Raspberry Banana Cheesecake was such a great bloomer, alas, I left it behind in my last garden.

Spring has sprung!!

Just some updated photos: still in bloom
Kniphofia sarmentosa


Aeonium arboreum


Oscularia caulescens

jasmine - I wonder what is wrong with my nose. I'm not too crazy about the smell of it but other people love it. I also do not like the smell of cut grass.


lantana pretty much blooms all year but it is more orange in the summer






bird of paradise blooms in the cool season


NOID rose

Wow! Kelli. What kind of Jasmine (Star?) you have there blooming in still late-winter? I thought they normally bloom in late spring, summer? Mine (confederate) is still in dormancy (in container) inside with just a few old leaves hanging. Wonder it's time to go outside?

ps, I like your paradise bird too!

Why do you bring it inside?

I got it from HD last mid Sept, repotted and stayed outside until late Oct when many leaves started turn brown. Heard it will go dormant in winter... so it was in together with all succulents.

My little jasminum polyanthum ("Pink Jasmine"), still in its one gallon pot, waiting for a proper spot is blooming already. kelli, do you have issues with smelling other things? I can't imagine not being able to smell it....

@fiat, I wouldn't think it needs coming inside, you bring succulents inside too? Do you get heavy frost in Modesto? I used to live in San Jose z. 9B and never brought any inside. Here in 9a I get a bit colder nights and the winter of 2013 we had an extended frost week and that's when all my aeoniums died. But I leave everything else outside year round and while I may get an occasional tip leaf damage, most recover.

Thanks, Sue for the valuable experience sharing. Actually I was a beginner of growing plants last year and this coming second season doesn't make me any better than a rookie. Still learning and not knowing lot things in growing plants. I thought in the winter of our area temp could be down to below 30 and big rain storms are usual (well, not last winter though except late December) which are the main reasons I brought in all sccu and the Jasmine etc. Now according to many posters (may be all?) here, I might have had some wrong move... But I am still not sure how to deal with this "move out, move in" matter... For sure I am starting to clean up my patio area and plan sites for my plants, spreading some S/S poison... and MOVE OUT! Any comment/advice?

wcgypsy said:My little jasminum polyanthum ("Pink Jasmine"), still in its one gallon pot, waiting for a proper spot is blooming already. kelli, do you have issues with smelling other things? I can't imagine not being able to smell it....

I can smell it. I'm just not that crazy about the smell of it.

[quote="fiat"]Wow! Kelli. What kind of Jasmine (Star?) you have there blooming in still late-winter? quote]

It is called pink jasmine. (Kind of a strange name for a white flower. The buds and I think the undersides of the petals are pink.) It is always an early thing to bloom, right after the wisteria, which is about done now.

That's how I am with paperwhite narcissus...I hate the smell, smells like some kind of chemical....and though they're pretty in the house at Christmas time, I don't see hoiw people can have them inside.

They can be a bit much.

Thanks for mentioning the jasminum...made me think about getting it into the ground and where and now I see that I can use two more......of course I can.....lol...

In front yard: (don't know what the plant is?)

It;s a spirea, possible this one:

Van Houtte Spiraea (Spiraea x vanhouttei)

Indeed it is. Thanks, Sue.

Crassula Springtime is ready!

Pretty, pretty!

Ya know....up here in the land of few nurseries, I'm really appreciating Home Depot. Went over to get a few more dodoneas and jasminum and they had 5 gallon brunfelsia Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow...one of my faves and one I had to leave behind....5 gal...$20 and I'm thinking that IF I found it here in another nursery, it would be from Monrovia and $35-40.

Sun has been out and I'm going out to plant, but see now that the fog is creeping in.....