Sunday, February 15, 2009

GBBD February 2009

Once again, Carol at May Dreams Gardens invites us to share our blooms on the 15th of the month. We are finally getting some rain in Davis, for which I am truly grateful. The few blooms in the garden are a bit bedraggled as a result...a price I am more than willing to pay! We have now gotten a bit more than 50% of average for year-to-date rainfall and I'm hoping the next week will bring the number up even higher. The warm weather has convinced the Santa Rosa plum that it must be time to bloom. Hopefully the cool rain will slow that process and the bees will be able to do their job before it is too late. I have actually seen bees out and about so odds are we will be able to enjoy at least a few plums about mid-June.
The Iberis in the warmer, sunnier spots have begun to bloom also. Other Iberis plantings won't be blooming for weeks yet.
Wanting to get spring on a roll is this stunted bearded iris. I doubt I'll see more any time soon!
The pansies are very happy and have bounced back after being rather energetically picked by an overenthusiastic four year old visitor.
Rosemary Tuscan Blue is brightening up the herb garden. When it looks so cheerful I feel guilty for contemplating it's removal. I have another rosemary elsewhere in the garden and since I am not a rosemary-in-my-food person I'm thinking the space could be given to something I find more useful.
Camellia Chandleri Elegans, an early- to mid-season bloomer, is very prolific this year and the plant itself is finally beginning to have a bit more height.
The cyclamen I've tucked in here and there after Christmas every year bloom at various times. These, covering one of my termite stations, have grown nicely after a couple years.
Other bloomers this month include:
Lavender pinnata bucchii
Dwarf Carnation Evermore
Felicia amelloides
Tulbaghia fragrans
Chrysanthemum paludosum
Viburnum Spring Bouquet
Fava beans
Summer snowflakes (leucojum aestivum)

7 comments:

Carol Michel said...

You always have blooms! I would say "no fair" but I know you also have drought conditions, so it is to your credit that your garden always looks so nice!

Thanks for joining in for bloom day!

Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs to use in food. Have you tried it in potatoes or on meat, if you eat it?

Anonymous said...

Leslie, you have lots of pretties.~~Dee

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Leslie - your Cyclamen is so beautiful! How lucky you are to be able to grow them in the garden. I really like your Iberis too. I wonder what happened to the Iris?

EAL said...

I like the plum tree very much.

Dreamybee said...

I know what you mean about the rosemary-I have one that I hardly ever use, but I love the smell, and I do use it occasionally in bread-it bakes up nice and mellow-or in tomato soup. Just throw in a small spring with some coriander and allspice, maybe a little cream and some pepper, and it livens up the canned variety quite nicely.

Annie in Austin said...

How good that you got some rain, Leslie! It already looks flowery in your garden so that added moisture will make it even flowery-er.

My rosemary plants aren't used much for actual cooking - but they're next to the walk where just brushing past releases fragrance and that's enough of a reason for me to grow them!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose