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High Desert Gardening

Fragrant Roses In The Garden

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read231 views

It’s December and the year is almost coming to an end. Fall decorations are being put away and Christmas lights and decorations are going up all around the neighborhood. We might be the only household around who still respects the change of seasons; though we must admit that it’s heartwarming to see colorful lights and festive activities.

One of my latest plant additions to the front garden is the Angel Face Rose, also know as Angel Face Floribunda Rose. This beauty was purchased at the Lake Arrowhead Outdoor Nursery (The Standard Design Group Nurseries). With loads of vibrant ruffled lavender blossoms, the Angel Face Rose has a very strong fruity fragrance and blooms profusely. Its glossy dark green leaves complement the flower color.

According to the websites Wikipedia and weekand.com, Rosa ‘Angel Face’ originated at Swim and Weeks nursery in Southern California and was introduced in 1968. Developed by Herbert Swim & Weeks Rose Growers, ‘Angel Face’ is a cross between floribundas, (‘Circus’ × ‘Lavender Pinocchio’) and hybrid tea, ‘Sterling Silver’. The ‘Circus’ x ‘Lavender Pinocchio’ was the female parent, and ‘Sterling Silver’ was the male parent. On a side note, ‘Sterling Silver’ was the first modern mauve rose, introduced by American hybridizer Gladys Fisher in 1957.

Angel Face Rose.

My Blue Moon hybrid tea rose pulled through this year with gorgeous, vibrant roses, after a year of not putting out flowers. The lilac blooms have an intense fragrance and the plant has an upright, vigorous growth.

Blue Moon Rose.

Purchased as a bare root rose, I didn’t think my Perfume Delight Rose would make it passed this year, but it pulled through. It is thriving and I am grateful.

Perfume Delight Rose is a pink hybrid tea rose, developed by Herbert Swim & Weeks Rose Growers in 1973. The bright deep pink flowers exude an intense damask fragrance and are said to be be rain resistant and as well as disease resistant, with large, glossy, leathery foliage.

Perfume Delight Rose.

Fall is a beautiful season! Many trees in the neighborhood have graced us with their gorgeous colors; I want to believe that it has a lot to do with the rains and cool weather we’ve had this year. A couple of weeks ago we caught the gopher that was wrecking havoc in the front yard (digging holes and leaving behind mounds of dirt, mostly).

We relocated a few Agave Ovatifolia as well as a couple of Yucca Pendula from the backyard to the front and transplanted six young and healthy Heavenly Bamboo to the left side of the front yard. I am growing a few Spanish Broom from seed to gift to family, friends, and neighbors in the Spring.

Happy Gardening.

Summer End Happenings

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read286 views

It has been quite an interesting couple of weeks here. The weather has been hectic and it’s hard to tell if we are still in Summer or moved onto Fall. One week it’s scorching hot and the next it’s very cold; then having to deal with allergies and everything in between. Nevertheless, it feels good to welcome a new season.

A few days ago, a young chicken found itself into our backyard, and it was quite hilarious to watch my kids run after it in multiple attempts to get it to return to where it came from. One of our close neighbor’s have a chicken coop, and strangely, the chickens prefer to sleep in a tree. It took a while, but in the end, the young chicken climbed onto a bench and flew into a different neighbor’s backyard. We all had a good laugh and workout out of it …

Young Chicken Perched on Palm Tree.

A few months ago I experienced first hand how invasive the ‘Madame Galen’ Trumpet Vine can get.
Last Fall, we trimmed the vine back to the main trunk and relocated it by an opened area next to the storage shed. We thought we took out all the roots, only to find out a few months later (after it rained heavily) that this plant is extremely invasive. Young plants began emerging and worsened each time we got rid of it. Two weeks ago, we dug a large area, found the main root and pulled it out. Keeping our fingers crossed!

‘Madame Galen’ Trumpet Young Plants.

Finally, after months of trial and error, we caught one of two mischievous squirrels. These rodents are becoming smarter when it comes to avoiding traps. They have destroyed so many of my tender and younger plants that I am now going back to using chicken wire to protect the most vulnerable plants.

Trapped Squirrel.

I have been doing a lot of cleaning in and around the house. Indoors, I have been sorting, organizing, re-organizing, getting rid of, and giving away stuff someone else could use. There’s still much to do, but as of now, it’s good. Outdoors, we finally finished the deck.

Happy gardening.

Scorching Weather & Beautiful Blooms

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read325 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 read429 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!

A Delayed Spring

JM Perez By JM Perez1 min read464 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!