What's happening in your spring garden #4

Hate to be the one to tell you, SW, but Scotch Broom is considered VERY invasive and an enemy of native plants. I believe it is banned in some states (Washington?). So, enjoy your pretty plant, but keep it from spreading if you can. My neighbor has one, too, so I know how pretty they can be in bloom.

Like I said, I sure felt silly for buying what I already had. The wind probably spread it. I guess if we kept them goats, they'd have munched 'em right down. We have other invasives too. It's kinda frustrating.
Tumbleweeds, and goathead stickers are two we don't have. We have other things we need to remove too. I'm not fond of thistles, I'll never be rid of the foxtails, and I am making a concerted effort to get rid of the cockleburs that snuck into the yard. My dogs will thank me. LOL!
There is always something on a farm.
WIB,
SW

Hate those tumbleweeds!

Tumble weeds. If they blow in, we corral them and apply for a burn permit.
I remember being a kid in Santa Ana, and my brothers and I built tumbleweed forts. Had to wear long sleeves and pants, but it was an interesting fort.
I had no idea that Scotch Broom was considered to be invasive, but I can see the pioneers bringing the seed with them. Maybe, I can tag them with plastic tape and start removing them. Probably not this year.
Also probably too dry here most of the time to be considered really invasive, like the salt cedar down in the creek we want to get rid of. That's the one that worries me most.
At least it is downstream of most of the oaks.
WIB,
SW

Yes, the dryness here helps to keep that kind of plant from spreading as much. I guess that's why they have so much trouble in the PNW.

Just look at all these articles! http://news.google.com/news?q=%22scotch%20broom%22

We have trouble with the broom up here too, it's a big problem along the coast. I don't see too much of it inland though, maybe it's too hot for it.

What's your average annual rainfall up there? We are lucky to get 10" a year. So far we've only gotten 8". We are awfully dry still. Things are starting to bloom out early and get crunchy when I walk out there.
Foxtail season is approaching, already. I found the first one on Spirit today. I'm going to have to get him shaved for the summer.
Photo of the whole Yucca. The red flowers are the Monkey Pods, you can even follow the stem down to the plant. Who'd of thought that huge flower spike came from such an innocuous looking plant?
WIB,
SW

Looks like you have native Lotus scoparius (Deerweed) growing next to your Mimulus (Monkey flower), SW. I have some here and it makes a nice filler.
Is this it?

http://laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/lotus-scoparius

We get a bit more than that, in a normal year we'd be in the 15" range. By the coast they may get a little more though, and it's definitely cooler and the fog probably helps too.

KC, I do believe you are right. Deerweed.
What a laugh, haven't seen any mule deer around here for about 18 years, and that was dead by the freeway. Just about the same time we got rid of DH's Gma's herd of Nubian Goats. Good to know not only is it a good filler, but also known as California Broom, and fixes nitrogen back into the soil. Good recovery plant. It's taken 20 years to start to get anything other than the established trees to flower. DH's G.ma used the goats for weed control and for milking. I hated them vicious, wild, smelly, ungulates. At least she didn't have to worry about fires with those goats around. LOL. Just the mountain lions that would prey on them. No joke. I saw one once.
Of course I didn't have a camera, and DH wouldn't believe me until after he'd talked to some neighbors. Come to think of it, one tried to get into the bunny hutch, left blood and teeth marks to prove it too. We scared it off. I don't know if small, angry people with flashlights would do that now, though. I'll carry my ugly stick the next time.
YS and I saw it jump over 7 feet high to escape from us. Glad it was mostly dark or I'd have needed clean undies. Also glad I had a witness. DH didn't believe us until he saw the marks and blood.
Okay, that was a weird trip down memory lane.
ecrane, we are a lot dryer, and hotter here. Just 10 miles south of us, they get the rain and the fog. We get sneered at. See the photo taken today. The fiddleneck is already drying out. (The brown stuff in front of the Monkey Pod flower)
I'm used to it. I like it now I have some shade around the house, and my backyard oasis. LOL!
WIB,
SW

