Scorching Weather & Beautiful Blooms

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read328 views

It’s a beautiful day out here in the High Desert.
I have not done much in the garden lately due to the scorching weather, but I go out early in the morning to make sure that all the potted plants are getting enough water. I am grateful they are still thriving.

I first discovered Allium Drumstick many years ago, when I was shopping for bulbs and couldn’t find the variety I liked. The came back year after year and I enjoyed them, until a couple of days ago, when I found the long stems on the ground. It turned out that a gopher ate the roots/bulbs.
I cut a few of the stems and placed them in a vintage vase.

Allium (Sphaerocephalon) Drumstick Stems in Vintage Vase.

Training, pruning and maintaining the Amethyst Falls Wisteria have been very rewarding. Our pergola is now partially covered in gorgeous lavender-purple flowers.

Amethyst Falls Wisteria.
Common Jasmine Vine.

There are many plants currently blooming around the gardens:

Rose Mallow (Lavatera Trimestris Loveliness).

The Tulbaghia Violacea ‘Silver Lace’ (Variegated Society Garlic) below is one of my oldest plants, and it’s still thriving after fourteen years.

Tulbaghia Violacea ‘Silver Lace’.

Lavender bushes are getting bigger.

Lavender Phenomenal.

Some succulents are blooming, such as the Pine Cone Cactus Flower, Corsican Stonecrop flower, and Sedum Morganianum (Donkey’s Tail).

Succulents bloom.

Many rose bushes and trees are in bloom:

Miniature Rose.
French Lace Rose.
Hybrid Tea Rose ‘Love & Peace’.
Hybrid Tea Rose Rio Samba.

After a year, the Nicotiana Glauca seedling has grown quite a bit.

Nicotiana Glauca (Tree Tobacco).

The steamy temperatures and high humidity have been harsh, especially for wildlife. I found a dead hummingbird as well as a few dead lizards. Ground squirrels and gophers have been active in the garden, damaging plants, sprinkler systems, and irrigation pipes.

I find so much joy in my garden. Spending time alone with Nature has always been healing and awakening.

Happy Gardening!

Plants are Wonderful Mood Boosters

JM Perez By JM Perez1 min read438 views

For the most part, the weather has been steadily warming up. Of course, some days are as cold as winter days, but nothing serious as keeping us indoors. Trees have put out leaves, flowers are blooming, and critters are wreaking havoc in the gardens.

Pincushion Carnival Yellow is an interesting plant I saw at the nursery. I resisted the urge to purchase a few as they reminded me of Gopher plants, which are loved by Gophers. I have many yellow flowering plants in my gardens, and I think a different variety called ‘Flame Giant’ Nodding Pincushion (Leucospermum cordifolium ‘Flame Giant’) will complement the other plants and add color to the garden.

Pincushion Carnival Yellow.

My daughter’s Rose Mallow is blooming profusely.

Rose Mallow (Lavatera Trimestris Loveliness).

It has been a joy watching the Freesias.

White Freesia.

The ground cover roses weren’t doing well, so I moved them into planters, where they are thriving.

Ground Cover Rose.

The Aeonium arboreum ‘Zwartkop’ have grown so much that they need their own container.

Aeonium arboreum ‘Zwartkop’ and Sedeveria.

When the weather outside is erratic, we can always count on plants to boost our mood.

Happy gardening!

Soulful Words: Le Soleil Donne

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read419 views

“Because through love, we feel the intensity of our connection to everything and everyone. And at the core we are all the same. We’re all one.” ― Loving Annabelle

.

