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What Blooms When:
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| "But I am not familiar with that flower,' said Coyote. Lizard said, 'Well, when you see it, it is as if the sun itself is on the ground, so beautiful is the color of the flower.' Now the two of them had been in many places, but they had never seen any beauty like that of the poppies on the islands." | |
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- Chumash narrative collected by J.P. Harrington
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Located on the north-central coast, our Demonstration Garden is a bit more than one-acre of mostly coastal plants. One-third of the garden represents a purist's restoration project, the other two-thirds includes coastal plants from up and down California.We have plants from coastal scrub, mixed-evergreen woodland, coastal prairie, dune plants, and coastal chaparral.
The records begin June 8, 2000 and currently go through September, 2002. Each date contains three sections:
- Notes
Casual observations on rain, temperature, unusual occurrences, insect and animal interactions with the plants. - In bloom today
- Ripe seed today
LET'S BEGIN
June 8, 2000
In bloom today:
The coastal form of the California poppy, baby blue eyes, sky lupine, bird's eye gilia, candy flower, Calif. poppy 'Moonglow,' Calif. poppy 'Mahogany Red,' red maids, blue-eyed grass, California phacelia, desert bluebells, tansy-leaf phacelia, Bolander's phacelia, Calif. bee plant, rough-leaved heuchera, creek monkeyflower, dwarf creek monkeyflower, sticky monkeyflower, Dudleya cymosa, coast strawberry, southern fragrant pitcher sage, coastal shrub lupine (three colors), sea pink, globe gilia, mule's ear, Calif marker of the seasonal shift from spring to summer, our local farewell-to-spring (Clarkia rubicunda).
Ripe seed today:
Thimbleberry, California hazel, California pipevine, miner's (Indian) lettuce seed.
June 26, 2000
In bloom today:
All of the above, plus western columbine, showy farewell to spring (Clarkia bottae), inland form of the California poppy, beach aster, rosy buckwheat, canyon nemophila, Pt. Reyes checkerbloom, white variety of meadowfoam (Limnanthes douglasii var nivea), island bush poppy, moth plant, Chinese houses. And a show stopper in large container, bright yellow tarweed (Madia elegans), elegant indeed against gray siding.
Ripe seed today:
Yellow-eyed grass, candy flower, cream cups, columbine, checkerbloom, red maids, purple needlegrass, purple flowering sage, June grass, red elderberry.
July 7, 2001
In bloom today
It has been a great year for hairy honeysuckle, which is blooming luxuriantly, thrusting pink blossoms through thimbleberry, along oak branches, and waving above coyote bush. Western virgin's bower, Clematis ligusticifolia, is in bud and soon will be sprinkled with spiky white flowers.
Clarkias, particularly showy clarkia (Clarkia bottae) and farewell to spring (Clarkia rubicunda) are spectacular today. When I look at them, I feel that relaxation that goes with the California summer, when annuals are about to go to seed and die, the wind has ceased, and all becomes still. We grow them in containers, where they reseed and bloom again next year, spreading all around. Spreading in a similar way, from planting box to ground, is elegant madia, Madia elegans, a particular joy.
A late March sowing of wildflowers is now in full bloom, with bird's eye gilia, globe gilia, showy clarkia, tidy tips, and mountain phlox. Such late sowings are a delight, presenting combinations of flowers that don't usually bloom together and attracting lots of pollinators, including butterflies.
Among the perennials, bluebedder penstemon is still making a bright blue accent, beach aster is in full bloom, as well as dune tansy, rosy buckwheat, sea pink, chalk buckwheat, California aster, and California phacelia, Pt.Reyes checkerbloom, Mimulus clevelandii by the pond, sticky monkeyflower everywhere, snowberry, Sonoma mugwort, and coyote mint.
From casual observation, it seems that our native bumblebees are addicted to the coastal form of the California poppy, Eschscholzia californica var. maritima, which has flowers that open out, becoming almost flat before the petals drop, looking more beautiful than can be believed. They are yellow with an orange blotch at the base of the petal. They are always buzzing with it. When Bumbex checks out the farewell to spring, Clarkia rubicunda, blooming next to it, they seem uninterested, leaving it to be pollinated by some little greenish native solitary bee, one of hundreds of species native to California.
Gophers are doing a good job preparing next year's wildflower planting areas, better than any rototiller.
Ripe seed today:
Yellow-eyed grass, all sedges, Pacific reedgrass, W. columbine, Calif. pipevine, and most of the grasses, unless they are gone by.
November 5, 2001
Notes:
two widely spaced days of rain, one in October, one in November.
In bloom today:
mountain phlox still going strong, gumplant, Island bush poppy, blue blossom, coffeeberry, bay laurel, some extremely early meadowfoam, California aster, beach aster.
Ripe seed today:
Pacific wax myrtle, beloved of yellow-rumped warblers and warbling vireos, gumplant, Calif. sagebrush, coyote bush, Western virgin's bower, madrone.
December 2, 2000
Notes:
Early rains well-spaced at approximately weekly intervals and warm temperatures have created an excellent climate for wildflower germination. All areas holding previous annual wildflowers, including containers, show excellent reseeding, especially: meadowfoam, clarkias, Indian lettuce, candy flower, baby blue eyes, and phacelias.
There is still plenty of time to sow wildflowers.
In bloom today
Coyote bush (male and female plants), California bay laurel, Island bush poppy, moth plant, gumplant, farewell to spring, beach aster, coastal form of Calif. poppy.
Ripe seed today:
Western virgin's bower, gumplant, California nutmeg, Coast live oak,
February 25, 2002:
Notes:
It feels like spring in California. Whoever said we don't have seasons in California must have been living in a eucalyptus grove. If a time ever comes when I can't respond to this magical season, shoot me.
