California Wildflowers, Welcome In Summer

CORAL COLORED CLARKIA AMOENA ‘AURORA’ AND PAPAVER COMMUNTATUM
Hot, steamy heat – exactly what my California natives hate, but at least I know that they have produced deep root systems by now, having been in the ground since March. Papaver commutatum, the pure species form also known as the Ladybird Poppy, blooms along with tender Clarkia amoena. 

ONCE KNOWN AS GODETIA, CLARKIA CAN BE GROWN IN NEW ENGLAND IF SITED WELL. IF YOU LIVE IN CALIFORNIA, WHERE IT IS NATIVE, YOU WILL HAVE BETTER LUCK.

THERE ARE FEW TRUE CORAL COLORED FLOWERS, AND CLARKIA AMOENA IS ONE OF THE FINEST

CLARKIA RUBICUNDA SSP. BLASDALEI,  THE  “RUBY CHALICE CLARKIA” HAS SMALLER FLOWERS, BUT MANY MORE THAN THE LARGER FORMS.

VIEW LOOKING NORTH, TOWARDS THE GREENHOUSE. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE SWEET PEAS ARE REALLY STARTING TO BLOOM.

ANOTHER SHIRLEY POPPY BLOOMS, THIS ONE IN PALE PINK. I EXPECT SOME OF THESE TO BLOOM IN RED TOO, AS ANY MIX OF SHIRLEY POPPIES WILL HAVE SOME RED PLANTS. WE ARE TOLD TO PULL THEM OUT, BUT I CAN’T BARE TO!

LINARIA LEWISII, ANOTHER CALIFORNIA NATIVE, BLOOMS IN OUR MASSACHUSETTS ALPINE GARDEN, WHERE AN EARLY PLANTING IN MARCH, CAREFUL PROTECTION FROM HEAVY FROST WITH CLOCHES, AND SOME LUCK WITH THE WEATHER ( UNTIL NOW!), WE ARE STILL ENJOYING THE TRUE, BLUE FLAX.

I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD SHARE THIS HELIOTROPE, WHICH IS BLOOMING IN A POT. THE FRAGRANCE, WHICH IS NOT UNLIKE BABY POWDER, IS STRONGER ON WARM DAYS. IT’S NICE IN THE SUMMER, BUT THIS OLD CONSERVATORY PLANT IS REALLY JUST BEING GROWN INTO A SHRUB SIZED SPECIMEN FOR WINTER BLOOM IN THE GREENHOUSE, WHEN ONE CAN REALLY APPRECIATE THE SCENT.

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Comments

  1. Looking good. I have both those Clarkia species blooming now as well. My poppies are more or less finished though.

    I'm glad I don't have to worry about the weather the north east has bee getting this past week. Not only would my garden not like it but I can barely function in the heat.

  2. A very beautiful result of taking care of plants. I love the color as well as the blooming ambiance it gives.

  3. The most vital thing to recall when utilizing fragrances is that attractants ought not be utilized as a cover aroma. Regardless of the possibility that it is for an alternate animal categories than the one you are chasing. Many diversion creatures, for example, deer have a remarkable feeling of notice several times more capable than the nose we use as seekers in the California scents.

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