Some people call this straw flowers.  They do very well in my xeriscape garden on the other side of the driveway.  This garden gets basically no water at all and these flowers put on a show almost all of the time.  The plant also reseeds itself, so if a plant or two dies, there are more volunteers to fill in.

The flowers can even be cut and placed in a vase with no water!  The flowers do dry out and die, but they keep their shape and color fairly well.  As long as you don't brush up against them, they can decorate your home all the time.

Though the Ogren book lists them as a "3" I do react to the flowers when they are inside.  I enjoy them thoroughly outside though.

What's blooming in April? Indian Hawthorn

Indian Hawthorn.  Rhaphiolepis indica.  This flower grows on the swirling loose hedge.  I bought both pink and white flowered varieties.  Only the pink ones are blooming right now. 

These shrubs grow to 4 feet, so that's how far apart I planted them.  Many people cut them to a straight edged hedge.  I told the gardeners not to cut anything with straight edges, but that was just a foreign concept to them.  But they honored my request.  But I wondered why they never grew to 4 feet.  Now that the gardeners are not cutting them, they are growing and filling in like I wanted!  Yes, there are a few stray branches that I need to trim.  :)

These bushes look pretty in the fall too, with dark blue berries.

What's blooming in April? Alstromeria

Peruvian Lily.  Alstromeria.  These are so easy to grow and they are so beautiful!  I keep thinking they have a higher allergy rating, but they're not too bad.  Perhaps I react to them or I react to flowers with them in bouquets.  They are a colorful perennial with flowers that do well as a cut flower. They come in so many colors!  White, pink, yellow, purple, orange, red!  I should definitely plant more!

What's blooming in April? Camellias

 Camellias.  Camellia japonica.  These are planted near the hydrangeas are another plant that loves acidic soil, lots of water, and shade.

I understand they can be susceptible to a fungus which makes the flowers and buds turn brown and drop off.  But it may just be the neglect I've given them.  I'm hoping the acid soil and better water will help.  I was just reading they like lots of iron in the soil too.

If you love Camellias, I recommend a visit Descanso Gardens in La Canada/Flintridge.  The gardens were developed by newspaper publisher E. Manchester Boddy.  If I remember correctly from the tour, he bought up camellias from the Japanese gardeners who were being "interned" during World War II and it's now one of the largest collections of camellias.  The whole place is really quite lovely!

I have high hopes for my Camellias this year.  I promise to give them better care!

What's blooming in April? Lavender

Lavender.  Lavendula.  These have a higher allergy rating than most of the plants I have put in.  But I just love them! 

My Allergy-Free Gardening book says the pollen is rarely a problem, it's the scent.  I don't seem to react to their scent, even when I'm cutting it back, so maybe it's fine.  It's staying unless it makes me sick.

What's blooming in April? Hydrangeas

Hydrangea.  Hydrangea macrophylla.   The hydrangeas are just starting to bloom.  They come in pink, white, red, and blue.  Hydro = water.  Yep.  This plant likes lots of water. They also like acidic soil.

I have high hopes that my Hydrangeas will do well this year.  I bought a dark pink, white, and blue, but mine have all had pink flowers.  Did I mention this is the first spring in a long time that I am chief gardener?  My sprinklers were not working right.  No one has been giving them peat moss or acid soil amendments.
Well, the sprinklers have been fixed and the bag of acid soil amendments is in the garage waiting to be applied.  Check in later.  I hope to show you my beautiful blue Hydrangeas!

What's Blooming in April? Navel Orange

Navel Orange, but I don't know the variety. This is one of the few plants that was here when we moved in. It was not doing well then. It's turned into a pretty nice tree with regular water.  This tree does get a little white fly, but it's not too bad.  I love the scent of the blossoms!

Did you ever wonder how they grow oranges if there aren't seeds?  You can't just plant a navel tree seed!  They start all navel trees by grafting or cuttings. All navel orange trees are technically from one tree that grew mutated oranges with no seeds.  Grafting is done by cutting the trunk and a branch from the desired type is placed carefully in place and held together until the plant heals itself.  The same is done with roses.  Strong roots plus desired top equals a great plant!

What's blooming in April? Bearss Lime Tree

Lime.  Bearss Everbearing Dwarf.  OK, so this isn't much of a bloom.  It does have a few blossoms on the tree.  It doesn't seem to have long thorns like its hated cousin, the lemon tree that's now gone.  Sunset says its thorny though.  Hmmm....  Maybe I got lucky with this one.

The limes are seedless and juicy.  The tree is doing well. Come on over for some limeade!

What's blooming in April? Day Lily

Day Lily.  Hemerocallis aurabtuaca.  I honestly don't remember planting this.  Perhaps it was a gift.  I only have one clump of it, not my usual planting style.  It's easy to grow.  The Sunset book says it makes a good cut flower. But like many of the plants with long leaves and parallel veins, it is poisonous.  What is it doing in my backyard?  Perhaps I'll buy more to keep it company or perhaps I'll move it to the front yard away from four-legged nibblers.  It just doesn't belong right now.

What's blooming in April? Calla Lilies

Calla Lilies.  Zantedeschia aethiopica.   This plant was put into the pond by Frank, from Paradise Now Ponds.  This plant loves its roots in the water. 

We have some others that all started out in a 4" pot in our first tiny pond.  The lily lived there for several years.  Then I planted it in the ground.  Suffice it to say it was happy to spread out its roots!  That one grows about 4 to 5 feet tall and every flower has a green tip.  It has spread and replanted itself all over. It has made the dogs sick when they chew it.   

