121014 - Pineapple Salvai

One of Phil's friends gave us this pineapple salvia, which we'll plant with the purple Mexican salvia in the spring.

121014 - Larkspur

The larkspur in the side garden did the best this year.

121014 - Cosmos

In July, 2012, I planted cosmos seeds in nearly two dozen six-packs.

Two months later, when the seedlings were more than six inches tall, I planted them throughout the gardens. The ones at the base of the terraces have especially thrived, growing over two feet tall and producing these lovely flowers.

Beside the cosmos a delphinium has bloomed for the second time this year. Its flower stock is nearly two feet long.

A few weeks ago, Phil and I decided to grow morning glory over the front of the lower terraces. You can see the little plants coming up.

1209 - Gladiolus

In the side garden behind the house, I took this photograph a few days ago of this gladiolus in bloom.

It is one of two gladioli that come up each year, inexplicably avoiding the pocket gophers that have devoured the 50 or more bulbs I've planted over the years.

The red, purple and blue sweet peas climbing the fence behind it show no signs of relenting. They came up in early spring.

120830 - Sweet Peas

In the side garden behind the house, imperial dahlias are coming up around these sweet peas, which continue to bloom into September.

120830 - Candy Tuft

I was pleased to find a single candy tuft in bloom this late in summer.

120830 - Anemones

The perennial anemone has thrived in the shadow of the hot tub fence so much so that its offshoots seem to appear everywhere around it, even in the terrace one level up.

120830 - Dahlia

Despite our foggy summer, the dahlias have come into bloom.

This variegated one remains a favorite of mine and Phil's.

120830 - Amaryllis

While in some years we only see a few plants in bloom, the amaryllis have put on a spectacular show across the top of the terraces this summer.

120613 - Cabbage Poppies

During our dry, warm winter and spring, cabbage poppies have thrived in the gardens, some plants reaching nearly six feet tall.

Each flower lasts only a day or so and is about the size of your hands cupped together to catch water.

120613 - Snapdragons

We have never had in the gardens such an amazing display of snapdragons, which typically fade after their first round of blooms.

This year, the flowers continue to grow larger and rebloom.

120429 - Delphiniums

Yesterday afternoon, I took this video of the delphiniums at the bottom, left of the terraces, where you can also see cala lilies, red California poppies, ranunculus, bachelor buttons, snapdragons and echeveria in bloom.

Some of the dephinium flower stocks are two feet long.

120318 - Cabbage Poppy

It was very windy today, but I managed to take this photograph of a cabbage poppy in bloom at the top, left of the terraces.

Always rather spindly, it nearly didn't overwinter, its first batch of flowers failing to bloom last fall after several days of rain, so this tiny red-and-purple flower is a treat.

120317 - Cactus Flower

A few weeks ago, Phil placed along the windows in the front room a euphorbia and several cacti in containers.

The size of an orange, this cactus started to bloom last week.

1203 - Kalanchoe

Afternoon sunlight makes the opened flowers of the kalanchoe sparkle and glow.

1203 - Crab Spider

I was cutting cala lilies to bring indoors when I spotted this crab spider.

1203 - Gaillardia

It has taken a few years to settle in, but this gaillardia in the fride (FRont sIDE) garden now produces dozens of flowers a week.

For much of this winter, an arrangement in the dining room has been nothing but weekly cut gaillardia flowers.