What's happening in your spring garden #5

Oh you will love it, good for you! Wait until you see it in person, it's unlike any other rose, I can recognize it anywhere.
Here are the other rose I am growing so you can see what colors I lean towards.
http://davesgarden.com/community/journals/vbc/Calif_Sue/55027/name2/
Anyone wanting to drop by in person for a quick tour is welcome. I am home during the week too.

Congrats! It's always so nice to find a plant you've fallen in lust with!!

Sue, what a FABULOUS collection! I don't see Just Joey, which is one of my favorites in your color family.....
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/61101/

Too many other newer ones I guess, don't have room for all the ones I want!

Sue - that is one impressive rose collection. I have been given several roses in the past, but I bought my very first one a few days ago - Pope John Paul II. It was a brilliant white, and smells wonderful.

Did anyone else in California have heavy storms this past Friday and Saturday? Friday night, we had 2 inches in a few hours. It was literally pouring buckets. When I went outside Saturday morning, this was what one of my peonies looked like - all flopped over.

But, I had a function to go to on Sunday, so it was an opportune time to cut them for an arrangement.

Today we were 90 degrees and by Wednesday we are suppose to be 98 degrees. My peonies are just opening so with this heat they might last two days. I think we had two week spring. Have a great Monday.

I was at my house in Arizona this weekend. Here's a look at my Salvia Greggii.

I planted this in the fall of '06, so it's maybe 2 1/2 years old. It was a rather skimpy 1 gallon plant when I got it.

Here's a little treat. It's the Arizona state tree, the Palo Verde and in full bloom. I took this picture about 20 miles north of Phoenix along the highway.

I've gotta show you that Salvia in a close-up. It's one of my favorite plants.

An early Saguaro blossom. They are incredible when they're in full bloom.

Here's one of my roses in Arizona.

Love all your flowers DP! That Saguaro blooms are so pretty. Did you notice lots of hummers on the Salvia? My friend in Tucson just got that one and wanted to know if I'd heard about it.

Nice plants, DP---and the color of those SKIES is incredible!!!

SUE - holy *rap! you have a ton of beauties there.... Tahitian Sunset makes me melt. I'm out to punch up the front today, I'll try to post before and after pics just for fun. ... unless it's one of those hmmmmmmm, doesn't look much different moments!

DP - beautiful ! I love salvias, too.

ducbucln:
The red gregii is a real hummer attractor. There's a white one also, and they'll go to it, but it's not nearly as popular as the red. When I was living in the house, I would sit out at the front table and the Annas would perch on the chair backs between snacks. There were so many, I really had no idea their number.

There are some things I miss about my place in AZ. At least it's still mine, so the option is still there.

How awesome DP! Pretty cool stuff, amazing Saguaro, I love Palo Verdes too, to me they don't even need to be in bloom to be a treat.

ducbucln, Salvias do attract lots of hummers. Another hummer magnet is this cuphea. They go crazy for it!

Great photos of AZ, especially love that saguaro. I kind of miss them.
WIB,
SW

I counted on you getting a kick out of that Saguaro, SW. They're certainly a special plant. The blossoms aren't quite fully open yet, but they're close. I tried to find one near a rock or ledge so that I'd be able to get a close-up of the blossom. If you've never seen one, they are very intricate and outrageous in their structure.

DP,
Thought that they are night bloomers. You'd need a 12 foot tall step ladder to get a good photo of a saguaro blossom. I know that the little owls sometimes nest in cavities in them. Not to worry DP. It's just a treat to see them again. Don't go hurting yourself. Thanks for the gift. ^_^
Have you and Critter had a chance to get together yet? Back east is way different than our Southwest. LOL!
WIB,
SW

Yes, we had lunch together in Cottonwood on Saturday.

Rob, I have lots of Palo Verde seeds. Ours are just coming into bloom.

Oh Kathleen...I wish I had room for another tree! : ) I think I'm the type of person who should live in the country with lots of land...not in a tiny city garden, lol!

Another beauty I'm seeing in bloom for the first time!

TB Iris, can't find the name right now...

That's beautiful, Rob!
WIB,
SW

It's a 'Matilija Morning"....

And a closer look...

Oooooh---I don't know if mine are going to bloom this year or not. They're in a big container, and I cut them back late. They've got nice new growth, but it's only about 12" tall. Last year (the first) I had about 4 blooms. They're SO pretty!

I'm going to have to add some of those Matilija to my garden. From a distance don't they look a little like fried eggs, sunny side up? LOL! Beautiful.
Been feeling a little better today. This great kid I know pulled up a wild tobacco that was growing in my sad courtyard. I can finally get in there and do some cleaning and weeding.
Haven't taken any photos of flowers except the plumeria in the greenhouse. The one I received from I can't remember who at the mini RU is putting on new leaves! It is a happy thing.
Thanks for posting the photos wc, they are very cheerful flowers!
WIB,
SW

It was probably SoCal, SW - she brought me one, too.

Our funny Matilija started with one flower right in the center of the plant. Now the two of them are blocking the path - I'll have to get a picture so you can see how they've grown since the RU.

I'd like to see that, KC. I'm moving slow, but I'm moving today.
I really am pleased that so many of the iris I rec'd from Kanita are actually going to bloom this year. I guess I should be thankful that we had a geyser where the emitter blew off the drip line. Otherwise my iris' would be about bloomed out.
WIB,
SW

Here you go... threading the needle until winter! Can you believe how fast they grow?

Here's the last of our Fremontodendron (flannel bush) blooms. It was beautiful, and a first year plant, so a surprise.

This is the box under the kitchen window with scented geraniums. Some critter kept burrowing into the dirt there, so we added the wire on top. It still found a hole, so we kept piling on the rocks! DH calls it the rock garden now. It will be pretty when the new plants catch up with the nutmeg I got from Sherry. Sorry it's sideways - I did rotate it, but it reverted somehow. :-(

Sherry, didn't someone tell you we couldn't grow Mimulus here? Hah! It might suffer when it gets hot, but for now it's doing great in two spots.

Our first Yorkshire rose! It was breezy (of course) and one of the petals folded over the center.

One of my favorite plants: Penstemon Margarita BOP.

Finally, thanks again for the pink waterlilies, SW! They are blooming like crazy now.

This guy is 'happening' right now.....I've been looking for him for a year. I saw one in a grocery store a year ago and for one stupid moment showed some restraint and then kicked myself later. For a year now, every time I shop there, I look for one of these and today was the day!! I did not even hesitate. 'Shooting Star' hydrangea....makes my day....

I love those, too, gypsy!
Another of my iris...a pristine white called something "Handkerchief"