Heavy rains in November and December followed by a long dry period in January and early February.
The quail are active again, filling the morning with their various calls. They are spending a lot of time in the very dense coyote bush bosque and then rushing along the paths.
In bloom today:
Nothing but the flowering currant and the milkmaids are in full bloom yet, but the following species have begun their bloom time.
Blue blossom, flowering currant, milkmaids, California pipevine, the first of the western columbine, sun cups, peppermint candy flower, one blue dicks, and just a few meadowfoam. Of course, the deep purple form of Douglas Iris, and a few grindelia blossoms
Ripe seed today:
None.
March 8, 2002
Notes:
A couple of days of rain, followed by a classic blustery cold and windy but sunny day. Ceanothus and iris heaven have begun. Several wildflower plantings that had Harvest Guard removed before the seedlings were two inches high were completely cleaned out by the quail. A most efficient job indeed, very impressive. All were replanted, an early March sowing that should be in bloom for May and June. Though they have not had a major impact, gold-crown and white crown sparrows are nibbling on meadowfoam seedlings, which we never protect.
Because of greatly increased quail impact, which is gratifying because we "garden for quail," wildflowers are being sown in small patches in clearings rather than in large masses. A new approach, which I hope will produce wonderful results.
Fields of Douglas iris are drawing visitors out Mesa Road.
In bloom today:
All of the entries for February 28, as well as Nemophila menziesii var atomaria, (baby white eyes), snow in spring, moth plant, miner's lettuce.
Ripe seed today:
None.
April 11, 2002
In bloom today:
It rained two days ago, then the sun came out, creating a perfect time for our annual wildflowers to come into their own. In the reseeding annuals border we have full on meadowfoam, five spot, and baby blue and white eyes. In the area we call "The Little Paradise," we have a haven created by blooming red elderberry, ceanothus, and underfoot peppermint candy flower, sugar scoop, and baby blue eyes. A very good place to eat lunch. The western columbines are going strong, as is western bleeding heart and the coastal poppies.
The replanted wildflower areas previously cleaned out by quail have begun to germinate. One quail, however, did make his way under the Harvest Guard, where, protected from hawks, he revelled in gourmet seeds provided just for him.
Driving on Highway 1 past the town of Marshall, we saw wonderful rocky bluffs of coastal wildflowers, including: romanzoffia, arabis blepharophylla, spring snow, scarlet delphinium, hound's tongue growing in seeps coming out of the rocks, Sedum spathulifolium, Pacific stonecrop, growing right next to Polypodium californicum. It was a delicious revelation of what once was. I hope somebody does something about the dreadful influx of gorse, which seems to find this rocky soil no impediment to vigorous growth.
Ripe seed today:
Miner's lettuce is beginning to ripen, from the bottom of the stalk up.
April 24, 2002
In bloom today:
Every year in the Inner Garden, a beautiful display of low-growing annual wildflowers amazes us for several months. They are strong reseeders, and we need to do very little to maintain this pollinator-friendly spring show. It's at its peak today and for the last few weeks. It includes: meadowfoam, five spot, baby blue eyes, the white form of baby blue eyes with black dots, and cream cups (not as strong as the others). For structure, the bed includes perennials: Horkelia californica, Festuca idahoensis, and Cerastium arvense. It's backed up by coyote bush, and Douglas iris clumps set it off as well.
The paler blue, almost white Ceanothus thyrsiflorus is at is peak now. Malacothamnus sp, which blooms most of the year, is at its most floriferous. Festuca californica's graceful flower stalks are evident, along with Torrey's melic grass and vanilla grass. Checkerbloom is going strong, as is Salvia brandegei and Salvia leucophylla. Armeria maritima, sea pink, is mid-bloom.
And of course, the coastal form of the California poppy is everywhere. I spent a weekend selling seeds at the CNPS wildflower show, staring at our bouquet of Eschscholtzia californica var. maritima, a blossom of which I never tire. As the petals open almost flat before dropping, the orange blotch at the center looks like it must be painted on.The yellow of the petals cannot be compared to anything else. It is not "lemon-yellow," but a color that is defined by itself - "California coastal poppy yellow." It is the essence of yellow. In a bouquet in a dim room, it glows. I used to spend time burning the cut ends of each stem, which did make them last a day or two longer. Now I just pick them in bud.
Soon, as meadowfoam, Limnanthes douglasii, goes to seed, Limnanthes alba, Seafoam, will be opening its chalky buds. We have it growing in one of our successional plantings of baby blue eyes - should be a delicious combination.
March wildflower sowings of Chinese houses, tansy leaf phacelia, and baby blue eyes have germinated well. The quail have been grazing them, eating the greens they co-evolved with. This is our most challenging year yet regarding quail depredations on wildflowers. The trick is to leave the Harvest Guard (row cover) on till the seedlings are at least four inches tall, and apparently no longer palatable to our increasing coveys.
Ripe seed today
Miner's lettuce, western columbine.
September 4, 2002
In bloom today:
We wade through forests of elegant madia. Clarkias rubicunda and bottae are still blooming, having been glorious for the last two months, and seed collection will be soon. Coming on strong are gumplant and out of season plantings of peppermint candy flower, five spot, and coast lotus, in containers. The coastal form of the CA poppy is still raging, as are late plantings of the red and white forms in the flower border. Chalk buckwheat and sea pink are almost ready to be collected, as is Lessingia filaginifolia (no common name).
Ripe seed today
California pipevine, Western clematis, cudweed..
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