Blooms du jour and perchance some rain...

There's a 30% chance of rain forcast for late tonight. I'm not optimistic, but please, please let this be more than passing mist that evaporates before it ever hits the ground.

Been trimming & deadheading the salvias and penstemons as the fall season winds down. Amazed by some of the stuff that's still blooming.

HERE ARE THE NATIVES:

10/24/09 Chaparral Mallow (Malocothamnus fasciculatus). Native on the property.

11/27/09 Most Beautiful Jewel Flower (Streptanthus albidus peramoena).

 

11/27/09 Creeping Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus).

11/27/09 'Jack' Monkeyflower (Mimulus cultivar).

11/27/09 Canyon Sunflower (Venegasia carpesioides).

11/27/09 Wallace's Pitcher Sage (Lepechinia fragrans).

11/27/09 'De La Mina' Cedros Island Verbena (Verbena lilacina). Not a California native per se, but a selection from Cedros Island off the west coast of Baja California. Often included in native plant sales because its native habitat is part of the California Floristic Province. I really, really love this plant. So low maintenance, very drought tolerant, and blooms almost year round except during the coldest periods of winter.

AND HERE ARE A FEW NON-NATIVES:

11/27/09 'Acapulco Rose' Mexican Giant Hyssop (Agastache mexicana).

11/27/09 Baja Fairyduster (Calliandra californica).

Hummingbirds attack each other with gusto over these blossoms.

11/27/09 Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans).

11/27/09 'Stampede Lavender' Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii).

 

11/27/09 'Lipstick' Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii).

11/27/09 'Hot Lips' Salvia (Salvia microphylla).

11/27/09 'Navajo' Bright Red Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii).

11/27/09 'Gentle Giant', a stunning Hybrid Tea rose, with soft pale pink petals tinged on the edges by a slightly darker mauve.

11/27/09 'Techno Blue' Lobelia (Lobelia erinus). So reminiscent of Downingias!

11/27/09 'Mutabilis' China Rose (Rosa chinensis). Wow, what an extremely floriferous rose, with every gorgeous, willowy-petaled blossom exhibiting a slightly different hue.