Paradise Creek Poppies

 California poppies in bloom along the Paradise Creek Trail in Sequoia National Park, as seen earlier this spring (late April, 2023).  What a beautiful wildflower bloom we had this year with all the rain!

Twilight Stream

Twilight Stream, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.
The day was coming to a close and this cascade just begged to have its picture taken...

And a garden update: plants are waking up, with the 'Kentucky Colonel' mint sending up a multitude of fresh shoots. The lettuce, chervil, and parsley are all growing well, and my French tarragon is sprouting. The containers I planted with California native wildflowers are just starting to bloom, with 'Pennie Black' nemophila putting on a fine show of dark maroon flowers with white picotee edges. The tidy tips, bird's eyes, poppies, and baby blue eyes have yet to bloom, but they will start within a week or two...

A Trip to Annie's Annuals

Annie's Annuals is an incredible nursery in Richmond, California. They have the largest selection of rare and unusual annuals and perennials anywhere. Some rarities they carry include a double-flowered nasturtium, a large, blue-flowered form of scarlet pimpernel, and a freakishly amazing South African spider iris.

Although Annie's is a veritable gardener's heaven, you need to drive through some rough neighborhoods to get there. That didn't prevent me, however, from stopping by and loading up on California native wildflowers such as baby blue eyes, tidy tips, bird's eyes, and 'Apricot Chiffon' California poppies.

Annie's Annuals is definitely worth a visit if you live in the Bay Area or are ever passing through.

Anyone else have excellent nurseries nearby?

New Plants

I managed to rescue some nursery throw-aways from a dumpster today. They were all rare and old pelargonium varieties. I snagged the following cultivars:

Hybrid Pelargonium Domesticum
'Halloween'

Hybrid Pelargonium Domesticum
'Inez'

Hybrid Pelargonium Domesticum
'Glowing Ember'

Hybrid Pelargonium Domesticum
'Tunia Perfecta'

Hybrid Pelargonium Domesticum
'Dawn'

Hybrid Pelargonium Domesticum
'Lavender Grand Slam'

Hybrid Pelargonium Domesticum
'Grand Slam'

Photos tomorrow...

Tahoe Lupine

A lupine growing next to Ward Creek.

New Bloom

A new bloom on my Agrostemma githago plant.

Sun-Soaked Poppy

A golden California poppy.

Wind Poppy

The small and rare wind poppy, Stylomecon heterophylla.

Pipevine Swallowtail

A pipevine swallowtail nectaring on thistle.

Twilight Duo

A chalcedon checkerspot butterfly rests next to a California poppy as the day comes to a close.

Blue Lupine

A blue lupine illuminated in the light of sunset.

Gilia Clusters

My Gilia tricolor plant is really doing well.

Owl's Clover

An owl's clover flower, Castilleja exserta, growing alongside a trail.

Native Clematis

This is a California native clematis, Clematis lasiantha.

Another Gilia Tricolor

A bird's eye flower that opened just after a rainstorm.

Monarch on Milkweed

A Monarch butterfly resting on a clump of Asclepias californica.

Lupine

The flowers of bush lupine, Lupinus longifolius.

Another California Poppy

I just can't get enough of these.

April Poppies

A healthy clump of the state flower, California poppies.

Woodland Star

The tiny flowers of woodland star, Lithophragma parviflorum.