More tree peonies are blooming here now. Here is my pink one

And my white one. Skwinter - this series of photos is for you, taking your advice from that very expensive photo class that you took from a famous photographer. LoL.
First the closest I can take with my camera.

then a little further away.....

and finally the whole plant. I like that process.

soils: those are incredible. I had no idea you could grow those up where you are ! Very cool !

oh I adore peonies ! Yours look scrumptious!

ditto what they said...One of my favorite flowers, totally unlike most of my favorite flowers! Since we can't have them here, it's nice to see great photos like that.

I had one try at a peony and the flowers molded just before they opened so Ihad to get rid of it. Yours is spectacular.

Soils, really nice shot. I like your willingness to try something new. I also love those tree peonies. I've never had any luck with regular Peonies, but maybe someday I'll try a tree peony. Lovely!
WIB,
SW

Thanks, everyone. I have always loved peonies, and I got my first one when a friend of mine who lived in San Francisco gave me hers because she said that it was not cold enough in SF for it to bloom. Once it bloomed the following year, I knew that they will flower here in Sacramento and I got hooked. I have about 6 tree peonies, about about a dozen herbaceous ones. The tree peonies bloom without fail every year, and most of the herbaceous ones have some bloom every year, but some years are definitely better than others.

I did kill a tree peony once. :-{

...and she's still on parole for doing it !

Good morning guys....I am in love!!!!

Have you ever fallen in love with a Rose? This is my very first bloom of "Distant Drums".

I did not touch up the colors!!!

Did I say I'm in love?

Twincol, thanks, yes, that pic was my front garden pathway...

I have just fallen in love with a rose, Rob!

Beautiful Rose Roberta.

uh oh...I feel rose addiction coming on for you two !!!

Here's the raphiolepsis tree by the front walk. You need to walk up the dirveway instead of the walk because of the bees but it's worth it!

Very nice specimen doss. I like those as trees.

Soils, you are a great student. One suggestion and you just take off. I loved your photos. Now try taking pictures of your family that close. Just do not let them know you are taking the picture. Tomorrow I will post one that will knock your sock off. Storm coming our way. 57 tomorrow, 80 on Thursday, 90 on Monday. Right now the wind is blowing down the canyon. I live in Canyon Fairways which is built on the canyon and sounds like a freight train coming down the back greenbelt. It is winds like this when we lose trees in the greenbelt. I am on the Board and in charge of the landscaping. It is fun but nights like tonight are not fun. Take care all my friends.

Just what I need Mike, another addiction!

Some Balsam seeds I received during the Piggy swap bloomed. I took some to the Round Up, and really need to plant these in the ground.
Lovely photos Rob, and doss.
Enjoyed reading the banter.
WIB,
SW

Oooh, what a pretty pink.

I just found out that we aren't going to have water rationing so I ordered some dahlias. I was going to miss them a lot this summer and fall but now I'm full up! Can't wait to see them since they bloom when nothing else is happening in the garden.

Does this mean you can fill the pool up again ? LOL

OK Soils, Weggy & everyone here is a close up picture I am very proud of. This my granddaughter Hannah at Mission Beach in San Diego while were vacationing. We go there every year for two weeks.. She is staring at some sea shells she had just collected and was in deep thought. She was not aware anyone else was in the world. She was 7 at the time. She is now a senior in high school and is on her way to college next year.

Lovely photo! I know you must be proud of her.
What two weeks? Several of us live close enough to visit San Diego, it'd be kind of neat to have a get together.
WIB,
SW

First two weeks of August.

I'm looking for an excuse to go to the beach in August. LOL. We usually go in late Sept. when most of the tourists have gone home and the water is warmest. We must talk more.
WIB,
SW

Oh Rob - that rose! gorgeous, what is the fragrance like?

sk - your Hannah is beautiful !