LE SOLEIL DONNE
– Laurent Voulzy –

Tape sur nos systèmes
L’envie que tout le monde s’aime
Le soleil donne
Ce vieux désir super
Qu’on serait tous un peu frères
Le soleil donne

Le soleil donne
De l’or intelligent
Le soleil donne
La même couleur aux gens
La même couleur aux gens
Gentiment

Feel fire in your blood
Make believe we’re all in love, in the sundance
You can dream the sweetest games
Hold hands around the flames, in the sundance
In the sundance
The gold keeps coming down
In the sundance
White’s turning into brown
And rain don’t stay around painting the town
(We’re just dancing)
(In the sundance)

Nace al deseo de quererse mas, olé el sol
Oro inteligente alumbra la gente, olé el sol
Olé el sol
A todo el mundo da, olé el sol
Una tez morena, una tez morena igual

(Cuando, cuando baila el sol a sol mi piel morena tiene sabor)

Oh, oh, oh, oh, la même couleur aux gens
Ioh-oh, ioh-oh, la même couleur aux gens
Oh, oh, oh, oh, just color me tomorrow
You can never stop the changing skies, dancing in the sundance

Tape sur nos systèmes
L’envie que tout le monde s’aime
Le soleil donne
Ce vieux désir super
Qu’on serait tous un peu frères
Le soleil donne

Le soleil donne
De l’or intelligent,
Le soleil donne
La même couleur aux gens
La même couleur aux gens
Gentiment
(Sundance, sundance, sundance)
Le soleil donne
(Sundance, dance, dance, dance)

Oh, oh, oh, oh, la même couleur aux gens
Oh, oh, oh, la même couleur aux gens
Oh, oh, oh, oh, la misma tez morena,
Siento, me siento pedacitos del sol
Oh, oh, oh, oh, just color me tomorrow
We’ve got children living in our eyes, dancing in the sundance
Oh, oh, oh, oh, la même couleur aux gens
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, la même couleur aux gens

(yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

Oh, oh, oh, oh, la même couleur aux gens
Oh, oh, oh, la même couleur aux gens
Oh, oh, oh, oh, la même couleur aux gens
Ioh-oh, ioh-oh, la même couleur aux gens

Le Soleil Donne.

Click here for the English translation.

A Delayed Spring

JM Perez By JM Perez1 min read467 views

The weather hasn’t changed much; it is still very cold here in California especially for this time of year.

The signs of Spring came a little late this year due to the erratic weather we’ve had for the past couple of months.The Daffodils, which are usually our first bloomers, didn’t make it out until the end of March. As the weather began to warm up, everything is coming in a rush and the gardens bursting into life with flowers.

Daffodil Replete.

Daffodil Replete, also know as Luscious Double Daffodil, are my latest perennials addition. Many years ago I planted Ice King Double Daffodils as well as Tazetta ‘Grand Primo’, which I ended up loosing the bulbs to gophers the next season. I hope we can enjoy the Replete for may more years to come.

Daffodil Replete.

The Purple Leaf Cherry Plum trees were the first trees to put out flowers and they were absolutely stunning with lush display of delicate flowers. We live in an extremely windy area, which means that we often lose flowers and flower petals almost as soon as they emerge.

Purple Leaf Cherry Plum Blossoms.

As you can see, the trees are also leafing out.

Purple Leaf Cherry Plum Blossoms.

Happy Gardening and blessed Easter Sunday!

Wet & Cold Winter

JM Perez By JM Perez1 min read504 views

The past months have been very cold here in California. We were so grateful December for the rainfall after such a very long period of dry weather. Since then, it has been cold, extremely cold. On Saturday and Sunday, we had our first heavy snowfall of the year. This morning as well, we had some light snowfall.

California is colder than usual at this time of year, and it appears that Mother Nature is done with us. Still, we are grateful for every bit of rain we get.

Backyard in a blanket of snow.

Plants and trees were covered in snow, and as a result, we had a few broken branches.

Plants covered icicles and snow.

Sculptures and yard decorations alike were covered in snow; it wasn’t until the following morning that we all stepped out to clear the driveway and let the kids build a snowman.

Sculptures & Decorations covered in Snow.

Indeed, snowfall makes everything it touches and covers look beautiful, and brightens  the World. The flip sides to this beauty can be quite damaging and devastating: road closure due to massive flooding, debris, cracks, fallen trees, fallen electric poles, mudslides, rockslides, erosion, etc.

As I anticipate the arrival of Spring, I wish everyone a warm and safe Winter.