Summer ain't necessarily the doldrums in the native plant garden (& some other odds and ends)

St. Catherine's Lace (Eriogonum giganteum) along the wall

Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat (Eriogonum arborescens)

'Ghostly Red' California Fuchsia (Zauschneria californica)

I know that the traditional summer native garden palette here in Southern California trends towards the brown-grey-olive hues - what I have fondly dubbed as 'Chaparral Camo' in the Crayola Crayons of my mind. So, it always makes my day to happen on some seemingly errant gems of color that emerge from the monochromatic expanse of our native coastal sage scrub in the otherwise humdrum months of July and August.

Some of the stuff in bloom right now that's native to our site includes California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), Tarweed (Hemizonia spp.), Small Wirelettuce (Stephanomeria exigua), and the lovely but 'Pepe le Pew'-with-a-hint-of-mint scented Vinegarweed (Trichostema lanceolatum).

Scarlet Monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis)

There are also some bright spots in my garden, which is not exactly a purist's notion of a 'native' garden, but rather a mix of California natives, Mediterraneans & drought tolerants, interspersed with a hodgepodge of fruit trees, grape vines, vegetable, herb & New Englandy cottage garden. Product of a slightly confused mind...

Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis)

Pink California Fuchsia (Zauschneria californica)

"Yo planto, ergo sum," is the only way to explain my garden concoctions, a phrase you won't find in Wiki or any proper Latin dictionary, but then, hey! who's checking?

San Miguel Island Buckwheat (Eriogonum grande rubescens)

Anyhoo, for what it's worth, which for me is a million bucks (in 'in your dreams' Monopoly money), here's the run down on what's blooming in my summer garden on the native plant front, in no particular order:

Bur Marigold (Bidens laevis)

Joaquin Sunflower/Bur Marigold (Bidens laevis)
'King Range' Yarrow (Achillea millefoium)
Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis)
Desert Willow 'Burgundy'
Bush Monkeyflower (Diplacus aurantiacus)
Acton Encelia (Encelia actonii)
'Cape Sebastian' Seaside Daisy (Erigeron glaucus)
Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat (Eriogonum arborescens)
San Miguel Island Buckwheat (Eriogonum grande rubescens)
St. Catherine's Lace (Eriogonum giganteum)
Longstem Buckwheat (Eriogonum elongatum)
Cliff Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium)
Wright's Buckwheat (Eriogonum wrightii)
'Dana Point' Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum cultivar)
Saffron Buckwheat (Eriogonum crocatum)
White California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica alba)
Island Snapdragon (Galvezia speciosa)
Coastal Gum Plant (Grendelia arnicola)
Scarlet Monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis)
Desert Four O'Clock (Mirabilis bigelovii)
San Antonio Hills Coyote Mint (Monardella antonina)
Hooker's Evening Primrose (Oenothera hookeri)
'Deer Spring Silver' Cleveland's Sage (Salvia clevelandii)
California Goldenrod (Solidago californica)
Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)
Apricot/Desert Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua)
Hedge Nettle (Stachys bullata)
'Catalina' California Fuchsia (Zauschneria californica)
'Ghostly Red' California Fuchsia (Zauschneria californica)
'Pink' California Fuchsia (Zauschneria californica)
'UC Hybrid' California Fuchsia (Zauschneria californica)
Rose Mallow (Hibiscus lasiocarpa)
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Southern Indian Pink (Silene lacianata major)

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) at top of falls; backdropped by Cuyamaca Manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula ssp. platyphylla) on the left and Pointleaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos pungens) on the right.