July bloom day

Well its bloom day again! really?! It's so hard for me to even accept that.  We are already mid point of the best month of the year?! And it's no lie, blooms are not that prominent in my yard.  I really do like flowers.  I feel like I may have misrepresented myself.  Maybe I should work on the bloom day lovin in the years to come.  But for now, here are some of the blooms in my yard...

Double hibiscus

Echeveria just started blooming.  I love the way the way these seem to come out in every which way direction.

Sempervivum hens and chicks are bloomin' all over the place.  This one is in more shade and I love the way it seems to be reaching out towards the sunshine.

most of the sedums are actually past their prime already. The hot weather over the last few weeks seems to have been the end of their blooms.

But thankfully the yuccas are just starting to do their thing! This one bloom stalk is actually so heavy its pulling the plant over.

I can only imagine that this is a schefflera bloom?! I was pretty excited to see this.  I still have not decided what this schefflera actually is. Maybe S. Hoi?

Happy July Bloom Day!!!!!

may bloom day

What a weekend! The sun has been shining, temperatures in the upper 80's, people flocking to garden centres ... it's May!  But I should preface this bloom day post by saying that some are may "almost in bloom day" photos...

Like this Arbequina Olive tree.

Mediterranean Fan palms are sending out flowers this time of year.  It looks like some sort of creepy growth at this point.

Rhodos definitely are putting on a show.  This one is my favourite.  It's one of the more tropical looking of the bunch.

This one right next to it has a blue tinge to the foliage and a darker pink/red color to the flowers.

Windmill Palms are about to put on a show.  This is one of three flowering Trachycarpus fortunei.  I just hope that one is a female.  My largest palm has been flowering for years but is a male.  Fingers crossed....

My newly planted Leccino Olive tree has a few tiny flower buds...

Aloe blooms from a succulent bowl...

The neighbours clematis grows over the fence and flowers on our side.  I'm not complaining but you can't help but feel kinda bad.

Hellebores just keep on giving.  I love watching the color go from a soft white in early spring to this beautiful lime green.

And last but not least ... blossoms on my peach tree!!

Happy May bloom day everyone!

April Bloom Day

I know I'm a bit late on this bloom day...  but I wanted to share some Vancouver blooms for April!  A few years ago Trachycaprus Fortunei seemed to be the "it" plant.  And while almost every plant install in Vancouver seems to feature a grove of trachycarpus, Euphorbia wulfenii is everywhere these days! Do I mind? No, I love!

One of the most celebrated annual events in Vancouver, the Cherry blossoms.

I love how west coast this scene is... notice the potted Trachycarpus?

But keeping with more blooms, here are some from Stanley Park.

Star Magnolias are putting on a show.

This Camellia Japonica had dusted the ground with an electric shade of pink.

mmm.... a much beloved combination!!!

I snuck this one in because of the red annuals, Not! Actually, I was admiring the cordyline red sensation that seemed to have made it through the winter - unlike my late sensation.

This drive way brought be exceeding joy!  Imagine the possibilities. Great hardscape already in place, a stones throw from the ocean, and merely 20 feet above sea level, sheltered location ... In Vancouver that equates to one of those epic zone 9a spots that the owners can get away with just about anything.

But wait... check out the front!!! (I justify this one based on the containers of daffodils).  I'm thinking a couple of nice agave americana variegata in those pots would be wonderful.

bloomday - or lack thereof

So its bloomday and there are very very few blooms in the yard! If it were decaying blooms day, then this would be easy. But alas, there are a few things that are still kicking.

Geraniums have not been fazed by the cool weather.  I appreciate that about them. Though entirely ordinary, they seam to handle heat and cold better than many other annual flowers.

I forget the name of this plant, but it seems to think its spring?

"Old Faithful" that is what I choose to call my fatsia japonica.  When everything else in the yard seems to wind down in the fall, fatsia just begins its show.  I can't say enough about this plant.

I love how glossy this foliage is too! It's my version of a tropical philodendron!

salvia elegans... apparently the flowers are edible... maybe a salad garnish!

This little rose has been flowering non stop since may and is super fragrant!

I know, this is not exactly blooms... but its sure a picture of whats going on in the yard.  I just can't believe how fast those darn leaves are piling up on the patio!!!

Bloom day!

I always said to myself, "if I ever have my plant blog, I want to celebrate bloom day!" So here it is, albeit kinda sad (the rain was starting just as I went out to take some pictures). none the less, my first ever bloom day! how exciting (really don't get any hopes up). 


Captions above or below? I put them above last time, today lets go below....

so my beloved meyer lemon is no more (its a tragic story). introducing calmondin orange!! not my first choice, however, the blooms are prolific!!! smells great!

Echeveria glauca I believe...

unknown sedum

"the little rose that could"

the white flowers are an invasive weed ... planted years ago and have never gone away since.

mmmmmm basil. it makes me want italian food real bad!

hostas!!! There is some serious hosta love going on right now

sorry this one is sideways... some crocosimia in and amongst the hosta, iris and banana jungle