This smaller one seems to be staying in its place, the pond. As long as it stays where it was put it can stay.  Its larger cousins are on my hit list.

What's Blooming in April? Bird of Paradise

Bird of Paradise.  Strelitzia reginae.  This plant is one of those that's easy to care for.  You can assume that plants in commercial plantings are easy and this is one of them.  They need full sun and can take splashing from a pool.  They do like lots of water, but they don't need  a lot of fertilizer.  You do need to dig them up now and then to divide the clumps.  That's a good time to share with your friends!

The flowers last a long time.  I've seen some very dramatic flower arrangements made with these flowers.

What's blooming in April? Hibiscus

Hibiscus.  Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.  I love the look of this flower.  I've got them in pink, yellow, and red.  But all of them have had white fly.  One had it so bad I could see the cottony fibers hanging from it from the kitchen window!  The flies and their powdery residue were obnoxious and got all over every time I got near.  I finally gave up on that one.  I had someone take it out for me.

They like good drainage, lots of sun, heat, and protection from the wind.  They also like lots of fertilizer through the summer.  Perhaps I haven't been providing for them adequately.  I'm hoping now that I'm back in the garden more often the remaining Hibiscus will be healthy enough to ward off the white flies.

What's blooming in April? Canna

Canna.  This plan can die back in the winter.  This one made it through.  I really should have cut it down to the ground when it was done blooming in the fall.  The plant spreads with runners of tuberous rootstock. 

I have some others with green leaves and yellow and red flowers.  They're just getting started for the year.  But they have spread into the rose's space, cutting off their sun.  I'm willing to give some away.  I'll probably be digging a lot of it out soon.

What's blooming in April? The Fuschia

Fuschia.  Fuschia hyprida.  They like cool summer temperatures and lost of moisture in the air and soil.  They also need shade.  I need to give better care to these plants.  I think the one growing best actually gets the most sun.  I'm guessing the soil is better in that part of the yard. Plus I didn't get fertilizer down last year and I'm not sure how much the gardeners fertilized before that.  Maybe they'll do well and I can make new plants with cuttings.  Fuschias, I promise now to give you better TLC.

I remember the tons of hanging baskets of fucshias when we lived in Anchorage.  They are just starting to bloom in my yard this year.  There is one that gets rubbed the wrong way by the flax and that plant is barely surviving. 

Some varieties are more upright like these.  Others droop and trail and are really better for hanging baskets. The flowers can be big and the doubles are nice and full.  These are a single variety.  Others like the fulgens have long narrow flowers, and then there is the magellanica with even more narrow flowers. 

The hummingbirds love the flowers!  So do I!

What's blooming in April? The Shrimp Plant

Shrimp Plant. Beloperone tomentosa.  The showy reddish orange parts are actually bracts.  The actual flower is white and found at the end of the bracts.

This was growing at my house when I was little.  I loved to pull the flower out and taste the droplet of nectar.   The hummingbirds love this flower too!  I remember one day when I was about 10 years old a hummingbird landed on our shrimp plant.  I was so thrilled when I held out my finger and it stepped onto my finger!  It stayed long enough for me to get the attention of my  mom  and for her to go get the camera for a picture.  I don't understand why the hummer did that, but it gave me a memory I will keep forever!

As I was looking up the botanical name, I read again that I should be pinching this plant back to keep it bushy and cut the branches back with the bracts turn black. I'm glad to be doing  a little research for this blog to remind myself how to give better care for each plant.

What's Blooming in April? Mexican Evening Primrose

Mexican Evening Primrose.  Oenothera berlandii. These lovely flowers bloom quietly under the roses.

It grows easily and reseeds itself.  Warning:  This translates to "The plant may take over."  But it is also a plant that's easy to share with friends. That's how I got mine.  It was a gift from my brother-in-law and it made itself at home in our yard.  I'm always happy to share with you!

These flowers grow long and leggy, then falls over.  Since it grows right next to my sidewalk so  it grows over the sidewalk to trip me. I suppose I should keep it cut back. It should grow bushier and more healthy. 

What's blooming in April? Hollyhocks

Hollyhocks.   Althea rosea. This skyscraper isn't as common anymore.  I do need to stake them soon!  They can grow taller than I am on a single stalk.  They come in all kinds of colors.  I believe mine were all from seed pods from a friend.  Mine are all this pale peachy yellow.

What's Blooming in April? - Roses

 The roses are really just getting started, but they are definitely putting on a show.  I've only needed to "dead head" a few spent flowers. These are from the flower bed under our bedroom window.  I wish I could tell you the  names of these blooms.  I believe they are all "tea roses."  Did I mention that I'm not an expert?  If I learn them (or find my records) I will add them later.  This group of roses were chosen for their scent as much as their color and form.

I always thought roses were delicate and difficult.  They need full sun and will bloom more if the spent blooms are snipped off.  Cut them just above a leaf with 5 parts.  They need to be pruned way back at the end of the season.  In our area, that's around Christmas.  I like to keep them after the holiday guests have seen them.  Other than that they really don't take much care. 

 I love the lavender shade of the rose!









This rose is in the bed near the pond. . .  Not tropical or pondish at all.  But that's where they are.  So there!

 I believe this climbing rose is called Lady Banks.

Camarillo Hospice Spring Garden Tour on May 6, 2012

I'm really looking forward to attending the Spring Garden Tour in a couple of weeks.  I'm so lucky to have a son that wants to tour gardens with me!   Get your tickets now and check out some wonderful local (Ventura County, CA) gardens.  You will also be supporting Hospice.