SUMMER COLORS, HYDRANGEAS, & ETC.

This year's summer kicked off with a week of heat wave and followed by days of above normal temperature.   The Hydrangeas need protection from the extreme hot sun and dryness.  Supplemental watering throughout the day will help prevent the petals and leaves from wilting and drying up. These Hydrangeas cuttings (below) were given to me by a neighbor and a friend from West Covina three years ago.  I planted them both together and so far, they have been doing very well.  I put up a shade above them to provide some relief from the hot sun.

























 Mixing different colors together make them more attractive.  We got this blue one (Horben) from Home Depot and the bright pink (unknown) from Costco. Adding aluminum sulfate help maintain its blue color while adding garden lime on the other one help perk up its pink color.

 

Also, mixing different varieties, Lacecap and Mophead, of Hydrangeas (below) provide an interesting effect in the garden.  Seems like the Lacecap is more heat tolerant than the (lighter pink) mophead beside it (showing a bit of burned petals on some blooms). 

 



 

 

 

The easy-growing Geraniums (foreground, left) provide ground cover colors from spring till fall.  These low maintenance plants will withstand the hot sun.  During winter, they are pruned or discarded, using their tips (clippings) as new ones for the following year.

 

The two-tone evergreen English Ivy outlines the edge of the red brick ribbon by the concrete walkways.  These need to be trimmed at least once a month to maintain its spread and height. Watch out, this Ivy is very invasive and can overtake its surrounding area if not properly controlled.



Warmer weather and lower humidity tends to keep these hydrangeas growing shorter than those in cooler regions. Regardless, these blue Hydrangeas by the garage door never failed to bloom every spring till summer (also from cuttings, now on it's fourth year). 



 

 

When you see these white Agapanthus (Lilies of the Nile) blooming everywhere, then summer is definitely here.  This is heat tolerant and the bulbs will multiply rapidly in a few years.  Need to reduce and divide some of these fast-growing bulbs during winter to prevent overcrowding. 



Another summer favorite is the Gardenia.  Its sweet fragrant will fill the air as you walk by.  This plant needs only a few hours of morning sun and full shade in the afternoon.  They love constant moisture in well-drained soil to keep them hydrated during hot spells.  Strong winds, hot sun, and low humidity will cause some leaf edges to turn yellow and brown.  After several failures with Gardenia in the past, we finally found a perfect spot for this one (under the protection of the upright fuchsias spreading above it).

 

 

 

2014 - START OF NEW SEASONS

Happy New Year!  The unseasonably warm weather this winter in Southern California has affected most of the plants.  They're so confused whether it's time to hibernate or start budding.  Nevertheless, the Purple Statice (Sea Lavender) and the golden yellow freesias perk up the front yard with their bright and contrasting colors.  Also, the sweet fragrant of the freesias fill the morning air as you passed by.

At the back, the double kalanchoe (cuttings from last year) kicked off the new year with their bright orange blooms along the brick planter/sitting wall - something to cheer me up when I take my daily morning stroll.

We also planted some of the cuttings on pots and put them outside right by the kitchen window so we can enjoy them from the inside.  Kalanchoe is so easy to grow.  We just planted them around the whole yard whenever there is a bare spot available.

Usually around this time of the year, the freesias are freely blooming everywhere.  But due to lack of rainfall and chill this season, some of them tends to grow slower and smaller compared to last winter (2013).   These freesias are so fragrant and they make good floral arrangements that will last about a week.

Even though most of our flowering plants are not yet in season, we just couldn't help but notice this dwarf Washington navel orange tree (about 5 ft. tall) that we planted a few years ago.   After a long wait and almost mishap to this tree which was nursed back to life, this is the first time that it has fruits and these huge oranges seems ready to be picked anytime.   Hmmm... they just look deliciously sweet and they truly are!!!

Adding two urn planters at the entrance of the walkways create a new look to the garden for the new year.  The Birds of the Paradise also started early this year and more buds are on their way for a long blooming season.