Here are a few things that have caught my eye in the garden over the last few days. In addition to Caesalpinia pulcherrima, above, the most spectacular arrivals, watched from bud to open flowers, are a pair of blooms on Trichocereus grandiflorus.
A second T. grandiflorus has bloomed again also.
And there are other summer flowers in bloom now.
This is the first year for hollyhock blooms.
The miniature roses are unstoppable.
I am discovering that Love in a Mist carries its species descriptive "damascena" by rights; it originated in the Mediterranean and, like many plants from the region, has settled into the desert fairly comfortably.
The very native desert milkweed has also chosen this time to bloom; here are the first flowers on Asclepias subulata.
Lavandula x "Goodwin's Creek Gray" can bloom nearly year-round, fortunately for the bees!
May has begun with very volatile weather (see my weather diary below), but it certainly has its floral treasures!
Weather Diary: Friday - Slightly cloudy; High: 105 F(41 C)/Low: 69 F (21 C); Humidity: 7%-34%; Saturday - Partly cloudy; High: 97 F (36 C)/Low: 70 F (21 C); Humidity: 10%-41%
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Loree (Sunday, 07 May 2017 11:28)
I do adore Caesalpinia pulcherrima, but that Trichocereus grandiflorus, wow! A grand flower indeed.
Amy@smallsunnygarden (Sunday, 07 May 2017 12:08)
Loree - I love the Trichocereus varieties I've planted, with and without flowers... The one in the slideshow came back after significant rabbit chewing last summer; these are its first blooms. I bought a second so I would have a replacement; now I have two - win-win! ;-) Then a white-flowered one fell in my basket last time I went shopping...
Cathy (Sunday, 07 May 2017 12:09)
I love all your desert blooms Amy! I tried growing Caesalpinia once but, as you can perhaps imagine, it didn't work! What a gorgeous sunflower too. We had a really warm day yesterday followed by cool and damp weather today... I wonder what tomorrow will bring! Have a good start to the week! :)
Kris P (Sunday, 07 May 2017 19:25)
You do a remarkable job in gardening in your difficult climate, Amy! Sunflowers already! I don't even have my seeds in yet. I tried planting hollyhock again this year and had the same result as in prior tries - terrible rust (even though I used a rust resistant variety).
Amy@smallsunnygarden (Tuesday, 09 May 2017 03:39)
Cathy - May is acting about as volatile as March this year - we even have rain tonight... (shocking but highly appreciated!) Hope you have a great week too - thanks so much! :)
Amy@smallsunnygarden (Tuesday, 09 May 2017 03:41)
Thank you so much, Kris! The rustless hollyhocks are a result of our 5% humidity, I would guess! There are some benefits to it... ;-)