Tuesday, January 31, 2012

1201 - Larkspur

I cut and brought indoors this pink larkspur just before it rained hard for a few days.

Monday, January 30, 2012

1201 - Kalanchoe



Kalanchoe has become one of my favorite genus of succulents, this species quite happy in our gardens, its leaves turning dark blue, then pink, as it sends up foot-long, pink flower stems.

When the bell-shaped flowers open, their interior will be bright orange.

Friday, January 20, 2012

1201 - Hyacinth

Since heavy rains have failed to arrive this winter, I've been surprised by the dozens upon dozens of hyacinths now emerging in the gardens.

One cut flower on the mantel is enough to perfume the front of the house.

Friday, January 13, 2012

1201 - Tac



Here are a few photographs of Tac hanging out with me in the gardens on a very windy day not too long ago.

Her winter coat gets so long, Phil takes to calling her "Badger."



Monday, January 2, 2012

1201 - Cabbage Poppy

Our unusually dry and warm December encouraged this cabbage poppy to bloom, its flower half the size as ones blooming in the spring, but spectacular nonetheless.

Monday, December 26, 2011

111226 - Larkspur and Sweet Peas


Today I photographed the sweet peas and larkspur in bloom at the top left of the terraces.

Despite this being the last week of December, the burgundy sweet peas show no sign of fading, their vines at least six feet long and now blocking the staircase running alongside the fountain.

The purple larkspur has just bloomed beside other larkspur and a cabbage poppy on the verge of flowering, too.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

1112 - Kalanchoe

Several years ago, a friend gave us a kalanchoe from Hawaii.

He suggested we put it in a pot, but we unwisely ignored his advice.

The kalanchoe quickly spread across one of the lower terraces, so we were forced to put black plastic and heavy rocks around it in an effort to slow its growth.

Every fall, it goes into bloom.

I took this photograph yesterday of its flowers, which last a few weeks, are about the size of your thumbnail and smell like honeysuckle.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

1109 - Dahlias

Even while much of the gardens underperformed this summer and fall, these dahlias put on quite a show.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

1109 - Candy Tuft


I was disappointed when only a few of the candy tufts came into bloom this summer and fall.

I took this photograph in September in the fride (FRont sIDE) garden.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

1110 - Echeveria

A section at the top, left of the terraced gardens was purposely left at a steep angle, and it was here that Phil planted mostly succulents, which require excellent drainage.

These echeveria have all grown from one cutting stuck into the ground near the brick used to slow down soil erosion from the terraces above.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

1110 - Larkspur

A few larkspurs, dwarfed by our cool, foggy spring and summer, have bloomed in the gardens.

I found this one by accident, spotting it beneath the mass of sweet peas at the top, left of the staircase, at first thinking it was a butterfly.

Friday, September 30, 2011

1109 - Sweet Peas







When our summer arrived at last in mid-September, these sweet peas at the top of the terraces went into bloom.

Though I've grown used to plants flourishing out of season atop our hill, it is certainly spectacular to have bouquets of sweet peas to harvest and bring indoors as Halloween approaches.

Monday, September 12, 2011

1109 - Jasmine


Last year, a winter storm tore down the trellis the jasmine was growing on.

After Phil rebuilt the trellis with metal supports, water pooled in the container, so Phil was forced to rebuild the entire pot from bottom to top.

The jasmine looked quite dead for some time, but now, several months later, it has bloomed.

Monday, August 22, 2011

1108 - Pink Lupine


Under a very shady tree decorated year round with Christmas lights, this pink lupine surprised us by blooming this summer, its flower stalk over a foot tall.

I vaguely remember planting here late last summer a seed from the one lupine in the gardens not purple.

I am keeping an eye on its seed pods and will harvest as many as I can.

Friday, August 12, 2011

1108 - Shirley Poppy


August has been cool and very foggy.

Though only a few shirley poppies bloomed in the fride (FRont sIDE) garden, they were quite spectacular.

This is a rare, blue variety that reseeded from last year.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

1107 - Carnation


Late last fall, Phil and I planted this hybrid carnation at the top, left of the terraces.

It bloomed in late June, its pink and purple swirls quite a surprise.

Friday, July 8, 2011

110708 - Arrangement


After several sunny days in a row, the summer flowers are putting on a show in the gardens.

Yesterday afternoon, I made this arrangement of orange coreopsis, pink and red cosmos, and purple and pink candy tuft, which I have found do best in bouquets on the dining room table or the mantel where their unpleasant, "rotting cheese" odor is less likely to overwhelm visitors.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

1106 - Terraced Gardens

June, 2011 turned out to have strange weather: a few drizzly days at the start of the month followed by a week or so of record heat, which was in turn put out by a sudden drop in temperature and a full day and night of steady rain.

I took this photograph a few days before the record heat transformed the gardens. I especially like the foxgloves and bachelor's buttons in bloom.

Last year, we planted the pink-and-white penstemon near the top of the terraces, and it has grown more than ten times in size.

Monday, May 16, 2011

110516 - Vertical Garden


Last week at a class at Succulence on Bernal Heights, I made this vertical garden.

Phil suspended a slate shard under the skylight in one of the bathrooms and mounted the vertical garden to its front.

As the young succulents grow into their structure, they must be thoroughly watered once a week.

110419 - Columbine



This columbine bloomed in the middle of April and, almost a month later, continues to look amazing.

It is the only one of its kind in the gardens, its tightly wrapped flowers a hybrid of the dahlia-like flowers and the others with spurs.