Fwd:irregular blooming in gardens as well!
- To: m*@ucdavis.edu
- Subject: Fwd:irregular blooming in gardens as well!
- From: M* B*
- Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2000 16:31:35 -0700
>X-Sender: sohara@popserv.ucop.edu (Unverified)
>Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2000 15:18:20 -0800
>To: Medit-Plants@ucdavis.edu
>From: "Sean A. O'Hara" <sean.ohara@groupmail.com>
>Subject: Re: irregular blooming
>Reply-To: sean.ohara@groupmail.com
>Sender: owner-medit-plants@ucdavis.edu
>
>I've noticed the same effect of late blooming on many plants, in
>gardens as well as the native landscape. Our fall was very dry and
>warm - almost no rain up until January, and then almost non-stop
>rain through Jan-Feb. Plants seem to have gotten a very late start
>this year, not doing much growing in preparation for the spring
>flowering. Wisteria in our area are just now blooming, as are many
>flowering trees. I was over at Lakeside Park today to take some
>notes for the garden the MGS is planning and noticed many of the
>species in the succulent garden all rushing into flower together
>(Gasteria, Lampranthus, Aloe, Echeveria, Bulbine, Sedum, etc.).
>Usually many of these would have already gone past their prime by
>now and seldom have I seen so many of them flowering together! Its
>a real show! And the weather seems to have now moved into the 'dry
>phase' already, with both cold and warm periods, confusing things
>yet again!
>
>Its been a very wacky year - the second 'La Nina'(?) winter in a row
>after the 'El Nino' we have previously. Will things ever get back
>to 'normal'!?
>
>At 11:43 AM 3/29/00 -0800, LEE,ANGELA IUE-CHIH wrote:
>>I went hiking in the santa monica mountains here in Los Angeles this past
>>weekend and was amazed by the ceanothus blooms. Entire hillsides looked
>>white and wooly from afar and at many points along the trail, we were
>>walking past walls and tunnels formed by white ceanothus blossoms. the
>>blue ceanothus are about to flower very soon as I noticed a many buds. the
>>manzanitas are blooming now as well. I am told that this is extremely
>>late
>>(by about 2-3 months) for these plants to be in full bloom. maybe it was
>>that blast of rain during the months of january and feb that has the
>>plants scrambling to bloom all at the same time.
>>
>>Angela Lee
>
>
>Sean A. O'Hara sean.ohara@groupmail.com
>h o r t u l u s a p t u s 710 Jean Street
>'a garden suited to its purpose' Oakland, CA 94610-1459, U.S.A.
>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
>Ask me about the worldwide Mediterranean gardening discussion group
Dear Medit Planters, 3/29/00
Everytime I tell my wife Karoline that the weather is crazy she reminds me
that every gardener says the same thing every year! She's right BUT son are
Sean and Angela. The most important part of my garden is the urban woodland
along Yale Ave high in the Berkeley Hills. It is developed around rhodies and
camellias with a host of woodland perennials and bulbs. The concept was to
plant as many section Maddenia spp. as possible so the my entrance garden
would be redolent with that sweet and dangerous scent from December to
July. I have a list, which I won't bore you with of the "normal" order of
bloom.
Because of this year's "crazy" weather and the abrupt leap from winter to
summer (no Spring again) most of these scented rhododendrons are blooming
together right now. The power of the scent at night is almost overbearing---
like the Cestrum parqui near my spa in the summer. Interestingly few of the
early bloomers bloomed early and the season began with a complex hybrid,
'Scott's Valentine' on Feb. 9th and then all heaven broke loose. Even though
we have an early show this year (late March) I wonder what will be in bloom.
Even though I'm a terrible species snob it looks like my R. decorum and
diaprepes will be in bloom then (normal bloom late June into July). Almost
all the hardy hybrids have bloomed out so except for the blue lepidotes
this will probably be the most limited show we've ever had,
Further, it has absolutely killed me to have to start irrigating so early.
These are the 5-6 months each year when my water bill approaches normalcy
and it certainly won't for March as all rain has stopped, there is no fog,
and the days have been hot (for us) and frequently smoggy. As I bang my
head against the wall I keep thinking of all the subtropicals which should
be planted now and might have chance. I also hear my self muttering. This
weather is crazy!
Yours, Michael
--
Really Special Plants & Gardens, Kensington, CA
Cal Hort Council opga@wenet.net Growing 2,000 species of plants
15 miles from the Golden Gate. ARS Speakers Bureau lecturer.
