Bloom Day - June 15, 2008

My garden is not one that was designed or planted for its floral display.
It was planted for foliage. Big beautiful subtropical looking foliage. Flowers are a bonus.

For this June 2008 Bloom Day, there are a few things blooming that I will share.

I’ll start with the ‘ hell strip ‘ which is the border that adjoins the street.
It is planted with Alstromeria, ornamental grasses, Ballota, some horrid Austin Roses, Phygelia, Euphorbia, Succulents and more

The front hell strip :


The most impressive ‘ in your face’ plant that is blooming is the bougainvillaea that engulfs the front entry.
It will bloom for the entire summer and fall.


A close up of the bract :


Just below the bougainvillaea is a garden bed with succulents and south African plants.
This is one of the aeoniums blooming


Once inside the front entry gate there is a small green patch of oxalis bermuda grass that pretends to be a lawn.
It is bordered by a foliage border :






Across from the giant bougainvillea is an Iochrma tree that frames the front entry.
It will grow to about 12 to 16 feet by the end of the summer.
At this point in the season it is loaded with blooms and is up to the rain gutters.

Here is a detail shot of the bloom :


There are a few potted plants in the front garden :
Fushia and a odd shade loving variegated canna


I have been on a bromeliad kick for the past year of two.
I have them planted directly in the gound , wired to the trunks of the palm trees and in pots throughout the garden.







Along the back path is a mix of big bold foliage , succulents, some sculpture and a few flowers :









This last photo below shows a recent drop off of plants from Monterey Nursery.
I have a planting project coming up and the job site is too steep for the big wholesale nursery trucks to drop off their plant load so I am storing plants at my house and will truck them to the job site with my small pick up truck.
In this photo there is a nice Agonis tree, Leucospermum Jester, Agave atteuattas, Adenanthos, Phormiums, Yucca, Oscularia and ornamental grasses.