ms. fancy plants

for the fanciest plants in town.

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today i stumbled across what i think might be the fanciest plant i've ever had in my garden.  a rogue Columbine with the most elegant and dramatic bud i've ever seen.  top five for sure.  

any ideas on the ID?

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Phylica stipularis. from south africa, super comfy in san francisco.

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Ferns for days...

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plants about town…

whoa.  if you’re in san francisco please check out the enormous Magnolia in full bloom on stanyan at page.  hurry!

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blooming in my garden…

my tiny Ceanothus, planted last spring, has finally recovered from transplant shock. i know, i know, i should be planting in the fall. regardless, i find that it takes a good year before a ca native decides to be happy in its new space, judging by the amount of buds and blooms (fifty plus) vs its size (about a foot and a half tall), this native is totally psyched.

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fancy plants of the week...

i have no business buying any more plants for our deck, there is hardly walking room as it is but i can't stop, just one more, i had to have it - Lamprocapnos spectabilis, formally Dicentra spectabilis and more commonly referred to as Bleeding Heart (apologies for the nomenclature geek-out), is totally irresistible.  i chose to pot it up on the deck because Lamprocapnos' perfect heart-shaped blooms are best viewed up close.   

Bleeding Heart can tolerate almost full shade, so if you're over Hostas and Ferns, (what? who am i kidding, how could you be over Ferns? they're the coolest), either way, it's the perfect accent for your shady garden.  it's an old fashioned plant, that looks great paired with vintagy deep purple Begonias, but also looks fantastic with more architectural plants like black Mondo grass or pink Bromeliads.  Lamprocapnos is fast growing (to 3' high and wide), and low maintenance as long as you work a bit of organic matter into the soil. keep it moist in the summer and not too soggy in winter, and this baby will produce dramatic long-lasting blooms late winter to early summer.  i hear it dies back to the ground in warmer climates, i'll keep you posted, i'm curious to see if this happens in san francisco.   

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Acacia boormanii is blooming like crazy in my garden right now.  At about tree years old this is its first intense flush.  Its gray-green whispy leaves compliment the buttercup yellow flowers oh so nicely, which aren't showing any signs of stopping, (we're going on three weeks now).  try boormanii in a succulent garden, with blue or purple to really make it pop. or with other australian natives like Grevillea or Leucadendron for an architectural modern arrangement. yuuuummmmmm!!!!  

Acacia boormanii prefers full sun, (although mine is in half sun about half the year) and doesn't seem to mind sandy nutrient deficient soil.  it's also drought tolerant, making it an easy and fantastic choice for a california garden.  

***This particular plant is east-facing in my upper haight garden.***  

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Lotus berthelotii (Parrot's Beak) is blooming in my living wall.  I kinda can't peel my eyes away.  I absolutely love the way its orange and black blooms complement the Succulent foliage next it.  but i will say this, Parrot's Beak is a bit of a fussy plant. don't even think about dividing it, just thinking about it will kill it.  and don't forget to water in a dry winter. don't do that. last thing - provide plenty of sun, and positive energy and this fancy plant will pop out flowers nine months out of the year.  

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the Aloes are blooming.

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some friends we met along the way...

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fancy Costa Rica plants (and a few mushrooms) cont... 

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fancy Costa Rica plants cont...

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one month ago i married a man who agreed go away with me to ogle outrageous tropical plants (i'm one lucky lady).  in the meantime, we decided to hunt for the ever elusive Sloth, who we found, being just as lazy as suspected.  we realized that whoever came up with the fruit loops Toucan was pretty spot on (but we never expected his call to sound like that), and no you don't have to set your alarm for a 7:30 breakfast, the birds will get you up in time for a swim before coffee is even served.  

i couldn't stop snapping photos.  shooting a Heliconia would be interrupted by a Scarlet Macaw screeching past, while a Howler Monkey hopped over my head, it was overwhelming in the best possible way.  because of this, and tumblr only allowing ten photos per post. there will be many posts.  plants first.  i hope you like.

plant ID or correction is always welcome.   

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they call him Indian Corn Cob.

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flowering Yucca amazingness.

(west facing upper haight garden.)

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fancy plants of the week...

my Correa reflexa, because i've been waiting for weeks, watching the little white pom-poms with baited breath, wondering when they'll pop open.  this is the dreamiest of the dreamy, with dainty pink and yellow dumbbells.  

this beauty will stay nice and compact and produce several rounds of blooms throughout the year if tip pruned after flowering.  it's evergreen, super attractive to hummingbirds and has a low susceptibility to pests.  why are you still reading this?  go!  go get yourself one of these babies.  there are only about a million cultivars to choose from.  

i have mine in a pot with good drainage in morning light in the upper haight, it's super happy as long as i don't let it go dry.

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golden Aspens, a castle on the lake with a living roof, fluorescent sunsets. tahoe is magic.