California Spring is here

Well, mostly...the wind is blowing here today, but the sun is shining and we've had all that rain, so I feel safe in saying Spring is here.

We're continuing from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1073859/

The forecast for the end of the week is around 70 with sunny skies. I consider that Spring.

Here it has been really cold and windy the last couple of days, I hope it warms up soon!

Nasty here yesterday, but it looks gorgeous right now!

Whew, I was weeding yesterday when that cold wind came and suddenly it started hailing! Gorgeous today but brisk and cold.

Picked up lots of pretty ranunculus at the nurseries (did a Sebastopol nursery run last week), only bad thing, the snails love them too so now it's nightly hunts and Sluggo to try to cut the population down.

They are so pretty, wished they last longer.

Last one.

Those and Icelandic poppies I love to see this time of year.

Sue,
The first rose photo of your series, do you have a name for it? Is it really big? I have one that looks like it. A constant surprise.
11 more days till by the calendar it is spring, but you wouldn't know it here. Everything is green.
This is a photo of the volunteer CA Live Oak growing in my front yard. The fence has to go.
I'm really happy that it's doubled it's height this past year. I cried last year when one of DH's workers whacked it halfway back. It's a survivor. Someday, it's going to shade the whole front of the house. Meanwhile . . .

Sorry I lost the photo. One more time.

The succulent fountain seems happy. At least the one plant does.

Remember I said that I still had a beefsteak tomato growing. Well talk about out of season!
Although, I probably lost it to the cold last night.

Some pretty little bulbs, they kind of smell like onions, but not as strong. I like them and they spread in some places around here.

Not sure what this plant is. I think it's a member of the tomato family, and does have little berries which are edible when they turn black. At least the critters like 'em.

Close up of it's flowers.

The Meditarian (SP!?) Sea Pinks are happy, wish I'd been able to get a better photo, but the wind has been blowing here.

Singingwolf, those look like Ipheons to me. very lovely blue flowers. they disappear by summer and start reappearing again in late Dec-Jan, at least in my area. As you say, they spread. There's one that is white, and i think there's even a pink one, but most are blue.. I get mine at Brent & Beckys, a few ea year during their sales.

oops, we crossed. My comments were made in regards to your posting at 2:48

Okay, this is where I'm going to say something nice about DH's guys. They did a wonderful job on my Giant Bird of Pardise, something I was dreading having to do. They removed all the dead growth and it looks so much happier now. The rain doesn't hurt either. You can still see some shredded leaves from the hail storm two years ago, but for the most part, they look so much better.
Thanks Guys!

vossner,
No worries, I have a tendency to post when I can, because of computer issues, don't mean to hog the site, just want to share.
Thanks for the info on my little blue bulbs. I am really fond of them. They tend to come up after the jonquils, still in January and February here too. Pink and white ones too! Don't tempt me! LOL!

This is a special Daffodil to me. I planted the original bulbs back in 1987, the year DH and I married. Year after year this one comes back. I keep hoping it will spread.
When I had a lot more of them, my Momma made a bouquet of them and had DH bring them to me at the hospital to celebrate the birth of our YS. So it brings back some memories, this one does.

My Potato Bush doesn't ever seem to stop blooming. Need to get out there and remind it that it is a well mannered bush, which needs a "haircut"! LOL!

I was dismayed to see that DH's guys had removed my leaf mulch from my fuchsia Larry Jr. (Cardinal). So I scratched around and put some straw in there. I am really going to have to watch these guys!
Poor Larry Jr. To give him credit, though he survived. : - )

I am teasing you.

http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/spring/genus.php?genusid=35

No, vossner, you are tempting me! : - )
I know temptation when I see it. LOL!

This is my Lycoides Fuchsia that I overwintered outside, like Larry Jr. They didn't take the mulch leaves out this pot. What were they thinking?
I see a little frost damage, but it is still hanging in there. : - )

My Taj Mahal geranium seems to like it best outside. Hated being inside the gh. Unlike one of her babies. Can't believe it is blooming.
I got to move that fan palm too.

My Lilacs are starting to bud out.

I do not know what is wrong with this brug. It started blooming in what January, and it's still blooming, three blossom this time. I am enjoying it, because I can see it from the kitchen window.
Something else likes it too. Been finding holey leaves. Snails prolly.

Okay, the last one for now! Whew!
vossner, teasing is okay. I don't mind being tempted either. : - )

This is one of my aloe vera plants that is sending up it's firespikes of orange. Sure to bring the hummers back. : - )
Lots more flowers buds are developing too. Who'd have thought.
Have a wonderful, if cold day!
WIB,
SW

Singing, a Brug bloomong now??? What the heck!?
Mine are just starting to leaf out after some frost fries!

SW, if you reread my post, that's not a rose, all three of my images are ranunculus. If you post a pic of the rose, I may be able to ID it though.

I still have my three white bird of paradises that I bought a few months ago on my front porch - I did not realize how big they can grow until I got home and looked them up. Needless to say, I did not read the tag at the store, assuming that they were going to be the same size as the more common orange ones that I have several of. I can see myself 5 years from now wondering what the heck to do with that giant thing. Maybe Home Depot will take returns????

Your plants that smell like onions are called ipheon. The one that you think is in the tomato family is, and I think it is called white nightshade.

So that is where this cold wind came from!

Took some photos in the yard this AM. No need for anyone to feel threatened by my camera skills! I guess I can blame blurry on the wind blowing my camera?

All that weedy substitute for grass will have to go after rainy season is over. Post holds bird feeder

Looks like after 2 years the Lady Banks Rose will bloom.

OK guys, which is the little blue flower? Iplone or uniforum. I have the blue and it has been blooming for over a month. As soon as the heat hits it goes underground. They are starting to show up all over the front landscape. How do they travel? Do they reseed along with being a bulb? They are an opposite side of the landscape from the main bed. Thanks so much for the web site because I want some different colors.

Edited for spelling.

This message was edited Mar 9, 2010 7:44 PM

QG, are you feeding your Lady Banks? It looks much more lush than mine - is it the white one?

Too right Calif_Sue, my bad. I really hate these new glasses. I'd rather use my old ones. I guess I really need to get trifocals.
Yes, Mrs. Cholla, the dumb brug is blooming right now. It is happy and sheltered, not to mention confused on the courtyard patio.
Calif_Sue, I went through and looked for and found one of those roses I was talking about. Was so big I had to hold it, so you got my hand in there for scale.
QG, yes, blame it on the wind. I know how windy it's been, and I also know you'll improve with practice, you go girl! In the first photo you posted, are the flowers Monkey Pod flowers? They grow wild here and I saw some in bloom the other day.
I don't care anymore about the name of the little blue flower. I just like it. If you are coming to the RU and want to take a clump home, we'll dig one up for you. : - )
soilsandup, I sure wish I lived closer to you. I'd take those white birds of paradise off your hands in a flash. Drat! I think mine died, but I haven't given up hope yet on it. Then again too, I love my Giant Bird of Paradise because Pop Erickson gave it to me, and his son Lee, said it'd never grow where I planted it. It's hard to get one up on Lee, so I'm glad it's happy there.
Here's the photo of my huge rose, name unknown.
WIB,
SW

That sure is a huge rose and beautiful too.

Hurray!! I finally found something that is keeping my fountain clean! Celebrate with me! I was ready to tear it out.

Do you notice a strong fragrance on your rose and id that the typical coloring throughout the year or are the edges darker as it emerges?

This message was edited Mar 10, 2010 12:00 PM